Hello, guys! Trying to keep this thread going and analyze what possible changes could be done now that Theros is out!
First of all, I'll mention the playable cards (according to my humble opinion) that would make an awesome addition to this deck and my reasoning behind them.
In alphabetical order:
Chained to the Rocks: This is Path and StP #3. Specially weak since it's vulnerable to our own LD, but it can be kept around for a long time and is a cheap non-graveyard related removal.
Elspeth, Sun's Champion: This woman does it all! Defense, Offense, a latte even! EVERY SINGLE ONE of her abilities is relevant to this deck. Granted, the -2 is a hindrance if you have those winged ladies out aside from Avacyn, but it's a recurrent fatty Wrath. The +1 gives you defense against multiple attackers and early Commanders (I'm looking at you, Isamaru and Kemba...). And the emblem is just... Gross... The flying part is redundant since every single body that will go into the red zone get a nice boost that doubles with Gisela on the board.
Gift of Immortality: Wrath without fear! Avacyn is still sitting somewhere in your deck? Do not hesitate! Enchant your favourite angel and wipe the board and get her back right away! Unless they have a instant removal, she'll just keep coming back!
Gods Willing: Dubious, but is an attack enabler, a defense for spot removal and also gives scry 1. The more dubious of the additions, but it might serve its purpose.
Hammer of Purphoros: Give your whole team Haste! No need to waste time waiting for those pesky Lightning Greaves to swing! Swing twice with a pumped Gisela and that's one man down! Repeat for profit! And also, it comboes quite nicely with Crucible of Worlds and Flagstones of Trokair.
Heliod, God of the Sun: I wish I could play Thassa in this deck, but that would be too broken. Still, this guy gives you the chance to go on the attack and keep your guys against retaliation. Also, it provides small bodies you can waste your mana if you want to and can give you a decent body to swing with. Overall, a good addition.
Stormbreath Dragon (AKA, Wallet-Buster): Why this guy in particular? Well, it's a good body with protection against Path and StP. And the active is a very relevant threat if you manage to assemble it with Gisela in play (14 aprox. to the face before swinging is quite a beating). This guy is really a question mark more than anything. A sideboard card against card-drawing decks specially.
Changes!
This is tougher than it looks... The current cards in the Combo version are very hard to swap for the new. One of the clear changes would be:
Why? Gideon needs turns and a board full to charge up to his ultimate and he's suceptible while this happens. Elspeth does something tangible as soon as she enters the board.
This one is quite self-explanatory. The one weakness of Staff is non-recurrence. This fixes it and forces the opponents to waste a better card to deal with this threat.
This is more a test than a permanent change. Gargadon brings protection against many things that Heliod does not, but he brings utility and a good body. Needs actual testing to see how it rolls out.
The others seem to fickle to change for the strong picks already, but are the mentionable cards in Theros that could be added to the deck.
Resurrected the deck after months away and found that it can still dominate a table, G-d be praised! Might go through and update the other variants, time permitting…
WMD land destruction version: Added
Fated Retribution
Removed
Molten Disaster
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The deck is just over three years old and due for an update. It was a solid list already, but the following changes make it even stronger:
ADDED
Cataclysm (this wasn't in the original deck 'cos I absolutely hated the old artwork)
Volcanic Vision (yes, I'll recur Catastrophe and deal six or twelve damage to everyone else's creatures; guess what's coming next turn? )
Flamekin Village (Hall of the Bandit Lord #3)
REMOVED
Wake of Destruction (no competition with Cataclysm)
Faith's Reward (this stayed in my hand more often than not)
Spinerock Knoll (wiped by my own destruction too often)
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There are no divisions: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
So, being a non-Christian, I admit I'm not too familiar with the Book of Revelation. Is Gisela supposed to stand in for a figure in the story? Or was she just the most appropriate legend to command the deck because she's an Angel and her CMC=7?
How have the creatures with only combat-related abilities (Baneslayer, Akroma, Nobilis) been working out for you? With the new tuck rule in particular it doesn't seem like you need any pure damage sources other than Gisela.
So, being a non-Christian, I admit I'm not too familiar with the Book of Revelation. Is Gisela supposed to stand in for a figure in the story? Or was she just the most appropriate legend to command the deck because she's an Angel and her CMC=7?
Gisela represents the might of the heavenly host. At the time of the deck's creation, Gisela was the only Boros angel with abilities of the kind of biblical proportions the deck's going for. The deck was also created in response to criticism of W, R, and : Boros: in EDH as weak colors. With its ability to double damage, Gisela is arguably the angel with the most brute force.
