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Last week, I wrote an article detailing the history behind Modern’s extensive banlist, complete with Wizards' official announcements and an analysis of each. This was, by far, my most popular article to date in the almost six months that I’ve been writing for Modern Nexus. This week, I plan on approaching another Modern topic in similar style: the history of Modern’s best decks! Maybe I’m just a sucker for nostalgia and the romance of the stage, but there is something about the finals of a high-level Magic event that excites me. Maybe it’s the significant cash winnings on the line. Maybe it’s the trial by fire narrative of perseverance that comes from two players fighting through a gigantic field to square off gladiator-style. Maybe it’s the impeccable, brilliant commentary that accompanies Pro Tours.
Whatever it is, I have an infatuation with the big lights that’s only grown since reaching it myself. With Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch coming in February, let’s take a look at where we’ve been.
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Pro Tour Philadelphia – September 2-4, 2011
Top 8 Decklists
2 Pyromancer Ascension
2 Splinter Twin
1 Mono-Red Affinity
1 Mono-Blue Infect
1 Counter Cat Zoo
1 R/G 12Post Breach
Finals – Samuele Estratti vs. Josh Utter-Leyton
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2zsHRjahl0&w=560&h=315]
*(match starts at 11:10)*
Pro Tour Philadelphia will forever be remembered as the first Modern Pro Tour showcasing all of the broken strategies Wizards “missed” in their initial banning. Focusing primarily on the Affinity enablers, Jace, the Mind Sculptor, Stoneforge Mystic, and some broken combo pieces, Wizards ultimately missed Blazing Shoal and Cloudpost. Blazing Shoal combo'd with either Progenitus or Dragonstorm to one-shot opponent’s with infect damage in Sam Black’s Mono-Blue Infect, and Jesse Hampton showed the world what Cloudpost could do alongside Vesuva in a supercharged BreachPost Ramp deck that makes RG Tron look like child’s play.
On the fairer side of the table, Ponder and Preordain both had 20 copies in the Top 8 among five decks. For those counting at home, that’s 62.5% of the Top 8 playing Ponder/Preordain, (three separate archetypes) and all decks played the full four of both. Of the three decks that chose not to play the blue cantrips, two played a playset of Green Sun's Zenith, which would also see a banning after the tournament.
But enough of that. The champion and runner-up!
Splinter Twin, Samuele Estratti (1st, Pro Tour Philadelphia 2011)
Oh, come on! The very first Modern Pro Tour is won by Splinter Twin, even in a field as broken as that old Wild West was?! Turns out Ponder and Preordain were just as broken as everything else, and Estratti dispatched Utter-Leyton 3-1 in an awesome finals match that saw Estratti winning twice with the combo and once with a “devastating” Blood Moon against Utter-Leyton’s board full of dual lands. I love this list, as it contains a lot of cool gems that really date it as a 2011 deck (maindeck Pact of Negation, ONE Lightning Bolt!?!) and yet we still see how much Twin has remained the same in over four years. Keep in mind that Snapcaster Mage was not yet legal (as Innistrad would release later that month). When we factor in the changes that Snapcaster Mage and the Ponder/Preordain banning had on this deck, we see that not much else has changed since. Go ahead and throw some Pact of Negation in your maindeck likes its 1999! (fine, 2011).
Untitled Deck
This deck just looks so gross. A big Naya Zoo deck that splashes blue for Bant Charm and six more counterspells in the board?! Clearly this deck existed before Affinity and Burn showed up to crash the party, as that manabase looks so painful. Counter-Cat was designed as a hard-hitting aggro deck that could present a fast clock and then sit back with counterspells against a field full of combo. The added benefit of playing 11 removal spells helped it rise above all the other aggro decks in the field (and above Infect). This deck couldn’t really compete after the banning of Green Sun's Zenith, but I think its spirit lives on in the form of both Knightfall and Naya Company.
