‘Ello ladles and jellyspoons! Welcome to the first of a series of articles that I have been wanting to write for a really long time. Inspired by the articles found in The Magic Dojo archives that I remember reading as I was growing up and first learning how to play the game (and still learning). These articles will focus on rarely discussed aspects of the game that often go unnoticed that might help you become a better Magic player.
Today I’d like to discuss the concept of owning an ‘arsenal’ or a ‘tool kit’ for your constructed decks. That is a collection of cards that you can call upon to make adjustments and tune your decks on the fly depending on the meta. In some cases, this is literally a binder of cards that you physically carry around with you to events and are able to swap cards in and out of before the event starts or submitted your decklist based on what you have seen being played at the tables.
Let’s say you’re at a Modern event and you’re playing Burn. As you’re walking around the tables watching people play practice games to warm up you see that every other person is playing either Izzet Phoenix or Dredge. You might want to make adjustments to your sideboard by dropping that 3rd copy of Wear//Tear for an extra Rest in Peace (or two). If you know that nearly half the field is some sort of graveyard deck: increase your chances of victory and stock up on a full playset of RIPs in the sideboard.
Allow me to preface this: Before anyone says, “Wow Burt, that’s pretty Spiky of you.” Yes, yes it is. Because when we’re talking about competitive Magic, no matter the format: I play to win. Not to lose. And in a setting where games are determined by the difference of something as simple as 1 life point, I want to take every little advantage that I can get. If you ever want to become better as a player this is an aspect of the game that you need to accept.*
For the sake of today’s article let’s assume the perspective of a Modern Burn player because it just so happens that I play a lot of Burn in Modern (boo and hiss all you want) and it’s easiest and most natural for me to look at the metagame and give examples from that perspective.
Cool. Now that we’re on the same page, let’s take a look at a list of sideboard cards and the scenarios that they might become relevant:
[scryimg] Leyline of Punishment [/scryimg]
Leyline of Punishment. You’re probably thinking, “This isn’t 2011 and we’re not turning Hellspark Elementals sideways anymore?…” and to that I say, “How else are you going to stop a turn 1 Griselbrand from combo-ing off and kicking your teeth in after NeoBrand won the dice roll and you’re on the draw?”. It’s funny because I began writing this on 7/8/2019 after Wizards made their B&R announcement that included the banning of Bridge from Below to help nerf the Hogaak deck, making my conspiracy theories all the more plausible. Think for a minute about the implications of this in the shadowy eve of the approaching release of M20 and the new London Mulligan rule that comes with it. Combo decks get a whole lot better and with Hogaak taking a big hit people are going to start considering the next best option. NeoBrand, Infect, Devoted Devastation (the deck has access to a two mana Green Sun’s Zenith for Pete’s peppers!!!), Ad Nauseam, and TitanShift.
[scryimg] Rending Volley [/scryimg]
Rending Volley. You might also be thinking, “But Splinter Twin isn’t a thing anymore. It’s banned…”. Well as we have seen in the past Wizards can have a change of heart and unban things (Jace, Party Cat, BBE, etc.). If Twin gets to see the “light of play” again then guess which cards will subsequently spike in price? And guess who will already have their copies? And guess who won’t have to spend a gazillion times more than what they are worth on them if they don’t? And guess who is only out a whopping 60¢ for a playset of them even if Twin never gets unbanned. You get the point.
[scryimg] Sudden Shock [/scryimg]
Sudden Shock. I recall a time when Sudden Shock was pulling a premium of 2.40$ each (currently 42¢) because Infect was public enemy #1 at the time. It had just received Blossoming Defense and the deck was everywhere (pre-Gitaxian Probe ban people got to live the dream for a couple of months before the hammer came down). With Hogaak decks either out of the picture or soon to be appearing in much smaller numbers: Sudden Shock’s time to shine may come again where people are throwing down 10$ for a playset of uncommons so they can kill Giver of Runes, Glistener Elves, and Devoted Druids.
[scryimg] Harsh Mentor [/scryimg]
Speaking of hosing Devoted Druid combo decks, Harsh Mentor! Everyone forgot about this guy. He hates on fetch lands, Lantern Control (my #1 most hated deck), E-Tron, Scooze, Aether Vial, man lands, a bunch of dudes in the Hogaak deck (if the deck survives), and is a free win against Devoted Devastation.
[scryimg] Satyr Firedancer [/scryimg] [scryimg] Ensnaring Bridge [/scryimg]
Satyr Firedancer/Ensnaring Bridge. These both have been played to some Modern success in the past (and Bridge still sees extensive play in Legacy Burn’s sideboard) as they fill similar roles given a creature heavy meta yet they attack from different angles. If you plan to 2-for-1 all your opponent’s little dudes while Lava Spiking your opponent to death: Firedancer is your man. But if you just want to play a card that says, “Deal with me or slowly die to Bolts to the face.” then Bridge is the go-to weapon in your arsenal.
[scryimg] Aura Barbs [/scryimg]
Aura Barbs. Ah yes, Aura Barbs. There may come a day where the stars and planets align and Bogles makes up 10+% of the meta. Enough to warrant the inclusion of this narrow hoser in Burn’s sideboard. The beating this thing delivers is savage. Downright SAVAGE. By all means, go ahead. Load up them Daybreak Coronets! *Mewhahaha!*
Other cards worth briefly mentioning: Risk Factor (can be played in the main if the meta requires the deck to grind longer), Leyline of Combustion (could be played in lists with more permanents that get targeted like Nacatl Burn w/ Cindervines), Ash Zealot (a huge thorn in Gift Storm‘s side until they find a Bolt), Rampaging Ferocidon (hates on Martyr Proc hard), and even Stony Silence (not every card in Burn’s sideboard needs to deal damage in order for it to be playable).
And lastly, as an added bonus: There is a financial aspect of owning a comprehensive arsenal for your constructed decks and that is it could help save you money if there comes a day that the metagame shifts causing a forgotten card in your collection to spike. Take my Bogles scenario for example. If Bogles becomes the #1 most played deck in Modern and all a sudden Aura Barbs becomes a 5$ card overnight. Would you rather be on the tail end of the situation dishing out 5$ each for them or would you rather have bought them beforehand for pennies on the off chance that you might use them someday? If a card costs pennies and there is a small chance that you might need them someday; just buy them. Even if that day never comes and they sit in your binder collecting dust until the day you die, you are only out 1.04$…
Welp, that’s all for today folks! I hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading! May Hogaak rest in pepperonis 😛
And as always, if you’re in the market for some snazzy new sleeves be sure to cruise on over to the shop and use my discount code MADMAGIC for 15% off on your next purchase.
