by Adam Friedman
What does Faust’s ROC ban means for playing in States? Worlds and U.S. Nationals have come and gone which means it is time to gear up to play in the ROC States events that start at the end of July. This article is to give my take on what you should and shouldn’t be playing, and there’s good news. I think there is just a best-team in the format, and I’m looking to persuade you to play it.
For those sleeping under a rock for the last month, they might not have realized it. Modern is mostly a solved format. There are simply good strategies and bad strategies, and people playing the latter are taking a huge disadvantage over people playing the former on their chances of winning. There are basically 3 ‘teams’ by and large in the top levels of modern. Jakeem Thunder teams, 175 Goblin King teams, and Overdrive teams (and none of the third camp even made it to the Top 8 of worlds, though one came in second at Nationals).
That’s pretty much it. At the top tables the question is largely about “Do I go with Jakeem at 140 or King at 175” and “What exactly do I support them with?”
