MTG Salvation

Hello!

After rocking Doran for almost 10 months, I'm trying my hands on Anafenza.
Almost same pieces for disruption but a slightly different playstyle.
With Ana, you can capitalize on her giving +1/+1 counters to your crits.

WHY PLAY ANAFENZA?
- You love what the Abzan colors offer
- You hate OTHER people's graveyard shenanigans
- You like beating face with critters

THIS DECK'S NOT FOR YOU IF:
- You're scared of running tri-colors
- You love blue... or red for that matter
- You like splashy spells
- You love combos

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Like what I said: a bunch of dorks, Curse of Predation and Oona's Blackguard is pretty sick.

I'm still holding on to Diabolic Intent for Skullclamp's spot, we clamp dorks and extra crits to draw into answers usually, so why not go straight to an answer. And we usually just don't clamp with abandon, so crits are better reserved for attacking or blocking, specially in this deck because it divides its damage output and swarms fast.

About Elspeth, I don't own one right now but I've been testing her as proxy since ever: since definitely strong in her own way, a one woman army, but double white is a large deterrent, if I'm putting her in I might remove Hero of Bladehold, but I missed dealing massive damage that doesn't count toughness (sorry Doran :p).
And I'm still holding on to Gaddock Teeg, so I'm limiting my blanks when he's in play. If I'm gonna put another 4 cmc non crit, I might try Garruk Relentless first because of the incidental removal. Elspeth flying I can cover up with Abzan Falconer.

Regarding lists w/o atleast one Mox, I don't understand that trend either. But the shift to more Chrome Mox usage than Mox Diamond is explained by more finisher spells I think
Personally, I'm still sticking to Mox Diamond only since I only discard a land w/c helps KOTR and DRS. When the time comes that I need to be faster, I might try Chrome Mox.

Wilt Leaf Liege is definitely strong, but I haven't found myself needing to GSZ for 4 ever. If you find yourself doing that it means you're going for the alpha strike right? So might it not be just overkill? If the meta is full of black and they run lots of random discards and you have a significant count of green and/or white midrange crits in your deck, I think it's just fine. Come to think of it, what other 4cmc green would be relevant? I'm thinking of a Liege too, but the BG one.

Regarding my initial list, I think I'm changing Heir of the Wilds to Skinshifter. Sure deathtouch is good but its power is just not enough. Skinshifter gains evasion at least.

Do you have a list btw?

I f i start missing the card draw power of clamp I'll definitely put it back... but I've never missed it till now and Intent has proven itself. I think experience and practice are needed to use it properly though.

I might join a tourney tomorrow so I'll test Skinshifter. I've never liked Fleecemane because it's a 2cmc 3/3, and monstrosity cost is too much.

Hero of Bladehold is a beast as usual. Its another finisher for this deck.

I'm still on the fence with Mesmeric+maggot in my 99, they're in because lately I am doubting Hymn, can you believe that?!

Anyway, regarding your list, I think 4 colorless lands is too much and 3 is the safest ceiling for those, so maybe cut an LD land.
Last week I joined a tourney with Ana, Blackguard has yet to appear though, but the card is just so appealing and that's what made me try Ana in the first place!
How's Mirri's Guile in your list?
I can't see the relevance of Silverblade Paladin. MTGTop8 lists also use him but I'd rather use Bladehold. Please enlighten me.

Im switching to Ana too. She is nuts. Oona blackguard it like an hell against controls and some combos. It is more incredible with blossom!
About baldehold, I like her a lot on this build. She is on the Brimaz spot, with don't have direct synergy with the build. Silverblade is very powerful, and an removal magnet. On my build i like the chord, so i can bring lot's of toolbox creatures after the blockers declarations, like oonas and silverblade, or even mindcensor. Falconer is very strong too, I love to bring it with chord after your opponent pass full tapped. I don't play mirri's, just sylvan. And maggot/ mesmeric are very powerful at my control meta.

+Diabolic Edict for Narset? Nice one.
With that list I think I'll swap one of the tokenators for Abzan Falconer. The Falconer has been a house in my testing.

Thanks for that PBardin and congrats btw!

