Fatal Push...ing White Out of Modern

Original Fatal Push art credit: Eric Deschamps & WOTC

It has long been said by Magic players older and wiser than me that white is, far and away, the worst maindeck color in the Modern format, perhaps all formats. The reasons are varied and pretty sound, but that is not what this post is about.

This post is about how things are only going to get worse for white, in the Modern meta in particular, as Fatal Push continues to settle in and transform the format.

As I've covered before on this blog, I don't think Fatal Push was a significant shake-up to decks that want to play Lightning Bolt. Those decks (such as Jund) have long had access to targeted removal that came with no drawback.

Path to Exile, the most played white card in Modern, was always the answer for the threats that couldn't be answered outside of black and Bolt. Tarmogoyf is a perfect example. You had to play black to destroy goyf, as Bolt is almost always a dud against it. Unless you played white, then you could remove goyf for a single mana, 100% of the time. Yes, you ramp your opponent, but better to ramp them into not-goyf than let them keep goyf.

And although indestructible creatures and dudes with graveyard synergy are few and far between, Path has always been the answer for those as well.

But Push has bankrupted the major value of Path. Threats that come down cheap and early, but can't be bolted consistently, have a new enemy, and that is Push. If Push didn't have the Revolt text, it would still be good removal, but the ability to fetch into an auto-kill for any 1, 2, 3, or 4 drop is beyond good. It's straight up the best creature removal in Modern. No drawback. None.

So why play Path anymore? For Ulamog? Seems like a waste of a slot for a creature that often wins the game for the opponent outright, Path or no Path. Maybe for Wurmcoil Engine? Exiling does avoid the two tokens...

But every other time you use Path, you ramp your opponent for something a different card could do without giving your opponent any compensation. And these situations will account for well over 90% of the times you actually cast Path.

So this begs the question: if Push is better than Path 90% of the time, why play Path?

And this begs the question: if Path can be upgraded in black, and Path is the reason most white decks play white at all...why play white?

Sure, sure, sideboard tech in white is great. But it's not like I struggle to find effective sideboard cards for my Jund deck. Not having Stony Silence doesn't equate to an auto-lose to affinity. Ancient grudge and Shatterstorm do me just fine. That goes for essentially all the sideboard tech white has always been praised for. Rest in Peace? Yes, clearly the best graveyard hate in Modern. But is it the only effective grave hate? No. There are plenty of other options, and options that won't reduce your win percentage by very much.

Certainly not by the same amount that playing Path instead of Push does.

Forgive the lack of math, but it is my strong hunch that playing Push over Path would increase your win percentage more than enough to compensate for the small percentage lost in games 2 and 3 against certain strategies without white sideboard cards.

So again, why play Path? Why play white?

Well, if you're a Jund player, you never need to ask those questions :)

Instead, Jund brewers need to ask, what threats will continue to gain stock in a meta where Path (and white in general) is less and less prevalent? Because we should seriously consider playing those over something that falls to Push or Bolt.

Tasigur and Gurmag Angler are some obvious creatures which rose to prominence in a world of Fatal Pushes. But we're also trying to beat those threats, not just trade with them or bounce off them.

Off the top of my head, I can think of two keyword abilities that gain lots of value in a Push-not-Path world: Regenerate, and Indestructible.

Today, I booted up the old Gatherer website and did a search for creatures with those keywords (no color specifications). Below are the most promising prospects, starting with idestructible:

Adanto Vanguard - This is a sweet little creature just printed in Ixalan (ironically in white...). It's a 2 mana 3/2 on attacks, and you can pay 4 life instant speed to make him indestructible. 4 life isn't nothing, but if you get two unblocked attacks in with him, or two life-saving blocks in with him, he has already paid for himself. Not bad.

Ormendhal, Profane Prince - This guy takes a lot of setup, but that setup usually involves tokens that your opponent won't want to waste Pushes and Bolts on anyway. Against an opponent without Path, if you get him out, it's game over.

Predator Ooze - Also requires setup (to make it big enough to matter), but no amount of Pushes or Bolts will get rid of it. Could be worth some brewing consideration.

