Modern Abzan; A Modern Article by Manny Meraz
This is my take on Abzan Control in Modern (It’s more midrangey but I want to call name it control because it has sweepers and that fires up all the feel goods) It’s pretty similar to builds of Abzan that currently exist in Modern but with a little more emphasis on the late game with Painful Truths, Tasigur and Abzan charm trying to draw me more cards.
It’s done fairly well in my one morning of testing unless you play it against Geist. I know what you’re thinking “Manny you dumb dumb just make your opponent sac it with Liliana” but usually they have many more counterspells than I have resolved Lilianas. The Damnations are invaluable against aggro and the fact that it is main decked has very few people playing around it on game one. Lingering Souls as anybody knows who has played with or against the card is very powerful and can be utilized in many different ways, I think it should be included in almost any deck playing black and white. The amount of removal I chose for this deck initially seemed to me to be very light but ended up feeling to be the correct amount as long as I chose to use it when something was synergizing a little too well or was larger than the average 4/5 body I had on the ground.
I chose to include a one of Abzan Charm which is most likely incorrect but the spot I had it fill was that of my third Painful Truths. The charm felt like a happy medium for me as I had already committed to playing a three mana draw spell in that slot so with that in mind drawing one less card and losing one less life with the possibility to be a removal spell made me comfortable with it in the end and the fact that the mana spent to cast Painful Truths is the same, if you think you’re not casting it for three you may be a mad man.
I didn’t want to be too greedy with my land destruction (Ghost Quarter and Tectonic Edge) due to the fact that this is a very color intensive deck but with the speculation of Tron becoming a powerhouse in the format I felt two and two was a good split and wouldn’t hurt my mana too badly which thankfully it has not. I definitely believe with Splinter Twin gone that it is going to open up the format to some more midrange and control decks, the catch is these larger decks are going to have to pay respect to Tron with a chunk of their sideboard or already have a good main deck game against it. I don’t feel this particular build is very good against Tron but I believe the three Thoughtseize and the previously discussed land destruction in the main will help with Fulminator Mage, Duress, and possibly Stony Silence in the sideboard to lend a hand. Having said that the sideboard is very raw and definitely needs to be developed more before this build should see play.
Well that’s my very first piece of MTG writing. Thanks you guys in advance for the support.
-Manny
Sorcery 14
2 Damnation
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
3 Lingering Souls
2 Painful Truths
3 Thoughtseize
Instant 7
3 Abrupt Decy
1 Abzan Charm
1 Murderous Cut
2 Path to Exile
Creature 10
4 Siege Rhino
4 Tarmogoyf
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
Plainswalkers 4
4 Liliana of the Veil
Lands 25
1 Forest
2 Ghost Quarter
2 Godless Shrine
4 Marsh Flats
3 Overgrown Tomb
1 Plains
2 Shambling Vent
3 Swamp
2 Tectonic Edge
1 Temple Garden
4 Verdant Catacombs
SB: 1 Creeping Corrosion
SB: 2 Feed the Clan
SB: 2 Fulminator Mage
SB: 2 Surgical Extraction
SB: 2 Engineered Explosives
SB: 2 Duress
SB: 2 Stony Silence
SB: 2 Seal of Primordium