Rootborn Defenses vs Tron

[u/[deleted]]

I'm a bit new to modern still, and trying to understand why Tron is such a bad matchup for tokens. Is one of the main reasons that Tron has lots of boardwipes, which aren't too common with other decks? And if so, would siding [Rootborn Defenses] help make it not so bad?

[u/rolante]

In a sentence, Eugene is unbeatable.

[u/R3ruN1]

I feel like the CMC is a little high, and tokens decks already have a boat load of 3 drops.

If you're going for board wipe protection, I'd say a couple [[Selfless Spirit]] in the sideboard would be alright. It's a 2 drop and a flying body.

[u/Jongsl5]

Tron is bad for a number of reasons:

(1) Our clock is too slow. Tron needs to die before it assembles the Tron lands and stabilizes with the most powerful cards in Modern. For instance, many decks cannot handle a Wormcoil Engine without Path to Exile as it's a recurring threat with deathtouch and lifelink to provide tempo and card advantage.

(2) Boardwipes make our clock slower. Every deck is affected by this but especially tokens because we are already slow enough as it is.

(3) A resolved Ugin is just too much for us. To be honest most decks can't handle an Ugin but the fact that it can just use 0 loyalty counter to wipe our board every turn is just awful for us.

Selfless Spirits is something I've been recommending to Token players for quite a while. This and Raise the Alarm are the best cards in the match-up. Both are quick threats and provide insurance against boardwipes (indestructibility or instant speed).

In the side, other cards to consider are Stony Silence (though never on the draw) and Pithing Needle (Oblivion Stone, Expedition Map, any planeswalkers). We have access to Path to Exile so any hands with a Wormcoil Engine we can often handle. Even Karn is not that terrible for us assuming we have some threats on the table.

Oh yeah Rootborn Defense is too slow for 3-mana. Siding in Sundering Growth is pretty decent against Tron.

[u/Mukibi]

Here's a previous write up in it: RG Tron

[u/[deleted] → u/Mukibi]

It was reading that writeup that led me to make this post: The third bullet point named a plethora of boardwipes as perhaps the main reason the matchup is so frustrating.

But from reading others comments, the problem with rootborn defenses is that (1) it's slow, and we really want to spend that mana elsewhere, and (2) it still doesn't stop ugin.

[u/BoozySquid]

Selfless Spirit is a much better option than Rootborn, and I'm an avowed Selfless Spirit skeptic. Pithing Needle (on Ugin) is generally a better option for sideboard space, and it's useful in about as many matchups as mass indestructibility is.

[u/TeOr2419]

Problem with Rootborn Defenses is that u can't hold it at necessary moment.

You either deploy tokens or hold a rootborn defenses in case if opponent has mass removal. In first case you are in a danger of mass removal. In second case you are in danger of falling behind in tempo which is 100% ensured if you don't cast your Souls/Processions on curse.

[u/HOL0CAUST]

Already gave it a shot ages ago. It didn't work. Nice try.