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Modern Jund Creativity Deck Tech & Sideboard Guide

Alessandro Carvallo
18/03/2023 · 9 min read
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Introduction: Creativity in the current meta

Over the past few seasons, Indomitable Creativity has transformed into a formidable card in Modern , and more recently in Pioneer. This powerhouse card played a pivotal role in Reid Duke's triumphant victory at the Pro Tour Phyrexia with his Izzet Creativity deck . I've been thoroughly impressed by the consistency demonstrated by decks utilizing it, as well as how relatively easy it is to cast Indomitable Creativity by turn four.

Reid Duke winning the Pro Tour
Reid Duke winning the Pro Tour

Today, we'll be discussing Creativity in Modern. There's a vast array of possibilities for utilizing this card in various strategies, but two decks currently stand out as exceptionally powerful: 5C Creativity and Jund Creativity.

Gradually, these decks have been gaining prominence in the Modern metagame . It all started with intriguing lists that had some inconsistencies. However, over time, top players have been refining the creativity-based decks, adding consistency and establishing a strong foundation. This has allowed these decks to go head-to-head against the most powerful decks in Modern.

In this article, I'll be conducting a deck tech for Jund Creativity, where we'll delve into a comprehensive deck breakdown, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, we'll cover a sideboard guide and wrap up with conclusions about the deck's overall performance.

One Card, Different Decks: 5 Colors vs. Jund

First and foremost, I'd like to address the most frequently asked questions I've received in recent days: What's the difference between playing Jund Creativity and 5C Creativity? Which of these two decks is superior? And why do I prefer playing Jund over 5C? Let's dive into answering these questions.

What is the difference between the 5-Colors Version and Jund?

Two decks with varying play speeds, but sharing the same ultimate goal.

5 Colors boasts its flexibility to utilize a broader range of options in both the sideboard and main deck, potentially addressing certain tools that Jund's sideboard may lack. In this strategy, the Blue color is much more prominent, with key cards such as Spell Pierce and Teferi Time Reveler, designed to ensure the successful resolution of Indomitable Creativity. Additionally, we have the opportunity to use one of the most popular cards from the latest season (Leyline Binding), which appears to be the most premium graveyard hate in Modern at the moment.

Jund Creativity is perhaps a more agile deck compared to 5c, obviously with fewer card options since we're only playing with three colors. I'd like to consider Jund Creativity more as a Turbo Archon deck, as its second main pillar is the card Persist and it has a core focused on discarding cards from our hand. Cards like Thoughtseize in this deck are highly relevant to our game plan, as they provide that extra information needed to always choose the correct lines of play.

Which version is better, Jund or 5 Color?

I believe it's important not to place one strategy above another, as each deck has its own unique appeal and power.

The most viable way to play Creativity will depend on the current Modern metagame, as well as each player's individual playstyle. There are many players who possess excellent timing with blue cards and have a strong ability to read the board in order to effectively resolve counterspells. For these types of players, taking the path of 5c Creativity might be a great option. On the other hand, Jund may be more suitable for players who enjoy taking risks or prefer a more fluid Creativity playstyle without the added complexity of managing their mana bases.

Why do you favor playing Jund over 5-Color ?

I've chosen to play Jund due to the engaging gameplay it offers. As I've mentioned in previous articles, Thoughtseize is one of my all-time favorite cards. Having access to information always provides you with a competitive edge over your opponent.

Having the chance to get Archon on the board by turn 3 can often put you in a significantly advantageous position in the game, as there are numerous decks that struggle to find a solution for this card.

I've always been a fan of playing with more streamlined or solid mana bases, if you will, especially when it comes to 5C Creativity decks. One wrong fetchland decision can often be the crucial turning point that loses you the game. So, I prefer to keep things uncomplicated and opt for a simpler approach. There's a saying that goes, "sometimes the simplest solution is the best one." Now, I'm not sure how accurate this is for Magic, but I'll take this adage as my guiding principle when choosing my Creativity strategy. ☺

My current version of the deck

4 Color Creativity. Builder: Cabezadebolo.MTGO - Magic Online
1st
(4 - 0)
100%
in MTGO Modern Preliminary #12532707 16-Mar-2023
MTG Decks Maindeck (60)
Creature [8]
4  Archon of Cruelty   $12.99
4  Fable of the Mirror-Breaker   $19.99
Instant [6]
4  Lightning Bolt   $1.29
2  Fatal Push   $2.29
Sorcery [12]
4  Thoughtseize   $15.99
4  Indomitable Creativity   $9.49
4  Persist   $0.99
Enchantment [3]
3  Bitter Reunion   $0.39
Planeswalker [7]
3  Liliana of the Veil   $15.99
4  Wrenn and Six   $27.99
Land [24]
4  Bloodstained Mire   $27.99
4  Scalding Tarn   $22.99
2  Blood Crypt   $17.99
2  Stomping Ground   $13.99
4  Wooded Foothills   $34.99
4  Dwarven Mine   $0.39
1  Boseiju, Who Endures   $54.99
1  Ziatora's Proving Ground   $13.99
2  Mountain   $0.01
Sideboard [15]
1  Emrakul, the Aeons Torn   $16.99
3  Nature's Claim   $1.79
2  Terminate   $0.99
3  Veil of Summer   $6.49
2  Necromentia   $0.59
2  Turn the Earth   $0.35
1  Hidetsugu Consumes All   $3.49
1  Boseiju, Who Endures   $54.99
Buy this deck:

