With the next Pro Tour on the horizon, most of the pros are turning their attention to Modern, and I’m no different. I’ve had a love affair with Jace,
Vryn’s Prodigy as of late, even dabbling with the pairing of Goryo’s Vengeance. Initial results weren’t great, but I filed it away as something to revisit
later, as I definitely didn’t have the best build of the deck. Twop may have found it.
This deck focuses on using Goryo’s Vengeance on either Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy or Obzedat, Ghost Council. Obzedat will come back next turn, as it doesn’t
really care about the Goryo’s Vengeance exile clause if it exiles itself from its own ability. With Jace, the story is a little different, but similar. You
don’t get a massive beater, but you do get a hasty Jace that can probably transform immediately, giving yourself what is effectively a reanimation spell
for a planeswalker. Jace can even re-use the Goryo’s Vengeance later!
Most of my early versions were light on actual control elements, hoping to “combo” people out by using Goryo’s Vengeance to put a quick Obzedat, Ghost
Council into play. Twop seems to have modeled their deck after Grixis Control, which is understandable. Cards like Lightning Bolt, Terminate, Kolaghan’s
Command, and Izzet Charm can thwart what your opponent is doing, which helps to prolong the game. Eventually you’ll be able to cobble together a Goryo’s
Vengeance on something meaningful.
The sideboard is also modeled after Grixis Control, with cards like Vandalblast, Tribute to Hunger, and Countersquall making an appearance. The thing that
stands out to me is the use of three Bitterblossoms, not only as a way to pressure other decks, but as a way of doing so without using the graveyard.
If I sleeved up something similar for Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch, I’d be very happy.
Creatures (11)
Lands (21)
Spells (28)
