Dudecore's Deck Vault: "The Grand Illusion" Modern Edition

Thank you for taking some time to read my newest article. I've got something to announce before I begin - I do not play Modern. I never have, likely never will. This is actually just my M12 Standard deck remixed for the Modern format. I did 2 volumes of my "What's Winning Standard" before I hit a sort of wall. The wall I hit was - I don't think Standard decks that are winning honestly need a deck tech. They're pretty straight forward aggro decks at this point, with what I perceive as having little finesse. Also with my first volume I felt that I didn't have nearly enough to say about Zombies that isn't already apparent. Play a creature for 1, play one for 2, play one for 3, ect. ect. So I switched to my personal deck, one I've been mixing and mastering since Return to Ravnica dropped and Scars rotated. It evolved and evolved, and now it resembles a modern Esper Control list, or an Esper Flash deck. I play that deck exclusively so my commentary was strong. So with this Deck Tech I am choosing to use a personal deck of mine. Illusions have been one of my favorite tribes since I began playing. The Phantasmal block was amazingly cool to me - it was a return to powerful creatures with drawbacks. Illusions won't make a splash in the Modern scene, you'll probably never run into this deck list. But it is cheap, fun, and powerful. So lets begin.
 

The Grand Illusion Mono-blue Aggro/Combo 60 cards, 0 sideboard 16 Island 4 Sulfur Falls 1 Academy Ruins 1 Buried Ruin 22 lands 3 Phantasmal Bear 4 Phantasmal Image 4 Krovikan Mist 4 Lord of the Unreal 4 Grand Architect 3 Treasure Mage 1 Inkwell Leviathan 4 Pili-Pala 1 Steel Hellkite 1 Wurmcoil Engine 1 Memnarch 1 Blightsteel Colossus 31 creatures 1 Blue Sun's Zenith 4 Muddle the Mixture 1 Banefire 1 Legacy Weapon 7 other spells Sideboard

3 Phantasmal Bear
Easy choice here, nice early beater. My ignorance of the format makes me wonder if Pillar of Flames is a thing. He benefits from all of the great tribal love, and is a blue creature that can be tapped to pump your Grand Architect

4 Krovikan Mist
Another easy choice. A cheap 1/1 flier that scales with the game, he's an illusion that likes to become an early threat and stay that way. Not too much that isn't obvious about this choice. I absolutely love this card here.

4 Lord of the Unreal
The Illusions Lord. An inexpensive way to buff up your illusions, protect the Phantasmal's from being targeted and a blue tap target for Grand Architect. When he hits the table, things can get out of hand pretty quickly. But it gets better...

4 Phantasmal Image
This is easily one of the most functional, fun, cheap, crazy cards printed for this tribe. Obviously he can copy their best creature, he can copy a legendary creature and kill them, he can do it all. However Phantasmal Image is especially good when you copy a Lord of the Unreal. Under such circumstances, Phantasmal Image is a 3/3 with hexproof. Once that happened, I feel like you've pretty much stabilized. But things do not stop getting fun here...

4 Grand Architect
This is the cog of the deck. He gets everything going, from the +1/+1 for the Illusions, Getting you fast mana to drop the bombs of the deck (Inkwell Leviathan, Steel Hellkite, Wurmcoil Engine, Memnarch, Blightsteel Colossus) and pumps those abilities. Also what is misunderstood by players who haven't used him: He can tap itself the turn it comes out. "Summoning sickness" prevents the creature from attacking or using abilities with the tap or untap symbol until it has started your turn under your control. The Architect's second activated ability does not use the tap symbol, so you can use it as soon as the Architect enters the battlefield. He also is essential to one of the win conditions of this deck...

4 Pili-Pala
The Combo:  Grand Architect turn Pili-Pala into a blue creature for .  Tap Pili-Pala with Grand Architect: gives you mana.  Use this mana to untap Pili-Pala and have one mana of any color.  Do it infinite times, have Infinite mana, This mana is used to Banefire for the win, or maybe deck them with a timely Blue Sun's Zenith.

3 Treasure Mage
Basic tutor. Treasure Mage can find all the big pieces you need to win, or simply just swing for some damage or tap with the Grand Architect.

1 Inkwell Leviathan
Beats. He's an artifact, has crazy evasion, and what could be more fun then having him out on turn 5 or sooner? Inkwell Leviathan is one of those threats that require pretty immediate answers or it tends to just stick.

1 Wurmcoil Engine
I just love this thing, its a nightmare, then splits off into twin nightmares. You can get recursion by using Academy Ruins or Buried Ruin (same obviously goes for the other Artifacts). I've had it out as out as early as turn 3!
Turn 1: Island, Phantasmal Bear
Turn 2: Island, Lord of the Unreal
Turn 3: Island, Grand Architect , tap him and the other blue creatures, Wurmcoil Engine.

