Introduction
After reading the coverage of Hareruya 17th God of Modern Challenger Tournament and seeing multiple Heliod Company making it to the top 8 of the event, I decided to explore more into the deck as I am always a big fan of 《Collected Company》 deck.
The Original Deck
This is the version of the deck by Takuya Hidaka that caught my eye and I decided to test it on Magic Online.
- Takuya Hidaka
- – Heliod Company
- 17th God of Modern Challenger Tournament
- (Swiss 8th)
5 《Forest》
2 《Plains》
4 《Temple Garden》
4 《Windswept Heath》
1 《Flooded Strand》
1 《Verdant Catacombs》
2 《Horizon Canopy》
1 《Pendelhaven》
1 《Gavony Township》
-Land (21)- 2 《Walking Ballista》
4 《Arbor Elf》
4 《Conclave Mentor》
3 《Scavenging Ooze》
2 《Auriok Champion》
4 《Heliod, Sun-Crowned》
4 《Spike Feeder》
4 《Ranger-Captain of Eos》
-Creature (27)-
2 《Plains》
4 《Temple Garden》
4 《Windswept Heath》
1 《Flooded Strand》
1 《Verdant Catacombs》
2 《Horizon Canopy》
1 《Pendelhaven》
1 《Gavony Township》
-Land (21)- 2 《Walking Ballista》
4 《Arbor Elf》
4 《Conclave Mentor》
3 《Scavenging Ooze》
2 《Auriok Champion》
4 《Heliod, Sun-Crowned》
4 《Spike Feeder》
4 《Ranger-Captain of Eos》
-Creature (27)-
After playing multiple leagues with the deck, the deck felt strong especially if your opponent is unable to win through infinite life gain as the combo is fairly easy to set up and the opponent will need 2 removal spells in order to disrupt the combo.
This deck is basically a combo deck and unlikely to win by fair beatdown as the clock is usually not fast enough in Modern.
How to Go Off
The deck combo starts by having the following combination.
《Spike Feeder》 + 《Heliod》 + 《Conclave Mentor》
You are able to gain infinite life with just 《Spike Feeder》 + Heliod in play as Heliod trigger ability allows 《Spike Feeder》 to replace the counter on itself whenever we gain life with it.
If we have 《Conclave Mentor》 in play, it allows us to put infinite +1/+1 counters on any creature we have on the battlefield.
《Auriok Champion》/《Conclave Mentor》 + 《Heliod》 + 《Walking Ballista》
We can also deal infinite damage if we have 《Walking Ballista》 on 2 counters and have Heliod to give our 《Walking Ballista》 lifelink. If we have 《Auriok Champion》 or 《Conclave Mentor》 in play, we can combo out as early as turn 4.
Changes to the Deck
After more testing, I felt that the following cards below are the core of the deck.
《Hardened Scales》 might not be needed as the card does not do much if we do not have the combo pieces as we are not a deck that focuses on the +1/+1 counter theme.
I wanted to focus on just setting up and protecting the combo for my main deck and cut any card that does not help us to achieve that.
Updated Decklist
This is the decklist I have been playing.
- Kelvin Chew
- – Heliod Company
- Updated List
- (Modern)
5 《Forest》
2 《Plains》
3 《Temple Garden》
1 《Stomping Ground》
4 《Windswept Heath》
3 《Wooded Foothills》
3 《Horizon Canopy》
1 《Pendelhaven》
-Land (22)- 1 《Walking Ballista》
4 《Arbor Elf》
4 《Giver of Runes》
4 《Conclave Mentor》
4 《Heliod, Sun-Crowned》
4 《Ranger-Captain of Eos》
4 《Spike Feeder》
1 《Eternal Witness》
-Creature (26)-
2 《Plains》
3 《Temple Garden》
1 《Stomping Ground》
4 《Windswept Heath》
3 《Wooded Foothills》
3 《Horizon Canopy》
1 《Pendelhaven》
-Land (22)- 1 《Walking Ballista》
4 《Arbor Elf》
4 《Giver of Runes》
4 《Conclave Mentor》
4 《Heliod, Sun-Crowned》
4 《Ranger-Captain of Eos》
4 《Spike Feeder》
1 《Eternal Witness》
-Creature (26)-
3 《Skyclave Apparition》
3 《Path to Exile》
3 《Veil of Summer》
3 《Rest in Peace》
2 《Damping Sphere》
1 《Magus of the Moon》
-Sideboard (15)-
3 《Path to Exile》
3 《Veil of Summer》
3 《Rest in Peace》
2 《Damping Sphere》
1 《Magus of the Moon》
-Sideboard (15)-
Let me explain some of the additional and also which card did not make the cut.
4 《Giver of Runes》
I am surprised that this was not included in the initial deck at first.
When I was playing 《Devoted Druid》 combo, 《Giver of Runes》 was one of the best cards as it protects our key combo piece and requires the opponent to have multiple removals to interact.