Pro Tour Return to Ravnica (Seattle, USA) – October 19-21, 2012
Top 8 Decklists
3 Jund
1 Affinity
1 Eggs
1 Scapeshift
1 Infect
1 Jeskai Geist
Finals – Stanislav Cifka vs. Yuuya Watanabe
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZDaM4VpSBk&w=560&h=315]
With Wild Nacatl banned after Worlds 2011, 2012 saw the rise of Jund as Deathrite Shaman and Bloodbraid Elf overpowered everything else in the format. The Top 8 of Pro Tour RTR saw three Jund decks demolishing the field, denying Splinter Twin even a single slot in the Top 8. Jund was truly the “best deck” of 2012, but for the Pro Tour, Stanislav Cifka had other ideas…
"Eggs, Stanislav Cifka (1st, Pro Tour Return to Ravnica 2012)"
Either you love this deck or hate it: it’s not close. Yuuya Watanabe definitely did not enjoy it, as he famously fiddled with dice for most of the match as Cifka combo’ed off, sighing all the way. Eggs abused the power of Second Sunrise and Faith's Reward alongside Reshape for Lotus Bloom to burn through its deck in a flurry of non-interaction, eventually killing with a recycled Pyrite Spellbomb or Grapeshot out of the sideboard. While Second Sunrise would eventually be banned, Cifka showed the world the unrealized power of Eggs as he went 15-1 through the Swiss, and 3-0 in the Top 8, with one of the most intricate, perfectly built puzzles I have ever seen. To this day, I can’t get over the playset of Silence (one of my favorite “gotcha” cards ever) and Leyline of Sanctity between the maindeck and board. I can appreciate a deck that embraces what it is, and Eggs pushed the limit of solitaire in Magic and made for an oft-maligned but nevertheless memorable experience.
"Jund, Yuuya Watanabe (2nd, Pro Tour Return to Ravnica 2011)"
The pinnacle of Jund in its Bloodbraid Elf days, Yuuya Watanabe brought to battle a primarily B/G deck that only lightly splashed red for Bloodbraid and Lightning Bolt. Instead, Yuuya found a way to play a full playset of Treetop Village (over the now universally adopted Raging Ravine). Deathrite Shaman is partially to blame for this, as it demanded B/G mana to activate abilities, yet could also be used to provide red mana itself or that crucial second black.
Pro Tour Born of the Gods (Valencia, Spain) – February 21-23, 2014
Top 8 Decklists
1 Melira Pod
1 Affinity
1 Storm
1 Tarmo-Twin
1 Jeskai Control
1 U/R Twin
1 Blue Moon
1 Jeskai Twin
Finals – Shaun McLaren vs. Jacob Wilson
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsoXl1_SC5Y&w=560&h=315]
This tournament featured so many amazing storylines. Whether Patrick Dickmann’s innovative Tarmo-Twin deck, the Chinese-born Blue Moon, or the eight different archetypes in the Top 8, I highly suggest going back and watching coverage of this tournament for anyone that missed it or has a Saturday to spare.
"Jeskai Control, Shaun McLaren (1st, Pro Tour Born of the Gods 2014)"
This finals is in my Top 5 of favorite all-time matches. Not only does it feature Shaun McLaren (one of my favorite pro players) and Jeskai Control (a deck I’ve wanted to succeed for a long time), it features the titan of 2013 Magic (Melira Pod) vs. a deck designed to beat it (Jeskai Control). Plus, LSV coverage:
“You’re not a kind person, are you?” – Rich Hagon
“I’m a kind of person.” – LSV
While Jund Midrange would eventually return to punish control decks relying on Sphinx's Revelation, Thoughtseize was relatively absent from the late rounds of this event, allowing Shaun to bury opponents in card advantage and inevitability on the way to the championship. This is an excellent example of the stars aligning for arguably the most proficient player in an archetype bringing the best version of his pet deck to an event and just running the tables (and yes, Cifka’s Eggs comes close as well).
"Melira Pod, Jacob Wilson (2nd, Pro Tour Born of the Gods 2014)"
For those unfamiliar with Birthing Pod, Jacob Wilson’s version was perfect for the time. A literal combo deck that just did crazy unfair things every time it cast Birthing Pod, Melira Pod could beat down, threaten a combo kill, or disrupt opponents with “prison” style toolbox creatures. The worst thing about this deck was that it could often smoothly do all three at the same time. While I had just built this deck a month or two before its eventual banning, I was able to play with the deck a few times and its hard to describe the feeling of untapping with Birthing Pod, a board full of creatures, and infinite options.
Pro Tour Fate Reforged (Washington, DC) – February 6-8, 2015
Top 8 Decklists
2 Burn
3 Abzan
2 U/R Twin
1 Amulet Bloom
This event, as the Top 8 shows, was the Twin vs. Abzan show, and in my opinion relatively boring. Justin Cohen was the lone bright spot in the Top 8, bringing to battle a rogue Amulet Bloom deck that had been floating around on the internet for a while before the event. Seeing two copies of Burn in the Top 8 was definitely interesting, as it demolished the perception that pro players wouldn’t play a “deck like that”.
Finals – Justin Cohen vs. Antonio Del Moral Leon
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgqM0voH1PA&w=560&h=315]
"U/R Twin, Antonio Del Moral Leon (1st, Pro Tour Fate Reforged 2015)"
The circle is now complete. Twin won the first Pro Tour and, in the hands of Antonio del Moral Leon, Splinter Twin is now the reigning Modern Pro Tour archetype champion (at least until Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch in February). This list looks almost completely current, though we do see a dated Flame Slash that has now become unplayable thanks to delve creatures like Tasigur, the Golden Fang.
