iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Deck is fun, I enjoyed casting Hollow Marauder many times a game to gain an insurmountable advantage the most. I would recommend increasing the number of turn one black sources, forest to a swamp, and maybe Multiversal Passage over a glade or 2.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I was the person who piloted the deck, though I based it off lists that have popped up in challenges. It turns out a 2 mana 4/5 or bigger is playable in standard, even if that isn't enough to make it one of the standout cards. Still fun to play creatures who are just big dudes.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Why am I getting multiple Texas Senate Ads? I am watching the Local Eagles Broadcast, I don't get it.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Should the Sixers keep Maxey and Embiid together in the rotation, or let Simons play with Embiid? Maxey and Embiid have great chemistry, but there might be defensive concerns with Simons playing with Bona or Hukporti behind him.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Phillies manage to not collapse. Phew.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Who do you think plays more minutes this season, KCP or Justin Edwards?

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A bit tighter than you would like, but a win is a win. Eagles interior offensive line looks pretty bad to me, but I liked how Hurts and Smith looked.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Updated my Boros Control guide. I don't really recommend it with Mono Green Broodscale as popular as it is, but I think it is pretty good against most other decks. metafy.gg/guides/view/...

metafy.gg

Modern Boros Control

Guide for playing Boros Control in Modern. Learn how to win games by killing every permanent your opponents plays, including their lands.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

I also enjoy playing Pauper, don't think it is the play experience you want new players to be thrown into. Very difficult to do well if you don't know what is going on, and small mistakes can compound into losses easily turns later. Can be difficult to figure out what went wrong.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

They would be 16.7% if the EV of the bet was 1. I suspect most places want the EVs of their bets to be lower than that, so I think the implied odds should be lower than that.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

How are you preparing for dealing with the increased number of reporters that will be around the Sixers now that LeBron is on the team?

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

This is maybe the best improvement they could make to playing MODO.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Is VJ's development helped being surrounded by so much talent, or hurt by the fact the talent will mean he gets to handle the ball less than last year?

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Sixers should be fun to follow this year with LeBron and Brown. Hoping they win multiple playoff series for the first time in forever this year.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Yeah, I mostly played Boros Control and Energy prepping for the PT, so I was really just picking between those two decks for the PT. I will also note the deck has no time issues online, but has a time issue in paper.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

I was comparing Boros Energy to Boros Control. And specifically a removal sweet of Thraben Charm and Galvanic Discharge is ineffective against Trudge Fanatic. Control can fight over Fanatic and Rigging Trudge, while also cutting off KCommand Mana. Not a good matchup, but much better than Energy.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

5-0 with the Zevin Faust Boros Control build in a Modern LCQ. Played this because I thought it lined up better into a field with Trudge in it than Boros Energy. Did beat Trudge, so worked out. @fireshoes.bsky.social

3 Avengers Disassembled
1 Castle Ardenvale
4 Cleansing Wildfire
4 Cori Mountain Monastery
4 Demolition Field
4 Erode
4 Field of Ruin
3 Galvanic Discharge
3 High Noon
2 Mountain
4 Path to Exile
4 Plains
4 Price of Freedom
3 Sacred Foundry
4 Solitude
4 Sunken Citadel
1 The Legend of Roku
4 Wrath of the Skies

1 Avengers Disassembled
1 High Noon
1 Kaheera, the Orphanguard
2 Orim's Chant
3 Rest in Peace
1 Surgical Extraction
1 The Legend of Roku
1 Vexing Bauble
3 Wear/Tear
1 Wrath of God

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Finished 8-8, ran pretty cold at the end of the PT. Still made worlds, so not bad.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Registered Boros for PT Amsterdam. Not thrilled with it, but it has good plans against Combo, and seemed reasonable in general.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

5-2 in the challenge with Boros Energy. Deck is very mediocre, but it seems all of modern is.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Love the Brown trade. Should be a real improvement, and the cost is acceptable. Think he will play well with Maxey and VJ in particular.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

This is stronger Monastery Mentor, right?

