Catalogue
Midrange
Murktide
| 55-45
The scariest card in this deck is certainly Murktide Regent, as it’s a big flier that can be played before we can cast Armageddon. Archmage’s Charm is their next best card against us for its ability to steal our Aether Vials. I recommend having a split of 3 Rest in Peace and 0-1 Sanctifier en-Vec over a 2/2 split in the sideboard for this matchup because the deck is able to cast Murktide through a Sanctifier.
My main advice is to be patient. If they are representing Counterspell, don’t shove the combo unless you have a really good reason to (this applies to most counterspell matchups). Try to bait with cards like Thalia and Ranger-Captain first.
Post-board, we bring in RIP and Cathar as additional answers to Murktide. We have to cut Skyclaves to make room, but the Forge-Tenders (or Sanctifiers if you’re playing them) reduce the need for answers to Dragon’s Rage Channeler and Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer.
If you’re playing against a Ledger Shredder build, I recommend only bringing in two RIP and keeping one or two Skyclave Apparition in the deck; those versions usually have fewer copies of Murktide or Dragon’s Rage Channeler and are less reliant on their graveyard.
In: 3 Rest in Peace, 2 Burrenton Forge-Tender, 2 Brutal Cathar, 1 Sanctum Prelate
Out: 4 Eladamri’s Call, 4 Skyclave Apparition
Recs: Veil of Summer, Prismatic Ending, Esper Sentinel
BR Rock
| 40-60
Rakdos midrange plays discard spells (which are generally better than counterspells vs Kirin) and has Dauthi Voidwalker and Tourach, Dread Cantor as non-graveyard threats. This matchup has felt pretty close to even in practice, and they can actually struggle against Kirin if they don’t draw a Tourach; we play the best graveyard hate spells in the format in Rest in Peace and Sanctifier en-Vec, have a ton of exile-based removal, and also play Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Sanctum Prelate. However, if they do find Tourach and cast him on-curve, it’s hard for us to come back.
This deck has a lot of discard, so we board out Aether Vial and Eladamri’s Call to increase our topdeck quality. I highly suggest playing some sideboard Veil of Summer and/or main-deck Prelate/Sanctifier if you think you’ll run into this matchup.
In: 1 Prismatic Ending, 3 Rest in Peace, 2 Burrenton Forge-Tender, 1 Sanctum Prelate, 1-2 Brutal Cathar
Out: 4 Aether Vial, 4 Eladamri’s Call, 0-1 Oust
Recs: Veil of Summer, Prismatic Ending, Sanctifier en-Vec, Esper Sentinel
Grixis Death’s Shadow
| 55-45
This matchup is slightly favored because we play Oust and Solitude in the main deck, Skyclave Apparition is strong against them, and our sideboard cards are quite effective. Their best card against us is Ledger Shredder; answering it should be a priority! Also be wary of Dress Down, which can stop our combo for a turn and get them out of a Prelate or Sanctifier lock.
GDS is a Drown in the Loch deck, so you should always be aware of how many cards are in your graveyard. Try not to fetch unless necessary; the fewer cards there are in your graveyard, the less you’ll have to worry about your important spells getting countered.
In: 1 Prismatic Ending, 3 Rest in Peace, 2 Burrenton Forge-Tender, 1 Sanctum Prelate, 1-2 Brutal Cathar
Out: 4 Aether Vial, 4 Eladamri’s Call, 0-1 Ranger-Captain of Eos or Ugin’s Conjurant
Recs: Veil of Summer, Prismatic Ending, Esper Sentinel, Burrenton Forge-Tender
Jund Saga
| 55-45
This deck wins games by using a combination of graveyard cards (Dragon’s Rage Channeler, Tarmogoyf, Wrenn and Six) and Urza’s Saga to power through hate.
I give Kirin a slight edge based on Jund Saga’s susceptibility to hate cards, but if we stumble they can easily take over the game with their efficiency and raw power. I prefer the 2/2 split of Prismatic Ending and Solitude (no Oust) and an extra Ending in the sideboard for this matchup.
Gruul Saga is a much more difficult matchup (about 35-65) because they play Fury and have a greater density of threats. Not all lists play her, but Chandra, Dressed to Kill alongside Wrenn and Six is yikes.
In: 3 Rest in Peace, 1 Prismatic Ending, 1 Burrenton Forge-Tender, 1 Sanctum Prelate, 2 Phyrexian Revoker
Out: 4 Aether Vial, 4 Eladamri’s Call
Recs: Prismatic Ending, Veil of Summer, Mirran Crusader
4c Omnath
| 35-65
Turns out, free spells are really good against decks that win by denying opponents mana. This matchup is really difficult game 1, but it’s possible to win post-board games with some sideboard cards and careful creature sequencing to avoid getting blown out by Fury or Solitude.
It might look a bit strange to have so few dedicated sideboard cards for the four-color matchup, as it’s a popular deck and also one of our worst matchups, but in my opinion the best way to fight against this deck is to play with proactive disruption (Lavinia, Azorius Renegade, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, few to no noncreature removal spells) and try to combo as consistently as possible. This is one of few midrange matchups where we board into a more combo-reliant deck for games two and three.