$275.26 Tix @cardhoarder   $6.88 / Week @cardhoarder   $804.82 @tcgplayer   $966.61 @cardkingdom  


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Deck Breakdown

KEY CARDS

These 4 cards are the most crucial components of the deck, with the primary objective being to successfully bring Archon of Cruelty into play. Players have 2 strategic options to achieve this: first, utilizing Indomitable Creativity from turn 4 onwards in combination with Dwarven Mine; and second, casting Persist after previously discarding Archon of Cruelty.

Archon of Cruelty makes its debut in Modern with the release of Modern Horizons 2. From the moment it became legal, players have been exploring various strategies to efficiently bring Archon of Cruelty onto the battlefield as quickly as possible.

Creativity decks have now become the top choice for showcasing Archon of Cruelty at its best, outperforming many amazing creatures that are popular in the current Modern landscape.

CORE CARDS

Wrenn and Six is likely one of the best planeswalkers to have ever graced the Modern format, and it's an absolute must-play in this deck. Our game plan revolves around playing lands every turn, and Wrenn and Six enables us to do so with ease. This powerful duo is the key to unlocking Indomitable Creativity from turn four onwards, as it consistently provides us with the opportunity to bring Dwarven Mine to the battlefield.

Another major strength of Wrenn and Six is its ability to effectively deal with creatures like Ragavan, DRC, Esper Sentinel, Ignoble Hierarch, and a multitude of other one-toughness creatures currently seeing play in the Modern format, thanks to its -1 ability.

At times, I can't help but feel like Fable of the Mirror Breakers was specifically designed for this deck

At times, I can't help but feel like Fable of the Mirror Breakers was specifically designed for this deck – I'm not aware of any other deck where Fable of the Mirror Breaker is as efficient and powerful. It truly does everything our game plan demands, which reminds me of a saying we have in my country: Fable of the Mirror Breaker bakes, irons, cooks, and mops.

Bitter Reunion is a fresh addition to this deck. While it may not be a spectacular card, it appears to make quite a bit of sense in our overall game plan. I believe it could be a potential flex slot in the future. I'll continue to explore new cards with a similar profile and we'll see what unfolds down the line.

REMOVALS AND DISCARD SPELLS

Removals

Turn 1 interactions are a crucial cornerstone of our deck, providing us with a slight cushion to ensure cards like Wrenn and Six and Fable of the Mirror Breakers resolve on clean boards or under minimal pressure.

It's crucial to have turn-one removals in your arsenal, and Ragavan is one of the most popular one-drop cards in the format. Successfully resolving it is essential, and that's precisely why cards like Lightning Bolt and Fatal Push are so important in the deck.

Discard Spells

Thoughtseize provides us with the assurance of casting our spells around various counters, removals, and so on. As previously mentioned, playing with information at our disposal always allows us to make the correct decisions, ultimately leading to a higher probability of winning the game.

Liliana of the Veil is a fascinating addition to this deck. I've recently incorporated her into my deck, primarily to enhance my matchup against Elementals and potentially as a counter to cards such as Murktide Regent. So far, she's proven to be quite effective, serving as both a removal spell and a means of controlling my opponent's hand. While I'm uncertain about Liliana's long-term future in my deck's subsequent updates, she's certainly been holding her own for the time being.

Strengths and Weaknesses

STRENGTHS OF JUND CREATIVITY

  • Really solid mana base
  • 2 Ways to Bring Archon of Cruelty to the Battlefield
  • Is a deck that can catch your opponents off guard at every turn.
  • Creativity decks force opponents to consistently play with open mana, providing us the opportunity to make well-informed decisions and execute effective counterplays against them.
  • The opponent's gameplay will consistently revolve around Archon of Cruelty, ultimately forcing them to continually sacrifice their game plan in favor of being able to react each turn.

JUND CREATIVITY'S WEAK POINTS

Likely, the issues with this deck begin post-sideboard; cards such as Necromentia or Orvar can be quite troublesome and may turn into a major headache, effectively cutting off all our options to advance the game.

Sideboard Guide

UR MURKTIDE

HAMMERTIME

RHINOS CASCADE

RAKDOS SCAM

LIVING END

MIRROR MATCH

BURN

UB MILL

If you liked this article maybe you will also find interesting on of the following ones UW Narset Undoing Primer & Sideboard Guide [Modern], Grixis Midrange sideboard guide by Mogged

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Alessandro Carvallo
MTGO Grinder
Alessandro Carvallo, better known as Cabezadebolo on MTGO, is a very well-known grinder and deckbuilder on MTGO. Carvallo has been playing Magic: The Gathering for many years and has been involved in the competitive scene since a long time.

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Published: 2023-03-18 00:00:00
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