Understanding Modern Up The Beanstalk Decks - What Makes Them So Good

Modern Beans decks are the talk of the format at the moment. They're certainly good, and they see play all over the place. So much so that many players wonder if the build will lead to a ban on one of the support cards in the future. The deck has several variations, but they're all built around Up the Beanstalk and a pile of cards that trigger it.

Today, I'll cover what makes the decks so good, the different ways they can be built, the cards that support them, and more. You're in the right place if you're interested in Modern Up the Beanstalk decks. So, without further ado, let's get started.

Modern Up The Beanstalk

The namesake card of the deck(s) is an uncommon enchantment from Wilds of Eldraine, Up the Beanstalk. When it enters the battlefield, you draw a card. Then, whenever you cast a spell with a mana value of five or greater, you draw a card. The fact that this ETB draws a card, replacing itself, is pretty huge.

If it didn't, it would be much worse if your opponent destroyed it before you could cast another spell. Much like a pet card of mine, Heartless Summoning. Heartless Summoning does nothing all alone. If you tap out for it on turn two and it gets blown up, well you're down a card. This isn't the case for Beanstalk... It will always draw you that initial card if nothing else.

The card goes crazy in Modern because there are a ton of powerful spells with a mana value of five or greater that can be cast for much less. The three most notable ones being, Fury, Solitude, and Leyline Binding.

All of these cards can be cast for very cheap or even free and have potent effects. And they all draw you a card with the Beanstalk in play. In the case of the elementals, Up the Beanstalk eliminates the built-in downside that balances the fact you can cast them for free. Usually, you have to go down a card to evoke them. With the Beanstalk out, you replace the card you pitched. With more than one copy out, you can actually gain a card for casting them this way.

Getting Leyline Binding down to a one mana Oblivion Ring (with flash) isn't hard in Modern, and that's nothing new. Thanks to fetch lands (Marsh Flats), triomes (Indatha Triome), and similar lands from New Capenna (Xander's Lounge), you can get up to where you need to be as early as turn two. This was already good in the format, and now it has card draw tacked on, too.

I would say these three cards are the heavy hitters for the archetype, but there are many other things, too. X spells, things that let you cast five mana value spells for free such as Bring to Light (which you'll also draw for), Miracle cards, Affinity for Artifacts, and Delve, all work great with Up the Beanstalk.

I'm sure you're starting to catch on. In short, the already strong evoke Elementals and Domain cards now have "draw a card" tacked on, which is pretty serious - Especially when you have multiple Beanstalks in play. With the general idea out of the way, let's look at a few deck lists.

Up The Beanstalk Decks

Beanstalk Cascade

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• CMC
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Main 60 cards (24 distinct)

Lands - 21

Side 15 cards (8 distinct)

Main 60 cards (24 distinct)

Lands - 21

Side 15 cards (8 distinct)

$€Tix

Main 60 cards (24 distinct)

Creature (19)
4 Bloodbraid Elf			$0.50€0.480.04
4 Fury			$6.60€10.211.56
1 Nissa, Resurgent Animist			$38.49
2 Omnath, Locus of Creation			$7.60
4 Shardless Agent			$0.40€0.320.02
4 Solitude			$28.99€33.236.44
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (16)
4 Leyline Binding
4 Up the Beanstalk			$1.53€1.95
4 Lórien Revealed			$2.80€2.510.63
4 Fire // Ice			$0.35€0.180.12
Planeswalker (4)
4 Teferi, Time Raveler			$7.67€7.904.65
Land (21)
1 Breeding Pool			$17.54€14.990.25
4 Flooded Strand			$26.82€19.286.82
1 Forest			$0.15€0.060.03
1 Hallowed Fountain			$8.99€9.410.40
1 Island			$0.14€0.070.03
3 Misty Rainforest			$39.994.51
1 Plains			$0.15€0.040.03
1 Raugrin Triome			$15.05€12.811.37
1 Sacred Foundry			$17.46€13.390.33
1 Steam Vents			$14.55€11.601.75
1 Temple Garden			$11.87€9.740.20
4 Windswept Heath			$20.13€13.843.93
1 Zagoth Triome			$23.80€17.310.78

Side 15 cards (8 distinct)

1 Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines			$19.82
2 Endurance			$22.03€26.798.60
2 Obsidian Charmaw			$0.49
3 Subtlety			$18.99€23.6511.68
3 Commandeer			$14.03€6.900.13
1 Force of Vigor			$14.99€17.322.86
2 Inevitable Betrayal			$0.940.02
1 Gemstone Caverns			$50.00€34.76

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This version plays the big three that I mentioned: Fury, Solitude, and Leyline Binding. It also plays Bloodbraid Elf and Shardless Agent. The idea here is that Shardless is guaranteed to cascade you into an Up the Beanstalk. Bloodbraid will also snag you a copy 50% of the time as it either gets Teferi, Time Raveler or Shardless Agent, which then hits Beanstalk. The cascade package goes a long way in ensuring you have multiple copies in play early.

