My Morphs Unmorph...Infinitely! | Against the Odds

What are the odds of winning by using Yarus, Roar of the Old Gods to morph and unmorph Ashcloud Phoenix an infinte number of times for the win in Pioneer/Explorer? Let's find out!
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0:00 Start
3:14 Games

[@babatazyah]

Describing Ashcloud Phoenix as an old weird mythic aged me 10 years.

[@380138013801]

10 years is how old Khans is...

[@theyonlycomeoutwhenitsquiet]

Nah. You just discovered how much you’d already aged. And I feel it too.

[@jms4979]

Dorian Gray - 2UBB Legendary Creature - Human Zombie If an effect would cause you to get older, instead put that much age onto CARDNAME instead. See, I solved your problem.

[@travismueller8282]

@@jms4979 it creates an artifact called The Picture of Dorian Gray that gets age counters lol

[@babatazyah]

The years just washed over me all at once.

[@thecrazycapn]

The end video wrap-up was so quick and concise this time around.

[@nosyamthegreat8768]

I was not prepared for that

[@arthurvaughan3082]

😅

[@stewyxtreme]

I agree. The deck was okay and very against

[@MTGGoldfish]

Yeah, I'm trying to keep them shorter if there isn't much important to say about the deck because most people turn off the video when the wrap up starts lol.

[@patriciaboggs8882]

​@MTGGoldfish LOL. Nice deck and video but I really still want to know "What have we learned?!?" It's like those shows that got canceled mid-season and I'll never know........

[@MineRoyale.]

If you have performer in play, you can actually just do infinite damage to them by responding to the ashcloud's face-up trigger (which does two to you and your opponent) by immediately continuing the combo --- you'll end up with as many performer triggers as you want with just as many ashclouds on the bottom of the stack.

[@MineRoyale.]

So at 42:30 you had the win.

[@mattm7798]

So he can still loop the ashcloud with it's triggers on the stack? Would the ashcloud triggers out race the performer triggers? I feel llike I'm missing something.@@MineRoyale.

[@ShadowWalker-ng1it]

@@mattm7798 by stacking triggers correctly you can resolve infinite performer triggers while never letting ashcloud's resolve dealing infinite dmg to opponent while taking 0

[@MrInk0gnit0]

I thought about that too. In the video he actually has the ashcloud trigger on the bottom and performer on top so he could've just let performer resolve and with ashcloud trigger still on stack instantly sac it again and repeat. I dont think anything actually prevents you from starting the loop again with the ashcloud ping trigger still on stack. I mean you won't get the scry with woe strider either but if you are pinging for game already you don't need those either.

[@MrInk0gnit0]

@@mattm7798 Ashcloud wont actually resolve it's ping. The damage is in an extra ability and you can just instantly sac it while that trigger is on the stack, you want to resolve the performer trigger before that tho. So you get the full damage from performer and none from ashcloud. That means you only deal 4 damage per loop but who cares you're infinite. The stack will have a lot of woe strider and ashcloud burn triggers on the stack that you just wont let resolve and even if you are dead on stack that doesn't matter if your opponent is dead before you.

[@vinamacias7546]

This deck REALLY wants Prosperous Innkeeper. It easily replaces one of your elves while still ramping to 4, and a single Innkeeper means you don't lose any life since u get 2 ETBs per combo

[@sethvayda4450]

That's a good point, and it gives you another way to reliably trigger revolt for the fatal pushes

[@mikekress4234]

I'd go with essence warden to get a trigger for every creature, not just yours just isn't available in arena sadly

[@ColossaldreadmawOP]

@@mikekress4234well that wouldn’t ramp and innkeeper would be there only for the life also it isn’t even pioneer legal

[@mikekress4234]

@ColossaldreadmawOP no, but it is modern legal and elves naturally ramp with circle of the dream druid or marwyn as well

[@kaszael]

@@mikekress4234 ok, but this isn't modern elves. we're talking about pioneer Jund Yarus combo.

