Modern PTQ with Project Melira | MTGO ACADEMY – Magic the Gathering Online Strategy, Articles, Videos, and Cards

Greetings!

It’s been a while since A.J. and I have made any content, and for that, I am very sorry. Our distance and technology restrictions have prohibited Let’s Play Magic Online from recording anything; so unfortunately, this is just me flying solo! But on the upside, the lack of my nasal-toned companion meant I got to play a big event and record it!

If you’ve been following, A.J. and I are big fans of the Modern format. It hearkens to times past, where tutoring was commonplace, lands were as threatening as spells, and cards of any color could be cast in equality. Plus, there are enough good decks that the metagame can shift rapidly from week to week. Basically, it has everything that sucked me into competitive Magic over ten years ago.

For the first two PTQs, I went with a deck that has appealed to me ever since it curb-stomped me a few months ago: Project Melira. For those of you unfamiliar with the deck, it uses Melira, Sylvok Outcast, a creature with persist (usually Murderous Redcap and/or Kitchen Finks) and a sacrifice outlet (usually Viscera Seer) to create an infinite loop (persist guy goes to grave, comes back, doesn’t get a -1/-1 counter, etc., and triggers any relevant enters-the-battlefield effects). It’s a fun (but click-intensive) combo and uses a lot of tutoring power to set things up. I’ve been looking at lists for a while, but here were my inspirations prior to the PTQs:

Gainsay’s Project Melira. Gainsay has been playing this deck forever on Magic Online (well, a while considering Modern isn’t even yet a year old), and I trusted his comfortableness as a sign that the deck was competitive. He’s also the main reason that I went with Sun Titan and only played 3 Chord of Calling in the second PTQ. (He made Top 8 in the first.)
bparis15′s Project Melira. This deck was the inspiration for my manabase and sideboard, and it reminded me that Linvala, Keeper of Silence is disgusting against some decks (and Squadron Hawks).
sneakattackkids’ Project Melira. I ultimately went a different direction, but sneak’s Birthing Pod plus Yosei, the Morning Star into Sheoldred, Whispering One made me giddy. I like having some non-Melira-based ways to win.
Th00mor’s Kiki-Pod. While this deck isn’t Project Melira, it made me wonder if Kiki-Pod and Project Melira could have some sort of hideous offspring.
NiNjA_pIrA13′s Melira Gifts. Speaking of hideous offspring, here’s a good example of meshing Project Melira with another strategy. Unfortunately, both are hated by graveyard removal.

After I played the first PTQ of the weekend (you can watch it on our YouTube channel, should you wish), I started thinking about getting greedier, possibly adding a hint of blue and Geist of Saint Traft with a Gifts package, maybe Squadron Hawks and an Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite or perhaps a Stonehewer Giant and some equips. But with time short, I just tweaked my list and ended with this for the second PTQ:

Decklist

Creatures (27)

Other Spells (10)

Lands (23)

Sideboard (15)


Buy this Deck

Click the arrow to download the above decklist in MTGO-friendly .txt format.

I completely cut Ethersworn Canonist from the list, because I thought that Storm was not worth bothering about. I would probably look for a way to sneak him back into the sideboard, as the Living End and Storm matchups get much better when you can Chord for Canonist. I wasn’t very happy with the sideboard Gaddock Teeg and Withered Wretch; I would probably add in a Loaming Shaman and/or another piece of spot removal in its stead. Baneslayer Angel might also be best in the sideboard or replaced with something less expensive to cast entirely.

As far as additions, I thoroughly enjoyed the maindeck Knight of the Reliquary and Gavony Township. Buffing creatures gave me a nice alternate win condition whenever the game entered the attrition phase. I also would always include Linvala and Spellskite in the main (even though I had previously cut the ‘Skite). You’ll also notice that I only run two Melira and two Seers; I used the extra slots to play more utility and threats. In hindsight, I am not 100 percent on the choice to cut both a Seer and a Melira. The deck might be better with an additional combo piece (but I still don’t think it should play three of the Seers Melira).

Anyway, here are a few rounds of the second PTQ to watch. The play is far from perfect (and I get a bit lucky here and there), but it’s a bit better (and longer) experience than the first PTQ. Enjoy!

Round 1