[Modern] The Top 10 Modern Cards of 2019 #5 – #1

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Strictly Average MTG. I hope you are enjoying the holiday season as it unfolds, and spending time with people you appreciate. This has been a wild year in Magic: the Gathering, and there has been (what feels like) constant change. While this has made narrowing down a Top 10 (and with this article the Top 5) a bit of a challenge, not too many can argue the ridiculous power that these cards bring.

If you missed the bottom half of this Top 10 you can read that here.

Without further delay let’s get into the rest of the Top 10.

5. Urza, Lord High Artificer

Some would suggest that Urza, Lord High Artificer is one of the egregious cards to come from Modern Horizons, and they would not be far off. A card that redefined how artifact decks are constructed by pushing Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas out of the format, this card is front and center at the top of the Modern metagame. This card is so pushed in power it makes cards such as Everflowing Chalice playable, even without counters on it. There was also a card released in Throne of Eldraine that made an artifact every turn. Let’s take a look at a sample deck.

Creature (12) 4 Urza, Lord High Artificer 4 Emry, Lurker of the Loch 4 Gilded Goose Artifact (16) 4 Arcum’s Astrolabe 4 Mishra’s Bauble 4 Mox Opal 3 Engineered Explosives 1 Witching Well Instant (9) 3 Cryptic Command 3 Drown in the Loch 3 Fatal Push Planeswalker (4) 4 Oko, Thief of Crowns Land (19) 4 Misty Rainforest 4 Polluted Delta 4 Snow-Covered Swamp 2 Mystic Sanctuary 2 Scalding Tarn 1 Snow-Covered Forest 1 Snow-Covered Swamp 1 Watery Grave

Sideboard (15) 3 Thoughtseize 2 Disdainful Stroke 2 Assassin’s Trophy 2 Damping Sphere 2 Veil of Summer 2 Nihil Spellbomb 1 Mystical Dispute 1 Tormod’s Crypt

How the deck works

This deck does three things:

Step 1: Achieve Metalcraft
Step 2: ????
Step 3: Profit

Pushing out Urza, Lord High Artificer early allows you to start activating his last ability to play cards for free (whatever they may be). Turning every artifact in your deck into a Mox Sapphire you can generate a ton of mana by simply playing Magic: the Gathering (who’s going to counter a Mishra’s Bauble afterall?). This card feels more like a planeswalker with a blocker already on the battlefield when it comes into play than just a legendary creature. Currently these Urza decks have morphed into a somewhat midrange deck as shown above, but you can also run a version that uses Paradoxical Outcome to draw a ton of cards, or run the Thopter Foundry plus Sword of the Meek combo. His impact has been felt since the release of Modern Horizons, and it’s no wonder why he’s on this list.

4. Karn, the Great Creator

Our third Karn planeswalker was given to us in War of the Spark, and it’s made quite the mark. Karn, the Great Creator has not only changed Tron decks, but also changed which Tron decks people run. Heck this card is restricted in Vintage, and sometimes you can even see it within Urza, Lord High Artificer decks as part of a prison package (with Mycosynth Lattice in the sideboard). Last week I showcased a deck with this in an Eldrazi Tron deck. Let’s look at a more traditional Tron build.

Creature (9) 3 Wurmcoil Engine 3 Thragtusk 2 Walking Ballista 1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger Artifact (15) 4 Chromatic Sphere 4 Chromatic Star 4 Expedition Map 3 Oblivion Stone Planeswalker (10) 4 Karn Liberated 4 Karn, the Great Creator 2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon Sorcery (8) 4 Sylvan Scrying 4 Ancient Stirrings Land (18) 4 Urza’s Mine 4 Urza’s Tower 4 Urza’s Power Plant 3 Forest 1 Blast Zone 1 Nurturing Peatland 1 Sanctum of Ugin

Sideboard (15) 3 Nature’s Claim 2 Spatial Contortion 2 Veil of Summer 1 Emrakul, the Promised End 1 Mycosynth Lattice 1 Witchbane Orb 1 Crucible of Worlds 1 Ensnaring Bridge 1 Trinisphere 1 Liquimetal Coating 1 Grafdigger’s Cage

How the deck works

As always, you want to play the Urza lands to generate a large amount of mana very early. Using cards such as Karn Liberated, Ugin, the Spirit Dragon, and Oblivion Stone defensively to stay alive long enough to play Karn, the Great Creator and Mycosynth Lattice in one turn. While these cards are not game over on their own if the opponent has creatures on the board, just simply find an Ensnaring Bridge, have no cards in hand, and you have locked up a win.