[@EthanBeattie-wh4zx]

The Legion Warboss token absolutely has to attack the turn its created. Even if you dont read the ability, Arena puts the little yellow box in the bottom left hand corner, the same way it does for creatures that cant block.

[@JacoDeltaco]

someone had to have made this comment already moment in every Seth video

[@latinojackson9694]

We all know by now that Seth never reads cards, he's not that great of a player in that sense, besides the fact that he literally insults players for following the rules (as in, having to attack with the token)

[@aaronhammer-huber9211]

"Fatal Push would be a good draw" -Seth, 5 seconds before drawing Fatal Push

[@MTGGoldfish]

Better lucky...

[@aringrey]

What DID we learn this week about infinite Morph combo?

[@derrickthewhite1]

That's its mostly a beat-down deck with some odd recursion and protection?

[@ther3aper561]

That Seth is really bad about using Woe Strider in response to his creatures being killed lmao

[@paulocampino5045]

Well we will never know. Answer got lost to poor editing

[@timewarp1994]

The lack of sacking from the woe strider when it’s about to die makes me cry every time

[@quirkyc]

"Opponent seems to be in on the chump attacks" Reading the card explains the card, the goblins are forced to attack

[@Bhaelfur]

Reading? In M:tG? Blasphemy!

[@stephenhousman6975]

Try reading the secret lair version of Zaxara or The alt art of the one ring.

[@maximiliangunther9597]

Seth at the beginning: pyrotechnic performer is probably the best card in the deck. I'm going to deal so much damage with it. Also Seth: I'm not going to flip my pyrotechnic performer up even if it would win me the game

[@joegaylord87]

This feels like a good starting place for a Yarus Brawl deck

[@patriciaboggs8882]

You'd have to substitute for the black cards. Are there enough sac outlets in Brawl? There is goblin bombardment but what else?

[@FrostNova2009]

All the Seth's videos are the best!!!! Thank you for helping us, players, to become better players with nice decks and well written articles. 👏🏻👏🏻🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@MTGGoldfish]

Thanks!

[@JordanPridgen]

Discarding the Pyrotechnic Performer - "But Hide in Plain Sight could be ANYTHING! Even a Pyrotechnic Performer!"

[@patriciaboggs8882]

"It could be a boat" I was thinking that too when he did that.

[@UltimaChronos]

Came to the comments to find this 🤣

[@deejus_e]

Dude if Khans block has already hit “weird old mythic” status put me in the retirement home 😭

[@Heyooooooooo285]

save a spot for me too xD

[@Alvenon]

Preach!

[@matthewtullis7205]

( 3rd edition player in my crypt) Who has disturbed my slumber.....

[@MTGGoldfish]

I'm right there with you. Khans block feels like it just rotated from Standard, but it's actually like 10 years old now lol.

[@goldnuggets10]

42:17 couldn't you have won by saccing the phoenix after pyromancer's ability resolves but before the phoenix ability over and over again?

[@Mpg0907]

yea i think that works. interesting combo

[@dangottsacker2061]

Very short summary at the end

[@Elliementals]

Pretty sure that angel matchup was a win. You can put the self damage on the bottom if the stack, let pyrotechnicsdeal damage, then respond by sacing again and just have an infinitely high stack of self damage that never goes off doing damage only throigh performer

[@Kingofnoodles]

I think you're right

[@thesarcasticliberal]

In the first week after the release, I actually won an EDH game with this combo (with Goblin Bombardment/Phyrexian Altar for sacrifice and Impact Tremors for extra damage). It's remarkably easy, as one combo piece is in the command zone, and another is fetchable with any creature tutor--you just need to draw a sac outlet. You can theoretically get it done on 4 mana (2 Bombardment, 3 morph Phoenix, 4 play commander and do the combo at instant speed). Also, it helps that nobody looks at the Gruul midrange player and is terribly concerned about infinite damage loops. I think that they assume that it's a grindy value list, relying on the draw from the commander.

