Goryo's Vengeance
Combo · Modern · April 2026 · Sim-verified · 100 Bo3 per pair
Format
Modern
Combo · 3.6% meta
Sim WR (flat)
10.0%
⚖ 8.9% T1/T2 weighted
Rank
#16
T2 · -1.1pp weighted gap
Best / Worst
38%
vs Ruby Storm / worst 0% vs Boros Energy
Decklist
Mainboard (60)
4Goryo's Vengeance275 casts · #4 finisher (13)
4Griselbrandthreat523 dmg
3Archon of Crueltycantrip1279 dmg
4Solitudevalue368 dmg
4Ephemerate250 casts · #3 finisher (19)
4Faithful Mendingcantrip259 casts
4Thoughtseizehate390 casts · #2 finisher (23)
3Inquisition of Kozilekhate
2Undying Evil
4Marsh Flatslandfetch land
2Godless Shrineland
1Watery Graveland
1Hallowed Fountainland
2Silent Clearingcantrip
4Flooded Strandlandfetch land
2Swampland
1Plainsland
1Islandland
4Concealed Courtyardlandenters tapped
2Leyline of Sanctity
4Unburial Rites
60 cards · 21 unique
Sideboard (15)
4Leyline of the Void
2Flusterstormhate
2Wear // Tearremoval
2Teferi, Time Ravelercantrip
2Prismatic Endingremoval
2Force of Negationhate
1Rest in Peacevalue
15 cards · 7 unique
Deck Construction Findings
Meta-weighted vs flat WR
Beats top decks as well as weak ones
-1.1pp
Archon of Cruelty: #1 damage source
? casts across 1500 games
1279 dmg
Unmarked Grave: #1 finisher
Primary combat closer (T9.0)
35 kills
Unmarked Grave: most cast card
0.3x per game average — the engine of the deck
435 casts
Best matchup: Ruby Storm
Combo archetype — structural advantage
38%
Worst matchup: Boros Energy
Aggro archetype — structural weakness
0%
Stars of the Sim — 1500 Games
MVP
Unmarked Grave
35 kills
? total dmg · Primary combat closer (T9.0)
MVP
Thoughtseize
23 kills
? total dmg · Primary combat closer (T9.0)
Overperformer
Archon of Cruelty
1279 dmg
damage engine
Overperformer
Griselbrand
523 dmg
damage engine
Game Plan
Setup
Early disruption with Thoughtseize while setting up
Enablers: Faithful Mending, Thoughtseize
Develop
Get Griselbrand or Archon into the graveyard via self-discard
Enablers: Faithful Mending
Close
Reanimate with Goryo's Vengeance (legendary) or Unburial Rites (any creature, with flashback)
Payoffs: Goryo's Vengeance, Unburial Rites
Protection: Ephemerate, Undying Evil
Mulligan for: Archon of Cruelty, Faithful Mending, Goryo's Vengeance, Griselbrand, Unburial Rites
Always deploy T1-T2: Faithful Mending, Thoughtseize
Kill Turn Distribution
Metagame Strategy — Non-Obvious Findings
Damage ≠ kills: Archon of Cruelty deals the most damage (1279) but Unmarked Grave gets the most kills (35). The closer and the damage engine are different cards — don't evaluate them the same way.
Sideboard asymmetry: vs Azorius Control, G1 WR is 70% but match WR drops to 30% (-40pp). Opponent adapts better post-board.
Removal blind spot: Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer from Domain Zoo deals 95 damage and is likely outside your mainboard removal range. Consider SB answers for this axis.
Weighted gap -1.1pp: This deck underperforms at top tables vs the field. Struggles against popular decks — consider adapting your SB for the T1 field.
G1 → Match Swing — Sideboard Asymmetry
Azorius Control
70%
→
30%
-40pp
G3=40%
4/5c Control
50%
→
16%
-34pp
G3=80%
Azorius Control (WST
40%
→
16%
-24pp
G3=50%
Domain Zoo
20%
→
0%
-20pp
G3=50%
Dimir Midrange
20%
→
2%
-18pp
G3=40%
Izzet Prowess
20%
→
4%
-16pp
G3=20%
What Kills You — Removal Blind Spots
Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
95 dmg · Domain Zoo
Psychic Frog
92 dmg · Dimir Midrange
Monastery Swiftspear
107 dmg · Izzet Prowess
Omnath, Locus of Creation
82 dmg · 4c Omnath
Matchup Spread
T1 opponents (≥5% meta)
4/5c Controlcontrol6.7%16%
Azorius Control (WSTcontrol6.7%16%
Azorius Controlcontrol6.7%30%
T2 opponents (3-5%)
Field
Dimir Midrangemidrange2.8%2%
Pinnacle Affinityaggro2.0%4%
Simulated: 2026-05-02 · 16 decks · 100 Bo3/pair (1500 games for Goryo's Vengeance) · Engine: MTGSimManu@3e74429
Source: metagame_data.jsx (D object) · Card stats: deck_cards[6] · Matchups: matchup_cards["6,*"]
Shell: ManusAI · Strategy + EV scoring: Claude · Owner: DJPieter81