It was a sold-out event in Hartford this weekend, as 1,800 players turned out to battle in Modern. One of Magic's most popular formats – largely for the huge diversity of viable deck archetypes – the format has been a huge draw to the northeast, and the tournament didn’t disappoint.
Big names came to game this weekend, and though most of them fell off by the end of Sunday, there was plenty of excitement to go around. With old decks coming with new technology and new brews finding success, there was something for everyone in Connecticut. From the packed house to a wild finals matchup, it a thrilling event from start to finish – here are the highlights that stood out to us.
Diversity for Days
Nothing sums it up better than this: 15 distinct archetypes in the Top 16.
Deck diversity is what players love about the Modern format, and it’s exactly what they got this weekend. Of the nearly 350 players who made it to Day 2, there were 65 distinct archetypes represented. The only repeat was Bogles, which put two players into the Top 8, though both fell before the finals.
This is what the top of the Day 2 metagame looked like.
(Corbin) Thanks to some awesome judges helping us compile this, we have a full Day 2 metagame breakdown of all 346 decks! There were 65 unique archetypes represented. pic.twitter.com/cAvn4QRYTR
— Magic Pro Tour (@magicprotour) April 15, 2018
I promised the full breakdown, so let’s start at the top. While many of these decks will straddle multiple categories – I’ll let you decide whether Bogles is an aggro or combo deck – here is what the metagame looked like in broad strokes.
Midrange: 121 decks
Aggro: 113 decks
Combo: 72 decks
Control: 40 decks
And, as promised, the full breakdown:
Archetype | # | % |
Affinity | 33 | 0.095 |
Five-Color Humans | 27 | 0.078 |
Hollow One | 21 | 0.061 |
Jund | 20 | 0.058 |
Mardu Pyromancer | 19 | 0.055 |
Burn | 16 | 0.046 |
Jeskai Control | 15 | 0.043 |
Bogles | 12 | 0.035 |
Mono-Green Tron | 12 | 0.035 |
Elves | 11 | 0.032 |
Blue Moon | 9 | 0.026 |
Eldrazi Tron | 9 | 0.026 |
Green-White Company | 8 | 0.023 |
Grixis Shadow | 8 | 0.023 |
Storm | 8 | 0.023 |
Ponza | 7 | 0.02 |
Bant Knightfall | 6 | 0.017 |
Red-Green Eldrazi | 6 | 0.017 |
Titan Shift | 6 | 0.017 |
White-Blue Control | 6 | 0.017 |
Ad Nauseam | 5 | 0.015 |
Amulet Titan | 5 | 0.015 |
Bant Company | 5 | 0.015 |
Abzan Company | 4 | 0.012 |
Jeskai Breach | 4 | 0.012 |
Merfolk | 4 | 0.012 |
Bant Spirits | 3 | 0.009 |
Grishoalbrand | 3 | 0.009 |
Lantern Control | 3 | 0.009 |
Blue-Red Kiki-Jiki | 2 | 0.006 |
Bring to Light Scapeshift | 2 | 0.006 |
Cheerios | 2 | 0.006 |
Death and Taxes | 2 | 0.006 |
Esper Control | 2 | 0.006 |
Infect | 2 | 0.006 |
Ironworks Combo | 2 | 0.006 |
Jeskai CopyCat | 2 | 0.006 |
Naya Evolution | 2 | 0.006 |
Naya Zoo | 2 | 0.006 |
Red-Green Tron | 2 | 0.006 |
Temur Control | 2 | 0.006 |
Traverse Shadow | 2 | 0.006 |
Taking Turns | 2 | 0.006 |
Eldrazi and Taxes | 2 | 0.006 |
8-Rack | 1 | 0.003 |
Abzan | 1 | 0.003 |
Bant Eldrazi | 1 | 0.003 |
Black-Green Tron | 1 | 0.003 |
Bring to Light Kiki-Jiki | 1 | 0.003 |
Colorless Eldrazi | 1 | 0.003 |
Dredge | 1 | 0.003 |
Eldrazi Moon | 1 | 0.003 |
Enduring Ideal | 1 | 0.003 |
Five-Color Zoo | 1 | 0.003 |
Green-White Tron | 1 | 0.003 |
Grixis Control | 1 | 0.003 |
Living End | 1 | 0.003 |
Martyr Proc | 1 | 0.003 |
Mono-Black Zombies | 1 | 0.003 |
Monument Sisters | 1 | 0.003 |
Skred Red | 1 | 0.003 |
Temur Kiki-Jiki | 1 | 0.003 |
Madcap Moon | 1 | 0.003 |
Blue-Red Thing in the Ice | 1 | 0.003 |
White-Blue Midrange | 1 | 0.003 |
Magic players love stats, so go wild – and here are a few of the spicier Day 2 lists that stood out.