1 Memnarch
The control tech of this deck. Memnarch and Grand Architect should be married together. He can steal lands to keep opponents off tempo, with the infinite mana combo he is another way to absolutely lock the board down and finish the game. The opponent will have no way to gain back any traction.

1 Blightsteel Colossus
Pretty self explanatory. I don't like him as much as the other creatures because it relies too heavily on the infinite mana combo or 6 untapped blue creatures. It is indeed a tall order, but not impossible. Open to suggestions.

1 Steel Hellkite
To be honest, of all the times I've ever played this deck - this guy is the most dangerous. Steel Hellkite has firebreathing, and the Design-an-upheaval ability, it is terrifying. I almost always select him with Treasure Mage, and copy him with Phantasmal Image whenever possible.

4 Muddle the Mixture
Muddle the Mixture is the main counterspell in this deck. It also doubles as a tutor for Pili-Pala or Banefire if I haven't drawn those yet. Wonderful utility card, and required material for a combo deck like this.

1 Blue Sun's Zenith
The main card drawing mechanism that doubles as a win condition. Blue Sun's Zenith ability to choose a target player is what gives it a spot in this deck.

1 Banefire
The deathblow. Banefire - The very best there is. When you absolutely positively gotta kill a m-----f-----er - Accept no substitutes. The "bane" of control players existence. I know, I know, Spellskite, but still. Every card has a weakness.

1 Legacy Weapon
This is one that works exclusively with the infinite mana combo. But Legacy Weapon is the method of completely obliterating the board, and like Memnarch, creating a lockout.

Why is it so good?
Fun. It is a fun deck to pilot, its perfect for the Timmy player that loves playing big creatures. It won't be a contender to win a GP or anything, but it is cool in its own right - and not too, too expensive.

What are its weaknesses?
Speed. Usually with drawn out combo based decks stall out pretty hard if not everything is going right. It also does not draw cards, so you're generally at the mercy of your opening hand.

What about the sideboard?
Absolutely nothing! That is where the community comes in. If you're familiar with the format, know what to expect - please leave sideboard options, deck feedback and questions here. You will be rewarded with positive karma for the assistance.

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That does it for another Deck Tech. If you've got any questions, comments and suggestions, feel free to post them here. If you like the Article and want more, hit the "Like" button at the bottom.

I really like this actually. I'm not a big fan of infinite combos, but this deck looks pretty damn good! 

I really like this actually. I'm not a big fan of infinite combos, but this deck looks pretty damn good!

I don't either to be honest. The infinite combo stuff can be removed pretty easily for more counters/control.

Nice article!!

Ok now down to the truth I play modern and I run the only deck that plays big dudes and pulls it off Tron. In theory this deck has a cool idea but in a tourney setting you won't win any match u may win a game if u pull off the combo but you have no excell in your deck and if they hit any part of the combo you have a deck full of dead cards and modern decks win by turn 4-5. The side board can help with this but you would need to tweak the sideboard based on the region you play in for big tourneys. Which will not leave you much space to change the deck up second game. And with most decks they have many creature removal options in my deck I run Pyroclasm main and other cards like it side. It's a cool concept for a cheap price but in a competive format it will get owned. Modern is the new money magic if you don't have fetches and planes walkers or cards around the 20-30 buck range you most likely wont win a match. One side board staple is surgical extraction which If it his one of those guys it's game over for you. And legacy weapon granted one of my faves will never go off if you even ever get it out.

Ok now down to the truth I play modern and I run the only deck that plays big dudes and pulls it off Tron. In theory this deck has a cool idea but in a tourney setting you won't win any match u may win a game if u pull off the combo but you have no excell in your deck and if they hit any part of the combo you have a deck full of dead cards and modern decks win by turn 4-5. The side board can help with this but you would need to tweak the sideboard based on the region you play in for big tourneys. Which will not leave you much space to change the deck up second game. And with most decks they have many creature removal options in my deck I run pryoclasim main and other cards like it side. It's a cool concept for a cheap price but in a competive format it will get owned. Modern is the new money magic if you don't have fetches and planes walkers or cards around the 20-30 buck range you most likely wont win a match. One side board staple is surgical extraction which If it his one of those guys it's game over for you. And legacy weapon granted one of my faves will never go off if you even ever get it out.

Yeah I kinda figured the deck wasn't going to be very good. It's still fun to play.

Dudecore: I play modern and I have been looking for ways to break the Architect/Pala combo. Blue Suns Zenith is so obvious I overlooked it,  so thank you. As far as the list goes it is my opinion that Modern is still a very wide format that can reward at times the rogue player. Keep testing your home brews, Modern Meta is still wide open.

I run a modern deck that converts permanents to artifacts and shatters or vandalblasts them. Your fine article gave me several great cards/combos that I'd overlooked. Well written and well thought out, Dudecore.