This is a modern deck that I fell in love with about a year back when I was looking to move past casual play into a more competitive format. I really enjoy the way this deck can play both the aggro big guy beatdown plan and shift to a more control match almost within the same 60 cards.
Unlike other trons, this deck isn't as concerned with getting tron on turn 3, but is more interested in controlling the board until you can
Gifts Ungiven
/
Unburial Rites
into something that shuts down their board or hand (usually
Iona, Shield of Emeria
or
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
).
Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
is very good at controlling the board once it hits, and can end the game on its own if no interaction is allowed. I tried to include a suite of counterspells that work in all parts of the game, but depending on the meta-game, some numbers would be changed. I really don't like soft-counter spells like
Mana Leak
, and a spell like
Condescend
or
Syncopate
only gets better as the game goes on, and even more so when Tron becomes established so in a vacuum, I try and include as many as I can.
In a nutshell, this deck tries to be a threat-dense control-style Tron deck that attacks on a lot of different angles, and has the flexibility to go toe-to-toe with a lot of the top decks in the Modern pantheon right now. It avoids the turn-3 Karn that other Tron decks leans on, and instead tries to establish a controlling early game and ends it with a big (preferably non-interactive) creature.
The sideboard is built from scouring different decklists and trying to amalgamate the most useful cards from them all. I enjoy the challenge of trying to keep up to date on the format, and all of the suggestions from the TappedOut and MTG Salvation communities have been great for that.
As always, suggestions and comments are always welcome, and +1s are much appreciated!
Edit Jan/19: I made a couple of card changes in the last couple of weeks in response to my local meta. I've found them to be effective in a group that has a lot of aggro, and with little combo. My control plan remains the same, but I'll go through the choices below.
Out: 4x
Thirst for Knowledge
In: 4x
Champion of Wits
This was a switch I picked up from this article, and gives a persuasive argument for the Champion's inclusion. I've found it very useful as an early game body and a potential late game beater that lets you filter your hand twice. I've not missed the "unless you discard an artifact" clause from Thirst for Knowledge at all.
Out: 1x
Secure the Wastes
, 1x
Wurmcoil Engine
, 1x
Field of Ruin
3x
Remand
, 1x
Cyclonic Rift
, 1x
Negate
(To the Sideboard)
In: 1x
Condescend
, 1x
Crucible of Worlds
, 1x
Ghost Quarter
, 2x
Leyline of Sanctity
, 1x
Elspeth, Sun's Champion
, 1x
Urza's Mine
, 1x
Mana Tithe
I brought the tron lands back up to 12, and switched back to Ghost Quarter for its interaction with Crucible of Worlds. The crucible is there for land destruction strategies and smoothing out a lot of otherwise awkward Gifts Ungiven piles. The maindeck Leylines are a further hedge against combo and aggro decks using burn spells game one that can be easily cut post-board for something without diluting the core of the deck. Elspeth is a better version of Secure the Wastes that can also blow up a big creature at sorcery speed. The Mana Tithe is a counterspell for one against a tapped out opponent that can also be searched for with Gifts. A single Remand might be better, but having both Path to Exile and Mana Tithe represented with a single Plains can be great.
