So I've had this bant exalted deck since I started playing in Alara block. It hits hard and fast, but it's soooo binary: either I'm playing against a newer player without any interaction in their decks, and it blows them right out of the game with trample/unblockable + double strike, or I'm playing against a deck with interaction and none of these cards are really good on their own, and I don't do anything. Neither of these results are very satisfying.
I'm aiming to make a deck that wins a bit slower but more securely, a deck that doesn't fold to interaction, and a deck where individual cards are good on their own. This deck has to include Rafiq of the Many, even though he perfectly embodies the "dies to removal, promotes cute but bad synergies" problem I'm having. Rafiq and I have seven years together, and I will not abandon him and his glorious win-more shenanigans.
So first, please understand that I bought Noble Hierarch when it first came out, and the price wasn't so absurd (got them for $5 a piece). I'm under a moderate budget, hence the lack of real fetchlands.
Defense of sub-par / unorthodox choices:
- Fleecemane Lion - This is the one I'm most unsure of. I don't have money for Tarmogoyf or Voice, and Ooze wouldn't have many targets in my casual meta (no graveyard or delve decks), so I'm thinking Lion would be a good stand-alone beater. Along with Gavony Township, Lion gives me an outlet for extra mana from the mana dorks. I'm definitely open to alternative 2-drops though if Fleecemane isn't a good choice.
- Rafiq of the Many - He is my #1 pet card, so he has to stay. He's powerful, but vulnerable, but I'm willing to live with that for my beloved Rafiq.
- Emerge Unscathed - I'm choosing this over Brave the Elements because of exalted. The first time around it either counters removal, enables a chump block, or provides an unblockable exalted attack, and the second time around it sets up another unblockable exalted attack, maybe winning the game. If this wasn't exalted and wanted to attack with several creatures, Brave the Elements would be better, but I like Emerge with exalted. Sound good, or bad idea?
- Finest Hour - This is a concession to Rafiq being legendary. I want to run 4x Rafiq but that's just silly. Finest Hour is Rafiq #4, and the extra mana isn't too hard to hit with all the mana dorks. Finest is also harder to remove than Rafiq and usually allows for bigger attacks, since exalted re-triggers on the second combat phase.
- Terramorphic Expanse / Evolving Wilds - I wish I could afford proper fetchlands, but I can't. I work as a waiter in a restaurant, and Spring and Summer are our slow times, so my income is neutered right now. These weak fetchlands still power up the Knight though, and I'm hoping the presence of 8x mana dorks can mitigate the slowness of tapped lands.
How does this look? I'm aiming for midrange, with some good staying power that won't completely fall apart against interaction. I'm worried that perhaps I erred too hard on the side of caution with this list, but I keep reminding myself the Mother of Runes and Emerge Unscathed also provide unblockable to my exalted attacker, so I think I can still break through stalled game states for the win when necessary.
edit: Realised I only really use G or W in the first few turns, so I don't need the flexibility of the tapland. -4 Seaside Citadel, +2 Forest, +2 Plains.
NOTE: I tried to keep the core creatures of your original deck and just throw in the Sovereigns package.
If you didn't play Standard at the time, basically your nut draw play is:
T1 mana dork
T2 Lotus Cobra
T3 6 mana into Sovereigns of Lost Alara. attack with Lotus Cobra (triggering Sovereigns, enchanting it with Eldrazi Conscription and making Cobra a 13/12 Trample, Annihilate 2...)
Other options include T3 Rafiq or T3 making Fleecemane monstrous. Of course you can slow it down if you want to first play protection (e.g. Mother of Runes) or cast removal or attack with manlands to dodge removal. That's just the top end potential.
Ardent Plea is nice for a quick exalted and grabs for more with cascade and Giltspire Avenger is a good body for removal for lands try getting your hands on Sunpetal Grove,Glacial Fortress and Seaside Citadel if you dont have them already and possibly Sublime Archangel to make things not exalted exalted probably get most of these dirt cheap at crappy card shops or around the net
I'm aiming to make a deck that wins a bit slower but more securely, a deck that doesn't fold to interaction, and a deck where individual cards are good on their own. This deck has to include Rafiq of the Many, even though he perfectly embodies the "dies to removal, promotes cute but bad synergies" problem I'm having. Rafiq and I have seven years together, and I will not abandon him and his glorious win-more shenanigans.
