Tron had long been the "bad guy" in Modern for many years. Turn one Urza's Mine, Expedition Map, go was often met with a groan, and it usually boasted a good matchup against many of the best fair decks that top players like to play. However, in recent times it has largely fallen off the map. This is due to both many good interactive cards being printed against it, as well as overall power creep of the fair cards in the format.

However, all is not lost!

Giona Cai went 8-0-1 with Mono Green Tron at the large Grand Open Qualifier in Bologna last week, sporting some unusual innovations to the archetype:

Time Stamps:

00:02:58 - Match 1

00:21:43 - Match 2

00:47:20 - Match 3

01:03:51 - Match 4

01:13: 04 - Match 5

Tron | Modern | Giona Cai, Grand Open Qualifier Bologna

• Creatures (6)
• 1 Cityscape Leveler
• 1 Sundering Titan
• 2 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
• 2 Wurmcoil Engine

• Planeswalkers (5)
• 1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
• 4 Karn, the Great Creator

• Instants (2)
• 2 Warping Wail

• Sorceries (8)
• 4 Ancient Stirrings
• 4 Sylvan Scrying

• Artifacts (21)
• 3 Oblivion Stone
• 3 Relic of Progenitus
• 3 The One Ring
• 4 Chromatic Sphere
• 4 Chromatic Star
• 4 Expedition Map

• Lands (18)
• 3 Forest
• 1 Blast Zone
• 1 Boseiju, Who Endures
• 1 Gemstone Caverns
• 4 Urza's Mine
• 4 Urza's Power Plant
• 4 Urza's Tower

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Boulderbranch Golem
• 1 Chalice of the Void
• 1 Engineered Explosives
• 1 Ensnaring Bridge
• 2 Haywire Mite
• 1 Jegantha, the Wellspring
• 1 Liquimetal Coating
• 1 Sorcerous Spyglass
• 1 Soulless Jailer
• 1 Sundering Titan
• 1 The One Ring
• 1 The Stone Brain
• 1 Tormod's Crypt
• 1 Walking Ballista

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That's right, zero copies of Karn Liberated.

Previously, the ideal play on turn three and the one that would induce the most concessions, Karn Liberated is no longer enough to make the decklist. Weak to Force of Negation, Spell Pierce, as well as just the general speed and power level of the format, Giona had big Karn benched for good.

In its place is Modern's new darling, The One Ring. Tron is only a medium deck for The One Ring, but it does get to use both the protection and the cards very well, and the card is so good it is hard not to play. Otherwise for threats the primary option is now Karn's baby brother Karn, the Great Creator, and a variety of threats like Sundering Titan and Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger.

What makes this Tron deck interesting is that because there is a distinct lack of seven-mana plays, you aren't as hellbent on getting Tron on turn three every game, as turn four Tron is where you'll be making the biggest impact. This combined with the card draw and protection of The One Ring gives this list a bit more of a control feel.

Tron lovers rejoice!