In the last game in round 2 you had 7 creatures. You could have left back 2 after blocks and dismember was cast, use the 2 springleafs to activate cranial and instant speed moved it from brute to your unblocked frogmite or thought monitor for the win! Love the content!
It's amazing to me how the combination of the passage of time, nostalgia, and power creep can turn formerly dominant decks like Affinity from hated (and I mean HATED) metagame villains into beloved, plucky underdogs! For those who don't remember (or who weren't there at the time), Affinity circa 2004 wasn't just "overpowered" or "annoying" - it made up 30+% of the field at some Pro Tour events, IIRC, and it reliably won those events even though every single deck was filled to the brim with artifact hate (main as well as side). The deck was so hated that its dominance pushed player numbers in Standard down to unprecedented lows. In order to fix the damage, R&D had to ban no fewer than 8 cards from the deck in Standard, not to mention 7 in Modern, 2 in Legacy, 3 in Pauper, and 9 in Block Constructed (beating out Urza's Block for the largest Block Constructed banlist in Magic history!). I remember players groaning the second they saw an Artifact land from their opponent, or apologizing to opponents for their deck choice if they were the ones running Affinity. ... and now it's a fan favorite. How times have changed! I could say the same of many other decks played before on this channel - Draw-Go/Blue Control, Pox, High Tide, Caw Blade, Pros-Bloom, Rebels, and plenty of others. All of these decks were once format-ruiners; now with the passage of time they've become quaint throwbacks. But Affinity used to be so dominant, and so broken, and so frustrating to play against, and so utterly despised by players in so many different formats that I never thought I'd see the day that folks would be excited to see it return! (And, to be fair, modern Modern Affinity decks have limited overlap with old-school Ravager or Skullclamp Affinity!)
Affinity with the Mirrodin artifact lands is a whole different beast from Modern builds. Currently that form of Affinity lives on as half of the top Pauper metagame, where it continues to be just as beyond the pale as it was in 2004 (albeit with Kuldotha Red at least being able to realistically race it, which no deck in 2004 standard could).
When I was still only playing with friends (some of them were more engaged) I remember saying things like "if you're running new metal, I don't wanna play" (reffering to Mirrodin and forward). Like, I was ok getting stomped by tangle wire and winter orb, but for some reason the new affinity was too much for me. And I still remember my anger to ravager, being basically inmune to removal! I always liked affinity in pauper though, ever since cranial was gone.
I've had an affinity deck just sitting 98% built in a case for years now. I'm glad to see it's still relevant. Maybe I'll get around to playing it by 2024 lol.
In the last match, the Wail isn't for sorceries. It's in to instant speed exile the Thopters in response to an equipment. It's also possible it's an extra mana to activate Pyre or other cards. I'm trying to build something similar to this, but I'm actually going to the flex slots with Sigarda's Aid and a single Hammer, just for the extra beat down.
I feel like this league is a good example of that Modern is made of unique synergistic decks whereas Legacy has a large component of engines/shells. Control or stompy shells where the individual cards are powerful enough you have a lot of room to tailor your threats and answers. But you also don’t expect to go very far with your hardened scales brew. I’ve been thinking about this since listening to whatever episode of Eternal Glory where you guys discussed which was a better format for brewing.
1:37:00 (last match) I would never underestimate an opponent who played well, has good cards and who shows up with something "strange" like the artifact tutor. They're not putting it in the deck for fun or by mistake, it's taking creature slots for a (good) reason and that's why I was surprised when you didn't even add at least needle to the deck postboard. Great deck and great video as always, thank you
yeah, r5 opponent was actually one of the mods of the humans discord! he pretty much invented that deck, and its surprisingly really sick, like more or less the "stock" modern humans list now. real hard to pilot tho (＠_＠;)
31:36 doesn't leaving back Haywire Mite, or using it pre-combat to destroy the Inkmoth Nexus, just guarantee your win more or less? Or just leave back the Gingerbrute and the Haywire Mite to activate Springleaf Drums, so that you can move the Plating in combat and have 19 damage even through their most efficient Dismember? Would have to have been heads up about the Dismember before you attacked, I guess, to identify that play, which makes it obvious in retrospect and maybe obvious to a veteran Affinity player, but I think that was the optimal line there. Just slap Plating on a Thought Monitor, and keep your two one-power creatures back to make BB to move the plating and win combat. Affinity combat is hard, honestly. You basically have to do algebra on the fly.