How have the creatures with only combat-related abilities (Baneslayer, Akroma, Nobilis) been working out for you?
Excellent question! Baneslayer keeps me alive, with or without Gisela on the battlefield, and has actually improved with the release of Khans block. red Akroma is a meta choice made in response to countermagic. Also, its protection from W is more useful to me than white Akroma's protection from B. Plus, with both of the deck's Swords equipped to it, it's practically a Pristine Angel on steroids. Nobilis of War is a buff that can attack alongside Gisela.
With the new tuck rule in particular it doesn't seem like you need any pure damage sources other than Gisela.
It is a very rare thing for me to build a deck that can't win without its commander. I originally designed this as a "7-angel Voltron deck" that had more equipment, the idea being, then as now, that any of the deck's angels could stand in for Gisela:
Baneslayer Angel (keeps me alive and kills many blockers with first strike)
Adarkar Valkyrie (offensive and defensive, and can grab the creatures killed by it or other game events)
Played an intense 4-person game yesterday with another Boros deck and twoGrixis decks. Aurelia cast their own Gisela soon after I did but I took the game on the back of the beast from the depths which surfaced the turn after I devastated the board.
A classic win for one of my oldest decks.
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Game two: same players, now with Uril, Titania, and Animar. Surprisingly, this game featured no mass land removal. In fact, it was lands that facilitated my Gisela 1-shot attacks:
I sometimes toy with the idea of cutting four creatures for either more mana rocks or more equipment, but I like the balance of the deck. I'm curious what goodies Origins might bring for Judgment Day, 'cos there's not much left to optimize at this point.
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There are no divisions: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
I had to resurrect this thread after finding it and just say that I love this deck so very much. I'm starting out in Commander, and needed to have an Angel Commander. This is so dripping with amazing theme that I have to try to build it.
I sometimes toy with the idea of cutting four creatures for either more mana rocks or more equipment, but I like the balance of the deck. I'm curious what goodies Origins might bring for Judgment Day, 'cos there's not much left to optimize at this point.
ADDED
Worn Powerstone (speed pre-wipe; resilience post-wipe)
Marble Diamond (see above)
Fire Diamond (see above)
Mana Vault (see above)
REMOVED
Mana Web (made the decision to prepare for how I want to win…)
Stranglehold (…rather than how I don't want to lose)
Relic of Progenitus (see above)
Aurelia's Fury (adds 3 mana to the cost of a land wipe just to possibly mimic Boseiju)
Rather than cut creatures, I elected to cut hate/answer cards to make room for more artifact ramp. As before, "I'm curious what goodies Oath of the Gatewatch might bring for Judgment Day, 'cos there's not much left to optimize at this point."
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If we're speaking strictly about optimization, does this deck want Ravages of War?
If the deck wants anything, it's another Cataclysm. My primary attraction to Armageddon is its converted mana cost. The deck's six other Bowl effects all do more. Even Global Ruin, which gets around indestructibility, potentially lets me hold onto two lands, and hoses mono-U decks.
I am working on making the list even more competitive:
ADDED
Coldsteel Heart (now half the deck is devoted to mana)
Mind Stone (the card draw sometimes helps…)
Thought Vessel (…as does a second Reliquary Tower effect)
REMOVED
Godo, Bandit Warlord (while this and the following three cards are full of…)
Greater Gargadon (…flavor and utility, each is on the opposite side of the deck's angelic host…)
Knollspine Dragon (…with two of the cards possessing a high mana cost)
After three years, I finally updated the budget list. A good number of the changes were made thanks to reprints dropping the price on cards:
ADDED
Nobilis of War (price drop!)
Adarkar Valkyrie (see above)
Fated Retribution (expensive mana cost, but sweet low price)
Rout (kills multiple creatures dead for a cheaper cmc than Comet Storm)
Volcanic Vision (hits opponents' creatures only, often for 4 to 7 damage)
Oblation (with the tuck rule long changed, the bottom doesn't matter like it used to)
Wear // Tear (so, So, SO much better than Orim's Thunder)
Swiftfoot Boots (many reprints, much happy)
Command Tower (see above)
Flamekin Village (budget Hall of the Bandit Lord? okay!)
