2021-07-12
With the gradual power-creep of Modern's kill spells and spot removal we've seen an increase in lethality across decks. Traditionally creatures in modern have had to survive the 'bolt test' by having more than 3 toughness. Failing this they have to provide some kind of immediate gain, or gain upon leaving the battlefield. Modern has traditionally fielded value creatures like:
Snapcaster Mage
,
Kitchen Finks
,
Thragtusk
, and
Siege Rhino
, amongst others. However as time goes on deadlier kill spells continue to be created or unbanned. I believe that the shape of modern has begun to change significantly from how it was even a few years ago.
Good spot removal is no longer limited to specific colours, or the domain of control decks. Now every colour has access to powerful 1 mana removal (even Blue, with cards like
Force of Negation
).
Since no deck can consistently protect itself from every threat it's far better to play proactively than reactively. Quality deck building should involve selecting cards which serve a purpose and work towards your decks goal - while also being resilient to some of the formats most common removal spells, or providing some sort of intrinsic value like the cards tagged in paragraph one.
The rule of thumb for choosing spot removal is that it should cost no more than one mana. Control decks may choose to run two mana spot removal in order to get around some of the specific restraints set on lower mana value removal (Fatal Push can maximally target creatures with a mana value of 4 or less). To help increase their coverage a control deck could add cards like
Terminate
to the mix - which may have fewer or different restrictions. You should also consider the potential to target non-creature permanents, and the opponents hand. Three mana removal should only be played in control decks, and almost always offers multiple effects and options. Note that control decks tend to play reactively, rather than actively like Aggro and Combo.
Decks have already begun to adapt. And strangely we're seeing more creature-based decks, rather than less. Gone are the days where we tap-out to hard-cast our creatures turn-by-turn; leaving them vulnerable to removal. Now multiple creatures enter the battlefield all at once, or enter heavily discounted or at no cost at all. While
Mox Opal
has been banned, players are using cards like:
Collected Company
,
Living End
,
Aether Vial
,
Through the Breach
+
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
,
Stoneforge Mystic
+
Batterskull
,
Murktide Regent
/
Gurmag Angler
/
Tasigur, the Golden Fang
,
Emry, Lurker of the Loch
,
Urza's Saga
- (I'm awaiting a ban announcement on this one),
Bloodbraid Elf
/
Shardless Agent
,
Death's Shadow
, and a plethora of other cards and strategies devised to avoid simply tapping mana to play one creature and pass the turn. Mana acceleration decks like Amulet Titan also exist and play more traditionally, but remain highly competitive.
Dominant removal:
Path to Exile
,
Fatal Push
,
Lightning Bolt
, &
Counterspell
.
Common White Removal:
Path to Exile
,
Solitude
,
Condemn
,
Terminus
.
Common Blue Removal:
Counterspell
,
Force of Negation
,
Subtlety
,
Archmage's Charm
,
Brazen Borrower
,
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
,
Vapor Snag
,
Remand
.
Common Black Removal:
Fatal Push
,
Damnation
,
Living End
.
Common Red Removal:
Lightning Bolt
,
Fury
,
Unholy Heat
.
Common Green Removal:
Dismember
,
Blizzard Brawl
Common Multicoloured Removal:
Kolaghan's Command
,
Terminate
,
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
,
Teferi, Time Raveler
,
Vanishing Verse
,
Vindicate
,
Kaya's Guile
,
Prismari Command
,
Wrenn and Six
,
Assassin's Trophy
,
Abrupt Decay
,
Maelstrom Pulse
.
Common Land Destruction/Disruption:
Ghost Quarter
,
Blood Moon
.
Common Discard effects:
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger
,
Inquisition of Kozilek
,
Thoughtseize
,
Grief
.
Common Graveyard Hate:
Dauthi Voidwalker
,
Tormod's Crypt
,
Scavenging Ooze
.
If there's anything you'd like to see added, please let me know in the comments.