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

4-3 in a challenge with Mono Green Landfall. Deck wasn't overly impressive to me, but also isn't playable online. There is a Quirion Ranger+Ashaya infinite landfall loop in the deck, but it is too time consuming to execute. My guess is it is okay if you want to have fun in Modern.

1 Ashaya, Soul of the Wild
4 Badgermole Cub
1 Boseiju, Who Endures
4 Delighted Halfling
2 Dryad Arbor
3 Earthbender Ascension
6 Forest
2 Ghost Quarter
4 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Grist, the Hunger Tide
4 Icetill Explorer
1 Mightform Harmonizer
2 Misty Rainforest
3 Nature's Rhythm
1 Nissa, Resurgent Animist
1 Ouroboroid
1 Overgrown Tomb
2 Quirion Ranger
2 Sazh's Chocobo
1 Shifting Woodland
4 Springheart Nantuko
1 Underground Mortuary
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Windswept Heath
3 Wooded Foothills
1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth

1 Chomping Changeling
1 Collector Ouphe
2 Damping Sphere
1 Dryad Militant
2 Endurance
2 Force of Vigor
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Trinisphere
2 Vexing Bauble
1 Witherbloom Charm

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Got Top 8 of the Modern Super Qualifier with Boros Control. Deck crushes the fair matchups mostly, even if you basically can't win a couple matchups. Still figuring out the right threat package, but pretty happy with the rest of the deck. Viable for RCQs for sure. @fireshoes.bsky.social

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

That doesn't help, but you need to resolve that call faster. I understand if you are doing an investigation into possible cheating that takes a while, but 40 minutes passes the limit of what is acceptable for tournament integrity.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Lost in Semis of the Limited Championship Qualifier yesterday. Event takes forever, ended up leaving the event hall around 9 pm. For this sort of event I think the current end of round procedures are insufficient. You need rounds to get turned around faster on Sunday.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

I usually aim to take away some mid to late game options from the opponent to help win, like cutting off one color from a three color deck. But yeah, you have the general game plan correct, which is why I like to call it a control rather than a land destruction deck.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Top 4 of a Modern Challenge with Gruul Broodscale. Needed to mulligan to Temple alot, but deck was pretty powerful when you do. Haven't played this in a while, so just copied a SB from a challenge list. Liked the deck overall, might play it more. @fireshoes.bsky.social

3 Ancient Stirrings
4 Basking Broodscale
4 Blade of the Bloodchief
2 Boseiju, Who Endures
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Commercial District
4 Eldrazi Temple
2 Emrakul, the Promised End
2 Forest
4 Glaring Fleshraker
4 Grove of the Burnwillows
1 Haywire Mite
4 Kozilek's Command
4 Malevolent Rumble
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Springleaf Drum
2 Stomping Ground
2 Unholy Heat
4 Urza's Saga
3 Vexing Bauble
2 Walking Ballista
1 Wooded Foothills
3 Writhing Chrysalis

3 Nature's Claim
1 Pithing Needle
2 Pyroclasm
1 Soul-Guide Lantern
2 Soulless Jailer
2 Thief of Existence
1 Unholy Heat
2 Veil of Summer
1 Vexing Bauble

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

4-3 in the challenge with Boros Control. Ran a bit cold on pairings, Mono Red burn with infinite basics is not a good matchup. Forgot to take out Elspeth, she has been pretty bad.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

5-2 in yet another challenge with Boros Control. Teched for UW Chant, and Burn since they were on an upswing. Faced both of them, so it worked out. I think I like the counter magic, since it helps some of the trickier matchups significantly. Still think this is a reasonable deck to play right now.

