Sets (MH2) Modern Horizons 2 Testing/Includes Thread

This is a testing/includes thread. Post pictures or a text list using /c with what cards you plan to include and what cards you plan to test.
Including:
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Including if I Open:
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(Plus the rest of this cycle- I think all of these look fun.)

Testing:
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Testing if I Open:
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Modern Horizons 2 is a lot different from Modern Horizons 1 in that most of the cards actually were designed to have an impact on Modern. The original Modern Horizons started as "a fun draft experience like Time Sprial" that morphed into "a set for Modern" after the game designers at WOTC realized that there wasn't anything to really "sell" the set with in its original form other than the awesome play experience. Consequently, the original Modern Horizons set had a lot more cards that applied to low-to-mid power environments, which could deploy more powerful draft cards effectively.

Modern Horizons 2 is a different story. Modern Constructed is baked into the DNA of this set, with many of the rares and mythics in the set being powerful enough to potentially be good in Modern. As a result, many of the supported draft archetypes in this set tend to skew towards narrower spaces that don't necessarily translate well to a lot of low-to-mid power environments. That doesn't mean that there is nothing for people Cubing in the lower regions of Magic's power band, just that the new cards are a little harder to use without dedicated support. However, since many of the top-end cards are meant to be constructed playable, there are a wealth of unique options to designers wishing to explore the higher regions of the power band. Modern Horizons 2 has the potential to re-shape a lot of Cubes in a way normal sets really can't. I'm excited to see what you all come up with!

What are your plans for this set?
-GT
 
Possible inclusions/tests/etc. Needless to say, this set hit a nerve with me. Not everything here makes it in of course, but lots of cool options.

If card images aren't working yet, here's the text list. I'm not copying all those images over lol


murktide regent - Love Delve, and would test it in place of Ethereal Forager
archon of cruelty - really fun looking reanimator target. May be a bit too strong for my environment
bloodbraid marauder - fun looking aggro piece that plays into graveyard themes
breya's apprentice - artifact version of Pia Nalaar that I think looks more interesting
necrogoyf - Good for self-mill and other GY theme for obvious reasons, and a really good power level on a madness creature
esper sentinel - might replace Thraben Inspector with this.
suspend - Cool cheap blue removal, which it generally lacks outside of bounce
persist - Love this reanimation spell for both value plays and a reanimator deck. Probably replacing Necromancy
timeless dragon - Not muchto say here. This thing is an entire package!
profane tutor - cool and IMO more balanced take on Demonic tutor due to the time delay, so I might find a way to test this.
late to dinner - obvious replacement for the resurrection I currently run
kaleidoscorch - LOVE this. Firebolt but fun.
vile entomber - Good puzzle piece for GY decks and a great defensive body
barbed spike - Replacing Ancestral Blade for it's much more effective ETB body.
fast // furious - Really good integration into my lands themes and provides flexibility to Thrill of Possibility
archfiend of sorrows - Another cool reanimation/self-reanimation target. May run over the Archon
timeless witness - 4 mana is a bit, but really like self-recurring recursion.
dragon's rage channeler - Just plays so, so well in GY cubes. Spells payoff. Mill payoff. Decent in Aggro. awesome.
prismatic ending - Flexible removal that isn't overbearing efficient
cabal initiate - As inscho mentions, a good replacement for Olivia's Dragoon
young necromancer - lovely piece of value reanimation that can also be recurred.
foul watcher - more surveil on a nice little flying body.
hell mongrel - discard outlet, discard payoff, reasonably efficient? Nice.
tragic fall - Cool bigger cousin of Tragic Slip
lose focus - scalable counterspell good with magecraft.
sinister starfish - Surveil me boys.
bone shards - an all around awesome synergy removal spell.
master of death - MORE surveil. And a cool recurring body.
lonis, cryptozoologist - Investigate on a repeating trigger is almost always good.
road // ruin - Another great integratino for my lands theme
nettlecyst - really cool equip. may not have the type density needed, but still like.
liquimetal torque - 2 mana colorless rock? check. Artifact synergies? Double check.
silverbluff bridge - more artifact synergies for the deck colors that can utilize it in my cube
 
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I had a manic high as this set spoiled so apologies to everyone if that was obnoxious. I've come down from the mountain, and a lot of cards shifted down into the Curious Zone.