Coldsteel Heart (this and the next four were added to speed things up)
Fire Diamond (see above)
Marble Diamond (see above)
Mind Stone (see above)
Thought Vessel (see above)
REMOVED
Fumiko the Lowblood (the bushido rarely comes into play)
Twilight Shepherd (bouncing back from wipes is nice, but choosing with Valkyrie is better)
Comet Storm (wants more mana to kill more things)
Earthquake (see above)
Fault Line (see above)
Banishing Stroke (shuffling in for half the cost and possibly drawing cards is waaay better)
Orim's Thunder (yes, it can take out utility creatures, but so does our removal)
Strider Harness (hexproof far more valuable here than minor buff)
Haunted Fengraf (if returned to battlefield, this'd be golden, otherwise, meh)
Spinerock Knoll (hate losing hidden card to our own removal)
Ajani Vengeant (much stronger in a build with more mass land removal and/or creatures)
Auriok Survivors (belongs in a deck with loads more equipment)
Cloak and Dagger (this could make its way back in, potentially)
Prison Term (love the flavor, but prefer permanent solutions)
Reciprocate (does little when life's low)
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There are no divisions: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
If we're speaking strictly about optimization, does this deck want Ravages of War?
If the deck wants anything, it's another Cataclysm. My primary attraction to Armageddon is its converted mana cost. The deck's six other Bowl effects all do more. Even Global Ruin, which gets around indestructibility, potentially lets me hold onto two lands, and hoses mono-U decks.
What world are you playing in where indestructible lands are a thing on the regular? The only two really playable effects I can think of are Avacyn, Angel of Hope and Boros Charm, one of which is super expensive and the other of which forces you into Boros.
Alternatively you could cut the worst Wrath, shift Catastrophe into the Wraths section, and add another LD effect. Thoughts on Jokulhaups?
If we're speaking strictly about optimization, does this deck want Ravages of War?
If the deck wants anything, it's another Cataclysm. My primary attraction to Armageddon is its converted mana cost. The deck's six other Bowl effects all do more. Even Global Ruin, which gets around indestructibility, potentially lets me hold onto two lands, and hoses mono-U decks.
What world are you playing in where indestructible lands are a thing on the regular? The only two really playable effects I can think of are Avacyn, Angel of Hope and Boros Charm, one of which is super expensive and the other of which forces you into Boros.
Alternatively you could cut the worst Wrath, shift Catastrophe into the Wraths section, and add another LD effect. Thoughts on Jokulhaups?
I see A LOT of Avacyn and a A LOT of Elspeth, Knight-Errant. Global Ruin is one of my favorite spells to cast against mono-G as well. 'Haups and Obliterate, on the other hand, take away the deck's artifact ramp advantage and have no place here.
Besides considering Tragic Arrogance, I'm (forever) toying with the idea of adding more equipment, specifically:
I see A LOT of Avacyn and a A LOT of Elspeth, Knight-Errant. Global Ruin is one of my favorite spells to cast against mono-G as well. 'Haups and Obliterate, on the other hand, take away the deck's artifact ramp advantage and have no place here.
Besides considering Tragic Arrogance, I'm (forever) toying with the idea of adding more equipment, specifically:
I also see A LOT of U. After much time away, Mana Web makes its return to the deck, this time joined by War's Toll. (The latter was suggested to me ages ago.) Given what the deck does and how the deck wins, it is especially susceptible to countermagic. Reanimation strategies, needing little mana to begin with, are also a concern, but not as much with the deck's multiple creature sweeps.
