Desecration Demon
Modern forum
Posted on Nov. 8, 2014, 11:56 p.m. by DarkMagician
Does Desecration Demon see any play in Modern? Seems like he could be a good closer in an attrition based deck.
CommanderOfBolas says... #3
to my knowledge he does not. Although powerful when he was in standard, he is pretty fragile for modern. the attrition based decks will typically be b/g/x, and Tarmogoyf is a typically bigger, cheaper threat with fewer drawbacks.
November 9, 2014 12:03 a.m.
JexInfinite says... #4
It basically doesn't do anything except prey on certain decks, or die. It was a huge threat in standard, but in modern, where there are at least 10x as many cards, something like Desecration Demon just gets wiped out.
November 9, 2014 12:18 a.m.
It's really an issue of it lacking the impact in such a wide and diverse format.
A 6/6 flyer for 4 sounds good on paper, but it's much less appealing in Modern when you think about combo decks are just winning the game on the same turn - extra reason to not want to tap out T4, tron decks are assembling Uzra lands and dropping things like Karn Liberated or Wurmcoil Engine, or control decks will have Cryptic Command mana online. Desecration Demon towered above in Standard, but it looks pretty tame compared too such a bigger pool of cards.
Also, you really don't want to be playing Desecration Demon when the most played deck in the format right now centers on Young Pyromancer.
November 9, 2014 12:26 a.m.
Unforgivn_II says... #6
Usually Abyssal Persecutor will see more play. Not that its a format staple either
November 9, 2014 12:28 a.m.
fluffybunnypants says... #7
If your turn 4 play doesn't win you the game or swing the game entirely in your favor, it's probably best to find a different turn 4 play. This is one of those cases.
November 9, 2014 12:28 a.m.
burghurkhang says... #8
I actually run it in a black sacrifice based deck, with things like Quest for the Gravelord, Mortician Beetle, Skirsdag High Priest, and Tragic Slip. Is it super competitive deck? No, but it's a ton of fun.
November 9, 2014 1:52 a.m.
Theres this thing in modern called Lingering Souls. Tons of token decks. Desecration Demon is crap. 4 drops in modern win you the game or don't get played.
November 9, 2014 6:17 a.m.
APPLE01DOJ says... #10
Like others have said... Abyssal Persecutor is better.
Desecration Demon can be effective in the right shell but I don't think it's a competitive one.
I've been using him since I've been playing magic in this deck Sheoldred, Whispering One -†-BLΔCK-†- SΔCR‡F‡C3
November 9, 2014 2:49 p.m.
DarkMagician says... #11
ChiefBell Name me one four drop in Modern that truly wins you the game on its own.
November 10, 2014 1:18 a.m.
CommanderOfBolas says... #12
DarkMagician: Splintertwin and Scapeshift come to mind.
November 10, 2014 1:44 a.m.
Splinter Twin, Scapeshift, Restoration Angel, Murderous Redcap.
These are all cards that are played solely to end the game on the spot.
November 10, 2014 3:23 a.m.
Heck... you can probably just think of any deck type... look at the 4-drop (if it has one), and realize that it is the win-con... (If it doesn't have a 4-drop, then you are probably looking at Burn, Aggro, or Tron).
November 10, 2014 12:12 p.m.
Birthing pod is a 3 drop that usually gets played on T2 though. That's why it's such a prevalent deck - the card can be played ludicrously early.
November 10, 2014 12:16 p.m.
True enough... it's really Restoration Angel and/or Murderous Redcap that hold the 4-drop slot in Pod variants.
November 10, 2014 12:26 p.m.
DarkMagician says... #19
Not a single card named wins on its own. They all require other cards to get the job done.
November 17, 2014 9:12 p.m.
I said "4 drops in modern win you the game".
I did not say "4 drops in modern win you the game regardless of your board state".
And actually I've seen Restoration Angel win games on her own plenty of times.
But regardless. Epic straw man, is epic.
The point of the matter is that all of these cards have the potential to just insta-win. Desecration demon doesn't. To not understand that is to not understand the overall tempo of modern.
November 18, 2014 3:16 a.m.
