So, after Prophet of Kruphix was spoiled, I decided that I was going to build a UGx deck. The main choices were Simic, BUG, RUG, and Bant. I liked a lot of what Bant had to offer, so I chose to build a Bant deck. Here's the main deck cconcept, and I'll go into card decisions afterwards:
Alright, so Card decisions:
Creatures
-Sylvan Caratid/Omenspeaker: Solid 2-drops that will work well for control. Not much else needs to be said.
-Trostani: This is a very solid card, there are a lot of nice synergies with it, and it helps put me ahead in the aggro matchup. 5 toughness is perfect.
-Archangel of Thune: Very solid card, works great in conjunction with Trostani and it helps make my tokens great in the lategame.
-Prophet of Kruphix: Personal favorite of mine, helps build up the tempo and can put you extremely far ahead if allowed to live.
Non-Creatures
-Elspeth: I think she's great. She protects herself very nicely, and her tokens synergize well with Beck // Call and Archangel of Thune. Speaking of which....
-Beck // Call: Probably one of the more quirky parts of the deck, this card has a lot of great lategame utility. With Elspeth it means get 7 dudes, draw 7 cards. It also works well in the mid game with either beck or call to make Omenspeaker a preordain or put 4 flying blockers onto the battlefield. Generally starts being good turn 6 on.
-Azorius Charm: Solid card, does everything we want.
-Advent of the Wurm: Gives us a large token to populate and gives us something to do with open mana.
-Supreme Verdict: This deck doesn't necessarily flood the field, but it does play quite a few creatures. Verdict is great in the aggro matchup, but so is a lot of the other stuff. It will be two in the main, two in the side. That way I have less dead cards in its dead matchups.
-Sphinx's Revelaion: The real question is whether to run 2 or 3. I prefer two, because I would prefer to be more active, but it definitely goes into the deck.
-Syncopate/Essence Scatter/Plasma Capture: Just the counterspell suite to keep me ahead and keep people honest. I don't plan on sitting on counters very often. Plasma Capture does have the advantage of working nicely in conjunction with Advent of the Wurm, since both only need 4 mana open (with the correct colors). Also, if you Plasma Capture someone once, they will play around it for the rest of the match. It's one thing to lose a Jace to counterspell; it's another for its mana cost to be used to blow you out.
Internal Synergies
I love synergy, so here are some of the ones built into the deck:
- Trostani->Archangel of Thune-> Call or Elspeth= huge board state
- Elspeth + Beck // Call= lots of cards, lots of dudes
- Trostani + Prophet of Kruphix + Advent= A 5/5 and 5 life on each player's turn for 3 mana.
- Azorius Charm(lifelink) + tokens + Archangel of Thune= lifegain and a +1/+1 counter on each creature for each creature that hits.
Alright, so I hadn't posted anything for a while, because I wanted the chance to pick up the cards. was missing, proxy the deck up, and goldfish and get n actual games. So far I've played against Jund Aggro and RDW. I went 3-1 against Jund Aggro and 3-1 against RDW. The major changes I've made to the deck was -3x Omenspeaker, -1x Essence Scatter, -2x Island, -1x Forest; +3x Azorius Guildgate, +2x Selesnya Guildgate, +1x Cyclonic Rift, +1x Detention Sphere, +1x Aetherling.
I took out Omenspeaker because it didn't fit well into the curve, its body was redundant, and it used slots that could be better used for other things. I took out Essence Scatter because I make a lot of blockers, so creatures aren't that scary for me. And in the early game, I can sweep with Supreme Verdict if I'm feeling overwhelmed. I added in Aetherling to be a finisher that doesn't need support.
So far this deck has been extremely fun to play. In the aggro matchup Trostani is by far my most important creature, since I can start spamming creatures if I get her down. In the midrange/control matchups, I haven't gotten enough testing in, but in the one game I palyed vs Esper Control, I just had too many threats that generated huge amounts of card advantage for him to stop me. Beck and Call has been so much fun to play with, though I wish I could put beck to better use in this deck. However, Call does everything I could want it to do, and when I'm flooding, Beck draws me into answers and build up the board. And since all my creatures cantrip during that turn, board wipes aren't even that effective at blowing me out.
