June 2021 - Top Level Podcast

Time Warp was Banned in Historic Last Week

… But we recorded this episode before that was announced.

So opener is discussion on a now-defunct Jeskai Turns deck. Hopefully everything else on that topic (structure of the deck’s engine, other key cards) makes sense though!

Speaking of which…

Commence the Endgame is a key over-performer

Forget about how folks are ultimately abusing their Izzet-engines for a second. Yes, yes… Time Warp itself might not be legal any more but the rest of the Jeskai Turns deck — which shares 50% or more of its DNA with Jeskai Control or even Izzet Phoenix — works just fine.

On that note, Commence the Endgame is a perfectly positioned sideboard card.

With Fry such an important sideboard card, the fact that Commence the Endgame makes a black Zombie turns off Fry.
Cycling a Shark Typhoon is a two-for-one. Commence the Endgame is a three-for-one! Key for grinding.
Speaking of which, sideboard games are all about grinding. Commence the Endgame is great for that while ignoring the opponent’s Aether Gust (again the creature is black) and Mystical Dispute (while the spell is blue, it can’t be countered)

Modern Horizons 2 is Already Making Huge Waves in Modern

Should Counterspell be played in the main deck of Merfolk?
Tron was NOT a big winner. Modern Horizons 2
Domain Aggro is one of the most exciting new-old archetypes. Vigilant Knight of the Reliquary and the many tricks of Scion of Draco are killer incentives
Damn or Damnation? Damn or Go for the Throat for that matter!
Chaining The Underworld Cookbook
Gingerbread Cabin in Urza decks?
Cursed Totem is the coolest catch-all sideboard card

So there is a LOT going on in Modern thanks to Modern Horizons 2. Consequently… The format is fresher than it has been in long months.

Direct Download

The Most Powerful Cards in Modern Horizons 2

Shardless Agent Joins the Modern Format

*Shardless Agent…*
*Now in Modern Horizons 2!*

Shardless Agent looks to be one of the highest impact cards to be printed — or in this case reprinted — in Modern Horizons 2.

This card is awesome in a number of ways. You can gang up with lots of Cascade action with cards like Bloodbraid Elf. This kind of a deck can probably overwhelm faster or more powerful combo decks by flipping over lots of disruption like Duress, Inquisition of Kozilek, or Thoughtseize.

Or you can flip over lots of removal! Remember, Shardless Agent is a 2/2 creature as well as a purveyor of Black Lotuses. Removal can just clear the path to get in for damage.

And of course, it is a three mana card with Cascade. Like Ardent Plea or Demonic Dread, this is a card that can aim for a Balance, Living Death, or now Replenish.

Damn from Modern Horizons 2 is Damn! Good

What is Damn?

Other than the best ever at what it is?

It’s a sorcery speedTerminate for players who don’t have access to red mana. Don’t sleep on this one! That’s not a bad use case.

It’s a Wrath of God that has play against Gaddock Teeg. That’s not bad at all, right? Maybe you can get caught by Spell Snare or Inquisition of Kozilek now… But this card’s functional equivalency to Wrath of God kind of can’t be exaggerated.

Of course in a deck that can tap for both black and white? Damn! That’s a good card!

Will Vindicate be Good in Modern?

Mike wants Vindicate to be good.

Patrick doesn’t believe that Vindicate can’t be good.

Who’s right?

From Mike’s perspective… Molten Rain is often too slow against Tron (especially when you’re on the draw). How can Molten Rain that doesn’t deal extra damage be good?

But you know what won’t be too slow against Tron?

*Break the Ice*
*from Modern Horizons 2*

Break the Ice is really exciting against Tron! Even on the draw it can potentially disrupt their mana engine before it’s too late.

Mike wants this card to be good enough for main deck but is a little incredulous. Many other decks where Break the Ice has text are either aggressively too fast or have Aether Vial to get around it. But you know who doesn’t?

Skred Red.

That deck that has 20+ Snow-Covered Mountains and specializes in midrange three mana permanents and / or 4/4 Dragons? The Overload is legitimately going to get them.

Don’t Look Here! It’s just a two-card infinite combo

So Modern Horizons 2 has given us a new and viable two-card combo. Let’s start with Sanctum Weaver.

This card is basically never worse than a 0/2 creature that taps for one mana of any color. Yes, it’s twice as expensive as a Birds of Paradise; but as an enchantment itself, it’s fail state is not that deep into failure. Where it gets exciting is with Freed From the Real:

Here’s how it works:

On Turn Two, play Sanctum Weaver for 1G
On Turn Three, cast Freed from the Real on Sanctum Weaver; ideally leaving up Sanctum Weaver
Now you can tap Sanctum Weaver for [at least] UU. With Sanctum Weaver and Freed from the Real, you now have two enchantments in play. You can spend U of your UU to untap the Sanctum Weaver, rinse, and repeat. Every time you do this you leave yourself U.
What can you possibly do with infinite mana of not just blue, but any color?

The answers to all these burning questions (and more) in this week’s podcast! Listen up: