Can Cling to Dust be an option in Modern?

We're here once again to comment on the Theros Beyond Death spoilers. In the last article about the new edition we commented on Heliod, Sun-Crowned combo decks, This time we will comment on a CMC 1 card that may enter the position of already known Modern and/or Pioneer staples.

Cling to Dust is a 1-mana black instant that allows you to exile a card from a graveyard, if it is a creature, you gain 3 life; Any other kind, you draw a card. It also has escape, exiling 5 cards and paying 4 mana.

WHY CLING TO DUST IS A GOOD CARD?

Drawing one card for 1 black mana is not new to Magic. We had the following cards with similar texts: Aphotic Wisps, Cremate, Nighthaze and Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight. Wizards of the Coast seems to realize that these cards have never seen a game and decided to give steroids to the new spoiler: they added the escape mechanic and gave the new card an important versatility.

Card advantage : Mostly Cling to Dust is a 1 to 1 trade, but there is a possibility, when there are mana and cards in the graveyard, that it will be 2 to 1. Make no mistake, many Modern games are resolved before you can use escape, I would say that this card advantage is not ideal, but it does exist.

Life gain : Earning 3 life by exiling a creature is the worst ability of this card, but it is a possibility that depending on the game is important. Against Burn or extremely aggressive decks, this card is a counter to Lightning Bolt for only 1 mana.

Gravehate: Graveyard disruption for only 1 card is not ideal, but can win you games. Exiling the Snapcaster Mage target can win you matches against control. Other targets: Exile Sword of the Meek to prevent Simic Whirza's combo; exiling an artifact can end Traverse the Ulvenwald delirium against a Death's Shadow; exile a Conflagrate or Creeping Chill against dredge among other options ...

Can be played from the graveyard : Being discarded does not lose 100% of its value. Decks that play with their graveyard like Mardu Pyromancer can take advantage of this card.

Storm Counter : Again I will use Mardu Pyromancer as an example: the deck wants to play a lot of spells to create token. Cling to Dust can be played 2 times if you have enough mana. Remember that Escape is cast!

At worst Cling to Dust can be cycled. We're talking about the Modern format, reigned by fetchlands from both your deck and your opponent's deck.

WHICH CARDS COMPETE WITH CLING TO DUST?

We thought in: Opt, Serum Visions or Hieroglyphic Illumination.

The three cards represent Card Advantage or Card Selection in Blue. Many professionals consider scry 1 to be draw 0.5. Therefore, in their view, Opt is draw 1.5 card instant, Serum Visions is draw 2 cards sorcery. Hieroglyphic Illumination is very similar to Cling to Dust, just cycling at the beginning of the game but evolving to a card advantage at the end.

We're even seeing Ransack the Lab being played in 5-0 Mardu lists in Modern. Two mana for 1 draw and a little more depending on how your deck was built.

DECKS WITH CLING TO DUST

Grixis Control

Recently, a Grixis Control made 5-0 in MTGO, I decided to remove the 2 Into the Story and 1 Murderous Rider // Swift End to put 3 Cling to Dust in place. Drown in the Loch does not compete directly with Cling to Dust since Cling to Dust can target his owner graveyard.

Mardu Pyromancer

Another deck that has already been mentioned here: Mardu Pyromancer. We saw another 5-0 list in MTGO and replaced the 3 Ransack the Lab with 3 Cling to Dust. I see a lot of synergy in this deck!

Doesn't agree or we lost something about this card? You can comment that we will respond!