Covering the Modern 10k at SCG Con Baltimore MTG Highlights

Recapping the Modern 10k Tournament at SCG Con Baltimore

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Dive into our recap of the Modern 10k Tournament at SCG Con Baltimore. Get insights on top decks, key matches, and standout players from this MTG event!

We recently received word that Wizards did not plan on banning Nadu before the next scheduled B&R on August 26th. Some of us hoped that we would be able to start the Modern RCQ season knowing exactly what decks weren't going to be allowed in the format. Some want Grief to be banned, as well as The One Ring. The no-ban announcement left the door wide open for SCG Con to be littered with a heavy Nadu Meta. This ended up being my first modern tournament, and first time playing it in paper, and it went about as well as I expected it to. I ended up dropping out after round five after falling to a two and three record, but I'm not the star of the article this time! I'll go over a little bit of my experiences in the article today, and I'll go over a deck that I believe is incredibly well-positioned. I'll save you a Google Search, and it was no surprise that things went this way. The top 5 decks of the tournament were Nadu decks. Half of the top 16 were Nadu decks. It continues to illustrate the point made by Magic players all over the world that appears to be falling on deaf ears: Nadu has to be banned. Ideally, we wish for it to happen before the Modern RCQ Season starts in early August, but it appears there will be at least three weeks of Nadu tearing up Modern Events until the next B&R. Anyhow, let's go over some other noteworthy parts of the tournament that should hopefully show some good signs to come for the Modern Format.

Total Cards:

Reanimator combos are fun in any format - and they're especially fun when we can play them in a competitive environment. The Goryo's Vengeance Deck in Modern accomplishes that, and it makes great use of three of the five elemental creatures. Also, it reanimates Griselbrand, and who doesn't love that?

Key Combo Cards

Right off the bat, this already good deck gained a new friend when MH3 came out. We have a creature that gets big as we discard cards, and we already want to discard cards to reanimate powerful creatures. What's not to like here? If we end up with stuff in our graveyard that we do not need to reanimate, we can also give the frog flying so that it has built-in evasion. I like to think that this card is a great early gameplan for the deck that allows it to be aggressive before and during the assembly of the combo.

This is really what makes the deck work incredibly early in the game. We now have access to surveil lands, and this can allow us to get a creature reanimated onto the battlefield as early as turn two. If you want to wait until turn three so you can blink it and get around the exile trigger, you can do that too, but the deck can really pop off quickly. The fact that this spell is only two mana is beyond broken. Creatures in the format have such powerful enter the battlefield effects and attack triggers these days. Even if you don't benefit from the attack, there are multiple creatures in the deck that have lifelink, and since Goryo gives them haste, we are talking about massive lifegain very early in the game. If you can make the creature stick without it being removed, you are pummeling the opponent very early.

This is our way to get around the fact that we have to exile the creature at the end step. It is also extra relevant because most of the creatures in the deck have a very strong ability just from entering the battlefield. Since Ephemerate also has rebound, we are talking about grabbing up to 15 cards with an Atraxa, or taking up to three cards from an opponent's hand with Grief. Also, Subtlety is another one that can get pretty ridiculous with this ability. Since it can continually place cards on top of the opponent's library, there is a way to effectively timewalk the opponent for a few turns, which effectively locks them out of the game while we take over the board and win.

Key Creatures in the Deck

When I first heard that this deck can play Griselbrand and it's actually good, I immediately wanted to try it. The fact that you can give the creature haste to attack and gain 7 life, then draw seven cards with the free life you just gained is phenomenal. It basically allows you to mulligan to 3 or 4 cards and not care. Really powerful early game abilities.

Atraxa is known in every format as a bomb of a card. It's no surprise here that it's an easy target for Goryo in this deck. The enter the battlefield effect is too good to leave out. Because of the deck wanting to be able to run a mana base that allows for it to hard cast Atraxa, it even lights up one of the best removal cards in Magic: Leyline Binding. Even if Atraxa isn't going to be able to attack, or it gets removed after entering, we are still going to grab five cards. Even if you only get to do that, you effectively looked at ten cards and hand-picked three to five of them to put in your hand. That is the case, and it's hard for it to be bad that way.

We all know that this card is also facing a possible ban. Many players are calling for it, saying that it interrupts the play experience, and that getting Grief Scammed on turn one makes it really hard to win the game after that. This deck absolutely wants to play it, and it wants to blink the creature as much as possible. There is no better feeling than reanimating a ton of creatures without having to worry about any interaction, and then working towards winning the game.

