Cloned from [Classic Modern Cube](/c/5eb2416d33973f103cfd0a66) >>> ### Classic Modern Cube <<< Welcome to the Classic Modern Cube. The aim of this cube is to replicate some of the classic Modern formats and decks. It's my way of replicating the glory days of watching SCG modern events in the before-times (both before Covid and before MH1). --- >>> ### Contents <<< [Design Principles](https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/classicmoderncube) - In which I don my rose-tinted glasses, and wax lyrical and wistful about my inspirations and guiding principles in designing and tweaking the cube. [Macro Archetype Discussions]() - A discussion of the ways in which the three macro archetypes are supported, their key cards, inspirations, and variations. [Control]() [Aggro]() [Combo]() [Subthemes]() - A discussion of the supported sub archetypes and variants [Artifacts]() [Ramp]() [Tempo]() [Tokens]() [Aristocrats]() [Graveyard]() [Through the Breach/Reanimator]() --- >>> ### Design Principles <<< The cube was constructed around some pillars of the Modern format. Cards such as [[Lingering Souls|1d371239-b231-455f-a724-5025284ee023]], [[Snapcaster Mage|9e5b279e-4670-4a1e-87d0-3cab7e4f9e58]], [[Dark Confidant|4c008ad2-ad33-46ee-a3f1-af85368c8734]], [[Splinter Twin|580fbbf8-ba7e-4889-a5ea-d066f3ea8cea]], [[Tarmogoyf|1cfdd410-391b-4b71-8139-f5a30653097a]], [[Liliana of the Veil|ac506c17-adc8-49c6-9d8d-43db7cb1ec9d]], [[Cryptic Command|829e3d6e-5d7c-4cc4-a7a6-7cbf5a7442ba]], [[Young Pyromancer|e349c204-3a93-4bf7-b79a-5f5f261ea2d3]], [[Thalia, Guardian of Thraben|824423ff-6441-4be6-b754-810adf9ca6a2]]. These pillars are then expanded on, informing some of the basic themes, such as tokens, spells, graveyard synergies, control, combo etc. Card inclusion is thus also weighed against how "classically Modern" they feel. While this has led to a skew away from Modern Horizons and beyond, there is no hard rule imposed against their inclusion. Games are intended to be about creatures attacking and blocking, decks that draw out value and piece together engines, decks that look to curve out and win or lose quickly chaining together cheap aggressive creatures, and glass cannons that look to go all in on cheating a big beefy creature into play. Decks are intended to have counterplay options, but hard counters are avoided. For example, bulk graveyard exile is avoided and interaction is chosen so as to encourage careful consideration and planning. This gives decks a chance to do their thing, without being blown out by a single sideboard card, but also allows opposing decks opportunities to interact and disrupt. Additionally, I want this cube to be at least playable by less-enfranchised players. As such I have made an effort limit the number of keywords which a more casual player wouldn't reasonably understand. This is of course very subjective and is intended as a guideline. This has also meant that I have shied away from foreign-language cards and full-art cards. Aesthetically, I have also preferred card printings from standard-legal sets, where they evoke for me a sense of nostalgia for this period of Magic's history. Again, this is not intended as a definitive rule, and is highly subjective. Some cards I think look fine with a Modern Masters symbol while some just feel wrong, and there's no explaining it. Finally, I am happy to include some promos or Secret Lair printings for a few cards, as well as simple card alters, to add a little texture. Self-expression is key to Magic! I lined up for four hours to have Mark Tedin draw googly eyes on my [[Emrakul, the Aeons Torn|3197aa08-9fb1-47d2-b873-432700cb790e]] and I am not letting it go to waste! NOTE: The archetype discussions below are a work in progress, as there has been some significant changes to decouple archetypes from particular colour combinations. --- >>> ### Control <<< <<[[!Cryptic Command]] [[!Snapcaster mage]] [[!Teferi, Hero of Dominaria]] [[!Fatal Push]]>> While almost synonymous with "blue", there are splashable cards across the colours. When I think classic control I think of players like Shaheen Soorani, with Azorius, Esper or Izzet control, and also draw inspiration from Stoneblade variations in legacy. Cheap and/or flexible options, usually instant speed, to ensure you make efficient use of your mana: [[Cryptic Command]], [[Snapcaster mage]], [[Teferi, Hero of Dominaria]], [[Electrolyze]], [[Fatal Push]] In {W}/{B} variants that might look to tap out for sorcery-speed disruption: [[Thoughtseize]], [[Inquisition of Kozilek]], [[Wall of Omens]], [[Wrath of God]], [[Liliana of the Veil]], [[Elspeth, Sun's Champion]] Variants that lean a bit more heavily into instant and sorceries: [[Young Pyromancer]], [[Monastery Mentor]], [[Talrand, Sky Summoner]], [[Saheeli, Sublime Artificer]], [[Dreadhoard Arcanist]] Splinter Twin: [[Splinter Twin]], [[Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker]], [[Pestermite]], [[Zealous Conscripts]] --- >>> ### Aggro <<< <<[[!Monastery Swiftspear]] [[!Lightning Bolt]] [[!Thalia, Guardian of Thraben]] [[!Giver of Runes]]>> There is a wide variety of supported aggressive decks, from classic Red Deck Wins, Atarka Red, and Craig Wescoe and Cedric Phillip's various white weenie decks. While the cube shares zero cards in common with his deck, I choose to believe that this was in some way inspired by home-grown hero Tom Chanpheng, the one and only [[1996 World Champion|d3f10f07-7cfe-4a6f-8de6-373e367a731b]] and [[only person to win with a blank card in his deck|https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/1996_World_Championship_deck]]. {R}/{W} weenie base: [[Monastery Swiftspear]], [[Goblin Guide]], [[Hero of Bladehold]], [[Kytheon, Hero of Akros]], [[Thraben Inspector]], [[Signal Pest]], [[Soul-Scar Mage]], [[Giver of Runes]] Blitz/Tempo: [[Kiln Fiend]], [[Sprite Dragon]], [[Temur Battle Rage]], [[Arclight Phoenix]], [[Arclight Phoenix]] Humans: [[Champion of the Parish]], [[Thalia's Lieutenant]], [[Mayor of Avabruck]], [[Adaptive Automaton]], [[General Kudro of Drannith]] Burn: [[Lightning Bolt]], [[Lightning Helix]], [[Boros Charm]], [[Grim Lavamancer]], [[Thermo-Alchemist]], [[Guttersnipe]] --- >>> ### Combo <<< <<[[!Splinter Twin]] [[!Thopter Foundry]] [[!Krark-Clan Ironworks]] [[!Kitchen Finks]]>> Combo in Modern's history has taken many forms, with the most (in)famous two-card infinite pair of [[Splinter Twin]] + [[Pestermite]] (and variations thereof). The infinite combos of three or fewer cards are listed below, although it is not guaranteed that this list is exhaustive. Infinite combos of three or fewer cards >>> ### Splinter Twin/Kiki-Jiki <<< The quintessential Modern combo control finisher, these combos pair a creature doubler with a creature that resets it. The classic variant combines [[Pestermite]], which can be flashed in at the end of your opponent's turn to tap down a land, with [[Splinter Twin]] to create an instant army. |Creature copier|An untapper| |---------|-----------| |[[Splinter Twin]], [[Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker]]|[[Pestermite]], [[Zealous Conscripts]]| |[[Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker]]|[[Restoration Angel]]| >>> ### Infinite turns <<< There are two main variants of these combos, either looking to rebuy Mindslaver every turn and ensure your opponent's turns are void, or to rebuy [[Time Warp]] and ensure your opponent doesn't even get a turn. Either can be achieved by creating a copy of [[Eternal Witness]] to return the card to your hand, but each also has its own ways to rebuy the necessary combo piece. |Extra turns/Mindslaver|Creature copier|Eternal Witness| |---|---|---| |[[Mindslaver]], [[Time Warp]]|[[Splinter Twin]], [[Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker]]|[[Eternal Witness]]| |Extra turns/Mindslaver|A way to rebuy every turn| |---|---| |[[Time Warp]]|[[Soulfire Grand Master]]| |[[Mindslaver]]|[[Academy Ruins]], [[Emry, Lurker of the Loch]]| >>> ### Persist <<< These combos aim to sacrifice a creature with persist, "reset" it by putting a +1/+1 counter on it and repeating the cycle. Variations using [[Kitchen Finks]] will result in an arbitrarily high life total which may not always result in a win, unless the sacrifice outlet is [[Blasting Station]]. Additional sources of life drain or damage, such as [[Blood Artist]] or [[Mayhem Devil]], are of additional value, and [[Viscera Seer]], [[Yawgmoth Thran Physician]] and [[Woe Strider]] can help dig to the win condition. Combos using [[Murderous Redcap]] do not require additional pieces. |A sacrifice outlet|A source of +1/+1 counters|A persist