This is the thread to discuss the Grixis Death's Shadow archetype in Modern.This is a placeholder thread. If you are interested in taking over the thread and/or writing a primer, PM the moderator team.
[Deck] Grixis Death's Shadow
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- ktkenshinx
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Over-Extended/Modern Since 2010
- motleyslayer
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Grixis Shadow should be live for the top 8 at the SCG this weekend. I don't have the list but kolaghan's command and other cheap interaction seems good right now
- MashedPotato
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Think there is room to fit in some Drown in the Loch over dismembers in the mainboard. Sure not paying life to use a Loch can work both ways, but having more protection and ability to clear the board for DS to do its thing may work.
Also, as a side note, a few components used in Grixis DS are having a price jump due the Pioneer format causing disruptions,
Only just moving over into some Grixis (while still keeping Esper Control) so in the process of doing the research, so I'd love to see some discussion on the whole Grixis DS as a whole.
Also, as a side note, a few components used in Grixis DS are having a price jump due the Pioneer format causing disruptions,
Only just moving over into some Grixis (while still keeping Esper Control) so in the process of doing the research, so I'd love to see some discussion on the whole Grixis DS as a whole.
There is always a greater power
- motleyslayer
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I can see drown in the loch being reasonable in the deck, I might try a 1-1 split of it and dismember or drop the 4th stubborn denial (which might be a mistake)
- motleyslayer
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went 4-4 at a Face to Face Open + in Toronto yesterday. pretty medium but here's my report
round 1 I get crushed by bant snow 0-2. mostly flopped my way around having no clue what to do
I hate losing first round
Round 2 opponent gets super lucky both games combined with bad draws and get 0-2d by sultai delirium. Game 1 he keeps a 1 land hand on the draw with a traverse, so I take the traverse wit an IoK to keep him off lands, he draws another traverse right away. I also get stuck with 4 stubby d in hand against a creature heavy draw. Game 2 I have a great start with leyline in hand, get him down to 5 before he draws an oko to stabilize. doesn't help I drew my other 2 leylines in a row when I needed gas
0-2. dead for top 8 but can still prize
round 3 I easily 2-0 ad naus. I turn 1 discard on the draw, seeing 2x phyrexian unlife, spirit guide and solemnity I take the ape because that would prevent him from casting the unlife, then I can figure out how to get both dealt with. I get the first unlife with a stubby d as force spike then thoughtseize the other. Game 2 I mull to 5 with a leyline of sanctity on the other side. I basically get on the shadow beatdown and somehow win
1-2, still in this
round 4 I 2-1 dredge (pretty poorly played by them). game 1 he tries to conflagarate me and my 1/1 shadow. sending 5 at me and 1 at the shadow, which doesn't work. I fetch shock ti make it it bigger. force his hand to make him block with narcomeba (bauble shows me a tbr on top, so would win next turn regardless). he then gets a land to get 2 bloodghasts, I push one and go to 2 then battle rage him. I mismanaged my life very poorly in a game 2 I should have won. g3 my 7 had double leyline, snap and shadow plus 3 lands. Basically my plan is to aggro him. It made it easier that he had 2 blood crypts and a blast zone, he got tunnel vision focusing on the leylines that he probably didn't see the line of keeping the blast zone on 1 while he waited for the land he needed t crack the zone, he tried to get the zone to 4 but never saw another land or never got the zone to 4.
2-2, still in this.
lost a tight game match to humans r5. game 1 he came out racing and won. game 2 i got an early plague engineer and killed kept the board clear. Game 3 I hit an EE on 2 to clear the board but he was able to get a few creatures that were walled by my shadow but he drew a timely deputy of detention to win
2-3, dead but wanted more reps in with the deck again so played it out.
round 6 I beat the 4 colour soulherder deck. I know the games I won I swung in for exact while at one. There might have been a game I lost
3-3 which is a record that doesn't really matter at this point
Roudn 7 I lose the mirror but I didn't really keep notes of what happened.
3-4.
Round 8 I beat mardu shadow. game 1 he gets stuck on a land. game 2 I come out fast and force spiked his discard spells with stubby d. he also had to k command a 1/1 shadow but I had a wraith in hand
I feel I played okay for the most part. Only things that stick out were not having a clue how to play vs bant snow and getting too aggressive game 2 vs dredge. I probably need to learn the mirror as well, can I get some feedback for playing the mirror?
