I didn’t think I’d be writing this again, but I’m back with another Dimir Frogtide sideboard guide!
Over the last few months I have been trying different decks in Modern, but none of them spoke to me. I went back to Frogtide with a few updates from lessons I learned playing new decks – it’s been a real hero’s journey.
The Modern RCQ season has a few weeks left and I plan to use all of my findings to close out the month strong.
Today I’m going to share the list I used to split the top 4 of RIW’s RCQ on June 21 and my sideboard guide. I haven’t wanted to change a card. The main draw of Dimir Frog is I lost every die roll in the RCQ swiss, but only lost one game.
I’ve returned to the classic Frogtide shell as Oculus is weak to an already difficult matchup- Orzhov/Esper Midrange. Frogtide has more game against Overlord of the Balemurk decks because it can sideboard out graveyard-based threats as there’s just three Murktide Regents.
Orcish Bowmasters is well-positioned as it’s strong against Ketramose and the small creatures out of Boros Energy. It’s a threat that constricts the game by limiting the opponent’s ability to enact their game plan if it involves drawing cards or playing small creatures.
Ninjutsu for Katio, Bane of Nightmares means extra creatures can be utilized more often. I’m not afraid to board out 1-2 copies if it doesn’t line up well in the matchup, but be aware it’s stronger after sideboard when you have more nimble and narrow interaction.
Kaito is my favorite haymaker threat at the moment because it’s the strongest against Orzhov Midrange. Remember you can ninjutsu at the end of combat after damage has been dealt. This is most relevant with Psychic Frog as you can draw the extra card in exchange for dealing less damage.
Tamiyo is a cheap and powerful threat that also helps enable ninjutsu for Katio. You can crack the clue before damage, with five mana available, in case Kaito is drawn. Tamiyo doesn’t flip as often because Dimir Frogtide doesn’t play Mishra’s Bauble which is why I’m not playing more copies. I will board out Tamiyo against Boros Energy and Domain Zoo thanks to Phlage. I find Phlage to be a manageable threat as long as I don’t have to worry about countering the hard cast.
Sheoldred’s Edict can kill Kappa Cannoneer, Scion of Draco, and Ugin, Eye of the Storms, but costs two mana so I favor a Dismember instead of the second copy.
A split is sensible since Dismember is more efficient, but phyrexian mana can be painful. Both removal spells importantly kill Ketramose.
Spell Snare is strong against Boros Energy, Orzhov Midrange, and Mono Blue Belcher, but a third copy can rot in the hand. Snare is deceptively weak against Doman Zoo as it only counters Territorial Kavu and Tribal Flames. It’s also surprisingly reasonable against Gruul Ramp as it counters Malevolent Rumble and Talismans which become more relevant once Harbinger enters the mix.
Murktide Regent is the preferred top-end threat against every deck except Orzhov/Esper Midrange. I’ve found it to be relevant that hard casting for two mana leaving up a Counterspell can be the difference between winning and losing while Oculus costs three makes this play more difficult.
The fourth Preordain effect is filled by Consider to fuel Murktide Regent while limiting the number of sorceries in the deck to leave up Spell Snare and Stern Scolding more often. I’m closer to five cantrips than three; they allow me to keep more opening hands. Raw cards in hand are valuable with pitch-counters and Psychic Frog.
Archmage’s Charm is a general interaction spell that can be boarded out for more nimble options. I haven’t found a card in the sideboard that I would rather maindeck to make room for a third Engineered Explosives in the 75 as each option is weaker against unknown opponents. It importantly counters Overlord of the Balemurk and Scion of Draco plus I’ve stolen multiple ¾ Guide of Souls. You can force your opponent to draw two cards which could win the game with Orcish Bowmasters, but it hasn’t come up yet.
Subtlety is strong against white Midrange and Amulet Titan. It’s deceptively weak against Gruul Eldrazi as their cast effects must also be stopped. The third copy gets stronger after sideboarding because nimble interaction forces the game to go slower leaving room to hard cast more often. Subtlety also works well with Ninjutsu if you board out some number of Tamiyo and Orcish Bowmasters.
Force of Negation is weak against white midrange, but shines against most of the remaining decks. I want to be able to Force an early Cori-Steel Cutter or interact against a linear combo deck that is better positioned now that Izzet Prowess is less popular.
Thoughtseize is strong against any deck that doesn’t play Phlage. Darkslick Shores is preferable to Gloomlake Verge to cast it on the first turn.
Harbinger of the Seas comes in against Amulet Titan and Ramp.
Do not board it against Urza’s Saga given the rules change permanently granting it the ability to make constructs on the second chapter. It’s important to prevent Gruul Ramp from using Cavern of Souls to make their Eldrazi uncounterable. Remember to fetch your Swamp aggressively when you board in Harbinger.
