Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue

By Faithless BrewingLeisure Games Hobbies

Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue episodes

September 17, 2022 14 Terrible Cards That Might Actually Be Sweet (Serum Visions #4)
Season 15, Episode 9: Faithless Brewing x Serum Visions #4
The Serum Visions gang returns to wrap up our third monthly project. Last time, the listeners voted for Resurgent Belief, a challenging card that asks us to combine two dubious strategies: reanimator, and enchantments. Fortunately, these strategies get new tools all the time, with powerful sagas like Fable of the Mirror-Breaker or surprising removal like Leyline Binding and Temporary Lockdown. Unfortunately, a few decent enchantments does not a playable deck make. Was the crew able to crack the code on Resurgent Belief before the clock ran out? Or does this strategy need some new printings to replenish its hopes?
After that recap, we turn our attention to new and wonkier things. 14 cards are on the ballot for next month’s project, running the gamut from Commander favorites like Jodah, the Unifier and Lithoform Engine, to nasty combo enablers like Erayo, Spreading Algae, and Necrotic Ooze. There’s something for everyone in this eclectic mix of cards, and possibly even a few hidden gems. What card will we brew next? Only you can decide!
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Timestamps
Flashback: Resurgent Belief
[5:38] Zach’s BTL Resurgent Seals
[13:47] Dan’s Leyline Cascade Resurgence
[22:38] Concluding thoughts on Resurgent Belief
Nominees for Next Month’s Project
[31:02] Aggressive Mining
[35:52] Spreading Algae
[39:27] Lotleth Troll
[41:56] Ingenious Infiltrator
[44:39] Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
[48:51] Kamahl’s Druidic Vow
[52:10] March of Burgeoning Life
[58:15] Jodah, the Unifier
[1:02:31] Mechanized Production
[1:08:39] Bayou Groff
[1:12:00] Shepherd of the Flock
[1:15:41] Necrotic Ooze
[1:19:37] Danitha, Benalia’s Hope
[1:21:48] Lithoform Engine

1 hr 31 min
September 12, 2022 Aether Channeler: The Triple Threat Wizard
Season 15, Episode 8: Brew Session (Aether Channeler) + Flashback (Leyline Binding)
Aether Channeler isn’t the best at any one job, but it always gives you something meaningful. Is this style of card strong enough for today’s Modern and Pioneer? That’s the question that we set out to answer today on Faithless Brewing.
We’ve seen multiple modes on 3 drops before, most notably on Callous Bloodmage, a card that barely saw play. Channeler offers two similar abilities (make a token, draw a card) but replaces the niche graveyard hate with an always-solid bounce any permanent effect. This raises the floor of the card significantly, making Channeler a meaningful play whether you are ahead or behind. What’s more, the ability to bounce a planeswalker is an effect previously missing from the blink strategies where ETB triggers are known to thrive.
On the Flashback, David and Morde share their results testing various brews with Leyline Binding. The card has quickly established itself as a staple in top tier Modern archetypes (hopefully you bought your copies early, we tried to warn you!). But can Binding also power up silly synergies with Enigmatic Incarnation and In Search of Greatness? The better the card, the more hope there is for enabling some true nonsense.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Timestamps
Brew Session: Aether Channeler
[4:05] What makes this card good?
[9:07] David’s Naban Wizards
[15:30] David’s Teleportation Circle
[21:50] Morde’s Bant Soulherder
[24:55] Morde’s WU Sun Titan Taxes
Flashback: Leyline Binding
[31:49] David’s Enigmatic Greatness
[45:08] Morde’s 5c Restoration Angel
[49:19] Morde’s Shadow Prophecy Reanimator
57 min
September 09, 2022 Paragons of Innovation: Week 1 Winners & Losers
Season 15, Episode 7: Weekly Roundup
David and Morde review the top innovations from Week 1 of #MTGDMU, starring Serra Paragon, Yotia Declares War, Meria, Scholar of Antiquity, and more.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Timestamps
[1:51] Housekeeping
[5:03] Leyline Binding
[18:41] Liliana of the Veil
[28:18] Meria, Scholar of Antiquity
[34:11] Yotia Declares War
[42:12] Serra Paragon
[52:37] Evolved Sleeper
[55:25] Rundvelt Hordemaster
[58:02] Leaf-Crowned Visionary
1 hr 4 min
September 06, 2022 Brew This, Not That! Dominaria United Top 5s
Season 15, Episode 6: Dominaria United Top 5s With Mordeka1ser and Cavedan