Almost 4 years since the deck's creation, I've made one of its biggest batch of revisions yet:
ADDED
Prismatic Lens (added relevant 2-cmc mana rocks)
Fractured Powerstone (see above)
Pearl Medallion (see above)
Boros Signet (see above)
Clock of Omens (Clock is astounding with as little as 15 artifacts; in a deck with twice that…)
Sword of War and Peace (supremely effective, especially with Gisela and/or Land Tax on the 'field)
Champion's Helm (hexproof is as hexproof does)
Mana Web (alongside Boseiju and Cavern, this keeps U in check)
War's Toll (see above)
Tragic Arrogance (no, it's not Cataclysm, but sometimes it's even better)
Ancient Tomb ("free" Sol Ring is good)
REMOVED
Wrath of God (flavorful as…heaven…with a low mana cost to boot, in this deck, it's outshone by cards like Austere Command)
Rout (see above)
Rolling Earthquake (packing so much MLD makes the deck a target, so a damage-dealing wipe isn't the greatest)
Terminus (wonderful card, but if we're to cast something like this and risk losing Gisela, I'd rather use Final Judgment)
Volcanic Vision (cutting sorceries makes this less powerful than it was)
Expedition Map (this was most frequently used to tutor up Reliquary Tower; Thought Vessel diminishes its utility here)
Mind's Eye (yes, a deck is cutting card draw; why? it's slow, and the new additions are what we'd want to draw)
Sensei's Divining Top (Scroll Rack is better here, 'cos when we want to dig, we want to dig)
Fated Retribution (so satisfying to surprise opponents mid-combat, but also really expensive to cast)
Miren, the Moaning Well (the tuck rule's been changed for awhile, making Bribery the only real concern; too niche)
Emeria, the Sky Ruin (typically requires both Land Tax AND Crucible of Worlds)
In several respects, this is a purer version of the deck. The increased emphasis on artifact ramp seeks to capitalize on all the mass land removal. Bringing the equipment total back up is actually a return to the deck's roots, when I originally envisioned it as "7-angel Voltron." Although I was initially concerned about cutting so many of the creature wipes, a quick second glance reminded me the deck is stillpackingalmostadozenboardwipesthathitcreatures. Finally, this is also a more flavorfully accurate version of the deck, now counting the Four Horsemen among the Seven Seals.
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Shadows Over Innistrad brings the deck a strictly better upgrade!
ADDED
Descend Upon the Sinful
REMOVED
Final Judgment
I eyed Flameblade Angel for some time as a possible substitute for Akroma, Angel of Fury. However, getting so many other abilities for the same (morph) mana cost makes more sense to me.
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Added NEW version of the deck, HATE THE SINNER, a HUGE 20-card+ update to the WMD version! It is now the primary version that will be updated most often. Decklist in the original post and the spoiler below. Differences between HATE THE SINNER and WMD version are:
ADDED (22)
1x Drifting Meadow ( wants more card draw)
1x Secluded Steppe (see above)
1x Smoldering Crater (see above)
1x Forgotten Cave (see above)
1x Blasted Landscape (see above)
1x Darksteel Citadel (Flagstones of Trokair 2.0…of sorts)
1x Twilight Shepherd (Adarkar Valkyrie eats removal without protection)
1x Archangel Avacyn (I love Deathless Angel, but the flash(y) surprise factor here is too good to pass up)
1x Angel of the Dire Hour (I love Sunblast Angel, but again, flash(y) surprise factor FTW)
1x Aurelia, the Warleader (Akroma, Angel of Fury's nice, but it doesn't win games on its own)
1x Wheel of Fortune (I have no excuse not to run this)
1x Tormenting Voice (see above)
1x Wild Guess (see above)
1x Oblation (see above)
1x Faithless Looting (I honestly can't remember why I cut this)
1x Stranglehold (see above)
1x Aura of Silence (I have no excuse not to run this)
1x Blood Moon (see above)
1x Rest in Peace (see above)
1x Sword of Light and Shadow (see above)
1x Basalt Monolith (while I could go infinite, this is for Clock of Omens hijinks)
1x Rings of Brighthearth (lets me get extra mileage out of my cycling cards, amongst other things)
REMOVED (22)
1x Battlefield Forge
1x Clifftop Retreat
1x Command Tower
1x Kor Haven
1x Strip Mine
1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion (this might make it back in)
1x Adarkar Valkyrie (often dies before I get to untap with it)
1x Akroma, Angel of Fury (great with Swords, but doesn't close games like Aurelia)
1x Deathless Angel (this miiight make it back in depending on how Madvacyn performs in the 99)
1x Sunblast Angel (the sorcery speed does nothing against surprise alpha strikes)
1x War's Toll (would be better if I were running more Orb effects)
1x Mana Web (see above)
1x Boros Signet (does nothing if I don't have land)
1x Coldsteel Heart (only produces one mana)
1x Fire Diamond (see above)
1x Marble Diamond (see above)
1x Darksteel Ingot (see above)
1x Fractured Powerstone (see above)
1x Prismatic Lens (see above)
1x Thought Vessel (see above)
1x Pearl Medallion (doesn't produce any mana)
1x Worn Powerstone (this might make it back in)
JUDGMENT DAY: HATE THE SINNER ultra-control version
Added
Boros Charm
Removed
Word of Seizing
I honestly don't know why I didn't make this change months ago.
First of all, I'll mention the playable cards (according to my humble opinion) that would make an awesome addition to this deck and my reasoning behind them.
