[Deck] Modest Blossom

[Solpugid]

In an attempt to negate the impact of the huge creatures overrunning Legacy, I decided to build a deck based around humility. The following list is my first attempt.

4 Humility
4 Bitterblossom
3 Sensei's divining top
2 Crucible of worlds
2 Ajani Goldmane

4 Thoughtseize
4 Swords to plowshares
4 Dark ritual
3 Vindicate
2 Duress
2 Gerrard's verdict
2 Decree of justice
1 Haunting echoes

4 Scrubland
4 Swamp
4 Plains
3 Polluted delta
3 Flooded strand
4 Mishra's factory
1 Mutavault

SB: undecided


Early turns are spent disrupting opponents with removal and discard. Eventually you start dropping humility and Ajani to pursue your own gameplan.

The slow pace of the deck makes it pretty weak (in theory) against combo and burn-based decks, so I think the sideboard should be used to address this problem. Wasteland was kept out of the maindeck for the same reason, but may deserve a few slots.

Gerrard's verdict is used over hymn because it's easier to cast and can help me gain life back from bitterblossom (especially if cast on myself). Ajani was included over Elspeth because it's a better late-game draw, but I may need to reconsider this choice.

I've only played a few games with this on MWS, all of which I won, but I'm reluctant to push my luck with humility in the deck.

Suggestions/comments?

[baghdadbob]

Very Interesting Deck! :smile:
I think I would run something like this...

4x Bitterblossom
2x Ajani
4x Vindicate
4x Swords To Plowshare
4x Humility
4x Duress
2x Thoughtseize
4x Top
2x Mortify
2x Tomb Stalker
3x Jitte
2x Oblivion Ring
Lands?
S/b
4x Disenchant
4x Argivian Find
3x Engineered Plauge
4x Expricate

12 Possible Creature Removal Spells
6 Possible Non-creature Removing Spells
You can put Jitte on your blossoms for the pump
You can pump with Ajani and regain life
Tomb Stalker as an Alt-win
Duress and Thought Seize ruins FOW's and other problems
Top For The Draw

A rough sketch but has more control. :cool:

[ScatmanX]

I know that the cost of it may be the reason, but isn´t Moat Better than Humility in this deck? Than the Stalkers baghdadbob sugested would rock.
But the Jitte was the best card he suggested.
Also, if you chose to run Moat, you cuold run Blinkmoth Nexus instead of Factories.

Oh, and I´d run the fewer Fetchlands I could, because I see that Stifles woul be used on them quite frequently, and you really need your lands.

[baghdadbob]

i actually have no idea why I suggested the stalkers... reflex maybe??? :laugh:
They should really be enlightened tutors. To find Humility, Blossom, Jitte, O-ring, and Top. That makes sense now doesn't it? LOL

[Wargoos]

Humility + Elspeth = Big Love:mad:

[Solpugid]

Unfortunately, moat is no longer as safe as it once was, with qasali pridemage running rampant. Humility also does a great job of shutting off painter, confidant, eternal witness, tombstalker, harmonic sliver, etc. etc. Moat can't do all that. So yes, you're more susceptible to being beaten down by 1/1 creatures (I lost a game 3 to survival because he kept drawing creatures and I couldn't find a decree), but humility solves so many problems for you.

Elspeth seems awesome here, but I don't like the idea of losing life gain. Jitte might need to find its way in, but I don't really know what to cut. Maybe those verdicts, but verdict has been amazing in testing. This deck has very few ways of generating actual card advantage, so the discard 2 is great.

Tombstalker as an alt win seems ok, although yeah it sucks to draw one when you have humility out but are in need of a win con. Decree and factory+crucible have been my alternates. That brings up another point: is crucible good enough to take up two slots here? My opponents always counter it, so I suppose that says something.

