Tron: Legacy... just kidding, Modern [RETIRED]
Land (20)
Artifact (16)
Planeswalker (6)
Sorcery (12)
Creature (6)
Sideboard
Instant (7)
Artifact (2)
Creature (5)
Sorcery (1)
BEFORE READING: This description was written in the perspective of the modern meta from late 2016. Shortly before the inception of Modern in 2011, the printing of Karn Liberated (in addition to Wurmcoil Engine ) launched Tron into the menace it would be known for. A bit later on, Ugin, the Spirit Dragon joined the party as well. For a while, Tron was a very popular choice as the answers to it in the modern format were simply insufficient at the time. Eventually, it became a very fair deck in the meta in my opinion, with its many strengths and weaknesses... that is, until Eye of Ugin was banned. The second Zendikar block introduced some particularly stupid Eldrazi that really broke Eye of Ugin (looking at you, Thought-Knot Seer and Eldrazi Mimic ). So, early 2017 is the date of this decks grave. However, it is still a good glance into what modern was like at the time, how this deck functioned well in that meta, and by comparison, what Tron decks typically look like today.
- Intro
This is my take on modern Tron. I've been playing variants of Tron in modern for well over two years now, and at this point I've just about mastered the different plays you can make with this deck, and also how to tweak the mainboard and tech the sideboard against the current meta.
- Overview
Tron decks are entirely concerned with only two things: your life total, and how much mana you can make. Obviously, Tron is a combo deck centered around the lands Urza's Power Plant , Urza's Mine , and Urza's Tower . Getting Tron online as soon as possible is imperative to winning, and keeping the opponents board as empty as possible is the best way to preserve your life total. The primary win condition is Emrakul, the Aeons Torn , but both Wurmcoil Engine and Karn Liberated 's ultimate have sealed the deal before.
- Why Gruul Tron?
The reason I play Red/Green Tron is because it is the quickest and most efficient at putting Tron together, the most flexible and responsive to opponents with threatening boards, and because it makes the most explosive plays. Other popular Tron builds include Blue Tron and Gifts Tron, but where those decks have an advantage over combo decks that this deck lacks, their slowness makes them even more susceptible to the most aggressive decks, which is why I believe Gruul Tron to be the most balanced and powerful of the three.
- Tron in the Modern Meta
Because of the simple game-plan of Tron, the deck is a very highly matchup oriented deck, much like Bogles. Decks that Tron does well against include any hard control deck (which don't really exist in modern anymore), or any midrange deck, such as Abzan and in many ways Jund. The slower an opponents deck is, the more advantage you have in a) not dying to their board and b) generating massive card advantage with the likes of Karn Liberated , Ugin, the Spirit Dragon , and Oblivion Stone . These decks also struggle to remove your threats and lose much tempo in trying to do so. In a meta where control and midrange reign supreme, Tron will succeed.
The more aggressive an opponents deck, however, is to your disadvantage. This gives you less time to put Tron together and generate answers, and putting pressure on your life total forces you into making the less than ideal plays once you have Tron. Tron also has trouble answering infinite combos, because the deck is highly sorcery speed and features very few answers to combos in game one. Decks that Tron does not do well against include Burn, Infect, Zoo, Splinter Twin, and Affinity.
- Sideboarding
So, how do we beat these menacing aggressive decks? The trick is to use your sideboard to shut down their game-plan and buy you time. Against some of the popular decks, we have...
- Burn
This is one of Tron's toughest matchups, but not unwinnable. The key cards here are Wurmcoil Engine , Spellskite , Chalice of the Void (casted for 2 mana), and Feed the Clan . Sideboard out 2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon , 2 Karn Liberated , and 1 Oblivion Stone for these, and you'll have a decent chance to win post-board.
- Infect
This matchup may be even harder, but here Pyroclasm , Spellskite , and any other board wipe is important. Karn Liberated is also very key to removing opponents Inkmoth Nexus , so don't side him out. To sideboard for this game, take out Relic of Progenitus and 1-2 Wurmcoil Engine .
- Zoo
I personally believe this is the hardest deck for Tron to beat. The best bet is to land a Turn 3 Wurmcoil Engine , then Turn 4 swing with it and then sac an Oblivion Stone . The main issue with this matchup is that Pyroclasm doesn't hit Wild Nacatl , so using Spellskite simply as a blocker may be more effective. Feed the Clan is also good in this matchup. Karn Liberated and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn can be sided out because they are too slow for this deck.