Preview season is a heady time. Cards are flying fast and furious, the air is thick with new ideas, and big dreams take flight on wings of hype and hopium.
And when the dust has settled… well, it’s a lot! We covered more than a hundred cards in the blink of an eye. Which are the cards that really matter? Which ones are going to make a big impact on the meta, and which cards are we most excited to brew with? And of course, which are the cards that other people are just flat wrong about?
Cavedan and Morde are here to set the record straight on Dominaria United, as they compare their respective Top 5 lists for most impactful cards, most exciting cards, and most overrated and underrated. How do your own lists stack up? What did we get wrong, and where should we be looking next?

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Timestamps
[5:31] Housekeeping
[7:08] Top 5 Most Impactful: Modern
[18:55] Top 5 Most Impactful: Pioneer
[27:15] Top 5 Most Exciting to Brew
[42:32] Top 5 Overrated
[50:07] Top 5 Underrated
[1:00:35] Top 5 Random Power Creep
1 hr 8 min
September 02, 2022 Leyline Binding Is the Truth
Season 15, Episode 5: Brew Session (Leyline Binding, Shadow Prophecy)
So here’s the deal. Oblivion Ring for a single white mana, at flash speed, is an unreal Magic card. It’s so insanely powerful that when we first discussed Leyline Binding, many listeners thought it was fake. Had we been duped by the folks at r/custommagic, they wondered? And it’s a fair question. It’s not every day we get a removal spell that can rival Swords to Plowshares.
Not only is Leyline Binding very real, it’s also the real deal. But don’t just take our word for it. Now that Dominaria United is available online, it’s time to put theory into practice and set this card loose on the hapless Modern and Pioneer metagames.
We see Leyline Binding fitting into several existing Modern strategies: 4c Omnath, UWx Control, Reanimator, Indomitable Creativity, Domain Zoo, and Crashing Footfalls, to name just a few. It may even revive the Enigmatic Incarnation deck, thanks to its nutty ability to tutor a 7 drop directly into play. Swords to Plowshares with combo potential? You bet. In Pioneer, Enigmatic is a much more proven deck, and 5c Niv is also well set up to support Leyline. You can even go for synergistic nonsense like In Search of Greatness, Zur, Eternal Schemer, or Resurgent Belief.
Building a Domain manabase is no mean feat, but the rewards have never been higher. Not only do we get Leyline Binding, but also there is Shadow Prophecy, a juiced up Fact or Fiction that can fill your graveyard on the cheap while providing card advantage and selection. Morde and Cavedan are high on Prophecy, but can it crack the top tier of Modern? There’s only one way to find out.

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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Decklists and Timestamps

[2:23] Update: the kittens
[7:50] Housekeeping
Brew Session: Leyline Binding + Shadow Prophecy
[12:01] Rules notes
[17:41] Key questions: power level
[23:57] Mana considerations
[28:14] Which existing decks want Leyline?
[30:42] Morde’s UWx Leyline Control
[31:54] How good is Shadow Prophecy?
[38:27] Morde’s 5c Reanimator
[44:16] 5c Archon Creativity
[47:37] Modern Enigmatic Incarnation
[59:16] Pioneer Enigmatic Incarnation
[1:09:28] David’s Naya In Search of Greatness
[1:13:35] David’s Bant Enigmatic Greatness
[1:15:35] Modern Domain Zoo
[1:18:19] Cavedan’s Resurgent Belief
1 hr 23 min
September 01, 2022 Leveling Up in Modern with Cameron Lantz, SCG Baltimore Champion
Season 15, Episode 4: Q&A with Cameron Lantz
Fresh off her victory at the SCG Baltimore Team Trios $25K, Cameron Lantz joins Morde to share her insights on the current state of Modern and Pioneer and her preferred approach to deck selection for team events. She also weighs in on the last batch of Dominaria United spoilers, including some final-day surprises like Shadow Prophecy, Flowstone Infusion, and The Cruelty of Gix.