4 《Eladamri’s Call》
This is the fastest way to find your missing combo piece. It fits on the curve nicely by allowing us to cast it on turn 2.
Since infinite life gain is just a 2-card combo, 《Eladamri’s Call》 makes setting up the combo fairly easy by just finding your missing piece.
0 《Auriok Champion》
This card is only good against Rakdos Death’s Shadow and they can still win with 《Temur Battle Rage》. They also have 《Kozilek’s Return》 in the sideboard as an answer to the card.
I would rather play more 《Path to Exile》 and 《Skyclave Apparition》 for the matchup.
1 《Magus of the Moon》
This is mostly against big mana strategy and I find it extremely useful in turning off 《Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle》/《Field of the Dead》 trigger while also decent against Tron on the play.
With 4 《Eladamri’s Call》, we can constantly cast it on turn 3 while also protecting it with 《Giver of Runes》.
Tips and Tricks
《Walking Ballista》 + 《Heliod》 + 《Pendelhaven》
With access to 5 mana and Heliod in play, you can cast 《Walking Ballista》 as a 1/1, pump it with 《Pendelhaven》 to make it a 2/3 and give it lifelink with Heliod to deal infinite damage.
《Arbor Elf》 and 《Utopia Sprawl》
If you have 《Arbor Elf》 and 《Utopia Sprawl》 in hand, and you cast 《Arbor Elf》 on turn 1 and 《Utopia Sprawl》 on turn 2, you can have access to 4 mana by untapping the forest with 《Utopia Sprawl》 on it.
Sideboard Guide
You should see that I board out 《Eladamri’s Call》 quite often as sideboard games tend to slow down and we have better cards to bring in and we do not want to reduce the number of creatures for 《Collected Company》 hit.
Selesnya Ramp / Amulet Titan
This matchup is good for us as they are unable to win through infinite life.
For Selesnya Ramp be careful of 《Skyclave Apparition》 as it is their only way to remove 《Heliod, Sun-Crowned》. You can cast 《Spike Feeder》 first if you have 《Giver of Runes》 in play to safely assemble your combo next turn.
Against Selesnya Ramp / Amulet Titan
Out
In
Mono-Green Tron
Tron is harder compare to the traditional ramp as they do not care about infinite life gain. We just have to set up our inifinite damage on board before they have 《Oblivion Stone》 or 《Karn Liberated》 in play.
Use your 《Ranger-Captain of Eos》 on their key turn to prevent them from resolving a big spell.
Against Mono-Green Tron
Out
In
Rakdos Death’s Shadow
We just have to set up our infinite life combo against any deck that does not have ways to win through it.
《Lava Dart》 is one of their way that can kill our 《Spike Feeder》 if we remove the counter to gain infinite life. Always wait for them to react first if you are not sure whether they have the removal as it will require them to have 2 if we have the combo in play.
Against Rakdos Death’s Shadow
Out
In
UWX Control / Uro Control
The matchup is not favorable for us as they have removal and also counterspell for our key spells.
Their deck is also capable of winning through infinite life gain with 《Jace, the Mind Sculptor》 or 《Teferi, Hero of Dominaria》.
Jeskai matchup is harder compare to traditional UW Control as they have access to 《Lightning Bolt》 as an answer to 《Ranger-Captain of Eos》, sometimes it is right to cast 《Collected Company》 on their turn and force them to spend mana on 《Force of Negation》 instead of just exiling a blue card.
Against UWX Control / Uro Control
Out
In
Oops! All Spells
Game 1, we should mulligan any hand that did not have ways to assemble 《Spike Feeder》 and Heliod combo as the matchup is about who is able to assemble their combo first.
After sideboard, we have 《Rest in Peace》 which they have to answer in order to win which buys us more time to set up our combo.
《Collected Company》 is still better than 《Eladamri’s Call》 after sideboard as we can occasionally cast turn 2 《Collected Company》 with the help of 《Arbor Elf》 and 《Utopia Sprawl》.
Against Oops! All Spells
Out
In
Death and Taxes
Against any white deck with 《Skyclave Apparition》, we just have to plan carefully whether to cast Heliod or 《Spike Feeder》 on turn 3.
Use your Fetchland and 《Eladamri’s Call》 early as they have 《Leonin Arbiter》 which taxes our search effect.
《Utopia Sprawl》 is at it worse in this matchup as they have access to 4 《Ghost Quarter》.
Against Death and Taxes
Out
In
Mirror
Since infinite life gain does not win the game, we have to prioritize the combo that does infinite damage.
We just have to play around 《Skyclave Apparition》 as it can exile our Heliod which is key in the mirror match.
Against Mirror
Out
In
Conclusion
That marks the end of my article! I hope this helps you understand Heliod Company in Modern. Just remember that this is a combo deck and you have to mulligan hands that do not have ways to assemble the combo.
If you have any questions regarding the deck, I will be happy to answer them via Twitter.
Thanks!
Kelvin Chew (Twitter)