Creature (19)
1 Kami of False Hope 4 Martyr of Sands 4 Ranger of Eos 4 Serra Ascendant 4 Squadron Hawk 1 Sun Titan 1 Weathered WayfarerLand (23)
2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin 3 Field of Ruin 4 Ghost Quarter 2 Mistveil Plains 11 Plains 1 Scattered GrovesSideboard (15)
1 Kami of False Hope 1 Dusk // Dawn 2 Celestial Purge 1 Disenchant 3 Leyline of Sanctity 1 Pithing Needle 3 Stony Silence 3 Surgical ExtractionWhite (48)
2 Kami of False Hope 4 Martyr of Sands 4 Ranger of Eos 4 Serra Ascendant 4 Squadron Hawk 1 Sun Titan 1 Weathered Wayfarer 1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion 1 Gideon Jura 1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 1 Banishing Light 1 Day of Judgment 2 Dusk // Dawn 2 Oblivion Ring 4 Path to Exile 2 Proclamation of Rebirth 1 Settle the Wreckage 3 Wrath of God 2 Celestial Purge 1 Disenchant 3 Leyline of Sanctity 3 Stony SilenceBlack (3)
3 Surgical ExtractionColorless (24)
2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin 3 Field of Ruin 4 Ghost Quarter 2 Mistveil Plains 11 Plains 1 Scattered Groves 1 Pithing Needle1 (19)
2 Kami of False Hope 4 Martyr of Sands 4 Serra Ascendant 1 Weathered Wayfarer 4 Path to Exile 1 Pithing Needle 3 Surgical Extraction4 (15)
4 Ranger of Eos 1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 1 Day of Judgment 2 Dusk // Dawn 1 Settle the Wreckage 3 Wrath of God 3 Leyline of Sanctity5 (1)
1 Gideon JuraCommon (23)
2 Kami of False Hope 4 Martyr of Sands 4 Squadron Hawk 1 Banishing Light 11 Plains 1 DisenchantUncommon (17)
2 Oblivion Ring 4 Path to Exile 3 Field of Ruin 4 Ghost Quarter 2 Mistveil Plains 2 Celestial PurgeRare (30)
4 Ranger of Eos 4 Serra Ascendant 1 Weathered Wayfarer 2 Dusk // Dawn 2 Proclamation of Rebirth 1 Settle the Wreckage 3 Wrath of God 2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin 1 Scattered Groves 3 Leyline of Sanctity 1 Pithing Needle 3 Stony Silence 3 Surgical ExtractionMythic (5)
1 Sun Titan 1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion 1 Gideon Jura 1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 1 Day of JudgmentArtifact (24)
4 Accorder's Shield 4 Cathar's Shield 4 Mox Opal 4 Paradise Mantle 4 Sigil of Distinction 4 Spidersilk NetLand (15)
4 Flooded Strand 2 Hallowed Fountain 2 Plains 1 Sacred Foundry 2 Seachrome Coast 4 Windswept HeathSideboard (15)
1 Noxious Revival 1 Paradoxical Outcome 1 Burrenton Forge-Tender 2 Echoing Truth 2 Ghirapur Aether Grid 3 Path to Exile 4 Silence 1 Wear // TearWhite (17)
4 Puresteel Paladin 4 Sram, Senior Edificer 1 Burrenton Forge-Tender 3 Path to Exile 4 Silence 1 Wear // TearGreen (3)
3 Noxious RevivalColorless (39)
4 Accorder's Shield 4 Cathar's Shield 4 Mox Opal 4 Paradise Mantle 4 Sigil of Distinction 4 Spidersilk Net 4 Flooded Strand 2 Hallowed Fountain 2 Plains 1 Sacred Foundry 2 Seachrome Coast 4 Windswept Heath1 (21)
3 Noxious Revival 2 Repeal 4 Retract 3 Serum Visions 1 Burrenton Forge-Tender 3 Path to Exile 4 Silence 1 Wear // Tear3 (2)
2 Ghirapur Aether Grid4 (2)
2 Paradoxical OutcomeUncommon (21)
4 Accorder's Shield 3 Noxious Revival 4 Paradise Mantle 3 Serum Visions 1 Burrenton Forge-Tender 2 Ghirapur Aether Grid 3 Path to Exile 1 Wear // TearRare (22)
4 Puresteel Paladin 4 Sram, Senior Edificer 1 Grapeshot 2 Paradoxical Outcome 4 Retract 4 Sigil of Distinction 2 Hallowed Fountain 1 Sacred FoundryPlaneswalker (2)
2 Jace, the Mind SculptorCreature (2)
2 Snapcaster MageSorcery (17)
1 Collective Brutality 3 Exhaustion 2 Part the Waterveil 4 Serum Visions 3 Temporal Mastery 4 Time WarpArtifact (2)
2 Howling MineEnchantment (4)
4 Dictate of KruphixLand (23)
