Ad Nauseam

By Luis Scott-Vargas

Luis Scott-Vargas plays, writes, and makes videos about Magic. He has played on the Pro Tour for almost a decade, and between that and producing content for ChannelFireball, often has his hands full (of cards).

I find that Angel's Grace continues to interest me in Modern, and I found another sweet deck that takes advantage of the "can't lose" clause. I've actually played today's deck a fair amount, albeit not in the last three years. Before Pro Tour Amsterdam in 2010, Team ChannelFireball (before we were a proper team, even) tested the Angel's Grace plus Ad Nauseam combo.

How the deck works is a little simpler than last week's Angel's Grace deck, if only because the win condition is always the same. If you cast Angel's Grace or have Phyrexian Unlife in play, Ad Nauseam draws your entire deck. Once you have picked up all your cards, Lightning Storm conveniently gets cast off Simian Spirit Guide and deals a hefty amount of damage to your opponent.

Setting up the combo isn't that hard, mainly thanks to Mystical Teachings. Teachings gets both halves of the combo, and because of flashback, one Teachings will do the trick if you have enough time. Speaking of time, it is nice that Phyrexian Unlife and Angel's Grace can provide it, although it does require that you burn the Angel's Grace. Unlife works a little better, and usually represents at least one extra turn of (un)life, with two turns being the most common.

Pact of Negation and Slaughter Pact are also cute in this deck, mainly because you can Pact your opponent on his or her turn, then Angel's Grace on upkeep to not die from the trigger, and then go off that turn. We had Tolaria West in our deck to find Pacts, but that may be too slow these days.

The deck is a bit of a one-trick pony, but it's a really good trick, and I only regret that we didn't get it into proper shape for the Pro Tour (instead settling for casting Treefolk Harbinger instead).

hunsakr's Ad Nauseam Combo

Decklist Stats Sample Hand

Creature (3)

3 Simian Spirit Guide

Sorcery (6)

4 Serum Visions 2 Sleight of Hand

Instant (17)

4 Ad Nauseam 4 Angel's Grace 1 Desperate Ritual 1 Lightning Storm 2 Mystical Teachings 3 Pact of Negation 1 Peer Through Depths 1 Slaughter Pact

Artifact (8)

4 Lotus Bloom 4 Pentad Prism

Enchantment (3)

3 Phyrexian Unlife

Land (23)

1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All 2 Darkslick Shores 2 Gemstone Mine 1 Hallowed Fountain 3 Island 3 Marsh Flats 2 Misty Rainforest 1 Plains 2 Scalding Tarn 3 Seachrome Coast 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 2 Watery Grave

60 Cards