Sideboard


This is a deck that I've been playing around with for quite a while. I really think that decks built around forcing discard are missing in the Modern meta, but they're totally rad and I'm working to break into the meta with this deck. Here's the breakdown of the cards and why they're included.

Lands

  • Gemstone Mine: For the fixing. Best option that doesn't deal me damage, plus it feeds my graveyard for delve spells.
  • Geier Reach Sanitarium: Discard on a stick. Even if their grip is empty, I can still thin their deck.

Enchantments

  • Waste Not: When they discard, I get stuff. With the mana generation and the card draw, this often leads to chaining discard spells for maximum bad beats.
  • Liliana's Caress: If I'm trying to race, this is hugely important. 8-12 damage on Turn 3 off of a Dark Deal? Seems okay.

Sorceries

  • Dark Deal: Great on turns 3 or 4, but gets worse on later turns. Critically, this also ignores Leyline of Sanctity, which is boarded in against this deck 90% of the time.
  • Wistful Thinking: This is great because it still works if they have an empty grip. If they've got 2 or less card in hand, this gets better, as it empties their hand and also gets benefits from our enchantments.Burning Inquiry: Just good value. Guaranteed to get 3 enchantment activations, plus it's low-costed, meaning that it's easily bought back with our Snapcaster Mage.
  • Thoughtseize: Fantastic Turn 1 play. Useful for getting a combo piece or bomb into the graveyard for later. (see Extirpate)
  • Raven's Crime: This is a good utility card for us. With the Retrace ability, this gets even better. Need them to discard but you draw a land with no other cards in hand? No worries.
  • Void Snare: We have limited ways to interact with cards on the battlefield. This is an amazing way to get a big threat back into their hand and then follow up with a discard spell. Ouch, that hurts.
  • Mire's Toll: No shortage of Swamps for this, so Mire's Toll becomes a fantastic card to reliably pull out their big threats or combo pieces by turn 4 or 5 if the game goes that long.

Instants

  • Dream Salvage: After you force them to discard 7-10 cards, following up by drawing that many and setting up your next 3-4 turns is incredible. Plus, you'll most likely have to discard, setting up the ability to delve in some pain.
  • Extirpate: I love this card. With split second, you have no fear of counters, and the ability to strip a deck of a critical combo piece (like Urza lands) and to see every card in their deck and their hand is just amazing value. Oh, and it only costs one black mana.
  • Murderous Cut: An obvious removal choice. We're always going to have stuff in the graveyard; might was well use it. I never cast this for more than a single black mana.

Creatures

  • Augur of Skulls: A returnable discard stick. Works as a good chump blocker or target to draw out a removal spell, too. Just another solid way to force discards.
  • Snapcaster Mage: A must. Not hugely important, but it's so useful to be able to snap back Burning Inquiry just when they think they've got you stuck.

Sideboard

  • Pithing Needle: I think every deck should run a playset in the sideboard. Good against so many decks.
  • Blood Moon: Maybe an odd choice for our deck, but we've got enough basics for this to work. Waste Not helps get more black if needed.
  • Deathmark: Rarely seen in Modern, but I think it's fantastic. Not useful in most matchups, but when it does become relevant, it crushes.
  • Ghost Quarter: Mostly to deal with decks that care about lands (i.e. Tron)
  • Remand: Still not sure about this. I feel like there's something else that would fit here better. Open to suggestions!

I've been testing this on MTGO for several months, and it's been doing well. I've been able to maintain a solid 55% win rate, but I want to get up around 70%. Happy for suggestions to try as I continue testing! Taking this to a few Grand Prix next year!

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Date added 7 years
Last updated 6 years
Exclude colors WG
Splash colors R
Legality

This deck is Modern legal.

Rarity (main - side)

4 - 0 Mythic Rares

23 - 10 Rares

16 - 4 Uncommons

10 - 1 Commons

Cards 60
Avg. CMC 2.30
Tokens Zombie 2/2 B
Folders blue black control, Cool Ish
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