[@pierremaiden]

Would having a prosperous innkeeper help with negating the 2 dmg by giving you 1 life every cycle? Plus treasure for ramp?

[@MTGGoldfish]

Yeah, I think Innkeeper would be a good addition.

[@manuelito1233]

Seth, what did we learn????? I dont kknow what we LEARNED

[@Sxcheschka]

I learned what I've already known, Seth can't pronounce words.

[@jackiespaceman]

Nice wrap up lol

[@michaelburt9888]

I just noticed the mispronunciation 🤔. Has Seth always been saying “Brother’s Hood End??”

[@MyynMyyn]

Yes. Repeatedly. In every single video where it's mentioned. Despite hundreds of comments pointing it out. It's a great way to drive engagement on his videos.

[@Sxcheschka]

He's been mispronouncing words for over 10 years, and likely his whole life.

[@TheForbiddenDance]

This seems like the perfect heartless summoning deck

[@-homerow-]

Nice to have some game sound back

[@PatJamma]

Yay! More Eplorer/Pioneer please!

[@bosslca9630]

"Could morphs cost 2 now? would that be too power-creepy?" Yes Seth. Yes it would. That being said Cloak and Manefest could cost any amount of mana, so thats where I'd focus my hope.

[@daviddent5662]

As somebody who loves playing with Disguise and trying to brew new interactions with Morph I have to say this list had some excellent things to try in my own build of Disguise Burn!

[@AkodoNoEyes]

It’s a genuinely fun idea.

[@travisdouglas4970]

I finally built around a card before you. I've had a yarus deck for weeks now

[@PieBandit]

Face down, Bear up, that's the way I like to bluff!

[@1997Awesomedude]

50:16 actually in this specific case, they did have to attack. The goblin token has to attack that combat if able

[@bonesyrather5490]

When I saw that Book of Exalted Deeds I was genuinely hoping to see a Mutavault directly after it would have been SO FUNNY

[@mikailmarchand7830]

FYI Legion Warboss tokens have to attack the turn they come into play ! That's why this opponent send them into your blockers ! (well the first attack was a not forced though)

[@MurdoktheMimicKing]

Flicker effects are also really good with cloaked cards. I've been having a lot of fun with Teleportation Circle and Cryptic Coat. It's kind of absurd. * Also Etrata (the new one), Soulherder, Reflector Mage, Reflection Net, Eternal Wanderer, Lae'zel, and best of all Mirrorhall Mimic are fun additions for anyone wanting to try out a gross Cloak-Control deck. You obviously want some *actual* control cards, too, like No More Lies. If you want to stretch the "steal-your-stuff" a little further, Tasha, Xanathar, and especially Rogue Class are pretty decent. It isn't the most powerful build, but it's super fun.

[@bencheevers6693]

Wow that first game, I had to run it back to understand how they punted, it's Yarus' haste which means you'd have pyro for 3 and then the two morphs attacking for 4 and be one short. I just realized you can't turn copter face up for burn damage and doesn't become an extra body to go wide with so maybe the land was the right choice.

[@Infernoman64]

I created a variant a few weeks ago on my channel but ir was in timeless and used Ashnod Altar instead for the infinite making it easier on the mana base since it would be Gruul. Janky combo but still fun!

[@hunterstrong3318]

Against the odds: black white phyrexian tribal with zirda companion pioneer. You get gix, skrelv, bloated contaminator, flip praetors or dominus, progenitor exarch, etc

[@williamsimkulet7832]

23:50 "Disguise/etc." should have been "Suspected Morph" (You may play this as a face down 2/2 colorless creature that enters with a Suspected Role. You may turn it face up at any time for it's Morph Cost.) Suspected Role should be a WOE-style role that has "This creature can't block" and "When this creature is turned face up, sacrifice this role."

