Faithless Brewing MTG: Modern and Pioneer for the Spike Rogue

Kaldheim Season, Episode 7: Picks of the Week  // Flashback: Valki and Alrund

We’ll let you in on a secret: Tibalt’s Trickery is just noise. A deck with this much meme potential was bound to get lots of attention, but highlight reel screenshots do not equate to tournament wins. Yes, Trickery decks are stronger than expected, but they are easily hated out.

Valki, on the other hand… now there is a real villain. Big Tibalt may be overcosted at 7 mana, but at 3 mana he is straight busted. Our testing this week sent us deep down the rabbit hole, starting with all-in versions that aimed for nothing less than Turn 1 Tibalt, and morphing to hybrid builds capable of playing a longer game. As the week progressed, it became clear that Modern is ruled by the Cascade mechanic, with Tibalt at the helm. That means that Force of Negation and Teferi, Time Raveler are absolute powerhouses. And you know what card pitches to Force? Ardent Plea.

Our Flashback segment this week chronicles Dan’s wild journey with Valki, culminating in a teched out Counter-Tibalt build that he rode to an 80% win rate (28-7) and ultimately to a Top 8 finish in the Modern Challenge. Some of that, though, happened after this episode was recorded, and is a tale for next week. Until then: don’t leave home without Spell Pierce!

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Roundup: Picks of the Week

David's Pick: 50 Land Trickery by Sodeq

Cavedan's Pick: Temur Giants by aspiringspike

Damon's Pick: Dimir Cosima Control by Galanator

Flashback: Valki and Alrund

Turn 1 Tibalt 1.1 (Modern) 6-4 leagues (3-2, 3-2)

Trick or Tibalt (Modern): 4-1 league

4c Counter-Tibalt (Modern): 20-5 leagues (4-1, 4-1, 5-0, 3-2, 4-1)

5c Counter-Tibalt (Modern): 8-2 leagues (4-1, 4-1), Top 8 Modern Challenge (6-2)

Dimir Release the Gods (Pioneer): 4-6 leagues (2-3, 2-3)

Esper Yorion Flicker (Pioneer): 3-2 league

Kaldheim Season, Episode 06: Magda, Brazen Outlaw

The most dangerous mechanic in Magic? Fast mana. Always has been, always will be. Cards that produce bursts of mana are the rarest of the rare. Cards that do so repeatedly wind up on banned lists.

Imagine our surprise, then, when Kaldheim introduced us to Magda, Brazen Outlaw. Cheap, repeatable Treasures on an aggressive tribal lord, with a free repeatable tutor clause thrown in? Wizards is playing with F.I.R.E. here. Yes, the Dwarf tribe has been massively shorted (they're Dwarves after all), but don't let the fat cats in Renton dissuade you. There's fistfuls of Treasure to be gained for brewers with diamond hands.

Context is everything, of course. Whether recruiting Dwarves, tutoring Dragon or artifact payoffs, or unlocking obscure combos (Clock of Omens anyone?), one thing is certain: Magda is going to make us work for it. We've got four new lists to test and a half dozen more on the drawing board, so let's get to work!

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Timestamps

2:08 Magda Rules Notes

3:47 Tap Outlets

6:59 Are There Playable Dwarves?

10:05 Dragon Payoffs

13:56 Artifact Payoffs

18:01 Mana Sinks

20:22 Treasure Makers

22:47 Clock of Omens Combo

26:33 Aura of Dominion Combo

28:09 Paradox Engine Combo

30:49 Sketch 1: Magda Clock Combo (Modern) (3-2 league)

35:50 Sketch 2: Jeskai Dwarf Tempo (Modern)

44:38 Sketch 3: Boros Dwarves (Pioneer)

49:49 Sketch 4: Temur Treasures (Pioneer)

Kaldheim Season, Episode 5: Alrund, God of the Cosmos // Hakka, Whispering Raven

You've heard of bolting the bird, but why not blink the bird? Hakka, Whispering Raven doesn't look like much, but David thinks it has all the right moves. In Pioneer, a 2/3 blocker is well positioned, and Hakka can peck away at planeswalkers freely. But the real power lies in mischief: get a little tricksy, and you could unlock the mighty Alrund, God of the Cosmos several turns ahead of schedule.

It's a simple plan but one with many pitfalls. After all, how much is Alrund really worth? What can we expect from the end step trigger, assuming Alrund even makes it that far? And how much power can be gained from bringing Valki along for the ride? Join us as we search for answers the only way we know how: in the queues!

