Soul Hussies

[FTW]

I wonder how a blue splash and Sky Hussar would affect Modern Soul Sisters. Also, playing deck more centred around interactive hatebears than ways to get out more 1/1s.

Here's a rough starting point.


//Creatures: 33
4 Serra Ascendant
4 Ajani's Pridemate
4 Soul Warden
3 Soul's Attendant
2 Auriok Champion
4 Martyr of Sands
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Grand Abolisher
3 Sky Hussar
2 Banisher Priest
2 Imposing Sovereign

//Spells: 7
3 Path to Exile
2 Proclamation of Rebirth
2 Detention Sphere

//Lands: 20
11 Plains
3 Cavern of Souls
4 Seachrome Coast
2 Glacial Fortress

//SB: 15
3 Rest in Peace
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Grand Abolisher
2 Burrenton Forgetender
2 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Banisher Priest
2 Nevermore
3 Kitchen Finks


The lifegain engine inherently shuts off the Kiki/Twin win condition and should give you good game against aggro. I like hate decks where your core win condition also happens to hate out some of the format. White has access to other efficient synergistic hate tools too. I just picked a few above, but there may be other better ones. In theory, they should help even things out against non-aggro matches.

Advantages of Soul Sisters:

Kiki-Pod/UR Twin -- having enough sisters out completely negates the combo. So does Imposing Sovereign. You can board into Linvala to create more problems. If they have Orzhov Pontiff then you need to kill Pod.

Burn/Scapeshift -- the main lifegain engine puts a huge dent in any deck centred around dealing you a fixed amount of damage. Imposing Sovereign shuts off Spark Elemental/Hellspark Elemental. Forgetenders protect your guys. Finks further pads your life total. Can board into Nevermore on Scapeshift.

Affinity/Zoo/other aggro -- Soul Sisters naturally pad your life total as they crap out dudes. Boarding into more Banisher Priests and Finks should help.

Living End/Melira -- Rest in Peace SB helps (boarding out the 3 Proclamations). Living End will probably wreck you g1 though. Targeted exile removal (Banisher, Path, Detention) should help against Melira pieces. Linvala SB against Pod.

UWR -- Thalia and Grand Abolisher disrupt them from interacting with you. They have big targets on them and will probably get killed but at least help resist them from interacting with you. Sky Hussar cards and Proclamation recursion should help offset getting swept by Supreme Verdict. This matchup would probably be better with Rangers and Squawks.

Storm -- Thalia main already gives you a much better game against Storm than traditional Soul Sisters decks. Soul Sisters themselves seriously crap on EtW. Can side out removal for Rest in Peace, Thalia, Nevermore.

Delver -- Thalia will probably get countered or Bolted right away, but otherwise threatens to really slow down their deck. Thalia, Abolisher and Caverns disrupt their counters plan. Young Pyromancer looks worse when you gain life from the tokens. Only spot removal, lack of sweepers, looks bad against a bunch of white dorks.

[JPoJohnson]

If you have massive amounts of red sweepers in your meta:

Burrenton Forge-Tender
Auriok Champion

are both options to consider.

[Lord Seth]

If you have massive amounts of red sweepers in your meta:

Burrenton Forge-Tender
Auriok Champion

are both options to consider.

Mark of Asylum is worth considering also, I think.

[FTW]

That works too, but I still wonder if there's merit to the card draw engine.

[JPoJohnson]

Mark of Asylum is worth considering also, I think.

I've never seen that card, I agree.

[HammafistRoob]

Path of Bravery

[cherub_daemon]

That works too, but I still wonder if there's merit to the card draw engine.

I like the idea, but it's limited in that you cannot use it to recover, unless you've managed to bank enough cards with it early. That is perhaps tough without slowing yourself down. In that sense, it seems to solve a different problem than you discuss in the OP.

I feel like I would want to also run some number of Ranger of Eos and possibly Squadron Hawk as recovery.

That said, once you've broken even on it, it's using a resource that's essentially free to you, so if its not clogging up your draws, why not? It's a shame there's no good way to tutor for him.

Also (not involving the draw engine) you're basically running tribal Humans. You might consider Devout Chaplain in the board. Champion of the Parish is also interesting, but it's more like an alternate version of Pridemate.

[FTW]

I like the idea, but it's limited in that you cannot use it to recover, unless you've managed to bank enough cards with it early. That is perhaps tough without slowing yourself down. In that sense, it seems to solve a different problem than you discuss in the OP.

I feel like I would want to also run some number of Ranger of Eos and possibly Squadron Hawk as recovery.

That said, once you've broken even on it, it's using a resource that's essentially free to you, so if its not clogging up your draws, why not? It's a shame there's no good way to tutor for him.

