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Starting a new article series that I will try and do weekly (keyword try!), where I will discuss my trials and tribulations with the Modern format and trying to break into it. Just in case you didn't know I've only recently started to get into Modern this year and I've fallen hard for it. My first deck has been Elves and I'm currently almost done with my second, Grixis Delver. My LGS has begun Monday Night Modern and I've been trying to go as often as I can. My real goal right now is to gain as much experience as I can with the format to help myself become a better player.
So, let's start shall we?
Before I ventured off into Modern Night Modern at my LGS I decided to do some research into Elves, again, and see what the meta may be like for the deck now that Twin and Amulet are all but gone. I noticed some decks that have been doing well decided to take out 2 Elvish Visionary's and place in 2 Essence Warden's and I've also seen people putting in 1-2 copies of Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx. That made me decide to take out Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers and put in a copy of Nykthos. My sideboard still needs some serious help, especially against my local meta. It's really geared towards Affinity, Burn and infect. I definitely need a Spellskite or two but the high price tag right now has deterred me as I'd rather invest into Grixis Delver for now. As you can see below this is my current decklist.
Round 1 Elves vs. Abzan Company
So being new to Modern still I have not had the pleasure of going up against this deck. When my opponent put down a Wall of Roots, I was a bit confused and wondering what kind of deck he was playing. Game 1 was over fairly quickly as I was able to vomit my hand all over the table with Elves and just annihilate him. Game 2 and 3 though I found out the true potential to this deck.
Infinite combos? Infinite life gain? Yea, this Abzan deck can do it. I sideboarded in Beast Within and Eternal Witness taking out my Essence Wardens and Chord of Callings. Did not help much in the end. In Game 3 it was a non game as the worst thing that could happen to Elves happened to me. Land...I got too much of it. Land flood is a real thing people, it can happen to you! Be wary!
Final Results: 1-2 LOST
Round 2 Elves vs. Jund
The player who was piloting Jund I've gone up against him before and he is a really good player. Definitely more skilled in Modern than I am. If I had to guess I would presume he primarily plays Modern as I never see him for Standard. He's beaten me previously and I was prepared for another beating. The best way I can describe how I won both games is Shaman of the Pack is very real and something people need to watch out for when it comes to Elves.
Final Results: 2-0 WON
Round 3 Elves vs. Soul Sisters
This was a new player I had never gone up against so I wasn't sure. He wasn't playing with any sleeves nor did he have a sideboard so my first thought was he was new. Which I have no problems with new players, heck I enjoy them but he didn't seem the talkative type so we just played.
Game 1 was a blowout, by Turn 4 he was dead. Ezuri and Archdruid both on the field on Turn 3. Turn 4 was just a massacre for him, there was nothing for the Soul Sisters pilot to do.
Game 2 he managed to get an infinite mill loop with Altar of the Brood, Midnight Guard, and an enchantment whose name leaves me creates 1/1 Elf Tokens each time the creature is tapped. Very surprised at how awesome the combo was. You'll come to find out I'm a sucker for combos, I get giddy whenever I see one go off.
Game 3 was much of the same as Game 1. I beast within both his Midnight Guards that came out and I just exploded with Elves. An elfsplosion.
Final Results: 2-1 WON
Final Round Elves vs. GR Tron
The pilot of this particular GR Tron deck is a pretty good player and he's a buddy so right away I knew this was going to be a fun match. I can usually beat Tron as Elves can be quick enough before he gets Tron. This match, my deck did not want to draw for me at all. I ended up mulliganing to 4 which I knew right away Game 1 was going to be a blow out. I should've kept my first hand but it was very slow, it was 3 lands, a CoCo, and Ezuri and Archdruid. Knowing how quick Tron can be this was just not doable for me. My other hands after that were just too much mana or no mana at all.
Game 2 was very similar blowout.
Final Results: 0-2 LOST
Results for the night: 2-2
So what have I learned after this? I learned that even if I mulligan, Elves can still go ahead and win. Especially with this deck I need to be more picky with my opening hand than I can be with other decks. I learned that I still have a lot of studying to do on this format. Even though I went 2-2 I was still pretty happy with the results.
Have a good one and thanks for reading!
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