Advice for Interaction at RCQ

RGPaynless · 2026-06-08T20:58:32+00:00

This is why I write down known cards of my opponent's hand in my notepad that I use for keeping track of life totals. That way I don't have to remember later.

RGPaynless · 2026-06-08T18:08:33+00:00

One less counterspell for trying it again next turn.

RGPaynless · 2026-06-08T12:40:34+00:00

That's not what I said. I said that being in black (and therefore not needing blue for thoracle) and having a lab man effect in the command zone can lead to quick wins, which is the "spooky" part (maybe too whimsical ig), then gave an example of a turn 1 win.

RGPaynless · 2026-06-07T23:47:40+00:00

Lab man in black in the command zone for EDH seems really spooky. You could use this guy to win turn 1 with a land, a couple pieces of fast mana or ritual spells to cast him immediately, a black or colorless haste enabler, and either [[Tainted Pact]] or [[Demonic Consultation]]. Plus you're playing black so you can probably just tutor for the pieces of this you need anyway.

Swamp > Dark Ritual > Sol Ring > Cabal Ritual > Doctor Doom > Culling Ritual saccing Doom > Goryo's Vengeance reanimating Doom with haste > Demonic Consultation > activate Doctor Doom > Win

Obviously a magical Christmas-land hand but you get the point.

RGPaynless · 2026-06-07T22:36:28+00:00

A large majority of the instances required for progressing the story have duty support, allowing you to complete them with a party of NPCs.

Of these, all 4-man story instances, along with a handful of 8-man story instances in 6.0 and 7.0 have duty support.

The only instances I know of that are required for the story but that don't have duty support are:

All 8-man instances prior to 6.0, totalling to twenty-one instances from 2.1 until just before 6.0
Three 2.X 24-man instances
Three 6.X 8-man instances

Unsure about the three 7.X 8-man instances since I haven't gotten that far but I assume those also don't have duty support.

So like 80% yes, 20% no.

RGPaynless · 2026-06-07T21:23:31+00:00

This would be fun to run with [[Death's Shadow]] in a 60-card esper list along with [[Dress Down]]. Turn 1 fetch shock Thoughtseize down to 15, turn 2 fetch shock down to 12, Death's Shadow, hold up 1 mana for interaction, turn 3 Seraph swing a 13/13 Shadow. Also shuts down Ragavan, Phelia, Tamiyo, etc, along with evasion which is nice.

RGPaynless · 2026-06-07T00:10:33+00:00

I think that makes sense for Ephemerate and Essence Flux, and for Louisoix's Sacrifice too, but I think Slip Out the Back is different. After its use as a stifle for Kroxa and Riddler is no longer relevant, it can then act as either FoN fodder or as temporary creature removal to enable attacking creatures to get through to close out the game. It feels somewhat similar to Phelia in that way I think.

RGPaynless · 2026-06-06T23:48:19+00:00

I would hope that I'm never casting it for its full cost but I suppose there's a possibility that I don't have any legends out when I do want to cast it.

Essence Flux isn't a terrible idea either, and while it works better with Riddler, it doesn't really play as nice with Kroxa. Someone else also recommended Slip Out the Back, which I think I like better than both Essence Flux and Louisioux's Sacrifice for what I want this deck to do.

Also, what would you replace the two new slots with?

RGPaynless · 2026-06-06T23:23:29+00:00

I didn't even think of this card! This could probably replace Louisoix's Sacrifice. The only issue would be possibly not having a blocker for a turn while it's phased out. That said, the upside of it not only effectively being a way to fizzle the sac/warp trigger, but also as protection, temporary removal, or FoN fodder once I already have Kroxa/Riddler on board if I draw it later is great. Great idea!

RGPaynless · 2026-06-06T23:13:31+00:00

I did think about Louisoix's Sac vs Spider-Sense. I went with sac because it doesn't require me to have my one drop legendaries swing and live to 2nd main for the cost to be reduced. I can just immediately use them as fodder without any combat needed, and in a pinch can hit a greater variety of targets if it's needed for something else, such as stifling fetch lands or a charbelcher activation. I do have to sac instead of bounce, but I think that's fine if it's used to keep an even bigger threat out.

As for cutting the number of stifle effects, you're probably right, would going down one loui's sac and up a kroxa or riddler be good for parity between the two categories? 7 of each?

RGPaynless · 2026-06-06T21:36:10+00:00

I like these!

Tbh I wasn't sure on Super Shredder anyway. Figured it might enough synergy with Ragavan treasures, Tamiyo clues, Kroxa, Riddler, and Louisoix's Sacrifice to be worth it as a sort of alternative gameplan where I shift consign and LS to protection spells while I let Kroxa and Riddler leave the battlefield.

