Can 2015 Abzan Compete in 2022 Modern? | Against the Odds | The Ghost of Modern's Past | Modern MTG

You fall into a time machine like Fry from Futurama, on New Year's Eve 2014. You wake up, and it's 2022. You fire up a Modern league with your trusty Junk Siege Rhino deck. Can it still compete?
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[@MTGGoldfish]

Let's say we were going to play another old deck in current Modern, which one would you like to see the most?

[@qai7224]

Lantern Control 💀

[@swan4315]

A little off tack for this series but I would actually love too see if one of your very old budget magic decks could be bought into the modern day, the Blue Red Frost Titan Annex control deck. As for this series I think seeing the old GW little kid aggro deck could be interesting.

[@SidePressure]

Eternal command

[@Helpmebeoriginal]

I know there’s no replacement for Mox Opal, but 2015 modern affinity was sweet. It’s been so many years since Etched Champion was a relevant card.

[@cbrsdf1]

Maybe 8 Rack....

[@SargeNGriff]

This HAS to be a sub-series or just a new series all together

[@MTGGoldfish]

Ohh, that's actually a fun idea! Maybe I'll do another one in the future :)

[@Sunksquatch]

Do Grixis Delver!

[@kolby169]

Just call it boomer Modern

[@anthonybrainwood8015]

@@MTGGoldfish A couple of deck ideas in the comments of this video.

[@chartreux1532]

@@MTGGoldfish Not sure if me always suggesting this had an effect on you doing this or considering this as a Series, but either way i hope so! Also i can't say it enough: Do "Snowlemnity (Modern)" from the old Against the Odds episode, Updated or as back then, it's one of my favourite episodes. It used Solemnity to make "Cumulative Upkeep" Cards not have that Upkeep and damn was it insane and good! Prost & Cheers from the Snow-Covered Bavarian Alps

[@johnmichaelbushman]

Ghost of Modern's Past needs to be its own series.

[@jacksterb1238]

What a cool idea! Would love to see this for other archetypes!

[@jdd5672]

except as he pointed out a bunch of them were banned... free twin!!!

[@provolonepop]

They can do this test freeplay against his fans

[@emceemikey]

Like 2017 dredge

[@MTGGoldfish]

What deck would you like to see the most?

[@TheHuktuk]

would love some Old affinity or og 8 rack xD

[@pickleyama3046]

Wakes up 7 years in the future, first thing you do is play magic lol. I love it

[@MTGGoldfish]

A gamer's gonna game.

[@gamingbythefollowing4999]

Guy at my local lgs has this deck foiled out for modern, def a competitor still tho it could use a couple upgrades. Go Siege Rhino!!! (and hoping for another 30 something Rhinos vid in the future )

[@Linky609]

Ah when siege rhino was too op, good times, good times.

[@JasonUmbergerLordofnothing]

@@Linky609 seige rhino has always been good. We have just lost our way.

[@joe.5103]

Yea, take out the coursers/putrify/some other stuff add some Fatal Push/Prismatics and a couple more LOTV and you are probably decent.

[@BroszB4]

I am just getting back into MTG after an extended (5 years-ish) break... I was active when this deck was a monster... I was FLOORED when I learned how cheap Tarmogoyf is nowadays.... man I feel old now lmao

[@harley4683]

Not worth it! Dont do it hahah

[@Frostgiantbutsmall]

Tbf, the card's what, 8-10 years old now? Sees significantly less play than it used to, I'm low-key surprised it's not cheaper to be honest. Heck, Thoughtsieze is finally less than $20, and it sees way more play (to the best of my knowledge)!

[@DarthJacobi]

I played standard during this block and i used to HATE Abzan because i couldn’t afford to build one at the time and it was my locals meta it was pretty normal to go to a FNM and play against 3-5 of these decks each night.

[@azarisLP]

Remember when Jace, Vryn's Prodigy (a card that sees play in no constructed format currently) was one of the most expensive cards in Magic outside of the reserve list? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

[@swan4315]

I honestly think Lingering Souls is still really strong, serves me very well in my mardu stoneblade deck. I think older decks are still strong, the issue is just that they are less mana efficient.

