Discussion Forum

- The Vengevine deck is coming along nicely. What I would mis when playing your list is lightning Helix, it's a real lifesaver. I had 2 main and 2 in side last time I played a tournament and I ended up siding them in every game every time. It's solid burn and makes up for all the pain you take from a modern 3c landbase.

- For the Lockdown concept have you concidered playing Saffi Eriksdotter. She's difficult to beat if you have a sac outlet (something better then Miren, the Moaning Well, you need to be able to sac for free) and something to go infinite like Reveillark or Sun Titan. Dauntless Escort has a simular effect with Sun Titan but can't bring Reveillark back.
A great Sac outlet is Greater Gargadon but it means running red. All the Melira, Sylvok Outcast decks run black for sac outlets which gives you a lot of options. In white you have Mirror Entity but he kills all your creatures and you need Body Double (by lack of Karmic Guide in Modern) to create a Reveillark Loop.

To make a midrange combo like Yosei lock work you'll need to invest a lot of cardslots to early game defense, tons of lifegain (thinking kitchen finks and the likes).

A big problem with an activated sac outlet like Miren, the Moaning Well is that they can always path to exile Yosei in response. Ghost Quater will mess with your combo as well.

I agree about the needing to invest in a better early game, but I'm not exactly sure where to fit it in. I was thinking going for an early lock with some Kami of false hope, but it feels a bit lackluster. Kitchen finks is a great idea... what do you think about Martyr of Sands? Many of my cards are white cards, (barring fauna shaman and fetch) and I could really benefit from the extra life that she gains.

I am confused about the pathing yosei in response. I thought that costs don't go on the stack, and since the sacrifice is a cost for miren, then I pay the sac cost before anything actually goes on the stack (similar to when you tap something, the actual tapping doesn't go on the stack).

I was thinking about removing the Summoner's Pact for some Ranger of Eos/ one mana creature shenannigans as well (Caregiver, for example), thoughts?

I love the Saffi suggestion, she is a beaut!!

Lastly, I'm also really tempted to alter the deck and run vengevines along with some cheap creatures and ranger (as said above) to give the game some threats before my ramp turns my deck on. Would this be wise, or would it unfocus my deck too much?

You're right, it's part of the cost and can't be responded to, it's been a while since I actually read the card :).

I don't like fauna shaman, I used to play Survival of the fittest in legacy and the two just can't be compared. If Fauna shaman had haste then, yes, usefull. As is, not so much. Birthing Pod is a better option.

I think playing a Martyr of Sands deck is actually very viable. Opening with Martyr buys you a ton of time.

I'm thinking cards like

Martyr of Sands
Proclamation of Rebirth
Ajani's Pridemate
Serra Ascendant
Ranger of Eos
Ajani Vengeant
Lightning Helix
Kitchen Finks
Ghostly Prison (against Kiki-Jiki/Splinter Twin combo like decks)

Cards like these easily push you into the mid/late game against most of the field. If during midgame you start playing superior cards Sun Titan, reveillark, Yosei there's not much Zoo is going to do about that other that play their few path to exiles.
Open with lifegain and stall creatures like Kitchen Finks, play Wrath of God to get rid of Knights and Goyfs and take over the game. You don't even need a search engine to find combo pieces you just go for defense until you get what you need.

You could always dip blue of 3xGifts Ungiven and gifts in

Body Double
Reveillark
Noxious Revival
Mirror Entity

and win... somehow... :) (with a Martyr of Sands in the yard you would gain infinite life for instance, you just need a few ways to abuse the infinite loop these cards you gift create)

That's awesome! I've been thinking that I am actually going to take up the Naya deck, and have begun working on trades. It's just like you said, lightning helix is just really too powerful in this format to say no to. Thank you for your help, and if I do go back to the yosei ramp, I'll be sure to take your suggestions to heart.

You should playtest Hunter's Insight or Lead the Stampede instead of Momentous fall. 3 mana versus 4 is a big deal, not needing to sac a creature is too.
I've been wanting to test Lead the Stampede in Modern for a while now but I always end up running too many non creatures. Your deck has 46% creatures, that combined with fetchland+knight deck thining makes Lead the Stampede quite good (in theory).

If you need more lifelink you could side in Basilisk Collar (which is funny with Grim Lavamancer) or Behemoth Sledge. Sword of Light and Shadow is nice as well as it reccurs your creatures as well as give life and it gives protection against pretty much everything (put's you out of burn reach and gives pro white/black)