round 1 I get crushed by bant snow 0-2. mostly flopped my way around having no clue what to do
I hate losing first round
Round 2 opponent gets super lucky both games combined with bad draws and get 0-2d by sultai delirium. Game 1 he keeps a 1 land hand on the draw with a traverse, so I take the traverse wit an IoK to keep him off lands, he draws another traverse right away. I also get stuck with 4 stubby d in hand against a creature heavy draw. Game 2 I have a great start with leyline in hand, get him down to 5 before he draws an oko to stabilize. doesn't help I drew my other 2 leylines in a row when I needed gas
0-2. dead for top 8 but can still prize
round 3 I easily 2-0 ad naus. I turn 1 discard on the draw, seeing 2x phyrexian unlife, spirit guide and solemnity I take the ape because that would prevent him from casting the unlife, then I can figure out how to get both dealt with. I get the first unlife with a stubby d as force spike then thoughtseize the other. Game 2 I mull to 5 with a leyline of sanctity on the other side. I basically get on the shadow beatdown and somehow win
1-2, still in this
round 4 I 2-1 dredge (pretty poorly played by them). game 1 he tries to conflagarate me and my 1/1 shadow. sending 5 at me and 1 at the shadow, which doesn't work. I fetch shock ti make it it bigger. force his hand to make him block with narcomeba (bauble shows me a tbr on top, so would win next turn regardless). he then gets a land to get 2 bloodghasts, I push one and go to 2 then battle rage him. I mismanaged my life very poorly in a game 2 I should have won. g3 my 7 had double leyline, snap and shadow plus 3 lands. Basically my plan is to aggro him. It made it easier that he had 2 blood crypts and a blast zone, he got tunnel vision focusing on the leylines that he probably didn't see the line of keeping the blast zone on 1 while he waited for the land he needed t crack the zone, he tried to get the zone to 4 but never saw another land or never got the zone to 4.
2-2, still in this.
lost a tight game match to humans r5. game 1 he came out racing and won. game 2 i got an early plague engineer and killed kept the board clear. Game 3 I hit an EE on 2 to clear the board but he was able to get a few creatures that were walled by my shadow but he drew a timely deputy of detention to win
2-3, dead but wanted more reps in with the deck again so played it out.
round 6 I beat the 4 colour soulherder deck. I know the games I won I swung in for exact while at one. There might have been a game I lost
3-3 which is a record that doesn't really matter at this point
Roudn 7 I lose the mirror but I didn't really keep notes of what happened.
3-4.
Round 8 I beat mardu shadow. game 1 he gets stuck on a land. game 2 I come out fast and force spiked his discard spells with stubby d. he also had to k command a 1/1 shadow but I had a wraith in hand
I feel I played okay for the most part. Only things that stick out were not having a clue how to play vs bant snow and getting too aggressive game 2 vs dredge. I probably need to learn the mirror as well, can I get some feedback for playing the mirror?
- MashedPotato
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The only advice I can offer is, I run Spell Snare in the sideboard. Hits enough stuff to make having a couple of copies worth it (across other decks to) and its cost is so low. Also Liliana of the Veil is nice if you can afford them (I can't as of yet), but the mirror is a grind fest, so I take out my street wraiths for more K commands. Hand disruption to remove stuff like Angler.motleyslayer wrote: ↑4 years agoI probably need to learn the mirror as well, can I get some feedback for playing the mirror?
Battle of attrition, I don't like playing the mirror though, but I being on the draw is super nice though
There is always a greater power
- motleyslayer
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I do have a play set of LotV, I actually was running 2 in the side before the event but I decided to cut them literally the night before (I might have even played fnm with them in). I might slot them back in at events because I think GDS is on the rise in Toronto again (at least at that event it was everywhere)
i actually never thought of taking my street wraiths out in that match but I'll try
i actually never thought of taking my street wraiths out in that match but I'll try
- MashedPotato
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Purely for the attrition aspect of creature removal is the only reason I want them, in any grindy match they look to good.motleyslayer wrote: ↑4 years agoI do have a play set of LotV, I actually was running 2 in the side before the event but I decided to cut them literally the night before
I just don't see much use for them in the mirror, I can see a reason to keep them as a body, but I much rather the ability to keep bringing back what I need being DS, Snapcaster or anglers from K command or alternatively Claim // Fame ( I have thought about this more and more)motleyslayer wrote: ↑4 years agoi actually never thought of taking my street wraiths out in that match but I'll try
edit; I am by no means brilliant at GDS, but practice makes perfect I have been told, I am interested to get some more discussion going on this thread about this deck though
There is always a greater power
- motleyslayer
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claim//fame and unearth are cards I've thought about a few times but haven't tried them in the deck.
I remember once in the mirror my opponent returned a street wraith with a k command to push through the last bit of damage to win
I remember once in the mirror my opponent returned a street wraith with a k command to push through the last bit of damage to win
- MashedPotato
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I like Claim // Fame more, if I have mana to burn, slamming through for the extra damage or applying more pressure to force response even if I use Fame on a Angler rather than what I recur off Claim, but unearth I have also considered, the cycle on it, if I drop street wraith looks like a fair trade, but once it hits the graveyard its dead, unlike Fame.motleyslayer wrote: ↑4 years agoclaim//fame and unearth are cards I've thought about a few times but haven't tried them in the deck.
