BW Eldrazi and Taxes (Modern MTG Deck)

Hey everyone, this is my Eldrazi and Taxes list. Been playing the deck for about two years now, competitively for a few months, and I'm nowhere close to reaching the skill cap; almost every turn forces you to think critically! It's amazingly fun due to it's "I get to play and you don't" nature and the amount of skill it requires. Before you copy this deck card for card to play at your LGS, please note that I've been tuning this list to fit the meta of my game store. The sideboard is extremely low on artifact hate as that's not a popular strategy where I play. I'd definitely change it up before taking this to a larger event.

Deck Info:

Eldrazi and Taxes (referred to as EnT) is an aggro-control deck based off of modern Death and Taxes (DnT), which itself is loosely based off of the Legacy deck with the same name. The general strategy of all three is a symmetrical denial of resources, however DnT is built to play (and win) through this kind of resource removal.

DnT and EnT prey on tier one strategies that rely heavily on unfair effects, such as searching libraries, using powerful lands, or playing efficient, cheap spells like Lightning Bolt . Every card in our deck is built to punish the usage of these types of cards. Unfortunately, this leaves us very weak to strategies that play fair magic better than we do, such as Elves or Mono-White.

Aggro-control sounds like a misnomer, doesn't it? Despite the two being polar opposites of each other, it's a perfect description of how a normal game for EnT will play out. By playing early disruptive creatures like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben , Leonin Arbiter and Tidehollow Sculler , we're able to hamper our opponents game plan (the control part) and then hopefully close out the game quickly with powerful finishers such as Thought-Knot Seer (the aggro part). Despite this being our general strategy, it doesn't mean that EnT can't take an opponent to the late game. We generally don't mind entering the grind; flickering our value ETB creatures with Eldrazi Displacer and Flickerwisp allow us to create an unprecedented amount of value once we have multiple lands in play.

I believe EnT is a solid tier two deck in Modern right now. Core set M19 is bringing us a few new toys to play with in Isolate , Infernal Reckoning , Remorseful Cleric and Militia Bugler , so we'll see where the list ends up going. Death and Taxes will find a way.

Core Cards:

Unfortunately, the core of the deck is so tight it leaves little room for innovation without drastically changing our strategy; almost every card has strong synergy with one another. I'd say there are about three to four flex slots, which in my list are currently occupied by Lingering Souls .

The deck you see above you is my personal list, tuned for my LGS. Please keep that in mind. Here's a fairly stock list for reference (hyperlink not working):

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/modern-w-b-eldrazi-46428

So without further ado, the core of the deck.

Lands:

I was running 22 lands for the longest time, but after going up to 23 I can safely say this: do not play less than 23 lands. You can try, but you'll feel a lot better with the one extra. The consistency has significantly gone up; one of EnT's weaknesses is its fragile manabase. Blood Moon (and our own manabase) dominates us. We're essentially playing a three-color deck without fetchlands (as colorless counts as a color commitment) and our "tri-lands" ( Caves of Koilos ) are painful for us to use. An optimal list probably runs a Fetid Heath instead of the Godless Shrine due to it being able to cast and activate abilities of the colorless Eldrazi in the deck. If you want to play 22 lands cut a Shambling Vent .

0-1x Cavern of Souls : I play against a lot of control decks so teching this in has been great. I don't think one is necessary though, vial should do the trick to get around counterspells. Not needed, but often a helpful inclusion.

3-4x Concealed Courtyard : It's a fast land, fine for us. Anything that comes in untapped without requiring a fetch is playable.

0-2x Godless Shrine : I think Concealed Courtyard is just better. We don't play fetches so tutoring this isn't something we're doing.

4x Caves of Koilos : These are a must have. Although it'll ping you a few times, the three different colors are vital to casting our cards.

4x Eldrazi Temple : This land...is both a blessing and a curse. The ability to power out threatening creatures like Eldrazi Displacer and Thought-Knot Seer earlier than normal provides an exceptional threat to any opponent. This however brings along the drawback of occasionally not having enough colored mana symbols. If you've got a hand with two Temples, a Courtyard and a couple Tidehollow Sculler s, it feels bad.