4 Cleansing Wildfire
4 Cori Mountain Monastery
4 Erode
1 Mountain
4 Galvanic Discharge
3 Reprieve
5 Plains
4 Path to Exile
4 Price of Freedom
4 Solitude
1 Castle Ardenvale
4 Field of Ruin
1 The Legend of Roku
3 Mana Tithe
4 Wrath of the Skies
2 Sacred Foundry
3 Sunken Citadel
4 Demolition Field
1 Elspeth, Storm Slayer

2 High Noon
2 Orim's Chant
2 Celestial Purge
3 Kor Firewalker
2 Wear // Tear
3 Rest in Peace
1 Kaheera, the Orphanguard

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

I'd keep the same. I think Vibrant Outburst is sort of like crab in terms of tempo swing, though get the difference between having Crab or not can be large in actual gameplay.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Made a Boros Control Guide. I am not sure exactly how good the deck is, but have Top 16d twice, and Top 8d the three challenges I played with it. I also think it is quite fun, like playing Pauper in Modern. metafy.gg/guides/view/...

metafy.gg

Modern Boros Control

Guide for playing Boros Control in Modern. Learn how to win games by killing every permanent your opponents plays, including their lands.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

There are almost no Flex Slots in the mana base. You can run one over a RW Dual, but I have always wanted to target my opponents lands. Castle Ardenvale or more Citadels are more what I would consider.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Top 8d a Modern Challenge with Boros Control. Decided to try out the Kaheera build. Knight was difficult to cast, so this seems plausibly better. Trying out playing countermagic too, not sure on it yet, but they do work well with the main gameplan. @fireshoes.bsky.social

4 Cleansing Wildfire
4 Cori Mountain Monastery
4 Erode
1 Mountain
4 Galvanic Discharge
4 Reprieve
5 Plains
4 Path to Exile
4 Price of Freedom
4 Solitude
1 Sunbillow Verge
4 Field of Ruin
1 The Legend of Roku
2 Mana Tithe
4 Wrath of the Skies
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Sunken Citadel
4 Demolition Field
1 Elspeth, Storm Slayer

2 High Noon
2 Kataki, War's Wage
2 Orim's Chant
2 Celestial Purge
1 Vexing Bauble
2 Wear // Tear
3 Rest in Peace
1 Kaheera, the Orphanguard

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

There is. It is generally pretty good if you expect a lot of DRC, but I think a bit too weak in general.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

5-2 in the Modern Challenge with Boros Control. Losing Phlage I think isn't a huge deal for the deck, it didn't interact with the main game plan. Probably a bit light on the White cards here, considering options for win cons that aren't Roku.

4 Cleansing Wildfire
4 Cori Mountain Monastery
4 Erode
1 Mountain
4 Galvanic Discharge
2 March of Otherworldly Light
5 Plains
4 Path to Exile
4 Price of Freedom
4 Solitude
1 Sunbillow Verge
4 Field of Ruin
2 The Legend of Roku
4 White Orchid Phantom
4 Wrath of the Skies
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Sunken Citadel
4 Demolition Field

2 High Noon
2 Kataki, War's Wage
2 Orim's Chant
2 Celestial Purge
2 Vexing Bauble
2 Wear // Tear
3 Rest in Peace

110

Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

It depends on if you view Grades as a ranking of the students who took this instance of the course, or as a reflection of the students mastery of the course material. If you review it as mastery the cap might mean student who mastered the learning outcomes of the course not receive As.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Happy to see Lotus Field banned. Really did not want to deal with keeping track of opponents doing the Analyst loop in paper. Hope the Outburst unban doesn't immediately backfire.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

I think I would lump Prowess shells into has Otter or not. Otter is usually a sign they want to go under the field, everything else is different ways to go over.

020

Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

4-2 in the Standard Challenge with Mardu Discard. Tried out Hired Claw in the flex slot since it costs 1, not 2. I liked it, Curving 1 into CBR is a big deal. Deck seems reasonable if Control is on the uptick, still on my radar for DC.

