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Hey everyone!
Today I continue on my quest to find where the dust will settle in Modern after the release of Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. Last week I was on a Temur kick, but today I'll focus on Hammertime.
Hammertime will still have legs in the new Modern format despite Boseiju and Force of Vigor being more popular in the coming weeks. I have a more reactive take on the deck in order to play through the removal more effectively.
Let's get started!
Here's my updated list:
Hammertime | Modern | Kyle Boggemes
- Companion (1)
- 1 Lurrus of the Dream-Den
- Creatures (19)
- 1 Kor Outfitter
- 3 Memnite
- 3 Ornithopter
- 4 Esper Sentinel
- 4 Puresteel Paladin
- 4 Stoneforge Mystic
- Sorceries (4)
- 1 Steelshaper's Gift
- 3 Thoughtseize
- Enchantments (4)
- 4 Sigarda's Aid
- Artifacts (10)
- 1 Lion Sash
- 1 Shadowspear
- 1 The Reality Chip
- 3 Springleaf Drum
- 4 Colossus Hammer
Similar to Rhinos, there are plenty of cards that must be included:
- 4 Sigarda's Aid
- 4 Esper Sentinel
- 4 Stoneforge Mystic
- 4 Puresteel Paladin
- 4 Colossus Hammer
- 4 Urza's Saga
- 3 Inkmoth Nexus
Many of the other spells I excluded from the list above can have various numbers. This gives us a surprising amount of customization. If the list was more solidified, I wouldn't write the article as there are plenty of Hammertime walkthroughs on the internet already.
I prefer to play Modern decks with a proactive game plan combined with interaction. Traditional Hammertime decks are proactive, but rely on the quick clock to avoid playing removal and hand disruption in the maindeck.
I've been impressed by Thoughtseize so I have slowed down the deck in favor of a more secure win at the expense of an explosive start. I don't like to play decks that need to make so many judgment calls about potential Solitudes in hand. I would rather just know the answer before making a big move.
The Spells
Let's continue with a card-by-card breakdown:
4 Sigarda's Aid - This enchantment shines in uninteractive matchups because it's the quickest way to get the opponent dead. Aid on turn one combined with a 0 drop can be lethal on the second turn combined with two Hammers. There are plenty of hands to keep against combo decks that don't include Sigarda's Aid, but it's the card I'm happiest to see in my opener.
Two Sigarda's Aid on the battlefield will create two triggers when an equipment enters the battlefield. This is relevant against decks with damage-based removal. You can stack the triggers so the ideal creature to equip resolves first and then you may move it to your second option if it dies in response.
I like to play Aid early in the game, but the opposing companion will dictate if I need to hold it to draw out a Prismatic Ending. Most decks that play Prismatic Ending in the maindeck have Kaheera or Yorion as a companion.
The opponent can remove Sigarda's Aid when an equipment is on the stack which means it will enter the battlefield unequipped. This was relevant against Force of Vigor and is now even more of a concern with Boseiju, Who Endures.
I'm going to experiment with sideboarding out a Sigarda's Aid against Grixis Shadow and Azorius Control. This is because the second copy of Aid isn't as good and the matchups are attrition-based.
Hammertime is an interesting deck because there are plenty of decisions, but sometimes you just kill them on turn two. This means you can plan for how games look in certain situations, but your draw dictates how it plays.
A general heuristic is to keep seven cards that include an equipper and a Hammer, but the close calls change based on the matchup. I value Urza's Saga higher against grindy decks because the opponent likely has a way to fight the nut draw of attacking for at least ten damage on the second turn.
4 Puresteel Paladin - The other powerful equipper in the deck. The ability is more versatile, but comes at the expense of being vulnerable to creature removal.
Puresteel has two modes; you can cast the Hammer ahead of Puresteel or wait until after and draw a card when it enters the battlefield. Both have pros and cons.
If you cast a Hammer before Puresteel you should consider what happens if the Paladin is countered. When this could potentially happen, I like to wait on casting Hammer to draw a card. There isn't much to do with a Hammer on the battlefield without a Puresteel and casting it reduces the value of your Sigarda's Aid.
How about if Force of Vigor/Boseiju break up your combo? In this case I also like to wait on casting the Hammer to draw a card. You'll come out ahead on the exchange.
In general, against interactive decks I like to wait on casting Hammer after Puresteel is on the battlefield because a lot can go wrong. The exception is against potential creature removal.
Against combo decks or games that will be decided by speed I generally take the risk and play the Hammer ahead of time to be more mana efficient. Remember you need more than just Puresteel and Hammer to make the magic happen. There must be two additional artifacts for metalcraft. The Memnites, Ornithopters, and Esper Sentinels will also be less vulnerable to removal in racing matchups.
When you have both Puresteel and Sigarda's Aid in play you must decide your target before drawing the card. This is because a target is required to initially put the trigger on the stack.
