Using Disrupting Shoal

Modern Deck Help forum

Posted on Sept. 16, 2024, 1:45 p.m. by Icbrgr

I wanted to consult the community about their thoughts on Disrupting Shoal in Modern. I have been brewing in specifically Mono-Blue control recently and this is a card that I've come across and I'm convinced is powerful if used/built around correctly.

Is this card meant to be or best used as a modal Spell Snare/Force of Will... like stack up the deck with lots of 2MV blue spells to pitch for a "free" Spell Snare and then just pay or pitch when possible/needed?

wallisface says... #2

The problem as I see it, is that this spell is competing in the same space as all three of the blue-horizons free-spells: Force of Negation, Subtlety, and Flare of Denial.

Those horizons cards are a lot more flexible in what spells they can hit, a lot more forgiving in what cards you need to pitch, and can all be hardcast for a more reasonable/realistic cost. I’m not sure how Disrupting Shoal even remotely competes against them - and so i’m not sure how it would ever be a choice for a deck while those cards exist.

September 16, 2024 2:56 p.m.

Icbrgr says... #3

the main point to consider with shoal or at least what i've been getting hung up on is the being able to cast on your turn. Force of Negation is amazing but if you go to tap out on your turn to play a threat like Goblin Charbelcherfoil/Jace, the Mind Sculptor or something like that... the build im doing doesn't have the means to use Flare of Denial as anything but a Cancel.

in my more COMBO style decks ive used Pact of Negationfoil where i just planned on going all out to win the game when i tapped out/played my combo pieces... but this brew doesnt quite play that way.

September 16, 2024 3:13 p.m.

wallisface says... #4

Icbrgr seeing your brew might be useful here. I’m yet to be convinced this is a useful card, and would sooner just run Spell Snare or Spell Pierce. But without context of the deck you’re trying to fit this in, all these discussions are kindof mute.

September 16, 2024 4:22 p.m.

Icbrgr says... #5

This is just something I've been playtesting and am basically trying to solve "How do I safely tap out to play Platinum Angel without it Dying to Doom Blade?"


Mono-Blue "Platinum" Control

Modern Icbrgr

SCORE: 3 | 218 VIEWS | IN 1 FOLDER


I know this is jank but this is what got me looking at and thinking about Disrupting Shoal in general... and then I was trying to figure out if the was a card you just jammed in a deck list or if it was a card you would build around like planning/anticipating to pitch 1MV/2MV/3MV spells,

September 16, 2024 4:49 p.m.

wallisface says... #6

Looking at this list, i’d suggest anything other than Disrupting Shoal. Cards with pitch costs like this, particularly in control decks, require you to have a bunch of card-advantage engines to offset you otherwise 2-for-1ing yourself. Without stuff like The One Ring or Memory Deluge to guarantee card-advantage over time, this card rusks blowing-you-out and letting the opponent overwhelm you.

More importantly, you’re playing at a pace whereby you’re in no rush to play free-spells or tap-out, so this play pattern seems counterintuitive to what the deck wants to do. Indeed, it seems like the deck is aiming to comfortably counter everything and win at its leisure.. you should be fine holding-off playing your finisher for a turn-or-two while you amass another land to also protect it (if you can’t, this is more indicative that the control deck is lacking the ability to control the game).

Personally i’d still be running Spell Snare or Spell Pierce over Shoal. But then, i’d also be making a bunch of other changes as far as fine-tuning this brew into something more competitive.

September 16, 2024 5:39 p.m.

Icbrgr says... #7

Lol that's fair

September 16, 2024 6:08 p.m.

Icbrgr says... #8

I just find it hilarious/coincidence how aspiringspike also is testing shoal in this Video he put out today.... I DID IT FIRST SPIKE!!! lol jk

September 19, 2024 12:43 p.m.

capwner says... #9

I think Shoal makes most sense as a defensive card in decks like Blue Belcher or other blue combo decks because it can be pitch cast on your own turn to counter an opposing counterspell for free and protect your imminent combo win. The only other spells that work for this are Commandeer and Pact of Negationfoil which each have their own downsides (and now flare, I suppose, but this requires you to run lots of creatures). I think counterspell, flare, force, and subtlety will all be preferable in straight-up control lists because of the high mana requirement of the shoal meaning you will need to pitch cast it more often and give up value, as well as the requirement to have a pitch card of specific mana value causing it to be useless at least some % of the time.

September 19, 2024 1:40 p.m. Edited.

Icbrgr says... #10

The thing about Shoal in Mono-Blue is it openings up an opportunity to be proactive without having to win the game on the spot. like if you are on the draw in the early game and you wanna tap out to play Ancestral Vision/Preordain you can do so without too much fear. And as the game goes on if you have shoal in hand you can conceivably just pay

I think Shoal was a bad card but in a meta where Spell Snare is in demand to cost about $8.00 USD each to hit this ever-growing bloated list of both creature and noncreature spells that if they resolve you lose or virtually lose I think shoal is worth considering at some ratio.

September 19, 2024 4:16 p.m.

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