Abrupt Decay
: A catch all removal spell for most permanents in the modern format. The answer to unfair cards like
Blood Moon
,
Ensnaring Bridge
and
Chalice of the Void
Fatal Push
: The most powerful and efficient creature removal spell in B
Grim Flayer
: An important component to the functionality of this deck. He will almost always be a 4/4 with trample, which turns on
Stubborn Denial
and is a threat on its own, but he also offers card filtering which ensures we draw what we want and have the rest to utilize in the graveyard.
Inquisition of Kozilek
: Intel and hand disruption provide a safer environment for our creatures.
Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
: Another card that does exactly what this deck wants to be doing. His looting ability can help build the grave with the cards and card types you need, and once he flips you have a tank that can continually recycle spells in your graveyard. He's especially relevant since we're running LotV which means you're not always going to be able to hold up a Snapcaster Mage
Liliana of the Veil
: An obvious choice in any deck that runs black. She is the queen of attrition and works well with our graveyard synergies.
Liliana, the Last Hope
: This deck uses the graveyard as its second hand and Lili plays right into this synergy. She makes our threats recursive while sniping down the little stuff and providing a possible wincon
Maelstrom Pulse
: So diverse, so powerful. Possible two for ones and hits the big stuff most other removal can't
Mishra's Bauble
: A Very important piece to the deck. It's a free cantrip, adds a card type to the graveyard, creates a revolt trigger for
Fatal Push
, and can help assist us with our Though Scour plays
Search for Azcanta
: I was curious to try this card out in the build when Ixalan came out, and it ended up being the perfect addition to the build. Early game this card does exactly what this deck wants to be doing, giving us a pseudo scry and helping build our graveyard. Once it flips, it is an absolute powerhouse in the mid-late game, giving us card advantage and helping us cycle through the deck to find exactly the right pieces. Can't grab a creature but need one? No problem, grab
Traverse the Ulvenwald
. With this addition the deck now has 7 of the 8 card types incorporated in the deck, making for some truly tyrannical Goyfs.
Serum Visions
: Running efficiently on 18 lands can be challenging sometimes. Between the other cantrips and card filtering through
Grim Flayer
, a full package of visions isn't necessary, but the 2 in the deck really help smooth out the draws
Snapcaster Mage
: The primary reason to run blue in a GBx build. Time and time again Snappy has proven his worth in the modern format as a powerful addition to any deck. Attrition doesn't hurt nearly as bad when you have the ability to recycle all of your spells. He's the reason this deck has such flexibility in playstyle.
Stubborn Denial
: I've always been a fan of this card and it's finally starting to get some shine in Modern. The stipulations to make this card powerful are easily obtained in this deck, and it throws a huge wrench in your opponent's game plan. This is by no means a "counter control" deck, but a 1 mana
Negate
is a little too good to pass up
Tarmogoyf
: Turn 2, a 5/6 for two mana...
Tasigur, the Golden Fang
: Such a powerhouse in the modern format, especially after the printing of
Fatal Push
. He's castable on turn two with a
Thought Scour
in this deck, has a big body, dodges multiple removal spells, turns on
Stubborn Denial
, and provides card advantage.
Thought Scour
: The primary engine of this deck that fuels our creatures and fills our second hand, aka our graveyard, with playable material.
Thoughtseize
: Intel and hand disruption provide a safer environment for our creatures.
Traverse the Ulvenwald
: This card is insane and I'm surprised it's still priced as low as it is.. In this deck it makes sure your mana is on curve, tutors a threat, or tutors a disruption or removal spell via
Snapcaster Mage
for 1 mana..
Sideboard
Ceremonious Rejection
: Tron, Affinity and Eldrazi are highly relevant decks in the format and this card helps shut them down.
Collective Brutality
: Shows it's strength time and time again in modern. Great against control and burn.
Disdainful Stroke
: Primarily for Tron and Scapeshift
Engineered Explosives
: Great against CoCo decks and go wide strategies
Feed the Clan
: We can hurt ourselves a fair amount between
Thoughtseize
, fetching, and shocking. This ends up being a potential 20 extra life against the more aggressive builds
Nihil Spellbomb
: Self cycling grave nuke
Spreading Seas
: Disrupts land and draws a card, eat it tron
Surgical Extraction
: I mean what deck doesn't include this in their sideboard? Even more powerful in this deck with the hand removal and
Thought Scour
s
