I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there aren’t a lot of Lightning Bolts around in Modern right now. At least, not a lot relative to how common the card used to be. For much of Modern’s history, Lightning Bolt was on the short list for best card in the format, but the rise of Death’s Shadow has turned the format on its head.
A deck with singleton, large threats largely ignores Lightning Bolt, at least outside of the games where it goes upstairs to finish off players who are a little too aggressive with their shocklands and Street Wraiths.
With Lightning Bolt being supplanted by Fatal Push, it’s time to start looking at the threats that can take advantage of the new metagame.
How about a two-card combo that ends the game on the spot?
Splinter Twin may be gone, but Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker remains, and it loves a decline in Lightning Bolts, especially if it’s replaced by a removal spell that just misses it, even with revolt turned on. You still have every creature to pair with it, and the most obvious choice is Deceiver Exarch, given its pedigree, but paying for four toughness isn’t necessary, so I like Bounding Krasis here to reform the Todd Anderson special, Temur Twin(ish).
You don’t have great removal for opposing Tarmogoyfs and Death’s Shadows, resorting to singleton copies of Roast and Dismember, but Bounding Krasis lets you win a race against those creatures, especially when backed up by the reach of Snapcaster Mage plus Lightning Bolt. And if your opponent taps out for extra threats, you’re ready to punish them with millions of Fish Lizards.
I don’t know about you, but an army of Fish Lizards sounds a whole lot scarier than Faeries or Wizards. The unholy things know nothing but beatdown, and they come in endless waves.
The last notable card I see is Huntmaster of the Fells, which is great in a format with so much spot removal. It was part of a rotating cast of options for that slot in Temur Twin decks of old, so it’s not much of a surprise to see it here, but the fact that it’s well-positioned is another small advantage for this dormant archetype.
Creatures (16)
Lands (24)
Spells (20)
