Today we’ll be tackling some frequently asked questions about Modern Dredge. Let’s jump right in with the most asked question of late particularly with this meta.

Why should I choose Dredge over Izzet Phoenix?

There are three solid reasons to select Dredge over Izzet Phoenix.

First, Izzet Phoenix isn’t everyone’s playstyle. Whether or not players should play decks outside their comfort zone or proficiently is another discussion.

Second, in a heads up brawl, Dredge is winning a large portion of the games. Recent results I utilize have my win percentage with Dredge against Izzet Phoenix is about 75%. Notably, most of that data is post-Izzet Phoenix playing mainboard Surgical Extraction .

Lastly, Dredge creates way more deterministic wins, earlier, than Izzet Phoenix. So many openers can put seven or more power in play by turn two with the potential to kill on turn three. Izzet Phoenix has crazy draws that put multiple Arclight Phoenix into play, but has significantly less powerful openers on average than Dredge.

What spice is Dredge playing to beat Izzet Phoenix?

As mentioned above, the win rate vs Phoenix is not an issue. However, it is important when going to the sideboard with Dredge specifically to not overboard. The most common way Dredge loses to Izzet Phoenix is an uncontested Thing In The Ice transforming. Outside of that situation, Dredge takes the role of the aggressor and Izzet Phoenix is not a deck designed for blocking.

As the numbers of Surgical Extraction and Ravenous Trap have increased, the need for some kind of counterplay has followed. Memory’s Journey or Surgical Extraction are the best ways to combat these types of cards. Both have the added usage of targeting Arclight Phoenix in the opposing graveyard to slow the opponent’s clock while protecting ours.

What is the best turn one into turn two sequence?

We’ll use this time to dispel some myths about the power of Dredge openers. Faithless Looting and Cathartic Reunion are broken in half, but the actual optimal draws begin with turn one Shriekhorn . Shriekhorn allows you to see four cards by the start of your turn and can let you start turn two with four power in play, able to attack. An optimal draw would be this. Turn one, play a land and a Shriekhorn.

During your opponent’s second main phase, activate Shriekhorn targeting yourself, milling a Narcomeoba and a Prized Amalgam. At the end of your opponent’s turn, Prized Amalgam enters the battlefield. During your upkeep, activate Shriekhorn targetting yourself, milling a Bloodghast and a Stinkweed Imp .

Then, Dredge the Stinkweed Imp for your draw, putting the other three Bloodghast , another Stinkweed Imp and a Creeping Chill into your graveyard. Cast a Faithless Looting , replacing your draw with a Stinkweed Imp, milling the remaining three Creeping Chill. Play a land for the turn, triggering all four Bloodghast, who now have haste and attack your opponent for 12. 12 damage from attacks plus 12 damage from Creeping Chill equals one very dead opponent. But of course, that’s an absolute best case scenario.

Why does Dredge sideboard low copies of cards like Dampening Sphere when it pretty much has to be in your opening hand to be useful?

Cards do not have to be in your opening hand for Dredge. The deck utilizes the powerful spell Faithless Looting and is also sometimes on the draw. Assuming these are the only cards you draw during a game, that’s still seeing 10 cards towards a sideboard card. Additionally, in many post-sideboard games with Dredge, the pilot will need to naturally draw a fair amount.

This can be due to opposing hate pieces, needing to draw lands, or playing a slower, more controlling game, just to name a few. I’ve won games where I’ve naturally drawn as many as 10 times. The other side of this argument is that if you don’t naturally draw for the entire game, you’re likely winning and don’t need access to the card you brought in.

What cards truly wipe out Dredge?

Cards that are effective at hating Dredge out; Rest In Peace , Leyline of the Void , Grafdigger’s Cage . Full Stop.

Cards that aren’t as backbreaking, but that people should register more of; Scavenging Ooze . Ravenous Trap , Thalia, Guardian of Thraben , Bojuka Bog , Chalice of the Void .

Cards That People Overvalue against Dredge.

Surgical Extraction. Unless you have the ability to cast multiples of this card or present a fast enough clock, this card is ineffective against Dredge. Simply put, Dredge has so many different angles, it is difficult to try to remove one entirely with cards like Surgical Extraction.

What is an example hand that seems like a keep, but may be a trap?

The most common mistake people make with the deck is being afraid to mulligan. If your hand doesn’t contain a Faithless Looting, Cathartic Reunion or a Shriekhorn, throw it back until you’re below five cards.

Modern is an incredibly fast format and your hand that casts Life From the Loam on turn two returning a fetch land, is not going to impress anyone. Similarly never keep seven card hands that contain only one land and no Faithless Looting, even on the draw. There’s a large chance you never cast a spell. In addition, seven card hands that contain no green source but are playable otherwise can be risky. At the very least when keeping these hands, take extra care to try to find a green source before committing to a full-on Dredge plan.

Do you believe Creeping Chill should be banned?

When Izzet Phoenix and Dredge started putting up numbers, the masses cried out for a Faithless Looting ban. A Faithless Looting ban would absolutely cripple Dredge, while only slightly impacting Izzet Phoenix. Modern is in a fine place and Izzet Phoenix being the boogieman is good for the format. If we get to a stage where this is not the case, then yes, something will need to be removed from Dredge as well. My top picks are Manamorphose and Creeping Chill. Without these cards, Dredge and Izzet Phoenix would still be viable without being completely dominant, which is a desirable outcome.

How do you mentally remain calm when your graveyard is being attacked?

Understand that when you register Dredge, you are allowing a certain amount of randomness to influence your outcomes, just like any other deck. People choosing to show up with copious amounts of graveyard hate will best you a good portion of the time. However, Dredge can win plenty of games through hate.

Yes, the first time you get Surgical Extraction cast in response to your draw step, it hurts. The 70th time, you start to think more critically. “Alright, all my Bloodghasts are gone, what does that mean in the context of the rest of the game?”

The real level-up moments in Dredge come from determining when it is okay to play around hate and when to just go all out. Things like making sure you have access to a fetch land to return Bloodghast in response to Surgical Extraction or choosing not to Dredge on a turn you plan to Conflagrate to play around Ravenous Trap can make all the difference. If you’re going to get upset when you lose to a card someone put in their deck specifically to beat you, you’re going to have a bad time. Focus on what you can do to beat those cards instead of wallowing in pity.

As always, feel free to ask any Dredge questions in the comments below or on Twitter. Happy Dredging!

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