[@MTGGoldfish]

I love Lingering Souls. It's still really strong in fair matchups, does a bit worse against unfair decks though.

[@Jigsawtwig]

Yeah it's not that bad. Modern is pretty fast still but it's fairly interactive compared to pre looting ban and chump blocking is very valuable rn. I play tons of abzan midrange decks and it feels like it's in a decent place.

[@JablesTheSpartan]

Honestly? The idea of having an April Fools episode where you play an Against the Odds episode from that time, with the original banners and everything, reading every new card seems pretty awesome to me!

[@heartless7697]

He did one last year I believe. It was a lot like this. Very sarcastic. 😄 (It was “against the odds with modern Jund when it was the best deck in the format.”)

[@SamuelLopez-mm3ww]

Definitely in agreement with others that old goldfish videos with updated cards would be a great sub series.

[@kurtishendrix]

Like the blink version of this deck

[@netanelaker4437]

Hear me out: Abzan splashing red for Ragavan.

[@manuelito1233]

Same energy as Burn splashing UG for Oko LMAO

[@filippodardi2180]

Ah yes, bluen't

[@ammonaustin9081]

The access to red will also allow ya to play lightning Helix. The mid-rangeness would be nasty

[@Lynvix]

i really hate modern horizons 2

[@MTGGoldfish]

Broken.

[@SanDiegoDaD]

Is there a way to also include the price of the deck at the time of being a Tier 1 deck? Would love to see the correlations and trends over the years !

[@silversylvis]

Now I'm imagining someone with their Ragavan deck stumbling into a cryo pod and waking up two years later to find that Mecha-Teferi and Hazel mana run the show in modern now. Poor monkey puts up a good fight admittedly, but artifact planeswalkers with triggered abilities on the stack turned out to be quite the match for him. :/

[@nickroberts9603]

I love when Seth invites us for Siege Rhino and chill

[@unamusedpanda857]

THE BOYS ARE BACK AND HORNIER THAN EVER

[@Platonic69]

I love this concept as a mini series. I never played modern so I don't have a suggestion, but it's fun to see decks that used to be monsters that are just lost to time.

[@christianmartinez7345]

Again, would love for this to be it's own series! And I'm going to need you to port this over to pioneer 😁

[@Saffron-mb8mp]

What a special video, really enjoyed it and the theme. Saved to my playlist of the best of the best MTGGoldfish vids :>

[@MTGGoldfish]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@petersteiman2443]

The commentary on this episode is some of the best ever.

[@TheKillerShrub]

I am a simple man, when I see Siege Rhino on this channel, I click immediately

[@velraith]

Same

[@stonerainproductions]

Seth, I have been having a rough day of work and this completely changed my mood to joy. This video quite literally just made my day, thank you Brother!

[@MTGGoldfish]

Hope things get better Stone Rain :)

[@stonerainproductions]

@@MTGGoldfish thank! Merry Christmas to you and Mr Bear!!!

[@seanclark4071]

Nothing fills my heart with more joy than siege rhino, just in general

[@horsebones727]

Crazy to think I’ve been following you since your first Rhino vids on Goldfish. Cheers and much love!

[@chancebates8041]

Seth is really good at this type of video, I don't know quite hot to describe it, I love this😂

[@MadzNoro]

I don't know why, but I feel that somewhere Reid Duke is smiling.

[@makenawatkins]

I am always happy to see Seth playing Abzan. My first ever modern deck was the Abzan reanimator deck that he made with luminous broodmoth from Ikoria. Friends at my LGS helped me add things like kitchen-Finks and solemnity to go infinite with blood artist pings and that made me fall in love with how powerful modern is as a format.

[@malmadork]

This video has made me very happy. Id love to see more of this format and see you smack down some more siege rhinos in modern 😊💕

[@Petronio39]

I feel like abzan was already one of the most fair decks of it's time. Pretty sure I've seen this concept done a couple times, but it's always the more midrange decks like this or jund, which have changed the most. I think decks like affinity, burn, boggles, and living end, still might be able to hold their own.

