JaceTheMindsculptor

The high price is likely because of the shocks and fetches. Most of them I already own, so that cuts the price down significantly.

No.

Maybe. I would personally be excited to see a lazav centered hexproof strat :)

I apologize for my apparent snootishness, but I can't seem to get behind a 4-color deck that doesn't use really any shocks. I think the Post-Rotation Hexproof Meta is fair game for really any color combo, but I think you try to do too much. Witchstalker turn 3, Lazav turn 4? That's just really hard to sell. I honestly say try to cut some colors out of it. Maybe an Esper Hexproof deck? You still have white for ethereal armor, and have good enchantment food in Lazav.

If you're set on the idea of the 4-colors, however, I say run more shocks and go with farseek instead of mana bloom. Even if you run one of each shock, farseek will have plenty of use. Manabloom for 2 will get you a single instance of a mana-accelerant, whereas farseek on turn 2 will get you permanent mana accelerant. Of course, this will be hard post rotation, but even lay of the land would be just as good in the spot.

I really would love to see this deck be fine-tuned--like I said, hexproof is fair game in the new standard meta. Good luck!

That's true. The game-plan was to have the undying creatures come out before the biomancer, but I hadn't considered a topdeck. Zameck would be good. Thanks for the comment!

I mean, the metagame is different in every area. The only deck I know that's capable of completely ending the game by turn 4 or 5 is BTE aggro, and that's only on a nutdraw with absolutely no resistance. There are still a lot of control and combo decks out there--especially at our scene. Aristocrats (both Junk and ActII) are really big, as well as Bant Hexproof and UWR Flash. There is a lot of RG Aggro as well, but those games rarely close out before turn 5. If you're facing almost all aggro decks at your store, then I would either a.) Modify the deck to take on aggro decks primarily, b.) Devote a lot of sideboard slots to fighting aggro or c.) Run a different deck if this one just doesn't work. This deck is meant to function half aggro, half combo, and was made for our store scene to take on decks like Jund and Aristocrats, so if you're having pesky matchups against different decks than those are what you should focus on beating.

And don't knock Assemble the Legion ;) It's probably one of the most underrated cards in the entire format, and has the finishing power to absolutely demolish any deck in the format given enough time.

I actually faced this deck at the last FNM he and I went to. Because it was purchased hastily, he didn't have any shocks in it yet, so there were some definite mana issues. As far as the synergy went, though, Pyromancer + Removal is crazy, and I don't think he lost a game when Path of Bravery / Assemble the Legion hit the field (except in one case it was demonstrated that Aetherling does beat Assemble the Legion).

In a nutshell, yes he took it to FNM, and while it's not perfect yet, it has serious potential as a RB shell.

Would work really well with all the undying creatures and doomed traveler, too... *brew* *brew* *brew*

I really appreciate the comment! :D I try to do more than post a deck with 60 cards and leave people to figure it out on their own lol. It's also fun to write about ideas :D I'm glad you liked it!

It certainly feels like it.

I actually live in Lansing, just an hour away. I don't know where Utica is, but I will look it up. I would love a place to test Modern!

And for your comment,
17 Lands feels like a good number to me. I have messed around with it, and 17 is the number I keep coming back too. For one, there are a lot of card draw spells to smooth things out, and if worst comes to worst, life from the loam can help you hit a third land drop if you need it. Birds of Paradise is also in here as a 4-of, which can really help smooth out my mana. I may end up changing the count as the deck changes, but 17 is a good number for right now.

Gifts Ungiven is an amazing card and would be in here without thought if it costed 2U instead of 3U. That cost is just a bit expensive for a deck (as you pointed out) running 17 lands, and realistically any cards that I can't cast early on would end up being faithless looting food. As I said earlier, however, I will keep it in mind as the deck changes. If I start moving towards a less-explosive, more-grindy type of deck then this will definitely be included.

Thank you so much for the comment! And I'd love the names of some of those game stores :)

The format right now is really in favor of Aggro Decks, so the fact that you were able to 2-0 every aggro deck you played is incredibly awesome! I might need to start looking into Monoblack...

Anyways, congrats on the deck, and I'd love to stay posted on how the deck does!

Wow, real nice job! I wouldn't get worked up over a loss to a rogue deck you could have never predicted, and taking a game is prety sweet! Which decks did you face?

5 words with 2 of them mispelled. tsk tsk.

*Obzedat
*sucks

Don't forget that Dreadbore is also a non-color-restricted doom blade at worst. I think personally that sorcery speed is a necessary evil to have that kind of variance in a kill spell.

Let's be real, guys, they're totally different cards. Dreadbore is much better against midrange decks as it can deal with Olivia Voldaren, Liliana of the Veil, Jace, all Garruk's, etc. very cleanly. Shock can do that last finishing blow to planeswalkers or low-power creatures like VoR or tokens. The only reason I suggested Dreadbore is that there's nothing that shock can kill that Dreadbore can't and this deck will probably have the most trouble with midrange decks that it can't interact with. Shock might be handy though in taking out VoR and then trading with the elemental. Only playtesting will show.

Trying to say Dreadbore is better than Shock or vice versa is like saying Dissipate is better than Searing Spear. They're totally different cards.

As one of the minds behind this deck (although it was mostly his), the idea was to use buttloads of removal with the pyromancer to clear a way for your tokens to beat the living crap out of your opponent. The fact that it's BWR and has Cartel Aristocrat doesn't necessarily make it an aristocrats deck. Aristocrat is just there because she can chump-block anything for days.

The non-legality is because I'm using unhinged lands and the site doesn't understand that basic lands are legal in any format.

Why don't you go back to school. Pick up some knowledge.

Oh, and SWITCH IN DREADBORE FOR SHOCK. REMOVAL, MAN. REMOVAL.