Although this deck doesn't play Subtlety, there are a lot of the Goryo decks that do. It really creates a difficult situation for the opponent as they are forced to choose what cards they want to be able to keep on top of their deck, but it never really gives them a good choice. This is where the styles of the deck can vary. It appears the list from this past weekend focuses more on simply removing threats, which is also fine. I think the reason for that is because there are a lot of Eldrazi spells that have cast triggers. You don't want to let an opponent cast a card that has a strong cast effect, and then put it right back on top of their deck and let them get that same effect again the next turn. There are situations where Subtlety can lock out the game, but also situations where it could be bad. This deck opting to use Solitude definitely makes sense, but any of the element within the Esper Colors are strong in the build in their own way.Now this deck is undoubtedly strong, but it's unfortunate that it didn't have a slightly better performance over the weekend. Although it had a good win rate at 6-3, it really leaves us to wonder if it would have done a bit better without Nadu being so prevalent. Who knows, if Nadu gets banned, the Goryo's Vengeance on turn two or three could make this the fastest deck in the format!

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I am a Magic The Gathering competitive player, and streamer. I specialize in homebrew decks. My favorite formats are: Standard, Pioneer (Explorer on Arena), and EDH. I first started playing MTG in 2001, and have played on and off since then.

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Explore the new Standard meta in Magic: The Gathering post-ban. Discover top decks Dimir Midrange & Mono Black Demons. Adapt and conquer in Best of 3!

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The Decks that Benefitted the Most from Monday's Bans

We are fresh off of an absolute KNEECAPPING of the Standard Meta. The top two aggro decks, domain, graveyard combo, and bounce all took a huge hit. We are currently operating as if these decks are now unplayable, so by default, there will be questions. Can we keep playing the other decks that were decent in the meta? Will they get better? And even, can I finally brew in Standard the way that I want to? The answer for now might be yes to all of that. In a format that feels as if it is wide open, we have a chance to take a wild-west approach to the current Standard format until we have rotation and the next set. While there will be plenty of brews to come, I would like to examine the decks that will now move up into the upper echelon of the meta. There are three different archetypes that I believe will benefit from the bans. Let's start it off with one that might seem pretty obvious: This probably doesn't come as a surprise. Many people have had success with this deck, and have used it as somewhat of an anti-meta list to deal with all different types of threats. Although the meta is a little bit more wide open, I still think this list is equipped to take down anything that is thrown at it. Dimir Midrange

We Had to do it! Boros Equipment is BACK!

I'll never forget what it was like to come back to magic a few years ago after taking a seven-year break to stumble across a meta that was so diverse, it had a deck that was centered around equipment, and the deck was actually really good. It was the golden age of Standard. Kaldheim was the most powerful set in the format by far, and the rares and mythics from that plane set the tone for what the meta would be in our beloved format. Sadly, it ended up rotating, and it did not get to stick around long enough to see the three-year rotation cycle like we have now. The good news is, we are going to try and bring it back! We will look to use cards that go all the way back in Standard so far to the point where the deck might only be playable for a couple of months. That's okay, we will have our fun while we can. I want to throw my hat in the ring for a powerful Boros Equipment list in our new Standard that comes out with Final Fantasy. I think there are too many powerful equipment both in this set, and that have come out within the last year to overlook giving this a shot. It may look a little different, and be a bit janky, but we have enough powerful cards to make this deck awesome. What I love most about it is that we will be able to tutor for equipment cards, and that is where we can kind of use a toolbox of equipment and have a few different one-ofs to diversify our threats. This also allows us to use our sideboard for additional equipment cards if needed. We should expect the deck to change as we see what the meta turns into after Final Fantasy is released. I believe that people are expecting change, and even if we don't get it in the first two months, we will also have rotation. That will guarantee change if nothing else does. We will take a look at the deck and then go over some of the new cards that are showcased within it, and we can see a pretty cool combo that will form. I included a lot of new cards in this deck, so forgive me if I don't get to all of them - but I promise that they all fit well for their own reasons. You can see that we definitely want to set things up early with this deck. The meta is very fast and we want to have our engines going on turns two and three and start trying to amass value from there. We will even try to get maximum value out of cards like Leyline Axe to try and get it going before we even lay our first land. Some of our creatures create their own equipment, and some creatures allow us to tutor for equipment. Some allow us to equip for free, and some even reanimate equipment from our graveyard, or allow us to attach them from our hand. We have many different ways to get value in this deck, so let's take a look at the key players. Key New Cards

Sephiroth is Everything we Wanted Him to be. Let's Build a Deck Around Him!

We are about to embark upon the most unique set in Standard we have ever had, while also going into a new era where Universes Beyond cards are all Standard legal, and they are released multiple times a year. Many are up in arms about the game possibly being ruined, or losing its integrity. I personally am waiting to see how things play out, and doing my best to enjoy the new cards as much as I can. Final Fantasy is an interesting set for me. I haven't ever played a Final Fantasy game and I am completely in the dark on any of the lore or story in general. I've felt a bit left out in regards to the hype for the set, and I have been taking a different approach to the cards in the set as they are spoiled. I have strictly been looking at things from a card evaluation standpoint. One could say it's essentially the same as how I've always done it, but in this case it feels like I am an outlier. Although I don't know much about Final Fantasy, I was able to find a card with a mechanic that is near and dear to my heart. Gain and drain will always be my favorite mechanic/ability in MTG, and anyone who has been reading these articles long enough already knew that. Today we are going to look at everyone's favorite villain: Sephiroth. Trust me, I didn't know that before, my friend who is a Final Fantasy enjoyer told me all about it. We will use some other gain and drain effects, and some aristocrat creatures to hopefully drain out our opponent and flood the board with creatures that can go wide. We'll take a look at the deck and then I'll go over the new cards that I included, and why I think they'll be useful in Standard. Let's check it out! I tried to include a good amount of new cards for the deck. A lot of it was pretty easy to build around and the deck somewhat ended up building itself. It was refreshing to have support for this ability. Without further ado, let's check out these new cards and why they are good. Relevant New Cards

