Scapeshift – A Modern deck worth considering
Scapeshift is a real deck and has got substantially better since the banning of Splinter Twin which was possibly it’s worst matchup previously. This deck has some recent success in post Eldrazi modern. Locally Colin Bosman took his version of the deck to the TMR final while Daryl Ayers took a very difference version of the deck to an SCG Classic win a few weeks back. In order to play the deck or prepare for the matchup it is important to understand how the deck works as well as the history/development of the deck.
History of the Deck
I’ve been playing this deck since it was standard legal, where I had great success with a version called Valakut Ramp to a 3rd place Nationals finish and a spot on the 2011 national team. Interestingly enough one of the dominant decks in standard at the time was another combo deck called Splinter Twin. Below is my 2011 Standard Deck:
1 Avenger of Zendikar
3 Inferno Titan
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
3 Overgrown Battlement
4 Primeval Titan
4 Explore
3 Green Sun’s Zenith
2 Khalni Heart Garden
3 Lightning Bolt
2 Nature’s Claim
4 Rampant Growth
2 Evolving Wilds
4 Forest
11 Mountain
1 Raging Ravine
3 Terramophic Expanse
4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
3 Verdant Catacombs
Sideboard
1 Acidic Slime
3 Combust
2 Nature’s Claim
3 Obstinate Baloth
4 Pyroclasm
2 Thrun, the Last Troll
The early versions of the deck relied on ramping up your mana and then casting Primeval Titan, (or Green Sun’s Zenith into the big Green Titan), which can be used to search out Valakut plus a bunch of mountains. One of the decks great strengths is that it didn’t rely solely on the Valakut Combo to win and often won by attacking with Titan’s. I even recall a particularly interesting game in the Top 8 when I was able to win the game after all my Titan’s had been removed thanks to a bunch of plant tokens made with Avenger of Zendikar.
Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
This is my all time favorite card; I think that is probably because I have had success with it but more than that I love lands that do more than just produce mana. I particularly like lands that kill your opponents and/or their creatures. I was fortunate to be able to play GP Las Vegas last year and was extremely excited that Kieran Yanner was one of the artist’s attending. He was the first artist I visited and he personalized a play set of Valakut’s for me by extending the borders and adding individualized details to each card. If there is one piece of advice I can give to any player who get’s the chance to play in a large international event, enjoy every moment these events are about more than just playing, visit the artist’s, visit the store’s there are amazing cards and accessories that we don’t have access to.
Scapeshift
The deck became a modern regular following the printing of Scapeshift which all of a sudden allowed the deck to have in essence a 1 cards combo. The combo win condition is simple you assemble seven or more lands, and cast Scapeshift, you sack the 7 lands and search up a Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle and 6 mountains to do 18 damage to your opponent. I would like to recommend everyone to read Valakut as it can be confusing. I recall playing the deck once against Jason Ward and we were unsure whether or not you could combo with 6 lands, we call Michiel Wessels who was the judge and it was only after a lot of uncertainty that we agreed that you do in-fact need 7 lands as Valakut reads “if you control 5 or more mountains…”.
Prismatic Omen
So now that I have told you that you need 7 lands in order to combo off, I’d like to tell you how to do it with 6. Prismatic Omen is a great card that allows the 6 card combo as thanks to this card your Valakut is also a mountain and hence triggers itself. The strength of Prismatic Omen is best demonstrated by looking at Daryl Ayers’ SCG Classic Winning Deck.
Daryl Ayers – Scapeshift – Finished 1st – SCG Classic – 10 April 2016
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
4 Prismatic Omen
4 Cryptic Command
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Remand
4 Explore
2 Farseek
4 Scapshift
4 Serum Visions
1 Forest
3 Island
1 Mountain
1 Breeding Pool
4 Flooded Grove
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Steam Vents
4 Stomping Ground
4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
One of the great things about having the Prismatic Omen in play is that Valakut plus any other 5 lands brings Valakut online. In these situations fetchlands are great as they effectively hit twice once when they come into play as a mountain and a second time when they fetch another land.
Variations
Because it is such a simple combo you will see it in many different combinations. The most popular build is a RUG build which includes some counter spells and some deck manipulation spells. Another build is a RG build that has more ramp spells to ensure a consistent combo on about turn 4. As a huge fan of the deck I particularly enjoyed Colin Bosman’s build from the last TMR R10k, his deck only had 2 copies of Scapeshift and 3 Valakut’s but included the alternative combo finish of Through the Breach plus Emrukul.
Colin Bosman – Through the Valukut – Finished 2nd – TMR R10k – April 2016
4 Primeval Titan
4 Sakura Tribe Elder
3 Emrukul, the Aeons Torn
1 Inferno Titan
2 Courser of Kruphix
2 Scapeshift
3 Summoning Trap
4 Search for Tomorrow
4 Through the Breach
3 Farseek
1 Harmonize
3 Anger of the Gods
1 Pyroclasm
3 Valakut the Molten Pinnacle
4 Wooded Foothills
1 Cinder Glade
4 Stomping Ground
7 Mountain
3 Forest
2 Windswept Heath
1 Scalding Tarn
Sideboard
4 Chalice of the Void
3 Ancient Grudge
3 Relic of Progenitis
3 Obstinate Baloth
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Krosans Grip
Over the years I have been playing magic I have always loved playing this deck and I hope you all enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it.