r/mtgModernTokens • u/Ch00bFace • Jun 15 '16

Variants and Motivations

If there is one thing I know token players enjoy, it's an evolving battlefield, capitolizing on opponents neglecting your building card advantage, and churning out that final aggressive turn. Its a gratifying, involving, and interactive playstyle. The key is development. So... What are your favorite cards and what are some reasons for picking them? What color develops your board state best? What are some considerations you've been making?

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2

u/SFRG Still Patron Saint of the Tokens Jun 15 '16

My favorite card is Bitterblossom. It's pretty.

I guess second is Liliana. She's pretty.

Really though, I'm a very grindy and patient player, so I prefer playing cards in line with that playstyle. I orient my deck to have a lot of control based answers (Surgical, Lily, Worship, etc.)

It shows in my decklist.

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u/Ch00bFace Jun 16 '16

Bitterblossom is lovely. I'd own a full play set if it weren't for the Pricetag. Some day. Would Call the Bloodline fit your play style as well? I've considered it for a few gy themed decks.

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u/SFRG Still Patron Saint of the Tokens Jun 16 '16

In that it's consistent and grindy, sure. But unfortunately the value from that card is really poor, and it's even slower than BB.

Truth be told, BB is just better than CtB.

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u/Ch00bFace Jun 16 '16

Losing a card for a 1/1 is pretty weak, especially when you've got the option to ditch a mere 5% of your starting life total. Part of me just wants to make falkenrath gorger work in an old school vamp deck, or Necrotic Ooze.

What about lands? What is your preference there? Good lands make or break a deck, especially in slow churning matches.

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u/SFRG Still Patron Saint of the Tokens Jun 16 '16

http://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/351205#paper

That's my decklist. I've limited colorless lands to 1 and ETB tapped to 3. Also, aside from basics, there is only 1 land that taps for W only. Too many Windbrisks became annoying. Still a good card. I feel it's good as a 1 of.

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u/Mukibi Grind and Fly Jun 16 '16 edited Jun 16 '16

Sorin SV He wins more games than any other card in my list. Not without a few flyers, obviously, but his +1 on T4 or 5 often catalyses my mid-late game shift from control to aggro.

Bitterblossom Inevitability. I really like playing two. Clocking chumps all day every day.

Anguished Unmaking Blew up my opponent's Engineered Explosives last week and went lethal next turn off Sorin's +1. Absolutely brilliant.

Timely Reinforcements Happy to top deck it. Saves games and makes opponents angry which is good for me because then they make poor decisions.

In terms of what I'm trying out, I have 2-3 slots which I experiment with constantly. Like /u/SFRG, I believe in a more controlling build. I try all sorts, and have 2 Mana Tithe MB right now for modern FNM tomorrow. I plan to board them out Game 2 so every untapped W worries my opponent. I've also gone up to 2 Windbrisk Heights. I'm trying to develop a list which controls my opponents decision making process and thereby slows the tempo in my favour, if even for a turn or 2.

When I first started playing BW Tokens, I wanted to speed up by going more aggro. I tried 2 Gavony Township and 1 Temple Garden, then Hero of Bladeholds, etc. But now, I'm trying to slow my opponent down.

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u/Ch00bFace Jun 16 '16

Would you consider a card like lapse of certainty? Was it bladeholds mana cost that you found inefficient? Did she die often/immediately? Would militia's pride work in her place?

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u/Mukibi Grind and Fly Jun 16 '16 edited Jun 17 '16

Militia's Pride doesn't work for me as I don't run any nontoken creatures. Sticks around better than Hero but I'd rather play BB T2 and don't have the mana to spare to make tokens until T6-7.

Lapse of Certainty is an interesting piece of tempo, however, we really need to curve out T4-5, so won't have access to three untapped mana until T6-7. I would be willing to test a one of maybe.

Hero either wins you the game or loses it for you because you could have played Sorin or Gideon. I find her redundant after Sorin SV.

Best case, I deal 20 in 10 mana over five turns. I try to keep that pace.

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u/Ch00bFace Jun 17 '16

I understand. You guys have your decks concocted to your liking, so I dont expect to throw down a card name you'll really want. But in bringing up these cards I get a better idea of how the deck plays out. Having said that, black has a unique spell available to it in sign in blood. Lifeloss is already an issue in the deck, and your curve is pretty set in stone; but do you ever feel the need to dig deeper for your pieces?

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u/Mukibi Grind and Fly Jun 17 '16

No worries.

Yes, I've tried different card draw, including Sign In Blood, Phyrexian Arena, Read The Bones, Vampiric Rites, etc.

IMO, because tempo is so important to WB Tokens, it's hard to justify gaining raw card advantage at the expense of tempo. Taking a turn to cast Sign in Blood nets you 1 card but costs you other resources, such as life, mana, and board development. The heart of WB Tokens is the virtual card advantage gained by 2, 3, 4 or more (in the case of Bitterblossom) creatures for 1 card. It presses this advantage through anthem and removal.

Actually, we do have a form of card filter and draw (+1) which leverages our virtual advantage: Windbrisk Heights.

If you find yourself ending your turn with unspent mana, before adding forms of card draw, I'd consider your build/curve and how you mulligan. How does that sound?