The Meta is Changing, so it's Time for a Standard Check-In

Remember when Domain was the best deck in the format? Pepperidge Farm remembers. We are currently experiencing some pretty hefty shifts in the meta regarding the most popular decks, and it seems that many players who enjoy big mana decks are making the shift towards an aggro-based list. A few of us have gotten our wish - myself included - Tarkir has brought us the shift in the meta that many felt we desperately needed. There are some cards in Tarkir that stand out and are helping to shape the meta. We have new archetypes rising, and there are some other archetypes that were on the edge of being relevant, and just needed a couple of cards. Some of those archetypes are now lit up, and the meta is becoming more diverse. I think it's a little too early to flat out call it healthy, but I think that it is starting to feel better, and to feel as if we can play fun decks without playing against the same thing every time. Today we will look at some of the biggest shifts in the metagame, and check out some of the cards that are causing these shifts. The Latest Challenger We'll start out with the biggest difference-maker in the meta: Izzet Prowess. This is a deck that people have tried to play before, and there were random times where it was good, but it has finally been given a tool that allows for constant generation of creatures, and rewards proper sequencing of spells.

Finding the best Pixie Deck in Standard (it's Orzhov)

We just finished up the Regional Championship in Bologna, and we are finally getting some answers in regards to what the best decks are in Standard. We had the confirmation of aggro still being very effective, and those pesky mice continue to do their thing. In addition to that, Izzet Prowess has made a name for itself. Jeskai Control had a good showing, and Domain was still represented as well. We have all known about Esper Pixie for a bit, and many of us have been adequately terrorized by it. A new, more consistent version of this archetype is here and it uses some great cards. This archetype had a good showing at the Regional Championship, and had a list that qualified for the next RC, while just missing a spot at the pro tour. Orzhov Pixie is a deck that aims to be more consistent with its mana, and also allows for a pivot to more of a midrange battle when needed. The plethora of discard and removal make it a deck that is right up my alley, and I will never turn down the opportunity to play cards that make the opponent lose life. Today we are going to examine Orzhov Pixie, and why I believe it is the best version of the Pixie Archetype. We will go over some important cards that this list uses that the Esper version does not, then we will compare the pros and cons of playing each list. This list that was pretty well curated by Massimiliano earned him an honorable finish in Bologna. This player was one win away from a pro tour invitation and at that point, you have to say that they are in the conversation to be considered one of the top-tier players in Europe at least. They will be back for more opportunities to qualify. This deck has started to break into the meta, and it has finally made a name for itself by having three different players finish in the top 64 with the deck. All three players took home at least $500. Not bad for playing your favorite game over a weekend. What strikes me the most in this deck is the versatility of it. There are cards that we can top deck that make it so we are a lot less likely to run out of gas. I think that is what I enjoy most about this compared to the Esper Version. Esper is all in on the combo itself, and it doesn't have as good of a backup plan. This list allows you to play the midrange and attrition-based matchups that are sometimes demanded of you based on what the opponent is playing. The versatility of Orzhov Pixie is what sets it apart. Relevant Cards

This Deck is Sneaky Good! Get Ready for RAKDOS Dragons!

You didn't think I could only give you one dragon deck, did you? I honestly saw too many fun options to do just Boros, so today I'm bringing you another. This one steers toward the more midrange, good ol' honest Magic side of things. I wanted to center a deck around something that is more consistent with the status quo of dragons: carnage and destruction. We have plenty of removal in this deck, and a creature that doubles as a board wipe when needed. Since we aren't doing a super fancy combo in this deck, I wanted to add element of ramp to get to the higher mana spells that we have in the deck. We will be able to use early creatures to help out with that, and also a new fancy artifact. We will torch the board and force our opponents to be more resilient than we are, while flying over the top of what they might manage to keep on the board. Let's take a look at the deck and then I'll tell you some of my favorite things about it. You can see some of the fun that we will have right off the bat with this deck. We are looking to smash aggro decks, and still punish other decks that don't play to the board. Although this one has fewer dragons on paper, we have a few permanents that can actually turn into them, and this leads to some cheeky interactions. Let's check out some of the new cards from Tarkir Dragonstorm that are in this deck, and then we will go over some fun combos! Key New Cards

The Decks that Benefitted the Most from Monday's Bans