About Oona's Blackguard and containment priest :
I'm not sold on those yet. The blackguard makes the T1 elf T2 anafenza draws even better, but is pretty underwhelming when things dont go our way. Still think it's good enough to stay in the 99 for a while. Containment priest comes in support against reanimator, since Anafenza is not enough on her own, but got in mostly because of Birthing Pod match-ups.

I would also try Containment Priest in my list but I still don't own one.
It's definitely another tool vs reanimators and BPod decks.

- About mother :
She is good/Ok agaisnt creature MUs and... That's it. She doesnt do anything against combo (well, she can protect our general, with is a good trump against greveyard combos, but that's about it). She doest apply pressure on control.

About Mom, yep she's not that helpful in disrupting combos, but she's a very very good utility crit, and I think we have enough disruption against combos, as well as control, we only need to draw them.

Also, I decided (this afternoon) to try the following changes to the list :
- Silverblade Paladin
- Sword of Feast and Famine
- Dark Tutelage
+ Night's Whisper
+ Abzan Ascendancy
+ Abzan Falconer

Why cut SOFAF? it's always the best sword.
Please tell us how's your testing of Ascendancy. I've been toying with that idea but dos not know what to cut.

On my build i like the chord, so i can bring lot's of toolbox creatures after the blockers declarations, like oonas and silverblade, or even mindcensor.

I'm happt Chord works in your build, in my testing it's always mana intensive and hard to pull-off.

Anyway, just came home from a 10-man, 4-round tourney and won!
Rd1 win vs Thrun, Rd2 win vs Geist, Rd3 win vs Prossh, Rd4 draw vs Animar.
Putrefy: I can definitely change that to Garruk Relentless when I get my hands on one.
Mesmeric Fiend/Brain Maggot: I've always been on the fence regarding these two but I'm happy for now and they're currently reliable.
Skinshifter: no show today, still I'm keeping it in the 99, cause I need that 2 drop beater.
Oona's Blackguard: Finally it showed in game 2 versus Prossh. i've casted it T1 due to Mox. she's not that overwhelming and not underwhelming either, so i still believe in her.

Hope other Ana players share their stories and thought here!

Oona's Blackguard is SICK!

Haha, 2 8-man tourneys, Friday and Saturday. 3rd on Friday and did not make it to Top4 in Saturday.
I removed Curse of predation btw, tried Abzan Charm and liking it for the mean time. I have yet to procure a Garruk Relentless becasue for some weird reason no one is selling one, even the shops

So is Anafenza better than Doran right now?

Quote from i_b_TRUE »

So is Anafenza better than Doran right now?

Well, I can't say that's really true... If you love a more voltron playstyle, Doran is the choice... if not go Ana.

But disruption-wise, Ana trumps Doran... auto-gravehate, I love blanking opponents Skullclmap, Oona's Blackguard is an option... those are but few pros of using Ana...

Quote from chewemy »

Quote from ninjajinx »

Haha, 2 8-man tourneys, Friday and Saturday. 3rd on Friday and did not make it to Top4 in Saturday.
I removed Curse of predation btw, tried Abzan Charm and liking it for the mean time. I have yet to procure a Garruk Relentless becasue for some weird reason no one is selling one, even the shops

Can you post a tournament report ?

I will make a tourney report section soon. Already had 4 tourneys with Ana.

Obzedat's Aid
Orzhov Charm
Unmake
Utter End

Thoughts on Courser of Kruphix and Eternal Witness?

Just got home from an 8-man tourney, 3 rounds only then ranking for the prizes.
Ended 3rd: Rd1 win vs Animar; Rd2 loss vs Marath; Rd3 win vs another Ana.
3 out of 7 games, a topdecked tainted pact saved me from a losing position.

Anyway, regarding the LD spells, what are you trying to fight with those... I find it hard for our colors to support other LD spells becasue what we pack are enough: Braids, Geddon, Ravages, Vindicate, Beast Within, Sinkhole, Dustbowl, Wasteland, Tec edge.
I think you should try Diabolic Intent, it's another tutor for that timely needed disruption.

Hmm, excited about your testing on Rancor!

@PBardin
Can't compare it to just creature recursion, Obzedat's Aid can bring any permanent back from your graveyard. Especially Planeswalker.

Building Anafenza, I have everything except Ravages and the price is absurd and not worth the buy. What's the best option to replace?