Also (not involving the draw engine) you're basically running tribal Humans. You might consider Devout Chaplain in the board. Champion of the Parish is also interesting, but it's more like an alternate version of Pridemate.

Oh yeah, I should have been more clear in the OP. The problem isn't losing to red decks. Otherwise Forgetender SB and Auriok Champions main changes a lot. I was just using that as a lead-in to discuss Sky Hussar as a draw engine, the real purpose of this thread.

Typically you have a couple dorks that you don't want to send into the red zone, so Hussar seems like a way to profit from them. Some lists on MTGS appear to be running it. It's more a profilactic than a recovery from a sweeper. More like if you just tap them to draw more cards first, then it compensates for any card disadvantage you may suffer later. It's easy to splash (only need onle blue if you ever want to cast it), gives you an alternate win condition in a 4-power flyer, and is even a Human.

Ranger and Squawk may be a good direction. That's where most traditional Soul Sisters decks go I think, to generate card advantage and combo out into Ascendants. But that strategy seems soft to combo and control. You're all-in on gaining life, playing 1/1s, trying to hit 30 and then dropping Ascendants. But very few of those cards are interactive other than padding your life total. I wonder if a more hatebear-centred deck would allow you to play a more interactive game with the field. White has some fantastic cheap options in recent sets. Every card is white and most are creatures, so you still retain the core synergies. Thalia seems too good not to play in a white creature-heavy deck.

I didn't realize most are Humans. A few Cavern of Souls might be good then.

Path of Bravery is cute but seems too conditional. I'd probably just rather pay 1 less for Honor of the Pure, especially with Thalias.

Judge's Familiar is another option as a cheap 1-drop white creature. Seems good with Proclamation, letting you recycle a counterspell.. Although it's bad lategame so maybe you don't want to recur it at all.

[cherub_daemon]

Typically you have a couple dorks that you don't want to send into the red zone, so Hussar seems like a way to profit from them. Some lists on MTGS appear to be running it. It's more a profilactic than a recovery from a sweeper. More like if you just tap them to draw more cards first, then it compensates for any card disadvantage you may suffer later.

Ranger and Squawk may be a good direction. That's where most traditional Soul Sisters decks go I think, to generate card advantage and combo out into Ascendants. But that strategy seems soft to combo and control. You're all-in on gaining life, playing 1/1s, trying to hit 30 and then dropping Ascendants. But very few of those cards are interactive other than padding your life total. I wonder if a more hatebear-centred deck would allow you to play a more interactive game with the field.

I'm basically in on Hussar as a draw engine, since you will tend to have untapped creatures just sitting around. I'm also down with Sisters+hatebears as a concept. I don't think that running Hussar and Ranger are exclusive propositions, although at some point slots become an issue. Squadron Hawk is another story. I mentioned it, but I don't really love it in a format without Brainstorm. If you wanted to run Jotun Grunt and/or Wheel of Sun and Moon (presumably in some other deck), that might be different.

I didn't realize most are Humans. A few Cavern of Souls might be good then.

I had forgotten about Cavern. It makes me wonder if maybe Grand Abolisher's slots could be better allocated. Ethersworn Canonist, maybe? Run more of the other hatebears?

Path of Bravery is cute but seems too conditional. I'd probably just rather pay 1 less for Honor of the Pure, especially with Thalias.

Given the aforementioned reasons to run Hussar, I feel like I'd rather run Sublime Archangel than either.

[FTW]

I don't think that running Hussar and Ranger are exclusive propositions, although at some point slots become an issue.

Very true. My main concern is keeping the curve low. The versions running Ranger run it as a curve topper. Hussar is my topper. Both together are viable (and synergistic) but risk clogging the high cc spots and demanding more lands. Maybe Detention Spheres or Banisher Priests can be pushed to the SB.

Sublime Archangel seems like a strong finisher. It competes for top of the curve with Ranger and Hussar though. As good as it seems if resolved, I suspect a deck full of 1/1 dorks and hatebears cares more about drawing cards than landing a finisher that trades 1-for-1 with a lot of spells. So I'd probably squeeze in Ranger before Archangel.

Squadron Hawk is another story. I mentioned it, but I don't really love it in a format without Brainstorm. If you wanted to run Jotun Grunt and/or Wheel of Sun and Moon (presumably in some other deck), that might be different.

Yeah. I think that takes the deck in another direction. That other direction is more traditional but less interactive. Squawk is there to put more white creatures in hand to improve Martyr. Hussar does the same, except you get better quality cards over raw quantity.

I had forgotten about Cavern. It makes me wonder if maybe Grand Abolisher's slots could be better allocated. Ethersworn Canonist, maybe? Run more of the other hatebears?