Haywire Mite does not kill artifact creatures. But yeah I punted that combat in multiple ways. Leaving back 2 small creatures to flash equip plating or just leaving back a flyer so I’m not dead on the backswing both respect dismember.
You could have won the last game if, at 1:24:14 you played the etched champion first, then thought monitor, companion, companion. The 3 extra etched champion attacks with the shadow spear would have gotten over the line.
Hoof is usually better than Graaz for Neoform Affinity, since Hoof has haste and probably gives more total power than Graaz does on board. Graaz is only better on 2 ornithopters, I want to say?
1:01 Sorry Brian, I have to be pedantic and correct you on your "Affinity" history. And it's important because the term was adopted by a related but different deck and now that real affinity is back it is worthwhile to distinguish. The original standard deck was a hybrid that took advantage of both the affinity and modular mechanics. As the deck moved into extended/modern, it quickly morphed into a modular +1 counter deck relying on things like steel overseer and zero affinity cards. The name stuck because of the ravenger connection and true affinity decks weren't viable so there wasn't a major variant to distinguish from. By the time mox opal was banned the name had even changed to hardened scales rather than affinity as that card breathed new life into a deck which hadn't used affinity cards in some time. One could argue this was the true separation of the mechanics. True affinity has only persisted in pauper up until the recent printings of sojourner's, thought monitor, and urza's saga. So... the archetype that was a major force in modern until the mox opal banning was *modular* while there has been a recent reinvigoration the long lost *affinity* mechanic. They are related decks which still share some cards, but are distinct archetypes.
I too generally ignore Modern leagues, but I'll always watch an Affinity league! The format is far too expensive and the recent "rotations" are discouraging. Modern costs what Legacy should cost. I've had Affinity mostly built for Modern since Saga dropped in MH2 and I bought my playset, but every time I get close to finishing the deck I just realize I'm not interested in Modern at the price. Maybe watching more leagues will help. And having budget decks to consider would be great. Luckily, I like Affinity across the formats so I have a deck, but if I liked else, it's just too expensive. I'll definitely be watching that Elves video when it drops though!
Mox Opal was banned for being a better Mox in the artifact decks. It was overpowered for modern, and Affinity at its peak had over 70% game 1 winrate. It was cracked.
@@JohnFromAccounting it was not overpowered in Modern. The card lasted in the format for almost 10 years. If it was that egregious it would have been banned as fast as Hogaak & Eldrazi were back in the day. Modern Horizons and Wizards' pushed cash grabs at the time got Opal banned.
I would like to submit a piece of terminology. Gingerbrute becomes 'crumblockable' not 'unblockable'
You dog
In the last game in round 2 you had 7 creatures. You could have left back 2 after blocks and dismember was cast, use the 2 springleafs to activate cranial and instant speed moved it from brute to your unblocked frogmite or thought monitor for the win! Love the content!
I was looking at that line, too! I just figured I'd missed something.
@@JEstey10000 maybe we both did! I love affinity though! I play it in pauper
Bosh doesn't like combat maths, remember ? :P
It's amazing to me how the combination of the passage of time, nostalgia, and power creep can turn formerly dominant decks like Affinity from hated (and I mean HATED) metagame villains into beloved, plucky underdogs! For those who don't remember (or who weren't there at the time), Affinity circa 2004 wasn't just "overpowered" or "annoying" - it made up 30+% of the field at some Pro Tour events, IIRC, and it reliably won those events even though every single deck was filled to the brim with artifact hate (main as well as side). The deck was so hated that its dominance pushed player numbers in Standard down to unprecedented lows. In order to fix the damage, R&D had to ban no fewer than 8 cards from the deck in Standard, not to mention 7 in Modern, 2 in Legacy, 3 in Pauper, and 9 in Block Constructed (beating out Urza's Block for the largest Block Constructed banlist in Magic history!). I remember players groaning the second they saw an Artifact land from their opponent, or apologizing to opponents for their deck choice if they were the ones running Affinity.
... and now it's a fan favorite. How times have changed!
