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By: Kumagoro42, Gianluca Aicardi
Jul 26 2019 12:00pm
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 Welcome back to Tribal Apocalypse!

   Table of Contents 

  1. Last Week on Tribal Apocalypse...
  2. The High Price of Winning
  3. Announcements
  4. What's Next

Check the full archive for the "Diaries of the Apocalypse" series


THOUGHTS OF A TRIBAL HOST
by Kumagoro

 In case you didn't hear, we know the name and theme of the fall set, formerly known as Archery, the one that's going to trigger Standard rotation, sending Ixalan, Rivals of Ixalan, Dominaria and Core Set 2019 to live happily ever after in the great Magic farm upstate (aka Modern). It'll be officially released on October 4 and is called Throne of Eldraine.

 It'll feature a top-down design based on classic fairy tales and the Arthurian myths, so we shouldn't expect much in terms of extended tribal support – top-down designs typically require a lot of one-ofs, not large clusters of the same thing. It was believed at first that there would be a Faerie subtheme (due to this, admittedly misleading, invitation card that was given out during the Hasbro breakfast at last week's San Diego Comic-Con), but it has now been confirmed that that's not the case. Still, I'm sure Faerie, as well as some other key creature type (most definitely Knight, but I personally look forward to some Big Bad Wolf to pair with Nightpack Ambusher and Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves), will receive at least one relevant new member.

 Also, that's none other than Rowan Kenrith up there as the armored Little Red Riding Hood. She and her brother Will are two of the three planeswalkers in the set (the third one is entirely new), as we now learn they were originally created for Throne of Eldraine specifically, before being borrowed by Battlebond because that set needed a pair of walker siblings. I love me some Kenrith twins, they're kinda fabulous (pun intended).


LAST WEEK ON TRIBAL APOCALYPSE...

  • Event Number: 9.28, Week 445 BE
  • Date: July 20
  • Attendance: 9
  • Rounds: 3
  • Subformat: Modern
  • Winner: Bandit Keith with Spirit
  • 1 Loss: Nydethess with Elf, Deonmag with Vampire, _Kumagoro_ with Ooze, Nagarjuna with Hydra
  • Underdog Prize: lovetapsmtg with Antelope
  • Tribes: Antelope, Cat, Elf, Hydra (x2), Minotaur, Ooze, Spirit, Vampire
  • Event link (with all players, pairings, standings, decks, and results): here it is

 Spirit is already busted in regular Modern, makes sense for it to be nothing less in Modern Tribal Wars, too, as Bandit Keith reminded us last week. With Aether Vial very likely getting the axe next October (the writing is on the wall), this situation will probably be naturally rectified, without a direct intervention like Eldrazi required.

 

 My Oozes tried to overcome the Spirits in Round 3, but they only did it once. Still, the tribe is a good place right now, it only lacks one great member to replace Experiment One, which is not that good when everything else is two-powered. Prime Speaker Vannifar is a great Ooze for sure, but she also doesn't make enough sense in an aggro list like this. Vivien, Arkbow Ranger is an excellent support player, instead, giving large growing masses like Predator Ooze the much-needed trample, while also providing the extra tools that Nylea, God of the Hunt didn't provide.

 

 Hydra is on the cusp of greatness with all the recent new additions from Standard, first Hydroid Krasis, then Gargos, Vicious Watcher and Voracious Hydra. Nagarjuna tried this reworked "enchantment ramp" build – but it might be a strategy more suited to Legacy, where you also have access to Wild Growth.

 

 AJ_Impy had a different approach to Hydra, more Modern-appropriate: UrzaTron. Both these decks feel a bit work in progress, but I'm positive Hydra is getting there and could take over at least one Modern event in the future.


THE HIGH PRICE OF WINNING

  

 Here's the prices of all the featured decks, courtesy of the Deck Pricer from mtgGoldfish (MTGO Traders prices as of July 26, 2019):

  • Bandit Keith's Spirits: $162.86
  • Kumagoro's Oozes: $82.32
  • Nagarjuna's Hydras: $96.83
  • AJ_Impy's Hydras: $88.07

