The November B&R announcement has come and gone; with no changes to Modern I can spend more time developing different takes on my favorite archetype, Jeskai Blink. I wrote about Jeskai Blink with a Wizards subtheme on RIW which can be found here. Today I’m taking my findings to the next level with a new decklist as well as a sideboard guide!
Traditional Jeskai Blink can shine in the MTGO Challenge metagame, but I prefer additional counters against a more diverse paper field. Ragavan and Phelia can either run away with the game or have little impact. I have preferred my more controlling take on the archetype as the game play is less swingy depending on the die roll.
I’ve made some slight changes to the deck by focusing on the strength of Thundertrap Trainer without being too reliant on it remaining on the battlefield. Currently settling on one Flare of Denial, one Flame of Anor, and three Ephemerate to synergize with Thundertrap Trainer. The main idea is that Trainer is just a good card in Modern and the opponent must respect the ½.
No More Lies continues to impress, but I cut down to two copies and reduced the amount of Mystical Dispute in the sideboard so I’m not overloaded on the effect in any one matchup.
Lightning Bolt is added to the flexible removal suite as it kills dashed Ragavan and Phelia against the more traditional Jeskai Blink. My previous version of the deck featured only blue and white cards, but removal is often not pitched to Solitude anyway.
I don’t want to maindeck Wrath of the Skies, but would consider Galvanic Discharge over Lightning Bolt if there was a bigger energy subtheme. The damage to opposing players from Lightning Bolt helps team up with Phlage and can empty your hand for Quantum Riddler.
The second maindeck Teferi, Time Raveler helps with impactful hits with Thundertrap Trainer without leaning too hard on the wizard subtheme. It also serves as a way to reset Thundertrap Trainer.
Fable of the Mirror-Breaker is less powerful in this version of Jeskai Blink because Phelia is not there to reset or quickly ramped out with Ragavan. I do like a copy in the sideboard for the mirror as it evades a discounted Mystical Dispute or Stryx Serenade.
Soul-Guide Lantern gets the nod over Surgical Extraction and Ghost Vacuum because graveyard decks diversify after sideboard. The graveyard hate that doesn’t replace itself if the game goes in another direction has bad vibes.
Ashiok is a slam dunk against Amulet Titan and can serve as additional disruption against Neobrand. A single copy goes a long way with Thundertrap Trainer to find it more frequently.
+2 Mystical Dispute +1 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker +1 Celestial Purge +2 Subtlety
-2 Force of Negation -1 Ephemerate -1 Consign to Memory -2 Prismatic Ending
A game of attrition where the proactive nature of Ragavan and Phelia means you can’t focus too hard on any one aspect of the game.
Watch out for a timely Consign to Memory or Solitude to blow out your play.
+3 Obsidian Charmaw +1 Wear/Tear +1 Ashiok, Dream Render +2 Subtlety +1 Consign to Memory +1 Soul-Guide Lantern
-2 Phlage, Titan of Fire’s Fury -1 Ephemerate -2 Teferi, Time Raveler -2 Solitude -2 Lightning Bolt
A tricky matchup where I’m happy to have the extra counters. Stopping Primeval Titan and Scapeshift is step one as many iterations with multiple Amulets on the battlefield will end with an infinite Aftermath Analyst loop.
The opponent will be ready for Charmaw after sideboard and they may prioritize bouncing colorless lands to make it more expensive.
Ashiok can mill yourself to escape Phlage and it will eat the opponent’s graveyard either way.
Solitude and Phlage are both medium in the matchup as the opponent can go big with an Aftermath Analyst loop first making Primeval Titan less impactful to exile.
+1 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker +2 Wrath of the Skies +1 Celestial Purge +2 Subtlety +1 Soul-Guide Lantern
-2 Consign to Memory -2 Teferi, Time Raveler -2 Force of Negation -1 Stryx Serenade
I didn’t want to build the deck to be too good against decks that are already weak to Phlage. Jeskai decks of all flavors are strong at keeping threats off the battlefield.
Blood Moon may be in the maindeck making Plains and white fetch lands more valuable. Lorien Revealed can fetch the basic Island.
Consign to Memory doesn’t have many strong triggered abilities to counter, but can keep Phlage on the battlefield with four mana. You can time an evoked Solitude or Riddler warp with countering a Guide of Souls or Ocelot Pride trigger with replicate.
+1 Wear/Tear +2 Wrath of the Skies +1 Celestial Purge +1 Soul-Guide Lantern
-1 Consign to Memory -2 Teferi, Time Raveler -1 Flare of Denial -1 Thundertrap Trainer
Cheating out a Phlage or Quantum Riddler is a key early play. A Solitude can blow out a pumped creature when it’s ramming into a Ridder or Phlage. Expect Unholy Heat after sideboard to fight your six-toughness creatures. For this reason I want Soul-Guide Lantern to take the opponent off Delirium.
Cori-Steel Cutter is the best threat making Wear/Tear, Flame of Anor, Stryx Serenade, and Force of Negation stronger than they initially appear.
Consign to Memory will primarily cheat out Phlage, but can also stop a monk from being created, multiple prowess triggers, or trade with Mishra’s Bauble.
+2 Mystical Dispute +1 Wear/Tear +2 Wrath of the Skies +2 Subtlety +1 Consign to Memory
-1 Ephemerate -2 Teferi, Time Raveler -2 No More Lies -2 Force of Negation -1 Flare of Denial
Consign to Memory can counter Kappa’s ward trigger or prevent Urza’s Saga from making constructs. Remember Solitude can also clear ward 4 from Kappa making it less threatening. I swap an Ephemerate for Consign because it’s both proactive and reactive in the matchup.
Beware of Blood Moon after sideboard making basic Plains a key early fetch alongside an Izzet dual land.
+1 Wear/Tear +1 Celestial Purge +2 Subtlety +1 Consign to Memory
-1 Ephemerate -1 Thundertrap Trainer -2 Force of Negation -1 Flare of Denial
Doorkeeper Thrull can make the game strange as Solitude can remain on the battlefield after evoking, but doesn’t exile a creature. Phlage won’t Lightning Helix when entering, but also remains a 6/6 with a strong attack trigger. It can be tricky to assess when Thrull helps or hurts Jeskai.
The primary combo of Leyline of the Guildpact and Scion of Draco isn’t as powerful in the matchup because Quantum Riddler happens to be a 4/6 to threaten a block.
Consign to Memory is good in the matchup as it counters Scion of Draco and Leyline Binding’s trigger.
+3 Obsidian Charmaw +1 Wear/Tear +2 Wrath of the Skies +2 Subtlety +1 Consign to Memory
-1 Thundertrap Trainer -2 Teferi, Time Raveler -2 No More Lies -2 Force of Negation -1 Flare of Denial -1 Stryx Serenade
The classic conundrum of most cards interacting against the deck with powerful lands, colorless spells, creatures, and graveyard synergies. It’s important to strike the right balance.
The primary combo of Basking Broodscale and Blade of the Bloodchief is fairly easy to stop, but the mid game Emrakul can steal an otherwise favorable position. Consign to Memory is there to counter Kozilek’s Command as most creatures are hit by Phlage.
I like Obsidian Charmaw in the matchup to destroy Cavern of Souls, Urza’s Saga, and Eldrazi Temple.
I’m happy to see Thundertrap Trainer get more love as of late. It’s very strong, but there’s room to innovate on how hard to build around the powerful otter.
Quantum Riddler and Phlage are the strongest midrange threats at the moment. If you like playing goodstuff decks this strategy may be for you. I was delighted to see no bans in Modern so I can keep jamming Jeskai cards.
