With Urza artifact decks taking over Modern, there's an opportunity for archetypes which lean on the graveyard to take advantage of the Modern landscape. We've seen Whirza and Urza Outcome before, but last week introduced us to Urza Ascendency, which uses Emry, Lurker of the Loch with Jeskai Ascendancy to power through the deck and make Emry enormous.
As powerful artifacts and linear game plans become regular, we are seeing a well-loved spell strategy find success once again. Izzet Gifts Storm took down SCG Indianapolis last weekend at the hands of Drake Sasser, who proved the theory that fewer players are sideboarding graveyard hate due to the influence of Emry and Urza, Lord High Artificer. Storm has been a popular spell-combo strategy in Modern for years, but it got caught in the crossfire of Hogaak Bridgevine when graveyard hate was critical to fighting the stubborn strategy.
Storm can take advantage of the Modern metagame going forward, and this week I'll go through variants of Storm which present an affordable entry into the format at an FNM or within the competitive landscape. The deck can be tricky to get to grips with, but rewards you for sticking with it long-term. You shouldn't be discouraged if you lose with Storm to begin with, as over time these will convert into wins as you build experience with the deck.
There are many ways to build Modern Storm so let's begin by looking at the SCG Indianapolis winning list, piloted by Team Nova's Drake Sasser.
Magic: The Gathering TCG Deck - Gifts Storm by Drake Sasser
'Gifts Storm' - constructed deck list and prices for the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Drake Sasser
Event: SCG Open Modern - Indianapolis - 10/13/2019
Rank: 1st
Modern
Market Price: $611.82
Steam Vents
Color Identity:R,U
Market Price: $11.92
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/175202_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {U} or {R}.)
As Steam Vents enters the battlefield, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, it enters the battlefield tapped.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/guilds-of-ravnica/steam-vents
Pyretic Ritual
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $4.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/35651_200w.jpg
Add {R}{R}{R}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/magic-2011-m11/pyretic-ritual
Past in Flames
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $2.40
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/128594_200w.jpg
Each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost.
Flashback {4}{R} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-masters-2017/past-in-flames
Empty the Warrens
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/233917_200w.jpg
Create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens. Storm (When you cast this spell, copy it for each spell cast before it this turn.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/time-spiral-remastered/empty-the-warrens
Misty Rainforest
Market Price: $72.62
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/128281_200w.jpg
{T}, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice Misty Rainforest: Search your library for a Forest or Island card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-masters-2017/misty-rainforest
Remand
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $5.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/98768_200w.jpg
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put it into its owner's hand instead of into that player's graveyard. Draw a card.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-masters-2015/remand
Scalding Tarn
Market Price: $71.18
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/128282_200w.jpg
{T}, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice Scalding Tarn: Search your library for an Island or Mountain card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-masters-2017/scalding-tarn
Abrade
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.34
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/227309_200w.jpg
Choose one — • Abrade deals 3 damage to target creature. • Destroy target artifact.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-legends/abrade
Serum Visions
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.50
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/236201_200w.jpg
Draw a card. Scry 2.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2021/serum-visions
Island
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/235542_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {U}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/strixhaven-school-of-mages/island-368
Polluted Delta
Market Price: $44.30
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/92829_200w.jpg
{T}, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice Polluted Delta: Search your library for an Island or Swamp card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/khans-of-tarkir/polluted-delta
Leyline of Sanctity
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $2.48
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/192536_200w.jpg
If Leyline of Sanctity is in your opening hand, you may begin the game with it on the battlefield. You have hexproof. (You can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/core-set-2020/leyline-of-sanctity
Manamorphose
Color Identity:G,R
Market Price: $3.37
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218810_200w.jpg
Add two mana in any combination of colors. Draw a card.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/double-masters/manamorphose
Opt
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215840_200w.jpg
Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.) Draw a card.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/core-set-2021/opt
Echoing Truth
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196531_200w.jpg
Return target nonland permanent and all other permanents with the same name as that permanent to their owners' hands.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2019/echoing-truth
Goblin Electromancer
Color Identity:R,U
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/175583_200w.jpg
Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/guilds-of-ravnica/goblin-electromancer
Mountain
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/235546_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {R}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/strixhaven-school-of-mages/mountain-372
Spirebluff Canal
Color Identity:R,U
Market Price: $13.57
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/122672_200w.jpg
Spirebluff Canal enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands.