"Amulet Bloom, Justin Cohen (2nd, Pro Tour Fate Reforged 2015)"
And here we are at last! The hottest thing on the block in Modern, Amulet Bloom has had everyone talking about the deck non-stop since its explosive emergence in the hands of Justin Cohen. Not much has changed since this version of the deck first appeared, primarily because the maindeck is very tight, but we do see more Swan Song and Seal of Primordium in the sideboard now that we didn’t see back then. Check out Michael Sigrist's 9th place Bloom finish at Grand Prix Pittsburgh for a comparison!
Conclusion
So there we have it, the first and second place lists of every Modern Pro Tour since the format’s inception in 2011. While there are many other amazing decks worthy of discussion we didn’t get to (Blue Moon, Tarmo Twin, the evolution of Affinity) these eight decks tell an interesting narrative of the evolution of the format on the world’s biggest stage. What do you think? Do you have a favorite Pro Tour deck? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next week
Trevor Holmes
The_Architect on MTGO
Twitch.tv/Architect_Gaming
Twitter.com/7he4rchitect
![[MTGO] 1 Year, 100 Tix – November Report](https://www.quietspeculation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/100T1Y-calendar.jpg)
Traditional UR Twin is the only discrete Twin representative in tier 1, but the URx Twin collective remains the biggest player in Modern. Alex Bianchi even added Jeskai Twin to the list of usual suspects, making a strong case for its viability in GP Pittsburgh. URx Twin strategies currently make up 11.8% of the format, with UR Twin leading at 5.5%, Grixis right behind at 4.2%, and Temur plus Jeskai rounding it out at 1.4% and .7% respectively. That's an exceedingly healthy combined share for a top-tier deck. We've seen Affinity, Jund, Abzan, and Burn at similar levels this year alone. Twin's November presence regulated troublesome linear decks like Affinity and Infect, and you'll need to expect lots of Twin if you plan on sleeving up for Modern before 2015 closes. Twin's persistence also suggests the deck remains an excellent choice if you aren't sure what to play, with all variants enjoying comparable viability.
Twin ones (the difference between Bolt/Kolaghan's Command and Path/Rhino is massive), but between Jund (7.7%) and Abzan (3.9%), BGx Midrange sits right behind Twin at a net 11.6% share. Jund remains the BGx strategy of choice due largely to Lightning Bolt's power against all those aggro decks across the Zoo and Burn spectrum. Path to Exile is not what anyone wants to be doing against turn one Wild Nacatl. Jund also has access to both Blood Moon and conventional Fulminator Mage-style land removal, another edge over Abzan in a ramp-centric metagame (see Tron and Bloom below). If you're playing Modern in December, expect to see Jund wrecking synergy-based strategies and setting the bar for grindy midrange. Jund players: know your metagame before configuring your 75! Bad choices will leave you unprepared for Modern's deep tier 2.
and Affinity saw a collective 2.4% drop. Although it's hard to prove players consciously changed decks, the numbers and the overall metagame narrative are very suggestive. Tron and Bloom are excellent against Jund, which was perceived as a major policing force throughout the month. Although both decks struggle against Twin, so too did some of the decks whose shares they stole (Affinity and Infect). At least with the ramp decks, you're blanking all the removal players were so keen to include after October's uptick in Zoo-style decks. Merfolk is more of a mystery: the deck should be going crazy in a Twin and Jund-heavy metagame. Perhaps the Merfolk players were worried about their chances against the remaining tier 2 creature-based decks? Merfolk's own decline was the smallest of the group at only -.4%, so my guess is that this is just a temporary downshift. It's up to you to play into this switch and prepare accordingly, balancing a healthy fear of ramp decks with a respect for the remaining creature-based contenders. Also, don't forget Burn. The Nacatl and no-Nacatl versions picked up a .2% scrap from the declining decks and remains a serious powerhouse in Modern.
too focused on Top 8s and not on more holistic metagame data. 
Between Naya Company, Gruul Zoo (the Burning-Tree Emissary lists), certain Knightfall builds, and a host of Collected Company-less Naya lists that aren't even on the above table, the many flavors of Zoo make up about 6.5% of the format. That's a notable increase from the 5%-5.5% of October, and potentially includes some of the Affinity/Merfolk/Infect downshift we saw at play in the ramp-deck rise. Wild Nacatl is a driving force behind this uptick, and it doesn't even include Burn's increasing adoption of the Cat in their own maindeck. Bring sweepers, don't forget those Bolts, and make sure if you are playing a non-Zoo aggro deck you are doing so for a very good reason. That said, don't read too much into the notion of a collective Zoo share: playing against small Gruul Zoo lists will be a different experience than dueling the Company builds.
