Finally, Polukranos has made its way to Modern! Err, wait, what the hell is Polukranos doing in Modern?
Being a “fair” combo deck in Modern can be difficult at times. A simple Thoughtseize or Cryptic Command can thwart even the best-laid plans. It’s no wonder that most combo decks are adapting a backup plan in order to minimize the impact of those cards.
Today we have a relatively simple Scapeshift deck, although this one utilizes a bevy of creatures to put pressure on its opponents. Once they start focusing their efforts on dealing with your creatures, bam! Scapeshift does eighteen to them. Polukranos isn’t typically what you’d see in this spot. Sometimes it’s Huntmaster of the Fells, but more often than not it’s Primeval Titan. However, against a faster deck like Affinity, Polukranos is actually going to be quite good.
To give this deck a more midrange feel, we have some removal to go alongside our big green monsters. Lightning Bolt might seem obvious, but when was the last time you saw Skred in a decklist? Honestly, it doesn’t seem that bad. Ramping is part of our game plan, so it’s not uncommon for Skred to pick off an opposing Tarmogoyf. More importantly, it should be able to stop Deceiver Exarch.
This list might not be optimal, as fetchlands are likely better than some of those Forests and Tarmogoyf might be better than Scavenging Ooze, but I like what this deck is doing. Instead of saying “Scapeshift can’t beat Jund” and moving on with your life, you could look for ways to fix your problems.
Creatures (16)
Lands (25)
Spells (19)
Sideboard
