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claudio.r
08-18-2011, 11:07 AM
Well, Gifts Ungiven is one of the most talked cards in this format and one with the most potential to be broken. I made this thread because there are a lot of Gifts Ungiven piles that can be discussed, so i think it is a good starting point so we can find the best ways to explore the card.

From the topo of my head:

Life from the loam + Urzatron lands: give acess to full urzatron

Life from the loam + academy ruins + Mindslaver + random card: access to mindslaver lock

Life from the loam + punishing fire + Grove of the Burnwillows: Punishing fire combo

Crucible of worlds + academy ruins + mindslaver + noxious revival: mindslaver lock in a non green deck

Life from the loam is one of the easiest cards to brake with Gifts Ungiven. So what more piles can we consider with gifts ungiven ?

Infinitium
08-18-2011, 11:44 AM
LftL + Grim Discovery + Vampire Hexmage + Dark Depths.

...

Anyhow, Gifts sees no play because Intuition does roughly the same thing (setting up recursion engines) except that it does it cheaper and can act as Demonic Tutor should you need it to.

menace13
08-18-2011, 12:54 PM
LftL + Grim Discovery + Vampire Hexmage + Dark Depths.

...

Anyhow, Gifts sees no play because Intuition does roughly the same thing (setting up recursion engines) except that it does it cheaper and can act as Demonic Tutor should you need it to.
For Modern format not Legacy.

rufus
08-18-2011, 01:13 PM
For gifts to pay off, you've got to be looking for 2 cards in hand. E.g. a pile like:
Pestermite,Kiki-Jili Mirror Breaker,Footsteps of the Goryo,Dread Return
Though you really want to do better than that in terms of casting cost.

Mr. Safety
08-18-2011, 01:29 PM
Dread Return is banned...Dark Depths is banned.

Gifts Ungiven works really well with a 187 style of deck, which I'm working on now. TBH, I'm not even using Loam (but I have a couple to use if it becomes neccessary, either in the main or side) I'm using it in this BUG list:

4x Shriekmaw
4x Mulldrifter
3x Eternal Witness
2x Vendilion Clique
3x Tombstalker

3x Makeshift Mannequin
4x Spell Snare
4x Mana Leak
4x Ponder
2x Maelstrom Pulse
1x Engineered Explosives
2x Dismember
2x Gifts Ungiven

1 Academy Ruins
6 fetches
4 Shocks
2 Ghost Quarter
1 Tectonic Edge
8 basics

I'm toying with Garruk instead of possibly Dismember or Tombstalker, and Profane Command isnt' far from my mind either. I think overall that Mannequin is better as an instant and only costing 4, but PC can double up for some card advantage. Garruk and Profane Command are taylor made for each other, too.

Wereodile
08-18-2011, 01:42 PM
Dread Return is banned...Dark Depths is banned.
I'm toying with Garruk instead of possibly Dismember or Tombstalker, and Profane Command isnt' far from my mind either. I think overall that Mannequin is better as an instant and only costing 4, but PC can double up for some card advantage. Garruk and Profane Command are taylor made for each other, too.

I really like this list! Makeshift Mannequin is a great card and Profane is also another solid choice as a "swiss army" type card. I would keep the dismembers as instant speed removal will really come in handy if Splinter Twin becomes popular and they also can jump on faster aggro decks.

One question though why Mana Leak over Remand? You aren't running PTE so there's less worry with them accelerating past your soft counters?

Kich867
08-18-2011, 03:25 PM
I'm liking the usage of completing a Punishing Fire package of Loam + Punishing Fire + Grove of the Burnwillows + something else (generally an Academy Ruins to make the next Gifts hit another Fire / EE / Sword).

Mr. Safety
08-18-2011, 04:23 PM
I really like this list! Makeshift Mannequin is a great card and Profane is also another solid choice as a "swiss army" type card. I would keep the dismembers as instant speed removal will really come in handy if Splinter Twin becomes popular and they also can jump on faster aggro decks.

