Over the past couple days, players have been able to start experimenting with Tarkir: Dragonstorm cards in the competitive scene. From Cori-Steel Cutter to Rakshasa’s Bargain, it appears that a number of multi-format staples are quickly emerging. Tarkir: Dragonstorm is a very strong set, and even high-powered formats like Modern are seeing some shakeups as a result.
For instance, the arrival of Ugin, Eye of the Storms has encouraged players to build their Eldrazi and ramp decks to fully support it. While some players are sticking mostly to the normal Eldrazi ramp formula with Ugin’s Labyrinth and Kozilek’s Command, others are digging deeper.
Perhaps the most intriguing Ugin shell that’s arisen is Dice Tron. Abusing neat charge counter synergies, this deck does a great job getting Ugin into play and maximizing its static abilities. It’s been a long time since Dice Tron put up any meaningful Modern results, but perhaps Ugin is the game changer the deck needed.
Charge Counter Package and Ugin
Like traditional Tron decks, this deck utilizes playsets of the three main “Urza’s” lands that allow you to tap for seven mana if you have one of each in play. You’ll also find four copies of Expedition Map to increase the likelihood you have Tron assembled by turn three.
However, this isn’t the only way you can play Ugin ahead of schedule. You’ll also find mana rocks in the form of Everflowing Chalice and Astral Cornucopia. These aren’t the most efficient mana rocks in the world, but in conjunction with Coretapper, you can add charge counters to them on a whim and get access to a lot more mana.
Ugin is definitely the scariest payoff available, as it can singlehandedly decimate your opponent’s board state. Just for casting it, you get to blow up a colored permanent of your choice. Thanks to Ugin’s other static ability, though, you can also follow up the potent Planeswalker by casting cheap artifacts and getting rid of more opposing permanents.
This is one nice thing about the mana rock package. You get to decide how much mana to sink into them. Once you have Ugin online, you can always cast Everflowing Chalice or Astral Cornucopia for X=0 to essentially exile a permanent for free. With the way the rest of the deck is constructed, it’s pretty hard to run out of gas.
Mystic Forge and Ensnaring Bridge
You obviously get a huge boost once you assemble Tron, but even in the instance where you can’t do so for a few turns, you aren’t just cold to quick attackers. This is because Ensnaring Bridge can help bail you out.
Obviously, it’s much easier to empty your hand once you have Tron online. Nonetheless, it’s still a useful tool in a variety of matchups. You’ll find three copies in the maindeck, and a fourth in the sideboard that you can tutor for via Karn, the Great Creator.
The goal behind this archetype, besides simply slamming Ugin and taking over the game when you can, is to prevent your opponent from attacking you while generating tons of card advantage with Mystic Forge. The entire deck is made of colorless spells, so chaining together spells shouldn’t be difficult. Once you have Tron ready to go, Mystic Forge becomes the ultimate card advantage machine.
Mystic Forge obviously pairs nicely with Ugin as well. The more spells you chain, the easier it is to reduce your opponent’s resources to rubble.
Against slower strategies like Azorius control, Urza’s Saga puts in work. Grabbing Pithing Needle can be essential in a variety of matchups, too, whether you’re naming Goblin Bombardment out of Boros Energy or Goblin Charbelcher out of Belcher combo.
Tradeoffs
All in all, this deck is very cool, and the charge counter package gives it some style points. Focusing on Mystic Forge and these cards does make Ugin an even scarier Planeswalker to face down than in more typical Eldrazi ramp decks, as you can often cast more colorless spells on the same turn after playing Ugin.
The big issue this deck has is with its inconsistency. The upside of casting Ugin on turn three via Tron lands is huge. The problem is that when you don’t have Tron, you’re at risk of getting run over. Ensnaring Bridge, while strong, doesn’t contain Ocelot Pride and company out of Boros Energy until you can empty your hand, which is nearly impossible without Tron.
Eldrazi Tron decklists can make up for this by drawing Ugin’s Labyrinth and either setting up a turn one Chalice of the Void or a turn two Kozilek’s Command for X=2. Eldrazi ramp decks eschew Tron lands altogether but add cards like Malevolent Rumble and Sowing Mycospawn to have a more consistent gameplan.
At the end of the day, if you’re going to play Dice Tron, you’ll have to be willing to mulligan somewhat aggressively. Still, it’s hard to argue against playing a deck that makes Ugin look as busted as possible. If you enjoy Tron strategies and want to play something a bit out of the ordinary. Dice Tron delivers.