Sideboard


Maybeboard



Legacy Editions Here and Here. Eldraziblade [5.X] build Here . Currently built version Here.


Gisela






In my opinion the most skill testing matchup for the deck, the midrange matchup is a tough one, bbut one that a skilled player can win a very respectable percentage of the time. As always, the focus of a midrange mirror should be on two for ones, and here is another situation where swords come in handy. Ramp is not as important for these matchups, and pure card-for-card value is instead. Against BGx, Reality Smasher and Matter Reshaper pose a difficult threat to deal with, as they will either cost 2 cards or replace themselves after death, respectively. Cards such as Thrun, the Last Troll , Obstinate Baloth , and Spellskite are important here, and can be tutored out at instant speed with Chord of Calling .




Card Choices Explained




Noble Hierarch is an obvious auto include into any Bant list, but also has the added effect of helping the pilot a great deal in matches with similarly sized creatures. For example, instead of creating a stalemate, a Reality Smasher can attack freely into an opposing smasher, as long as Hierarch on the field. Hierarch is just a simply useful card, and can also help my two power creatures have ~3-4 turns to kill with a sword, instead of ~4-5.

Lotus Cobra , the real star of the deck ever since it ran Primeval Titan with no utility lands, has been a piece that can consistently power out a curve in a way it really shouldn't be able to. While it works best with more fetches and 6 turn one dorks, having colorless in the deck killed those dreams, so I have to make due. However, a single cobra can consistently guarantee a turn three five drop, which may be either an equipped sword (with attack) or a Reality Smasher . The most important card in the deck for curving out, however, it is bad in multiples without a sink.

Path to Exile does not need an introduction, but I will give it one anyway. One mana kill anything is just impossible to beat in the removal spot, and is always a good draw, against basically every deck.




Jace, Vryn's Prodigy   is yet another value monster I recently discovered. Despite the lack of spells in the deck, even serving a purpose as a looter that might buff a Knight of the Reliquary is enough to warrant a spot. Flashing back a path or Chord of Calling is always useful. Even when you have the mana to afford a larger creature with chord, in grindier matchups, its almost always worth it to fetch baby Jace, as he will likely just let you cast it again, while getting you a dangerous threat on the board.

Eldrazi Displacer is a creature that looks good at first glance, then seems too slow at second, but then plays amazingly at third. While he can't harass Splinter Twin decks too much anymore, he can deal with threats to allow a sword to go through, or save my own creatures from removal. He fills a similar role to Spellskite , in fact, which causes the latter to only be a one-of in my sideboard. Lastly, even without a dork, he can hit the board turn two, creating an early threat.

Knight of the Reliquary is a card that ramps, grows, thins, and kills. While there are limited uses for the classic Fetch --> Land --> Knight a Fetch --> Land --> Tap five mana combo with Lotus Cobra , the ability to have a large threat that can beat out opposing Death's Shadows and the like is great. In addition, when combined with a swordwielder, she can make blocking extremely difficult, as you are either, say, letting a 4/3 with a Sword of Fire and Ice through, or a 7/7 Knight.

Matter Reshaper is a card that took warming up to, but I now love. Quite potentially fighting for the title of best blocker in modern, being able to trade with the majority of early threats while guaranteeing me a card is outstanding, and gives a classic two-for-one. Playing one on turn two is easy, with eight cards facilitating it, and having an aggressive threat that is hard to kill for most players is worth it on its own.

Reality Smasher is quite potentially the craziest card WOTC has printed in years. While a 5/5 haste for five would be good, the added ability to be Eldrazi Temple 'd out, while being a one-for-two for any opponent trying to remove it push it over the top. This card may be looking to be a four-of, but that may be risky. However, playing and swinging for six on turn three may be worth it.




Geist of Saint Traft is, to this day, a tempo machine, and is incredibly hard to answer, especially to the increasingly common control decks in modern. A turn two Geist will usually lead to a won game, and Geist with a sword will close out most, if not all, matchups in short order. While it isn't as outstanding as it once was, it still holds its own enough to be part of the list.

Remand is a Time Walk in Modern that can throw off most opponents attempting to curve out. In addition, it is usually unexpected for a primarily G/W deck to interrupt their gameplan. While it is hard to play with, I, personally, am getting better at playing it and making my opponents play around it, and it's effectiveness has been showing.

Chord of Calling is currently undergoing testing, but so far, it has been an invaluble addition to the list; it gives me something to flashback with Jace, Vryn's Prodigy  , it gets me any creature I need, and it helps generate value for toolbox creatures post-board. If you are going a toolbox route with the deck, I recommend going up to four of these, however, two or three seems to be the sweetspot for blade.




Scavenging Ooze is a card that isn't always the most useful, however, it is extremely good against certain matchups. Even when you cannot exile creatures, being able to remove Snapcaster Mage fuel or delve setups is great, so it is a prime tutor-target. However, in pure aggro matchups, a bear is not too great, so it will be commonly discarded to Jace or the like.

Sword of Fire and Ice is the best sword, and playing with it will teach you why. Having a Lightning Bolt -proof creature is always great, and shocking and drawing on impact will be extremely useful most of the time. Most creatures in the deck are great swordbearers, so neither blade will be at a lack for creatures.

Sword of Light and Shadow is another sword, that, while not being as flashy as Sofai, still creates card advantage. It's best in attrition matchups or matchups vs. burn, as you can either dodge removal with protections or the +2/+2, or gain life to race against their spells. Negating both a Delver of Secrets   hit and Lightning Bolt every turn is powerful, so this sword does best against the colors that it doesn't protect against. Either way, its a strong card, but not very strong in multiples.




Cards Not Included



Tarmogoyf is a good card. That can't be disputed. However, outside of a big body, it doesn't offer much to the table, and isn't a card I was happy to draw in early testing. If dredge and the like become popular, I may run one or two, but for now, it is a 0-of.

Mirran Crusader is a card that was popular early in the deck's life, but slowly fell out of favor for the same reasons that Tarmogoyf did; a relatively flimsy beater does not do very well in this tempo build. In addition, I do not feel that much wants to be replaced by him in the deck, so while I may test him, it won't be for a while.

Collected Company is good, but when my deck makes it essentially a five drop, and misses two creatures quite often, how good can it be? While it is good, it doesn't fit my playstyle; however, it is a must-have for a toolboxy list.




Cards Undergoing Active Testing



Ramunap Excavator
Nimble Obstructionist
Vendilion Clique
Sword of Feast and Famine
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Sword of War and Peace




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Date added 4 years
Last updated 4 years
Legality

This deck is Modern legal.

Rarity (main - side)

9 - 4 Mythic Rares

42 - 3 Rares

6 - 7 Uncommons

0 - 1 Commons

Cards 60
Avg. CMC 2.44
Tokens Angel 4/4 W, Emblem Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
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