If you have never played with a card such as Burning Wish then you should play with this version of Karn at least once to understand how powerful wishing for cards from your sideboard is.

3. Force of Negation

When Modern Horizons was released it was done to help boost some archetypes that Wizards of the Coast (WotC) felt were not strong enough to compete at the top tables in Modern. In order to help combat some of the problems in the format, many Magic: the Gathering players were given Force of Negation. A refined Force of Will this card found a home immediately within Azorius Control decks, and focused on keeping the opponent from gaining an edge. Also used in midrange decks, this card helps prevent the opponent from gaining any type of advantage through a non-creature spell, all for the cost of a blue card and one life. Let’s see how Control deck are using it.

Creature (4) 3 Snapcaster Mage 1 Vendilion Clique Enchantment (1) 1 Detention Sphere Instant (19) 4 Path to Exile 4 Opt 3 Cryptic Command 3 Force of Negation 3 Mana Leak 2 Spell Snare Planeswalker (8) 3 Teferi, Time Raveler 2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor 2 Narset, Parter of Veils 1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria Sorcery (3) 2 Supreme Verdict 1 Oust

Lands (25) 4 Field of Ruin 4 Flooded Strand 4 Island 3 Celestial Colonnade 2 Glacial Fortress 2 Hallowed Fountain 2 Mystic Sanctuary 2 Plains 2 Scalding Tarn Sideboard (15) 3 Timely Reinforcements 2 Monastery Mentor 2 Celestial Purge 2 Stony Silence 2 Disdainful Stroke 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 1 Dovin’s Veto

How the deck works

Draw cards, counter spells, clear the board. Sure it may sound simple, but if the cards line up right you will do exactly that. While the deck may feel light on threats you win through the advantage you receive from your planeswalkers.

• Narset, Parter of Veils locks your opponent out of drawing extra cards. She also provides you two uses of an Impulse ability.
• Jace, the Mind Sculptor can…do everything. Draw you extra cards, bounce an opposing creature, and even control what your opponent draws next.
• Teferi, Hero of Dominaria helps you draw cards, have mana to be reactive, and can win the game by exiling your opponent’s permanents.
• Teferi, Time Raveler not only bounces your opponents problem permanents, allows you to cast Supreme Verdict in the middle of combat, but it also locks them out of responding to your spells. You can even bounce your own permanents, such as Snapcaster Mage, to play spells you have already cast. In fact there are other permanents in these colors you can play that work well doing just that.

2. Teferi, Time Raveler

Absolutely Peregrin Took. Coming right up. Provided to us in War of the Spark, Teferi, Time Raveler gave control decks a way to make sure that their counterspells, and threats resolved. However while doing this it made the mirror matches a bit miserable. With the release of Stoneforge Mystic from the banned list in Modern this card suddenly had a greater purpose beyond returning your opponent’s permanents. Take a look.

Creature (10) 4 Stoneforge Mystic 3 Spell Queller 3 Snapcaster Mage Artifact (2) 1 Batterskull 1 Sword of Feast and Famine Enchantment (1) 1 Detention Sphere Instant (17) 4 Path to Exile 4 Opt 3 Cryptic Command 3 Force of Negation 3 Mana Leak Planeswalker (5) 3 Teferi, Time Raveler 2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor Sorcery (1) 1 Supreme Verdict

Lands (24) 5 Island 4 Field of Ruin 4 Flooded Strand 4 Seachrome Coast 2 Celestial Colonnade 2 Hallowed Fountain 2 Plains 1 Castle Ardenvale Sideboard (15) 2 Celestial Purge 2 Disdainful Stroke 2 Ceremonious Rejection 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Batterskull 1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 1 Supreme Verdict 1 Timely Reinforcements 1 Mystical Dispute 1 Ashiok, Dream Render 1 Sword of Fire and Ice

How the deck works

One of the problems with having a card such as Stoneforge Mystic was that your opponent could respond to it on your end step. Along with Teferi, Time Raveler, and Force of Negation one could tap out for the Kor artificer without fear of retribution. On top of that, Force of Negation makes the opponent hesitate removing it. However there is another card to consider for this deck.

