Finding a home in Modern
Modern forum
Posted on March 4, 2017, 6:56 p.m. by tybake98
As a new(ish) player to magic, (started back in july) I've been finding it hard to find a deck I enjoy in modern. Decks I've played are Death's Shadow, (before probe ban) ad nauseam, B/G tron, breach titan, and dredge. So far out of all of these, I am still unable to consistently do well (however i will mention death's shadow provided me the most fun), sure i occasionally make top 8 at my LGS but not very often. And I'm really just looking for some advice as to how to improve at the game, and what playstyle I prefer, because i really don't know. And i feel like that is holding me back as far as improving because im deck hopping all the time
I might not be the best person to ask about this, but in my opinion getting better at the game means playing the best players in your area. Every time you lose, ask both yourself and your opponent if there was anything you did wrong or could have done differently and change that next time you play.
As for finding a good modern deck? I'm assuming budget isn't a constraint. My personal favorite has always been Grixis Delver. The only weakness is that while it is good at doing many things, it isn't really excellent at doing any one thing. Depending on your meta, you can change the deck up to do better. My meta includes Jund, Bant Drazi, Various Control, Heartless Myr, Soul Sisters, and the Mirror Match (Along with various standard decks). In order to combat this meta, I run Creeping Tar Pit. While unorthodox, they allow the deck to grind far better than it would without them. I also run Countersquall mainboard in order to help win counterwars. Inquisition of Kozilek also wouldn't be a bad choice given the above meta, assuming you could figure out what to cut.
IF budget is a constraint, you can make the mana base to Grixis Delver slightly less expensive by just running Polluted Deltas and Bloodstained Mires over Scalding Tarns. While the 2-2-2 split is theoretically correct, it's not overly important unless Pithing Needle is rampant in your meta.
TL;DR Ask whoever you're playing against how to improve. Grixis Delver is fantastic.
March 4, 2017 7:07 p.m.
tybake98,
Welcome to Magic and Modern!
+1 on the advice above. Here are a few more thoughts ...
- I strongly recommend watching video coverage of any deck you might be interested in. You'll get a feel for how the pros play the deck (which will level-up your play considerably) and it will also help you find your muse (because you'll probably find yourself watching some matches intently, meaning that's maybe a deck worth pursuing ... and there will be other matches where your mind wanders, which is a strong indication that's probably not the deck for you). I like MTGgoldfish ... they have links to recent videos for all the decks on their Modern Metagame page. But my personal recommendation? Start here! :-)
- On the budget side, this is a GREAT thread, from over on reddit: Competitive Budget Modern decks that are upgradeable! For Modern players new to Magic!
- Another great way to level-up your play is MTGO. The down sides are a clunky interface and you'll end up buying both paper and electronic decks. But the upsides are huge: There are some REALLY good players there, you can play any time, and cards are generally ~40% less expensive (compared to paper ones). But the biggest thing is you can play a LOT ... though MTGO tournaments cost real money, you can play all you want for free in the "just for fun" and "tournament practice" rooms. There are totally free online options as well (Cockatrice is the best IMO). But the average quality of player on MTGO is much higher.
Good luck and good skill!
March 4, 2017 9:25 p.m. Edited.
Forgot to mention: Another great tool for finding your muse and leveling up your play is the deck primer section at MTGSalvation. Like with the videos, you'll probably find yourself reading page after page on some decks. And struggling to finish the table of contents on others. Here are links to their ...
March 4, 2017 9:47 p.m.
SwaggyMcSwagglepants says... #7
All you've played are the "unfair" decks. I ran infect post ban and while it was fun, it was nothing as fun as the Grixis Delver deck I ran beforehand. Interactive decks are more fun in the format, but they are harder to play. If you want to win however with a lowish skill set, play a more non-interactive linear deck. But winning with an interactive deck is usually more fun.
March 4, 2017 11:16 p.m.
TheAnnihilator says... #8
I have a suggestion as to finding the right deck -- proxy up anything you're interested in and play it for fun (irl) or playtest it on XMage or Cockatrice or both long before actually purchasing any cards for it. That way, you can literally test the whole deck without dropping any cash on it, and you can easily jump from deck to deck until you settle.
I may be a little biased, but Modern is so diverse and there are so many viable options -- just play what you like, not what's top tier. Especially if you're not going to play in GP's or other very high-level events. If Jund is your absolute favorite deck, then sure -- go for it. But personally, I've been successful with Esper Draw-Go for literally years simply because I could tell that it was my favorite deck, even if it's always been Tier 2.5 at best. Experience with your decklist means a lot in Modern, and I've been playing Esper for long enough that I can recite my current 75-card decklist by MEMORY without any flaws. So yeah, really don't feel bad if you want to play something that isn't a typical decklist.
On the other hand, if you're looking specifically for a Tier 1 deck that can do well at high-level tournaments, particularly one that you will enjoy, I highly suggest you re-entertain Death's Shadow. I don't know exactly what you may have played before, but the newer lists with Goyfs, Kommands, Tarfire, and Lingering Souls/Ranger of Eos sideboard have been doing very well recently.
March 5, 2017 10:45 a.m.
shaistyone says... #9
I would recommend doing some brewing. Get as wacky as possible, try everything you can think of that might be fun to play. This should help you focus in on the deck style that suits you best, as well as enhance your understanding of deck construction, card selection, sequencing, and metagaming. Now, don't expect to win too much with your brews, this is really a learning experience.
If you still want to be as competitive as possible after that (I never did, but that's up to you), find the best deck that matches up well with the experience you want to get out of modern. And then play it over and over again until it feels like a comfortable shoe. :)
DuTogira says... #2
The best way to improve your play is to ask your opponent "how could I have beaten you?" After each game. It means showing him your cards, walking through your decisions, and takes a lot of patience on your part. What it will give you is a solid fundamental understanding of modern and how to play against certain decks (I.e: against infect, never try to remove their creatures during combat. They have too many pump spells that give hexproof). Be careful asking players for advice on how you could have won a game. Asking a similarly new/unskilled player for advice can backfire. Try to ask those players you know are good when the opportunity arises.
As for finding a favorite deck, you will really only do this by playing a bunch of different decks and finding out which one felt most fun. From there, playing it, gaining an instinctive feel for what the deck wants to be doing, and making game losing errors will be your best mentors.
In short: keep hopping around on decks and asking opponents how best to beat their decks when you lose to them. This will build a strong fundamental understanding of modern while also allowing you to find which decks feel most fun to play. Once both of those are done, practice practice practice with your favorite deck.
March 4, 2017 7:05 p.m.