Sideboarding Karn and friends, Anderson LeClair takes a peek at the best to bring in for games two and three when piloting the colorless beasts.

With GP LA and SCG Regionals coming up, Tron will certainly see quite a bit of play and to help guide Karn Liberated pilots along, it’s time to think sideboards to help them crush the events. First, here is my current Tron list that I would register if playing this weekend.

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Through a lot of testing, three basics is most of the time enough in the Field of Ruin / Assassin’s Trophy / Ghost Quarter matchups, so I want to max out on utility lands. Buried Ruin is the best option, and Horizon Canopy doubles as the fourth green producing land and an extra draw late in the game.

The metagame is in a spot where Walking Ballista is at an all-time low, but it is useful in enough situations that come up where I want one in the deck. Thragtusk is an all-star in plenty of matchups, most notably against Aggro, Control, and the Death’s Shadow decks that have come back into popularity, so I would like to be pre-sideboard for some of those matchups. This also frees up a sideboard slot.

In my view, Surgical Extraction , Thragtusk , Thought-Knot Seer , Nature’s Claim , and Spatial Contortion are must-haves for the sideboard. My flex slots right now are Grafdigger’s Cage, Warping Wail, and Emrakul the Promised End. One thing I like about all of my 1-of’s in my sideboard is for all of them to be colorless so they can be found off of Ancient Stirrings. Grafdigger’s Cage is an extra sideboard card against Dredge, Phoenix decks, and Storm. Warping Wail is not amazing at anything, but it is very versatile.

It comes in a majority of matchups because it can randomly be good, killing a variety of creatures from Baral, Chief of Compliance to most of the creatures in Affinity. It is also very good against decks like Scapeshift, being able to find a counterspell for their win con off of Ancient Stirrings. Emrakul, the Promised End is our killer against control decks and combo decks, or winning on the spot when cast against the latter. On to sideboarding!

Dredge:

This matchup can be difficult game one if they have one of their fast draws, the only cards that really matter are the Wurmcoil Engines, Relic of Progenitus , and Ugin. This matchup gets much better post board. Surgical Extraction and Grafdigger’s Cage are obvious, Warping Wail can counter their engine cards or Conflagrate.

Out: 3 Karn Liberated , 2 Oblivion Stone, 1 Walking Ballista

In: 2 Surgical Extraction, 1 Grafdigger’s Cage, 1 Warping Wail , 2 Thragtusk

I would bring in 1-2 Nature’s Claims if I knew that they had Damping Sphere, but I think most Dredge players are cutting that from their sideboard

Izzet Phoenix:

This matchup is close, especially game one against their fast draws. Post-board we get to bring in permanent answers to Arclight Phoenix and ways to stall the game against Thing in the Ice until we can land some of our bigger threats.

Out: 1 Walking Ballista, 4 Wurmcoil Engine, 1 Ghost Quarter, 2 Oblivion Stone,

In: 2 Nature’s Claim, 2 Surgical Extraction, 2 Thragtusk, 1 Grafdigger’s Cage, 1 Warping Wail

Grixis Death’s Shadow:

In my experience, this is a favorable matchup for Tron. They have no way to interact with our Tron lands once we assemble Tron, so they have to both have a fast clock, hand disruption and ways to counter our threats that they have trouble answering once they land.

Out: 1 Walking Ballista, 1 Ghost Quarter

In: 2 Thragtusk

The Mirror (Gx Tron):

The Mirror is some of the worst Magic I have ever played because only one card truly matters: Karn Liberated. Game one is simply who plays Karn Liberated first because there is no coming back from double Stone Rain.

Games two and three get a little more play because of Ghost Quarter + Surgical Extraction, but the end all be all is still Karn Liberated. On the play, mulligan aggressively for turn-3 Karn. Thragtusk looks a little weird, but having a creature that can kill Karn Liberated if it is exiled with its -3 Ability can be relevant.

Out: 4 Wurmcoil Engine, 3 Oblivion Stone, 1 Walking Ballista,2 Ugin the Spirit Dragon

In: 2 Surgical Extraction, 2 Thragtusk, 3 Thought-Knot Seer, 3 Nature’s Claim

Burn:

This matchup has never felt as bad as people make it out to be, and recently it feels like it has gotten even better. Burn has started to cut Skullcrack, with some even opting for the black splash over white, which makes Wurmcoil Engine even better. You also get to bring in most of your sideboard in this matchup, so Games 2 + 3 get even better.

