We’re in the middle of one of the most influential shifts in the history of the Modern format. Just days ago, Wizards of the coast made an announcement that has changed Modern for good:

After they quickly realized that banning [Card]Bridge from Below[/Card] wasn’t enough to stop its dominance, Wizards banned [Card]Hogaak, Risen Necropolis[/Card], which quickly became one of the most format-warping mistakes ever printed. Surprisingly to me — but justifiably — they also took [Card]Faithless Looting[/Card] down with it, a card that was widely considered to be the culprit for enabling broken graveyard strategies all across Modern.

These bans were enough to be a game-changer on their own, but they weren’t done.

After years of players asking for a [Card]Stoneforge Mystic[/Card] unban — similar to [Card]Jace, the Mind Sculptor[/Card] before it — Wizards sent shockwaves through the Modern community by finally releasing her shackles. 

Jace and Stoneforge have reunited once again. 

This. Changes. Everything.

Welcome back to 2012

What’s old is new again, but it’ll take some getting used to, especially if you’re new to [Card]Stoneforge Mystic[/Card]. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the changes, the plethora of different deck options, and aren’t sure where to go from here, trust me, I understand where you’re at. 

Sometimes, you need to learn from the past to help inform the present.

Approximately seven years ago, Jon Finkel made history by winning the 2012 Player’s Championship with a Blue-White Aggro deck — which was famously known as “Caw-Blade” after the broken Standard deck — which then morphed again and later became known as “Stoneblade” in Legacy.

[Deck Title= 2012 Player’s Championship, Azorius Stoneblade – Jon Finkel & Brian Kibler]
[Creatures]
3 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Kitchen Finks
4 Restoration Angel
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Vendilion Clique
[/Creatures]
[Spells]
2 Cryptic Command
2 Dismember
2 Mana Leak
1 Logic Knot
4 Path to Exile
1 Remand
4 Spell Snare
2 Sword of War and Peace
[/Spells]
[Lands]
1 Arid Mesa
4 Celestial Colonnade
1 Eiganjo Castle
3 Hallowed Fountain
3 Island
2 Mutavault
1 Plains
3 Scalding Tarn
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Tectonic Edge
[/Lands]
[Sideboard]
2 Annul
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Disenchant
1 Kitchen Finks
2 Negate
1 Phantasmal Image
2 Stony Silence
2 Threads of Disloyalty
1 Vendilion Clique
2 Wrath of God
[/Sideboard]
[/Deck]

[Card]Stoneforge Mystic[/Card] and [Card]Jace, the Mind Sculptor[/Card] were banned in 2011 when Extended turned into Modern, and in 2012 this midrange version of the deck showcased how the archetype could adapt without them. 

What’s important to consider here is how much [Card]Stoneforge Mystic[/Card] will improve the competitive viability of fair decks in Modern, such as UWx Midrange. Much like Azorius adapted then without SFM, it’s now going to mutate back to something that resembles its former self. What I’m getting at here is that Azorius creature decks have had success here and there in Modern-past, and they just added one of the most powerful midrange threats in the history of the game. 

While she will be played control decks, which undoubtedly improves with her inclusion, she’s historically utilized best in a deck with other creatures and a proactive gameplan. 

One of my Modern UWx Control/Midrange community admins, Niklas Zitrone, summed it up very well:

“This unban will lead to a very clear distinction between UWx Control Decks and UWx Blade/Midrange Decks.” 

One of several potential directions we can take these archetypes resembles a Modern evolution of that CawBlade deck Jon Finkel and Brian Kibler played. This is the way I’d approach it:

[Deck Title= Azorius Stoneblade – Francesco Neo Amati]
[Creatures]
2 Restoration Angel
1 Vendilion Clique
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stoneforge Mystic
[/Creatures]
[Spells]
1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Teferi, Time Raveler
4 Opt
4 Path to Exile
1 Winds of Abandon
2 Spell Snare
2 Mana Leak
3 Force of Negation
2 Cryptic Command
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
[/Spells]
[Lands]
3 Celestial Colonnade
4 Field of Ruin
4 Flooded Strand
1 Polluted Delta
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Glacial Fortress
6 Snow-Covered Island
2 Snow-Covered Plains
[/Lands]
[Sideboard]
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Dovin’s Veto
1 Disdainful Stroke
2 Celestial Purge
1 Disenchant
1 Stony Silence
1 Rest in Peace
1 Ashiok, Dream Render
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Cataclysmic Gearhulk
1 Lyra Dawnbringer
[/Sideboard]
[/Deck]

I collaborated with my SolitaryPro teammate, Tony Johnson, Tom White (McWinSauce on MTGO), a reputable Azorius Control player and Legacy powerhouse, Lawrence Harmon and was also inspired by Jake Nordin and Peter Ingram’s SCG Dallas Open lists (12th and 10th, respectively), on this hybrid. 