So, any replies would be great. I know that it still has some kinks, so any help in working them out would be appreciated. Here is the current decklist:
I really love the idea here and the fact that you can actually utilize beck//call. Couple weeks ago someone was playing a very similar list at fnm. He ran voice of resurgence in the two drop slot. The elemental token populated by trostoni is almost another win condition on its own.
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Bring back Transmute as a U/B mechanic and take your mill back to the depths of hell where it came from!
I really love the idea here and the fact that you can actually utilize beck//call. Couple weeks ago someone was playing a very similar list at fnm. He ran voice of resurgence in the two drop slot. The elemental token populated by trostoni is almost another win condition on its own.
Thanks for the reply. I agree that Voice could be very good for the deck. However, the main problem with it is that I have no way of conveniently making the token so I can start populating it. Against a lot of opponents, I'm sure it would die over the natural course of the game, but I'm not sure if I like giving up a slot to put in a creature that might produce a token that I might be able to use (since I need other creatures to make the token good).
That being said, I have been having some problems with Sylvan Caratid (mainly setting myself back a turn if I have to board wipe), so I may try Voice of Resurgence or Centaur Healer in that spot.
Edit: Oh, and I just found out that the ruling with Trostani and Archangel is that the triggers stack in an alternating fashion, so you don't gain 4 life like I originally thought... you gain 10.
I think carjatid is exactlie what this deck wants and I think ur list can be incrediblie powerful
if u however plai carjatid it reallie needs some jace, architect - he is a bomb and gives u more to do in the follow up turn - in some matchups u do not want to supreme verdict/or counter or wont have anie of those options in hand
I cant imagine something more strong for t2 then sitting behind a wall and plaing jace... wall can hold at least one blocker off and in some matchups jace is even free draw
also I think ur mana curve is a too high
I count 6cc+ spells 8... u will need to cut some of those
Yeah, you are probably correct about Caratid. In the matches I did, it was always an effective blocker that cards like Ash Zealot and Rakdos Cackler couldn't get around. And they couldn't even kill it because of hexproof. And if they dropped a Boros Reckoner, I typically A charmed it or swept. So, yeah, I'll keep it in the deck.
Currently, my main 4-mana plays are Trostani or Advent. Jace does seem like a nice option, but since blue is my splash color and the other plays are typically more important to my game plan, I might only run one or two.
You are also probably right about the curve. I could see dropping Aetherling, as he is not really critical to the deck. Beck // Call ha been the better wincon so far between it and Elspeth, so I may put Elspeth in the board for Jaces. But I did like that she gave me a backup sweeper to Supreme Verdict, but Beck // Call has just too much upside in its card draw. I'll keep playtesting so that I can find more spots I can cut from the top of my curve. I hope to be able to fit in 2-3x Centaur Healer.
Edit: I am going to do some testing cutting Sphinx's Revelation along with the aforementioned cut of Aetherling for 3x Centaur Healer. Between Jace and Beck // Call, I'll hopefully have a consistent number of cards in hand, so having Sphinx's Rev might be potentially too much. Then again, if I need the card draw, I can always find something else to cut. This change should give me a much more even curve.
I haven't posted in a while, but I like this deck so much I actually logged in. I pretty much passed over the Prophet when I saw it spoiled, but since the main type of Magic I play is Type 2 FFA (3-6 person), I think this card could be an absolute bomb.
The Trostani interaction with this card is incredible
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Currently playing: Standard :symr::symg:Jund Midrange:symg::symr:
:symg::symw::symu:Bant Auras:symu::symw::symg: RDW
:symu::symb::symw:Esper Control:symw::symb::symu: EDH/Commander Rhys the Redeemed:symwg:
:symb:Marrow-Gnawer:symb:
:symr::symg::symw:Mayael the Anima:symw::symg::symr: Bruna, Light of Alabaster
I haven't posted in a while, but I like this deck so much I actually logged in. I pretty much passed over the Prophet when I saw it spoiled, but since the main type of Magic I play is Type 2 FFA (3-6 person), I think this card could be an absolute bomb.
The Trostani interaction with this card is incredible
Glad to have you on board. The more the merrier.
Alright, so I did some testing against a current Standard control deck, and I think the deck needs some serious work for that matchup. I didn't have any consistency in my ability to draw cards, and he had no problem dealing with my threats. I know that the control decks once rotation happens will be different, but I think it is quite telling of a matchup if I go 0-5 against a deck.