I'm going to have to test if Caverns+Abolisher is overkill or if the double protection is needed. Abolisher doesn't just stop counterspells but also limits things like EOT Deceiver Exarch, EOT burn/removal, Bolting Pridemate before the triggers grow it. I think it still has merit although I might be able to eke more value out of other bears. Maybe -2 Banisher Priest -2 Grand Abolisher +1 Imposing Sovereign +3 Ranger of Eos. Or maybe Leonin Relic Warders.

I don't like Canonist because it means you can't just drop 2 Soul Sisters in 1 turn. Maybe in the SB, but too anti-synergistic for maindeck.

With the 2cc hatebears, I might replace Proclamation with Immortal Servitude, giving you the option to recur all (not just 3) 1cc guys or a bunch of 2cc guys. With the new Legend rule, there isn't even anti-synergy with Thalia. You still keep one!

[TsumiBand]

One card I've actually thought might be legit for a while is Deputy of Acquittals. Soul Sisters and its variants count on creatures triggering lifegain effects; additionally, by using Thalia to control the board one can't help but look to ETB creatures to fill removal roles. While Proclamation of Rebirth is the obvious one-stop for all your "nice Wrath sucker" needs, Deputy seems like it could serve an interesting role as a pseudo-Fog or a means to save a Thalia or other crucial creature from your opponent's answers -- or it could just be a 2/2 guy with Flash (the gating is a 'may' effect, you're not required to return anything).

I like this idea though. I fucking need some Serra Ascendants, I've been four cards away from a Soul Sisters deck for the better part of 3 years. "Just haven't gotten around to it."

[CaptainTwiddle]

Advantages of Soul Sisters:

Kiki-Pod/UR Twin -- having enough sisters out completely negates the combo. So does Imposing Sovereign...

Note that Imposing Sovereign does not stop Kiki/Twin combo, as they can just combo in your end step, thereby not needing to sac their infinite army until the end of their turn, after they've untapped and attacked you.

Anyway, while I certainly think that Sky Hussar is an interesting card, I don't know if I really like it in this deck. It just seems like Ranger of Eos is simpler. I have some experience playing Orzhov MartyrProc, which I like quite a bit, but have shelved for the time being because it doesn't fair too well against Twin (note, the deck doesn't play the Sisters, but uses Squadron Hawk and Mistveil Plains as a way to set up massive life gains with Martyr of Sands and Orzhov Charm is amazing in such a list).

[Phoenix Ignition]

Note that Imposing Sovereign does not stop Kiki/Twin combo, as they can just combo in your end step, thereby not needing to sac their infinite army until the end of their turn, after they've untapped and attacked you.

But it does make them play Splinter Twin/ kiki a turn before they go off. Giving you access to all sorts of responses that they can usually prevent by "end step, tap your lands, my turn finish combo." This makes a pretty decent difference but yeah, it won't completely kill them.

[FTW]

Note that Imposing Sovereign does not stop Kiki/Twin combo, as they can just combo in your end step, thereby not needing to sac their infinite army until the end of their turn, after they've untapped and attacked you.

Yeah, the point is it stops the scarier form of combo where they drop both pieces on their turn (or one on your EOT). To play around Sovereign, they have to pass the turn and give you at least one main phase with Kiki or Twin sitting around vulnerable. (Kiki-Pod might have to give you 2 mainphases if they do the common Pod --> Conscripts/Exarch-->untap Pod-->Kiki trick instead of playing the untapper afterwards to untap Kiki). That lets you do things like drop Soul Sisters to disable the combo, use sorcery speed removal, drop a Phyrexian Revoker or some other kind of hate card, or just kill them first (since they can't generate blockers). Since they had to play stuff on their main phase and pass the turn, they may not be representing much counterspell mana to stop your removal. If they have to wait until they can keep counter mana up (i.e. 6 lands or more), you've gotten a few Time Walks out of it. Not bad.

Anyway, while I certainly think that Sky Hussar is an interesting card, I don't know if I really like it in this deck. It just seems like Ranger of Eos is simpler. I have some experience playing Orzhov MartyrProc, which I like quite a bit, but have shelved for the time being because it doesn't fair too well against Twin (note, the deck doesn't play the Sisters, but uses Squadron Hawk and Mistveil Plains as a way to set up massive life gains with Martyr of Sands and Orzhov Charm is amazing in such a list).

Sounds like you're playing MartyrProc, which is much more of a control deck, different from the Soul Sisters deck that also runs the Martyr-Proc engine. Sky Hussar would obviously suck in that deck. But you don't play the sisters. In Martyr-Proc, you'd have to jump through hoops to get Hussar draws by using Squadron Hawks or skipping combat steps. When you have 7-9 soul dorks in your deck, then you often have a bunch of untapped dudes that are too weak to send into the red zone. At that point, Hussar is just free draws. Hussar is also easier on your mana requirements.