[Deck Title= 10th SCG DFW, Azorius Stoneblade – Jake Nordin]
[Creatures]
4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 Vendilion Clique
[/Creatures]
[Spells]
3 Force of Negation
2 Teferi, Time Raveler
1 Dovin’s Veto
1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
1 Detention Sphere
2 Supreme Verdict
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Path to Exile
2 Cryptic Command
1 Logic Knot
2 Spell Snare
4 Opt
1 Mana Leak
[/Spells]
[Lands]
4 Flooded Strand
6 Island
2 Plains
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Glacial Fortress
3 Celestial Colonnade
4 Field of Ruin
1 Prismatic Vista
[/Lands]
[Sideboard]
1 Lyra Dawnbringer
2 Monastery Mentor
1 Disdainful Stroke
2 Rest in Peace
1 Stony Silence
2 Timely Reinforcements
1 Surgical Extraction
2 Celestial Purge
1 Disenchant
1 Wrath of God
[/Sideboard]
[/Deck]

[Deck Title= 12th SCG DFW, Azorius Stoneblade – Pete Ingram]
[Creatures]
1 Vendilion Clique
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Snapcaster Mage
[/Creatures]
[Spells]
4 Force of Negation
2 Teferi, Time Raveler
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Dismember
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Path to Exile
2 Cryptic Command
2 Spell Snare
4 Opt
2 Mana Leak
[/Spells]
[Lands]
2 Hallowed Fountain
4 Flooded Strand
1 Polluted Delta
2 Plains
6 Island
1 Prismatic Vista
2 Glacial Fortress
4 Field of Ruin
2 Celestial Colonnade
[/Lands]
[Sideboard]
2 Ceremonious Rejection
2 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Disdainful Stroke
1 Supreme Verdict
2 Timely Reinforcements
1 Batterskull
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Celestial Purge
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Disenchant
[/Sideboard]
[/Deck]

My version contains a balance of interaction and threats that allows its versatility to weave between different roles and plans depending on the matchup. This version is particularly good against control, Tron, TitanShift, Burn, Jund, [Card]Death’s Shadow[/Card] variants, Dredge, Humans and SFM mirrors. 

Peter liked my approach, especially my efforts to improve the Whirza matchup:

“I think you gain a fair amount of equity with a Lyra in your sideboard (because of [Card]Restoration Angel[/Card]). The issue is it’s another card for red, but it’s probably good vs Jund, too. I like the hulk, particularly vs Whirza.”

The [Card]Restoration Angel[/Card] package and [Card]Gideon, Ally of Zendikar[/Card] are a very solid plan B that can adapt to the artifact hate Stoneforge can attract. [Card]Cataclysmic Gearhulk[/Card] is a powerful finisher against Humans, Spirits, creature-heavy Blade variants and Whirza. 

I opted for two [Card]Supreme Verdict[/Card]s instead of the split with [Card]Wrath of God[/Card] for the time being because I’ve seen Death’s Shadow begin to rise in popularity. Perhaps un-intuitively I also think it’s a reasonable inclusion in the mirror if your opponent is on [Card]Monastery Mentor[/Card] or [Card]Geist of Saint Traft[/Card]. 

Let me walk you through a little more of the thought process that went into my list:

Mini Primer: 

The following are some of the top options to tune and update this list. Use these as additions I suggest that can help you to adapt to the metagame of any upcoming tournament: 

Creatures:

• 1-2 [Card]Monastery Mentor[/Card] – MB/SB
• 1-2 [Card]Geist of Saint Traft[/Card] – SB
• 2-3 [Card]Spell Queller[/Card] – SB
• 1-2 [Card]Kitchen Finks[/Card] – MB/SB
• 2 [Card]Kor Firewalker[/Card] – SB

Spells:

• 1-4 [Card]Serum Visions[/Card] – MB
• 2-3 [Card]Ancestral Vision[/Card] – SB
• 1 [Card]Oust/Dismember[/Card] – MB/SB
• +1 [Card]Surgical Extraction[/Card] – SB
• 1 [Card]Dispel[/Card] – SB
• +1 [Card]Spell Snare[/Card] – MB/SB
• 1-2 [Card]Spell Pierce[/Card] – MB
• 1-2 [Card]Ceremonious Rejection[/Card] – SB
• +1 [Card]Dovin’s Veto[/Card] / [Card]Disdainful Stroke[/Card] – SB
• +1 [Card]Cryptic Command[/Card] – MB
• +1 [Card]Timely Reinforcements[/Card] – SB
• 1 [Card]Wrath of God[Card] / [Card]Settle the Wreckage[/Card] – SB

Artifacts/Enchantments:

• 1 [Card]Detention Sphere[/Card]- MB/SB
• 1-2 [Card]Engineered Explosives[/Card] – SB
• 1 [Card]Pithing Needle[/Card] – SB
• 1-3 [Card]Damping Sphere[/Card] – SB
• +1 [Card]Stony Silence[/Card] – SB
• +1-2 [Card]Rest In Peace[/Card] – SB
• 1-2 [Card]Runed Halo[/Card] – SB

Equipment:

• 1 [Card]Sword of Fire and Ice[/Card] – MB/SB
• 1 [Card]Sword of Sinew and Steel[/Card] – SB
• 1 [Card]Sword of Light and Shadow[/Card] – SB
• +1 [Card]Batterskull[/Card] – SB

Planeswalkers:

• 1-2 [Card]Narset, Parter of Veils[/Card] – SB
• +1 [Card]Ashiok, Dream Render[/Card] – SB
• +1 [Card]Gideon, Ally of Zendikar[/Card] – SB
• +1 [Card]Jace, the Mind Sculptor[/Card] – MB
• 1 [Card]Elspeth, Sun’s Champion[/Card] – SB

The second Stoneblade variant I recommend — especially because of its favourable positioning versus Whirza — utilizes [Card]Spell Queller[/Card] as an additional tempo threat that is extremely disruptive in combo matchups:

[Deck Title= SCG DFW, Queller Stoneblade – Francesco Neo Amati]
[Creatures]
2 Restoration Angel
1 Vendilion Clique
4 Spell Queller
2 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stoneforge Mystic
[/Creatures]
[Spells]
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Teferi, Time Raveler
4 Opt
4 Path to Exile
2 Spell Snare
2 Mana Leak
2 Force of Negation
2 Cryptic Command
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
[/Spells]
[Lands]
3 Celestial Colonnade
4 Field of Ruin
4 Flooded Strand
1 Polluted Delta
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Glacial Fortress
6 Snow-Covered Island
2 Snow-Covered Plains
[/Lands]
[Sideboard]
1 Surgical Extraction
2 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Disdainful Stroke
2 Celestial Purge
1 Disenchant
1 Stony Silence
2 Ashiok, Dream Render
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Settle the Wreckage
1 Lyra Dawnbringer
[/Sideboard]
[/Deck]

This tempo-oriented approach is generally better in a more combo-centric format. [Card]Spell Queller[/Card] can also counter removal against your creatures, walkers and equipment. [Card]Stoneforge Mystic[/Card] works well to divert attention and bait removal away from it, too.

It’s worth noting that [Card]Sword of Feast and Famine[/Card] has some nice synergy with Queller, and should be your sword of choice in a list with more flash creatures. Not only is Queller a good sword wielder, but it’s also very good against Whirza, which is arguably one of the best decks to beat moving forward. The fact that it’s able to counter most of their high impact cards while also establishing pressure, makes [Card]Spell Queller[/Card] an MVP in this matchup.