So here is my revised attempt at bant exalted:
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Mother of Runes
4 Fleecemane Lion
2 Qasali Pridemage
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Rhox War Monk
3 Rafiq of the Many
4 Emerge Unscathed
1 Finest Hour
4 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Evolving Wilds
5 Forest
5 Plains
1 Island
1 Sejiri Steppe
1 Gavony Township
1 Cathedral of War
So first, please understand that I bought Noble Hierarch when it first came out, and the price wasn't so absurd (got them for $5 a piece). I'm under a moderate budget, hence the lack of real fetchlands.
Defense of sub-par / unorthodox choices:
- Fleecemane Lion - This is the one I'm most unsure of. I don't have money for Tarmogoyf or Voice, and Ooze wouldn't have many targets in my casual meta (no graveyard or delve decks), so I'm thinking Lion would be a good stand-alone beater. Along with Gavony Township, Lion gives me an outlet for extra mana from the mana dorks. I'm definitely open to alternative 2-drops though if Fleecemane isn't a good choice.
- Rafiq of the Many - He is my #1 pet card, so he has to stay. He's powerful, but vulnerable, but I'm willing to live with that for my beloved Rafiq.
- Emerge Unscathed - I'm choosing this over Brave the Elements because of exalted. The first time around it either counters removal, enables a chump block, or provides an unblockable exalted attack, and the second time around it sets up another unblockable exalted attack, maybe winning the game. If this wasn't exalted and wanted to attack with several creatures, Brave the Elements would be better, but I like Emerge with exalted. Sound good, or bad idea?
- Finest Hour - This is a concession to Rafiq being legendary. I want to run 4x Rafiq but that's just silly. Finest Hour is Rafiq #4, and the extra mana isn't too hard to hit with all the mana dorks. Finest is also harder to remove than Rafiq and usually allows for bigger attacks, since exalted re-triggers on the second combat phase.
- Terramorphic Expanse / Evolving Wilds - I wish I could afford proper fetchlands, but I can't. I work as a waiter in a restaurant, and Spring and Summer are our slow times, so my income is neutered right now. These weak fetchlands still power up the Knight though, and I'm hoping the presence of 8x mana dorks can mitigate the slowness of tapped lands.
How does this look? I'm aiming for midrange, with some good staying power that won't completely fall apart against interaction. I'm worried that perhaps I erred too hard on the side of caution with this list, but I keep reminding myself the Mother of Runes and Emerge Unscathed also provide unblockable to my exalted attacker, so I think I can still break through stalled game states for the win when necessary.
edit: Realised I only really use G or W in the first few turns, so I don't need the flexibility of the tapland. -4 Seaside Citadel, +2 Forest, +2 Plains.
Multiplayer: WBG Junk Rites -- G Lurking Predators Ramp -- WB Orzhov Exsanguinate -- WUB Esper Master Transmuter -- WU Azorius Tokens
1 Dueling Grounds
"Oh, what's that? You mean your deck isn't also Exalted.dec? Oh well, that could be a bit of a problem for you. Try to keep up."
1 Glare of Subdual
"You there...yeah, all you other guys. Why don't you all quit sitting around each turn and help clear a path for the big guy?"
And there's also a not-terrible tutor you can use here.
Hope this helps.
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4 Noble Hierarch
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Mother of Runes
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Fleecemane Lion
2 Qasali Pridemage
4 Knight of the Reliquary
3 Rafiq of the Many
3 Sovereigns of Lost Alara
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Eldrazi Conscription
//Lands: 22
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Windswept Heath
2 Flooded Strand
3 Breeding Pool
3 Temple Garden
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Forest
1 Island
1 Plains
2 Stirring Wildwood
NOTE: I tried to keep the core creatures of your original deck and just throw in the Sovereigns package.
If you didn't play Standard at the time, basically your nut draw play is:
T1 mana dork
T2 Lotus Cobra
T3 6 mana into Sovereigns of Lost Alara. attack with Lotus Cobra (triggering Sovereigns, enchanting it with Eldrazi Conscription and making Cobra a 13/12 Trample, Annihilate 2...)
Other options include T3 Rafiq or T3 making Fleecemane monstrous. Of course you can slow it down if you want to first play protection (e.g. Mother of Runes) or cast removal or attack with manlands to dodge removal. That's just the top end potential.