{T}: Add {U} or {R}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/kaladesh/spirebluff-canal
Fiery Islet
Color Identity:R,U
Market Price: $15.98
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/190806_200w.jpg
{T}, Pay 1 life: Add {U} or {R}.
{1}, {T}, Sacrifice Fiery Islet: Draw a card.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-horizons/fiery-islet
Mystical Dispute
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.29
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/198683_200w.jpg
This spell costs {2} less to cast if it targets a blue spell.
Counter target spell unless its controller pays {3}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/throne-of-eldraine/mystical-dispute
Sleight of Hand
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.85
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/180902_200w.jpg
Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the other on the bottom of your library.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/ultimate-masters/sleight-of-hand
Grapeshot
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/233919_200w.jpg
Grapeshot deals 1 damage to any target. Storm (When you cast this spell, copy it for each spell cast before it this turn. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/time-spiral-remastered/grapeshot
Baral, Chief of Compliance
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $7.37
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/126405_200w.jpg
Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.
Whenever a spell or ability you control counters a spell, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/aether-revolt/baral-chief-of-compliance
Aria of Flame
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.92
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/190946_200w.jpg
When Aria of Flame enters the battlefield, each opponent gains 10 life. Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a verse counter on Aria of Flame, then it deals damage equal to the number of verse counters on it to target player or planeswalker.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-horizons/aria-of-flame
Snow-Covered Island
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.04
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/230148_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {U}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/kaldheim/snow-covered-island-278
Desperate Ritual
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $1.02
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/180810_200w.jpg
Add {R}{R}{R}.
Splice onto Arcane {1}{R} (As you cast an Arcane spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card's effects to that spell.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/ultimate-masters/desperate-ritual
Blood Moon
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $10.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218848_200w.jpg
Nonbasic lands are Mountains.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/double-masters/blood-moon
Merchant Scroll
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $5.87
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11051_200w.jpg
Search your library for a blue instant card, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/8th-edition/merchant-scroll
Gifts Ungiven
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.33
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/128644_200w.jpg
Search your library for up to four cards with different names and reveal them. Target opponent chooses two of those cards. Put the chosen cards into your graveyard and the rest into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-masters-2017/gifts-ungiven
Lightning Bolt
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $2.49
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/216484_200w.jpg
Lightning Bolt deals 3 damage to any target.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/jumpstart/lightning-bolt
The game plan of Storm is simple: chain off spells until your storm count is high enough to cast a Grapeshot for lethal damage. You can achieve this with Goblin Electromancer and Baral, Chief of Compliance, which discount the cost of your spells, allowing you to net mana through "Rituals" such as Desperate Ritual and Pyretic Ritual—with the option of recasting these spells with Past in Flames. Eventually, your storm count will be high enough to kill the opponent with a substantial Grapeshot or by going wide with Empty the Warrens. Storm is very uninteractive in terms of gameplay but is dominant in a combo-heavy metagame thanks to its speed and consistency. An experienced Storm player can pull wins seemingly out of thin air, and the deck will always be playable in Modern.
The list above is considered the optimal version of Gifts Storm, which comes to roughly $800. However, two-thirds of the value comes from Polluted Delta, Misty Rainforest and Scalding Tarn, which are not essential for the strategy. Fetch lands are always desirable as they allow you to filter your deck, which raises the probability of drawing the spells you need. Despite this, Fetchless Storm is a viable strategy in Modern which can achieve similar success on a much smaller budget. Let's strip away the land base and switch some of the sideboard cards to create a more affordable foundation.