- Splinter Twin
It's very hard to win game 1, because a good Twin player will recognize Tron's lack of answers to their combo, and try to play their combo as soon as possible. An Oblivion Stone and 5 open mana is generally good insurance against the combo. Additionally, the more Spellskite s you can play, the better, as Spellskite s ability can redirect the target of the enchant for Splinter Twin . Rending Volley is in the sideboard as the easiest, most direct counter to Pestermite and Deceiver Exarch , although it can be used in other matchups as well. Sundering Titan can also make an impact here, because if you have the ability to knock them under three lands with his trigger, you're protected from the combo for at least another turn, and may have likely set them back enough to win the game by doing so. For this matchup, sideboard out 2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon , 1 Wurmcoil Engine , and 3 Pyroclasm for 2 Spellskite , 3 Rending Volley , and 1 Sundering Titan .
- Affinity
Although Affinity is a very aggressive deck and can deal massive damage very quickly, the matchup isn't as bad as you'd think. A Turn 4 Oblivion Stone basically wins you the game, unless they have a Nexus to keep swinging with. Pyroclasm can also put in heavy work in this matchup. A well placed Nature's Claim or two can set up your big turn (or Ancient Grudge ), and Karn Liberated is good at removing their Nexuses in this matchup. To sideboard, take out 1 Relic of Progenitus , 2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon , 1 Spellskite , and 1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn for 3 Nature's Claim , 1 Ancient Grudge , and 1 Pyroclasm .
- Delver
Delver is an okay matchup for Tron, and most things you play mainboard will have a full impact they should in game 1. This matchup is the best one for Sundering Titan to obliterate them. When sideboarding, put in 1 Sundering Titan , 1 Chalice of the Void , 1 Relic of Progenitus and 1 Pyroclasm , and take out 2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon and 2 Oblivion Stone .
- Merfolk
Tribal decks are generally easy matchups. In the case of Tribal, a turn 2 Pyroclasm will often gain you enough momentum to reach 7+ mana at a safe life total and take control of the board again fairly easily from there. After turn 2, Pyroclasm becomes more or less obsolete as the fish lords ( Master of the Pearl Trident , Lord of Atlantis , and Merrow Reejery) will often put their entire board out of range. From here, the goal is to reach 7-8 mana as quickly as possible to find your best outs: an Ugin, the Spirit Dragon or Oblivion Stone will swing drastically on Turn 4. Any later than that, and you'll likely be staring down the lethal swing with no answers.
One thing to watch for in particular against Merfolk is Spreading Seas , as often times a playset is mainboarded anyway. To combat this, you can try siding in Nature's Claim (which also conveniently hits Aether Vial ). To sideboard for this matchup, sideboard out Relic of Progenitus for Boil , Spellskite for Rending Volley , and maybe drop a Karn or two for Nature's Claim , if you see fit.
- Elves
Elves is another popular tribal choice, and a fairly new addition to Tier 2 modern decks. This game is really the same as playing against Merfolk, except the deck is slightly faster and more combo oriented. An early game Pyroclasm works well, but really Oblivion Stone and Ugin, the Spirit Dragon are your best cards yet again in this matchup. Karn Liberated can do a great job of removing Ezuri, Renegade Leader , and Wurmcoil Engine , like always, makes for a big, menacing, and tough to remove blocker. To sideboard, put in all extra copies of Oblivion Stone and Ugin, the Spirit Dragon , and take out Relic of Progenitus and Spellskite .
- Abzan
While this is already a favorable matchup, it's a powerful and popular deck. To gain more advantage over it, take out Spellskite and add another Relic of Progenitus . You can also cut a Wurmcoil Engine or Oblivion Stone for a Sundering Titan , as it is a three color deck.
- Jund
Another popular deck that has a great matchup in your favor. Abzan and Jund's prevalence in the meta is the main reason to run Tron - to beat up on them. I would sideboard about the same as Abzan, but maybe keep all 4 Wurmcoil Engine s in board against a more aggressive build.
- Closing
I hope this mini-primer helps you understand the ways of Gruul Tron and how to sideboard well. Please +1 and comment your thoughts. The meta is at your advantage right now, so get out there, play Tron, and win some tournaments. Best of luck, Tron players.
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| Top Ranked |
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| Date added | 11 years |
| Last updated | 3 years |
| Legality | This deck is Modern legal. |
| Rarity (main - side) | 12 - 1 Mythic Rares 8 - 6 Rares 22 - 3 Uncommons 17 - 5 Commons |
| Cards | 60 |
| Avg. CMC | 3.27 |
| Tokens | Beast 3/3 G, Eldrazi Scion 1/1 C, Wurm 3/3 C w/ Deathtouch, Wurm 3/3 C w/ Lifelink |
| Folders | modern, modern, Modern , Modern2013, maybe, Cool Modern Deck, Favorite decks, Fav decks, Tron, Potential Decks |
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