Where to find Cameron:
Twitter: @sometimesIscry
Articles: Owl Central Games
Read Cam's SCG Baltimore Winner's Report for more insight on her preparation and deck selection process, and her team’s winning decklists in Pioneer, Modern, and Legacy.
Cameron also offers one on one coaching for eternal formats. Contact her on Twitter for more details.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
1 hr 1 min
August 26, 2022 Set Review, Part 3: Final Look at Dominaria United Previews in Modern and Pioneer
Season 15, Episode 3: Brewer’s Guide to Dominaria United, Vol. III
While the final batch of Dominaria previews did not sport such mighty cards as Leyline Binding, it is still filled to the brim with brew arounds that catch the eye of our Faithless Brewers.
Ivy, Gleeful Spirit leads the 2 drop charge with a new twist on its effect that makes the Nephilim of old nothing but envious. Ivy allows us to not only get bonuses out of our own spells but also nullify our opponent's ones (or at least get the same value they will get), while also being a "MAY" ability, stopping us from getting blown out with a removal. The fact it works with any sort of spell and not just instant and sorceries is just icing on the mutated cake.
Vodalian Hexcatcher is the runner up as the second best lord of the set, making sure that Merfolk do not lag too far behind Goblins. This flash lord allows you to transform your Merfolk into Jwari Disruption for noncreature spells. Meanwhile the Elf lord, Leaf-Crowned Visionary, ensures you never run out of gas as you can keep cycling through your deck with an interesting twist on Glimpse of Nature.
Finally, Read Ahead sagas like The Elder Dragon War are extremely versatile spells, balancing value against tempo. Will they lead Morde down the Brought Back rabbit hole once more? Perhaps some 4/4 Dragons are just what the card needs to return to the Modern spotlight, or even better, make a surprise appearance in the Pioneer format. Tune in for all the info, hope you enjoy and happy brewing!