Considering the deck plays a land base capable of supporting the Domain mechanic on Leyline Binding, playing Omnath, Locus of Creation gives the deck access to a lot of value for minimal downside. The only other noteworthy card is the singleton Nissa, Resurgent Animist. With 11 fetch lands, triggering Nissa twice is relatively easy, and she can be used to find Fury or Solitude.

This version usually wins by attacking with the cascade creatures and elements after accruing some significant late-game value and drowning opponents in card advantage.

Bring To Light Beanstalk

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Main 64 cards (32 distinct)

Lands - 25

Side 15 cards (12 distinct)

Main 64 cards (32 distinct)

Lands - 25

Side 15 cards (12 distinct)

$€Tix

Main 64 cards (32 distinct)

Creature (9)
1 Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines			$19.82
3 Omnath, Locus of Creation			$7.60
4 Solitude			$28.99€33.236.44
1 Valki, God of Lies			$18.00
Planeswalker (7)
3 Teferi, Time Raveler			$7.67€7.904.65
4 Wrenn and Six			$27.16€30.286.68
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (23)
3 Bring to Light			$0.60€0.440.12
4 Counterspell			$1.38€1.070.08
4 Leyline Binding
2 Prismatic Ending			$0.524.61
1 Supreme Verdict			$2.67€2.680.36
4 The One Ring			$116.3247.77
1 Time Warp			0.49
4 Up the Beanstalk			$1.53€1.95
Land (25)
1 Boseiju, Who Endures			$36.74€36.8414.59
1 Breeding Pool			$17.54€14.990.25
4 Flooded Strand			$26.82€19.286.82
1 Forest			$0.15€0.060.03
1 Hallowed Fountain			$8.99€9.410.40
1 Island			$0.14€0.070.03
1 Mistveil Plains			$1.25€0.850.04
4 Misty Rainforest			$39.994.51
1 Otawara, Soaring City			$25.37
1 Plains			$0.15€0.040.03
1 Raugrin Triome			$15.05€12.811.37
1 Sacred Foundry			$17.46€13.390.33
1 Scalding Tarn			$31.904.78
1 Steam Vents			$14.55€11.601.75
1 Temple Garden			$11.87€9.740.20
1 Watery Grave			$12.68€11.560.40
2 Windswept Heath			$20.13€13.843.93
1 Zagoth Triome			$23.80€17.310.78

Side 15 cards (12 distinct)

1 Celestial Purge			$0.29€0.190.03
2 Chalice of the Void			$51.14€48.695.11
1 Crumble to Dust			$0.25€0.140.03
1 Cursed Totem			$2.99€2.051.92
1 Dovin's Veto			$3.83€2.110.04
1 Flusterstorm			$29.20€18.775.87
2 Stern Scolding			$0.73€0.680.38
2 Stone of Erech			$0.27€0.280.03
1 Supreme Verdict			$2.53€2.762.23
1 Unmoored Ego			$0.50€0.400.11
1 Veil of Summer			$6.23€5.961.85
1 Boseiju, Who Endures			$43.95

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This is a bit of a strange-looking Modern deck. We've got several one-of-cards, 25 lands, and 64 cards total. Up the Beanstalk plays the same role in this deck as the one above but isn't as much at the forefront. Solitude, Leyline Binding, Bring to Light, Prismatic Ending, Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines and Time Warp will all draw you a card with Beanstalk out.

So, what's the plan beyond that? This version also plays 11 fetch lands, so you'll also see Omnath, Locus of Creation here. A high number of fetches is made even better by a full playset of Wrenn and Six. If you've played Modern for a while, you know the drill here. If you're new, Wrenn can recur your fetch lands each turn. This fixes your mana and puts you way ahead on land.

Once you've got access to WUBRG mana, you can cast Bring to Life for five. First, this will trigger any Beanstalks you have, and then you'll get to tutor for and cast another five-mana creature, instant, or sorcery for free. Once again, drawing from Up the Beanstalk if it's out. Usually, what you'll get with BtL is Time Warp, which will bank you an extra turn.