Magic: The Gathering TCG Deck - Budget Gifts Storm by Emma Partlow
'Budget Gifts Storm' - constructed deck list and prices for the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Emma Partlow
Event:
Rank:
Modern
Market Price: $140.96
Gigadrowse
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.30
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/13696_200w.jpg
Replicate {U} (When you cast this spell, copy it for each time you paid its replicate cost. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
Tap target permanent.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/guildpact/gigadrowse
Remand
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $5.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/98768_200w.jpg
Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put it into its owner's hand instead of into that player's graveyard. Draw a card.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-masters-2015/remand
Grapeshot
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/233919_200w.jpg
Grapeshot deals 1 damage to any target. Storm (When you cast this spell, copy it for each spell cast before it this turn. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/time-spiral-remastered/grapeshot
Manamorphose
Color Identity:G,R
Market Price: $3.37
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218810_200w.jpg
Add two mana in any combination of colors. Draw a card.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/double-masters/manamorphose
Sulfur Falls
Color Identity:R,U
Market Price: $4.56
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/162122_200w.jpg
Sulfur Falls enters the battlefield tapped unless you control an Island or a Mountain.
{T}: Add {U} or {R}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/dominaria/sulfur-falls
Shivan Reef
Color Identity:R,U
Market Price: $2.00
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/236220_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {U} or {R}. Shivan Reef deals 1 damage to you.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2021/shivan-reef
Goblin Electromancer
Color Identity:R,U
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/175583_200w.jpg
Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/guilds-of-ravnica/goblin-electromancer
Sleight of Hand
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.85
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/180902_200w.jpg
Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the other on the bottom of your library.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/ultimate-masters/sleight-of-hand
Empty the Warrens
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/233917_200w.jpg
Create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens. Storm (When you cast this spell, copy it for each spell cast before it this turn.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/time-spiral-remastered/empty-the-warrens
Wipe Away
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/233768_200w.jpg
Split second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't cast spells or activate abilities that aren't mana abilities.) Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/time-spiral-remastered/wipe-away
Serum Visions
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.50
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/236201_200w.jpg
Draw a card. Scry 2.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2021/serum-visions
Mountain
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/235546_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {R}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/strixhaven-school-of-mages/mountain-372
Gifts Ungiven
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.33
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/128644_200w.jpg
Search your library for up to four cards with different names and reveal them. Target opponent chooses two of those cards. Put the chosen cards into your graveyard and the rest into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-masters-2017/gifts-ungiven
Echoing Truth
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196531_200w.jpg
Return target nonland permanent and all other permanents with the same name as that permanent to their owners' hands.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2019/echoing-truth
Snow-Covered Island
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.04
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/230148_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {U}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/kaldheim/snow-covered-island-278
Spirebluff Canal
Color Identity:R,U
Market Price: $13.57
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/122672_200w.jpg
Spirebluff Canal enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands.
{T}: Add {U} or {R}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/kaladesh/spirebluff-canal
Past in Flames
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $2.40
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/128594_200w.jpg
Each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost.
Flashback {4}{R} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-masters-2017/past-in-flames
Snow-Covered Mountain
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.62
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/230150_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {R}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/kaldheim/snow-covered-mountain-282
Opt
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215840_200w.jpg
Scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom of your library.) Draw a card.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/core-set-2021/opt
Desperate Ritual
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $1.02
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/180810_200w.jpg
Add {R}{R}{R}.
Splice onto Arcane {1}{R} (As you cast an Arcane spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card's effects to that spell.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/ultimate-masters/desperate-ritual
Baral, Chief of Compliance
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $7.37
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/126405_200w.jpg
Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.
Whenever a spell or ability you control counters a spell, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/aether-revolt/baral-chief-of-compliance
Pyretic Ritual
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $4.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/35651_200w.jpg
Add {R}{R}{R}.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/magic-2011-m11/pyretic-ritual
Aria of Flame
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.92
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/190946_200w.jpg
When Aria of Flame enters the battlefield, each opponent gains 10 life. Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a verse counter on Aria of Flame, then it deals damage equal to the number of verse counters on it to target player or planeswalker.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-horizons/aria-of-flame
Abrade
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.34
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/227309_200w.jpg
Choose one — • Abrade deals 3 damage to target creature. • Destroy target artifact.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-legends/abrade
Repeal
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/145425_200w.jpg
Return target nonland permanent with converted mana cost X to its owner's hand. Draw a card.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/iconic-masters/repeal
Island
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/235542_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {U}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/strixhaven-school-of-mages/island-368
Unsubstantiate
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215676_200w.jpg
Return target spell or creature to its owner's hand.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/core-set-2021/unsubstantiate
Lightning Bolt
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $2.49
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/216484_200w.jpg
Lightning Bolt deals 3 damage to any target.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/jumpstart/lightning-bolt
Shatterstorm
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.57
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/15306_200w.jpg
Destroy all artifacts. They can't be regenerated.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/10th-edition/shatterstorm
Pieces of the Puzzle
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/115911_200w.jpg
Reveal the top five cards of your library. Put up to two instant and/or sorcery cards from among them into your hand and the rest into your graveyard.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/shadows-over-innistrad/pieces-of-the-puzzle
This list comes to roughly $200 and offers a fantastic starting point if you want to play the archetype. Shivan Reef and Sulfur Falls offer an excellent budget alternative to fetch lands, and I would recommend adding a few Steam Vents or Fiery Islet instead if you have access to these. The handful of snow-covered basics may seem odd, but there is a method to the madness as this allows a viable target for when you are searching with Gifts Ungiven.