So, that being said, I am definitely putting at least 2x Jace, Architect of Thought into the deck, since that should help stabilize the deck's draw ability. I also need to work on finding some cards that will generate a lot of value on their own, so I become less succeptible to board wipes. I think my aggro matchup is now fine, but my control matchup seems abysmal.
Ready // Willing is a blowout vs. sweepers ( you only cast Ready), maybe 1 or 2 sideboard as well as negate/dispel. Dispelling an opposing Sphinx's Revelation is an amazing feeling; but negate might just be better all around.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Bring back Transmute as a U/B mechanic and take your mill back to the depths of hell where it came from!
4x Sylvan Caratid
3x Omenspeaker
3x Trostani, Selesnya's Voice
3x Archangel of Thune
2x Prophet of Kruphix
Planeswalkers (2)
2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Instant/Sorcery (18)
4x Azorius Charm
3x Beck // Call
3x Advent of the Wurm
2x Supreme Verdicct
2x Sphinx's Revelation
2x Syncopate
1x Essence Scatter
1x Plasma Capture
4x Breeding Pool
4x Temple Garden
4x Hallowed Fountain
4x Temple of Mystery
4x Plains
3x Forest
2x Island
Alright, so Card decisions:
Creatures
-Sylvan Caratid/Omenspeaker: Solid 2-drops that will work well for control. Not much else needs to be said.
-Trostani: This is a very solid card, there are a lot of nice synergies with it, and it helps put me ahead in the aggro matchup. 5 toughness is perfect.
-Archangel of Thune: Very solid card, works great in conjunction with Trostani and it helps make my tokens great in the lategame.
-Prophet of Kruphix: Personal favorite of mine, helps build up the tempo and can put you extremely far ahead if allowed to live.
Non-Creatures
-Elspeth: I think she's great. She protects herself very nicely, and her tokens synergize well with Beck // Call and Archangel of Thune. Speaking of which....
-Beck // Call: Probably one of the more quirky parts of the deck, this card has a lot of great lategame utility. With Elspeth it means get 7 dudes, draw 7 cards. It also works well in the mid game with either beck or call to make Omenspeaker a preordain or put 4 flying blockers onto the battlefield. Generally starts being good turn 6 on.
-Azorius Charm: Solid card, does everything we want.
-Advent of the Wurm: Gives us a large token to populate and gives us something to do with open mana.
-Supreme Verdict: This deck doesn't necessarily flood the field, but it does play quite a few creatures. Verdict is great in the aggro matchup, but so is a lot of the other stuff. It will be two in the main, two in the side. That way I have less dead cards in its dead matchups.
-Sphinx's Revelaion: The real question is whether to run 2 or 3. I prefer two, because I would prefer to be more active, but it definitely goes into the deck.
-Syncopate/Essence Scatter/Plasma Capture: Just the counterspell suite to keep me ahead and keep people honest. I don't plan on sitting on counters very often. Plasma Capture does have the advantage of working nicely in conjunction with Advent of the Wurm, since both only need 4 mana open (with the correct colors). Also, if you Plasma Capture someone once, they will play around it for the rest of the match. It's one thing to lose a Jace to counterspell; it's another for its mana cost to be used to blow you out.
Internal Synergies
I love synergy, so here are some of the ones built into the deck:
- Trostani->Archangel of Thune-> Call or Elspeth= huge board state
- Elspeth + Beck // Call= lots of cards, lots of dudes
- Trostani + Prophet of Kruphix + Advent= A 5/5 and 5 life on each player's turn for 3 mana.
- Azorius Charm(lifelink) + tokens + Archangel of Thune= lifegain and a +1/+1 counter on each creature for each creature that hits.
I took out Omenspeaker because it didn't fit well into the curve, its body was redundant, and it used slots that could be better used for other things. I took out Essence Scatter because I make a lot of blockers, so creatures aren't that scary for me. And in the early game, I can sweep with Supreme Verdict if I'm feeling overwhelmed. I added in Aetherling to be a finisher that doesn't need support.