If you're lucky enough to resolve your Puresteel when an equipment is on the battlefield the first thing to do is try and equip. Once you take an action that puts something on the stack the opponent can kill the Paladin - this includes playing an Urza's Saga. I will ideally diversify my threats because Puresteel will likely be the scariest threat even when it isn't wielding the Hammer.
Puresteel grants your equipment the ability to equip for 0 mana. This means equipment with reconfigure also can move around for free even though it's a different keyword ability.
Archmage's Charm is a scarier threat than Solitude. You can use Puresteel or Sigarda's Aid to create a giant Ornithopter or Memnite that can be stolen. In this case the equipment still belongs to you which makes Paladin a safer route to victory because the Hammer can be moved after combat. The Paladin can also be safer because it can't be stolen by the Charm. When a Charm steals a Hammer it won't unattach, but you lose the ability to move it to different creatures afterward.
3 Memnite - The upside to the 0 drop creatures is they are part of the faster Hammer draws. It's required for the turn two kill with Sigarda's Aid and helps achieve metalcraft for Puresteel Paladin.
The 0 drops also combo with Springleaf Drum to generate an extra mana on the first turn. This combo enables me to play Urza's Saga on the first turn and create two constructs afterward.
Memnite being a 1/1 blocks Ragavan, but is more vulnerable to Wrenn and Six and Fury. It also lacks evasion unlike Ornithopter which can be relevant if you're using Sigarda's Aid after blocks are declared.
In general, I like Memnite against fair decks if Wrenn isn't part of the equation because I value threats, however small.
3 Ornithopter - The 0/2 can be a boon compared to a 1/1 against nimble Red damage, but doesn't accomplish much without equipment. I typically look to sideboard out Ornithopters in games that will be based on attrition. This includes Azorius Control and Grixis Shadow.
4 Colossus Hammer - This is the reason to be playing the deck, but the opponent will be ready for the combo.
Remember the equipped creature loses flying. Ornithopter's evasion isn't relevant with Puresteel Paladin and Kor Outfitter because it attaches at sorcery-speed. You must flash in a Hammer after blockers are declared to get the full effect.
The Hammer making the creature lose flying can be manipulated by layers. If you move a Hammer to an animated Inkmoth Nexus at sorcery-speed it can be activated a second time to gain flying once again. Be sure to keep this in mind when you're budgeting the amount of mana required to go for an infect win.
I've played the Shadow matchup a few times and it came up more than once that a single bonk for ten did more harm than good. I was left with an opponent at a low life total and a Death's Shadow that was bigger than my equipped creature. Remember that Dress Down doesn't remove the +10+10.
When a game goes late it might be a good idea to not sacrifice your Silent Clearings and go for an equip for eight. Extra Springleafs can drum up enough mana.
1 The Reality Chip - This card is powerful enough to warrant including Blue mana. It's also not powerful enough to go in blind on attaching the Jellyfish to a creature ahead of your primary plan of giving a creature +10+10.
The Chip always allows you to look at the top card of your deck. This will help you decide when it's time to attach and also when to fetch with Stoneforge Mystic and sac lands.
When the Chip is equipped you essentially have Future Sight on the battlefield; a very powerful effect in a deck with such a low mana curve. When the Jellyfish is on a creature it's less vulnerable to removal so I want to attach as soon as possible. The opponent needs to kill the creature and the Jellyfish on the same turn to avoid simply reconfiguring on the following turn.
The Chip works well with Springleaf Drum because you can tap the 0/4 to generate mana to reconfigure. Future Sight is still online if the Chip is tapped. This also ensures you have the Blue mana available to set up the reconfigure. When the Chip enters the battlefield you also draw with Puresteel Paladin.
I can find the required Blue mana with five fetch lands and Hallowed Fountain. Stoneforge Mystic and equippers help reduce my need for Blue mana, too. I also want a grindy equipment against Blue control decks that frequently play Spreading Seas.
Remember, The Reality Chip is legendary. It's the one chip where you can just have one.
I strongly disliked Cranial Plating in Hammertime because it was a grindy equipment that can remain on the battlefield for a while and not accomplish much. The Reality Chip will effectively end the game in a couple turns when attached to a creature.
1 Lion Sash - Another new tool from Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. So far, I've heard medium results with Lion Sash and I've felt the same way. It's strong enough to include, but The Reality Chip is the real prize.
Lion Sash enables Stoneforge Mystic to access graveyard hate, but remember we already had access to this effect with Urza's Saga finding Nihil Spellbomb and it was rarely used in the maindeck. Hammertime is a very proactive deck so we don't inherently need to interact with the graveyard in Game 1. Lion Sash is a powerful, grindy card on rate alone that happens to interact with the graveyard.