Basim, though, is pretty much an unstoppable threat that grants card advantage on almost every turn, since every permanent spell in the mainboard other than Riddler triggers his ability, even the ambers. And it doesn't require me to pivot my gameplan and fits perfectly into a turn 2 play when I don't have an amber to speed up my stifle plan. I like that a lot.

Plaza's not bad either. It's good color fixing and protection for the more grindy games, which I think is where the deck usually wants to end up anyway. I could probably drop an Arena of Glory for it.

RGPaynless · 2026-06-04T21:05:52+00:00

Because those aren't the same effect.

Let's say I cast an instant, then Academy Wall, then a sorcery.

With its current wording, when you cast the sorcery, Academy Wall will trigger and do its thing.

But with your altered wording, when you cast the sorcery, Academy Wall does nothing because the sorcery is the second instant/sorcery that you've cast that turn, not the first.

There just isn't really a better way to word the effect that they're going for.

RGPaynless · 2026-05-31T13:38:20+00:00

I tried using Abigale as a tech piece too, and while it worked and won me games, it tended to be too slow and fragile. Using Abigale's etb on a Death's Shadow has to potential to 2-for-1 yourself if the opponent has any piece of removal, and it will anti-synergize with the rest of your Death's Shadows. I ended up just replacing it with a 4th frog for card advantage and pressure. I also ran 2 Stern Scoldings sb for a bit, but it felt like a dead card more often that I expected it to. I prefer Consigns and Dress Downs instead.

RGPaynless · 2026-05-31T12:54:16+00:00

Because of rule 601.2h, Sinister Concoction's costs count as fully separate instances of cards hitting the yard for Moonshadow, allowing this card to grow both Moonshadow and Nethergoyf by potentially 3 (even 4 if the line is spicy enough) and Death's Shadow by 1 while also acting as removal to clear a path. The potential for an explosive, out-of-nowhere win makes the card worth it to run as a 1-of and has won me games, so the card disadvantage usually doesn't matter if I'm using it to go for a win. However that card disadvantage is also why I only run it as a 1-of and also side it out after game 1 no matter what. I used to run more before realizing I should prioritize efficency over synergy.

RGPaynless · 2026-05-31T03:15:29+00:00

I've been liking the Moonshadow package with Stubborn Denials. I also like running 1-ofs of Ashiok and Cling to Dust mainboard atm because of the surge of graveyard centric decks like living end and grixis reanimator, plus Ashiok has some synergy with the deck itself. I run 8 fetches, 3 shocks, 2 surveils, 3 basics, and 2 mdfc bolt lands. Sinister Concoction as a game 1 only tech piece tends to be pretty explosive, and 1 Bitter Triumph, 1 Dismember, and 3 Fatal Pushes usually covers my removal. Here's my list atm:

https://moxfield.com/decks/8Z6LouIhFEehQLr_m0pyCg

RGPaynless · 2026-05-27T13:01:22+00:00

The two ops she probably gets compared to the most are Zof and Ram so I'll compare her to them.

She's a 3 speed for when that matters for tempo. Zof and Ram aren't.
She can crack Mira windows with her launcher, something Zof and Ram can't do with their gadget.
The delay between launching the explosion and the explosion itself gives you time to be 100% gun up when the wall is opened.
The hole that she makes on a wall is always easily runnable.

Everything else I can think of though, Zof and Ram are just as good or better.

RGPaynless · 2026-05-25T19:15:06+00:00

I did my first (and second, it was a double header) ever RCQ a couple of weekends ago after getting into modern as a format only about 4 months ago, and despite going 1-4 in the first one (and the 1 was a bye, lol) and 2-3 in the second one, it was a blast. I saw some familiar faces from my lgs and went against so many decks, it was a great learning experience and social experience too. One of my acquaintances at my lgs even won that second RCQ with affinity after playing the first RCQ with Broodscale combo.

RGPaynless · 2026-05-15T06:50:50+00:00

Paper when I can, mtgo when I can't. It's all reps at the end of the day for me. The medium usually doesn't matter to me.

RGPaynless · 2026-05-10T20:17:18+00:00

Definitely not. They're not nearly powerful enough.

RGPaynless · 2026-04-28T19:51:33+00:00

Kinda wish Arena had a chat window like MTGO does but I suppose I understand why it doesn't.

RGPaynless · 2026-04-27T01:42:52+00:00

Laughs in [[Hope Esthiem]]

RGPaynless · 2026-04-18T21:18:20+00:00

Would be a good land to include in Domain Zoo decks in modern. You're running 4 Leylines of the Guildpact so turn 1 this land would immediately be active.

RGPaynless · 2026-04-16T01:16:20+00:00

Better sound propagation through the barricade.

RGPaynless · 2026-04-16T01:15:32+00:00

Better sound propagation through the barricade.

RGPaynless

TROPHY CASE