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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S15E03 Timestamps
Set Review: Dominaria United, Part 3
[3:27] Housekeeping
[5:41] Thran Portal
[8:40] Combat Research
[11:24] Tail Swipe
[12:49] Runic Shot
[13:14] Battlewing Mystic
[15:23] Elas il-Kor, Sadisitic Pilgrim
[17:22] Shadow-Rite Priest
[21:19] Weatherlight Compleated
[24:37] Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief
[28:10] Baird, Argivian Recruiter
[31:48] Phyrexian Missionary
[33:16] Balmor, Battlemage Captain
[36:22] Leaf-Crowned Visionary
[38:13] Vodalian Hexcatcher
[40:15] Yotia Declares War
[42:29] Impulse
[44:33] Shanna, Purifying Blade
[46:05] Anointed Peacekeeper
[50:02] Meria, Scholar of Antiquity
[54:42] Braids’s Frightful Return
[57:16] Ertai’s Scorn
[58:48] Haughty Djinn
[1:02:35] Relic of Legends
[1:04:35] Lagomos, Hand of Hatred
[1:06:44] Aether Channeler
[1:08:56] Vodalian Mindsinger
[1:10:52] Astor, Bearer of Blades
[1:12:41] Nael, Avizoa Aeronaut
[1:14:37] Sheoldred’s Restoration
[1:15:51] Ertai Resurrected
[1:20:28] The Elder Dragon War
[1:24:17] Timeless Lotus
[1:26:43] Rith, Liberated Primeval
1 hr 34 min
August 23, 2022 The Best Dominaria United Cards for Modern and Pioneer: Set Review Part 2 (ft. Manacymbal)
Season 15, Episode 2: Brewer’s Guide to Dominaria United, Vol. II
Three of the most important cards for Modern and Pioneer headline the second installment of our Dominaria United Set Review.
Rundvelt Hordemaster powers up Goblins decks in a huge way. The first true 2 mana Goblin lord is also a tremendous source of card advantage and resiliency. Turning every death (including tokens, including itself) into fresh draws while also curving out well in aggressive starts is a game changer. Hordemaster also pairs with cost reduction effects and has combo potential with Skirk Prospector. We already liked Squee, Dubious Monarch, and now we like it a whole lot more.
Leyline of Binding is stunningly powerful. It may be the most powerful removal spell since Swords to Plowshares. Leyline provides a massive incentive to assemble a Domain mana base, and will be format-defining removal in both Pioneer and Modern. On top of its raw power, it can even synergize with proven engines like Enigmatic Incarnation or Enchantress to pull off some crazy feats.
Finally, low curve decks have a new enemy to fear in Temporary Lockdown. Certain strategies like Hammer, Hardened Scales, or tribal aggro get absolutely devastated by Culling Ritual. Temporary Lockdown makes this effect cheaper and even repeatable, thanks to Yorion and Teferi, Time Raveler.
From there, the offerings get more speculative, but no less interesting. Tolarian Terror has Gurmag Angler vibes with huge upside, but relying on the graveyard is a risk. Founding the Third Path may subsidize delve or See the Truth. And of course it wouldn’t be a Faithless Brewing Set Review without Cavedan going crazy over new kicker cards for his Drake Whack deck.
Prodigal co-host Zach “Manacymbal” Ryl returns today to help us break down all the hits and misses, and to catch up on the latest MTG news. Happy brewing!