1 Blazemire Verge
4 Sacred Foundry
1 Mountain
4 Moonshadow
1 Desecrex, Gift of Servitude
2 Inspiring Vantage
4 Cool but Rude
1 Erode
1 Godless Shrine
4 Hardened Academic
4 Concealed Courtyard
4 Iron-Shield Elf
4 Marauding Mako
3 Burst Lightning
4 Bloodghast
1 Multiversal Passage
4 Practiced Offense
1 Requiting Hex
4 Blood Crypt
4 Starting Town
3 Tersa Lightshatter
1 Hired Claw

2 Case of the Crimson Pulse
2 Pyroclasm
1 Erode
1 Seam Rip
1 Shoot the Sheriff
3 Strategic Betrayal
3 Voice of Victory
2 Duress

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

I'd be surprised if anyone else is on Slickshot in Lessons.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Went 3-3 with Valakut in the Challenge. Pretty sure I am off it as a serious contender, but it is fun to play at the very least. I really like Dryad of the Ilysian Grove, even won a game where it bolted my opponent through a Dress Down.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

5-2 in the Modern Challenge, trying out the Valakut list that Top 8d yesterday. I rolled all the fair decks, and lost to the two combo decks I faced. Not sure king of the fair decks is a viable place to be in Modern. I do think it is fine to play if you want to play the card Valakut.

4 Arboreal Grazer
1 Bojuka Bog
2 Boseiju, Who Endures
3 Commercial District
1 Dryad Arbor
4 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
1 Forest
1 Ghost Quarter
3 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Icetill Explorer
3 Lightning Bolt
4 Malevolent Rumble
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Mountain
2 Prismatic Omen
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Shifting Woodland
2 Stomping Ground
4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
2 Vexing Bauble
4 Vibrance
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Wrenn and Six

1 Collector Ouphe
3 Damping Sphere
1 Fade from History
3 Force of Vigor
1 Meltdown
3 Pyroclasm
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Vexing Bauble

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

It is a list that has been having success for a bit online. And yeah, the red spells make locking out the opponent much easier, though you do just get run over more often than is ideal. Especially if the opponent gets an early Cannoneer.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

5-2 in the Modern Challenge with Boros Control. Deck seems pretty solid to me, though I faced Gr Eldrazi Ramp and that didn't seem like a winnable matchup. However it seems playable into Affinity and Boros Energy, so I might try it some more.

4 Cleansing Wildfire
4 Cori Mountain Monastery
4 Demolition Field
4 Erode
4 Field of Ruin
4 Galvanic Discharge
2 March of Otherworldly Light
1 Mountain
4 Path to Exile
2 Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury
5 Plains
4 Price of Freedom
3 Sacred Foundry
3 Solitude
1 Sunbillow Verge
2 Sunken Citadel
1 The Legend of Roku
4 White Orchid Phantom
4 Wrath of the Skies

2 Celestial Purge
2 High Noon
2 Kataki, War's Wage
2 Orim's Chant
3 Rest in Peace
2 Vexing Bauble
2 Wear/Tear

162

Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

If they are blowing it up I think moving on makes sense. But if they are keeping the same core, I think sticking with Nurse is the right move.

020

Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Lost in Top 4 of the Standard Challenge with Mardu Discard. Deck is way better than iterations were pre Strixhaven, Offense is a huge add. Need to play more to know what I like in terms of SB plans, but liking the deck so far.

1 Blazemire Verge
4 Blood Crypt
4 Bloodghast
3 Burst Lightning
1 Carnage, Crimson Chaos
4 Concealed Courtyard
4 Cool but Rude
1 Erode
1 Godless Shrine
4 Hardened Academic
2 Inspiring Vantage
1 Inti, Seneschal of the Sun
4 Iron-Shield Elf
4 Marauding Mako
4 Moonshadow
1 Mountain
1 Multiversal Passage
4 Practiced Offense
1 Requiting Hex
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Starting Town
3 Tersa Lightshatter

2 Case of the Crimson Pulse
4 Leyline of the Void
2 Pyroclasm
1 Seam Rip
1 Shoot the Sheriff
2 Strategic Betrayal
3 Voice of Victory

041

Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Will the Sixers finally pay the tax in an attempt to actually have depth on the roster? I have concerns that Grimes, and more importantly Oubre will leave in FA with no one of note coming in to replace them, let alone adding guys beyond those two.

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Kellen Pastore @kellenpastore.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

It is time for Josh Harris to sell. Sixers need to actually go into the Tax to add depth, and him refusing to do so is holding the team too far back.

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