[Aggro_zombies]

Elspeth seems awesome here, but I don't like the idea of losing life gain. Jitte might need to find its way in, but I don't really know what to cut. Maybe those verdicts, but verdict has been amazing in testing. This deck has very few ways of generating actual card advantage, so the discard 2 is great.
Elspeth Giant Growths your creatures before you attack with them, with or without a Humility in play. Being able to win at a reasonable speed seems like a good reason to run Elspeth over Ajani, especially given the popularity of Krosan Grip.

[Citrus-God]

I don't understand why you aren't running Wastelands and Hymn to Tourach when you already have Dark Rituals, Vindicate and CoWs in the maindeck.

[Holo_rip]

With ajani, you should really consider playing decree of justice. the ability to tap out at the end of your opponent turn for 4+ token with humility in play and then at your turn cast ajani use his second hability is really awesome.
I used to play.
the thing with BB in such a slow deck is that it force you to play others card that negate the life loss. Don't get me wrong, ajani is really a good card, but you're kinda force to play it to abuse BB, and that's why i have switch back to elspeth only (cause i use to play a split of 3 ajani / 2 elspeth before).
Also, dark ritual seems terrible. Try to squeeze in mox diamond, it will be a lot better (you're even running crucible to negate the card disavantage). It help for a turn 1 BB, and is a mana fixer and is always here.
If you cut the ajani and play eslpeth, you should really consider contamination. It is a house against most of the format if you can keep to pay at the upkeep (thus, playing 3 to 4 elspeth would be great).
As for the moat, if you run a E.Tutor tool box and elspeth, it can become a hardlock for any creature base deck, while you are still able to deal dommage thanks to elspeth's second ability.

anyways, here is one of my latest list :

land (23)
4 scrubland
3 bloodstained mire
3 windswepth heath
3 mishra's factory
3 wasteland
2 swamp
5 plains

creature (6)
1 eternal dragon
3 ajani goldmane
2 elspeth, knight errant

4 thoughtseize
2 enlightened tutor
3 sensei's divining top
2 phyrexian arena
2 humility
1 moat
1 crucible
3 bitterblossom
3 decree of justice
4 sword to plowshare
3 vindicate
3 engineered explosive


but one of the main problem is the lack of card advantage, thus a blue splash might be worth for standstill (cause we already can abuse it) and maybe fact or brainstorm.

[Maveric78f]

Holo: your list is the one I like the most. it's less hardcore on Humility though.

Solpugid: I don't get why you play dark ritual. I don't get why you play crucible. Haunting echoes is also a bit weird to me.

baghdadbob: Of course TombStalker is useless here.

All, I think that STP is a bit useless in these builds. I would rather play enlightened tutor. It provides shuffle for top. I also think that the white genju completely fits the deck.

I would go something like that :

Main cards: 18
4BB
4Humility
4Standstill
3Top
3ET

Control: 12
4Vindi
4Duress
4BS

Random: 9
2Elspeth
2DoJ
1Jitte
1W Genju
1EE
1ORing
1Hoofprint

21 Lands including 4 mishras, but no other tool land

[Holo_rip]

Holo: your list is too far away from the thread, imho.

Solpugid: I don't get why you play dark ritual. I don't get why you play crucible. Haunting echoes is also a bit weird to me.
you're right, but i'm just trying to help by giving a different point of view. I'm quite experimented with this kind of deck, so i'm just giving my opinion (wich can be totally wrong i admit).

[Maveric78f]

you're right, but i'm just trying to help by giving a different point of view. I'm quite experimented with this kind of deck, so i'm just giving my opinion (wich can be totally wrong i admit).

Actually, I missed the humilities in your build. I edited eventually. You were the one who was playing a bitterblossom with genju deck ?

[Holo_rip]

Never played a tournament with such a deck (cause i don't own all the card, just bought a moat and still need the BB/elspeth), but yes i am one of the guys that play such a list (thought not the only one i assume). Genju was a one of only, and it come in an out depending of my mood.

There is also Klu (on LF) wich was playing a BW control deck with BB / elspeth (4 each) genju and, just like i have stated, contamination, but i wasn't impressed at all by his list.

