How many times have you heard something you disagree with? How often has it pertained to Modern? My answer to both questions is plenty. Lately, none spur me into debate more than the claims that countermagic is bad and midrange is dead. In this article, we’ll debunk each of these myths by examining theory, decklists, […]

Along with Affinity, Burn and Infect once made up the Holy Trinity of blitzing wins in Modern. Times have certainly changed. The Affinity we knew now relinquishes most of its shares to Hardened Scales; Infect’s loss of Gitaxian Probe and inherent softness to Fatal Push put a serious dent in its former reign; Burn has […]

I’m always brewing new Modern decks, especially when spoiler season rolls around. After the novelty wears off, I inevitably find myself pulled back to my favorite card combinations. Goyfs, Bolts, cantrips; Temples, Mimics, Seers. I believe the decks that best house these respective combinations are Counter-Cat and Colorless Eldrazi Stompy, both of which I’ve tuned […]

I’ve had lots on my plate the last few weeks, including finally installing Magic Online on my Macintosh and playing in a couple of paper PPTQs for old-time’s sake. While life passed me by as I struggled to 5-0 a competitive league, as much an exercise in beating the program’s hostile interface as besting my opponents, […]

For once, an entire set spoiler is up before my Friday article goes live. So I’m happy to present this list of the juiciest Modern standouts in Guilds of Ravnica! Granted, the very juicy ones are already high on everyone’s radar. But like most Standard sets of seasons past, this expansion is still packed with […]

Guilds of Ravnica spoilers are underway, and the set is meeting my high expectations. It’s even exceeding them thanks to a certain Golgari instant. Join me today as we discuss that card and explore some of the possibilities Guilds promises for spell-based fair decks the format over. The Trophy’s Legacy Plenty has been written about […]

Recent weeks have seen Modern continue to admit newcomers via Magic Online induction, further upholding its status as a brewer’s paradise. But the metagame has also settled some, and players are discovering the most effective ways to attack a known field. If history has taught us anything, the paper metagame is sure to follow suit. […]

“Control is dead” has long been a mantra of those unsatisfied with Modern. But UWx control decks have had impressive showings lately on the competitive circuit—just last weekend, both Jeskai Control and UW Control made Top 8 at GP Prague and SCG Baltimore, respectively. Thanks to Search for Azcanta and Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, it’s […]

Now that the maniacal calls for banning Bridgevine have subsided, Modern players and observers alike are free to gaze once more at the format’s incredible diversity. In this week’s Brew Report, we’ll take a look at novel interpretations of Jund, Delver, and Zoo from online leagues. Once You Go Jund… I know a few Jund […]

Lightning Bolt once set Modern’s high-water mark: the most efficient and flexible removal spell at its price point, Bolt dictated which creatures did and didn’t see play in Modern almost single-handedly. Today, Bolt’s no longer the end-all-be-all of Modern kill spells. Instead, a diverse array of removal contributes to a colorful patchwork of playable creatures. This […]

Modern’s current aggro decks are led by two governing forces: Hollow One and Vengevine. While sometimes played in the same deck, these cards each helm their own archetypes, and continue the big-creatures-quick tradition established at Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch by Thought-Knot Seer and Reality Smasher. At Pro Tour 25th Anniversary, Hollow One and Bridgevine […]

There’s a new Delver in town, and this one doesn’t need delirium or a white splash to put the hurting on opponents as of turn one. All it requires is a single, generic mana and an appetite for attacking. Meet Bomat Courier, my latest addition to Temur Delver. Noah Walker’s breakout Legacy performance with post-ban Grixis […]

Novel Modern decks have historically surfaced by tapping into a previously undiscovered combo card—examples include Second Sunrise, Krark-Clan Ironworks, and Amulet of Vigor. But lately, format newcomers are firmly rooted in the combat camp. It seems Modern is beginning to revolve around streamlined aggro decks; consider tribal strategies such as Humans and Spirits, engine abusers like […]