I could say the same of many other decks played before on this channel - Draw-Go/Blue Control, Pox, High Tide, Caw Blade, Pros-Bloom, Rebels, and plenty of others. All of these decks were once format-ruiners; now with the passage of time they've become quaint throwbacks. But Affinity used to be so dominant, and so broken, and so frustrating to play against, and so utterly despised by players in so many different formats that I never thought I'd see the day that folks would be excited to see it return! (And, to be fair, modern Modern Affinity decks have limited overlap with old-school Ravager or Skullclamp Affinity!)
Affinity with the Mirrodin artifact lands is a whole different beast from Modern builds. Currently that form of Affinity lives on as half of the top Pauper metagame, where it continues to be just as beyond the pale as it was in 2004 (albeit with Kuldotha Red at least being able to realistically race it, which no deck in 2004 standard could).
When I was still only playing with friends (some of them were more engaged) I remember saying things like "if you're running new metal, I don't wanna play" (reffering to Mirrodin and forward). Like, I was ok getting stomped by tangle wire and winter orb, but for some reason the new affinity was too much for me.
And I still remember my anger to ravager, being basically inmune to removal!
I always liked affinity in pauper though, ever since cranial was gone.
@@drpibisback7680 Most of the hate I hear about Pauper right now isn't Affinity, it's mostly the Kuldotha decks
I've had an affinity deck just sitting 98% built in a case for years now.
I'm glad to see it's still relevant. Maybe I'll get around to playing it by 2024 lol.
In the last match, the Wail isn't for sorceries. It's in to instant speed exile the Thopters in response to an equipment. It's also possible it's an extra mana to activate Pyre or other cards. I'm trying to build something similar to this, but I'm actually going to the flex slots with Sigarda's Aid and a single Hammer, just for the extra beat down.
Very excited to see you play Modern Elves. Will be watching that as soon as it drops.
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Round 2 is my type of March of the machines. I don't usually watch Modern leagues but this was a blast.
The "I have to play control against this deck" to "Delver of Secrets, baby" pipeline.
I feel like this league is a good example of that Modern is made of unique synergistic decks whereas Legacy has a large component of engines/shells. Control or stompy shells where the individual cards are powerful enough you have a lot of room to tailor your threats and answers. But you also don’t expect to go very far with your hardened scales brew.
I’ve been thinking about this since listening to whatever episode of Eternal Glory where you guys discussed which was a better format for brewing.
1:37:00 (last match)
I would never underestimate an opponent who played well, has good cards and who shows up with something "strange" like the artifact tutor. They're not putting it in the deck for fun or by mistake, it's taking creature slots for a (good) reason and that's why I was surprised when you didn't even add at least needle to the deck postboard.
Great deck and great video as always, thank you
That pyre humans deck in round 5 was sweet
yeah, r5 opponent was actually one of the mods of the humans discord! he pretty much invented that deck, and its surprisingly really sick, like more or less the "stock" modern humans list now. real hard to pilot tho (＠_＠;)
Yeah that was a great match and cool that Pyre got to go off
31:36 doesn't leaving back Haywire Mite, or using it pre-combat to destroy the Inkmoth Nexus, just guarantee your win more or less? Or just leave back the Gingerbrute and the Haywire Mite to activate Springleaf Drums, so that you can move the Plating in combat and have 19 damage even through their most efficient Dismember?
Would have to have been heads up about the Dismember before you attacked, I guess, to identify that play, which makes it obvious in retrospect and maybe obvious to a veteran Affinity player, but I think that was the optimal line there. Just slap Plating on a Thought Monitor, and keep your two one-power creatures back to make BB to move the plating and win combat. Affinity combat is hard, honestly. You basically have to do algebra on the fly.
Haywire Mite does not kill artifact creatures. But yeah I punted that combat in multiple ways.
Leaving back 2 small creatures to flash equip plating or just leaving back a flyer so I’m not dead on the backswing both respect dismember.
I play the penny version of this and forging the anchor being a draw 5 a good amount of the time is insane.
I love seeing a cool modern deck that seems really cheap and fun
And then I see the playset of Urza's Saga
And yet it’s still much cheaper than most other modern decks
They're actually not expensive???
Urza’s Saga rules. Well worth the money.
@@DoomDG Saga being $35 isn't nothing to some people. $140 for a playset is a car payment, insurance, phone bill, etc.