 The Top 10 Cheapest Decks that Went Undefeated

  1. SirFalcon2008's Goblins, $1.54, 1st place on Event 289
  2. mihahitlor's Warriors, $1.95, 1st place on Event 233
  3. morpphling's Vampires, $2.25, 1st place on Event 285
  4. morpphling's Goblins, $2.35, 2nd place on Event 102
  5. JogandoPelado's Berserkers, $2.80, 1st place on Event 248
  6. kokonade1000's Berserkers, $2.95, 2nd place on Event 354
  7. Gq1rf7's Goblins, $3.32, 1st place on Event 154
  8. Bandit Keith's Soldiers, $3.48, 1st place on Event 422
  9. MisterMojoRising's Insects, $3.55, 2nd place on Event 201
  10. Gq1rf7's Goblins, $3.58, 1st place on Event 169

 The Top 5 Cheapest Non-Goblin Decks that Went Undefeated

  1. mihahitlor's Warriors, $1.95, 1st place on Event 233
  2. morpphling's Vampires, $2.25, 1st place on Event 285
  3. JogandoPelado's Berserkers, $2.80, 1st place on Event 248
  4. kokonade1000's Berserkers, $2.95, 2nd place on Event 354
  5. Bandit Keith's Soldiers, $3.48, 1st place on Event 422

 NOTE: not adjusted to current prices; data collected since Event 85.


ANNOUNCEMENTS

 Just to remind you of a few things:

 The Underdog Prize: During any event of the regular rotation (but not necessarily during the one-time special events), all players who are running an Underdog Tribe are eligible for a 1-tix credit certificate from MTGO Traders. The tie-breakers are first the number of Underdog categories (for instance, a tribe that's simultaneously Endangered and Unhallowed will take the prize over one that's only Endangered), then the points achieved in the final standings.

 The Up-and-Coming Prize: When a tribe wins an event for the first time ever (losing Unhallowed status), its pilot will get a 3-tix certificate from MTGO Traders.

 The New Kids on the Block Award: When a new tribe is introduced in the game, or reaches enough members to be played as a proper tribe (i.e. at least 3 members, so you can build a deck that features 4 copies of each plus 8 Changeling creatures), the first player to score a match win with it will get a 3-tix certificate from MTGO Traders. You'll need a hard win, not a BYE or a win by no-show of your opponent. There's currently one eligible tribe for the award: Trilobite.

 The Repopulation Award: Some tribes get played only once (to get the New Kids on the Block Award) and then forgotten. Never again! Register one of the following tribes three times in different events, then play all rounds of those events with them, and you'll get a 3-tix certificate from MTGO Traders. The list of these tribes, established May 5, 2017, is as follows: Antelope, Goat, Nightstalker. Already cleared: Atog, Crocodile, Homarid, Incarnation, Jackal, Leech, Licid, Manticore, Metathran, Monger, Moonfolk, Octopus, Orgg, Ouphe, Ox, Processor, Rabbit, Salamander, Siren, Slith.

 The Hamtastic Award: The Biodiversity Prize dedicated to the memory of Erik Friborg rewards each player who registers 10 different tribes (except Human, Elf and Goblin) during the year with a 3-tix certificate from MTGO Traders. You can go on and win the prize multiple times in the year, but you need to keep playing different tribes! (So if you manage to register 50 different tribes in one season, you can get up to 15 tix!)

 The Top Players Lockout: Every time a Top Player (either a Google Era Top 8, an Ultimate Champion/Tribal Player of the Year, or a seasonal Top 8) will end undefeated, they will not be allowed to register the same tribe and deck again for 5 events (i.e. they'll have to register a different deck or decks 5 times before coming back to the undefeated one). With "deck" is meant a specific, recognizable archetype (e.g. Wall-Drazi), which in some case will be linked to a specific combo card (e.g. Helm of Obedience). A list of the current lockouts is maintained here.

 We're on Discord! Join us from here, chat about tribal things with other tribal players and arrange tribal games on MTGO all week long! (Or your can just keep using our Google Sheets bulletin board).


 WHAT'S NEXT

 The upcoming Tribal Apocalypse events of the Blippian Era (every Saturday at 17:00 GMT):

  • 9.29 (Week 446 BE), on July 27: Legacy
  • 9.30 (Week 447 BE), on August 3: Underdog
  • 9.31 (Week 448 BE), on August 10: Standard
  • 9.32 (Week 449 BE), on August 17: Modern

Check out the ban lists and the event calendar.
Next banned and restricted announcement: October 4.
Current watch list:
 Aether Vial, Mutavault, Thalia's Lieutenant.

SEE YOU ALL IN THE #TRIBAL ROOM!

 

Art disclaimers. Revel in Riches art by Eric Deschamps; Herald of Anafenza art by Aaron Miller.