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Mastering Paragon of Modernity: a guide to crafting a killer combo deck

Paragon of Modernity is a four-mana artifact creature — an Angel Warrior with flying — that brings a surprising, triple-color twist to the table. When you tap for mana, this 2/2 flyer can tip into something far more menacing, thanks to its activated ability: “{3}: This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. If exactly three colors of mana were spent to activate this ability, put a +1/+1 counter on it instead.” The flavor text from Streets of New Capenna—“No true angels have been created since the founding of New Capenna, but artisans have learned to craft elegant facsimiles.”—echoes the card’s dual nature: elegant, engineered power that rewards clever color management 🧙‍♂️🔥💎.

In a world where color-fixing is a craft and mana bases are the chisel, Paragon invites you to build a tempo-heavy, combo-oriented shell around three-color payments. The thrill isn’t just in the buff; it’s in the precision of spending exactly three colors to turn on the counter-doubling effect. If you’ve ever built a deck that rewards careful mana choreography, this is your turn to shine. The result can be a flying, incremental behemoth that outspeeds slower decks and dominates the airways with a cascade of +1/+1 counters ⚔️🎨.

Deck-building pillars: fixing, payoff, and protection

• Mana base that reliably produces three colors: You’ll want a three-color core (for example, W/U/R or B/U/R, depending on the fixers you enjoy). Think in terms of dual and fetch lands, manabases with tri-color fetch/shock equivalents, and mana rocks that don’t derail tempo. The goal is to ensure you can reliably pay the exact trio of colors needed to place a counter rather than a temporary boost.
• Color-fixing accelerants: Cards and lands that smooth three-color access let you assemble the payoff line faster. Think varied fetch-heavy sequences, and lands that memo you into the right colors by turn three or four, so you can activate Paragon with confidence instead of fear.
• Counter-focused synergy: Pair Paragon with effects that care about +1/+1 counters or that double or copy counters. A counter-doubling payoff makes each accurate three-color activation feel enormous, turning a single buff into a torrent of power.
• Protection and resilience: Because Paragon can become a primary win condition, include ways to protect it from removal and to keep the board stable long enough to push through your plan. Burn, removal, and bounce packages are all valid tools here, since the objective is to keep Paragon alive while you accumulate counters.
• Finisher pressure: Once Paragon has a few counters, its flying header becomes a serious clock. You’ll want a few robust ways to close the game once Paragon is large enough that a few swings seal the deal — either by finishing with evasive damage or by leveraging a secondary plan that benefits from a big flying threat.

Flavor-wise, the card’s crusty neon-glass aesthetic fits neatly with a deck that aims to bend mana to the will of color—three colors in, one massive power jump out 🧙‍♂️🎲. The card’s Flying keyword remains a persistent threat, letting Paragon slice through ground defenses while you stage a color-swap symphony in the background. And remember: exactly three colors is the key line in the sand. If you can compose your board and mana sources to pay with precisely three colors, you’ll place the counter and unlock a stronger version of Paragon than a mere temporary buff could ever be 🧭.

“No true angels have been created since the founding of New Capenna, but artisans have learned to craft elegant facsimiles.” — flavor text on Paragon of Modernity

Practical play patterns help breathe life into this concept. Start by establishing a three-color mana base and deploying Paragon as a midgame tempo engine. Once on the battlefield, look for opportunities to spike activations with three-color payments whenever possible. Each successful three-color activation adds a counter, stacking up a formidable 4/4, 5/5, or larger battlefield presence over multiple turns. If you have access to counter-doublers or similar effects, your Paragon can scale very quickly into a true game-ending threat 🪄.

Art, design, and collector vibe

From a design perspective, Paragon of Modernity embodies the Streets of New Capenna aesthetic: sleek lines, a sense of engineered elegance, and a hint of the criminal-opera vibe that defines the set. Its common rarity makes it accessible for budget builds that still chase big plays, while its foil versions appeal to collectors who want a touch of that neon-infused chrome in their display shelves. The flying Angel Warrior motif aligns well with aggro-control hybrids and midrange mashups, giving players a reliable body that can adapt as counters accumulate. The card’s lore-friendly touches also give flavor to casual chats about angels crafted in a bustling undercity—perfect for meme-worthy cockpit talks during prereleases 🧙‍♂️🔥.

Budget and value notes

As a common with foil options, Paragon of Modernity has budget-friendly entry points while preserving potential for command-level synergy in larger formats. The set name, Streets of New Capenna, anchors its identity to a metropolitan, art-deco-inspired universe where every artifact and creature feels designed rather than grown. If you’re chasing a fun, innovative combo plan without diving into exotic staples, Paragon can be a star within a well-curated three-color shell. The exact three-color payment mechanic is what elevates it from a neat pick to a deck’s central engine 🧩💎.

Pro-tip: keep your eye on your mana economy and anticipate disruption. A well-timed counter or a single removal stop can be the difference between a flashy victory and a missed line. The joy is in the journey—watching Paragon grow from a reliable 2/2 flyer into a power-packed threat as you weave three-color mana into every activation 🧙‍♂️⚡.

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