Another spicy option is getting Valki, God of Lies but casting the Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor side, which is still free. This works because Valki is a legal target for BtL, and when something says, “You may cast that CARD without paying its mana cost,” it doesn't care which side you're casting. It's still free.

Oh yeah, and this version plays four whole copies of The One Ring too. Overall, the number of powerful cards packed into this build is through the roof. And nearly all of them are made even better with Up the Beanstalk.

Beanstalk Affinity

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• CMC
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Main 60 cards (23 distinct)

Lands - 18

Side 15 cards (8 distinct)

Main 60 cards (23 distinct)

Lands - 18

Side 15 cards (8 distinct)

$€Tix

Main 60 cards (23 distinct)

Creature (23)
4 Memnite			$2.49€2.880.04
2 Myr Enforcer			$1.17€1.360.05
4 Ornithopter			$0.27€0.290.03
2 Frogmite			$0.53€0.510.21
4 Thought Monitor			$0.93
4 Sojourner's Companion			$0.25€0.120.03
2 Patchwork Automaton			$0.75€1.240.01
1 Haywire Mite			$3.15€3.420.06
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (19)
1 Aether Spellbomb			$0.35€0.230.03
3 Cranial Plating			$0.49€0.350.04
1 Pithing Needle			$1.00
1 Shadowspear			$23.99€18.551.08
1 Welding Jar			$1.00€0.470.03
4 Springleaf Drum			$0.54€0.540.18
4 Thoughtcast			$1.00€0.940.45
4 Up the Beanstalk			$1.53€1.95
Land (18)
4 Urza's Saga			$39.99
1 Breeding Pool			$17.54€14.990.25
4 Darksteel Citadel			$0.75€0.590.04
2 Mistvault Bridge			$0.25€0.190.03
4 Tanglepool Bridge			$0.25€0.140.03
2 Treasure Vault			$4.08
1 Island			$0.14€0.070.03

Side 15 cards (8 distinct)

2 Etched Champion			$1.00€0.920.03
2 Haywire Mite			$3.15€3.420.06
2 Soulless Jailer			$0.990.26
1 Pithing Needle			$1.00
3 Metallic Rebuke			$0.28€0.310.03
2 Damping Sphere			$0.94€0.580.60
1 Grafdigger's Cage			$2.50€1.950.40
2 Welding Jar			$1.00€0.470.03

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Affinity can make use of the Beanstalk, too. With enough cheap artifacts in play, the deck can power out high CMC spells like Thought Monitor and Sojourner's Companion pretty quickly. Up the Beanstalk plays an engine-like role in this build - First, you'll need your affinity to artifacts high enough to start slamming your more expensive spells for almost no mana. This is pretty easy with 14 zero or one mana artifacts in the deck.

With a few land drops and Cheerios (free artifacts), you can have the Beanstalk triggering within a few turns. The beauty here is that every card you draw will likely reduce the cost of future spells. So, once you get the ball rolling, you can often create a chain where you cast several spells, draw into cards, cast a few more, draw a few more cards, and so forth, until you have a massive board.

Lands like Darksteel Citadel, Mistvault Bridge, Tanglepool Bridge, and Treasure Vault accelerate the process significantly because they tap for mana and count toward affinity as well. In the first few turns of the game, dropping these feels a lot like getting to play two lands. And Springleaf Drum can turn your zero-cost artifact creatures mana dorks.

The creatures themselves may be a bit of a motley crew of 2/2s, but when they're nearly free 2/2s, they can't be taken lightly, especially when a Thought Monitor will draw three cards with a Beanstalk in play. A few other threats worth mentioning are Patchwork Automaton, which can get huge, some massive Construct tokens from Urza's Saga, Shadowspear, and the classic affinity win-con Cranial Plating! Suffice it to say that the deck has plenty of threats.

Conclusion

Is Up the Beanstalk broken? No, not all by itself. Is it problematic that it makes many of the best cards in Modern (Fury, Solitude, and Leyline Binding) automatically better by adding ETB draw a card? Yeah, maybe so. You've got to consider that the card pretty much negates the downside meant to balance evoking out elementals. To me, that's the issue, if there is one.

Will it be banned? I don't think so... Unless people start playing it even more than they are now. If WOTC sees it as a problem moving forward, the ban hammer would probably hit the beanstalk. After all, they aren't going to ban Fury, Solitude or Binding. On a positive note, I think these decks have led to a slight decrease in the number of decks playing The One Ring and Orcish Bowmasters.

Now I want to hear from you. What do you think of Up the Beanstalk? Have you played the card? Do you like it? And do you think it's actually problematic for Modern?