0-1x Fetid Heath : Filter lands can create awkward mana-tapping, but Heath provides another colorless source if you're stranded.

4x Ghost Quarter : Modern Strip Mine ! Great against a lot of the decks in the format right now, especially with Leonin Arbiter . This land is insane against decks with greedy manabases, like Humans, as some lists only run one basic land.

2-3x Shambling Vent : Vent is another way to head into the lategame and offset the damage we take from our pain lands. It's not amazing for a turn one play; we'd much rather play a Vial. Use this land to help apply pressure or create a blocker when in need.

2x Plains and 1x Swamp : Basics are critical! Path to Exile and Blood Moon are cards that exist. It'd be nice to be able to play a few more, but we desperately need the dual/tri lands to ensure we can cast all of our cards whenever we need to.

Wastes : I haven't experimented with Wastes in my deck; I haven't really needed one. I can see them being good if Blood Moon decks really take off.

Non-Creature Spells:

4x Aether Vial : You can't play DnT or EnT without this card. Playing a turn one Aether Vial will often decide games right there and then. Flashing out Arbiter in response to a fetch, flashing out Flickerwisp and removing a land for a turn, the possibilities opened up by Vial are endless.

4x Path to Exile : Hands down the best removal spell in modern. Especially busted in our deck due to its interaction with Leonin Arbiter .

0-3x Fatal Push : Fatal Push is an insane piece of removal, especially how our deck likes to flicker permanents. You don't get the synergy with fetchlands like other decks do, but getting to the 4cmc targeting rarely matters. Its base mode kills Tarmogoyf , Dark Confidant and other problematic 2 drops. You can run this in the main but I keep my copies in the side.

Creature Spells

4x Tidehollow Sculler : This is our version of Thoughtseize . However, unlike Thoughtseize , Sculler is able to steal multiple cards. By responding to its enter the battlefield trigger with a flicker effect (like Flickerwisp or Eldrazi Displacer ), the leave the battlefield trigger is put on the stack and will resolve BEFORE the enter trigger. This causes one of the two cards you'll be taking to be exiled permanently (the first trigger on the stack will be the card that is gone permanently. However, depending on how you flicker it, Displacer or Wisp, the timing will be different for the second trigger). Players will occasionally misplay when responding to the Sculler by responding to the ETB, and be very happy if this happens. Not only does it get rid of a removal spell from their hand, the leave trigger will never happen. The card you take will be gone forever.

3-4x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben : Your ideal two-drop. This card is fantastic against a slew of decks; the first strike and taxation are extremely relevant against a lot of decks in the format. She'll almost always eat a removal spell during or after the turn she comes down. I don't like playing four in the main as she might get stranded in your hand, but if your meta calls for an extra, play her. You can keep a fourth in the side for those matchups (control, storm, spell-heavy decks) if you only want three for game one.

4x Leonin Arbiter : Another underrated powerhouse (in the correct scenario). Fetch lands are very common in modern and playing this on turn two or responding to a fetch with a vial into Arbiter can be devastating against many of the top decks in the format. Having this out also makes Path to Exile (or Settle the Wreckage ) insane.

4x Flickerwisp : Arguably the best card in the deck. There's so much stuff you can do with this card I could write an entire article about it. I'll mention a few tricks you can pull below. Wisp and Wasteland Strangler interact extremely favorably, you can move the exiled card into the yard (this helps take care of large, hard to remove permanents such as planeswalkers or troublesome artifacts/enchantments)!

4x Eldrazi Displacer : Another candidate for the most powerful card in the deck. Eldrazi Temple allows this to come down extremely early and provides extra colorless mana to abuse its ability. Reuse your own ETB triggers, tap down your opponent's board, protect your creatures from Lightning Bolt , permanently destroy tokens, flicker Flickerwisp...the list goes on.

2-3x Wasteland Strangler : I haven't been that big of a fan of this card recently, despite the synergy it holds with the rest of the cards in the deck. Sometimes it's just a 3/2, and that feels bad. Although it has shortcomings, it's extremely powerful against creature matchups. Note its interaction with Flickerwisp and suspend cards! If your opponent suspends a Rift Bolt or Ancestral Vision you can move them from exile into a graveyard, negating the spell. The majority of lists run three, I'm down to two because of my meta.