To that effect, we use Lavinia as our primary elemental hate card because she works best with Armageddon. Giver of Runes is also important because she can help prevent Ephemerate + Fury/Solitude 2-for-1s. Make sure you give your other creature protection before the elemental resolves, so they can’t respond to Giver’s activation with Ephemerate.
I usually cut Prismatic Ending because its only good target is Wrenn and Six, then bring in Phyrexian Revoker to compensate. I like to cut a Noble Hierarch because the curve is filled out by Lavinia and Revoker as additional two-drops (making the ramp less necessary) and because it’s liable to getting pinged by Fury and Wrenn and Six.
In: 3 Lavinia, Azorius Renegade, 2 Burrenton Forge-Tender, 1 Phyrexian Revoker
Out: 1 Oust, 1 Prismatic Ending, 1 Noble Hierarch, 2 Skyclave Apparition, 1 Solitude
Recs: 4th Lavinia
Asmora Food
These are decks which are built around the Food package: Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar, The Underworld Cookbook, and Ovalchase Daredevil. Asmo decks are generally favored matchups because they’re reliant on both Urza’s Saga and their graveyard to function, putting them at a very unfortunate crossroads of hate.
Hell’s Kitchen | 65-35
Of all the Cookbook variants, this one is the softest to graveyard and artifact hate; it is extremely reliant on Urza’s Saga Constructs for threats, and if it can’t use its graveyard, none of its Food producers work well. I cut Aether Vials against this deck because they have sideboard discard spells and are pretty slow overall.
In: 3 Rest in Peace, 2 Phyrexian Revoker, 1 Prismatic Ending, 1 Knight of Autumn
Out: 4 Aether Vial, 1 Oust, 1 Solitude
Recs: Prismatic Ending, Sanctfier en-Vec
Urza’s Kitchen | 60-40
The UB Kitchen deck cuts back on graveyard stuff and focuses on artifact payoffs instead: Urza, Lord High Artificer, Urza’s Saga, and Thought Monitor. Thought Monitor is their best card in the matchup; it dodges Skyclave Apparition and can help them draw out of an Armageddon. They also have access to Thoughtseize and Metallic Rebuke for interaction in the sideboard.
In: 2 Rest in Peace, 1 Prismatic Ending, 2 Phyrexian Revoker, 1 Knight of Autumn
Out: 4 Aether Vial, 1 Oust, 1 Solitude
Recs: Prismatic Ending, Kataki, War’s Wage
Reanimator Kitchen | 60-40
The Reanimator Cookbook decks I’ve seen have been BW or Mono B, but I can imagine them playing Esper as well. The cheese factor of being able to Persist a creature on turn two is what pushes this matchup closer to even. Rest in Peace is still backbreaking, though, and we have main-deck and sideboard answers to Archon of Cruelty.
In: 3 Rest in Peace, 2 Brutal Cathar
Out: 4 Aether Vial, 1 Skyclave Apparition
Recs: Prismatic Ending
Esper Food | 60-40
The Esper or UB Food combo deck uses The Underworld Cookbook and Academy Manufactor to go infinite with Time Sieve. Ledger Shredder, Emry, Lurker of the Loch, Urza’s Saga, and Asmo herself are a great midrange strategy to fall back on should the combo plan go awry, and Unearth gives the deck speed.
We have a lot of great hate cards for this deck, but Unearth and particularly Ledger Shredder allow them to go under or fight through our combo. My approach has been to board out Vial to anticipate them bringing in Thoughtseize, then replace Eladamri’s Call with Rest in Peace/Prismatic Ending and fill out the rest with creatures.
In: 1 Prismatic Ending, 3 Rest in Peace, 2 Phyrexian Revoker, 1 Knight of Autumn, 0-1 Brutal Cathar
Out: 4 Aether Vial, 3-4 Eladamri’s Call
Death & Taxes
| 50-50
I’ve had success against this deck in the past, but I haven’t played against the newer versions of D&T that play [c]Solitude + Ephemerate and stuff like Ambitious Farmhand. Those builds may be closer to unfavored matchups.
Access to mana is the difference-maker in this matchup; if you can stem their mana production by answering their Aether Vials, you have a good shot at beating them. You’ll want to board in Cathars for Kaldra Compleat germ tokens, Revoker for Stoneforge Mystic and Aether Vial, Knight of Autumn for Vial and equipments, and Lavinia, Azorius Renegade for Solitude if they’re playing that version.
One random interaction I’ve found is that a 6/6 or larger Ugin’s Conjurant can block a Kaldra Compleat token and survive; since combat damage is prevented, Kaldra’s “exile creature at end of combat” ability doesn’t trigger. It works the same way with deathtouch creatures (not that those are relevant here).
The sideboard plan is about the same across all sub-archetypes of D&T.
