Locations
Modern is a big format. It contains over eleven years of cards at this point, which means there are plenty of hidden gems in the format for those willing to look for them. Today, I’ll be taking a look at a card that never quite made it in any format, and I’ll building a deck around it that you can build even if you’re on a budget. The card in question is Near-Death Experience, and the deck looks like this.
Mostly Dead ? Modern | Mike Cannon
- Spells (36)
- 3 Dawn Charm
- 3 Vendetta
- 4 Angel's Grace
- 4 Path to Exile
- 4 Plunge into Darkness
- 4 Duress
- 4 Lingering Souls
- 4 Night's Whisper
- 2 Oblivion Ring
- 4 Near-Death Experience
- Lands (24)
- 11 Plains
- 5 Swamp
- 4 Caves of Koilos
- 4 Isolated Chapel
The Combo
Angel's Grace is the main card that made me want to build the deck. If you’re already at 1 life, it can ensure you don’t die during that turn of vulnerability. If you don’t have Plunge into Darkness, you can simply cast Near-Death Experience and wait for your opponent to try to kill you. You’ll go to 1 instead of losing the game and win on your upkeep. It can also be used to shut down many combos while advancing your own game plan. Casting it against Storm usually means you just win the game unless your opponent has a second Grapeshot, and it buys you a turn to untap and cast removal against Splinter Twin decks.
Dawn Charm is another great way to stay alive for the turn you’re vulnerable. If your opponent is trying to kill you with creatures, you can use it to prevent combat damage. If it’s a Lightning Bolt that threatens to end the game, you can counter it. If your opponent has both . . . well, you’ll need another Dawn Charm.
The Support
Night's Whisper helps you dig up the combo pieces you need while also just giving you more cards to work with. This deck plays a pretty controlling game, so restocking on removal spells is always a good thing.
The main reason for Duress is to get rid of anything that might counter or destroy Near-Death Experience. However, it can also disrupt most combo decks by getting rid of a card such as Birthing Pod or Splinter Twin.
Path to Exile is simply the best removal spell in the format, and I’d be hard-pressed to justify leaving it out of any white deck. The other removal in the deck is a bit more unconventional. Vendetta kills most creatures at instant speed for 1 mana, but most decks aren’t prepared to deal with the life-loss it inflicts. In this deck, you’re planning on losing it all anyway. Getting rid of a few life points in advance will rarely matter. I’ve also included Oblivion Ring to deal with noncreature threats such as Birthing Pod and Pyromancer Ascension.
Playtesting
Splinter Twin — Game 1
I cast Night's Whisper to draw two cards and passed back. My opponent played Misty Rainforest and ended his turn.
I played a land before passing, and he used the Rainforest to grab Steam Vents during my end step.
My opponent cast Vendilion Clique during my draw step, putting Lingering Souls on the bottom of my library. I passed the turn after playing a land, and he hit me for 3 with the Clique and passed back.
I cast Oblivion Ring on the Clique, and my opponent targeted it with two copies of Twisted Image to draw cards. I ended my turn. My opponent played a land and passed the turn, and I did the same.
He hit me with a Lightning Bolt during my end step, and he cast Snapcaster Mage to flash it back for another 3 damage. He attacked with the Mage to drop me to 5 and ended his turn.
I cast Near-Death Experience, but my opponent returned it to my hand using Remand. I ended my turn. My opponent attacked with Snapcaster Mage again and passed the turn.
I cast Duress, getting rid of Splinter Twin, and I cast Near-Death Experience again. My opponent played a land and passed the turn.
I cast Vendetta on Snapcaster Mage, going to 2, and I tapped my Caves of Koilos for 
to go to 1. I won the game during my upkeep.
Game 2
My opponent cast another Serum Visions and passed back. I cast Duress, taking Splinter Twin, and ended my turn.
My opponent played a land and passed, and I did the same. He cracked a fetch land for Steam Vents at the end of my turn.
He played an Island and ended his turn. I cast Lingering Souls to make a pair of tokens and passed the turn.
My opponent played a land and passed, and I attacked for 2 with the tokens. I used the flashback on Lingering Souls and ended my turn. My opponent cast Deceiver Exarch during my end step, tapping one of my lands.
He attacked with the Exarch, cast Spellskite, and ended his turn. I cast Duress and forced him to discard Dispel. I attacked with my four tokens, cast Oblivion Ring on Spellskite, and passed the turn.
My opponent cast Snapcaster Mage, flashing back Serum Visions. He attacked with Deceiver Exarch and ended his turn. I attacked with my four Spirits and passed the turn.
He cast another Serum Visions and attacked for 3 with his creatures. He ended his turn, and I passed back after dropping him to 4 with tokens.
My opponent attacked for 3 again and passed the turn. I attacked, and he cast Lightning Bolt on one of the tokens to survive.
He cast Splinter Twin on Deceiver Exarch and made a million tokens. He attacked, and I cast Dawn Charm to prevent all combat damage. I attacked for the win on my turn.
Wrap-Up
Although neither deck ran very smoothly that match, we did see some different examples of how this deck can win the game. Casing Angel's Grace can make you win the game instead of lose when your opponent tries to kill you, and alongside Duress and Dawn Charm, the deck is pretty good at disrupting other combo decks. The fact that Near-Death Experience costs 5 mana and must often be cast with some mana left open means this deck isn’t very fast, but the nine removal spells can buy you plenty of time to make it there. If you like unusual combo decks, or if you just like playing the high-risk, high-reward game of dropping to 1 life, give this deck a try.