creature| |---|---|---| |[[Viscera Seer]], [[Carrion Feeder]], [[Yawgmoth, Thran Physician]], [[Falkenrath Aristocrat]], [[Blasting Station]], [[Woe Strider]] |[[Renata, Called to the Hunt]], [[Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit]], [[Metallic Mimic]] |[[Kitchen Finks]], [[Murderous Redcap]]| >>> ### Krark-Clan Ironworks <<< KCI combo was the Modern deck du jour for what feels like both an eternity and a fleeting moment, before eating a ban. The constructed deck was infamous for being highly resilient and relying on some more obscure rules interactions regarding timing and paying of spell costs. For the sake of playability and enjoyment, those more in-depth interactions have been avoided, but there are plenty of ways to squeeze immense value from [[Krark-Clan Ironworks]]. [[Krark-Clan Ironworks]] + [[Thopter Foundry]] + [[Sword of the Meek]] >>> ### Non-infinite "Combos" <<< While often spoken of in terms of "go infinite" interactions, combo variants have also included decks that look to win in a single turn, such as in Caleb Scherer's many iterations of storm. While Storm as a mechanic is not represented here, [[Thousand-Year Storm]] has been included as a nod to another classic archetype, as well as some supporting cards in [[Baral, Chief of Compliance]], [[Desperate Ritual]] and [[Manamorphose]]. In addition, though neither infinite nor strictly "win in one turn", the interaction of [[Thopter Foundry]] and [[Sword of the Meek]] to create an engine of "{1}: create a 1/1 thopter with flying" is about as efficient and resilient as it gets. Backed up with counter-magic and interactions with various other artifact matters cards, this is a powerful "combo". --- >>> ### Sub-themes <<< Modern has (almost) always been a very rich format, with lots of room for variations on established decks as well as room for new brews to appear almost from nowhere. So while the three macro archetypes of Control, Aggro, Combo are well-represented in the cube, there are many sub-themes that deserve a special mention. --- >>> ### Artifacts Matter <<< <<[[!Arcbound Ravager]] [[!Cranial Plating]] [[!Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle]] [[!Sai, Master Thopterist]]>> Although not truly an archetype, and spanning aggro, combo and control, artifact decks share a lot in common. Inspired by many decks as old as Modern itself, including Tron, Krark-Clan Ironworks combo and Affinity, these decks look to exploit the efficiency and synergies between artifacts to build efficient engines, ramp out big threats ahead of curve and/or swing in with a big creature loaded with +1/+1 counters. Synergy base: [[Steel Overseer]], [[Cranial Plating]], [[Sai, Master Thopterist]], [[Myrsmith]], [[Pia Nalaar]], [[Foundry Inspector]] Sacrifice synergy/combo: [[Krark-Clan Ironworks]], [[Scrap Trawler]], [[Marionette Master]], [[Arcbound Ravager]], [[Thopter Foundry]], [[Sword of the Meek]] --- >>> ## Ramp/Stompy <<< <<[[!Primeval Titan]] [[!Llanowar Elves]] [[!Siege-Gang Commander]] [[!Kessig Wolf Run]]>> Possibly the most durable decks in Modern are all built around [[Primeval Titan|f046212e-9b3e-4605-b1f1-fd1540236d95]] and the various lands and land-adjacent strategies it enables. There have been a number of variations of this archetype over time, and they don't all translate well into a limited environment, but the key cards and concepts are captured as much as possible. There are numerous ways to take advantage of additional landfall triggers, tutor up key lands, or generate value from sacrificing lands and bury your opponents in value. {G}/{R} base: [[Primeval Titan]], [[Siege-Gang Commander]], [[Questing Beast]], [[Hexdrinker]], [[Kessig Wolf Run]], [[Inferno Titan]], [[Llanowar Elves]], [[Azusa, Lost but Seeking]], [[Explore]] Domain zoo: [[Loam Lion]], [[Kird Ape]], [[Wild Nacatl]], [[Nishoba Brawler]], [[Territorial Kavu]], [[Scion of Draco]], [[Prismatic Omen]], [[Dryad of the Ilysian Grove]] Ramp control: [[Growth Spiral]], [[Mulldrifter]], [[Hullbreaker Horror]], [[Condescend]], [[Hydroid Krasis]] Scapeshift: [[Scapeshift]], [[Field of the Dead]], [[Dread Presence]], [[The Gitrog Monster]], [[Knight of the Reliquary]], [[Elvish Reclaimer]], [[Omnath, Locus of Mana]] --- >>> ### Tempo <<< <<[[!Bitterblossom]] [[!Kitesail Freebooter]] [[!Curious Obsession]] [[!Spell