Modern players are notoriously stubborn.

One of Modern's greatest features is that a player can play the same deck forever and learn it inside and out over years of play. Unfortunately, this is also cause for one of Modern's most common mistakes. Players lock in their idea of what their deck is and how it works and don't work to change it or make it better once the formula has been established. Because players are so reluctant to make any changes, innovation among established archetypes comes very slowly.

Let's not be afraid of change.

Time Stamps:

Match 1 - 00:04:02

Match 2 - 00:25:04

Match 3 - 00:47:08

Match 4 - 01:14:41

Match 5 - 01:39:38

Four-Color Humans | Modern | Jim Davis

• Creatures (37)
• 1 Avacyn's Pilgrim
• 2 Militia Bugler
• 2 Venser, Shaper Savant
• 4 Champion of the Parish
• 4 Mantis Rider
• 4 Meddling Mage
• 4 Noble Hierarch
• 4 Phantasmal Image
• 4 Reflector Mage
• 4 Thalia's Lieutenant
• 4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

• Artifacts (4)
• 4 Aether Vial

• Lands (19)
• 1 Snow-Covered Island
• 1 Snow-Covered Plains
• 1 Breeding Pool
• 1 Hallowed Fountain
• 1 Sacred Foundry
• 2 Unclaimed Territory
• 4 Cavern of Souls
• 4 Horizon Canopy
• 4 Windswept Heath

• Sideboard (15)
• 2 Knight of Autumn
• 1 Dire Fleet Daredevil
• 2 Rest in Peace
• 2 Path to Exile
• 2 Izzet Staticaster
• 2 Stony Silence
• 2 Auriok Champion
• 2 Tireless Tracker

Buy This Deck Export text format

With Kitesail Freebooter out of the mix we are essentially just Bant splashing Red for Mantis Rider, with that comes a real mana base and the ability to actually cast non-creature spells.

And with that comes the ability to play real sideboard cards!

While we didn't really get to use them in this league, White has access to some of the best sideboard cards in the format. Players aren't used to bringing in Nature's Claim against Humans and being able to diversify post-board hate options beyond creatures is incredibly appealing. We get to improve our matchup against artifact decks, graveyard decks, and Tron heavily, while losing a few percentage points against burn (although we managed to beat them three times anyway) and other creature decks because our mana base is more painful.

With fetchlands in our deck we also get to turn to "The Best Card Ever Printed" as our go to card for grindy fair matchups!

The deck still probably needs a little more tuning, but there's a real chance that this is the next evolution of Humans in Modern. There's no denying the pedigree of the Humans core, but with not much success of late it's time to evolve or get left behind.