Going into Grand Prix Kansas City, many players had Melira-Pod on their mind as the Modern deck that should be on everyone's radar. As the weekend and tournament has come to a close, it was Seth Manfield who reminded players about why Melira, Sylvok Outcast and her motley crew of misfits should not be taken lightly.
Manfield's Melira-Pod deck conquered one opponent after another all weekend. Its ability to assemble an unbeatable sequence of creatures, along with Birthing Pod's general utility to find the right creature for the right job, served him well time and time again. It was in the Semifinals against Robert Berni, playing Splinter Twin, that the toolbox aspect of Manfield's deck let him find the right tool for the job in Spellskite, stopping Berni's Splinter Twin combo cold and giving Manfield enough time to assemble a victory.
In the finals, Manfield kept his sights on target against Joe Hemmann's monstrously consistent Living End deck, keeping pace with all of Hemmann's Fulminator Mages, Avalanche Riders, and monsters as he slowly crept back into the first game to assemble a lethal board of Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Viscera Seer, and Murderous Redcap courtesy in part to Reveillark. Tight play, and an unexpected outcome, allowed Manfield to win his second Grand Prix title.
Modern has shaped itself up to be a diverse format where anything can happen. Cards work in many wonderful ways when allowed to run in an open-ended format such as this one. Kansas City has set the current stage for the format, and has once again cemented Birthing Pod's place as one of Modern's most defining decks.
Official WotC Coverage of GP Kansas City
Manfield's Melira-Pod deck conquered one opponent after another all weekend. Its ability to assemble an unbeatable sequence of creatures, along with Birthing Pod's general utility to find the right creature for the right job, served him well time and time again. It was in the Semifinals against Robert Berni, playing Splinter Twin, that the toolbox aspect of Manfield's deck let him find the right tool for the job in Spellskite, stopping Berni's Splinter Twin combo cold and giving Manfield enough time to assemble a victory.
In the finals, Manfield kept his sights on target against Joe Hemmann's monstrously consistent Living End deck, keeping pace with all of Hemmann's Fulminator Mages, Avalanche Riders, and monsters as he slowly crept back into the first game to assemble a lethal board of Melira, Sylvok Outcast, Viscera Seer, and Murderous Redcap courtesy in part to Reveillark. Tight play, and an unexpected outcome, allowed Manfield to win his second Grand Prix title.
Modern has shaped itself up to be a diverse format where anything can happen. Cards work in many wonderful ways when allowed to run in an open-ended format such as this one. Kansas City has set the current stage for the format, and has once again cemented Birthing Pod's place as one of Modern's most defining decks.
Official WotC Coverage of GP Kansas City