Near Certain:
Timeless Dragon
Bone Shards
Foundation Breaker
Priest of Fell Rites

Curious but Less Certain:
Esper Sentinel
Late to Dinner
Murktide Regent
Cabal Initiate
Tragic Fall
Dragon's Rage Channeler
Tireless Provisioner
Diamond Lion
Lazotep Chancellor
Razortide Bridge
Mistvault Bridge
Silverbluff Bridge
Urza's Saga

Doubtful but Curious:
Barbed Spike
Prismatic Ending
Break Ties
Suspend
Necrogoyf
Grief
Young Necromancer
Flametongue Yearling
Kaleidoscorch
Endurance
Bannerhide Krushok
Blessed Respite
Liquimetal Torque
Nettlecyst

Probably 10 other cards were filed away in the event that I ratchet up my cube's power level at some point.
 
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@TrainmasterGT not testing the WX converge removal spell?
I might. The big reason I didn't put it on the list is because there are a lot of things larger than the number of colors that are reasonable to cast that card with in my Cube. Between the fact that my fixing isn't so great to consistently enable mana bases beyond 3 colors, and that there are some must-remove cards in the 5+ range, I don't think the card actually does everything I need my removal spells to do. Having said that, it is a good answer to a lot of the more aggressive strategies in the format (and to mana dorks), so I might want to try it. I think I need to play with it a little first before I decide if I want to test it in my Cube. I could totally see it making into the list at some point.

I had a manic high as this set spoiled so apologies to everyone if that was obnoxious. I've come down from the mountain, and a lot of cards shifted down into the Curious Zone.
Manic High is good, I'm glad you were able to figure out a way to make all of these work!
 
I'm glad you were able to figure out a way to make all of these work!

Oh, I haven't figured it out at all. I'll probably slot in the Certains and half of the Less Certain Curious cards to begin with, and see where things are at...shuffle some in and some out. I just made that big update to my cube forgetting how juicy MH promised to be....I'm proceeding with caution.

The Doubtfuls will just stick around in the back of my head while things get shuffled around. I guess that isn't exactly the point of this thread, huh? :D
 
I guess that isn't exactly the point of this thread, huh?
Seems like exactly the point to me. My list is just an ungodly pile of what I find mildly interesting all the way up to windwill slam includes. At least you organized it a bit lol.
 
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And I guess there's a 10 image limit per post, so my final inclusions that I couldn't post for now are the mana rock Liquimetal Torque and the equipment Nettlecyst. I'm a fan of the number of archetypes that are being fleshed out further with this set. A lot of them aren't for me, but I'm all aboard for this incidental U/R Artifacts support that is sure to flesh out the archetype even more and further improve the stock of Goblin Welder and Urza, Lord High Artificer (not that this one really needed help). Esper Sentinel doesn't really fall into this mold, but I like it as another impact 1 drop with some human synergy potential and the ability to be a disruptive card once it gains just one +1/+1 counter. There's just such a low opportunity cost as a 1 drop that only really needs to replace itself to be worth it. If it wasn't a human I'd probably pass, but being to pull off additional sequences with the likes of Champion of the Parish and Thalia's Lieutenant is pretty much all it takes to get me on board.

I've been looking for another reanimation spell and wasn't too big on Reanimate being able to pull from any graveyard, so the new Persist is perfect for what I'm going for. I think the only major target it can't hit currently is Sheoldred, Whispering One within Grixis colors (which is where reanimator is usually situated in my cube), but being able to still hit targets like Noxious Gearhulk and Herald of Anguish is sweet. I like presenting these kind of innocuous decision points for my drafters as it leads to a more engaging draft experience overall when you really need to consider your payoffs and possible gameplay lines. Big fan of this non-legendary reanimator theme they're looking to port into Modern.

I love whenever aggressive decks get a new tool and Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer is a pretty incredible card all on its own. It's definitely way above rate from what should be expected at that slot, being a very pushed mix of Zurgo Bellstriker/Grenzo, Havoc-Raiser, but at the end of the day it's still a 2/1 without any evasion. Barring a nuts sequence of removal just clearing every blocker in way for a handful of turns, this card is likely to lose its luster rather quickly once the opponent begins developing. I can totally see games where it ends up being overbearing, but with the propensity of cube decks to lean midrange I think I'm okay with that every one in a while with the crazy draw. The only part I don't like is the exiling + casting opponents cards. Makes sense flavorfully as a monkey pirate stealing stuff, but that's definitely an effect that shouldn't be at 1 mana. I'm mostly just glad to have another strong 1 drop for R/x Aggro that has play to it instead of having to resort to the likes of Jackal Pup or Falkenrath Gorger.

