There were many "Dagger Burn" style decks floating around in Ixalan Standard, and as a primarily Modern player, I wanted to know if the concept could work at Modern speed. So this concept was born. It is based on the plan to "gift" your opponent with creatures and then punish them for these gifts with Aristocrat effects. With the holidays around the corner, I am in a very giving mood, so I had to find a way to brew this at Modern speed. I succeeded in a creature heavy meta, for a deck which has become a Friday Night Magic Jank All Star.
***08/25/2021 Update - we are going Esper! This was suggested by my best friend as a way of gaining more options and it has certainly paid off with Suture Priest and Ephemerate.
One thing became clear in the original design. Without an Aristocrat on board, you just lose. Suture Priest is just a better Blood Seeker and you run 4 of each. We also have added Trespasser's Curse to give us another option to control the board and be hard to remove.
Right alongside the Aristocrats are the ways to "gift" crap your opponents do not want. Removal wise, you are packing Pongify and Mercy Killing. Sure 3/3 creatures and 1/1s are a pain, but they likely do not synergize with opponent's deck. Also, as tokens, Illness in the Ranks keeps them tiny. Illness also immediately kills the 1/1 Spirits created by Forbidden Orchard out of the land slot and also the 5 Goblins created by Hunted Phantasm. Phantasm is the All Star finisher in the deck. Cast Ephemerate on Him and win the game out of nowhere.
Mechanics of How the Deck Works, sample Turn by Turn breakdown...
<< Turn 1 >>
T1, On the play;
Most of the time, just play a Fetchland and Pass the turn, search up Raffine's Tower and have it ready untapped to begin T2.
OR Play Illness in the Ranks if you have a Forbidden Orchard or another sequence prepared.
OR (after Sideboarding), simply evoke Grief and cast Ephemerate targeting Grief to rip apart your opponent's hand.
T1 On the draw;
You have 1 drop options to interact. Removal includes Pongify or Vapor Snag. Hold up mana for this until they attempt to swing with a creature or immediately to answer and mana dorks so they do not get to tap for mana.
OR, (after sideboard), Swan Song or the Grief // Ephemerate combo are available. Crack and fetch a shock to respond with the correct tool.
<< Turn 2 >> Where the Magic happens!
T2, On the Play;
Stick an Aristocrat on board. Your options include: Suture Priest, Blood Seeker or Trespasser's Curse. The best option here is without a doubt, the Curse, since it is the hardest to remove. This puts you ahead or forces opponent removal.
OR, kill mana dorks and creatures that are gonna be a problem.
T2 on the Draw;
Here is where disruption might be key. You have (after Sideboards) access to Brazen Borrower
<< Turn 3 >>
T3 on the Play,
If your Aristocrat in play, begin Gifting. Ideally with Hunted Phantasm or by removing Threats using Mercy Killing.
This is also the Turn where Batwing Brume is a defensive power house. The "Fog" aspect is unexpected and can keep you living. You also may have already gifted an opponent a board state of 1/1 Spirits and 3/3 Apes that they could be hitting you with so this keeps you rolling.
<< Turn 4 >> , a possible Win?
Many times, swinging with an Unblockable Phantasm is the game ender, even thos early.
If you still have an Aristocrat, then simply Ephemerate Hunted Phantasm for the W. If not, now is the time to cast another aristocrat and stay alive. Even without Phantasm in hand, you can still win through savvy use of removal and Tempo. You should be at or near 20 life. Against slow decks, just keep rolling. Remember, you gift with Forbidden Orchard at any time you to those lands for mana, so you can hold them up, then tap to "Burn" your opponent.
The Meathook Massacre also can come down as a sweeper/game changer at this point. It sort of functions as Illness in the Ranks copy #5 and extends your ability to go late game.
:: Conclusions ::
After playtesting, this is a legitimate modern deck in a creature heavy meta. Even decks with no intention of combat can fall prey to your machinations.
My sideboard requires Leyline of the Void to stop Murktide Regent and Hurkyl's Recall to pop the Urza Saga/Artifact heavy decks floating around. Swan Song and Brazen Borrower are legit options.
Notes
7/19/23 - Grief got really expensive AND Reprieve and Stern Scolding are both legitimate options for this style of deck from LOTR set. I have decided to sell the copies of Grief.
9/4/23 - Lorien Revealed is a thing. I noticed Temur Rhinos using it to replace lands in the deck. Island Cycling in a incredibly good. The deck often runs 16 lands now. In this build, we can replace fetch lands for Copies of it. It will serve the following functions:
1) It is a pitchable card to cast Force of Negation for Free. Increases our Blue Spells count and keeps other relevant Blue spells in hand.
2) Islandcycle it to get the land drop we need, as a non painful Fetch land.
3) In a grindy matchup, refills hand with cards late game.
4) Stops the threat of an "auto loss" because of a Turn 2 Blood Moon. If opponent casts T2 Blood Moon, we can just go get basic land and carry on.
Results
2021_08_27 - @ Gamer's Guild, Tempe, AZ #5/40 players.
2021_09_03 - @ Gamer's Guild, Tempe, AZ #28/31 players.
2021_09_10 - @ Gamer's Guild, Tempe, AZ #13/21 players.