One question though why Mana Leak over Remand? You aren't running PTE so there's less worry with them accelerating past your soft counters?

I basically didn't want to have to worry about them casting a spell the second time. Remand = short term advantage, basically a bounce spell like Boomerang or Unsummon. Sure it draws you a card...but I have Mulldrifter for draw and Ponder for card quality. When I counter something, I want it dealt with.

No Paths is EXACTLY one of the biggest reason I like Mana Leak. I can remove creatures and Mana Leak still has value over the course of the game. I may test Familiar's Ruse, and maybe Rune Snag.

I'll be squeezing in a Profane Command. I'm not sure what to cut, and TBH I'm not sure I have any flex room. I may be able to drop a Ponder, but I have found that Ponder has value throughout the game, so multiples are fine with me.

Another card I want to test out is Cream of the Crop. It's like a pseudo Sylvan Library, and the price is right at 2 mana.

Wereodile
08-18-2011, 04:31 PM
Why have I totally forgotten about Rune Snag? that's one for my modern watch list and so is Cream of the Crop talk about pulling that out of left field. Good eye!

sco0ter
08-18-2011, 05:59 PM
Reclaim
Noxious Revival
Revive
Eternal Witness
Recollect
Call to Mind
Grim Discovery

+ any card you need (nearly).

Life from the Loam

+ any land you need.

Academy Ruins
Buried Ruins

+ any artifact you need.

Other cards to consider:

Punishing Fire
Crucible of Worlds
Engineered Explosives
Firemane Angel
Vengeful Pharao
Vengevine
Ancient Grudge

Mr. Safety
08-19-2011, 07:54 AM
Why have I totally forgotten about Rune Snag? that's one for my modern watch list and so is Cream of the Crop talk about pulling that out of left field. Good eye!

Lol...thanks. The reason I have all these more obscure cards on my mind comes from my attempt to play budget legacy. It has served me well, and I'm set up to really do well in Modern. Cream of the Crop alongside Mulldrifter, Shriekmaw, Eternal Witness, Vendilion Clique, and Makeshift Mannequin just gives me the giggles...

Wereodile
08-19-2011, 11:58 AM
Noxious Revival and Grim Discovery looks like they could have a place in this deck.

@ Mr.Safety what about other "copy effects" to really milk the Mulldrifters and Shreikmaws? I am thinking something like Phyrexian Metamorph or Phantaslm (sp?) Image.

Mr. Safety
08-19-2011, 12:46 PM
I hear you there...Noxious Revival and Grim Discovery are both solid. I just feel that returning 187 dudes is more important (Mully, Shrieky, Vendi) especially post-Gifts. Copy effects may be great, especially in the sideboard for Emrakul (Metamorph is particularly sexy).

Phantasmal Image is also sexy for what it can do. I might have to invest in a few of those...Still, I feel that there is a critical mass of control that needs to be maintained in order to make the 187 engine work. Too much emphasis on only a few cards could mean that the whole deck fails.

Mr. Safety
08-24-2011, 09:39 AM
Anyone else toying with Reanimator in Modern? I'm thinking Gifts Ungiven and Makeshift Mannequin pulling out Iona, Angel of Despair, Woodfall Primus, Jin-Gitxias, etc...could be awesome...

alderon666
08-24-2011, 11:24 AM
Needs MOAR Reveilark!

EOT Gifts for Lark, Body Double, Mirror Enitity and Noxious Revival. They can give you the 2 most expensive cards, but them you just grind them out with CA and eventually combo.

Wes
03-28-2012, 04:59 PM
Anyone else toying with Reanimator in Modern? I'm thinking Gifts Ungiven and Makeshift Mannequin pulling out Iona, Angel of Despair, Woodfall Primus, Jin-Gitxias, etc...could be awesome...

This is an incredibly useful strategy, however I would suggest unburial rites over mannequin so that they do not toss mannequin + reanimate target. You are correct--gifts also acts as double entomb for modern.