Grist, the Hunger Tide has already had a pretty close analog in the past with Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast in the past with its abilities, but it synergizes well with existing themes in my cube unlike RB Daretti. +1 to make bodies is always a strong ability, but I'm more in it for the self-milling to synergize with cards already in my green and black sections like potential card draw off The Gitrog Monster, filling the grave with recursive threats ala Bloodghast and Skyclave Shade, or even just fueling the yard with cards for reanimation effects. The weird ability of treating it like a creature elsewhere opens up a ton of interesting lines with cards like Green Sun's Zenith, Birthing Pod, Collected Company, and even cute interactions with cards like Unearth. This is the kind of card that gets my wheels turning as a deckbuilder evaluating draft picks in a different light and trying to figure out ways to gain extra utility. Big fan of the design.

The rest of my inclusions aren't really standouts as much as cards to flesh out decks and plug in holes. I love Flametongue Yearling as a scalable version of the classic Kavu. The RR cost ensures that it isn't as splashy across the board, but will still serve as a solid roleplayer in pretty much every deck that leans towards Red as its main color. Tireless Provisioner is a nice powered down callback to one of my favorite dense cards of all time, but promotes those landfall synergies on a different axis with Food and Treasure. This can get very nutty in any fetch heavy environment allowing for the early deployment of 5 drops. The dream is honestly to use it to power out a Titania, Protector of Argoth off a fetchland and just go to value town. I'm all for it. Finally, I just like Master of Death as a card that can serve as a road block and help fuel the grave for reanimator shenanigans. It can do a Squee impression while having relevant creature types and helping to flesh out interactions with cards like Rankle, Master of Pranks and Rotting Regisaur. I've been a huge fan of Champion of Wits over the years and this falls into a similar slot/role while serving as a potential gold signpost as well.

Twelve cards is a hell of a cube update. With the wide utility of these across the board, I expect them to have similar staying power to all the MH1 options that are still putting in work two years later. I think what I love most about this set is the amount of synergies that lead me into wanting to revisit old cards. Like I can bring back Wicked Wolf as an on-curve fight effect with more opportunities to utilize the activated ability of a Food Token. Toolcraft Exemplar has additional artifacts to make sure its more consistently a 3/2 and with more opportunities to attack with first strike.

All in all a super impressive set and I imagine there will likely be more inclusions down the road as I hear more of testing results for cards that I might have missed on first glance.
 
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Trainmaster analysis is pretty good, as I think this set has less for my power level than part 1 had. That being said, I initially added only 6 cards last time (then cut three of those and slowly added another 16). There is a lot of cool stuff I'm really hyped about, I'll add 9 cards for now:

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Abiding Grace might be the card I'm the most excited about. I hopfe it is finally the build-around I've always wanted for white.
Barbed Spike is less thrilling, but still a slam dunk. Being an equipment and a creature in one is great here, happily running it alongside Acestral Blade.


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I like Doomed Traveler and I like Fireblade Charger. Nested Shambler is like their evil love child. Awesome.
SInister Starfish is great 2-drop for dredge and all kind of slower, more controlling decks, I feel like this will improve my cube more than one might think.


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I've never before reacted to a card being spoiled with more joy. I love madness, and Basking Rootwalla is probably my favorite 1-drop in the game.


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Tireless Tracker was far too good for my cube. But this tamer version should be just right and also works with ramp and lifegain!


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Still a little bit debating on this one, but most likely, this will be my new {W/U} artifacts signpost. I like that this reads exciting without being super busted.


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Colorless 2-drops are almost as awesome for a cube as 1-drops, and monoskelion should fit aggro decks as well as blink and artifact stuff.
The Underworld Cookbook just checks many boxes for me, it's a madness enabler, gives you lifegain triggers, is an artifact that makes more artifacts, can fuel dredge and then deliver some recursion ... objectively, this might be the best card for my cube from this set.

There at least a dozen more cards that piqued my interest enough so that I'll keep them in my mind, even though I won't add them for now. Also, this set gave me four more old border versions of cards from MH1. I'm very happy with this release :)

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Look, how beautiful!
 
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Did you guys coordinate your avatars? For some reason I keep mixing you guys up, and it looks like it's just the same person having a conversation with themselves.