Decklists for Alrund // Hakka

Sketch 1: Grixis Release the Gods

Sketch 2: Dimir Release the Gods

Sketch 3: Esper Yorion Blink

Sketch 4: Azorius Alrund Tempo

We're experimenting with a new format this week and releasing our usual show in smaller chunks (namely, two 25-minute episodes and one 50-minute episode, instead of a single 100-minute episode). The goal is to make our content more accessible, so that if you click on an episode called "Exciting Brews with Valki" it actually starts with exciting brews with Valki. Ditto for our testing results and discussion of innovations in the metagame.

We know this will take some getting used to, but please bear with us as we iterate a bit and work out the kinks. We're want to create a more listener friendly experience and we're always happy for feedback! With that said, here's where you can find the rest of this week's content:

Roundup: Kaldheim Top 5s + Called Shots

Brew Session: Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor

Kaldheim Season, Episode 4

New season, new podcast format! We're trying an experiment this week and releasing our usual show in three parts. Don't worry, the content you love hasn't gone anywhere, it's just being broken up into smaller chunks. Namely: two 25-minute episodes and a 50-minute episode, instead of one 100-minute episode.

The goal is to make our content more accessible, so that if you click on an episode called "Exciting Brews with Valki" it actually begins with us talking about exciting brews with Valki. Ditto for easily finding our discussions of testing results on the Flashback, or our Picks of the Week on the Roundup. We hope this will create a more listener friendly experience that lowers the barrier of entry to our show. Brewing is hard enough as it is!

That said, we know this change will take some getting used to, especially if you're very accustomed to our "one long show per week" routine. It may be confusing to see three shorter episodes suddenly appear on your podcast feed all on the same day. Just bear with us, and give this new format an honest trial run. Much like brewing, podcasting is also about iterating, experimenting, and improving. We are always happy for feedback, so get in touch with us @FaithlessMTG and let us know what you think!

Kaldheim Season, Episode 3: Set Review Roundup

This week marks the beginning of the Kaldheim brewing season, and we can't wait to dive in! First we put a bow on our preview episodes with a look back at our Top 5 cards, including the results of a listener poll of cards people are most excited to brew with. We also take a moment to declare our fearless predictions, boldest takes, and called shots. Who was right all along? And who will have already been proven wrong before this episode even goes live?

For the brew session, we have a Gods of Kaldheim double header. Wizards no longer restricts themselves to one card per card, so why shouldn't we also double up? The first cards up are Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor, and Alrund, God of the Cosmos // Hakka, Whispering Raven. You can find those episodes here:

Brew Session: Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor

Brew Session: Alrund, God of the Cosmos // Hakka, Whispering Raven

Also don't miss these new articles at FaithlessBrewing.com:

Learning Legacy: An Introduction for Modern Players

From the Ashes of the Astrolabe: Rediscovering Urza

Happy brewing!

Kaldheim Season, Episode 3: Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor

Valki is lying to you. Says so right on the box. The front half of Valki is a lot worse than it looks, and Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor is too much mana. And yet, with their powers combined, they just might be something special.

This is not just about the power of options. No, we're talking about outright shenanigans: the weird interaction of MDFCs with free effects like cascade, Bring to Light, and Tibalt's Trickery provide a bevy of options for landing Big Tibalt way ahead of schedule. But what happens after that? Does a turn 1 Tibalt actually convert to a win, or is that just another one of Valki's lies? There's only one way to find out: let's head to the queues!

Decklists for Valki

Sketch 1: Turn 1 Tibalt

Sketch 2: Valki Jund

Sketch 3: Turbo Trickery

Sketch 4: Esper Valki Queller

Sketch 5: Black Amber (Serum Visions Podcast Special)

Sketch 6: Living End Fakeout

We're experimenting with a new format this week and releasing our usual show in smaller chunks (namely, two 25-minute episodes and one 50-minute episode, instead of a single 100-minute episode). The goal is to make our content more accessible, so that if you click on an episode called "Exciting Brews with Valki" it actually starts with exciting brews with Valki. Ditto for our testing results and discussion of innovations in the metagame.

We know this will take some getting used to, but please bear with us as we iterate a bit and work out the kinks. We're want to create a more listener friendly experience and we're always happy for feedback! With that said, here's where you can find the rest of this week's content:

Roundup: Kaldheim Top 5s + Called Shots

Brew Session: Alrund, God of the Cosmos // Hakka, Whispering Raven

Kaldheim is now fully revealed and you all know what that means: a full episode of spicy hot takes on icy cool cards. This week saw some important pieces fell into place (hello Doomskar) as well as some surprising build-around engines (hello Birgi). Which gods are the strongest? Are the Giant payoffs worth it? And what in the world is "Boros slow motion Splinter Twin"?