In: 1 Prismatic Ending, 2 Phyrexian Revoker, 1 Knight of Autumn, 2 Brutal Cathar, 1 Lavinia, Azorius Renegade (if playing Solitude)
Out: 4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, 2 Ranger-Captain of Eos, 1 Oust (if bringing in Lavinia)
Recs: Prismatic Ending, Solitude
Stoneblade
UWx | 55-45
This includes Azorius, Bant, and Jeskai Stoneblade. The Stoneforge Mystic shell is very flexible and lists can vary wildly in terms of card selection, but the thing most have in common is that they play Counterspell and Prismatic Ending.
This is one of a few matchups in which Prismatic Ending on our Aether Vial can be a big problem. Against decks like UW Control, getting our Vial answered is only a minor nuisance because they don’t put many creatures in play (therefore making Vial’s mana acceleration less necessary), but Stoneblade is able to back up an Ending with a clock to pressure us.
Despite that, I think that Kirin has a slight advantage against Stoneblade decks in general because they are pretty soft to Armageddon and their main interaction for our combo is counterspells, which we have the tools to deal with. Versions with Aether Vial and higher Solitude counts are more difficult to beat, though.
The two cards you’ll bring in most often for these matchups are Phyrexian Revoker for Stoneforge and planeswalkers and Brutal Cathar for Kaldra Compleat.
Azorius
UW Stoneblade typically plays Solitude as a four-of with fewer creatures overall and playsets of both Counterspell and Archmage’s Charm. I wouldn’t recommend cutting Vial here since they play so many counterspells. You can mess around with these numbers depending on who’s on the play/draw.
In: 3 Lavinia, Azorius Renegade, 2 Phyrexian Revoker, 1 Brutal Cathar
Out: 1 Oust, 1 Prismatic Ending, 2 Eladamri’s Call, 2 Skyclave Apparition
Recs: Esper Sentinel, Veil of Summer
Bant
Bant is usually heavier on creatures with Noble Hierarch, Spell Queller, and Ice-Fang Coatl. I just trim whatever feels least useful post-board.
In: 2 Phyrexian Revoker, 2 Brutal Cathar
Out: 1 Aether Vial, 1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, 1 Ranger-Captain of Eos, 1 Prismatic Ending
Jeskai
Jeskai Monkeblade often plays Lightning Bolt, so Prelate can be brought in for this matchup.
In: 1 Prismatic Ending, 2 Phyrexian Revoker, 1 Brutal Cathar, 1 Sanctum Prelate
Out: 2 Aether Vial, 2 Eladamri’s Call, 1 Ranger-Captain of Eos
BWx Griefblade | 40-60
Now this is a matchup where cutting Vial is appropriate; you want to have as many impactful cards in your deck as you can since their plan is to use Grief + Ephemerate to put both players in topdeck mode on the first turn of the game and win via tempo. Against the Reanimator/Griefblade deck, also bring in Rest in Peace and Sanctifier en-Vec over Skyclave Apparition.
In: 3 Lavinia, Azorius Renegade, 2 Brutal Cathar
Out: 4 Aether Vial, 1 Prismatic Ending
Recs: Veil of Summer
Rx Midrange
GR Ponza | 30-70
This matchup is atrocious. Almost all of their threats have some kind of mana generation tacked onto them—Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, Wrenn and Six, Klothys, God of Destiny, Chandra, Torch of Defiance, sometimes Chandra, Dressed to Kill—if you add the fact that they can play a full playset of Fury and have the jank factor of turn two Blood Moon, you get a pretty much unwinnable matchup on paper.
My advice is to slow them down as much as you can by targeting their ramp spells. Prismatic Ending can hit Utopia Sprawl and Revoker can name Arbor Elf since untapping a land isn’t technically a mana ability. Lavinia is good at preventing early Blood Moons, Fury, and Bloodbraid Elf cascade. You can cut one or two Noble Hierarch to reduce the odds of card-positive Fury trades and Thalia because she sucks. Your deck does get slower, but the addition of the two-drops from the sideboard helps smooth out your curve.
In: 1 Prismatic Ending, 2 Burrenton Forge-Tender, 2 Phyrexian Revoker, 3 Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
Out: 1 Noble Hierarch, 1 Oust, 4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, 1 Ranger-Captain of Eos, 1 Solitude
Recs: Prismatic Ending, Burrenton Forge-Tender
Mono R | 40-60
This includes archetypes such as Prison, Obosh, and non-Obosh Red. These decks have fewer insta-win threats than Ponza and can be slowed down with pro-red creatures, tax creatures, and Ghostly Prison, but they still play Fury and Chandra, Dressed to Kill/Chandra, Torch of Defiance, which is rough.
I don’t think Lavinia is worth it in these matchups since they don’t have much early-game ramp and don’t always play the full set of Fury. Forge-Tender, Prelate, and Revoker are what I recommend boarding in.
In: 2 Burrenton Forge-Tender, 2 Phyrexian Revoker, 1 Sanctum Prelate
Out: 1 Oust, 4 Eladamri’s Call
Recs: Prismatic Ending, Burrenton Forge-Tender
Next: Combo
