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Modern Eldrazi Tron Ring Guide
Quick intro
The Lord of the Rings has had a massive impact on Modern , particularly due to the inclusion of The One Ring in various deck types, which has sparked debates about its potential banning. Being colorless, it can literally fit into any deck, and this might not be too good for the overall format, which is starting to see a worrying dominance of this card.
Obviously, Tron decks have been one of the most benefitted, and speaking of Tron, my old Eldrazi Tron springs back to life. Today, I'm going to talk a bit about the list I played in the last Showcase that, although it didn't achieve my dream results, I generally enjoyed.
My current version of the deck
$889/284.84 Tix
Maindeck (60)
| Creature [14] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger | $29.99 | |
| 2 Reality Smasher | $3.49 | |
| 4 Thought-Knot Seer | $2.99 | |
| 4 Matter Reshaper | $0.49 | |
| 3 Walking Ballista | $19.99 | |
| Artifact [13] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4 Chalice of the Void | $54.99 | |
| 2 Relic of Progenitus | $6.49 | |
| 4 Expedition Map | $2.99 | |
| 3 The One Ring | $79.99 | |
| Instant [5] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3 Dismember | $5.99 | |
| 2 Warping Wail | $0.79 | |
| Sorcery [1] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 All Is Dust | $4.49 | |
| Enchantment [2] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2 Urza's Saga | $39.99 | |
| Planeswalker [4] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4 Karn, the Great Creator | $7.49 | |
| Land [21] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4 Eldrazi Temple | $2.29 | |
| 4 Urza's Mine | $0.79 | |
| 4 Urza's Power Plant | $0.79 | |
| 1 Wastes | $0.69 | |
| 1 Cavern of Souls | $42.99 | |
| 1 Blast Zone | $0.49 | |
| 2 Swamp | $0.01 | |
| 4 Urza's Tower | $0.69 | |
| Sideboard [15] | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ensnaring Bridge | $15.99 | |
| 1 Sundering Titan | $0.69 | |
| 1 Pithing Needle | $0.59 | |
| 1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth | $44.99 | |
| 1 Liquimetal Coating | $0.35 | |
| 1 Batterskull | $3.99 | |
| 1 Tormod's Crypt | $0.59 | |
| 1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship | $1.99 | |
| 1 Basilisk Collar | $1.99 | |
| 1 Walking Ballista | $19.99 | |
| 1 Karn's Sylex | $1.29 | |
| 1 Cityscape Leveler | $14.99 | |
| 2 The Stone Brain | $1.99 | |
| 1 The One Ring | $79.99 | |
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Archetype Analysis
Magic online format
Apprentice and MWS .dec
The decklist hasn't changed significantly since my last write-up, but a few cards have indeed added substantial value to it. Given the format itself has evolved, I figured it was an appropriate time to update both the list and the side guide.
Card choices
The One Ring
I couldn't possibly start with any other card than the highly controversial The One Ring.
Now, with The One Ring, those absurd turns packed with one bomb after another become much more attainable
This card has truly elevated the game for several decks, including Eldrazi Tron. Its ability to protect you on the incoming turn while serving as a source of card advantage is downright scary when you consider the life-loss drawback. Eldrazi Tron has always been a deck that relies heavily on the top draw, despite having some incredibly powerful picks, especially once Tron is established. But now, with The One Ring, those absurd turns packed with one bomb after another become much more attainable. Whether it's to prevent a discard or to stop the opponent from directly attacking your life points, sometimes all a deck needs is one turn to flip the switch, and The One Ring is a huge help in that regard.
Relic of Progenitus
Relic of Progenitus is typically a sideboard card, but in Modern, it's absolutely justified to play it in the main deck. It is really efficient hosting cards and strategies like Wrenn and Six, delirium for Dragon's Rage Channeler/Unholy Heat, Murktide Regent, Living End, Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar, Persist, Yawgmoth, and Grinding Station. Even better, it can also be cycled when it is no longer needed. With the inclusion of Urza's Saga, it becomes even easier to include this type of card in your deck, as you can tutor your single copy in the final chapter.
