Modal Double-Faced Topic #1: The 2020 Mythic Invitational!

Part One is a quick-ish review of the 2020 Mythic Invitational / Top 8 decks.

No doubt this tournament was stacked with DIs and absolute masters.

Spoiler! Our favorite deck from a Historic Top 8 that was largely Standard decks with one or two overpowered additions:

Mono-Black Gift played by Matt Nass

Part Two is a longer explorations of… You guessed it! Some more standouts from the still-emerging Zendikar Rising. Cards like…

The Two Sides of Valakut Exploration

Valakut Exploration can be played several different ways

Valakut Exploration as an Outpost Siege – In some ways, this card is a faster source of incremental card advantage. A little Outpost Siege, a wee bit Experimental Frenzy or one of the many card-drawing editions of Chandra… Valakut Exploration comes down a turn earlier and can give you some extra card oomph.

Valakut Exploration in Gruul Ramp – How about playing this card with Radha, Heart of Keld or Dyrad of Ilsyan Grove? The ability to draw extra cards and play extra lands — gaining extra advantages from either side — may make this three mana enchantment a main-deck option.

How to Think About Kazandu Mammoth

What a Gnarled Mass!

Kazandu Mammoth is arguably… Just a little bit better than our preview card, Murasa Brute. Sure, it’s not a Warrior, but this Elephant has options before you play it, and extra punching power after.

Is Kazandu Mammoth a kind of Woolly Thoctar with cycling?

Patrick thinks of this card, somewhat as one with Forestcycling 1? You can certainly “pay” G [by putting Kazandu Valley into play tapped] to “get” a “Forest”.

Michael likes it on the battlefield (unsurprising). Sometimes it dies to any old deal three; others it hits for nine.

Legitimately Exciting is… Swarm Shambler!

Swarm Shamber is great on turn one… But can go long

While this card is probably not good enough for your Gruul Ramp deck… It’s more than good enough for your Gruul beatdown deck, your Selesnya beatdown deck, or as a mirror-breaker for Mono-Green.

The synergies with Hardened Scales in larger formats are obvious. It’s going to be great with any kind of a Winding Constrictor; Standard just happens to have one, and a persistent source of +1/+1 counters to boot.

Not quite a Scavenging Ooze, maybe; but what can you really ask for from your one-drop?

What if Murasa Sproutling Were Actually Good?

… And here’s ANOTHER nice 3/3 for three

Using a Murasa Sproutling to pick up another Murasa Sproutling is kind of a chain in and of itself.

The question is if Standard will be a place where 3/3 creatures for three are good enough; or certainly 3/3 creatures for five (no matter what advantages they generate).

There are certainly kicker-matters things that we want to try. Roost of Drakes is up there. Tajuru Paragon even more. Though Patrick really has to explain Sea Gate Stormcaller to his co-host.

This plus Into the Roil now? If you’ve got nine mana to burn, the other player is in trouble!

Just imagine all that were going to be good enough!

Or imagine with us:

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