1 Shadowspear - Even though we have new equipment to try, Shadowspear is strong enough to play. I frequently fetch it with Urza's Saga because it's less committal equipment than Colossus Hammer.
4 Esper Sentinel - An artifact creature with an ability that powers up as you attach equipment. What's not to like?
There are times to board out Esper Sentinel when the opponent is heavily creature-based. When this is the case it's just a one-mana Memnite.
Esper Sentinel's trigger goes on the stack when the opponent casts a noncreature spell for the first time each turn, but how much they pay for the tax is decided when the ability resolves. You can attach an equipment or power it up with Lion Sash at instant-speed to get a surprise card out of the deal.
In general, I think Modern would be better without Ragavan and Esper Sentinel because their power is so much higher on the play. It leads to 50/50 matchups where you win on the play and lose on the draw. We need more creatures like Dragon's Rage Channeler; powerful yet not game breaking on the play. Something on my wish list for Modern Horizons 3.
Speaking of being on the draw, I find Hammertime is able to break serve more often because the proactive game plan can keep up with the opponent going first.
4 Stoneforge Mystic - Stoneforge serves as your redundant copies of Hammer.
The activated ability to put an equipment on the battlefield doesn't come up often because hardcasting Hammer is less mana. It can be helpful against Chalice of the Void and other counters.
Another use for the activated ability is to create a mind game with Sigarda's Aid on the battlefield. Once you activate Stoneforge the opponent must decide to interact with the Aid and you can then decide to keep Hammer in your hand. It's a way to advance your battlefield without committing if something goes wrong. You can take this a step further and cast the equipment in response to the opponent interacting with Stoneforge's ability to always come out on top.
I like to equip Stoneforge with Hammer ahead of random artifact creatures because I can maintain metalcraft when it dies. There also aren't many permanents that go to the graveyard in Hammertime and I would like to recast Stoneforge with Lurrus.
Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty provided some new equipment that allows Stoneforge to be more versatile. I can put The Reality Chip on the battlefield and immediately attach with Puresteel and Sigarda's Aid without finding Blue mana.
3 Springleaf Drum - I play just three Drum because there are six 0 drops instead of eight. It's hard to justify the fourth Drum when you use the flex slots on interaction.
The Drum not only increases the amount of mana I generate, but I can also fix my colors to cast Thoughtseize and reconfigure The Reality Chip. Now that I have The Reality Chip I find myself fetching the Drum with Urza's Saga more often. More mana means I can cast more spells off the top of my library in a single turn.
3 Thoughtseize - The Azorius Hammertime decks play cards like Blacksmith's Skill and Giver of Runes to ensure a stable connection with The Reality Chip. I don't like to play this type of interaction in the maindeck because it doesn't have utility in every matchup. Hammertime is a proactive deck and Thoughtseize covers the most bases.
Rather than dump a bunch of 0-drops in the early turns I take the slow and steady approach of playing Thoughtseize into Stoneforge Mystic to set up a turn three kill. I made room for the three Seizes by cutting the fourth Drum, Memnite, and Ornithopter. It helps suit my play style.
1 Steelshaper's Gift - I liked a single Gift before The Reality Chip and Lion Sash, but is now even more versatile.
I wanted more ways to find Colossus Hammer which would enable me to keep more hands. The second Hammer drawn was less of a liability than a second equipper which was often not needed.
1 Kor Outfitter - I tried two Outfitter in the past, but it felt like too many. The single remaining copy is better with The Reality Chip. I will board this card out to make room for Sanctifier en-Vec against Grixis Shadow. In general, post board games slow down making it a great card to start, but not necessarily bad it's brought out often.
The Mana Base
The mana base also has plenty of customization.
5 Fetch Lands - The split of fetch lands is to play around Pithing Needle. I exclude Flooded Strand because I'll board in my own needle against Azorius Control and Mon(k)eyPile for their planeswalkers.
3 Plains - Three basics to play around Blood Moon and have enough lands to find with fetches. I'm excluding Eiganjo because I don't think there will be enough opportunities to channel. Eiganjo Castle was always an option in the past and it wasn't played either.
1 Godless Shrine - Ideally I don't fetch Godless Shrine to cast Thoughtseize as it's a painful play, but I need the option. Thoughtseize is my only black card in the deck.
1 Hallowed Fountain - The only Blue card in the deck is a single copy of The Reality Chip.
Remember your mana is also fixed when getting hit by Boseiju, Who Endures. You can find Godless Shrine and Hallowed Fountain.
3 Inkmoth Nexus- This land is best in uninteractive matchups as you only need a single hammer to close the game. It's better against decks without creatures as you don't need the extra mana to give Nexus flying a second time with Puresteel Paladin and Kor Outfitter.
When you have a Nexus on the battlefield your opponent will play more defensively. You can use this to your advantage and advance your grindy game plan. It's a Splinter Twin situation.