Pierce]]>> The tempo cards in this cube are inspired by the Dimir faeries decks of the earliest days of Modern, Autumn Burchett's Mythic Championship winning mono blue Standard deck, and by variants of Delver from Pauper through to Legacy (even though the namesake card doesn't make an appearance here). The key cards in this archetype are cheap, evasive creatures backed up by efficient board control and protection. Even better are evasive creatures that double as board control. {U}/{B} base: [[Bitterblossom]], [[Spellstutter Sprite]], [[Brazen Borrower]], [[Vendillion Clique]], [[Fatal Push]], [[Kitesail Freebooter]], [[Mana Leak]], [[Spell Pierce]], [[Curious Obsession]] Ninjutsu: [[Mistblade Shinobi]], [[Ninja of the Deep Hours]], [[Fallen Shinobi]] Flash: [[Nightpack Ambusher]], [[Venser, Shaper Savant]], [[Archangel Avacyn]], [[Elder Deep-Fiend]], [[Brineborn Cutthroat]], [[Surrak, Dragonclaw]] --- >>> ### Aristocrats <<< <<[[!Falkenrath Aristocrat]] [[!Blood Artist]] [[!Kitchen Finks]] [[!Cruel Celebrant]]>> The aristocrats decks share many key pieces with the persist combo and tokens decks, in terms of efficient sacrifice outlets, and repeatable and/or cheap bodies to feed to the machine. Recursion effects such as [[Lurrus, of the Dream Den]] and [[Faith's Reward]] can help to ensure a consistent supply, and ping and drain effects such as [[Zulaport Cutthroat]] and [[Mayhem Devil]] to threaten your opponent's life total. There's additional synergy to be found in the artifacts section, with [[Scrap Trawler]] and [[Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle]] able to recur important pieces, and [[Marionette Master]] offering additional and powerful drain with each artifact sacrificed. {B}{W} base: [[Blood Artist]], [[Viscera Seer]], [[Lurrus, of the Dream Den]], [[Woe Strider]], [[Faith's Reward]] Human sacrifice: [[Xathrid Necromancer]], [[Falkenrath Aristocrat]], [[Doomed Traveller]], [[Champion of the Parish]], [[General Kudro of Drannith]] Artifact sacrifice: [[Arcbound Ravager]], [[Teshar, Ancestor's Apostle]], [[Scrap Trawler]], [[Krark-Clan Ironworks]], [[Marionette Master]] --- >>> ### Tokens <<< <<[[!Lingering Souls]] [[!Young Pyromancer]] [[!Bitterblossom]] [[!Intangible Virtue]]>> While originally inspired by my love of the days of Abzan Midrange and [[Lingering Souls]], variants of tokens deck rely largely on synergies with instant and sorcery spells to play a midrange game and build up a wide board. Variants of the deck saw some resurgence thanks to cards like [[Dreadhorde Arcanist]] and [[Village Rites]]. {B}{W} base: [[Lingering Souls]], [[Sorin, Solemn Visitor]], [[Bitterblossom]], [[Intangible Virtue]], [[Monastery Mentor]] Additional spells-matter synergies: [[Young Pyromancer]], [[Sedgemoor Witch]], [[Talrand, Sky Summoner]], [[Saheeli, Sublime Artificer]] --- >>> ### Graveyard <<< <<[[!Ishkanah, Grafwidow]] [[!Tarmogoyf]] [[!Stinkweed Imp]] [[!Emrakul, The Promised End]]>> It's basically impossible to build a Modern cube without some sort of graveyard-related synergies. If not impossible, it should be illegal! Graveyard decks in this cube are informed by some of the poster-children of the format with creatures that grow with the graveyard like [[Tarmogoyf]], [[Golgari Grave-Troll]], and [[Emrakul, The Promised End]]. These decks may operate on multiple axes, either using the graveyard as an extension of the hand, by filling the yard to grow some cheap creatures, or by discarding/milling a big beater and reanimating it with [[Unburial Rites]] or [[Dread Return]]. Discard/mill/dredge base: [[Golgari Grave-Troll]], [[Faithless Looting]], [[Stitcher's Supplier]], [[Stinkweed Imp]] Delirium: [[Tarmogoyf]], [[Grim Flayer]], [[Emrakul, the Promised End]], [[Ishkanah, Grafwidow]] Lands: [[Knight of the Reliquary]], [[The Gitrog Monster]], [[Life From the Loam]], [[Elvish Reclaimer]] --- >>> ### Reanimator/Through the Breach <<< <<[[!Through the Breach]] [[!Unburial Rites]] [[!Gifts Ungiven]] [[!Nahiri, the Harbinger]]>> Gifts Reanimator: [[Unburial Rites]], [[Dread Return]], [[Gifts Ungiven]] --- >>> ### Midrange <<< <<[[!Thoughtseize]] [[!Tarmogoyf]] [[!Huntmaster of the Fells]] [[!Liliana of the Veil]]>> --- [This Cube](https://cubecobra.com/cube/overview/classicmoderncube) originally designed by @DukeOfBeans and @Thethifuthus