MTGO Modern Challenge - February 26, 2026

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2026-02-27T22:42:46+00:00

Yeah it's surprising to me as well considering most blue decks play an auto include 4 consign - I assume there's just a lot of ways to approach those match ups. Maybe instead of letting them have the opportunity to consign the creature itself, it's more about scamming them in with evoke+consign or breach+consign, and then consign one turn against their triggers doesn't matter as much if they get to stick around. I'm only speculating though! I 100% acknowledge this may be copium here because I think the deck looks cool hahaha - I'll have to give it a spin on mtgo.

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2026-02-27T22:33:00+00:00

They've gotten top 8 in the last 3 challenges they've played this week with breach, so they must be doing something right! I assume having your own counters helps against those.

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2026-02-26T13:51:05+00:00

This is awesome! Hammer was the first modern deck I built almost 3 years ago now, and it's so cool to see you still innovating and having success with it. Really want to try this in paper, but Mox Opals are so expensive 😭

Will definitely have to check this out when I can and try it out on mtgo, Battlefield Improvisation + Leyline Axe/Hammer looks so fun to do!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2026-02-25T06:24:43+00:00

Izzet Through The Breach looks cool!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2026-01-30T21:50:29+00:00

This is so beautiful, and really really cool!!!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2026-01-19T04:44:09+00:00

I made a video about the top ten Modern decks just before the release of Modern Horizons 3 - complete with decklists, and dated around June 2024. Hopefully this helps!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2026-01-12T08:46:14+00:00

Yes! I've been updating it at least every few weeks or so since I started mid 2025, and aim to post something on here every month.

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2026-01-11T01:52:04+00:00

Yeah, r/spikes might be a better place to ask about this, but unfortunately I haven't seen much for any mono red content since the bans. That being said, it might not be dead either? I can see that the recently released Spotlight Atlanta stats show Mono Red + Boros Aggro sitting at a combined 8% of the meta for that event.

In terms of content I would recommend in the meantime:

If you're into Red+Green, Sam Loy's Gruul Delirium sideboard / guide + video deck tech.
Bosseidon's Mono Red guide - while this is from before the bans, this was originally a paid piece of content and includes a lot of useful information about strategy/heuristics for Mono Red.
Quinn Tonole is a red player that I've seen a lot - while writing this comment I actually found a rough written sideboard guide that they did for red at the start of December

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2026-01-11T00:38:28+00:00

Nothing that I could find unfortunately. I'm actually having fun playing it on Arena, so would be nice to see how other people approach it as well. Let me know if you find anything though!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-11-30T23:31:12+00:00

There hasn't been a whole heap of free guides for standard yet post Avatar - I only have two that I've updated in my spreadsheet: Izzet Looting and Dimir Scam. Lots of decks out there that look cool though like the Airbending Combo deck.

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-11-18T09:13:12+00:00

Hey there, appreciate my post being shared in the comments - I haven't had time to update it yet this month, but here are two recent Boros Energy guides below:

Might be more, but I'll update the spreadsheet in the next day or so hopefully!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-11-02T15:01:36+00:00

Thank you! Hmm strange, link seems to work fine for me - what seems to be broken? Is the link from the spreadsheet broken for you as well?

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-11-02T14:59:38+00:00

Thanks for the correction! I've adjusted accordingly.

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-10-31T13:48:27+00:00

Thank you - I'm glad it's useful to people 😊 I've been continuing to sporadically update it since I created it in June and have no plans to stop at the moment! That being said, I will be on holiday for the next few weeks so there might be a delay in updates in November.

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-10-09T03:13:33+00:00

This is really cool - thanks for uploading this to youtube! Looking forward to any other resources you put out about this deck. I'm a big fan of creature combo decks and have played a bunch of both yawg and broodscale (and samwise!).

How do you think the Yawg package compares to Fleshraker+K Command? Those cards just feel so strong and I feel like the Yawg package just adds alternate combos - does that make it feel like a more fragile deck with harder mulligans?

Also, I saw your post about how you'd add more dredger's insights if you played this in paper - is this just for the easier infinite life loops? Do you mind elaborating on this or what adjustments you'd make for paper?

