Reid and I chose to play the soon-to-be-popular matchup Jund versus Scapeshift with the following lists.

I did a fair amount of research into old Scapeshift lists from the past Extended seasons (including the season with no Ravnica dual lands as well as the season with Ravnica dual lands).

The inspiration from the original list came from my friend Yoel Izsak who played a lot of Scapeshift (including at Grand Prix: Houston):

"Yoel Izsak’s Scapeshift"

• Creatures (8)
• 4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 4 Wood Elves

• Spells (28)
• 3 Repeal
• 4 Cryptic Command
• 4 Peer Through Depths
• 4 Remand
• 1 Firespout
• 4 Ponder
• 4 Scapeshift
• 4 Search for Tomorrow

• Lands (24)
• 2 Mountain
• 3 Forest
• 4 Island
• 1 Breeding Pool
• 2 Flooded Grove
• 2 Misty Rainforest
• 2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
• 4 Steam Vents
• 4 Stomping Ground

• Sideboard (15)
• 2 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
• 2 Firespout
• 4 Kitchen Finks
• 2 Negate
• 2 Oona, Queen of the Fae
• 3 Ravenous Trap

Buy This Deck

This list hasn’t changed much from this except that Ponder became Serum Visions (and I still need to try Sleight of Hand in that slot), and Firespout and Repeal became two Pyroclasm and two Snapcaster Mage. The Snapcaster Mage and See Beyond were taken from Gerry’s list he wrote about, but I found Explore to be underwhelming.

"R/U/G Scapeshift"

• Creatures (6)
• 2 Snapcaster Mage
• 4 Sakura-Tribe Elder

• Spells (29)
• 4 Cryptic Command
• 4 Peer Through Depths
• 4 Remand
• 1 See Beyond
• 2 Farseek
• 2 Pyroclasm
• 4 Scapeshift
• 4 Search for Tomorrow
• 4 Serum Visions

• Lands (25)
• 2 Island
• 2 Mountain
• 4 Forest
• 1 Breeding Pool
• 2 Flooded Grove
• 2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
• 4 Misty Rainforest
• 4 Steam Vents
• 4 Stomping Ground

• Sideboard (15)
• 3 Relic of Progenitus
• 1 Wurmcoil Engine
• 2 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
• 3 Firespout
• 2 Kitchen Finks
• 2 Negate
• 2 Obstinate Baloth

Buy This Deck

"Jund"

• Creatures (15)
• 3 Kitchen Finks
• 4 Bloodbraid Elf
• 4 Dark Confidant
• 4 Tarmogoyf

• Planeswalkers (4)
• 4 Liliana of the Veil

• Spells (16)
• 1 Jund Charm
• 2 Terminate
• 4 Lightning Bolt
• 1 Blightning
• 2 Inquisition of Kozilek
• 2 Maelstrom Pulse
• 4 Thoughtseize

• Lands (25)
• 1 Forest
• 2 Swamp
• 1 Copperline Gorge
• 1 Marsh Flats
• 1 Overgrown Tomb
• 1 Stomping Ground
• 2 Blood Crypt
• 2 Raging Ravine
• 2 Twilight Mire
• 4 Blackcleave Cliffs
• 4 Treetop Village
• 4 Verdant Catacombs

• Sideboard (15)
• 3 Fulminator Mage
• 1 Sowing Salt
• 2 Duress
• 2 Ancient Grudge
• 1 Seal of Primordium
• 2 Grafdigger's Cage
• 1 Nihil Spellbomb
• 1 Jund Charm
• 2 Pyroclasm

Buy This Deck

Some key cards from my side are Cryptic Command, ramp spells, and Snapcaster Mage.

From his side, Liliana of the Veil and discard spells are the most problematic ones, although Dark Confidant leads to an unending stream of them.

Post-board, the matchup improves greatly for him, and it only marginally increases for me.

I believe he would take out one Lightning Bolt, one Jund Charm, two Maelstrom Pulse, and two Terminate for three Fulminator Mage, two Duress, and one Sowing Salt.

On my end, I tried a few different plans (involving cutting Search for Tomorrow and Serum Visions) for various numbers of Negates, Kitchen Finks, Obstinate Baloths, and Wurmcoil Engines. I am still not totally sure how to board, and I need to investigate that in greater detail.

In general, I was very live to top-deck my way into a win if I had enough lands in play, which dictated most of my plays (discarding Scapeshift instead of lands at most junctures just trying to hit 7 mana). I think Kitchen Finks is mostly mediocre against him and should just become the third and fourth Obstinate Baloths.

Fulminator Mage was quite annoying from his end since it sets me back a turn every time he uses one, and if I am not careful, it could potentially stop me from winning. (If I Scapeshift with exactly seven lands in play, and he kills a Mountain with all of the triggers on the stack, only one trigger will resolve properly).

I also think R/G and Wargate Scapeshift decks will have a presence in the metagame depending exactly on how they are built.

I look forward to any comments or criticism people might have.

Until next time, have fun putting six or more Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle triggers on the stack!

Jarvis