Out: 3 Relic of Progenitus, 1 Ghost Quarter, 4 Oblivion Stone, 1 Walking Ballista, 2 Ugin the Spirit Dragon, 1 Karn Liberated

In: 3 Nature’s Claim , 2 Thragtusk, 3 Thought-Knot Seer, 1 Emrakul, the Promised End , 2 Spatial Contortion, 1 Warping Wail

Humans:

This matchup is very die-roll dependent. If we can sweep the board unimpeded turn 4, then we win, but they can win on their turn 4 on the play a good portion of the time. If this deck is popular, then I recommend using one of the flex slots in the sideboard on an All is Dust.

Out: 3 Relic, 1 Ghost Quarter, 3 Karn Liberated

In: 3 Nature’s Claim, 2 Spatial Contortion, 2 Thragtusk

Bant Spirits:

This matchup feels like humans, but it is better for Tron. They have less disruption than Humans so it is easier to assemble Tron and a turn 4 sweeper if you play around Spell Queller correctly. This is another matchup where if you expect a lot of it you should sideboard an All is Dust.

Out: 3 Relic of Progenitus, 1 Ghost Quarter, 2 Wurmcoil Engine

In: 3 Nature’s Claim, 2 Spatial Contortion, 1 Emrakul, the Promised End

Hardened Scales:

This matchup is another close one that gets better post board. They can have a fast kill with Welding Jar backup and all we have game 1 is Oblivion Stone. Game 2 we get some cheap interaction and board out cards that are completely dead.

Out: 3 Relic of Progenitus, 2 Ugin the Spirit Dragon, 1 Wurmcoil Engine

In: 2 Spatial Contortion, 3 Nature’s Claim, 1 Warping Wail

Mono-Red Phoenix:

This matchup is pretty favorable if they do not attack with multiple Arclight Phoenix on turn 2. Four Wurmcoil Engine is big game. Game 2 we bring in more removal and answers to Arclight Phoenix and Blood Moon. If we can survive to land a Wurmcoil Engine it is hard for us to lose.

Out: 1 Walking Ballista, 4 Karn Liberated, 1 Ghost Quarter, 2 Ugin the Spirit Dragon, 2 Oblivion Stone

In: 2 Spatial Contortion, 2 Thragtusk, 2 Surgical Extraction, 1 Grafdigger’s Cage, 3 Nature’s Claim

Ad Nauseum:

This is another close matchup that depends on the play/draw and if we can Turn 3 Karn or Turn 4-5 Ulamog. Keeping them off their mana is how we can win, and we bring in cards to destroy their combo pieces and attack their hand.

Out: 3 Relic of Progenitus, 4 Wurmcoil Engine

In: 3 Thought-Knot Seer, 3 Nature’s Claim, 1 Emrakul, the Promised End

Jund/BG:

This is supposed to be a slam dunk matchup for Tron, but since the printing of Assassin’s Trophy it has gotten tough. In my experience, Game 1 is very in our favor, and then how hard Game’s 2 and 3 are dependent on how many Fulminator Mage and Assassin’s Trophy’s they draw.

Out: 2 Relic of Progenitus

In: 2 Thragtusk

*Sometimes GB will bring in Damping Sphere, so bring in 2 Nature’s Claim for 1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger and the 3rd Relic*

4-Color Prison:

People who think this matchup is going to be easy because Lantern Control was a good matchup are wrong. This deck plays more lock pieces and can tutor for them with Whir of Invention. This coupled with the fact this deck has access to Damping Sphere main-deck make it what I think is a difficult matchup. That being said, we have a lot of cards they have to answer.

Out: 4 Wurmcoil Engine, 1 Thragtusk, 1 Ugin the Spirit Dragon

In: 3 Nature’s Claim, 2 Surgical Extraction, 1 Emrakul, the Promised End

Amulet:

This matchup is another where it depends on if we have Turn 3 Karn or not. Turns out double Stone Rain matters in the matchups where the deck revolves around the lands.

Out: 3 Relic of Progenitus, 4 Wurmcoil Engine, 1 Thragtusk, 1 Walking Ballista

In: 3 Nature’s Claim, 2 Spatial Contortion, 3 Thought-Knot Seer, 1 Warping Wail

UW Control:

This matchup is usually very good game 1, and still good — although losing percentage points — games 2 and 3.

Out: 4 Wurmcoil, 3 Oblivion Stone, 1 Ugin the Spirit Dragon, 1 Chromatic Sphere

In: 3 Nature’s Claim, 1 Emrakul, the Promised End, 3 Thought Knot Seer, 2 Thragtusk

*If you know they are not playing Stony Silence, keep in 1 Wurmcoil Engine, 1 Ugin the Spirit Dragon, and 1 Chromatic Sphere for the 3 Nature’s Claim*

Jeskai Control:

This matchup is slightly better than UW because they usually have less land destruction and Wurmcoil and Thragtusk matter more against their burn spells. Jeskai does have games where they can burn you out, but those can be navigated to value Wurmcoil higher than other threats. Jeskai usually does not play Stony Silence in their sideboard. One thing to make sure of is to watch out for Geist of St. Traft coming out of the sideboard for a quick and hard to interact with kill.