4x Thought-Knot Seer : Incredible card. Not only does it permanently exile a card from your opponents hand, it beats a good portion of damage based removal in modern. Flicker this repeatedly to strip your opponent of all relevant cards and use it as a big, hard to remove beater.

Flex Options:

Lingering Souls : Despite the nonbo it has with Thalia and the inability to be blinked with our flicker effects, you could honestly play four of these they're so damn good. I'd go out on a limb and say that Souls is the BEST white spell in the entire format, and if you're in white and not playing a combo deck you should be playing it. Discard it to help negate Liliana of the Veil , play it to make four chump blockers, or use them to generate an extremely threatening clock. I like three in the main.

Reality Smasher : Despite being relatively unnecessary in a lot of matchups, resolving one of these bad boys is most likely the end for your opponent. Especially when combined with Cavern of Souls , the Smasher is a potent threat for any deck to deal with. I wouldn't play more than two, and when I'm running it I stick to one. A five CMC creature is hard to resolve sometimes, but every once in a while a turn three Smasher will happen.

Blade Splicer : If you really want to abuse flicker effects, this is your go to three-drop. Getting a golem engine online is fantastic, and if you ever blink your Splicer to save it from a spell/ability it'll make you a golem as a way of saying thanks. Very good against creature strategies.

Gonti, Lord of Luxury : Gonti is sick in a select few matchups. He also combos with Wasteland Strangler if you don't want to cast the card you exile. Note however that you can't play lands off of his ability (as it says "cast", not "play") but you are still able to cast the card if he has left the battlefield. If your opponent uses a scry effect and leaves a card on the top, Gonti can steal that card and prevent your opponent from using it.

Brimaz, King of Oreskos : Double white can be hard to get to sometimes, but Brimaz is a brick wall when he lands. He generates a great clock and is invulnerable to a lot of damage based removal, similar to Thought-Knot Seer . He also avoids the non-revolt push. I think he fits much better in mono-white, but playing a one of Brimaz might work out for you.

Thalia, Heretic Cathar : Honestly, she's pretty underwhelming. Her effect is good but unless you're powering her out early (as you can do in GW Taxes with Noble Hierarch or Birds of Paradise ) I don't think she's great.

Shriekmaw : I tried one Shriekmaw in the main at one point, it worked out well occasionally. Cast it for its evoke cost and then flicker it in response to the sacrifice trigger.

Athreos, God of Passage : I've yet to try Athreos out, but I really want to. Returning your creatures to your hand instead of them dying is awesome and nugging your opponent for three if they don't want that to happen is pretty good too. It'll rarely be a creature (allowing it to dodge Path effects), but I think it could provide some good value, and if you ever do manage to get enough devotion a 5/5 indestructible is nothing to scoff at. I'll be playing one in the main at some point.

Akroma, Angel of Fury : We're digging deep here friends. Cast it for the morph and then flicker for a big scary creature. It's a cheap party trick and will most likely only work once, as after your opponent sees the morph for a second time they'll know what's up. It's pretty good against Jeskai Control if you're struggling with that matchup, but make sure you've got a way to flicker it once you cast it.

Eiganjo Castle : If you're heavy on legends try this out.

Karn, Scion of Urza : Really liked this as a one of in the main. All abilities are very relevant, including the 0/0 construct. Don't have a copy right now but if I did he'd be in the deck.

Sideboard Options

Burrenton Forge-Tender : I'm more in favor of this girl than Kor Firewalker . The Kor is definitely better in a burn matchup, but our deck does fine against burn the majority of the time. With our hand disruption and answers to their creatures, it's not a matchup I'm particularly worried about. Absolutely essential against a lot of the big meta decks right now, such as Jeskai or Mardu.

Kor Firewalker : Solid against burn, but not much else. Our matchup against them is very good for us anyways. If you're getting smacked by burn consistently you should try these out.

Kambal, Consul of Allocation : Great card! I'm playing one in the board but am considering moving to two. Functions as a Tendrils of Agony against storm if they fail to remove it as well as being a solid card against control decks that look to cast lots of non-creature spells. It's a must remove when it comes down.