I have Nether Void and a lot of old cards that are worth money, but I do not want to spend over $400 for a ravages of war lol

What about Contamination? I've found this in a few builds of Anafenza, but I'm hesitant to include this because it's disruption that seems difficult to sustain unless you're lucky enough to have Bitterblossom or another token generator in play.

Kamenitza, your list looks really good! What matchups have you played against? Weak, Strong, etc... but I am def gonna sleeve it up for my test group.

Also, why no Braids, Oona's Blackguard, Bitterblossom?

I'm curious about your win against animar and loss against Marath. Could you give us more details on the games ?
Against Marath, would have Linvala help you ?

ANIMAR
game 1 - technically it was a well timed Toxic Deluge t3 that won me the game
game 2 - Animar accumulated counters fast, I tried to hold on by blocking with my green dudes, but I just can't outrace him plus he played Prime Time fetching trampling land
game 3 - a topdecked Tainted Pact searching for Toxic Deluge (I tend to gamble a lot on that card against other aggro). Animar was already at 4 counters. I already have Geddon in hand and casted that the following turn. Drawn another crit and got to land Ana turns later.

Toxic Deluge, Linvala, Council's Judgment, Beast Within, SOFAF and flying crits are crucial for this MU in my xp.

MARATH
game 1 - I kept removing Marath but he still managed to cast it til it was 7/7... I run out of further removal and kept drawing into smaller crits.
game 2 - I t1 dork, t2 discard and Mom, t3 Ana, t4 Jitte... he concedes after that because he had a slow start.
game 3 - He t1 Mom. Then he t2 Teeg, sad because I'm holding Geddon. One trick in fighting Marath is to stop their mana production.
He lands Linvala too, stopping my dorks. Found removal but Mom's already there.

Linvala is the best card to fight this mu! Removal is very good too, unless they just keep recasting Marath.

EDIT: Well, I replaced Experiment One with Jeweled Amulet, and it won me a game. It's also one more thing to tap to Tangle Wire.

Kamenitza, how's Jeweled Amulet for you? I my xp, it's very hard to use in a tricolor deck, specially in our deck because color requirement is very sensitive.

based on your last post, there's not much control in your meta?
If crits-with-ablities is your problem, Linvala is a must!
regarding Siege Rhino... it's a 4-drop with no apparent impact right away, unless you're opponent is VERY low on life... but if you can test it please share to us about the xp.

i_b_TRUE: braids, blackguard and blossom are exceptional in a diverse meta... specially where there is control
If combo is more prevalent in a meta, I think Nevermore is a must.

What about Contamination? I've found this in a few builds of Anafenza, but I'm hesitant to include this because it's disruption that seems difficult to sustain unless you're lucky enough to have Bitterblossom or another token generator in play.

Kamon: this card has been tested since Doran times, but I think it still doesn't make the cut, maybe because the generals don't spit out token themselves. So unless you run a lot of token producers, this might work. :)If you can make it work, please share it with us

Anyway, my friends and I are gonna hold a free-entrance-tourney on Dec 27, and we think at least 60 players will join! Very excited!

Hello everyone! I haven't posted on this forum in years, but yesterday I was in the top 4 of a ten man tournament playing Anafenza.

To be honest, I didn't see every player's deck, but the metagame was something like:

Anafenza
Azami, Lady of Scrolls
Prossh Food Chain combo
Teferi, Temporal Archmage stasis
Slivers
Jazal Goldmane
Sedris reanimator
Kaalia of the Vast
Maelstrom Wanderer
There was one other player who left early and whose deck is totally unknown to me. I didn't actually play against Prossh, Maelstrom, or Azami either.


Top 4 was Anafenza vs Slivers and Teferi vs Goldmane, Teferi and Ana split the finals and the cash. Yeah baby $$$$. Or something. Anyway, can I post a list here? I have a few inclusions that some people in this thread seem to think are too "midrange" that worked well for me, but I'd like to hear feedback. Most of the people I played against yesterday (Jazal, Kaalia, Slivers) didn't have particularly tuned lists, so I would still like some feedback on how to improve my deck, or at least how it compares to other peoples' results. There are some obvious suggestions that I don't have, tutors being chief among them, but overall the deck seems to work well.