Analyzing Titanshift

4

4

2

The deck’s core has been set since Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch. The 4 《Primeval Titan》 and 4 《Scapeshift》 are the deck’s namesake. After players stopped playing 《Remand》, the addition of 2 《Summoner’s Pact》 gave the deck a lot of consistency. These 10 cards form the core of the win conditions.

4

4

4

The 4 《Sakura-Tribe Elder》 and 4 《Search for Tomorrow》 form the core of the ramp spells. The 27 lands are fairly standard, maximizing the amount of 《Mountain》 while also having a lot of green sources. I rounded out the ramp package with 4 《Farseek》. They offer a lot of consistency and ensure your game plan goes smoothly.

3

Then wanted additional ramp, but I wanted that ramp to have added utility. I’ve played 《Wood Elves》 and 《Growth Spasm》 in the past. For this tournament I decided that 《Mwonvuli Acid-Moss》 would be my utility ramp spell. I anticipated a lot of Tron and this was a great way to break up Tron while also being able to advance my own game plan. It also allowed me to slow down the faster combo decks by a turn, which was usually enough for me to win.

3(1)

1(1)

《Lightning Bolt》 is one of the best cards in Modern. Being able to deal with early creatures, finish off a 《Karn Liberated》, and lower an opponent form 20 to 17 are all reasons why I wanted it in the main. I decided to go with 《Chandra, Torch of Defiance》 over the 4th 《Lightning Bolt》 in the main, so I could have an answer to 《Thing in the Ice》 and 《Crackling Drake》 in the main and she also provided a back up win condition against 《Blood Moon》 and 《Surgical Extraction》 on 《Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle》.

1(1)

3(1)

《Engineered Explosives》 is a catch all answer to a lot of the early drops in the Modern format. Its utility increased with open decklists and the London mulligan. Finally there’s 《Relic of Progenitus》. With Dredge and Phoenix being two of the top decks, having access to 《Relic of Progenitus》 to slow them down made executing my game plan a lot easier.

Sideboard Guide

Tron: Favorable

Against Tron (On the Play)

Out

In

Against Tron (On the Draw)

Out

In

One of your best matchups. Your ramp spells will let you come out fast and usually get a turn 4 win with little disruption. Though your opponent has a turn 3 《Karn Liberated》, you can finish it off with a 《Lightning Bolt》.

Postboard they bring in 《Thought-Knot Seer》. 《Chandra, Torch of Defiance》 is a clean answer to them. 《Ancient Grudge》 is a good answer to 《Expedition Map》 on the play along with 《Wurmcoil Engine》. 《Tireless Tracker》 gives you a way to draw more cards and puts a lot of pressure on your opponent to deal with it. 《Damping Sphere》 is big for stopping Tron from making additional mana. 《Reclamation Sage》 is fine on the play, but a little too slow on the draw. We want a 《Lightning Bolt》 on the draw to finish 《Karn Liberated》.

Dredge: Slightly Favorable

Against Dredge

Out

In

You want to take out your one time removal for 《Anger of the Gods》 which permanently removes their creature threats. 《Relic of Progenitus》 can buy multiple turns against them. 《Obstinate Baloth》 blocks all their creature threats and it can buy you a turn against big 《Conflagrate》.

Izzet Phoenix: Even

Against Izzet Phoenix

Out

In

This matchup really depends on if they get a quick 《Arclight Phoenix》 draw or a quick 《Thing in the Ice》 draw. Postboard we want to limit the effectiveness of 《Blood Moon》 and 《Surgical Extraction》 by diversifying our threats and bringing in more answers for theirs.

《Engineered Explosives》 is good against 《Thing in the Ice》 and 《Pyromancer Ascension》. 《Relic of Progenitus》 is good against 《Arclight Phoenix》, Flashback of 《Faithless Looting》, 《Pyromancer Ascension》, and 《Snapcaster Mage》 out of the board. 《Chandra, Torch of Defiance》 is good against 《Thing in the Ice》 and 《Crackling Drake》 while being a win condition under 《Blood Moon》. 《Dragonlord Atarka》 destroys all their creatures off the bat and can block 《Awoken Horror》. 《Reclamation Sage》 can destroy 《Blood Moon》. 《Tireless Tracker》 is an alternate win condition under 《Blood Moon》.

Humans: Favorable

Against Humans

Out

In

In this matchup you want to go long. Drawing too many win conditions or too many ramp spells will get you over run or locked out by Humans. Board in a diverse set of removal spells so they can’t name them all with 《Meddling Mage》. 《Obstinate Baloth》 gives you time and is hard for them to beat in combat.

Grixis Death’s Shadow: Unfavorable

Against Grixis Death’s Shadow

Out

In

Getting an early 《Relic of Progenitus》 is huge for keeping them off 《Gurmag Angler》. Being able to 《Engineered Explosives》 for 《Death’s Shadow》 is huge. The hope is you can buy time to get to a 《Primeval Titan》 or a 《Scapeshift》.

Conclusion

My deck choice ended up being really good for this tournament. I played against Tron 3 times, BW Eldrazi, Mono Red Eldrazi, GB rock, UW Control, Esper Control, Humans and Hardened Scales. My loss was to Hardened Scales and intentionally drawing with Humans. I lost in the Top 8 to 《Experimental Frenzy》 Affinity. I felt overall my deck was very well positioned and my only losses were to fast Artifact draws.

I feel very fortunate to have gone as far as I did in the tournament. There were definitely a few spots where I got really lucky. I’m excited to have brought the deck I worked so hard on to the top of the highest stage of Magic. I believe it’s a good choice moving forward.

Thien Nguyen @thinenagooyen on Twitter

Recommended Items

《Primeval Titan》

《Scapeshift》

《Chandra, Torch of Defiance》

《Mwonvuli Acid-Moss》