Visit our homepage FaithlessBrewing.com for articles, bonus decklists and more.

Gods and Main Characters

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Faithless Brewing, Episode 89: Kaldheim Previews, Week 1

Kaldheim is here and there is an absolute blizzard of spicy new previews. Gods! More gods! Epic sagas, snowy spells, boastful blokes, tricky Tibalts, and much more. This is sure to be our most Metal preview show ever (at least until Part 2 next week) so let's dive right in!

Also in this edition: testing results with Blood Sun Jeskai, Boros Sunforger (trophy hype!), and a word about the terrifying events at the US capitol.

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

Timestamps

1:39 The US capitol riot 

Flashback: Valakut Awakening 

Kaldheim Previews, Volume 1 

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Zendikar Rising, Episode 19: Zendikar Rising Sunset Show

This week we bid farewell to Zendikar Rising with a look at the set’s hidden gems. First up: Valakut Awakening. The spell half of this MDFC is perfect for decks looking to dig for A + B combos, or trade away unwanted pieces for fresh cards. It's also one of the better ways to draw a big burst of cards in one shot. We discuss our testing with four new builds that exploit Valakut’s unique talents.

After that, we look at innovative 5-0 lists with Brushfire Elemental, Thieving Skydiver, Roiling Vortex, Lithoform Blight, and Wayward Guide-Beast. Zendikar’s roster turned out to be astonishingly deep for Modern and Pioneer. Let’s hope Kaldheim can provide a suitable encore!

Also in this edition: Geist-Honored Winota, As Foretold Living End, Bruna Gifts, and exploratory testing with Commander Legends. Happy brewing!

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com

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Zendikar Rising, Episode 18: 2020 Year in Review

So long, 2020! It's been a remarkable year for Magic, with highs and lows that we couldn't have imagined before the year began. This week we look back at the best and worst of Magic in 2020. We also take stock of our year in brewing, picking our favorite decks and cards fromTheros, Ikoria, M21, and Zendikar Rising. Thanks for spending the year with us and see you in 2021!

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com

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4:47 Nymris Flash (Modified Pioneer)

Roundup: Magic in 2020

21:56 The Aftermath of Eldraine

Flashback: Faithless Brewing in 2020

Theros: Beyond Death Season

Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Season

Magic 2021 Season

Zendikar Rising Season

1:36:48 Special Episodes, Guests, and Thank Yous

Zendikar Rising, Episode 17: Brew Review Holiday Edition

The Brew Review is back for the holidays, and we asked listeners to send in their spiciest decklists. We also invited Pro Tour Champion and legendary deckbuilder Gerry Thompson to be a special guest judge! We've read your lists and checked them twice, so which ones are naughty and which ones are spice?

Gerry has built a career seeking information from far-flung places, and knows better than anyone that inspiration can come from anywhere. Can the crew get these lists pointed in the right direction? We also discuss Gerry's heuristics for card evaluation, and put them to the test on the latest batch of previews from Kaldheim. Happy brewing!

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Decklists for this episode can be viewed at FaithlessBrewing.com

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Roundup: Kaldheim Previews + Picks of the Week

6:00 Gerry’s approach to brewing

15:10 Sarulf, Realm Eater

19:56 Realmwalker

22:26 Magda, Brazen Outlaw

26:10 Kaya, the Inexorable

29:48 Halvar, God of Battle // Sword of the Realms

33:03 Theme booster cards

35:35 Youthful Valkyrie

38:00 Pyre of Heroes

Picks of the Week

39:45 Damon’s Pick: Black Valakut by Lawson Zandi

45:34 Gerry’s Pick: Paradoxical Engine by sam_lawrence

53:26 Cavedan’s Pick: Mardu Transmogrify by mazenemaze

56:24 David’s Pick: Temur Midrange by cityofcards

Brew Review: Holiday Edition

59:45 Forsaken Eldrazi by Jon G

1:06:33 Paint Me, Like Your French Girls by Zach “Manacymbal” Ryl

1:12:38 Jeskai Ephemerate Wizards by Darshik

1:20:31 Mono-B Tron by Jiggywiggy aka Arun Singh

1:29:20 Flight of the Janklords by KilgoreTrout503

1:37:11 Song Besieged by Brian Madden

1:44:08 Next Level Grixis Control by Grixisism