4 Urza's Saga - The best land in the deck. I want to plan out my turns ahead of time with Saga because I don't want to have to cast an expensive spell on a turn, I can make a construct.
Remember that Urza's Saga doesn't immediately gain the abilities added each main phase. Your opponent can kill your Saga before it gets the ability to make mana when it enters the battlefield.
If you have a Sigarda's Aid on the battlefield and want to fetch a Hammer to attach to Inkmoth Nexus it needs to be activated before the search ability resolves. Once the Hammer enters the battlefield you need to immediately select your target.
There can sometimes be a dance between potentially searching for Pithing Needle and the opponent activating an ability. Most savvy opponents know Pithing Needle is a sideboard card, but they may be inclined to play around the possibility. Once you find a Needle it's too late for your opponent to react.
Be aware of the possibility of Spreading Seas on your Saga. It might be correct to run out an Inkmoth Nexus first as it's a juicy target.
2 Concealed Courtyard - Hammertime is surprisingly mana hungry despite the low curve. I don't want too many lands that enter the battlefield tapped. The opportunity cost of additional fast lands is that I have fewer lands to find with fetches.
4 Silent Clearing - My flex duals all add Black mana because I will often have a window to cast Thoughtseize on the first turn. The Blue mana is optional for The Reality Chip.
The Sideboard
2 Burrenton Forge-Tender - Not only is this a pro-Red creature to equip with a Hammer it can also be sacrificed in response to Archmage's Charm against Izzet Murktide.
It's a way to prevent 11 damage dealt by Deflecting Palm against Burn or six from Searing Blaze. Fury is also annoying out of Izzet Murktide and Mon(k)eyPile.
Forge-Tender is weak to Skullcrack, but it will work out better for you if the opponent tries to stop a Palm prevention. This is because Deflecting Palm only damages you if it prevents an attack and Skullcrack goes both ways.
1 Thoughtseize - I could play Blue interaction like Spell Pierce or Meddling Mage, but the mana doesn't support it well. Stick with Black cards.
3 Seal of Cleansing- This is a slam-dunk against the mirror and also pretty strong against Amulet Titan as it hits Dryad, Saga, Amulet, and Engineered Explosives. You can kill an opposing Urza's Saga before they can add a colorless mana. In the mirror the post-board games can revolve around establishing Seal of Cleansing and Lurrus. It's not worth going for a quick kill once a Seal is on the battlefield.
I don't hate a Seal or two against Azorius Control because it can remove a Spreading Seas on Inkmoth Nexus, kill Chalice of the Void, or kill your own spell in response to Prismatic Ending so it can be rebought with Lurrus.
2 Prismatic Ending - I have tried Path to Exile, but I prefer Prismatic Ending against Grixis Shadow and the mirror because the post board games are grindy. Path can hit Wurmcoil Engine against Tron, but I already have four Thoughtseize to interact and the matchup is good. Murktide Regent is another popular target to Path, but my creatures will hopefully be larger than an 8/8.
1 Pithing Needle - I can name Engineered Explosives against Izzet Murktide as that's their primary form of interaction after sideboard. Grixis Shadow used to play 2-3 Explosives, but have since moved to Kolaghan's Command so I would no longer bring it in.
Belcher decks are on the decline, but you can name Goblin Charbelcher. Oops All Spells only has half of their win conditions if you lock out Undercity Informer.
Amulet Titan also has plenty of great names; Boseiju, Who Endures, Tolaria West, and Engineered Explosives being at the top of the list. If they play a Golgari Rot Farm they're likely to play Hanweir Battlements over Slayers' Stronghold.
1 Nihil Spellbomb - Graveyard hate for Grixis Shadow, Living End, Dredge, and Reanimator.
Both Needle and Spellbomb can be found with Urza's Saga meaning I value the search more when I bring these artifacts out of the sideboard.
4 Sanctifier en-Vec - I want a lot of cards against Grixis Shadow as the deck is still popular and the matchup is very close. Once Sanctifier resolves they can interact using three Dress Down, one Engineered Explosives, and a potential Pyrite Spellbomb.
1 Lurrus of the Dream-Den - Seal of Cleansing, Nihil Spellbomb, and Burrenton Forge-Tender make Lurrus naturally stronger in post board games. The post board games also slow down as you and the opponent have more interaction which creates more opportunities to add it to your hand.
The Reality Chip and Lion Sash are strong enough equipment that I don't consider Kaldra Compleat and Sword of Fire and Ice anymore. If you want Sword of Fire and Ice then I would play Aspiringspikes Boros Stoneblade deck.
That's all I have for today. Hammertime is a strong deck despite Boseiju reinvigorating Force of Vigor decks. The deck and format is far from being solved.
Thanks for reading!
-Kyle
