Zoomer Jund Deck Analysis

https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/4245725#paper

The Return of Jund (Modern Challenge 8-21-21, 7-0 Winning List Overview)

The ability to pivot angles of attack is a powerful thing in MTG. This is the crux for what made Izzet Phoenix such a powerful deck. (For those unfamiliar it was a modern deck pre Faithless Looting ban which relied on reanimating Arclight Phoenix, often with Thing in the Ice backup) The deck was powerful because it could win through graveyard hate, pivoting to a Thing in the Ice beatdown strategy or simply dropping a large graveyard removal immune Crackling Drake.

Flash forward now to Modern in late August 2021. Modern Horizons II has been out for a few months and players are still innovating. The latest innovation I’d like to highlight is the Bullwinkkle8705 8-0 Modern Challenge winning Jund List.

Upon first glance you see the typical threats of current Red decks post MH2, Dragon’s Rage Channeler and Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer. This is backed up with Unholy Heat, Mishra’s Bauble and a Lurrus Companion package.

These cards all see play in Izzet Tempo as well. What sets this particular list apart and why I find it innovative is the inclusion of an Urza’s Saga toolbox package, with Tarmogoyf and Wrenn and Six.

I was awaiting a list in Modern which seemingly could employ a strong plan A strategy, backed up with a plan B Urza’s Saga package. Bullwinkle seems to have done this. Let’s get to the list.

Plan A Threats

4 Dragon’s Rage Channeler

4 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer

4 Tarmogoyf

All these threats are potent in pushing a quick beatdown strategy. Next the glue of the deck is as follows.

The Glue

4 Unholy Heat

4 Inquistion of Kozilek

2 Thoughtseize

2 Lightning Bolt

These cards help slow down the game and allow the plan A threats to snowball. Often players can ride a discard spell early into a Ragavan to a few swings before it’s removed. Unholy Heat is just stellar value and has led to planeswalkers simply losing closing power they once had.

The Lurrus toolbox Package

1 Lurrus Companion

4 Mishra’s Bauble

1 Expedition Map

1 Pyrite Spellbomb

1 Pithing Needle

1 Nihil Spellbomb

Plan B Threats

4 Wrenn and Six

4 Urza’s Saga

Now I’ll explain the Lurrus Toolbox package and Plan B Threats. (Anything in the deck can be recurred via Lurrus so technically this list is every nonland permanent) 

When I mentioned Izzet Phoenix and ability to Pivot from plan A to plan B earlier, this deck can employ a similar strategy as well. The thing is Urza’s Saga has often been used as a defacto plan A threat. (Think Food decks) This strategy has been potent to the point often disgruntled players wished for Saga’s banning. Though I don’t feel Urza’s Saga is worthy of banning (due to prevalence of Blood Moon/Alpine Moon etc and costing a land drop) Saga is STILL a highly efficient win condition. Making Urza’s Saga a plan B threat takes some of the burden off the card. 

Wrenn and Six could also lightly be considered a tertiary threat (though vulnerable to things such as Rest in Peace along with plan A threats) The ability to retrace Lightning Bolt turn after turn can and has won games. 

Now that we have looked at the three angles of attack with the glue of the deck (disruption and removal) let’s look at the sideboard.

The primary threatening matchups these days are (based on the mtggoldfish metagame share are (and by no means an exhaustive list);

Popular Metagame Decks

Hammertime, 5C Elementals, Izzet Tempo, Crashing Footfalls, Tron, 4C Creativity, BR Delirium, other Urza’s Saga lists, Living End

Sideboard from Bullwinkkle’s List

1 Nihil Spellbomb

2 Alpine Moon

1 Ancient Grudge

2 Chalice of the Void

1 Engineered Explosives

1 Lurrus of the Dream-Den

3 Run Afoul

1 Terminate

2 Torpor Orb

1 Void Mirror

The SB is very low to the ground as the list is also playing Lurrus. Cards such as Alpine Moon are extremely good in the Urza’s Saga mirror as they hit an opponent’s Saga BUT not yours. As Saga is predominantly your way to win it your delirium strategy is thwarted, having bigger constructs (or any at all) is a valid strategy.

The second Nihil Spellbomb is good backup as many decks rely on recursion and employ delirium based strategies as well. Run Afoul seems to be a way to help combat the 4C Creativity matchup. 

Void Mirror is useful against Elementals as well as lists employing free pitch effects (such as Force of Vigor / Negation) 

Some changes I’d consider making:

Upon quick glance I’d question if Shadowspear could be a consideration for the sideboard? Being able to provide lifelink to Saga Tokens or large Tarmogoyfs could swing the matchup against quick aggro. (Which this list may struggle with) I’d also wonder if Expedition Map is kind of superfluous. By the time you are ready to start dropping Urza’s Saga midgame, you probably already have one. Expedition Map for a Ghost Quarter while having game against Tron may be better as a post SB target for that matchup. Bojuka Bog could also find its way into the SB.

Overall I feel this Jund list is a great pile of strong cards and will seemingly be a player going forward in the metagame. It has the ability to pivot attack strategies over the course of the game. This list is not simply shut down by only graveyard removal or targeted hate towards Urza’s Saga. There are even recurrable disruption options via incorporating a Lurrus package. I will definitely be trying this list out more going forward. Until next time, take care!

Full Jund List 

4 Wrenn and Six

4 Dragon’s Rage Channeler

4 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer

4 Tarmogoyf

4 Inquisition of Kozilek

2 Thoughtseize

2 Lightning Bolt

4 Unholy Heat

1 Expedition Map

4 Mishra’s Bauble

1 Nihil Spellbomb

1 Pithing Needle

1 Pyrite Spellbomb

4 Blackcleave Cliffs

2 Blood Crypt

4 Bloodstained Mire

1 Forest

1 Ghost Quarter

1 Mountain

1 Overgrown Tomb

1 Stomping Ground

1 Swamp

4 Urza’s Saga

2 Verdant Catacombs

2 Wooded Foothills