In alphabetical order:
Chained to the Rocks: This is Path and StP #3. Specially weak since it's vulnerable to our own LD, but it can be kept around for a long time and is a cheap non-graveyard related removal.
Elspeth, Sun's Champion: This woman does it all! Defense, Offense, a latte even! EVERY SINGLE ONE of her abilities is relevant to this deck. Granted, the -2 is a hindrance if you have those winged ladies out aside from Avacyn, but it's a recurrent fatty Wrath. The +1 gives you defense against multiple attackers and early Commanders (I'm looking at you, Isamaru and Kemba...). And the emblem is just... Gross... The flying part is redundant since every single body that will go into the red zone get a nice boost that doubles with Gisela on the board.
Gift of Immortality: Wrath without fear! Avacyn is still sitting somewhere in your deck? Do not hesitate! Enchant your favourite angel and wipe the board and get her back right away! Unless they have a instant removal, she'll just keep coming back!
Gods Willing: Dubious, but is an attack enabler, a defense for spot removal and also gives scry 1. The more dubious of the additions, but it might serve its purpose.
Hammer of Purphoros: Give your whole team Haste! No need to waste time waiting for those pesky Lightning Greaves to swing! Swing twice with a pumped Gisela and that's one man down! Repeat for profit! And also, it comboes quite nicely with Crucible of Worlds and Flagstones of Trokair.
Heliod, God of the Sun: I wish I could play Thassa in this deck, but that would be too broken. Still, this guy gives you the chance to go on the attack and keep your guys against retaliation. Also, it provides small bodies you can waste your mana if you want to and can give you a decent body to swing with. Overall, a good addition.
Stormbreath Dragon (AKA, Wallet-Buster): Why this guy in particular? Well, it's a good body with protection against Path and StP. And the active is a very relevant threat if you manage to assemble it with Gisela in play (14 aprox. to the face before swinging is quite a beating). This guy is really a question mark more than anything. A sideboard card against card-drawing decks specially.
Changes!
This is tougher than it looks... The current cards in the Combo version are very hard to swap for the new. One of the clear changes would be:
Out: Gideon, Champion of Justice
In: Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Why? Gideon needs turns and a board full to charge up to his ultimate and he's suceptible while this happens. Elspeth does something tangible as soon as she enters the board.
Out: Voyager Staff
In: Gift of Immortality
This one is quite self-explanatory. The one weakness of Staff is non-recurrence. This fixes it and forces the opponents to waste a better card to deal with this threat.
Out: Greater Gargadon
In: Heliod, God of the Sun
This is more a test than a permanent change. Gargadon brings protection against many things that Heliod does not, but he brings utility and a good body. Needs actual testing to see how it rolls out.
The others seem to fickle to change for the strong picks already, but are the mentionable cards in Theros that could be added to the deck.
Ideas?
WMD land destruction version:
Added
Fated Retribution
Removed
Molten Disaster
ADDED
Cataclysm (this wasn't in the original deck 'cos I absolutely hated the old artwork)
Volcanic Vision (yes, I'll recur Catastrophe and deal six or twelve damage to everyone else's creatures; guess what's coming next turn? )
Flamekin Village (Hall of the Bandit Lord #3)
REMOVED
Wake of Destruction (no competition with Cataclysm)
Faith's Reward (this stayed in my hand more often than not)
Spinerock Knoll (wiped by my own destruction too often)
How have the creatures with only combat-related abilities (Baneslayer, Akroma, Nobilis) been working out for you? With the new tuck rule in particular it doesn't seem like you need any pure damage sources other than Gisela.
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ADDED
Grim Monolith
Mountain
REMOVED
Mana Vault
Plains
A classic win for one of my oldest decks.
Game one: facing off against Thelon of Havenwood, Phelddagrif, and Thraximundar. Many things happened, most importantly, Avacyn + Devastation. But before that, actually managed to trigger Emeria, the Sky Ruin twice thanks to Land Tax.