3 Drowned Catacomb 1 Flooded Strand 2 Gemstone Caverns 6 Island 1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea 1 Misty Rainforest 1 Polluted Delta 1 Scalding Tarn 3 Snow-Covered Island 2 Sunken Hollow 1 Temple of Deceit 1 Watery GraveSideboard (15)
1 Collective Brutality 1 Commandeer 3 Chalice of the Void 2 Engineered Explosives 2 Hurkyl's Recall 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang 2 Thing in the Ice // Awoken Horror 1 ThoughtseizeBlue (35)
2 Snapcaster Mage 2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor 2 Commandeer 2 Cryptic Command 4 Dictate of Kruphix 3 Exhaustion 4 Gigadrowse 2 Part the Waterveil 4 Serum Visions 1 Snapback 3 Temporal Mastery 4 Time Warp 2 Hurkyl's RecallBlack (8)
2 Collective Brutality 2 Fatal Push 2 Surgical Extraction 1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang 1 ThoughtseizeColorless (32)
2 Howling Mine 3 Drowned Catacomb 1 Flooded Strand 2 Gemstone Caverns 6 Island 1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea 1 Misty Rainforest 1 Polluted Delta 1 Scalding Tarn 3 Snow-Covered Island 2 Sunken Hollow 1 Temple of Deceit 1 Watery Grave 3 Chalice of the Void 2 Engineered Explosives 2 Thing in the Ice // Awoken Horror5 (4)
4 Time WarpCommon (20)
4 Gigadrowse 1 Snapback 6 Island 3 Snow-Covered Island 3 Chalice of the Void 1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang 2 Thing in the Ice // Awoken HorrorRare (31)
2 Snapcaster Mage 2 Collective Brutality 2 Commandeer 2 Cryptic Command 4 Dictate of Kruphix 2 Howling Mine 3 Drowned Catacomb 1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea 1 Misty Rainforest 1 Scalding Tarn 2 Sunken Hollow 1 Temple of Deceit 1 Watery Grave 2 Engineered Explosives 2 Hurkyl's Recall 2 Surgical Extraction 1 ThoughtseizeMythic (15)
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor 2 Part the Waterveil 3 Temporal Mastery 4 Time Warp 1 Flooded Strand 2 Gemstone Caverns 1 Polluted DeltaCreature (26)
4 Archangel of Thune 2 Sky Hussar 4 Soul Warden 4 Soul's Attendant 4 Squadron Hawk 4 Wall of Omens 4 Whitemane LionArtifact (4)
4 Oketra's MonumentEnchantment (2)
2 Oblivion RingSideboard (15)
1 Settle the Wreckage 1 Blessed Alliance 1 Disenchant 4 Leyline of Sanctity 2 Pithing Needle 2 Rest in Peace 2 Stony Silence 2 Suppression FieldWhite (45)
4 Archangel of Thune 4 Soul Warden 4 Soul's Attendant 4 Squadron Hawk 4 Wall of Omens 4 Whitemane Lion 2 Oblivion Ring 4 Path to Exile 3 Settle the Wreckage 1 Blessed Alliance 1 Disenchant 4 Leyline of Sanctity 2 Rest in Peace 2 Stony Silence 2 Suppression FieldMulti colored (2)
2 Sky HussarColorless (28)
4 Oketra's Monument 2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin 4 Field of Ruin 16 Plains 2 Pithing Needle2 (20)
4 Squadron Hawk 4 Wall of Omens 4 Whitemane Lion 1 Blessed Alliance 1 Disenchant 2 Rest in Peace 2 Stony Silence 2 Suppression FieldCommon (33)
4 Soul Warden 4 Soul's Attendant 4 Squadron Hawk 4 Whitemane Lion 16 Plains 1 DisenchantUncommon (23)
2 Sky Hussar 4 Wall of Omens 2 Oblivion Ring 4 Oketra's Monument 4 Path to Exile 4 Field of Ruin 1 Blessed Alliance 2 Suppression FieldRare (15)
3 Settle the Wreckage 2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin 4 Leyline of Sanctity 2 Pithing Needle 2 Rest in Peace 2 Stony SilenceMythic (4)
4 Archangel of ThuneThe Rise of Hollow One
Hollow One began as a quirky fringe deck back when it was printed in Hour of Devastation. It presented players with an intriguing puzzle: just how much could they discount the card’s casting cost? And while it started out slowly, with players toying around with Vengevine and so on, the deck has turned into a real monster, as cards like Goblin Lore have been adopted to push the archetype over the top.