DarkMagician says... #21
To simply state 4 drops win you the game as you did is to imply that they do it regardless of anything as you set no limitations on your statement. Desecration Demon has the potential to end games, especially against a creature lite deck. I've seen Goblin Piker win games (and it was hilarious to behold). I've had a lot of success in Modern so I definitely have a strong understanding of the format.
November 18, 2014 3:30 a.m.
JexInfinite says... #22
DarkMagician Goblin Piker probably won the game because of this thing called variance, which covers terrible draws, not drawing removal.
Desecration Demon is a miserable 4 drop when other decks, with namesake cards, win with 4 drops, like Splinter Twin, or Scapeshift. Thrun, the Last Troll is a much better card, because it doesn't die. Demon is awful against all the T1 decks, and is also a weak play against a lot of T2 decks.
November 18, 2014 3:47 a.m.
Asks why Desecration Demon isn't played.
Claims 'I definitely have a strong understanding of the format.'
These are mutually exclusive claims.
November 18, 2014 6:41 a.m.
DarkMagician says... #24
I play aggro, attrition is a style I'm interested in learning. Don't be condescending
November 18, 2014 3:59 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #25
People shouldn't ask "is this card played?", because that is answered easily enough via Google. Ask what the disadvantages of the card are that make it less common than you may think it is worth being.
The Demon, while being very large, just doesn't have the power level of the other four-drop you could be playing, Phyrexian Obliterator (assuming a BGx deck). Your opponent is given options, which is always a strike against the card.
November 18, 2014 4:38 p.m.
DarkMagician says... #26
That would have been a better question GlistenerAgent
November 18, 2014 6:40 p.m.
Scapeshift, Splinter Twin, Phyrexian Obliterator, Birthing Pod, Restoration Angel, Murderous Redcap, Cryptic Command, Linvala, Keeper of Silence, Siege Rhino, Thrun, the Last Troll, Chandra, Pyromaster, Obstinate Baloth, Leyline of Sanctity. All see more modern play than Desecration Demon and all have a much bigger impact than him in modern matches.
November 19, 2014 9:26 a.m.
DarkMagician says... #28
Desecration Demon seems pretty strong if your opponent is short on creatures on the field though. I wasn't asking what sees more play, I didn't come here thinking the demon saw heavy play or I wouldn't be asking 8 it saw any play. JexInfinite That much about the Piker is obvious, it was a humorous statement.
November 19, 2014 2:23 p.m.
Yeh but he's a 4-drop that basically does nothing until T5 and just gives your opponent the option of stopping him from blocking or attacking. It's risky business. He'll be poor against pod (ample creatures), hate bears (ample creatures), tokens, junk (Lingering Souls), and many others.
He's a bit too slow against aggro. A bit risky against some of the popular midrange decks, and grants no advantage against control.
November 19, 2014 2:40 p.m.
APPLE01DOJ says... #30
I've played Desecration Demon in both standard and modern and have to say it always a shitty feeling when your opponent sacs some 1/1 so they can swing with whatever fattie they have on deck for free damage.
November 19, 2014 6:04 p.m.
DarkMagician says... #31
It was my understanding that if you're playing attrition and you're opponent has a significant field presence then you're not doing very well in the first place.
November 19, 2014 6:21 p.m.
It quite often happens actually. In an attrition deck you can find yourself with a fantastic number of cards in hand but only a select few threats on board. Over extension is bad.
November 19, 2014 6:26 p.m.
GlistenerAgent says... #33
To be honest, try it yourself. Figure out whether or not you want to be playing it and why.
November 19, 2014 6:40 p.m.
DarkMagician says... #34
GlistenerAgent just wanted some feedback and examples if they were available
CrazyLittleGuy says... #2
Not really. If you search there, you'll find 8 Modern decks in the past year that have played any copies mainboard, and several were just running him to test the waters and see if he was good. He's kind of clunky and slow in a format full of efficient removal and creatures. Plus, attrition isn't particularly good in the current Modern meta since incremental card advantage doesn't match up great against Treasure Cruise and Dig Through Time.
November 9, 2014 12:03 a.m.