:D

I've used the same avatar on forums for 15ish years. We are simply kindred spirits, ships passing in the night, brothers from other mothers, etc. We printed up t-shirts for our Club last Summer. I'm the treasurer, I get to spend the money while Sigh is busy making it.
 
this set actually has me testing several cards that are not in it just to go alongside the new stuff, which is fun. the main thing MH2 does for me is enable further development of Domain/Converge/Niv pile as a big archetype in my cube. part of that is adding a third cycle of guild cards to give Niv more hits. cards not new to MH2 but new to my cube -are in hyphens like this-

Esper Sentinel
Timeless Dragon
Prismatic Ending

Hard Evidence

-Dark Confidant proxy- (i’m proxying all my testers so why not)

Dragons rage channeler
Captain ripley vance
kaleidoscorch
flametongue yearling
-tribal flames-

-Esika’s Chariot-
-titania proxy, the hero Loam deserves-

territorial kavu
master of death
priest of fell rites
yusri fortunes flame
general ferrous rokiric
 
heeeellll yeaaa modern horizons 2 babey

testing:
solitude
prismatic ending
out of time
rishadan dockhand
subtletly
murktide regent
dauthi voidwalker
tourach, dread cantor
grief
dragon's rage channeler
ragavan, nimble pilferer
flametongue yearling
fury
ignoble hierarch
verdant command
territorial kavu
damn
priest of fell rites
yusri, fortune's flame
grist, the hunger tide
general ferrous rokiric
 
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Ancestral Blade has been a great card, and Barbed Spike is similar enough to ‘know’ that it’s going to be good. The additional cost to equip isn’t great, but I like that the token is an artifact, and flying sits with the token rather than the equipment. I’m not sure it’s a straight up swap, as I think the blade with it’s extra point of toughness and cheaper equip cost is ‘better’ once the thopter token as been dealt with, but I’ll see if I can find room for both. I’d love to build an equipment ‘theme’ with these, the new lightning spear equipment and axgard armory amongst other things.

I think prismatic ending is great. It’s a cheap removal spell to deal with early threats (and answers) that scales the more you are able to splash additional colours. I play all the tri-lands and vivid lands so it’s easier for me than most. I love these cards that nudge players to look for opportunities to include other colours as I think it encourages creativity, and this is a really useful tool for white’s arsenal.

Timeless Dragon seems like a pretty straightforward swap for Eternal Dragon. I’m a little sad for Eternal Dragon to go, but Timeless gives white a bit more of a boost in that area.

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Bone Shards seems like a straightforward switch for sinister concoction (though I’m a little sad to lose a bit of delirium ‘support’. Pivot removal for a couple of archetypes at a cheap cost.

I loved the OG theros starfish and how it played but there were better options for the themes in blue. Black will enjoy a defensive 2 drop that self mills, I just need to try and find room for it in a pretty tight section.

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I was in the process of looking for more sweepers when Fast/Furious popped up, so this is a great include I think. Worth noting Fast doesn’t require discard as a cost and is a divination if you’re hellbent.

Kaleidoscorch has the same advantages as Prismatic Ending but with the advantages of fitting in with my cube themes more (flashback) and being an ‘explosive’ finisher that is somewhat earned. It’s pretty exciting, especially as I don't play a lot of burn that goes to the face.

(part 2 for the images next)
 
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Much as I love Deadbridge Goliath, I think Bannerhide Krushok is a bit more interesting. Not sure I could find room for (or want) both, so this feels like the swap.

Foundation Breaker is a elegant all round upgrade, and will hurt some people with Genesis.

Squirrel Sanctuary is going to be a lot of fun. White and Blue want to return it to hand, and Black and Red want to sacrifice things to reset it. Plus it’s a ‘one drop’ in a colour that’s difficult to find good ones if you’re not playing mana elves.

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An interesting Squee as Dom alluded to on the podcast. It’s a more interesting threat, with a cost (and decision) on whether to return it. Great for both discard, self mill and sacrifice.

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Up until now I haven’t run any graveyard wraths. I’m still not sure that I want this, but I like that as it has summoning sickness before it can be used it gives the opponent a window to remove it if they need to and can. Also like that it’s the magical 3/2 p/t that we’ve been discussing. Least sure about this include.

Feel like this is going to do a lot - a way for all decks to discard for free, create artifacts and return things to hand. It’s a 1CC cog, so hopefully will see it recurred with auriok salvagers and salvaging station once or twice.

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Should be lots of fun with land recursion, bouncelands, artifacts matter and cogs, and encourage deck creativity in the players.

But yeah, wouldn't be surprised to see other cards make it into the cube in the future, there's so much that's interesting and useful.
 
I wish kaleidoscorch<>firebolt was a simple switch out for me, but 2 mana on the front end really reduces its usefulness to my aggro decks
 
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