Modern Horizons 3 Cards About to Reshape Austin MTG
As the Modern Horizons 3 unfolds, the Austin MTG scene is buzzing with excitement over the potential shake-up in the Modern format, particularly focusing on what is often considered Magic's most underrepresented color—white. This third installment of our series examines the significant impact white cards from the new set could have on the local gameplay. Highlighting cards like Ocelot Pride, White Orchid Phantom, and Wrath of the Skies, we explore their unique abilities and potential to redefine white's role in both aggressive and control strategies. These cards promise to bring new vitality and tactical depth to Austin's MTG Modern format, challenging players to rethink traditional deck compositions and strategy.
Ocelot Pride
Ocelot Pride is a 1 mana 1/1 cat creature with first strike and life link. It has a triggered ability that creates a 1/1 white creature token at its controller’s end step if he or she gained life this turn. It also has the Ascend ability which grants its controller the city’s blessing for the rest of the game when they control ten or more permanents. As payoff for achieving city’s blessing, you get to create a token that’s a copy of each token that enter the battlefield this turn. Note that the token need not come from Ocelot Pride’s ability. As far as go wide token strategies and white weenie aggro go in Austin MTG Modern format, controlling ten permanents is an easy requisite to satisfy. Granting evasion to Ocelot Pride would also facilitate life gain, making sure its ability procs at the end of turn. Ocelot Pride can easily slot in into any white weenie aggro deck that aims to flood the board with creatures. There is still, however, the threat posed by Orcish Bowmaster and Wrenn and Six, among others, which prevents creatures with 1 toughness from entering the meta. How will Ocelot Pride fare with augmentation from anthem effects or other protection? Let’s find out post Modern Horizons 3 release?
White Orchid Phantom
White Orchid Phantom is a 2 to cast 2/2 spirit knight with flying and first strike. As a 2/2 beater for white weenie decks, White Orchid Phantom’s cost to power ratio nothing to scoff at; considering that it has evasion in the form of flying and its first strike allows it to favorably block most creatures summoned in the early turns of a game of magic. The standout feature of White Orchid Phantom, however, is its land destruction ability which targets nonbasic lands, swapping them for basic lands. This ability is particularly disruptive in Austin MTG Modern, where nonbasic lands are crucial for enabling multicolored decks to function smoothly. The current popularity of multiple color decsk, which relies heavily on a diverse mana base to play a range of powerful, multi-colored spells, makes White Orchid Phantom a potential strategic counter. This could force players in the Modern meta to reconsider their land choices or find ways to protect their valuable nonbasics. It is obvious that White Orchid Phantom hoses the Modern meta’s current boogieman, 5-Color Domain Zoo. Will meta decks reserve a slot for White Orchid Phantom for their 5-Color Domain Zoo matchups? Or will White Orchid Phantom bolster a once-competitive Spirit typal deck? What about white weenie? Modern death and taxes, anyone? I guess we will just have to wait and see.
Wrath of the Skies
Wrath of the Skies represents a novel addition to Austin MTG’s pool of board-clearing spells, particularly within the context of the Modern format. It is a sorcery that costs X and two white mana, which reads, “you get X energy counters, then you may pay any amount of energy. Destroy each artifact, creature, and enchantment with mana value less than or equal to the amount of energy paid this way. At its cheapest casting cost, Wrath of the Skies is a two-mana board wipe that hits all creature tokens, Sagas, and all other zero converted mana cost permanents, except Battles. In combination with other energy producing cards, which are also being printed into modern via Modern Horizons 3, the upside of Wrath of the Skies expands. Will Wrath of the Skies form the cornerstone of an energy-based control deck? These decks would likely prioritize generating and managing energy as a resource, not only for board control but also for fueling other energy-dependent interactions.
Observe These Cards that Will Upend Austin MTG’s Modern Format!
The introduction of cards such as Ocelot Pride, White Orchid Phantom, and Wrath of the Skies in Modern Horizons 3 is poised to significantly influence the Modern format in Austin and beyond. Each card brings a fresh perspective to white's capabilities, offering new tools for aggression, disruption, and control. As the Austin MTG community begins to test and integrate these cards into their decks, it will be fascinating to observe how they reshape the competitive landscape. Whether bolstering the ranks of white weenie aggro, reinvigorating spirit typal decks, or pioneering new energy-based control strategies, these cards are sure to leave their mark. The future of Modern post-Modern Horizons 3 looks bright and varied, especially for players who embrace these innovative white strategies in their quest for dominance on the battlefield.