Kefnet the Mindful - There must be a way to break this card in Modern without too much hassle. 5/5 Flying, Indestructible 3-drops deserve attention.

Tajic, Blade of the Legion - Not bad if you're in creature-heavy Boros colors. Could be a good finisher for the Humans deck right now. Indestructible 7/7 on attacks is quite the threat.

Hazoret the Fervent - Kefnet's evil twin that looks for no cards rather than 7+ cards. Already seeing some play in certain Jund lists since it has easy synergy with our hellbent, attrition strategy.

Erebos Titan - Beat Push, and join it too! Has holes in the armor, but if you combine it with something that eats opposing graveyards, you could have a decent 4 drop threat here.

I like what we've found so far, definitely a broad selection of creatures to ponder. Let's check out regenerators now:

Deity of Scars - Very expensive with regard to color, but quite a resilient creature. Worth noting that it can only regenerate twice before there are no more -1/-1 counters on it to use. Matches up well against the larger midrange threats in Modern, but you have to play essentially BG only.

Hunted Troll - Letting your opponent play and flashback Lingering Souls for free is gonna drag the game out unless you have a sweeper on hand, but 8 power on turn 4, with a single mana regen ability is definitely strong. Useful? Not sure. But strong.

Korlash, Heir to Blackblade - One of my favorite flavor cards ever, this guy goes only in mono-black or decks that play multiple Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth. The regen ability is 2 mana, so that certainly asks a lot (you have to keep that 2 mana up essentially all the time to avoid the Revolted Push). But his Grandeur ability helps you find that extra mana if you need it. Very unique.

Molten-Tail Masticore - What an interesting card. Not sure if it could possibly fit in any shell (Eldrazi Tron?), but I figured I throw it up here to maybe inspire someone.

Mortivore - One of the long-lost Lhurgoyf brothers! P/T on this guy is likely 1/1 or 2/2 when you play him, which is super disappointing. But, single mana regen and MAJOR Lhurgoyf tribal synergy! (Just kidding...this guy is awful.)

Thrun, the Last Troll - Obviously a sideboard staple for BG midrange decks already, and not really any better than he was before since Path can't target him anyway. But worth mentioning!

Deepwood Ghoul - Ever since Street Wraith made waves in Modern, I have not looked at the words "Pay 2 life: blah blah blah" the same. Just a thought.

Hedge Troll - A kind of "Wild Troll-catl" here. I suppose a 3/3 with single mana regen for 2G is not bad. Could be better, but could be worse too.

Isao, Enlightened Bushi - Wow! Another one of my all-time favorite flavor cards. He isn't particularly impressive, but worth pausing over. He is uncounterable, and blocks/is blocked as a 4/3. That's okay for 2G. He can regenerate himself for 2 generic mana (slightly over-priced, but allows you to keep preferable colors up), BUT, his regen ability can also target any samurai. There aren't many samurai worth playing, but there is one card currently in a lot of green sideboards that would love some regeneration, and is an honorary samurai (hint: it's Chameleon Colossus). Just a unique piece of tech I thought of, take it or leave it.

Lotleth Troll - Similar to the ooze from the previous section, this takes some effort to build into a threat, though if you have a grip of creatures, you can buff this dude up preeetty quick. Wouldn't ever discard a goyf or the like to him, but maybe in a golgari creature-aggro build he could be a force to be reckoned with.

Rakshasa Deathdealer - Speaking of golgari aggro, this guy's regen ability is the most color-strenuous to use (although if you cast him, you must have access to it), but his golgari firebreathing means he isn't a total waste on board or in the late game.

Less impressed by the regenerator selection here, but that's okay. I think I've found enough options to pique the interest of the brewers of the world.

Of course, all this conjecture could be totally wrong. Maybe Push will force creatures essentially out of the format, meaning the only guys who hit the board are the Ulamogs of the world. In that case, Path is what you want, because creatures worth targeting with removal only represent late game threats, rather than midrange beaters or aggro pokers. After all, ramping your opponent on turn 7 is waaaaay better than ramping them on turn 3.

Happy tapping.