Consign to Memory is for Eldrazi Ramp, Gruul Broodscale, Blue Belcher, cascade decks, and Zoo. Some Consigns can also come in against Azorius Affinity as it can counter the construct-making ability from Urza’s Saga. Consigning Sowing Mycospawn’s search ability is very valuable to prevent Cavern of Souls from being on the battlefield.
Engineered Explosives is for Boros Energy and Urza’s Saga Constructs. The third Explosives would be my 16th sideboard card, but I don’t want to cut anything in my 75. It’s particularly good against Azorius Affinity which can be a troublesome matchup if they draw Urza’s Saga.
Stern Scolding is good against Boros and Orzhov/Esper Midrange. There are more thinly played decks, like Yawgmoth, it lines up well against so be on the lookout to bring in Scoldings. It can crucially counter Grist.
Snapcaster Mage is a grindy card I board in often as it’s more powerful once Stern Scolding or Consign to Memory are in the deck. Another good Ninjutsu option once you board out Tamiyos against Phlage. Remember to delve accordingly with Murktide after sideboard and it will also get +1+1 if you flashback a spell when it’s on the battlefield.
Modern is an open format and Nihil Spellbomb has plenty of applications. It’s strong against Phlage Midrange, Living End, Storm, and other linear decks. Remember you can exile your own graveyard to pump Murktide Regent.
The third Thoughtseize is for Ramp, control, and linear combo decks. Another piece of glue that makes Snapcaster Mage better after sideboard.
Boros Energy
+2 Stern Scolding +2 Engineered Explosives +2 Nihil Spellbomb +1 Subtlety +1 Snapcaster Mage
-3 Force of Negation -2 Thoughtseize -2 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student -1 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares
I’ve found this 75 to be very strong against Boros as I’ve faced it four times and won all eight games on the draw. It’s not a 100% matchup as I’m clearly running hot, but it does feel quite favorable.
Goblin Bombardment is a manageable threat if you focus counterspells at future creatures. Static Prison will go after your Psychic Frog; be aware of lines involving slow rolling your other creatures to play around Galvanic Discharge gaining additional energy before it’s freed.
When lining up interaction keep in mind you will have to deal with an escaped Phlage at least once. Engineered Explosives will likely have one sunburst counter as you don’t have Tamiyo left in the deck so there’s no friendly fire.
Orzhov/Esper Midrange
+2 Stern Scolding +1 Subtlety +1 Snapcaster Mage +1 Consign to Memory +1 Thoughtseize
-3 Murktide Regent -3 Force of Negation
The name of the game is to prevent the Overlord of the Balemurk from entering the battlefield. Thoughtseize can be a poor topdeck, but taking Overlord before it can be impended is very important. Consign to Memory isn’t strong in the matchup, but is better than Force of Negation and Murktide Regent as it can counter a Solitude, Overlord, or Flickerwisp trigger.
Amulet Titan
+2 Harbinger of the Seas +1 Subtlety +1 Thoughtseize
-4 Fatal Push
Domain Zoo
+4 Consign to Memory +2 Nihil Spellbomb +1 Snapcaster Mage +1 Subtlety
-1 Spell Snare -2 Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student -3 Force of Negation -2 Thoughtseize
Consign to Memory counters Scion of Draco and Leyline Binding or Phlage’s trigger. The name of the game is to prevent Scion from entering with Leyline of the Guildpact on the battlefield. Fable of the Mirror-Breaker can discard Phlage without an opportunity to exile the graveyard ahead of escaping so plan accordingly. Orcish Bowmasters can create a trigger to allow an opportunity to exile Phlage before it escapes in the situation of Fable discarding.
Mono Blue Belcher
+4 Consign to Memory +1 Thoughtseize +2 Stern Scolding +1 Snapcaster Mage
-3 Orcish Bowmasters -1 Kaito, Bane of Nightmares -1 Archmage’s Charm -1 Sheoldred’s Edict -2 Fatal Push
A classic tempo versus combo matchup. Remember you can consign the suspend trigger that allows Lotus Bloom to be cast once there are no more time counters which will keep it exiled; this is relevant for Tamiyo’s ability. A strong matchup I would prefer to play.
Gruul Ramp
+4 Consign to Memory +2 Harbinger of the Seas +1 Snapcaster Mage +1 Thoughtseize
-4 Fatal Push -1 Dismember -1 Subtlety -2 Orcish Bowmasters
I prefer to interact with Ramp’s early development to put them in more positions where they must draw exactly mana and not more threats. I want to mulligan semi-aggressively to find the curve of Psychic Frog into Murktide Regent in the first game as there isn’t enough targeted interaction to play a role other than extreme aggressor.
The Modern metagame is very open, leaving you room to play what comes natural. Psychic Frog decks have been a fan favorite since its printing and certainly strong enough to take down a tournament.
I also had a few feature matches in RIW’s last Modern RCQ so you can see this 75 in action on their twitch stream here.
Thanks for reading; I hope you give this deck a spin!
