Ongoing discussion of cards I think are undervalued in modern.
My contention: Jund Charm is an excellent sideboard card and should be considered for any deck that runs its colors.
Positive features as a sideboard card:
-works as instant speed grave hate
-works as instant speed board sweeper
-works as an aggro boost (not the best, but at least it's something)
-popular color scheme
-works as an anti-meta side to a large section of decktypes
-effectively takes the spot of 2 different cards in the sideboard
Negative features as a sideboard card:
-3 color scheme limits playability/usability
-slightly muted effects compared to less versatile contemporaries
-third option is difficult to justify
Why I think its good in the sideboard
1- it saves a spot in the sideboard- the 15 sideboard spots are precious. Each one needs to be justified as either a direct counter to a specific threat that is prevalent (such as against control, aggro, or a specific decktype) or a general deterrent against things you know the deck is bad against (boardsweepers to buy your deck time against aggro etc). What this means is that 15 spots is relatively low, as its unlikely you will be able to side in enough cards to make a concrete and dependable difference, and thus, the ability to maximize each space is paramount. Jund charm has the relatively unique feature of being relevant in 2 of its 3 options against a large chunk of decks seen in modern.
-exile all cards from the grave at instant speed works against major decktypes such as dredge, and also counters specific and heavily used threats like goyf/snap/etc. It also acts as a general deterrent to any deck that runs anything through the grave, as do several tribals (zombies). And, because its instant speed, you retain a tempo against pretty much all of these threats.
-2 damage to each creature- this option is vicious against any tribal deck, deck that focuses on fast aggro, anythign that spawns massive amounts of tokens, or deck that produces infinite creatures (kiki/thopter/combo). It can also be used to chop down a bigger creature with blocks or other damage mechanics if necessary, and as it doesn't target it can get around things that would otherwise hexproof their way out of trouble. And, as its instant speed, you get tempo all day. Play this card in response to a lord and watch opponent's field go up in flames.
When these two options combine, this card provides sided advantage against tribal, aggro, token, dredge, goyf, and as a general "side me in cause my deck missed an option" unit, all achieved for 1 card spot, leaving you 14 others to parse out against other threats.
2- popular color scheme means it should be available in plenty of builds and splashable into quite a few sideboards. Jund is and should remain popular for quite some time, thus making this sideboard option quite tenable.
Arguments against using this card in the sideboard:
1- color scheme makes it hard to use/play- true, we do run into the 3 color problem, but as I've addressed before, this isn't that big a deal in modern with the wonderful land choices. And, a 3 drop, even a 3 color 3 drop, is usually always playable by the end of the early game and is 100% accessible in the middle game unless you are royally screwed in the land department. Overall, this card should be playable turn 5 at the latest.
2- the third option is useless- well, ya pretty much. unless you can with the game with 2 extra damage this turn, opponent is tapped out and has no hand, and the field is perfect, its basically not worth the card advantage to put 2 +1/+1 counters on a creature. There might be a few scenarios where you bate a chump block and then power it up with the counters, but that's remote, making this option basically non-existent. But, in all honesty, I didn't even consider the third option while reflecting on how good this card is. It's my contention that MTG made the 3rd option so bad to keep this card out of the pool of cards like snap/confidant/goyf/etc that HAVE to be run at a competitive level. Imagine if the third effect were anything decent, like a discard option, a draw option, or god forbid a removal of non-creature permanents of some kind. It would realistically be able to have significance in countering every single decktype. I doubt it would be legal in modern.
3- less potent than other individual options- yes, jund charm provides 2 effects that are individually less powerful and cost effective than other options. Rest in peace hits the grave harder and longer and relic of progenitus is far more splashable, cost effective, and its replaces itself. A variety of nuke options, damnation/wrath of god/pyroclasm are all more reliable/cost effective versions of a board sweeper. I won't argue it, nor should you. However, my contention isn't that jund charm is better than these cards at what they do, my contention is that having 1 card in your sideboard that is 65-75% as good individually and takes the place of 2 other cards is the way to go overall.
Which actually flows into my conclusion: jund charm should be run in the sideboard not as the primary means of doing anything, but as a toolbox fit that is an augmentation to an existing slotted card. If you have 3 spots available and you want to use them to make sure you can counter both aggro and grave-based shenanigans, you could run 2 cards that fight aggro and 1 grave, 2 cards that fight grave and 1 aggro, or you could run 1 grave, 1 aggro, and jund charm which does both. Now you will have 2 cards to sub in in both situations instead of having 2 in 1 situation and only 1 in the other. Statistically, you've bought yourself a higher chance of being able to sub in potent counters to opponent's strategies. And thus, jund charm retains, at least in my mind, significance in a choice for sideboard options.