MTG Salvation

Quote from TakeYourShoesOff

I would never take out Charm...It is way too important to the game plan of this deck. Just me though.

Charm is the most useful card in the deck by far. Being able to respond to Huntmaster transform triggers and a plethora of other situations usually breaks your opponent's back.

I played Act One to a third place finish yesterday at a local PTQ, losing to GR aggro in top 4, who went on to win it all. The deck performed beautifully all day, and beating the GR aggro deck was near impossible with his draws, but I think I could have played better. I even won through a 16 point life-swing against Act Two, with me at 3 and him at 34. I wish I had played Rolling Temblor in the sideboard instead of the skullcracks.

PTQ in Pensacola, FL (107 people) on 4/13

1st GR Aggro
2nd Junk Rites
3rd Aristocrats Act One (me)
4th Aristocrats Act Two
5th Junk Rites
6th GR Aggro
7th Jund Mid
8th Turbo Fog

I'm going to end up playing this deck at the local PTQ, after seeing it perform on MTGO. I'm looking forward to having the (hopeful) surprise factor against my opponents, and wanted to post my decklist here for your help/criticism.

This deck is both incredibly explosive, and a boat load of fun to play.

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I think you need to go more top heavy with the deck. Niv MIzzet needs to be in this deck; if he sticks on the field for you to make it to your next upkeep you should get real close to winning the game right then and there. He will generate you tons of card advantage.

This deck absolutely demands bonfires and Mizzium Mortars. Mortars either Flame Slashes a creature or turns into Wildfire. And Bonfire is just good because, well, it's bonfire.

Artful dodge isn't necessary for the deck. It fills up slots that could be used for more burn or card draw. Thought Scour is still relevant, and with Snapcaster mage and a deck full of instants and sorceries to fuel Guttersnipe it gets even better.

Nivmagus will not get you any value. It only works removing your own spells from the stack, so if anything it reduces the value of the spells you play. I would just take them out.

Add Tamiyo somewhere in the deck. She is that good. Also add a singleton Desolate Lighthouse, it allows for late game bonfire shenanigans off the top.

Here's a list my friend and I have been brewing, for reference:

Quote from Mattsadface

You only have 58 cards in your deck... What are those final two slots supposed to be?

I just realized that it was at 58 haha. I added 2 Sigarda to the main deck to fill those slots.

Resto Angel is on the cusp, but really needs more creatures to abuse. The creatures are already fighting for space in the deck, and really need to impact board state immediately. Without more creatures she's just a 3/4 for four.

Sigarda is definitely a good choice. But the deck has to be worked on to figure what goes where, and Armada Wurm and Thragtusk just outclass her. She'll make her way into the deck eventually, though.

Jace has been good in testing, so far. He Fact or Fictions when you top deck him, allowing you to grab into more threats, or at least a sweeper.

Cyclonic rift will probably end up being a one-of in the deck. It's essentially a miracle card that can blow your opponent out of the water, but doesn't do much when your opponent is playing zombies or other fast aggro. I'd rather have a hard sweep against them.

Temporal Mastery has been wonderful in testing. At the minimum it gets you another turn and is basically a rampant growth, or allows you to kill your opponent after Armada Wurm.

And yeah, no mana dorks. Terminus'ing them away sucks. Avacyn is too much for too little.

This is the Bant Ramp Primer. So, you're probably wondering, why play Bant Ramp?

FATTIES:
All ramp decks want to play some potentially game ending fatty, or at least some kind of fatty for value. Which ones are we playing?

Armada Wurm: A potential turn four creature that produces ten power. Casting a Temporal Mastery after playing this creature usually ends the game.

Drogskol Reaver: As NiddFratyris points out, "He's immune to Selesnya Charm and Mizzium Mortars. Plus, you know, he draws cards and gains life all while having evasion."

Sigarda, Host of Herons: A five mana 5/5 flyer with hexproof and a sweet ability that can put your opponent on a fast clock. She is usually almost impossible for your opponent to deal with.

Thragtusk: A good, utility creature that regains you life against fast aggro decks. A no-brainer for certain.

Angel of Serenity: A 5/6 flyer that recycles your creature after a board wipe, or clears your opponent's field for your Armada Wurms and Thragtusks.

SPELLS:

Temporal Mastery: A time walk that, when cast after you play Armada Wurm, almost guarantees a kill. It also lets you build insurmountable advantage over your opponent in the early game.

Terminus: Simply overwhelming board wipe that allows you to recover early against fast aggro decks.

Supreme Verdict: An uncounterable DoJ. Enough said.

Sphinx's Revelation: One of the most powerful cards you can top deck, and sometimes will end up drawing and gaining life of at least 3 or more.

RAMP:
Farseek: Grabs shock lands and fixes colors.

Chromatic Lantern: The ultimate color fixer, and also ramps.

Ranger's Path: Allows for turn 4 Angels and Armada Wurms.

PLANESWALKERS:
Tamiyo, the Moon Sage: Creates a ton of card advantage with Temporal Mastery, and can lock out your opponent after multiple board wipes. Also allows for faster kills by tapping out your opponent's blockers.

Jace, Architect of Thought: Here me out here. This guy Fact or Fictions, or pseudo fogs your opponent until you can Terminus. He can also land as early as turn 3. If he manages to ultimate, you can go get an Angel, Armada Wurm, or anything you want from your deck and your opponent's deck.

Garruk Relentless: A card advantage engine that can keep your opponent down late, and produces tokens. His flip side can let you search for your fatties.

SIDEBOARD:
To be constructed.

I'm currently toying with the idea of playing white to add things like oblivion ring or other removal to deal with things like Mirran Crusader. I'm thinking 4 birds, 2 Avacyn's Pilgrim, and a singleton plains.

I know it puts strain on the mana base, but do you guys think Divine Reckoning could be good for the Junk build? Make everyone sacrifice everything except for your guy to be podded into something else.

I'll have to test this. I think it could lead to blow out swings by a birds of paradise of all things, too.

I think the deck is going to need some form of sword package in order to out pace the weenie decks that are going to become very popular. Since we're ramping efficiently, Batterskull doesnt sound too bad either, now that I think about it.

As for the lands, at least for the first few weeks, I'd rather have the acidic slime and not need them than need them and not have them. The primeval titan + kessig's and a mountain sounds cool.

The deck centers around playing lost cost, but big, creatures early that most likely cannot be targeted, or dodges removal very easily. It seeks to be as straight forward as possible, and just to crush the opponent under a ridiculous amount of tempo that they cannot keep up with. This is the deck I will most likely be playing come the first week of the new standard, and I would appreciate help fostering this deck.

I got 13th yesterday at the Star City Standard Open in Atlanta, going 8-2. I beat Caw-Blade five times, with my only losses being to RDW and Tezzeret control because of torpor orb.

Here is the list for reference, I'll do a breakdown later this week.

http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=40687