For further reference on the archetype, prior to Stoneforge being unbanned, Mitchell Forst placed 12th with the Queller version at the StarCityGames Classic Richmond:

[Deck Title= SCG Richmond, Azorius Tempo – Mitchell Forst]
[Creatures]
4 Spell Queller
1 Vendilion Clique
3 Restoration Angel
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 Wall of Omens
[/Creatures]
[Spells]
2 Winds of Abandon
2 Force of Negation
3 Teferi, Time Raveler
1 Dovin’s Veto
1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
1 Detention Sphere
4 Path to Exile
2 Cryptic Command
1 Spell Snare
1 Remand
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Opt
[/Spells]
[Lands]
4 Flooded Strand
5 Island
3 Plains
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Mystic Gate
3 Celestial Colonnade
1 Glacial Fortress
3 Field of Ruin
1 Prismatic Vista
1 Blast Zone
[/Lands]
[Sideboard]
1 Generous Gift
1 Dovin’s Veto
2 Lyra Dawnbringer
1 Settle the Wreckage
1 Cataclysmic Gearhulk
3 Rest in Peace
1 Timely Reinforcements
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Celestial Purge
1 Kitchen Finks
[/Sideboard]
[/Deck]

After speaking with Mitchell about his experience with the deck, he said he beat three different flavors of Urza and the matchup generally seemed favoured with the addition of Queller. 

With Teferi in play, the opponent can’t cast the spell from under [Card]Spell Queller[/Card] when it leaves the battlefield (since [Card]Spell Queller[/Card]’s trigger uses the stack), so you can blink it with [Card]Restoration Angel[/Card] (or bounce it with Teferi/Jace) for a nice soft-lock. The spell it exiled is then permanently exiled.

[Card]Spell Queller[/Card] + [Card]Teferi, Time Raveler[/Card] was a huge step forward for the archetype, and it also happens to conveniently be a great shell for Stoneforge. This deck also allows for some extremely busted nut draws. 

Forging Your Future

Although I’m currently focused on Blue-White Midrange, there are enticing reasons to incorporate black, red or green into the deck. Adding a third colour may provide more power, interaction and versatility. The following are just some of the most notable cards you gain access to:

Black:

• [Card]Thoughtseize[/Card]
• [Card]Inquisition of Kozilek[/Card]
• [Card]Collective Brutality[/Card]
• [Card]Fatal Push[/Card]
• [Card]Kaya’s Guile[/Card]
• [Card]Lingering Souls[/Card]
• [Card]Plague Engineer[/Card]

Red:

• [Card]Lightning Bolt[/Card]
• [Card]Lightning Helix[/Card]
• [Card]Fry[/Card]
• [Card]Abrade[/Card]
• [Card]Wear // Tear[/Card]
• [Card]Anger of the Gods[/Card]
• [Card]Keranos, God of Storms[/Card]

Green:

• [Card]Veil of Summer[/Card]
• [Card]Noble Hierarch[/Card]
• [Card]Ice-Fang Coatl[/Card]
• [Card]Collector Ouphe[/Card]
• [Card]Knight of Autumn[/Card]
• [Card]Sigarda, Host of Herons[/Card]
• [Card]Thragtusk[/Card]

Whichever flavour you decide to play, it’s important to understand the design fundamentals, strategic elements, and dynamics of playing with (and against) [Card]Stoneforge Mystic[/Card]. 

In order to excel with the Blue-White version of the deck, consider the following design guidelines, card options and tips:

Maybe most importantly of any gameplay advice I can give you about Stoneblade is that role assessment is the most valuable skill and strategic component to utilize with Stoneforge Mystic. This midrange deck can quite easily take the controlling or proactive role in any game or matchup, and deciding when to switch gears is going to be a key to your success. 

Role assessment (Who’s the Beatdown?) and knowing how/when to pivot to effectively turn the corner are important strategic skills to have, hone and leverage, especially in this format. This skill requires you to be proficient with threat evaluation and situational awareness. Being “in control” doesn’t always mean having to answer everything. There are opportunities where the element of surprise, forcing action and demanding to be answered, can put you in a more commanding and controlling position. Sometimes the best way to control the game is to reduce their life total to zero as fast as possible. 

Improving at role assessment first and foremost requires understanding the dynamics and intricacies of a matchup, then determining the best way to approach it based on the way your deck’s gameplan lines up against theirs. Write out your sideboard plans, keep your ratios tight and make sure you’ve always got your approach in the back of your mind. If you’ve decided you’re going to be aggressive with Geist of Saint Traft in the Tron matchup, then take the risk and slam that thin on turn three — it’s time to be the beatdown. 

Role assessment is a particularly advanced skill that arguably separates the average players from the good and great ones. And from where I’m sitting honing it merely requires focused work and repetitions. 

With that being said, a new, yet familiar, era is upon us. Be patient, proactive, and progressive. It’s time to Forge the future of Azorius in Modern! As always,
Assess and Adapt Azorius Mages.