Sin Collector : Another solid flicker target against spell heavy decks.

Fatal Push : You can run this in the main or the side, it's up to you. I prefer to keep them in the side, but I've seen a lot of players run one to two main and keep one extra in the board.

Settle the Wreckage : Great against elves or tokens...if you can make it there. Our deck struggles against decks that go wider and faster than it, so Wreckage is a great contingency plan.

Gideon, Ally of Zendikar : Lots of good things going on with Gideon. Turn him into a clock against control or take over the board with his token ability.

Orzhov Pontiff : One of the ways we're able to fight back against go-wide strategies is this guy. Flickering him multiple times is amazing, pump your team or shrink the opposite side. His Haunt ability makes him pretty persistent as well.

Rest in Peace : Graveyard hate. It's good.

Stony Silence : Artifact hate. It's good too.

Worship : I've been experimenting with Worship, I don't see it in most sideboards but I really like it. Having vial and good creature protection in Eldrazi Displacer make it amazing once it's out. You can also protect your own Worship with Flickerwisp !

Matchups

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Matchup percentage is my estimate, with our win percentage first and the opponent's second. Post board percentage is displayed as well.

Elves (30/70):

This one sucks. Any deck that likes to go wide quickly crushes our strategy. Game one you don't really have a chance, do your best to remove their creatures, make good trades and pray that all of the Shaman of the Pack s and Ezuri, Renegade Leader s are at the bottom of their deck. Games two (and three if you make it) get a bit better with cards boarded in but it's still going to be a pretty feelsbadman match.

Cards to bring in: Orzhov Pontiff , Settle the Wreckage , Fatal Push .

Cards to take out: Thalia, Guardian of Thraben , maybe a few Flickerwisp s, maybe a few Aether Vial s. Leonin Arbiter could be removed, however shutting down Chord of Calling for a few turns helps to stall. Some elves players will board out Chord and play Lead the Stampede instead, so be aware of that.

Jund (50/50):

Jund feels fair to play against. We've got answers for their stuff, they've got answers for ours. Discarding Lingering Souls to Liliana of the Veil feels great.

Cards to bring in: Rest in Peace , Fatal Push , Gideon, Ally of Zendikar , Worship . You could bring in the Forge-Tenders as well, they don't feel to great though.

Cards to take out: Two (or more) Vials, Leonin Arbiter . Thalia could go on the chopping block, however it prevents a turn four Bloodbraid Elf from cascading into a non-creature spell.

Jeskai Control (60/40 | 55/45):

I enjoy playing against Jeskai. There are a lot of elements that give us a solid matchup against them, especially game one. Vial and Cavern of Souls shut off counterspells, flicker effects lets our creatures dodge removal and Leonin Arbiter is a HOUSE if you slam one early and it stays around. Ghost Quarter is fantastic as well, kill Celestial Colonnade or shut off your opponent from certain colors.

Cards to bring in: Sin Collector , Rest in Peace , Burrenton Forge-Tender , Gideon, Ally of Zendikar , Kambal, Consul of Allocation

Cards to take out: Wasteland Strangler , some number of Flickerwisp , a few Path to Exile , a Vial or two

Burn (50/50):

We've got a surprisingly good matchup against burn. Game one we can interact with Rift Bolt and their board, cut off their mana, steal their spells and present a threatening clock. Our early game is incredible against burn, both Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Tidehollow Sculler force answers. Eidolon of the Great Revel is sub-par against us, we simply use vial to get around it. With a lot of exile effects, Grim Lavamancer gets significantly worse for burn as well.

Cards to bring in: Kambal, Consul of Allocation , Fatal Push , Burrenton Forge-Tender , potentially Sin Collector

Cards to take out: Leonin Arbiter , a couple Flickerwisp or Eldrazi Displacer . Despite Arbiter being reeeally good at turning off burn's mana, they're basically just bears.

More coming soon!

Flickerwisp Tricks

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Casual

95% Competitive

Date added	6 years
Last updated	4 years
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	0 - 1 Mythic Rares 33 - 10 Rares 24 - 4 Uncommons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	2.18
Tokens	Emblem Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, Knight Ally 2/2 W
Folders	Modern, BW Eldrazi, Cool decks
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