Spell Queller is a card we should play in this deck. The fact that the spell is exiled instead of countered prevents it from being cast again, and when you bounce the spirit with Teferi, Time Raveler the spell exiled remains exiled as long as Teferi, Time Raveler is on the battlefield. Even when you have a Teferi at 1 loyalty after a bounce you can cast a fresh one without it being countered. Many Magic the Gathering players find this card oppressive, but at the moment this card is just really good.

1. Wrenn and Six

Well here we are at the top of the list. When Modern Horizons was approaching release I did not like it. Sure it was a format designed to go directly into Modern, and provide help for some archetypes viewed as needing help, but in my opinion archetypes like Jund didn’t need help.

I was wrong, and I’m here to eat some crow.

Wrenn and Six not only became the face of that set, but it also became the backbone of Legacy before it was banned. Yes. That’s right. This is the only card in the history of the game that is banned in Legacy, yet legal in Modern. Weird, right? Coupled with Arcum’s Astrolabe, and Wasteland, multi-color decks were everywhere stifling the format. In Modern? All it’s really done is push Dark Confidant out of the format to a degree.

As a Jund devotee I have thoroughly enjoyed playing this card, and there’s not too many feelings in the game that are as great as using this ultimate to retrace Lightning Bolt three times to win the game. It’s primary purpose in the game is to rebuy your fetchlands, and then discard them with Liliana of the Veil producing a valuable card advantage engine where, unlike Dark Confidant, you only lose one life a turn. While viewed as a mistake by many, Wrenn and Six is my number one card of 2019, and here it is in action in Jund.

Creature (12) 4 Bloodbraid Elf 4 Tarmogoyf 2 Dark Confidant 2 Scavenging Ooze Instant (11) 3 Assassin’s Trophy 3 Fatal Push 3 Lightning Bolt 2 Kolaghan’s Command Planeswalker (7) 4 Liliana of the Veil 3 Wrenn and Six Sorcery (7) 4 Inquisition of Kozilek 2 Thoughtseize 1 Maelstrom Pulse Land (23) 4 Verdant Catacombs 3 Blackcleave Cliffs 3 Bloodstained Mire 2 Nurturing Peatland 2 Overgrown Tomb 2 Swamp 2 Wooded Foothills 1 Barren Moor 1 Blood Crypt 1 Forest 1 Raging Ravine 1 Stomping Ground

Sideboard (15) 3 Fulminator Mage 2 Ashiok, Dream Render 2 Plague Engineer 2 Collective Brutality 2 Collector Ouphe 2 Dreadbore 1 Vraska, Golgari Queen 1 Ancient Grudge

How the deck works

At this point the main deck is pretty established. While Wrenn and Six has taken center stage as the two drop in the deck you still have room to run Dark Confidant in the deck. The dark wizard is still a really good source of card draw versus archetypes that are not killing you quickly (such as Azorius Control and Mono Green Tron). Versus Burn or aggro strategies you can bring in Collective Brutality (discarding lands to the Escalate mechanic), and get the lands back with Wrenn and Six.

Using early planeswalkers, and threats, you want to set yourself up to cast two spells a turn with Bloodbraid Elf to obtain tempo advantage over your opponent on your path to victory.

The sideboard, just as it always is with black-green based midrange decks, is in flux. Currently there are a lot of planeswalkers in my local meta so I choose to tackle them, but if graveyard decks become more relevant then I will bring the hate for those decks.

In Conclusion

2019 was a year of constant change for the game. From new products, to new designs, the excitement level felt like it was at a fever pitch that in many ways felt a little overboard. While this brought along some powerful spells played across all formats there were an unprecedented number of cards banned across every format this calendar year.

Could we see cards pushed to this level again? Could we see the same thing happen in 2020? Only time will tell.

Your Thoughts

What were your favorite cards of the year? Let me know by leaving a comment below. You can even provide your Top 10 if you would like. Also follow me on Facebook as well as Twitter.

Next Time

I will see you all after the new year. Please enjoy your holiday season with friends, family, and of course your Magic cards. I’ll return with an article on Monday January 6th 2020.

Until then…

TAP MORE MANA!!!