I've been tweaking the deck from one side to another for several month with the help of Solknar, but i'm still not sold on any list (cause there is always a problem, lack of CA, too slow, etc...)

About the blue splash, i can't give you the exact list, but i play 4 standstill / 2 FOF as CA engine.

[Maveric78f]

I did not work as much as you did on this kind of builds. But it seems to me that FoF is one more card @4CC and that the deck would like to smooth a bit its curve. That's the main reason why I think the U splash is required (because Skeleton Scrying would be ok as a CA spell otherwise).

Braids (bad with humility obv) and/or Stax would be also good additions for the deck @4CC.

[Frozen_Fire]

I really like the concept, but you don't run any form of acceleration so this could result a bit slow and most of the time Control will get the deck down easily. By the way, with humility you could do interesting combos. I can think about Reverence on the sideboard or Zealous Persecution, a WB instant spell that is a power up for your tokens and sweeps opponent's creatures under Humility. What do you think about it?

Greetings,
Frozen_Fire :)

[Solpugid]

Wow, lots to respond to.


Elspeth Giant Growths your creatures before you attack with them, with or without a Humility in play. Being able to win at a reasonable speed seems like a good reason to run Elspeth over Ajani, especially given the popularity of Krosan Grip.

Agreed. The extra speed is proving important. This switch will be made.


I don't understand why you aren't running Wastelands and Hymn to Tourach when you already have Dark Rituals, Vindicate and CoWs in the maindeck.

Wastelands were in the board for my testing, since the deck is slow enough and mana intensive enough to not want to worry about wastelock in the majority of games. I never really liked it in Landstill, and here isn't much better.

I suppose I need to concede that hymn would be better. If Elspeth speeds up the kill, the life gain from verdict is moot. If I keep the 2cc discard spell, hymn will be in.


With ajani, you should really consider playing decree of justice. the ability to tap out at the end of your opponent turn for 4+ token with humility in play and then at your turn cast ajani use his second hability is really awesome.

Unless you're referring to other lists, I already run it.


Also, dark ritual seems terrible. Try to squeeze in mox diamond, it will be a lot better (you're even running crucible to negate the card disavantage). It help for a turn 1 BB, and is a mana fixer and is always here.

Ritual accelerates humility by a turn, and also allows discard/top+blossom/top and activation on first turn. It also makes decree and haunting echoes much better. Diamond is -2 cards instead of -1, and with crucible as a 2-of (and really a secondary plan) I'm not sure if it's better than ritual at all. Truthfully, I wanted some form of 1cc accel and ritual just seemed like the best bet. This may change.

By the way, haunting echoes was an afterthought to include an alternate win. It's been hit or miss in testing, but can (obviously) completely swing a game that goes long.

@ the blue splash

Is it really worth including and opening yourself up to moon effects and B2B? I'll have to try it out.

[nix]

i think that elspeth is going to be better than bitterblossom, because the tokens are the same, but they dont lose you a life each turn, elspeth is a little faster to win once you play it, but BB does come out on turn 2 which could be helpful.

Counting the turn you play it elspeth does 20 damage in 7 turns if your making tokens, and in 6 turns if you make 1 token and pump it.

counting the turn you play it, BB does 20 damage in 7 turns, but also does 7 damage to you.

I dont think you are planning on playing a BB until around 4th turn anyway, because you have to spend some time slowing down your opponent anyway, so i would probably (i havent tested at all) go with either 3 elspeth, 2bb; or 3 bb and 2 elspeth.

[spiritmonger]

First of all i have to say I love the deck concept and was trying to build 1 like this for sometime now.
Unlike you guys i splashed blue in it and it works great.

After some play testing I came up whit this list.