I had too much faith in Modern sideboards, and too little faith in Bloom, when I made this prediction. November made me pay for that confidence, with Bloom not just staying in tier 1 but increasing its share by 1.2%. Whoops. This highlights Bloom's increasing relevance in Modern and its continued status as a legitimate tier 1 player, not just a random outlier. Perhaps Modern players will take the deck more seriously now and kick it out of the upper levels, but it's equally possible Bloom is now prepared to handle that pushback and stick around. Either way, be ready for Bloom in the next month.
choices. To me, Affinity's November decline signals a wider drop away from the robots and towards other aggro decks. Burn, particularly Nacatl Burn, is the perfect replacement to pick up the metagame-share pieces, something we're already seeing in the small Zoo and Burn increases this month. Modern players continue to rediscover Nacatl's value, and Burn pilots are no exception. Between the traditional lists and those packing in the Naya beatstick, Burn should be able to regain ground lost by Affinity, capitalizing on players being too heavily geared against artifacts. The Burn vs. Twin matchup is also much less certain the brutal Affinity vs. Twin contest, and with Exarchs and Mites back in the game we'll expect to see more linear-minded players going with a better anti-Twin option.
Then Connor drops Blighted Agent and I'm pretty sure I'm dead since I have no Paths or Truths in hand. I just Vial in Cursecatcher and pray. Draw step: still no removal. Attack for four, play Silvergill Adept to try and draw Path, draw another Adept instead, Vial in the Adept and draw a Lord. Guess I'm dead, pass the turn. Connor untaps, plays Pendelhaven, plays Groundswell with landfall and, to me, it looks like he suddenly realizes he has to Pendelhaven in response or not at all which he does. He then plays Distortion Strike and hits me for seven poison. I untap, Vial and play two lords, and kill him.
My opening hand is kind of slow, but it has Path and enough lands so I keep. He opens with Llanowar Elves and I respond with an Adept hoping to find Hibernation. I don't. He then plays Bramblewood Paragon. Yes, you read that right: Bramblewood Paragon. Collected Elves is bad, but Aggro Elves is even worse. He then has Nettle Sentinel which gets a Paragon counter. I weakly play a lord and pass. He plays his entire hand thanks to another Sentinel and Heritage Druid, including two lords of his own. I'm simply dead unless I draw Hibernation.
Sideboarding:
After beating him to 10 I have a decision to make. I can just attack with the two lords I have in play, or add the Reejerey I have in hand to put him to 2 life. What makes my decision for me is that I know he has Radiant Flames in hand because he forgot he had no red source the previous turn and tried to play it. I play around the card I know, which also means that any shockland is a dead draw. He draws an Island and plays Damnation.
Brandon's on the play, mulligans, and leads with Marsh Flats. Not expecting that, I play Vial. He then plays Flooded Strand, cracks both his fetchlands for an Island and tapped Godless Shrine. Seeing my confused expression, he assures me that he has not forgotten how to play Magic and needed to get his fetches down so that he could Serum Visions. Of course, now I'm really confused because this is nothing like he's played before. I just start laying creatures which he Wraths away, only for me to play some more and islandwalk past his Tasigur and Lingering Souls. Is he, is he playing 
Shockingly, he takes a Lord of Atlantis instead of my Aether Vial. I think this is simply wrong, but he said that he didn't care about Vial because he had no countermagic. I put the mana advantage from Vial to good use getting some threats out. He accelerates into his Tasigur, which I reset (for the rest of the game, as it turned out) with Echoing Truth. I beat with a Silvergill and Mutavault pumped by Master of the Pearl Trident while he plays two Timely Reinforcements, the first of which I Will away. This buys him time but doesn't stop the beats and his Grave Titan is quickly Pathed. He has no removal and simply dies.
I get the feeling that his deck let him down, but in my experience, Bring to Light is too clunky an approach to beat streamlined aggro. Still, he was X-1 so maybe it's just me.
The last turn of the game, I have two lords in play, he's at 9 with a Swiftspear, I'm at 1 with a one-counter Vial. I'm holding a Cursecatcher and Unified Will. I pass and Chris should just play Searing Blaze for one, which I will counter with Will. What he does instead is play the Swiftspear he drew. What I should have done here is Vial in response so that my Will is never offline. Instead, I just let Swiftspear resolve, hoping to ambush both when he attacks. He does attack and I activate Vial. At this point, Chris just has to Blaze in response and win. Instead, he lets me play Cursecatcher and then goes for the Blaze. I counter the spell, eat his blockers, and then attack for exactly lethal.