However, there are a few cards which are critical to the Storm archetype, which can be pricey and irreplaceable, the primary one being Manamorphose. Manamorphose is essential for the archetype as it replaces itself while fixing your mana to support the blue cards you want to cast. Past in Flames is another example, as this allows you to recast your spells to achieve a higher storm count. Fortunately, the core of Storm rarely changes so these cards will always be played. It's challenging to play the Gifts variant of Storm without these cards so these should be your priority to pick up.
The rest of Gifts Storm is affordable as crucial cards such as Sleight of Hand, Serum Visions, Gifts Ungiven and Desperate Ritual have been reprinted in recent sets. Empty the Warrens remains to be an excellent alternative win condition despite the printing of Plague Engineer, and Aria of Flame allows you to adopt a Burn game plan if you don't have access to your Storm pay-off cards. The sideboard I have created is relatively generic for the Modern metagame, and you should adapt it to reflect your local environment. Extending this, I would recommend picking up a couple of Blood Moon due to the rise of Tron and Amulet Titan, as it is the best answer to big-mana archetypes. Eventually, you can choose to pick up fetch lands such as Polluted Delta if you so wish, and Flooded Strand can also be a consideration as a two-of—but these are not essential.
Another Storm strategy, which took off with the release of Core Set 2020, is Twiddle Storm. Twiddle Storm was an incredibly fringe strategy until the printing of Lotus Field which gave the deck some success at Grand Prixs and SCG events. Lotus Field offers a 'ritual' effect on a hexproof land, and by utilising spells such as Twiddle and Dream's Grip to gain positive mana through Lotus Field, you can cast a myriad of spells to achieve a high storm count and finish off your opponent with Grapeshot. Let's begin by looking at an optimal build of Twiddle Storm.
11361947
As you can see, Twiddle Storm does not rely on Goblin Electromancer or Baral, Chief of Compliance, which mostly blanks your opponents' removal. The deck is more of a glass cannon compared to its predecessor but has the upside of being more fringe, which can create some unfamiliarity for your opponent. An optimal build of Twiddle Storm comes to around $250, which is far more reasonable compared to an optimal build of Gifts Storm and may be an excellent starting point if you want to dive into the archetype. However, we can make this more affordable by stripping some of the expensive lands such as Tolaria West and Gemstone Caverns.
Magic: The Gathering TCG Deck - Budget Twiddle Storm by Emma Partlow
'Budget Twiddle Storm' - constructed deck list and prices for the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Emma Partlow
Event:
Rank:
Modern
Market Price: $69.63
Wipe Away
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/233768_200w.jpg
Split second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't cast spells or activate abilities that aren't mana abilities.) Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/time-spiral-remastered/wipe-away
Island
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/235542_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {U}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/strixhaven-school-of-mages/island-368
Empty the Warrens
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/233917_200w.jpg
Create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens. Storm (When you cast this spell, copy it for each spell cast before it this turn.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/time-spiral-remastered/empty-the-warrens
Grapeshot
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/233919_200w.jpg
Grapeshot deals 1 damage to any target. Storm (When you cast this spell, copy it for each spell cast before it this turn. You may choose new targets for the copies.)
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/time-spiral-remastered/grapeshot
Peer Through Depths
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/129491_200w.jpg
Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal an instant or sorcery card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
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Flame Slash
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.36
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/121822_200w.jpg
Flame Slash deals 4 damage to target creature.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/conspiracy-take-the-crown/flame-slash
Fry
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/192595_200w.jpg
This spell can't be countered. Fry deals 5 damage to target creature or planeswalker that's white or blue.