42 Spells

4 force of will
4 plow
4 brainstorm
3 toughtseize
3 mox diamond
3 elspeth
3 bitterblossom
3 enlightened tutor
3 rushing river
3 standstill
2 humility
2 ajani goldmane
2 decree of justice
2 umezawa's jitte
1 crucible of world

21 Lands
3 mishra's factory
2 polluted delta
3 flooded strand
3 wasteland
3 tundra
3 underground sea
2 plains
1 island
1 swamp

I got no SB atm any suggestion would be great.

My only concern is the lack of removal, I was thinking of putting 2/3 wrath of god or EE in the main deck.

I also want to drop the deck to 60 card and not 63.

Im not sure if im keeping the 3 rushing river, maybe they should become wipe away or anyother type of control.

Im also thinking of putting more crucible in the deck since its synergie with the other card is great.

Jitte main deck is also subjet to be removed.

Any tips are appreciated.

[Holo_rip]

Hello there.

just wanted to point out that 3 mox and 21 doesn't work well, you'll need an higher land number in order to support mox, even as a 3-of.
try to squeeze in more counterspell by cutting thoughtseize and maybe rushing river.
Also, add the forth standstill and switch the number of elspeth and ajani, cause ajani is way more synergetic with the deck, and you'll sometime struggle to find a lifegain card.

As for the lack of removal, just land an humility and keep blocking with your 1/1 faerie rogue token. Otherwise, if you got problem with enchantment, just try to save counter for them, because creature shouldn't be an issue between the chump block of BB, the STP and the humility.

to go down to 60 card, i' suggest cutting of the moxes, wich you can rely on.

[spiritmonger]

Hello there.

just wanted to point out that 3 mox and 21 doesn't work well, you'll need an higher land number in order to support mox, even as a 3-of.
try to squeeze in more counterspell by cutting thoughtseize and maybe rushing river.
Also, add the forth standstill and switch the number of elspeth and ajani, cause ajani is way more synergetic with the deck, and you'll sometime struggle to find a lifegain card.

As for the lack of removal, just land an humility and keep blocking with your 1/1 faerie rogue token. Otherwise, if you got problem with enchantment, just try to save counter for them, because creature shouldn't be an issue between the chump block of BB, the STP and the humility.

to go down to 60 card, i' suggest cutting of the moxes, wich you can rely on.




@ holo_rip

Hi to answer your last reply, the reason why the moxes are in is because the deck lack of speed.
You also have to take in consideration that i play crucible of world for that concern.

As for switching the number of ajani whit the number of elspeth. because I was running jitte, life was never really of a big problem and the token generator that elspeth produce is amazing.
Was also thinking that adding jace would be great but its just a idea.

If i am cutting rushing river I need something to get rid of treat already on the table example blood moon (I am running basic land already but if it come in to play then i need something to remove it), I also choose it because sacking a land when I have crucible in play isn't a problem.

For toughtseize I agree ill try to fit in 3 daze.

Another of my concern is the number of blue spell i have for FoW.

With all this, were still weak vs aggro deck such as Zoo and Faerie Stompy, the 3 rushing river slot could become mass removal but then the number of card for FoW would be way 2 low, right now if humility get remove of anyway I am pretty much dead vs beat down deck.

You talked about chump blocking whit token all day well whit the number of mass removal such as dead EE and pyroclasm there is these day, its not always possible.

I want to make this deck as competitive as possible, I hope more people will come and post there suggestion and deck list.

Thx for giving me your opinion, hope to see more of you in developing this deck.

[Michael Keller]

4 force of will
4 plow
4 brainstorm
3 toughtseize
3 mox diamond
3 elspeth
3 bitterblossom
3 enlightened tutor
3 rushing river
3 standstill
2 humility
2 ajani goldmane
2 decree of justice
2 umezawa's jitte
1 crucible of world

21 Lands
3 mishra's factory
2 polluted delta
3 flooded strand
3 wasteland
3 tundra
3 underground sea
2 plains
1 island
1 swamp


@ spiritmonger:

Your version, albeit somewhat different in nature, looks at least on paper eerily similar to konsultant's current Landstill list, which he (again) placed Top 4 at the Lotus/Moxen/Bazaar Tourney May 30th. For reference from the tourney thread:




Geoffrey Smelski (4th)
4 Swords to plowshares
3 wrath of god
3 decree of justice
1 eternal dragon
2 elspeth
3 vindicate
2 Engineered explosives
2 nevinyrel's disk
4 brainstorm
3 standstill
3 fact or fiction
3 counterspell
4 force of will
4 tundra
1 underground sea
1 scrubland
2 plains
2 island
1 swamp
4 flooded strand
3 polluted delta
2 wasteland
3 mishra's factory
1 academy ruins
1 tolaria west

sb
3 spellsnare
3 negate
2 orim's chant
2 humility
4 engineered plague
1 liliana vess


Both decks share a similar strategy; one may seem a little more aggro than the other.

[Brushwagg]

I'm not sure why but there is a lack of Wrath of God/Damnation being mentioned in this thread. Humility is great and all but you still need a way to clear the board. Spot removal isn't going to solve massive amounts of creatures and 1/1's can still get there.

[Michael Keller]

I'm not sure why but there is a lack of Wrath of God/Damnation being mentioned in this thread. Humility is great and all but you still need a way to clear the board. Spot removal isn't going to solve massive amounts of creatures and 1/1's can still get there.

I think something that might help shed some light on the matter are the Jitte's against opposing aggro. I have a feeling what he is thinking of is pairing the board with Humility and Bitterblossom, then dropping Jitte to overpower the opposing 1/1's.

[spiritmonger]

I'm not sure why but there is a lack of Wrath of God/Damnation being mentioned in this thread. Humility is great and all but you still need a way to clear the board. Spot removal isn't going to solve massive amounts of creatures and 1/1's can still get there.


Hi first of all that exacly what i said that the deck needed mass removal and I was thinking of putting 2 or 3 wrath in it.
By doing this tought im getting my blue card down again which is bad for FoW.


Hollywood
Yes this is 1 of the deck strategie but more then that, I just feel like the deck need something more to be able to perform in tournament expecially agains zoo or aggro deck.

This is why I posted the deck here, maybe make it a dtb i dont know.

Furthermore, yes the deck was orginally base on landstill excepted that I wanted my own version that relly less on land while still having a great synergi.
Whit the addition of BB and the planewalker i wanted to create a base token deck which abuse humility while having anwser to pretty much any situation (like a toolbox).

Stanstill and BB is already awsome since you have the creature advantage right away the jitte are there for the gain life and 1 attack result in 2 creature dying while still having the land which are 2/2, this resulting in card and board advantage but like you guys probably know, idea on paper aint alwas that great when you play it after.

That why i asked help of people on thesource to help me make it better.

Thank you, hope we can work on this deck all togheter and maybe something really great will comme out.



Thank you very much for reading :smile: .

[Holo_rip]

from what i remember (being at work), in my Wbu version, i have use blue only for : draw, and counter.
But as for the counterspell suite, i have use the CB/top combo only, and it prove worth in many situation. Then maybe add fow to support this strategy don't know.

also, as a sweeper don't ever use wrath or damnation. You want to create a huge amount of token, and t is quite antisynergetic with this strategy. With EE, also add ruin so you can create a lock.

Finally, use SDT. It is simply amazing. Even the landstill guys would tell you that.

[spiritmonger]

from what i remember (being at work), in my Wbu version, i have use blue only for : draw, and counter.
But as for the counterspell suite, i have use the CB/top combo only, and it prove worth in many situation. Then maybe add fow to support this strategy don't know.

also, as a sweeper don't ever use wrath or damnation. You want to create a huge amount of token, and t is quite antisynergetic with this strategy. With EE, also add ruin so you can create a lock.

Finally, use SDT. It is simply amazing. Even the landstill guys would tell you that.



I had tought of using the EE ruins combo but i was scared of the 1 color less mana it would produce.

