STAFF PICKS

Bombs. Role players. Jank rares. Flagships. Every new set release brings with it tons of new cards to sift through. Some will be busted tournament staples, and others are the cornerstones for your memorable kitchen-table games. Let Win Condition Game’s expert staff help you sort through the cardboard clutter, share our favorite cards from the new set, and help you jumpstart your next deck idea.

 

 

WCG Staff Pick 1: Enemy FetchlandsENEMY FETCHLANDS

Modern Masters 2017 is no joke. Go through the visual spoiler, and you’ll come across a murderers row or all-time greats. But nothing stands above the enemy-colored fetch lands in the “best bang for your buck” category. If you are new to Modern, these cards are great ways to start your collection. Fetch lands define Modern mana bases. They are the reason multicolored decks can even exist is a format this fast and powerful. Chances are, even long-time Modern players needs to pick up a few of these too. Zendikar block was seven years ago. This was before Modern exploded in popularity - and prices shot up with them. They’ve been making due with the allied-colored fetches, but sometimes you really need that Steam Vents or Misty Rainforest to get the most from your mana. For a long time now, these enemy fetches were too expensive for normal folks to get. As rares in Modern Masters 2017, these should be significantly easier for players to collect.  
 

WCG Staff pick 2: Gifts UngivenGIFTS UNGIVEN

Gifts Ungiven is a personal favorite that also happens to be an incredibly powerful, interesting, and challenging card. Magic Hall of Famer, Louis Scott-Vargas, has called this the most difficult card to use in all of Modern. He’s right (of course). But for my money, it’s also the most fun. It’s amazing how a single card can offer so many, wildly different, benefits depending on how you want to play it. If you want to play a controlling blue deck, Gifts Ungiven is a great card advantage engine. Creature swarms getting you down? Just Gifts for Wrath of God, Supreme Verdict, Day of Judgement, and Fumigate. Maybe two extra, instant-speed cards aren’t good enough. Go get Snapcaster Mage, Oona’s Grace, Thirst for Knowledge, and another Gifts Ungiven. Whenever you want to win, just grab Academy Ruins, Life from the Loam, Sword of the Meek, and Thopter Foundry. While Gifts Ungiven is a great card for grindy, fair Magic, it’s also a great tool for combo decks. My favorite Gifts pile reanimates an unstoppable fatty on turn five. Here’s how it works: cast Gifts, search your deck, and only find Unburial Rites and your fatty of choice (popular call are Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite or Iona, Shield of Emeria). Since you only found two cards, they both go to your graveyard. Simply flash back Unburial Rites and proceed to smash face. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Gifts Ungiven is only limited by your imagination and your puzzle solving skills.

WCG Staff Picks 3: Broodmate DragonBROODMATE DRAGON

Six mana. Two creatures. Eight power. These are the kind of numbers that win games. If Broodmate Dragon was only an incredibly efficient creature, he;d still be fun to play - but he wouldn’t make our Staff Picks. What gets him on here is his resilience, synergy, and all-around awesomeness. It take a lot to kill a Broodmate Dragon. Griselbrand is an awesome create too - until he gets hit with a Path to Exile. Broodmate Dragon doesn’t have to worry about those little things. He can be targeted with the most efficient removal spells ever printed, and you’ll still end up ahead with a 4/4 flying dragon. Generating multiple bodies for one card is incredibly powerful. Cards like Ghostly Flicker and Momentary Blink not only protect your board state, they grow it. Staff Favorite Victimize gets double synergy - you get an extra creature to sacrifice, or you get an extra (untapped) body to reanimate. Things get really nuts when you leverage tribal benefits. Cards that boost dragons do double duty with Broodmate Dragon. Kolaghan, the Storm’s Fury and Crucible of Fire get significantly better when you add multiple dragons in one turn.

WCG Staff picks 4: HarmonizeHARMONIZE

Some card abilities get stronger when they move into colors you don’t normally see them in. A 2/3 for one red mana is better than a ⅔ for one green. A 2/2 flier for 2 in white is run of the mill. In blue, it could be the cornerstone of a new aggro fliers deck. Harmonize takes that philosophy to the extreme. Green actually has a long history of drawing cards, but there is always some type of condition. Usually you have to do combat damage, control a bunch of creatures, or control a creature with large power. This makes Green’s card draw vulnerable to removal spells and bad combat trades. That Collective Unconscious looks pretty terrible the turn after you lost your board to a Wrath of God. Harmonize gets rid of all of these downsides, and lets you play into Green’s strengths. Play out your creatures. Trade them in combat. Then refuel with three new cards - no strings attached. While four mana might be a lot in a hyper competitive format like Modern, Harmonize is an essential tool for Commander players and other casual deck builders.  

WCG Staff Picks 5: Liliana of the VeilLILIANA OF THE VEIL

No list of top Modern Master 2017 cards would be complete without Liliana of the Veil. Although this set is chocked full of Modern powerhouses, Liliana stands head and shoulders above the rest. Tarmogyf is great, but he’s been reprinted a ton of times. Damnation is exciting, but it’s not ubiquitous. Liliana of the Veil is a pillar of the format. Without her, Jund is just a pile of efficient removal and creatures. With Liliana, Jund can dominate the midgame, and bury control decks before they can stabilize. If you ask people what are the core cards in Modern, the list is pretty simple: Tarmogoyf, Lightning Bolt, Arcbound Ravager, Noble Hierarch, Path to Exile, Urza’s Tower - and the queen herself, Liliana of the Veil. Hail to the Queen baby.  
 

WHAT ARE YOUR PICKS?

Modern Masters 2017 is one of the most exciting sets ever. What are you most looking forward to? Sound off in the comments below. Or better yet, come out and play in our favorite Modern events in Atlanta. Monday Night Modern even has free pizza. Check out our events page for more details.