Ranger is good too but only gets you soul dorks/Martyr/Serra. Hussar draws get you anything. With the emphasis on hatebears and not just the Martyr lifegain engine, I think I prefer the card quality of drawing a random card over only getting 1cc creatures or Squadron Hawks. Ideally I'd want to make room for both Ranger and Hussar to have both tutoring and card advantage.

[YamiJoey]

Figured I'd submit this.

Permanents: 36
4 Æther Vial
4 Figure of Destiny
4 Martyr of Sands
4 Serra Ascendant
4 Soul Warden
4 Soul's Attendant
4 Weathered Wayfarer
4 Squadren Hawk
4 Sky Hussar

Spells: 6
3 Path to Exile
3 Proclimation of Rebirth

Lands: 18
10 Plains
4 Marsh Flats
2 Arid Mesa
2 Mistveil Plains

Sideboard
3 Brave the Elements
4 Marrow Shards
1 Path to Exile
4 Ethersworn Canonist
3 Stony Silence

You need Vial, Sky Hussar, Weathered Wayfarer, or a Land heavy (2/3) hand to play the game. It's a bit Sam Black in the way that it asks to play its own game and plays very little disruption. Path does a lot of work alongside Weathered Wayfarer, even down to just Pathong your useless guy to do more relevant things.

Brave the Elements protects you from Anger and removal.
Marrow Shards beats Affinity and Twin. With a sister up they can't use Exarch, and Shards kills Pestermites for 2 life.
Path is additional disruption against the decks you need it against, such as Pod and Affinity.
Canonist kills Storm. There's an argument for finding something else to play alongside for Echoing Truth, but she should buy us enough time. You also pull in the Path here, which seems awkward, but they have a hard time. You can gain enough life to force them to have a seriously big turn to kill you rather than having a grindier game, and Canonist forces them to find an answer first anyway. Then you just get into one of your more insane 'locks' and they die pretty quick.
Stony Silence comes in against Affinity because it's broke.

[FTW]

I like the synergies in that build. It's a lot more Solitaire-oriented, not disruptive enough for my taste, but looks fun to play!

Do you want Ghost Quarter or other silver bullet lands to find with Wayfarer? Yeah, you can grab Mistveil Plains, but so can a fetchland.

What do you do against Kiki-Pod? Conscripts and Angel survive Marrow Shards and need 3 sisters to negate the damage. That's where I like Imposing Sovereign, which buys 1 to 2 turns against them if they try to combo.

Figure looks like a very mana-intensive finisher compared to Ajani's Pridemate. Given how few lands your build runs, do you find it hard to turn Figure into a threat without slowing yourself down too much?

[YamiJoey]

My Kiki Pod MU is definitely what I have focused on the least here. I think you have to bring in Path and the Stonys. Which sounds horrible.

There's possibly a shout for some utility Lands here, but I could only ever cut a single Mistveil Plains. I definitely want one, and you can't afford to cut below 16 'Actual Lands' IMO. I just find Plains and Fetchlands to keep running with. It's not a powerhouse, it's another engine to get your deck online.

Figure is beautiful in the late game. You end up hitting you Land Drops towards the mid-late game, and early he is more easily castable than a Pridemate. He can also be Proc'd back, which is kind of huge for me. Being able to just dump win conditions onto the table instead of engine pieces goes a long way. (Alongside your Ascendant.)

[cherub_daemon]

I was looking at something else and realized that the original list is a Wu hatebears list with no Meddling Mage. It seems like an obvious call to replace Nevermore in the board at the very least, and he's probably better than some of the cards in the main. He's even Human, if you decide to run Cavern.

[FTW]

I was looking at something else and realized that the original list is a Wu hatebears list with no Meddling Mage. It seems like an obvious call to replace Nevermore in the board at the very least, and he's probably better than some of the cards in the main. He's even Human, if you decide to run Cavern.

Yeah, the idea was to have a hybrid Wu hatebears-W Soul Sisters deck to exploit the good combo/control matchups of hatebears while getting the solid anti-aggro plan of the Soul Sisters lifegain engine. Meddling Mage is a great fit. Definitely belongs in the 75, possibly in the main.

[cherub_daemon]

I figure people have seen it, but just in case...M15 brought Return to the Ranks, which seems like it could be a bomb in this strategy, but also gives you an option to play it small if you really need to just get one specific hatebear back up, unlike Immortal Servitude .

I'm not sure what you would want to do with the overall curve, since it seems like you could now run more cc2 dudes, which might push you to Vial, and you might not care for Proclamation of Rebirth any more.