JANUARY: UR STORM

Greetings everyone!

I am sure a lot of people were saddened when they announced the ousting of Gitaxian Probe from Modern. But what can we do? We are just merely mortals playing under their roof. So instead of getting frustrated at it, I simply moved on and find a suitable replacement for our dearest sorcery cantrip. Immediately the cards like Peek, Faithless Looting, Telling Time, Peer Through Depths, Anticipate, Visions of Beyond and Lightning Bolts were the things that come into mind. Amongst them, my top three are: Lightning Bolt, Faithless Looting and Peer Through Depths.

Faithless Looting and Peer Through Depths

Faithless Looting gives you the speed needed for you to dig in your first two turns. Peer Through Depths will give that deep plow you badly need, especially if there is an active online Pyromancer Ascension.

Lightning Bolt

My top pick is this card because of two reasons: (a) serves as a removal for his x/3 and below creatures; and (b) serves as the second win condition especially if Pyromancer Ascension is online.

Speaking of cards to be included in the deck, Baral, Chief of Compliance seems a neat pick but only if you are packing yours with a Remand for that Remand-Manamorphose loop combo. Otherwise, I'd say 3-1 split with Goblin Electromancer with the blue-red goblin at three.

For the month of January, only two ascension decks partake around Metro Manila’s GPT modern. Aside from me, Ian Rombawa did a great job on landing fifth (out of 45+ players) on Kick Engine’s GPT Vancouver. Faithless Looting was the card he picked as replacement for Gitaxian Probe and his match-ups are as follows:

4-1-1

RD 1 Abzan 2-0

RD 2 Boros 2-0

RD 3 Grixis Control 0-2

RD 4 Esper Control 2-0

RD 5 Eldrazi Taxes 2-0

RD 6 ID

And here's mine from the Finale Series of Pinoy Planeswalker Open:

4-2

RD 1 Grixis Control 2-0

RD 2 Eldrazi Bant 1-2

RD 3 Affinity 0-2

RD 4 Reanimator 2-0

RD 5 BW Tokens 2-0

RD 6 UW Thopter 2-0

Some notes that I would like to share from my experience:

- Lightning Bolts in the main are great except during my round fourth.

- I have no Faithless Looting, so my first turn cantripping maneuver was lessen. There were times that I felt the effect of not digging in my first turn. I'll definitely give the deck some changes in which I'll include a couple of this.

- Thing in the Ice is a Wrath of God with legs that flies. Super awesome against aggro base decks.

- I had a turn two win. Also, I had two turn three wins.

- Won against Disallow.

- Opponent forgot to pay for his Pact of Negation upkeep trigger.

-The eight cards at hand technique works well with four Grapeshots in the sixty.

Thank you very much for reading!
Until next time!

-Paeng4983