[@johnperseo1044]

Agree up to living end. The current incarnation of it is a nightmare. It deserves sideboard slots to combat it. The deck would likely be hated out g2 g3. Most matchups

[@stanislav328]

For some reason that I can't quite put my finger on, I have a feeling 2015 affinity might not be that good anymore

[@Petronio39]

@@stanislav328 Ohh yeah, there were some budget builds without the opal, but all the high tier versions used it. Still, I think opalless afinity could still outperform abzan.

[@stanislav328]

@@Petronio39 I'd still disagree, classic 2015 affinity was struggling hard even before the opal ban. Being taken over by hardened scales as the premier artifact aggro deck. KCI and Urza decks being the good combo artifact decks. I've played affinity, hardened scales, and urza lists extensively, affinity just hasn't been good since the printing of fatal push, that's what pushed the deck fully out of the meta.

[@colinhoban8660]

siege rhino alone is still really nostalgic for me lmao. sad to think it could probably be reprinted as an uncommon

[@TehSeksyManz]

Looking at DRC, you're probably right

[@atlasrises4]

So this makes me think of an interesting phenomena in Yugioh. In yugioh there are formats like Goat(basically a format focused on a very specific time in YGO history in regards to what cards were available and legal) where you'd assume this is what goes on: players use already existing decks from that time and just play with those cards. Except what happened is people realized OTHER decks were actually viable, new decks in a format that was seemingly "solved"! I'm wondering if we went back to Siege Rhino days, would we still find new decks that are on that level? And can we expand that further to like commander. We build very differently than we did even 5 years ago so what do those time periods play with more modern deck building sensibilities.

[@Frostgiantbutsmall]

Let me guess, pre-pendulum? Or pre-synchro?

[@chuckjones7218]

Love this dude. He has Bob Ross levels of enthusiasm for magic

[@LadyMapi]

You know what this deck made me realize? I miss topdeck mode.

[@KebbieG]

Yes, this is the best video that MTGGoldfish has come out in a long time. I was just talking this morning about, if Tooth and Nail is still good in Modern 2021. There is so many cards that use be sweet in this format that got pushed out.

[@tylerlloydboone]

This is an awesome idea Seth! Make it a series and I know I would watch

[@ammonaustin9081]

Low diffing 2021 Lurrus Burn is hilarious

[@glts8146]

This is the modern I fell in love with. Diverse range of cards and more “fair” magic. God I miss it

[@RyuPlaneswalker]

The secret origin of this idea. Seth: "I wish I could find an excuse to play Siege Rhinos...Wait I have an idea." *One Puppy Later* Seth : "Oh Bear? You got me a Christmas Present? What could it be!" *Seth opens the present* "It's a Modern Deck with a Siege Rhino in it How ever could you have known that I wanted to play Modern Rhinos."

[@B-Ran_the_Man]

After watching all your modern matches for the past few months, I am still surprised Urza's Saga is not banned

[@PatJamma]

I'd really love to see you and your take on an Abzan Siege Rhino deck actually built for 2021 Modern. A friend and I have been theory crafting a list and so far we have Rhino, Ephemerate, Eternal Witness, and Tidehollow Sculler, as well as the usual discard and removal package.

[@nikomcpherson8394]

There’s an abzan stone blade deck in the article in the description if you want to check it out!

[@WilhelmScreamer]

There is also the funny siege rhino reanimator deck he posted when mh2 dropped

[@kaszael]

That's an awesome concept! Loved it.

[@jjohansen86]

36:23 Scavenging Ooze is still one of my favorite two drops. Sure, it dies to everything, but so does basically every two drop, and you still need two drops sometimes to just not get run over. Graveyard hate, lifegain, and, as happened right there, when you're in a top deck war and you draw it on turn 7 it can instantly become huge and just win the game.

[@merrytime8665]

Fry leaves 2000 as a delivery boy, and enters 3000 as a delivery boy. Abzan Junk is basically the same. Long Live G/W/B

[@smelltank]

'Time is symmetrical, whatever, something something' is the most 2021 thing in this entire video

[@int3r4ct]

As someone who paid around $200 per Goyf back in the day, I feel personally attacked by this video Seth.