I aim to play test Claim // Fame this against my Esper control and Burn decks, both play each end of the spectrum in terms of threat speed coming into Christmas break
There is always a greater power
- motleyslayer
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being able to fame your big threat seems really good and can really get people
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The Fluff Le fou, c'est moi
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just a question on the mirror match. Do people board out discard spells when against another shadow deck?
AnimEVO 2020 - EFZ Tournament (english commentary) // Clearing 4 domain with Qiqi
want to play a control deck in modern, but don't have Jace or snapcaster? please come visit us at the Emeria thread
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The Fluff Le fou, c'est moi
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I see. thanks for sharing the experience on discard spells.
Guess should would side out most of them as well.
Guess should would side out most of them as well.
AnimEVO 2020 - EFZ Tournament (english commentary) // Clearing 4 domain with Qiqi
want to play a control deck in modern, but don't have Jace or snapcaster? please come visit us at the Emeria thread
- motleyslayer
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I've been in the habit of boarding out tbr and a bit of discard but I'll admit I'm awful at the mirror and haven't built my sb with it in mind. My poor results in the mirror are pretty much a result of little reps in the mirror
- motleyslayer
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Can anyone give me advice for the burn matchup or any underrated sideboard cards?
I can't win that matchup lately
I can't win that matchup lately
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The Fluff Le fou, c'est moi
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I'm currently using esper not grixis, so take these with a grain of salt as they might or might not be useful.
1. during game two, try to prioritize getting out delve threats instead of shadows. Delve creatures are big, no matter what your life total is. This one I consider the most important thing to remember.
2. keep at least one lily in game two, her discard will help reduce the amount of burn that they can sandbag in their hand. One strategy of burn against shadow decks is to keep sandbagging spells, then throw it all out at once when your life total is low enough.
3, side in all available collective brutality
4. get rid of their critters as soon as possible, espescially the eidolon
1. during game two, try to prioritize getting out delve threats instead of shadows. Delve creatures are big, no matter what your life total is. This one I consider the most important thing to remember.
2. keep at least one lily in game two, her discard will help reduce the amount of burn that they can sandbag in their hand. One strategy of burn against shadow decks is to keep sandbagging spells, then throw it all out at once when your life total is low enough.
3, side in all available collective brutality
4. get rid of their critters as soon as possible, espescially the eidolon
AnimEVO 2020 - EFZ Tournament (english commentary) // Clearing 4 domain with Qiqi
want to play a control deck in modern, but don't have Jace or snapcaster? please come visit us at the Emeria thread
- motleyslayer
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I'm probably gonna try LotV against burn like you suggest, there's too much burn in my area to just ignore it now. So I guess I'll try and beat it now
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The Fluff Le fou, c'est moi
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goodluck. Burn is a bit tough for this deck. But as long as your health is not already too low, Lily should do some help.
AnimEVO 2020 - EFZ Tournament (english commentary) // Clearing 4 domain with Qiqi
want to play a control deck in modern, but don't have Jace or snapcaster? please come visit us at the Emeria thread
- motleyslayer
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just out of curiosity, is there any merit to boarding in any grave hate against UR delver lists or UR breach lists o shut down snapcaster recursion or mystic sanctuary?
- motleyslayer
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has anyone played against the current iterations of amulet titan decks? The deck is super popular in larger events in my area now
I felt super comfortable with the matchup before but I dunno if its changed much with the new toys titan decks have now
I felt super comfortable with the matchup before but I dunno if its changed much with the new toys titan decks have now
- motleyslayer
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just out of curiosity, has anyone else been testing Drown in the Loch ? I've been testing it a bit but don't seem to like it. Has anyone liked it?
- MashedPotato
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I run it as a one of, have been tempted to run it as a two of, but finding what to take out to put it in isn't idealmotleyslayer wrote: ↑3 years agojust out of curiosity, has anyone else been testing Drown in the Loch ? I've been testing it a bit but don't seem to like it. Has anyone liked it?
I am on 3 Stubborn Denials also, which is why I have this in to replace it, a counter / kill card with the only limit being how much is in the bin is fine by me.
Alongside this, I have been running a single copy of the Royal Scions, very rarely get to play it, but as soon as it hits it demands a response as both +1 are very useful I think and I'd rather have this eat something especially in the midgame which is when its been the safest to have it come down. Although, I have thought of getting myself into JDS or Sultai GDS, both with pro's and con's but something about the tried and true feels good
There is always a greater power
- motleyslayer
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I run a copy of The Royal Scions in the main and 1 in the side. It's been really good for me
Even as a 1 of Drown in the Loch seems bad but maybe I need to play it more
Even as a 1 of Drown in the Loch seems bad but maybe I need to play it more
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The Fluff Le fou, c'est moi
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If anyone here has scg premium. This might be a good read.
https://articles.starcitygames.com/prem ... 1585043780
https://articles.starcitygames.com/prem ... 1585043780
AnimEVO 2020 - EFZ Tournament (english commentary) // Clearing 4 domain with Qiqi
want to play a control deck in modern, but don't have Jace or snapcaster? please come visit us at the Emeria thread