Batterskull
This is a card that frequently returns to the list, especially if the environment becomes more hostile with the presence of Burn. In previous tournaments, Burn triumphed, and I suspected that it might encourage more players to opt for it. I believed that Batterskull was slightly faster than Wurmcoil Engine, but that wasn't the case. Perhaps, I should've considered having the Wurm in its stead.
Matchups & Sideboard guide
UR Murktide
As we have mentioned, Relic of Progenitus is a solid main deck option as a countermeasure against cards that fill the graveyard to support Murktide Regent. However, Ragavan remains a challenge, but we have several strategies to handle it, such as employing Walking Ballista, Warping Wail, Dismember, or even a Matter Reshaper for blocking purposes. If we can manage to curb an overly aggressive momentum, and gain control over the graveyard, the match tends to tilt in our favor. This is especially true given the efficiency of cards like Urza’s Saga and Thought-Knot Seer, not to mention our late-game arsenal packed with heavy hitters and Karn, the Great Creator.
Rakdos Scam
A bad matchup, especially when considering the number of Blood Moons they have in their main deck. Ragavan is a recurring issue, but getting hit with Grief on turn 1 or even a 4/4 Fury causes significant problems. We have two options against this deck: either keep hands with some removal and a certain number of lands to offset our discarded cards, or mulligan for Tron hands and again, rely on the top of our deck to do the work. Keeping with a Map also helps to dodge Blood Moons, but typically the main deck doesn't run more than one or two copies, so we can focus on this plan post-sideboard.
Living End
As mentioned in a previous article, the match used to be much better, but the presence of Grief and Force of Negation has worsened it somewhat. However, I believe it's still in our favor. We have a lot of great cards against this deck: Chalice of the Void, Warping Wail, and Relic of Progenitus are all top-notch, with a turn 1 Relic being almost unbeatable against this deck. However, our opponent also has solid responses to our hate cards, with Force of Negation and Grief being the primary ones. The former, in combination with a Violent Outburst, can shut down our instant hate cards, while the latter can disrupt our game plan as early as turn 1 if we're on the draw.
Nonetheless, the best strategy is to mulligan for hate cards and/or a fast Tron. A well-timed Thought-Knot Seer can be a game changer, and it also provides a respectable clock. Karn is our best card, so aim to play it on a key turn where our opponent can't respond and yet still pull off a Living End. Remember, Urza's Saga can tutor for a Relic, so if you start with it in your hand, don't hesitate to use it. Even if it means sacrificing a land, fetching one early could be the difference between victory and defeat.
Amulet Titan
Tough matchup. The opponent will try to play Primeval Titan as soon as possible, but we have a few good cards against him. Chalice of the Void for zero stops them from casting Summoner’s Pact, Warping Wail can remove an Azusa, Lost but Seeking and, combined with Walking Ballista, Dismember can handle Primeval Titan, as well as Dryad of the Ilysian Grove. The One Ring was also a vital inclusion in this match, as we gained a turn, enabling us to tap out without fear of facing a hasty Titan or a barrage of Valakut strikes. There are many threats the opponent has, including tokens from Urza's Saga, but if there's a card that gives us a chance to win the match, it's the power of The One Ring. The three draws that the ring provides can save us from defeat on the next turn, typically fetching some crucial piece with Karn, the Great Creator.
BG Yawgmoth
In terms of the matchup being favorable for MonoG Tron, the same cannot be said for Eldrazi Tron. The deck essentially shrugs off Chalice of the Void and manages to combo rather swiftly and effortlessly. Previously, our list featured Karn's Sylex in the main deck, which significantly enhanced the matchup, acting as a pivotal anti-combo component in the main deck, but now it only resides in our sideboard. In older iterations of the deck, Karn turning into Grafdigger's Cage was notably effective, as it allowed us to dismantle the combo with just a single mana, but the current version of the deck now includes Boseiju and Sheoldred, which poses a significant challenge for Eldrazi Tron. Once more, Relic of Progenitus can provide some assistance, but it doesn't offer much of a solution this time around. The most vital task is to react to the key cards, particularly Yawgmoth and Sheoldred, so if feasible, keep Dismember on hand for them. Remember that Karn becoming Sylex stops the combo, but it also prevents paying life to play Dismember. The One Ring can halt the combo on the turn it's played, but the deck is capable of comboing on the opponent's turn, rendering it less effective.