[@VRanger100]

What an evolution though, we went from Rhinos to Monkeys in the span of 7 years. I like to see Prof. Farnsworth explain how that happened :P

[@danielbretado7660]

We returned to monkee

[@nathanboyer6895]

Hope this is a reoccurring thing....Happy holidays to the fish crew....

[@ezzye5]

I love that you reference Futurama. All the times in the past

[@willlozinak5182]

what's interesting to me is how these show us the things we learned about deckbuilding over the years (specifically talking about 8 discard spells)

[@zachgray4767]

"Well, uh, time is symmetrical, or whatever; something, something." - Seth, 2021

[@ThePal]

Seeing those Doom Blades in those Inquisitions were so dope, haha

[@Zosh_]

27:15 I felt Brewer's Kitchen in the animation lmao

[@JuanWonOne]

I like your dedication to awakening from a coma and jamming some 2015 magic. Nice touch :)

[@jonathansnow21]

This is the type of video I love from you Seth. More of these past decks vs current Meta would be great.

[@davidscholtz3242]

Love this idea and would like to see more videos. Not opposed to slight upgrades like Push and Prismatic Ending over older removal.

[@user-vi4sn9eh5l]

I think this idea should be done with every year, it's great :)

[@patrickdavidson8526]

Amazing video as always Seth. Rhino to this day is one of my favorite decks. More of these videos would be really sweet to see

[@guilhermeribeiromichelino3852]

Would love to see more Lilis and Anafenza

[@MTGJanktown]

Such a good episode! I hope we see more of this. It deserves its own series 😊

[@kammodo1050]

This should be a new series for the channel! There’s a bunch of old modern decks I’d love to see play. Only problem like you mentioned is banned cards as some decks can’t be run anymore unless some substitutes were had. Would love to play against you sometime Seth! I’m always looking out for you in leagues haha.

[@El_Moxo]

I'm so disapointed that cards older than 3 years are for the most part no longer playable. I wish MH1 and 2 along with 2019-21 power creep didn't exist.

[@Cornelius135]

I just remember when finks was like a $15 dollar card and I thought I’d never own a play set 😂 wild times

[@DimbyHero]

This video gives me an *absurd* amount of joy. What a wonderful holiday special! I love it!

[@SmokeADig]

Go Rhino go!!

[@jesselaplante1040]

I love that you even did this! This was so fun to watch!

[@PharaohofAtlantis]

I would love t osee older decks compete a lot more often. It's both fun to see old versiosn of decks with interesting tech AND old decks we might have forgot about existing. But it also let's us put some data on the board about "power creep". Which, I actually find important to have real information on. Even if the decks go 0-5, or something. If it feels pretty close, and just a few updates in the however many years, it is a good sign. Or if it feels like the deck could compete with better cards against the metagame.

[@jaredcovington3930]

"the great flood of 2015" had to pause to laugh 😂

[@joametz]

This video made me happy, I miss the days when Magic was like this.

[@anthonybrainwood8015]

Eight and half tail Cleric Worship 4 Pious Kitsune 4 Eight-and-a-Half-Tails 4 Mistveil Plains 4 Angel of Vitality 4 Apostle's Blessing 4 Speaker of the Heavens 4 Relic Vial 4 Revitalize 4 Cleric Class 4 Paladin Class 16 Plains 4 Voice of the Blessed

[@benjaminstonehocker5382]

Great article And video Seth. Really really enjoyed it. That was sweet!!! Way to take us back in time to the era of Rhinos and dare I say " Putrefy?... really?" That was a fun series of matches to watch. I will say this...with all the main deck life gain and abrupt decay for post board Roiling Vortex, I feel like this deck would be insane vs 2021 Boros Burn. Maybe it would absolutely be a good to the rest of the meta but I bet against burn at least...it would do really well.

[@GregHMacLean]

Match 2 is a great example of why it’s so great everybody has access to horizon lands now.

[@sveltemax3606]

Alright this was an absolute delight, loved it!