[@DonovanPresents]

23:55 you could do that with the card Dream Chisel out!

[@rodrigodepaula4198]

24:00 2/2 for 2 would be really fine and maybe made them playable.

[@vctrsigma]

Fortell costs 2 and (original) cycling were all 2, making morph/disguise cost 2 seems fine at a glance. I think either a cost reduction to make them more aggressive or have a slightly more durable 2/3 base stats could have made them more viable. I feel like unless a player is overwhelming an opponent with the 2/2's they are too expensive at 3 and are making the face-down side too vulnerable in the meantime. The ward-2 was a nice pickup to protect the investment but is only a defense against a specific category of removal. Hide In Plain Sight feels like a strong but not OP spell and is effective 2 mana each for 2 face-down creatures.

[@rodrigodepaula4198]

@@vctrsigma yeah. Or the flip cost should be way less or even kinda free. Like discarting a card or revealing something. Right now is so much costed.

[@rutgerstrauss5184]

This video really has me thinking about making a Phage disguise surprise deck. Not exactly sure how to set it up yet but Hide in Plain Sight+Phage the Untouchable and somehow flipping before combat damage seems hilarious.

[@malcomchase9777]

You can also Manifest her!

[@TheBalogna7]

I actually ran a secret Phage Morph deck in commander for a while. It relied heavily on Scroll of Fate and Primordial Mist to sneak her into play face down. It was pretty much a morph deck that sometimes got Phage kills, but with the recent additions of Hide in Plain Sight, Cryptic Coat, Vannifar, and Ugin's Mastery, we may be approaching a critical mass of cards that allow Phage to reliably be cheated into play face down.

[@rutgerstrauss5184]

@@TheBalogna7 Agreed, the earlier “face down” options were pretty limited. It’s a fun mechanic but there are only so many cards so it seems to be in that nice ‘not to easy but still fun to sort out how’ zone.

[@stephenhousman6975]

Hey Seth do you recall that War Boss forces the goblin it makes to attack that turn?

[@charleswable3339]

the 1 drop red and black protection card could be nice in this same as push/pull

[@AndrewRaia]

Wonder if it is worh throwing the sell sword fling spell in there.

[@Awesomesausages]

Pyrotechnic Performers hunt in packs, Planeswalker!

[@ferdithetank7535]

For this combo to become truly infinite I'd suggest putting Vein Ripper instead of Performer. It completely offsets the self damage dealt by phoenix and could be Hidden in Plain Sight to get face up later by Yarus/Woe Strider combo.

[@dragonspear4055]

Woe... What happened to the image of the strider at the beggining?

[@zachgray4767]

Compression 😂

[@lucasaugsten]

Whip of Erebos culd be good. Lifelink makes the phoenix stop killing you, and it could bring back pieces from the graveyard

[@w4lk4]

Woe Strider, Smuggler's Copter Heeeroo 😂😂😂

[@bluedog4248]

I think an issue with the deck is from running only 1 sac outlet for the phoenix, and not having any tutors (especially in black) Adding like a goblin bombardment or some secondary outlet and maybe one tutor would help this deck

[@mrpinguimninja]

Throwing away the performer made me throw myself at the stairs

[@ArkAngel_45]

Face down 2/2 for 2 is just foretell onto the Battlefield, I don't think it's too broken but I also haven't thought how to break that

[@josereneticsay32]

Since you hit yourself so much with this deck, perhaps Death's Shadow could be a possible addition to the deck?

[@bryankopkin6869]

“Yarass” Never change, Seth, never change 😭

[@grubgobbler3917]

Also "Orky Jelly", this was a wild ride.