And hum wth is SDT XD!

Thx ill try to fit in 4 ctb and 3 sensei maybe base the deck more around it.

Thx for the idea.

[baghdadbob]

Ok I did a little reworking on this one...
4x BitterBlossom
2x Elspeth
4x Humility
2x Damnation
4x Vindicate
2x Raise the alarm
2x O-ring
2x Pithing Needle
4x Orim's Chant
2x Iso Scepter
4x Enlightened Tutor
4x Top
1x Eternal Dragon
2x Tabernacle at Pendrel Vale
4x Scrubland
etc...

[Brushwagg]

@baghdadbob: Looking pretty good but if it where me I'd probably up the Damnations to at least 3. Also get Decree of Justice in there.

This is along the lines of what I'd play.

// Lands
4 Scrubland
5 Plains
3 Swamp
2 Godless Shrine
4 Flooded Strand
4 Mishra's Factory
2 Polluted Delta

// Creatures
2 Eternal Dragon
2 Ajani Goldmane
2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

// Spells
3 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Bitterblossom
4 Humility
3 Wrath of God
3 Decree of Justice
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Enlightened Tutor
1 Moat
3 Vindicate
2 Skeletal Scrying

// Sideboard
SB: 4 Orim's Chant
SB: 2 Ethersworn Canonist
SB: 2 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 2 Pulse of the Fields
SB: 3 Thoughtseize

With 2 open slots in the board. Probably more combo hate since anything with creatures in it is handled in the MD.

[spiritmonger]

With 2 open slots in the board. Probably more combo hate since anything with creatures in it is handled in the MD.[/QUOTE]


Thats pretty much the reason why I added blue to the deck(for the combo hate).
You should try it, I tested both version and the one whit blue seem to be better in tournament then the w/b version.

[baghdadbob]

I'm not sure about 4x Plainswalkers and 3x Decree seems like we lose our good removal. I.E. 4x Vindicate. This deck seriously needs to be able to deal with non-creature permanents. We've got creature lock down to a t I think.

[Brushwagg]

If your talking Counterbalance, it can't do anything aganist a cycled DOJ. "Threshold"/NQG/Bant etc.. have real problems aganist this style of deck.


I'm not sure about 4x Plainswalkers and 3x Decree seems like we lose our good removal. I.E. 4x Vindicate

Planeswalkers are win conditions. Also my list does have 3x Vindicate in it. I think the STPs are needed for the turns your waiting to get Humility in play.

@My SB:Totally forgot about a few cards for Combo. Trinisphere, Runed Halo, and Rule of Law.

[baghdadbob]

Yes but moat seems completly out of place. With so many chances for putting tokens into play and a good amount of removal it doesn't seem good. I do however agree with you one the 2x Elspeth that could be really good. Decree... maybe as a 2 of. Control seems like a must of in this deck. Thus including the chants with the iso's. Also enlightened tutor is going to be the balls for finding almost anything. I.m.o. your deck lack's the ability to find answers/ provide answers.

[Holo_rip]

Moat isn't out of place.

i have played a one of moat with humility and E.tutor with great succes.
You have card to abuse it (BB, elspeth, hardcast decree,E.dragon). It is a great way to stall the game.
The downside is with the printing of qasali pridemage, they can sit there building an army, then cast a qasali, destroy the moat an kill you in one letahl strike.

and, in this type of deck, decree is definitively a 3 of, cause sometime you'll be force to cycle one in the early game.

Also, as a draw engine, try phyrexian arena, you'll love it. One card for 1 life a turn, BUT it can be tutored with E.tutor.

[Nihil Credo]

A lot of these lists are really heavy on the 4CC cards, as well as short on two-drops. Assuming the deck can't be re-tooled to make good use of a Mox, I would suggest a playset of Mind Stones to make it easier to drop lock pieces before you take too much damage from Wild Nacatl and friends (lists with abundant colourless lands might want to try Orzhov Signet instead).