Out: 2 Wurmcoil, 3 Oblivion Stone, 1 Walking Ballista

In: 1 Emrakul, the Promised End, 3 Thought-Knot Seer, 2 Thragtusk

Storm:

This matchup is pretty awful game 1 unless we get lucky with Turn 3 Karn Liberated into Ulamog the Ceasless Hunger and they are not playing a lot of Remands. Games 2 and 3 we get more interaction, and Storm likes to try and Empty the Warrens, so keep in some sweepers. You also need to pay attention to the Storm players manabase to determine if they have Blood Moon in the sideboard. Fetchlands usually mean Blood Moon is on its way.

Out: 4 Wurmcoil Engine, 1 Thragtusk, 1 Ghost Quarter, 1 Walking Ballista, 2 Oblivion Stone, 1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

In: 3 Thought-Knot Seer, 1 Emrakul, the Promised End, 2 Surgical Extraction, 1 Warping Wail, 2 Spatial Contortion, 1 Grafdigger’s Cage

*Most players do not play Blood Moon, if they are bring in some number of claims for Buried Ruin and some more sweepers*

TitanShift:

This matchup is hard for us game 1 unless we have Turn 3 Karn Liberated into another Karn Liberated or Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger. Games 2 and 3 it gets better, but I still think we are the underdog.

Out: 4 Oblivion Stone, 3 Relic of Progenitus, 1 Walking Ballista, 2 Ugin the Spirit Dragon

In: 3 Thought-Knot Seer, 3 Nature’s Claim, 1 Emrakul, the Promised End, 2 Surgical Extraction, 1 Warping Wail

Infect:

This is one of our worst matchups, and one of the matchups that most negatively affected by the choice to lower our Ballista count. Our ways to win this game are to get lucky with an Ugin, the Spirit Dragon or Oblivion Stone and the extra removal we bring in post-board.

Out: 3 Relic of Progenitus, 4 Wurmcoil Engine

In: 1 Warping Wail, 2 Spatial Contortion, 3 Nature’s Claim, 1 Emrakul, the Promised End

Hollow One:

This matchup is in Hollow Ones favor, but if we are on the play we can pull away with a turn 3 Wurmcoil Engine. Post-board we bring in some cheaper interaction and more ways to prolong the game until we land an Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger or more Wurmcoil Engines.

Out: 1 Walking Ballista, 2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon, 1 Ghost Quarter, 4 Karn Liberated, 1 Oblivion Stone

In: 2 Spatial Contortion, 2 Thragtusk, 1 Grafdigger’s Cage, 1 Warping Wail, 3 Nature’s Claim,

Mardu Pyromancer:

This matchup is very good for Tron. They have hand disruption but a very slow clock to pressure us.

Out: 1 Ghost Quarter, 1 Ulamog the Ceaseless Hunger, 3 Relic of Progenitus

In: 2 Thragtusk, 3 Nature’s Claim

Bogles:

This matchup is favored for Tron. They can not interact with us playing a sweeper and winning the game almost on the spot. One thing to note is that you want to activate Oblivion Stone during combat since the boggle will stay around if they have a totem-armor enchantment. You want to bring in Spatial Contortion’s for Gaddock Teeg

Out: 1 Walking Ballista, 1 Thragtusk, 3 Relic of Progenitus

In: 3 Nature’s Claim, 2 Spatial Contortion

E-Tron:

This matchup is favored for Tron. Eldrazi has a lot of trouble with Wurmcoil Engine. They can steal the games with fast Thought-Knot Seers and Reality Smashers

Out: 3 Relic of Progenitus, 2 Ugin the Spirit Dragon

In: 2 Thragtusk, 3 Thought-Knot Seer

Counter’s Company:

This is slightly favored for Tron, and I think it gets better post board because of the spot removal we bring in. They do not present a fast clock, so if you can stop them from comboing you have lots of time

Out: 4 Wurmcoil Engine, 1 Thragtusk, 3 Relic of Progenitus, 1 Ghost Quarter, 1 Karn Liberated

In: 1 Grafdigger’s Cage, 1 Warping Wail, 2 Spatial Contortion, 3 Thought-Knot Seer, 1 Emrakul, the Promised End, 2 Nature’s Claim

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