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com

S15E02 Decklists and Timestamps
Roundup: MTG News
[3:41] Housekeeping
[6:03] Praise from SaffronOlive
[8:58] Follow-up on Dan’s LotR conspiracy theory
[13:12] 4c Yawgnota by Darshik
[14:46] SCG Baltimore Winner
[16:12] eBay buys TCGPlayer: what does it mean?
[22:18] Catching up with Zach “Manacymbal” Ryl
Set Review: Dominaria United, Part 2
[34:38] Plaza of Heroes
[37:43] Tolarian Terror
[42:18] Leyline of Binding
[50:47] Rona’s Vortex
[54:03] Phoenix Chick
[57:09] Rundvelt Hordemaster
[1:03:03] Joint Exploration
[1:06:04] Yavimaya Iconoclast
[1:06:37] Fires of Victory
[1:07:13] Stronghold Arena
[1:10:05] Founding the Third Path
[1:13:13] Temporary Lockdown
[1:16:23] Llanowar Greenwidow
[1:18:09] Karn, Living Legacy
[1:23:10] Ratadrabik of Urborg
[1:25:49] Defiler of Vigor
[1:28:07] Defiler of Faith
1 hr 35 min
August 19, 2022 Set Review: The Best of Dominaria United in Modern and Pioneer, Part 1
Season 15, Episode 1: Brewer’s Guide to Dominaria United + Magic in 2023
Today on Faithless Brewing we kick off our set review with the first batch of previews from Dominaria United. The set looks beautiful, but the criteria for playability in Modern and Pioneer are stricter than ever as the formats keep getting powered up. Do any of these new cards have a shot?
Squee, Dubious Monarch stands out as a multi-format staple. While it invites initial comparisons to Goblin Rabblemaster, the cards play very differently. Squee gets on the board faster (3 power with haste across 2 bodies), works better with lords, and provides unlimited access to a Den of the Bugbear-class threat. Rabblemaster, by contrast, spends most of its time in the graveyard after dying to removal.
Liliana of the Veil, the former jewel of Modern, looks humble in comparison to the endless value from cards that cost 2R. Liliana will be powerful but not broken in Pioneer; her existential struggle against Squee and Fable of the Mirror-Breaker for the soul of Rakdos will be a trend to watch.
Beyond those blue chips, the pickings get more speculative. Braids, Arisen Nightmare is a sneakily great draw engine masquerading as a punisher effect. Soul of Windgrace has Primeval Titan vibes at a decent mana cost. And Archangel of Wrath delivers a massive life swing, albeit on a clunky body. It will take some work to unlock these cards, but the power is there.
We also kick things off with a lighthearted look at the major announcements for Magic’s upcoming lineup in 2023. What cards did we miss on, and what did we get right? Tune in to find out.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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S15E01 Decklists and Timestamps
Roundup: “Wizards Presents” Announcements
[2:55] Is D&D more popular than Magic?
[5:36] Housekeeping
[7:14] Dan’s article: Mastering Variance with Sultai Crabvine
[10:03] Lord of the Rings conspiracies
[15:51] Magic in 2023 release schedule
Set Review: Dominaria United
[27:27] Pain land cycle
[32:03] Radha’s Firebrand
[35:47] Guardian of New Benalia
[38:40] Jhoira, Ageless Innovator
[41:07] Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart
[42:52] The Raven Man
[48:11] Benalish Sleeper
[49:43] Nishoba Brawler
[52:27] Impede Momentum
[53:29] Squee, Dubious Monarch
[59:31] Ajani, Sleeper Agent
[1:02:52] Resolute Reinforcements
[1:03:20] Micromancer
[1:04:55] Lilliana of the Veil
[1:09:34] Zur, Eternal Schemer
[1:11:29] Braids, Arisen Nightmare
[1:14:44] Soul of Windgrace
[1:17:23] The Phasing of Zhalfir
[1:20:16] Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
[1:24:05] Archangel of Wrath
[1:26:42] Nemata, Primeval Guardian
[1:30:07] Sol’Kanar, the Tainted
[1:33:03] Defiler of Dreams
[1:34:54] Sphinx of Clear Skies
[1:36:07] The World Spell
[1:40:56] Herd Migration
1 hr 47 min
August 15, 2022 Vivien and the Arkbow: A Tale of 10 Brews
Season 14, Episode 37: Brew Session (Vivien’s Arkbow, Getaway Car) + Flashback (Heart of Kiran, Rielle the Everwise, Humble Defector, Ugin’s Nexus)
David and Cavedan brew with Vivien’s Arkbow, the runner up in this month’s voting. Morde is a believer, but the old men will need some convincing. Are there ways to cheat on the activation cost? Make use of the discard outlet? Or perhaps even enable sweet Werewolves brews?
David also takes a crack at Getaway Car, an odd little vehicle that leans aggressive but can enable shenanigans with Voldaren Epicure and other ETB effects.
On the Flashback, the crew shares their testing results with Grixis Heart of Kiran, an updated Izzet Looting build with Rielle the Everwise, Mardu Charming Prince + Humble Defector, and a new attempt to crack Ugin’s Nexus.
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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com
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S14E37 Decklists and Timestamps
[3:00] David’s picks: movies from the 1990s
[12:00] Brewing Vivien’s Arkbow
[20:38] David’s Bant Renowned Arkbow
[28:24] Emi’s GW Devoted Druid
[30:58] Gruul Werewolves by Judge Rob
[35:00] BG Werewolves by pugsonchairs
[38:22] Brewing Getaway Car
[41:18] David’s Boros Getaway
[45:41] David’s UW Getaway
[51:22] Flashback: Grixis Week etc
[51:43] David’s Grixis Heart of Kiran
[59:27] David’s Izzet Rielle 2.0
[1:06:21] Dan’s Mardu Charming Defector
[1:11:48] David’s Jund Ugin’s Nexus
1 hr 25 min

About Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue

From the publisher's feed

A Magic: the Gathering podcast for the spike rogue. Each week, we brew new decks in Modern and Pioneer. We put our creations to the test and share our findings on the air: what worked, what didn’t, and what can be improved for next time. Are you sick of going 0-5? We can help you go 3-2, in style!