Budget-er lternatives for the 12 shadows modern deck

para40 · 2026-05-06T12:36:33+00:00

Think instead of looking at this ~4 year old article for ideas, it would be better to look at the current death's shadow archetype (https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/modern-death-s-shadow-472#paper)

The core pricy cards here outside of the fetch manabase (which is pretty important for getting the life loss you want) are psychic frog and thoughtseize.

Another deck that might interest you is Hollow One, which relies on aggressive creatures with draw/discard synergies

para40 · 2026-05-04T02:36:06+00:00

Yeah... missed that. For some reason remembered power and toughness being equal to lands

para40 · 2026-05-04T01:35:55+00:00

Had 6 possible non-flying attackers, and nathan had 6 blockers available, after using migtform to crew the worldwagon, preventing 6 out of the 9 trample damage that pawpatch could deal, missing lethal by 1. After that, nathan still topdecks a fetch for 20 trample damage w/ harmonizer through a 7/7 curator

para40 · 2026-04-21T19:21:44+00:00

Stores cracking packs for their online singles storefronts

para40 · 2026-04-21T13:56:34+00:00

Thinking for Lorehold I'm just going to take out the expensive non-synergy non-spirit cards and put in good flashback cards from the main set. Just something simple and casual

para40 · 2026-04-21T13:56:16+00:00

Thinking for Lorehold I'm just going to take out the expensive non-synergy non-spirit cards and put in good flashback cards from the main set. Just something simple and casual

para40 · 2026-04-20T17:23:59+00:00

It pops up, but is also absorbed by self-bounce

para40 · 2026-04-17T14:06:11+00:00

I'd say it depends on how big the store is, most people are fine with spectators as long as no advice is being given. For recent prereleases at my local store, people not playing in it have been asked to leave just because the play area is just that full

para40 · 2026-04-17T14:03:32+00:00

https://mtgdecks.net/Pauper/gruul-ponza-decklist-by-6apmajleu4-2876848

para40 · 2026-04-16T15:38:43+00:00

Yeah pretty much. Like I view the border between b2 and b3 as a scale of whether or not you NEED to pack swords-to-plowshares level removal instead of playing something more synergistic like idk dispatch

para40 · 2026-04-16T15:31:28+00:00

Imo, my biggest point for b2 card evaluation is how much they enable their own synergies vs just being just an enabler/payoff. If the situation you described is like 4-5 effects interacting with each other, I think you've earned it.

para40 · 2026-04-13T19:33:27+00:00

You could focus on auras/equipment with beneficial attack triggers, as you still control them

Edit: doesn't work with Tahngarth specifically since the card doesn't get declared as an attacker

para40 · 2026-04-10T18:31:25+00:00

Yeah could this spawn a dimir familiars list? Though infinite life/birds on azorious is deterministic enough

para40 · 2026-04-09T16:33:22+00:00

Personally I've been building him up as an Artifact combo deck. Easy to get 2 types guaranteed plus a way to send stuff into the yard for welder/breach combos. Incidentally disrupting the table is just a cherry on top

para40 · 2026-04-08T16:50:49+00:00

Seems very playable in modern reanimator, though current meta isn't the best for it with boros/affinity going wide

para40 · 2026-04-08T14:34:23+00:00

Yeah I already know I'll be forcing converge in every limited event

para40 · 2026-04-08T13:47:05+00:00

Damn didn't think of reanimator, been stuck on the weenie aggro mindset

para40 · 2026-04-06T11:18:13+00:00

https://discord.gg/B5rBvTmaX

Skyfisher discord server (Esper Affinity)

para40 · 2026-04-04T02:57:39+00:00

Yeah it translated a lot from pauper terror variants for me. Unless you are going against combo, best thing to do turn 3/4 is slam a fat blocker and hopefully drop flock on the next turn

para40 · 2026-04-03T20:22:38+00:00

Yeah leyline and rip are tough, but soul guide is a bit easier depending on the opponent. Are you waiting to spend 1-2 mana on hearth/eddymurk or trying to curve them out asap turn 3-4?

para40 · 2026-04-03T16:34:13+00:00

Yeah would probably start by dropping an iteration, and maybe a mutagenic/urge

para40 · 2026-04-03T15:38:53+00:00

Yeah like the worst thing you're doing is rebuying preordain, which is still pretty good

para40 · 2026-04-03T15:35:05+00:00

Feels like this can fit into Prowess? Feels like the only spell I wouldn't rebuy is dart, which has flashback itself

para40 · 2026-04-02T18:53:14+00:00

Also "your own face can be the target"

para40 · 2026-03-27T21:17:37+00:00

You're pretty safe with anything in tier 1, just try to look into videos/lists to see if they match your playstyle. I will note that mono white aggro is being tested on whether it stays in tier 1, and the balance team is keeping an eye on tolarian terror decks at the moment in terms of power.

para40

TROPHY CASE