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/core-set-2020/fry
Shivan Reef
Color Identity:R,U
Market Price: $2.00
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/236220_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {U} or {R}. Shivan Reef deals 1 damage to you.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2021/shivan-reef
Dream's Grip
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.66
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11357_200w.jpg
Choose one —
• Tap target permanent.
• Untap target permanent.
Entwine {1} (Choose both if you pay the entwine cost.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/mirrodin/dreams-grip
Past in Flames
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $2.40
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/128594_200w.jpg
Each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost.
Flashback {4}{R} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-masters-2017/past-in-flames
Merchant Scroll
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $5.87
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11051_200w.jpg
Search your library for a blue instant card, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
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Reach Through Mists
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/129494_200w.jpg
Draw a card.
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Psychic Puppetry
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.31
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/12137_200w.jpg
You may tap or untap target permanent.
Splice onto Arcane {U} (As you cast an Arcane spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card's effects to that spell.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/champions-of-kamigawa/psychic-puppetry
Serum Visions
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.50
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/236201_200w.jpg
Draw a card. Scry 2.
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Sleight of Hand
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.85
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/180902_200w.jpg
Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the other on the bottom of your library.
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Lonely Sandbar
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212427_200w.jpg
Lonely Sandbar enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {U}.
Cycling {U} ({U}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2020/lonely-sandbar
Lotus Field
Market Price: $9.01
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/192640_200w.jpg
Hexproof
Lotus Field enters the battlefield tapped.
When Lotus Field enters the battlefield, sacrifice two lands.
{T}: Add three mana of any one color.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/core-set-2020/lotus-field
Echoing Truth
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196531_200w.jpg
Return target nonland permanent and all other permanents with the same name as that permanent to their owners' hands.
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Vizier of Tumbling Sands
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212370_200w.jpg
{T}: Untap another target permanent.
Cycling {1}{U} ({1}{U}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle Vizier of Tumbling Sands, untap target permanent.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-2020/vizier-of-tumbling-sands
Aria of Flame
Color Identity:R
Market Price: $0.92
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/190946_200w.jpg
When Aria of Flame enters the battlefield, each opponent gains 10 life. Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, put a verse counter on Aria of Flame, then it deals damage equal to the number of verse counters on it to target player or planeswalker.
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Twiddle
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.27
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11071_200w.jpg
You may tap or untap target artifact, creature, or land.
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Rebuild
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/191350_200w.jpg
Return all artifacts to their owners' hands.
Cycling {2} ({2}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-horizons/rebuild
Ideas Unbound
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.99
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/12453_200w.jpg
Draw three cards. Discard three cards at the beginning of the next end step.
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Eye of Nowhere
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.32
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11989_200w.jpg
Return target permanent to its owner's hand.
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This version of Twiddle Storm comes to $130 and becomes a little looser due to the omission of Tolaria West. Transmuting Tolaria West allows you to grab Lotus Field which means we can achieve the combo more easily, but this list provides an excellent base to get started if you want to begin Twiddling permanents. In terms of upgrades, there is not a considerable amount to upgrade into besides the Gemstone Caverns and Tolaria West, as similar to Gifts Storm, the core largely remains the same. Although it may not be optimal, this provides you a route to get to grips with the game plan and becoming familiar with the strategy. Also, it provides a cheaper route into the archetype and if you discover this is not for you, it offers less of a financial loss otherwise. The best thing about starting with either Storm lists is that you can create a toolbox which allows you to change up the strategy if necessary: a lot of the cards export over which means you will get more use out of your cards long-term.
Storm has existed in Modern since its inception, and will always remain a playable strategy for as long the format exists. If you identify as a combo-orientated player, Storm may be perfect for you as it provides a high reward for committing to the archetype long-term. Modern could become more combo-orientated in the upcoming months thanks to Urza Outcome and Emry Ascendency which creates a unique opportunity for Storm to capitalize on an un-interactive format. Modern usually breaks into either a Rest in Peace-matters or Stony Silence-matters metagame, and thanks to these rising strategies, it looks like we're headed toward the latter. That's when Storm really shines.
