Sideboarding Against Tron
Modern Deck Help forum
Posted on March 22, 2019, 10:01 p.m. by GoldenAgeBatman
Does anyone have any suggestions for sideboarding against tron builds?
So far I'm thinking of 2-3x Alpine Moon and 3-4x Infernal Reckoning .
Edit: Here's my deck in question Dracu-Leeeee, Dracu-Laaaaa!
ToolmasterOfBrainerd says... #3
I don't recommend infernal Reckoning. Or Alpine Moon, for that matter. Link your decklist because that will really help for advice.
March 22, 2019 11:02 p.m.
APPLE01DOJ says... #4
Since you're in Rakdos.
Crumble to Dust and Slaughter Games as 1 ofs are good options.
Blood Moon is the go to but you need to close out the game quickly because they can remove it as well as win through it.
Sorcerous Spyglass is good because it can temporarily stop Karn, Ugin, & O-Stone while giving you a peak at their hand to know which to name.
March 23, 2019 12:35 a.m.
ToolmasterOfBrainerd says... #5
Really good clocks go a long way. Goblin Rabblemaster is an option, although limited in other uses.
Land destruction is also really good. If you get them down before they get Tron online then they're basically time walk or better. Fulminator Mage and Field of Ruin are the best in my opinion.
Stony Silence is also really good half the time.
March 23, 2019 12:45 a.m.
GoldenAgeBatman says... #6
What about a sideboard like this? :
2x Dreadbore or Sorcerous Spyglass
My local meta is heavy on burn and Tron so I've included mostly anti-tron cards.
March 23, 2019 12:38 p.m. Edited.
Land destruction is the worst thing to happen for Tron (speaking as a Tron player). Sowing Salt / Crumble to Dust are good, but only if you're on the play and only if the Tron player doesn't do anything on turn 3 that could end the game (like Karn Liberated ).
Molten Rain , Fulminator Mage , Ghost Quarter , Boom / Bust , and Evil Presence are probably the strongest options. It will cut them off from assembling Tron on turn 3.
March 23, 2019 3:21 p.m.
GoldenAgeBatman says... #8
Thank you for those suggestions, sylvannos! Taking them into consideration, what about the following list?
2x Blasphemous Act (For dealing with the tribal/creature based decks in my meta)
4x Pithing Needle (For shutting down Oblivion Stone /Karn/Ugin/any planeswalker)
3x Molten Rain (For shutting down ramp/Tron)
4x Murderous Cut (For dealing with mid to late game creature threats)
March 23, 2019 3:36 p.m.
ToolmasterOfBrainerd says... #9
You're playing an aggressive deck so you're already in good shape to beat Tron. Early Tron can result in Wurmcoil Engine or Ugin, both of which are problematic for you. If they don't get a quick Tron they still can get to Oblivion Stone , which forces you to reset. Sorcerous Spyglass is a good option because it's good vs UW Control as well. You can name Teferi or Jace which makes it harder for them to stabilize. Then you can slow-roll your threats which makes Terminus less effective. Especially because you play some creatures with haste.
To be honest I expect burn to be a harder matchup for you than Tron.
I don't like that sideboard at all. Way too polarized. 3 Molten Rain and 3 Sorcerous Spyglass is more than enough Tron hate. In this meta I highly recommend graveyard hate. Rakdos Charm is graveyard and artifact hate (both very relevant). 4 Murderous Cut is way too many.
If you run into Dredge you'll need more than just a Rakdos charm to win. Anger of the Gods goes a long way - much further than Blasphemous Act . Very few decks should have enough creatures to make casting Blasphemous Act easy. Although Humans and Spirits and Phoenix can outclass Anger pretty easily too. Damnation might be the move.
You'll also probably run into problems with Rock decks. They have a lot of removal and card advantage.
Maybe start with this:
2-3 Damping Sphere - this also hates on Storm, which looks ugly for your deck. But if you're worried about taxing yourself then play Molten Rain or Fulminator Mage . Molten Rain and Fulminator are also really really good vs Control.
3-4 Sweeper of your choice
2 Collective Brutality - Awesome against Burn and control and combo decks and synergizes with your madness. If your burn matchup is good then don't bother with this.
3-4 Rakdos Charm or Extirpate or Nihil Spellbomb or Ravenous Trap or some other grave hate
0-3 Fatal Push or Dreadbore or Murderous Cut . I wouldn't play more than 1 Murderous Cut . But having spot removal for Thing in the Ice Flip, Crackling Drake , Tarmogoyf , Scavenging Ooze , etc. is a good idea.
March 23, 2019 5:37 p.m.
GoldenAgeBatman says... #10
Firstly, I really appreciate this feedback. Tron has been a major thorn in my side for some time now...
Now that is fortuitous timing! I just loaded 2x Damping Sphere s into my trade binder. I like the idea of taxing/slowing down a player this way, too.
Definitely agreed about Collective Brutality ; I'm kicking myself that I sold a copy of this a few years ago...
In terms of a sweeper is something like Killing Wave effective? I thought that even if they pay the life cost it sets them up to be open to lethal bolting.
March 23, 2019 5:45 p.m.
ToolmasterOfBrainerd says... #11
Not really. Suppose you cast Killing Wave for x=3. Humans or Spirits will pay 6 life to keep 2 big creatures on the board (like a Mantis Rider and an Anafenza, the Foremost or a 6/6 Thalia's Lieutenant ) and have a lethal threat for the next turn. Meanwhile you'll have to pay life yourself and probably won't be able to keep as good of creatures around as they can.
Finding the angle in the creature matchups is hard. Especially these days where the creature aggro decks are so friggin resilient. Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet from your end is a monster, but even he is answered by Path to Exile from Spirits, Reflector Mage from Humans, and Lightning Axe from Phoenix.
March 23, 2019 5:56 p.m.
APPLE01DOJ says... #12
Hour of Devastation is actually a good budget sweeper, works wonders against Spirits.
Id include 1 and probably 2x Anger of the Gods
March 23, 2019 6:09 p.m.
PlatinumOne says... #13
Blasphemous Act isn't really a good card imo. if you need a board wipe, go with Anger of the Gods or Damnation . i wouldn't recommend board wipes in a creature based deck though.
4x Damping Sphere should absolutely be in your sideboard though. it not only hoses tron, but also storm and phoenix.
March 23, 2019 8:31 p.m.
I like the versatility of stuff like Generous Gift and Beast Within over 3cmc land destruction spells, but I suppose it really depends on how competitive you're trying to be and what colors you're using.
APPLE01DOJ says... #2
sharing your list will help us give you better advice. Also what particular flavor of Tron are we talking about?
March 22, 2019 10:20 p.m.