So far this deck has been extremely fun to play. In the aggro matchup Trostani is by far my most important creature, since I can start spamming creatures if I get her down. In the midrange/control matchups, I haven't gotten enough testing in, but in the one game I palyed vs Esper Control, I just had too many threats that generated huge amounts of card advantage for him to stop me. Beck and Call has been so much fun to play with, though I wish I could put beck to better use in this deck. However, Call does everything I could want it to do, and when I'm flooding, Beck draws me into answers and build up the board. And since all my creatures cantrip during that turn, board wipes aren't even that effective at blowing me out.
So, any replies would be great. I know that it still has some kinks, so any help in working them out would be appreciated. Here is the current decklist:
4x Sylvan Caratid
3x Trostani, Selesnya's Voice
3x Archangel of Thune
2x Prophet of Kruphix
1x Aetherling
Planeswalkers (2)
2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Instant/Sorcery (18)
4x Azorius Charm
3x Beck // Call
3x Advent of the Wurm
2x Supreme Verdicct
2x Sphinx's Revelation
1x Cyclonic Rift
2x Syncopate
1x Plasma Capture
1x Detention Sphere
Lands (26)
4x Breeding Pool
4x Temple Garden
4x Hallowed Fountain
4x Temple of Mystery
3x Azorius Guildgate
2x Selesnya Guildgate
3x Plains
2x Forest
2x Supreme Verdict
2x Swan Song
3x Sundering Growth
Thanks for the reply. I agree that Voice could be very good for the deck. However, the main problem with it is that I have no way of conveniently making the token so I can start populating it. Against a lot of opponents, I'm sure it would die over the natural course of the game, but I'm not sure if I like giving up a slot to put in a creature that might produce a token that I might be able to use (since I need other creatures to make the token good).
That being said, I have been having some problems with Sylvan Caratid (mainly setting myself back a turn if I have to board wipe), so I may try Voice of Resurgence or Centaur Healer in that spot.
Edit: Oh, and I just found out that the ruling with Trostani and Archangel is that the triggers stack in an alternating fashion, so you don't gain 4 life like I originally thought... you gain 10.
Yeah, you are probably correct about Caratid. In the matches I did, it was always an effective blocker that cards like Ash Zealot and Rakdos Cackler couldn't get around. And they couldn't even kill it because of hexproof. And if they dropped a Boros Reckoner, I typically A charmed it or swept. So, yeah, I'll keep it in the deck.
Currently, my main 4-mana plays are Trostani or Advent. Jace does seem like a nice option, but since blue is my splash color and the other plays are typically more important to my game plan, I might only run one or two.
You are also probably right about the curve. I could see dropping Aetherling, as he is not really critical to the deck. Beck // Call ha been the better wincon so far between it and Elspeth, so I may put Elspeth in the board for Jaces. But I did like that she gave me a backup sweeper to Supreme Verdict, but Beck // Call has just too much upside in its card draw. I'll keep playtesting so that I can find more spots I can cut from the top of my curve. I hope to be able to fit in 2-3x Centaur Healer.
Edit: I am going to do some testing cutting Sphinx's Revelation along with the aforementioned cut of Aetherling for 3x Centaur Healer. Between Jace and Beck // Call, I'll hopefully have a consistent number of cards in hand, so having Sphinx's Rev might be potentially too much. Then again, if I need the card draw, I can always find something else to cut. This change should give me a much more even curve.
The Trostani interaction with this card is incredible
Standard
:symr::symg:Jund Midrange:symg::symr:
:symg::symw::symu:Bant Auras:symu::symw::symg:
RDW
:symu::symb::symw:Esper Control:symw::symb::symu:
EDH/Commander
Rhys the Redeemed:symwg:
:symb:Marrow-Gnawer:symb:
:symr::symg::symw:Mayael the Anima:symw::symg::symr:
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Glad to have you on board. The more the merrier.
Alright, so I did some testing against a current Standard control deck, and I think the deck needs some serious work for that matchup. I didn't have any consistency in my ability to draw cards, and he had no problem dealing with my threats. I know that the control decks once rotation happens will be different, but I think it is quite telling of a matchup if I go 0-5 against a deck.
So, that being said, I am definitely putting at least 2x Jace, Architect of Thought into the deck, since that should help stabilize the deck's draw ability. I also need to work on finding some cards that will generate a lot of value on their own, so I become less succeptible to board wipes. I think my aggro matchup is now fine, but my control matchup seems abysmal.