Indomitable Creativity is one of the best decks in Modern. It even ranked fifth in my Modern Power Rankings. It’s been a couple of months since my Indomitable Creativity Deep Dive, so it’s time for an update. However, if you want to know more about the archetype, make sure to check it out since it goes more in depth about it.
Modern Indomitable Creativity by Andrea Mengucci
Creature (4)
Land (25)
I never really liked the Bitter Reunion and Persist version and found it clunky. I prefer focusing on answering the opponent’s threats with extra removal such as Leyline Binding and Fire // Ice than adding combo pieces to the deck. Persist is fine though as a one-of since it’s extremely effective when it works and I prefer it over Transmogrify as a fifth combo piece.
Speaking of Transmogrify, I chose to cut it since it was only really good with Teferi, Time Raveler in play, which is not that easy to achieve with this deck.
It’s unclear whether Five-Color Creativity, splashing white for Leyline Binding and Teferi, Time Raveler is better than straight Temur which plays extra one-mana removal such as Burst Lightning to have more answers to a turn one Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer on the draw. A turn one Ragavan uncontested is certainly one of the most common ways to die with this deck so having more cards like Burst Lightning or Unholy Heat is definitely nice, but I love the convenience of Leyline Binding as a catch-all answer in a wide format like Modern.
Turn the Earth is here mostly for only two matchups: Living End and Burn. They’re both pretty bad matchups where you really need help from a narrow card. I like it much more than Leyline of the Void, a card I despise in Modern since there’s no turn one combo decks like in Legacy or Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis to worry about. I prefer reducing the chances of drawing a brick since both Living End and Burn will give you some turns to draw extra cards.
Iona, Shield of Emeria and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn are extra threats for when your opponent resolves Necromentia on Archon of Cruelty. I love Iona, Shield of Emeria against Elementals and Azorius Control and I love Emrakul, the Aeons Torn against Mill.
- Usually you’d like to play Fire // Ice on your opponent’s upkeep to stop them from casting their spell, but when playing against a Counterspell deck, you can slowroll it and play it at the end of your opponent’s turn. If they were holding up a Counterspell for your Indomitable Creativity, you’ll instead crush their hopes with some Archons of Cruelty.
- If you’re playing against a deck with several removal spells like Izzet Murktide or Rakdos Midrange, make sure to cast Indomitable Creativity always targeting an artifact. Keep in mind that Unholy Heat, Terminate and Solitude can easily handle one Archon of Cruelty, so try to go big by resolving a Creativity with an X bigger than one.
- Orvar, the All-Form is a commonly played card against you and it suffers against Veil of Summer as once you discard it, the ability to create a copy token will target the Archon and Veil of Summer can give it hexproof from blue, making its ability fizzle.
- Remember that every fetchland you have in play could represent a 1/1. This is very relevant to make a beatdown plan versus planeswalkers or to block a Ragavan.
Izzet Murktide
On the Play
+3 Abundant Growth
-1 Archon of Cruelty -1 Persist -1 Prismari Command
On the Draw
+3 Abundant Growth +2 Veil of Summer
-2 Fire // Ice -1 Wrenn and Six -1 Archon of Cruelty -1 Persist
Jeskai Breach with Urza’s Saga
+1 Boseiju, Who Endures +2 Wear // Tear
-1 Archon of Cruelty -1 Persist -1 Fire // Ice
Sagaless Breach
On the Play
+3 Abundant Growth
-1 Archon of Cruelty -1 Persist -1 Prismari Command
On the Draw
+3 Abundant Growth +2 Veil of Summer
-2 Fire // Ice -1 Wrenn and Six -1 Archon of Cruelty -1 Persist
Temur Rhinos
+3 Abundant Growth +2 Flusterstorm +2 Veil of Summer
-1 Wrenn and Six -1 Prismari Command -4 Lightning Bolt -1 Leyline Binding
Four-Color Rhinos
+2 Flusterstorm +2 Veil of Summer
-4 Lightning Bolt
Hammer Time
+1 Boseiju, Who Endures +2 Wear // Tear
-2 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker -1 Teferi, Time Raveler
Indomitable Creativity
+2 Veil of Summer
-2 Lightning Bolt
Rakdos Scam
+1 Iona, Shield of Emeria +1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn +2 Veil of Summer +3 Abundant Growth
-2 Archon of Cruelty -1 Persist -1 Spell Pierce -2 Fire // Ice -1 Prismari Command
Yawgmoth
+2 Veil of Summer +1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
-1 Archon of Cruelty -1 Teferi, Time Raveler -1 Boseiju, Who Endures
Living End
+3 Turn the Earth +2 Flusterstorm +2 Veil of Summer +1 Boseiju, Who Endures
-4 Lightning Bolt -4 Leyline Binding
Amulet Titan
+1 Boseiju, Who Endures +2 Wear // Tear +1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
-4 Lightning Bolt
Five-Color Zoo
No changes
Merfolk
+1 Boseiju, Who Endures
-1 Spell Pierce
Azorius Control
+1 Iona, Shield of Emeria +2 Veil of Summer
-2 Lightning Bolt -1 Archon of Cruelty
Four-Color Omnath Elementals
+1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
-1 Lightning Bolt
Izzet Prowess
+2 Flusterstorm
-2 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
Burn
+3 Turn the Earth +2 Flusterstorm +1 Boseiju, Who Endures
-2 Teferi, Time Raveler -3 Wrenn and Six -1 Fable of the Mirror-Breaker
Affinity
+1 Boseiju, Who Endures +2 Wear // Tear
-3 Spell Pierce
Could you elaborate on your reasoning for going back on your initial thoughts for Transmogrify over Persist? I found those initial arguments very compelling and i’ve liked transmogrify over persist since it only requires you to draw lands. Having that extra effect be consistent has felt important in matchups such as burn, zoo, hammer etc. In the counterspell matchups you’d typically cut persist and transmogrify just the same.
What color do you name with Iona against each deck?
It depends on the match up. You only bring it in, in matchups where it’ll basicallly end the game ie Green against Amulet or White against control, Blue against mill etc