[@Dsmky117]

these morphs are mighty

[@mrtaco321123]

I think this deck needs a 2 or 3 of meathook massacre to offset the life totals when comboing if you have a board state you cast it for 0 if you're behind you wipe Nd reset

[@charlesnaultk]

I feel like this list could use storm the festival very well

[@anthonymentalewicz5143]

I think instead of an errata on morph cost - print a 0 mana legendary rock that reduces the cost to play a face down creature by one - mox obsidian If you play morph you'll have to mulligan you'll be all in. Give it the downside of multiples being bad - if it's put into a graveyard you exile it instead. Or a one mana colorless dork or artifact with a similar effect. Needs to be 1 mana or less, needs to be colorless.

[@Bathios13579]

The fact that this combo is entirely doable inside of commander, if rare to pull off, is really funny to me. use a sac outlet like goblin bombardment instead of woe strider and you are golden

[@heithrobinson996]

36:36 isn't it best to fatal push the bishop and get another 3 damage in since you'd be able to attack with the woe strider?

[@heithrobinson996]

And in retrospect, u woulda had more life than them and been able to combo...

[@noobtube2799]

Hi Seth. NoobTube here. Given that it has already been a day since release of this video, I don't know if you will see this, but I will post it anyways. I recently created a new deck that I am trying out in Timeless MTGA. I think you would really enjoy this deck. It is a ponza deck that uses grinning ingus + birgi as a wincon. Decklist Decklist: 4x Birgi, God of Storytelling 1x Blood Crypt 4x Blood Moon 3x Bloodstained Mire 3x Deathrite Shaman 3x Delighted Halfling 1x Devilish Valet 1x Elder Gargaroth 4x Eldritch Evolution 2x Forest 4x Gamble 3x Gilded Goose 3x Grapeshot 4x Grinning Ignus 4x Impact Tremors 2x Lightning Bolt 2x Mountain 3x Stomping Ground 2x Veil of Summer 3x Windswept Heath 4x Wooded Foothills Sideboard: 2x Go for the Throat (BRO) 2x Haywire Mite (BRO) 3x Leyline of the Void (WOT) 2x Pithing Needle (RVR) 2x The One Ring (LTR) 3x The Stone Brain (BRO) 1x Veil of Summer (SLD)

[@warrenr4048]

The token from Legion Warboss HAS to attack the turn it’s made.

[@marlkarx6339]

Imo reducing the cost on (mega)morph/cloak would be too strong, but I think adding the ward 2 to morphs would be fine AND make all facedown creatures have the same rules

[@rookermtg9321]

I just want to point out that Ochre Jelly is immortal with Hardened Scales. It dies as a 2/2 and comes back as a 2/2. Usually a pretty bad card, but interesting in Scales for sure

[@marcusrobertson5627]

Anti-carpal tunnel hack: Marauding Raptor instead of Woe Strider

[@sirloinofchateaumarinade9312]

So what did we learn this week, a very against the ---~~

[@jakehaug9977]

pyro tron was nuts

[@ZeroIsEven]

Cloaking Company!

[@bobwilson679]

What a wrap up lol

[@Zorous]

Lost the wrap up 😭

[@TROLOLOLOLO007]

You could've scried until the hide in play sight was a good play though.

[@Beowulfgang_Amadeus]

That monoblack Sedgmore witch player is still looking at Pyrotechnic Performer Tron in absolute shock that they lost the game.

[@Shimatzu95]

I think the best way to power up morphs is to just make them cheaper to flip up.

[@benjaminfraley5540]

You could’ve killed in the last game by repeatedly killing the phoenix before its 2 damage to each player trigger

[@jewpcabra666]

morph for 2 would be insane. The limited formats would just be so annoying

[@NeonV01D]

12:40 You should’ve sacced to scry 1 after they paid the ward cost.

[@ashtonwestfall4777]

I think making them 2/3s for 3 would help alot

[@alleycatw9l641]

Just watching seth fail to scry when a creature is about to die on the stack over, and over again. Just another typical Wednesday amirite?

[@Tinil0]

Also, wow, some of these games Seth was so weirdly passive. I think he was focusing on the combo when he could've been way more aggressive with creatures in some matches. Yes, he would be risking combo pieces technically, but there were tons of situations where the opponent was still clearly completely unwilling to block.

