How viable is Dovin Baan in Modern?
Modern forum
Posted on Nov. 24, 2016, 11:02 p.m. by Infinimage007
How viable is the new planeswalker, Dovin Baan, in modern? I feel as if he would be a good addition to control decks, but I haven't really seen him at all.
If he's not viable, what would need to happen to make him viable?
I don't think Dovin Baan beats out 's current planeswalker win conditions (typically Elspeth, Sun's Champion and Gideon Jura), or any of its useful 4-drops (Cryptic Command and Supreme Verdict). It's good, but other cards are better.
November 25, 2016 12:27 a.m.
UWx has a ton of good options to chose from. It's not that he isn't good. It's just that Modern is pretty faced-paced and demands specific answers to cards. There are no catch-all type cards you can play reasonably early, so control is often pretty lackluster in the format. You often need to draw the right sequence of cards or die within 6 or so turns. Control needs answers that aren't as narrow, that have late- and early- relevance,etc.
Things like good 1-drop cantrips or Counterspell becoming legal. Serum Visions is laughably bad but a world where ponder/preordain are legal sucks too. There really isn't an easy answer to the problem.
November 25, 2016 3:10 a.m.
EpicFreddi says... #5
Let's me ask a question: Would really want to tap out on turn 4 in modern just to either draw a card and gain one life or to pseudo-remove a creature from combat?
November 25, 2016 4:49 a.m.
EpicFreddi says... #7
Also his ult isn't even good. Sure, it could cripple your opponent, but it doesn't win. You still need to draw the right cards. 3/10, kitchentablematerial.
November 25, 2016 8:24 a.m.
APPLE01DOJ says... #8
I don't think you see the big picture. 1st a resolved Scavenging Ooze can wreck control alone. Making things safe for Snappy can be a huge play with 2 decks designed to grind out the game. It's also good tech vs stuff like Arcbound Ravager.
Your turn 4 play argument is irrelevant because the decks in question that would play this card wouldn't play it T4. The question you need to ask is if your win con is Celestial Colonnade or Elspeth, Sun's Champion can this enhance your game plan? Which is yes. Can it provide incremental advantage to a deck completely dependent on finding its answers? Yes it can. Can it shore up some of that decks weak spots? Yes it can. Is the utility useful when top decked? Yes it is.
I'm not saying it's a 4 of or that you should run it over Supreme Verdict or Cryptic Command. I'm simply saying it's modern playable to the decks that would run it.
November 25, 2016 9:15 a.m. Edited.
EpicFreddi says... #9
But he doesn't add anything, he only helps searching for the finishers you mentioned. He, himself, would be a bad draw spell or a bad removal spell. You don't really want him in hand cause he's clunky. I really don't see him in the deck when you think about the other, prefered 4drops (as you mentioned, Verdict, Cryptic or Snap+2 mana spell).
But, of course, that's just my opinion. I'm thinking from the perspectiv of an anti-control-player (love me some green stuff).
November 25, 2016 9:28 a.m.
Actually, epicfreddy is entirely correct. Dovin brings nothing to the table.
There are very few creatures on which his +1 is actually good. Most of those that are played can activate their ability at instant speed in response, making it not as effective.
His -1 is very underwhelming and is not worth the 4 mana. Jace Beleren does the same thing at a lower cost. 2 life is not really worth the investment of an extra mana.
Planeswalkers that aren't able good when cast on curve are generally not good planeswalkers. If you draw this guy late in the game, you will just wish he was another card, mostly likely casting him to draw a card and gain 2 life. This is akin to just drawing a card in those stages of the game, so you might as well not bother. Once again, more mana for a marginal improvement on Jace beleren.
I see no merit to the guy whatsoever over something like jace beleren or even the more unique Narset Transcendent, which I would try before even coming close to Dovin.
November 25, 2016 9:50 a.m.
Heavy completion vs nahiri, Esper charm, and narset.
November 25, 2016 10:24 a.m.
Really not liking it in modern. It simply doesn't do enough.
November 25, 2016 4:19 p.m.
SwaggyMcSwagglepants says... #13
Why do people always complain about not having counterspell in the format? It doesn't actually solve any of the problems control has. Maybe a Force Spike with scry 1 attached would make a mark for control, but that's still a tempo card more than anything.
Also, control is viable. There's that Jeskai Draw-Go deck (with a Torrential Gearhulk and 2 Sphinx's Revelation and 4 Cryptic Commands) that came in 6th at a GP, Grixis Control that came in second at a different GP, and a Esper Draw-Go deck that went 5-0 7+ times in Modern Leagues (granted, that was before the format menace called dredge). Saying control isn't viable either means you aren't really trying or your a pessimist.
November 26, 2016 12:02 a.m.
Draw go control has max 10% of the meta at any given time. I suspect that's partially driven by diehard fans of the archetype. Looking at modern from a historical perspective shows you pretty terrible representation. Control is viable in the sense that you can play it to success, but it sure isn't healthy. As for counterspell, you're right that it wouldn't do much to address the usual suspects, but it would still mark a notable buff.
Anyway, don't play dovin in modern.
APPLE01DOJ says... #2
Seems viable to me. Excellent anti ScOoze and Taz tech.
I added one to U/W Control deck but haven't had a chance to play him yet.
November 24, 2016 11:13 p.m.