As a Scales player, I had to root for therf round 2, my man has been killing it with his simic build!
Such a gnarly round though XD Good games y'all!
Turn 3 and 26 power in play- not bad, not bad at all.
Classic deck, love seeing it!!
During g2 and g3 I was legit tearing up. I miss affinity.
You could have won the last game if, at 1:24:14 you played the etched champion first, then thought monitor, companion, companion. The 3 extra etched champion attacks with the shadow spear would have gotten over the line.
forge is draw 2-5 for 3 without triggering draw hate(bowmasters sheoldre) which is great since 8 cast has a hard time vs a bowmaster
Wonder why play the black bridge over more white bridges? Is the plating ability more relevant than casting your portable holes and blackskill smiths?
I wonder if your r4 opp was hoping you would just concede to the combo and not wait to see if they had a 2nd Oracle
Another spice you could try is Graaz Affinity. 7cmc creatures neoform into Graaz and have your tiny dudes become 5/3 and go in for lethal. 😊
Hoof is usually better than Graaz for Neoform Affinity, since Hoof has haste and probably gives more total power than Graaz does on board. Graaz is only better on 2 ornithopters, I want to say?
Any substitute for urza's saga? Card too expensive atm. Thank you.
YES LETS GOOOO AFFINITY IN MODERN
I play a slightly outdated version of this deck with 1 island 1 inventors fair to gain life and get back in when you have to
4 ornithopters you have my attention.
1:01 Sorry Brian, I have to be pedantic and correct you on your "Affinity" history. And it's important because the term was adopted by a related but different deck and now that real affinity is back it is worthwhile to distinguish. The original standard deck was a hybrid that took advantage of both the affinity and modular mechanics. As the deck moved into extended/modern, it quickly morphed into a modular +1 counter deck relying on things like steel overseer and zero affinity cards. The name stuck because of the ravenger connection and true affinity decks weren't viable so there wasn't a major variant to distinguish from. By the time mox opal was banned the name had even changed to hardened scales rather than affinity as that card breathed new life into a deck which hadn't used affinity cards in some time. One could argue this was the true separation of the mechanics. True affinity has only persisted in pauper up until the recent printings of sojourner's, thought monitor, and urza's saga.
So... the archetype that was a major force in modern until the mox opal banning was *modular* while there has been a recent reinvigoration the long lost *affinity* mechanic. They are related decks which still share some cards, but are distinct archetypes.
I’m confused. Why didn’t you attack at @16:48 ?
Never mind, I didn’t see the DRC has delirium! smh
Great 👍 run
Man i'm early for once. I would love to see a Glimpse of Nature effect in modern, Glimpse affinity in Legacy is so much fun
Maybe something w rite of harmony?
Sadly, Glimpse of Nature had to go so Extended Elves didn't port over to continue wrecking.
We need a modern drift...?
I too generally ignore Modern leagues, but I'll always watch an Affinity league! The format is far too expensive and the recent "rotations" are discouraging. Modern costs what Legacy should cost. I've had Affinity mostly built for Modern since Saga dropped in MH2 and I bought my playset, but every time I get close to finishing the deck I just realize I'm not interested in Modern at the price. Maybe watching more leagues will help. And having budget decks to consider would be great. Luckily, I like Affinity across the formats so I have a deck, but if I liked else, it's just too expensive. I'll definitely be watching that Elves video when it drops though!
bosh pack? smoke em if you got em
Obligatory algorithmic contribution
I was crushed when Mopal was banned for Urza's sins.
mox opal was banned 18 months before urza's saga got printed
@@brooke1129 Urza, Lord High Artificer
It needed to be banned
Mox Opal was banned for being a better Mox in the artifact decks. It was overpowered for modern, and Affinity at its peak had over 70% game 1 winrate. It was cracked.
@@JohnFromAccounting it was not overpowered in Modern. The card lasted in the format for almost 10 years. If it was that egregious it would have been banned as fast as Hogaak & Eldrazi were back in the day.
Modern Horizons and Wizards' pushed cash grabs at the time got Opal banned.
I was hoping to see tempered steel, but I guess force of vigor makes it undesirable
Guys lets get the like count up. 1100 views should be at least a hundo, and bosh deserves the full 1100 lets be honest
You're so much more greedy with this deck than other decks I have seen you play. lol