[@Sxcheschka]

He punts games for his greed of doing combo kills, likely because of his restraint of trying to make good content, instead of focusing on wins.

[@Tinil0]

@@Sxcheschka I don't THINK it is that. He's expressed that he has missed obvious actions before because they weren't the combo and he gets some tunnel vision. It's just trying to do the combo though, not some sort of ulterior "trying to make good content THUS trying to do the combo". Just...enjoying the combo because dopamine.

[@Sxcheschka]

@@Tinil0 I mean, he threw away the dude who could deal damage in favor of Ashcloud, it was clear he cared more about the combo than actually winning games. Thus showing he'd rather have better content. He's a content creator, saying ulterior motive makes it sound nefarious, it's not. What makes better content, trying to do a really cool, janky combo, or hitting opponents with your dudes?

[@phyrexia4ever]

It's morphing time

[@allenfoster8289]

Why no goblin bombardment

[@BobBoican]

I knew it was over for opponent when they interrupted Seth saying he was going to get a win against the best deck in the format

[@svendsmitha.623]

It's morphin time

[@se7eneffectgaming390]

Day 1 of a request : Persuasive Interrogators. Using Bartolome and or cutthroat centurion. Create clues and sac 5 with interrogators out for the win!

[@KevBrawner]

God, the second game hurt me. Letting things die instead of sacking. And also would have been better to get in with the morph instead of the copter, because 1 draw > 1 damage.

[@mattmartin6655]

Mighty Morphin Magic Creatures

[@CSDragon]

warboss tokens have to attack the turn they enter

[@zacheryyounger6300]

Can I.....can I say it unironically? I'm going to. I'm going to say it. IT'S MORPHIN TIME!!!!

[@deshka7563]

Orkie jelly

[@KebbieG]

Pioneer content lets go. It is by far the best format right now.

[@AppleTHC]

yep, cos std sucks, and historic and timeless have alchemy cards, so sucks too xD

[@KebbieG]

@@AppleTHC Std is fine but kind of boring.

[@thelunchlady8276]

@@AppleTHC True, having an std would suck.

[@IshoPlays]

Too bad Whip of Erebos isn't on Arena. I think running that over the performers is a good option.

[@Sxcheschka]

Too bad Smokestack isn't on here either, I really want brutal lockdown control of doing nothing but stax, I also want Stasis. Give us banding and bands with other, please!

[@AndresSanchez-jl8zv]

I wanted to listen to Seth at the end 😢

[@Crazymachin3gun]

I feel like death mistakes raptor would have worked to

[@Pandapold]

I come here to see him losing 20 times to pull up one combo and win. This make me fell good after my 20 games of losing XD

[@ReyosBlackwood]

42:35 couldn't you just stack the triggers so the phoenix ETB never resolves? just have Performer resolve first, then with Ashcloud's symmetric trigger still on stack, sac the Ashcloud twice (first face up, then face down) to trigger both again, lather, rinse, repeat. You would win the game with about 12 ashcloud damage triggers on stack that will just never resolve. Stuff like this is why you have the auto order triggers turned off, isn't it?

[@UTUB2kholle]

It took me way too long to understand why you couldn't play Ruthless Ripper as part of the combo xD

[@nosyamthegreat8768]

Also should have killed the bishop earlier so you could attack with woe strider and theyed be low enough to die

[@nintandem2119]

Orky Jelly

[@MH-wz1rb]

When in doubt, Jund them out

[@liammarsh1820]

add ruined halo and use it on ash cloud

[@davidwipperfurth8465]

I think I've identified why you say you tend to lose to life gain decks. It seems like you don't respect the life gain enablers. After they had 2 cards on board that synergized with life gain, you could have pushed the only card on board that produced life gain. You would have stayed ahead in life, and their board would be half the size.