Well this was the lock of the century.
More certain than the New England Patriots winning the Super Bowl. Definitely more certain after the first half.
More certain than Roger Federer winning the 2017 Australian Open, which was actually completely insane and one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of sport. I’m never going to get tired of bringing it up. Get used to it. GOAT. [Copy Editor’s Note: Serena. GOAT.]
Someone has taken the Saheeli Rai / Felidar Guardian combo and put it into a Modern deck!
Splinter Twin players have been quietly (or not so quietly, in some cases) sobbing into their pillows for years now, unable to make infinity Wizards or infinity Faeries unless they want to rely on Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker. No one wants to rely on Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker. Hopefully they’ll settle for infinity Cat Beasts. Everyone on the internet likes Cats, right? Even though they’re a million times worse than dogs. (Shots fired, come at me.)
Because the combo pieces are both sorceries, the deck shifts to be more of a tap-out style than its older sibling, playing Wall of Omens, Spreading Seas, and Pia and Kiran Nalaar. Notably, all of these cards are great targets for Felidar Guardian’s triggered ability or Saheeli Rai’s -2 ability, and making those cards functional without the other is a key part of making this deck work. Blinking Spreading Seas with Felidar Guardian is especially sweet because you can move it around, likely from the land that best color-hosed your opponent early to a utility land later in the game.
The spell package is all typical, although notably lighter on counterspells in accordance with the decrease of the flash element. I’m a little surprised to not see any more Dispels, at least in the sideboard, because it’s the best card at protecting the combo but like Splinter Twin before it, I imagine this deck gets better the more you don’t focus on assembling the combo as quickly as possible and just play a normal game of Magic with the Sword of Damocles dangling over your opponent’s head.
The one card that is really sweet is the Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir in the sideboard. The combo conveniently requires six mana to execute on a single turn, a potential line that Splinter Twin never had. As a result, you can tap out on your opponent’s end step with five mana and either force some action from them in response or simply untap with free rein to unleash your Cat army upon them.
But yeah, Cats are still worse than dogs.
Creatures (11)
Planeswalkers (4)
Lands (23)
Spells (22)