4C Creativity
This match-up isn't exactly the best, but we do have some answers to the combo, such as Warping Wail for Indomitable Creativity and removals for the tokens. Our clock isn't top-tier, but our creatures apply pressure to the planeswalkers. The Boseiju lock with Wrenn and Six can be quite problematic, so mulliganing for an early tron isn't really beneficial. One thing that's apparent when playing with Eldrazi Tron is that it usually has a good match-up against decks that are hampered by Chalice of the Void, and this isn't one of those decks. The best move we can make is to indeed tron, summon a Karn, and fetch Sundering Titan, which is truly effective against this kind of deck that has such a greedy manabase.
Temur Rhinos
Another matchup that used to be much better, but now with Force of Negation and, more recently, Flame of Anor, our Chalice of the Void strategy isn't as efficient as it once was. Even so, it remains one of our best tactics, slowing down the cascade. Boseiju is also on this list and now they're using Obsidian Charmaw, which is a real nightmare for this deck, providing a solid clock overhead and land destruction for just 2 mana. Decks with Subtlety still delay our Karn and Reality Smasher's clock. The One Ring grants us an extra turn of survival. If decks truly start utilizing Charmaw, a good option could be to reintroduce Torpor Orb, but I don't think it's necessary just yet, despite it being effective against both Charmaw, Fury, and Subtlety.
Burn
Burn is a well-balanced matchup where Chalice of the Void can prove to be highly effective. It's clearly better when you're on the play, as setting it to 1 can prevent multiple creatures from hitting the field in the early turns. We can establish a solid clock if we cast Thought-Knot Seer, while simultaneously removing a burn. The One Ring provides a one turn advantage, but the drawback is quite significant. Losing 1 life per turn is a significant loss when facing this type of deck. Perhaps the best strategy might be to untap and draw just one additional card, but all depends on the game state. Basilisk Collar coming in from the sideboard is excellent, but the deck also includes Roiling Vortex and Skullcrack. The optimal strategy against burn is always to apply pressure and establish a clock, the more time they have, the higher the chance they'll topdeck a burn. The ring also serves to aid in this race, potentially turning the tables in a crucial turn without fear of losing on the swing back.
UB Mill
Casting Chalice of the Void for 1 mana is highly effective against this deck, and while Tasha's Hideous Laughter doesn't hit many cards, any one of the Crabs on turn 1 can pose a serious threat, especially if paired with the removal of a Tron piece. The inclusion of 4 Field of Ruin also significantly reduces the occurrence of Tron. Against this deck, aggressively mulliganing isn't too risky, since the more cards in your library, the less likely you are to lose due to decking out. After sideboarding, I've found a strategy that's been working well: sideboard in almost all cards, leaving only those that wouldn't be necessary in a typical game unless you want to sideboard in Karn, the Great Creator. With a thicker library and the presence of Kozilek, I believe there's less chance of losing due to decking out, even if the deck ends up with less than optimal cards for the matchup.
Sideboard everything in except the following:
- 1 tormod s crypt
- 1 liquimetal coating
- 1 ensnaring bridge
4C Ring
Similar to the matchup against Creativity: it's not very favorable and the lock from Wrenn and Six with Boseiju is quite potent. The presence of elementals and Leyline Binding means they have answers to virtually everything we do. Relic of Progenitus helps against the game development with Wrenn and Six and Karn remains the key card, especially when fetching a Sundering Titan. Mulliganing for hands that at least attempt to assemble Tron early remains the best strategy for victory. Chalice of the Void is rather weak here, so it's better to have cards that make more sense in the main deck.
Final words
Eldrazi Tron is the deck I enjoy playing the most, a factor I believe is crucial for success in any given format: appreciating the deck you're utilizing and fully understanding its ins and outs. Furthermore, it's the top deck for Chalice of the Void, and anywhere it excels, Eldrazi Tron will always be a solid choice, even if it might not be the best option currently. Until next time!