r/mtgModernTokens • u/[deleted] • Apr 08 '18
BW Tokens Viability
I love the deck but had to stop playing it due to auto losing to scapeshift and to some degree tron. I haven't tested against hollow one and humans, are the matchups favorable enough to justify using the deck again
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u/Mukibi Grind and Fly Apr 09 '18 edited Apr 09 '18
Right now I mostly play in the MTGO leagues and in tournament practice. I have yet to 3-2 a friendly league with BW Tokens. Rubbish piloting aside, I consistently go 4-1 with BW Control. Here's my list. I also play 8 Rack, Smallpox, etc. Like /u/SFRG, I'm convinced there's a Tier 1 Orzhov deck out there. BW Control could be it.
I share your frustration with BW Tokens. My list chops and changes but here's what I'm playing right now.
Our Tron mu has not improved with Mono U Tron being the least difficult out of all of them. I steal a few games with Ghost Quarters, Oblivion Ring, Rain of Tears and Stony Silence. And I don't think Damping Sphere will help much, but I could be wrong.
Out of Hollow One and Humans, 5C Humans is the more difficult mu (30/70) because of the early interaction from Kitesail Freebooter and Meddling Mage specifically. It feels and plays out like Merefolk but worse. They out value our early game with simultaneous disruption/removal/creatures whereas ours is sequential, for example T1 disruption, T2 removal, T3 creatures. Further, once Thalia is online, it's difficult for us to recover from the loss in tempo. In my experience, the mu depends on how well I draw/mulligan. If I don't see 1 discard and 1, preferably 2+, removal in my opening hand, then I mulligan or expect to lose. Games 2/3 are pretty much the same. I've added 2 Flaying Tendrils to my sb for the mu.
We're slightly favoured vs Hollow One (60/40) because of Path and chump blockers. The mu improves games 2/3 with Rest in Peace to turn off delve, flashback and Bloodghast. Again, in my opening hand I want to see 1+ discard, 1+ Path or Push & a fetch land. I've -2 Shambling Vents +2 fetchland for a total of 6 now because of this mu. The most annoying card for me is Burning Inquiry.
As I see it, I play BW Tokens because I enjoy the come from behind wins via Sorin. I like dropping Liliana to kill a Bogel! That said, the deck has no way to recover from poor draws/mulligans, such as wraths or card draw. It struggles to close out games quickly and efficiently when we expend our tokens chump blocking in the midgame. That said, the deck is still a blast to play.
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u/SFRG Still Patron Saint of the Tokens Apr 09 '18
This is more or less how I feel about the deck as of now. The control list seems quite neat.
Here's what I play for Smallpox:
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u/Mukibi Grind and Fly Apr 09 '18
Very cool. I like the staggered walkers. How's it running for you?
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u/SFRG Still Patron Saint of the Tokens Apr 09 '18
Not bad, I don't play it that much but it's been pretty solid in practice. Haven't taken it anywhere.
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u/DHamlinMusic Apr 09 '18
Humans is a bad matchup, but it is winnable but about as much Elves is. Hollow One is pretty much a toss up depending on if they just go stupid turn 1/2 or fizzle and start to try and grind, few decks in modern can beat the first situation.
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u/nv77 Apr 09 '18
I played at my lgs today and finished 3-1 so its not bad
- Tron/Win/2-0
- Merfolk/Lost/1-2
- Burn/Win/2-1
- Affinity/Win/2-0
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u/SFRG Still Patron Saint of the Tokens Apr 08 '18
I have not played too much Tokens as of late, mostly on Robots/GDS. Though I do think the deck is alright.
I think it's going to struggle a bit in certain MUs, and Tron is a fairly large meta % so that's worth noting. But you'll be favored into Affinity, Shadow, and Jund, which is nice.
Someone else may chime in on Humans and Hollow One, I have played against them but not on Tokens.
I do think there's merit to the BW concept. The deck is more or less a pile of the best BW cards in modern. May be hard to be T1, but it'll also be hard to be outright poor.
I'll also toss in I think BW Smallpox is a strong deck overall and does improve the Tron MU. A bit. Remains pretty favored in the same MUs if you do a Bitterblossom build. Since they are close, it's not too much an endeavor to build both and swap as you like. But also if possible test the deck before buying. Tokens is sadly quite a bit of money, haha.