[@FartRainbows]

would love to see another video like this again in the future

[@adriendelplace8755]

Budget Magic 2.0 : a old modern deck +100$ of new cards for people who stopped playing and kept their old decks. Or kept playing and still hold those cards? Or just this way out of the box it seems like a new series.

[@CSDragon]

27:17 uhhh did that go off at the wrong time? That's a little random a spot to be there

[@cjfeinberg7613]

Normal person: I’m 7 years in the future? How’s my family? Where’s my stuff? Who’s president? Seth PBKASO: I’m 7 years in the future? Let’s play magic!

[@Sey318]

Between the great flood of 2015 and the great land famine of 2015 man does that sound like an awful year.

[@NuKulaRGeAr]

I am a simple man. I see Siege Rhino in modern in [current year] and I like the video

[@jeremybeard163]

I know this is an older video but calling a 90$ wrenn and six a $2 tibalt has me rolling on the floor XD

[@timothygager9277]

I recently bought a playset of goyfs for $70 even. Ohhh how the times are a changing

[@DarrenR84]

Couldn’t believe Match 2 Game 2 the opponent scooped. They had such a strong deck that I doubt they were going to lose, but maybe they had a hand full of land, idk. Just was very shocked when they did that.

[@paulcarroll6901]

Seeing eidolon and rhino on the battlefield at the same time makes me think of every match in khans standard lol

[@Sey318]

it's kinda hilarious what the matchups end up like with this deck after old jund couldn't beat almost any deck last time Seth did something like this xD

[@mrtoots2259]

It would be cool to see old decks like this updated to 2021 modern, but only if it keeps the spirit of the deck

[@kevink.8809]

Bro I fell out my chair when I saw double doom blade.

[@MTGGoldfish]

We got out-2015ed in that one.

[@casimiroperez2775]

“With their colorless lands and Tibalts” 😂

[@blackmountain1983]

I love that in game 1 the opponent only played 2015 cards until they got Lurris. 🤣

[@jonathanpowers9829]

Anything better than watching Seth pop off with a siege rhino in modern? I already own a good chunk of the cards from the list I'm super tempted to put it together and jam it at some FNMs because it looks too fun to pass up on when it wins.

[@hamlovesjesus]

I would watch a "Vintage magic against modern Magic" episode every week if you made one.

[@isaachayes3293]

The things I'd give to feel loved like Seth loves Seige Rhino

[@YoonSnake]

This was really fun. Please do one of a 2015 Azorius Control deck with Dragonlord Ojutais.

[@marcantoniosavelli1710]

It's been fun to glimpse into the remote past where fair MtG still made sense...

[@yes.thatjanedoe]

Seth: Why 2015 Modern? SEIGE RHINO

[@raulpacheco7488]

6:00 This should be on a T-shirt

[@bencheevers6693]

Petition to fill out power with it's obvious tenth card, Siege Rhino

[@Frostgiantbutsmall]

This and classic jund were what drew me to modern. Good to know that even 5 years later, with them being power crept out, I still can't afford them lol.

[@fo-ef8qo]

Ragavan and Urza's Destiny burning down the city, hilarious touch

[@ecpracticesquad4674]

I learned two this watching this video. 1. We were playing a 2015 deck. 2 Goyf was $200.

[@undeadaccountant]

Honestly, I think there’s a Green/White Hatebears deck in the format. I’ve been tempted to give it a try.

[@Dwaggiemorph]

The first ever tournament deck I heard of was this control deck using Ebony Owl Netsuke and Rule of Law. In my neighborhood it just went by the name of Owl deck, reason I mention it is because I've been trying to find one of the original deck-lists for it. I've seen the updated tri-colour decks, but I'm pretty sure the original was only dual-colour. Though would be interesting to see how really old control decks compare to today's.

[@virtueofabsolution7641]

I remember running this deck in 1013-2014 standard except with Archangel of Thune/Rakshasa Deathdealer. I remember making that deck for my wife, I play limited, and even though she was very slow in her plays she absolutely WRECKED people. Like that deck was insane. Oh oh can we do devotion to Blue/black next ?