Ken Yukuhiro made the Top 8 of Pro Tour Rivals of Ixalan with the deck, and it has only improved since as players learn to navigate the tricky deck capable of truly absurd starts, as demonstrated by Mike Sigrist on Saturday afternoon.
The newest innovating is splashing white for Lingering Souls, a card that absolutely turns around many of the deck’s close matchups against decks like Humans and other decks that go wide with creatures, while adding yet another card that plays well out of the graveyard and helps to grind out the lategame.
“It’s just so explosive, and it’s probably the best deck in the format," explained former Player of the Year Mike Sigrist, who piloted the deck deep into Day 2. “It’s also the hardest Modern deck I’ve ever played – the games change every time based on the texture of your hand and the matchup. There are so many small decisions that can make a huge difference."
Many of the pros in the room said they considered Hollow One the best deck in Modern right now. But the format still proved resistant to solving – only Max McVety was able to take the deck to the Top 16.
Nass Seals the Deal
It all came down to Matt Nass and Michael Mapson, and both were on noteworthy decks. Despite Affinity, Hollow One and Humans dominating the field after Day 1, it was two rogue decks that met in the finals. Nass was making his second straight Modern Grand Prix Top 8 appearance with the newly resurgent Krark-Clan Ironworks combo – you can read the full details of how the complex deck wins here – while Mapson was also on another older, formerly dominant deck: Amulet Titan.
With Summer Bloom banned from the format, many players assumed the deck was long gone. But just as Modern refuses to be solved, the deck slotted in Sakura-Tribe Scout and just kept on chugging. While it seemed many forgot about the power of fetching any land you want with Primeval Titan and untapping it immediately – see Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion – a dedicated contingent has kept the faith.
Mapson was one of those. He’s been playing the deck for nine months straight, and after a bunch of success with the deck on Magic Online he felt compelled to bring it to the GP.
I've jammed a bunch of modem leagues prepping for #GPHartford over the past few weeks. Think it's really helped me learn a bunch and my current win rate is just under 80%. Wondering how much I can keep going before burnout though
— Michael Mapson (@ExpeditionMap) April 6, 2018
That decision paid off huge for Mapson, who was able to play a turn-three Primeval Titan with haste and dispatch Nass quickly in the first game of the finals. Nass fought back with a lightning-fast combo in the second game, and sent things into a decider.
For two decks focused on winning the game as quickly as possible without much interaction, the final match featured plenty of it. Mapson had Relic of Progenitus to try and mess up Nass’ graveyard loops, while the ChannelFireball pro fired off a pair of Nature's Claim to take out two Amulet of Vigor. But it was the Engineered Explosives that followed – taking out the Relic plus a third Amulet – that really pulled Nass ahead in the game. But Mapson wasn’t done – he transmuted Tolaria West for Pact of Negation, preventing Nass from going for a combo kill on the next turn.
Nass settled for attacking with a pair of Scrap Trawler and Myr Retriever, actually threatening Mapson’s life total by knocking him to 10. But Mapson had a bomb ready on the next turn: Ruric Thar, the Unbowed.
That was enough to hold off Nass from comboing, but an unfortunate quirk of the card is that Ruric Thar must attack each turn if able. That meant Mapson had no choice but to run it into a pair of waiting Scrap Trawler, creating a trade that gave Nass plenty of gas back into his hand. From there it was elementary, and not even the Pact of Negation was enough to stop Nass from closing it out with the combo. A few loops and Scrapyard Trawler later and Mapson extended his hand.
Congrats to Matt Nass, the winner of Grand Prix Hartford!