Season 13, Episode 16: Brew Session (Fable of the Mirror-Breaker)
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Two weeks ago, no one was playing Fable of the Mirror-Breaker. The card was a limited bomb (with the 2nd highest winrate in the entire set, according to 17Lands data) but was virtually nonexistent in constructed. Then in the blink of an eye, everything changed.
Today on Faithless Brewing we explore the stunning transformation of Fable of the Mirror-Breaker from constructed afterthought to multi-format star. A breakout performance at the Neon Dynasty Championships, paired with the banning of Lurrus of the Dream-Den, has led to an explosion of interest in the Kiki-Jiki saga.
Pretty sure 30-40% of Seasoned Pyromancer decks in Modern should just play Kiki Jiki saga instead. The easy line is Unholy Heat decks prob want Pyro, Ignoble Hierarch decks should look at Fable of the Mirror-Breaker. pic.twitter.com/ypr9b2hUWm
— Ari Lax (@armlx) March 15, 2022
Pioneer has seen the most dramatic change. In the last two weeks, Fable has gone from zero published decklists to 44, across more than a dozen archetypes. Strategies as diverse as Rakdos Midrange, Naya Winota, 4c Transmogrify Fires, Enigmatic Incarnation, Jund Sacrifice, Mardu Greasefang, and Storm Herald Combo have all adopted Fable with success. There is even a dedicated Reflection of Kiki-Jiki + Combat Celebrant[/c] combo deck that 5-0’d yesterday in a Gruul aggro shell. It is hard to play a Pioneer league these days without staring down the Mirror-Breaker’s shattered grin.
Made Top 4 of the Pioneer ‘Classic’ with 4c Fires/Transmogrify from the brain of @Nathansteuer1. Fable is just as good here as you’d expect, deck is still a lil sus but a ton of fun #SCGCON pic.twitter.com/1ITpKcGupZ
— Dom Harvey (@dominharvia) March 21, 2022
Fable has also made tentative inroads into Modern. Reviews are still mixed: Ari Lax has speculated that Fable can replace Seasoned Pyromancer in some strategies, while kanister has found the card to be slow and underwhelming. So far, we have seen six published lists, usually playing Fable alongside Seasoned Pyromancer for a heavy dose of 2/2 rummaging bodies.
Fable didn’t really feel like a modern power level card! Rarely wanted to actually cast it, you have to wait soo long for it to actually provide impact! I do not recommend!
— Piotr ‘kanister’ Głogowski (@kanister_mtg) March 17, 2022
What does the future hold for everyone’s favorite Goblin Shaman? There is no doubt that Fable’s abilities can synergize with countless strategies: graveyard decks interested in rummaging, creature decks looking interested in ramp and bodies, Polymorph decks looking for creature tokens, game object decks interested in raw materials, or midrange decks looking for plain old value. It is a tool with endless possibilities, the best kind of card for a brewer. Can we write the next chapter in the saga of Kiki-Jiki?
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Decklists and Timestamps
[4:14] Why is Kiki so hot right now?
[9:13] Rules notes
[16:39] Key synergies
[23:19] Assessing the power level of Fable
Brewing with Fable: Pioneer Decklists
[27:07] Rakdos Midrange / Rakdos Blood
[30:02] 4c Transmogrify Fires
[31:59] Naya Winota
[35:44] Enigmatic Incarnation
[39:20] Mardu Greasefang
[41:53] Storm Herald Combo
[44:38] Gruul Kiki Celebrant Combo
Brewing with Fable: Modern Decklists
[51:30] Fable of the Mirror-Breaker vs. Seasoned Pyromancer
[54:01] Boros Blink
[54:28] Rakdos Undying
[55:09] Mardu Evoke Reanimator
[56:07] Gruul Ponza
[59:07] Mono Red Prison
[1:00:43] Closing thoughts: the future of Fable
Ready for more brewing content? Check out last week’s episode!