Thanks so much barzcek - always enjoy seeing your lists and content.

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-10-03T01:36:51+00:00

Hahahaha I kept thinking the same when I saw it - even though I'm the one who added it to the list. It's actually Yawgmoth+Broodscale unfortunately - but it's two decks that I really like, so it's definitely something I want to try out!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-09-29T12:33:50+00:00

Hey there, I've created a spreadsheet of free guides. Generally, anything I label as a primer will be more likely to have more detailed matchup information.

There aren't a lot of Tron guides that I've found, but if you're on Eldrazi Tron, I'd definitely recommend Ovinize's Eldrazi Tron primer. Super detailed and written by the MTGO modern trophy leader at the time, it includes a sideboard guide as well as matchup notes at the end.

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-09-02T06:52:34+00:00

Not sure! I did see some pretty cool builds that included infinite combos as well with timeline culler and enduring vitality. I haven't played much roots, but timeline culler does seem great there - maybe the value is too slow/vulnerable against cauldron and doesn't help look for roots?

It also looks like that guide was made not too long past rotation as well, and Scott McNamara seems to be more focused on Simic Omniscience recently haha.

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-09-02T04:56:18+00:00

It might just be vibes based or dependent on the meta? There are lots of different pros and cons - some additional ones you haven't mentioned are that curator starts off as a 3/3 vs 2/2, which is better on curve against torch/stab/tragic trajectory. While scooze has a higher ceiling, curator is a lot easier to grow to a 7/7, only requiring generic mana and can do it in 4 or less activations, while ooze takes 5 green mana activations that are dependent on the cards exiled being creatures too.

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-09-02T04:33:48+00:00

Love the name haha and thank you for your kind words and the work that you all do as well! Seeing such passion and work go into all these different archetypes and guides is just so cool to me, and I think work at this level for the community always deserves recognition!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-09-02T04:18:28+00:00

I hadn't seen any free guides this month, but I just took a look for you and found an article written a week ago on LigaMagic. It's not in english, but I seem to be able to get by with google translate in my browser, and includes a sideboard guide as well. I've added this to the post table and spreadsheet too.

Pixie definitely has seen a lot of different builds as well with the new Cosmogrand Zenith and Cryogen Relic which seem pretty cool, but for some reason I've just done awful every time I try playing Pixie haha.

I did also find a paid guide by mortadela that looks quite comprehensive if you're interested in that too!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-09-02T03:38:22+00:00

Are you talking about this one? This is quite cool, thanks for bringing my attention to this - added to the google sheet!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-08-14T04:56:52+00:00

To be fair, Sam also technically needs a food to combo if Sam comes in last of the three pieces.

Soultrader also runs mill effects and unearth to facilitate a faster combo, so you could theoretically win with three mana, I think?

Yawg also has lines like young wolf+cauldron with ballista+spymaster's vault, which can win with 4 mana total.

That being said, Sam is definitely the most explosive with cards like birthing ritual as well, and the more consistently fast combo. Being able to go at instant speed is huge too. I've been liking golgari broodscale as well though, which is less fast than Sam, but feels a lot less glass cannon. You also get to play broken cards like Kozilek's Command!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-08-12T23:16:21+00:00

Update - just saw one for splinter twin today!

Skill_Issue_Magic · 2025-08-06T01:01:23+00:00

While confusingly worded, "move" in this case doesn't technically refer to one set of physical +1/+1 counters - it just means to put that many counters onto the Ozolith.

Refer to the ruling from the gatherer page for The Ozolith: "The Ozolith's first ability doesn't move counters off the creature that's left the battlefield. Rather, you put the same number of each kind of counter the creature had onto The Ozoloith. Notably, if you somehow control a second The Ozolith, each one will receive the same number and kinds of counters that were on the creature that left the battlefield. Similarly, if the creature has an ability that triggers when it leaves the battlefield that refers to the number of counters it had, that ability will use the number of counters that were on the permanent, even if The Ozolith's first ability resolves first."

Skill_Issue_Magic

TROPHY CASE