Game two: same players, now with Uril, Titania, and Animar. Surprisingly, this game featured no mass land removal. In fact, it was lands that facilitated my Gisela 1-shot attacks:
- Flamekin Village
- Slayers' Stronghold
- Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
I sometimes toy with the idea of cutting four creatures for either more mana rocks or more equipment, but I like the balance of the deck. I'm curious what goodies Origins might bring for Judgment Day, 'cos there's not much left to optimize at this point.Worn Powerstone (speed pre-wipe; resilience post-wipe)
Marble Diamond (see above)
Fire Diamond (see above)
Mana Vault (see above)
REMOVED
Mana Web (made the decision to prepare for how I want to win…)
Stranglehold (…rather than how I don't want to lose)
Relic of Progenitus (see above)
Aurelia's Fury (adds 3 mana to the cost of a land wipe just to possibly mimic Boseiju)
Rather than cut creatures, I elected to cut hate/answer cards to make room for more artifact ramp. As before, "I'm curious what goodies Oath of the Gatewatch might bring for Judgment Day, 'cos there's not much left to optimize at this point."
Avatar by Numotflame96 of Maelstrom Graphics
Sig banner thanks to DarkNightCavalier of Heroes of the Plane Studios!
I am working on making the list even more competitive:
ADDED
Coldsteel Heart (now half the deck is devoted to mana)
Mind Stone (the card draw sometimes helps…)
Thought Vessel (…as does a second Reliquary Tower effect)
REMOVED
Godo, Bandit Warlord (while this and the following three cards are full of…)
Greater Gargadon (…flavor and utility, each is on the opposite side of the deck's angelic host…)
Knollspine Dragon (…with two of the cards possessing a high mana cost)
I'm still eyeing Tragic Arrogance, with thoughts of cutting Fated Retribution to make room.
ADDED
Nobilis of War (price drop!)
Adarkar Valkyrie (see above)
Fated Retribution (expensive mana cost, but sweet low price)
Rout (kills multiple creatures dead for a cheaper cmc than Comet Storm)
Volcanic Vision (hits opponents' creatures only, often for 4 to 7 damage)
Oblation (with the tuck rule long changed, the bottom doesn't matter like it used to)
Wear // Tear (so, So, SO much better than Orim's Thunder)
Swiftfoot Boots (many reprints, much happy)
Command Tower (see above)
Flamekin Village (budget Hall of the Bandit Lord? okay!)
Coldsteel Heart (this and the next four were added to speed things up)
Fire Diamond (see above)
Marble Diamond (see above)
Mind Stone (see above)
Thought Vessel (see above)
REMOVED
Fumiko the Lowblood (the bushido rarely comes into play)
Twilight Shepherd (bouncing back from wipes is nice, but choosing with Valkyrie is better)
Comet Storm (wants more mana to kill more things)
Earthquake (see above)
Fault Line (see above)
Banishing Stroke (shuffling in for half the cost and possibly drawing cards is waaay better)
Orim's Thunder (yes, it can take out utility creatures, but so does our removal)
Strider Harness (hexproof far more valuable here than minor buff)
Haunted Fengraf (if returned to battlefield, this'd be golden, otherwise, meh)
Spinerock Knoll (hate losing hidden card to our own removal)
Ajani Vengeant (much stronger in a build with more mass land removal and/or creatures)
Auriok Survivors (belongs in a deck with loads more equipment)
Cloak and Dagger (this could make its way back in, potentially)
Prison Term (love the flavor, but prefer permanent solutions)
Reciprocate (does little when life's low)
What world are you playing in where indestructible lands are a thing on the regular? The only two really playable effects I can think of are Avacyn, Angel of Hope and Boros Charm, one of which is super expensive and the other of which forces you into Boros.
Alternatively you could cut the worst Wrath, shift Catastrophe into the Wraths section, and add another LD effect. Thoughts on Jokulhaups?
Avatar by Numotflame96 of Maelstrom Graphics
Sig banner thanks to DarkNightCavalier of Heroes of the Plane Studios!
Besides considering Tragic Arrogance, I'm (forever) toying with the idea of adding more equipment, specifically:
Almost 4 years since the deck's creation, I've made one of its biggest batch of revisions yet:
ADDED
Prismatic Lens (added relevant 2-cmc mana rocks)
Fractured Powerstone (see above)
Pearl Medallion (see above)
Boros Signet (see above)
Clock of Omens (Clock is astounding with as little as 15 artifacts; in a deck with twice that…)
Sword of War and Peace (supremely effective, especially with Gisela and/or Land Tax on the 'field)
Champion's Helm (hexproof is as hexproof does)
Mana Web (alongside Boseiju and Cavern, this keeps U in check)
War's Toll (see above)
Tragic Arrogance (no, it's not Cataclysm, but sometimes it's even better)
Ancient Tomb ("free" Sol Ring is good)
REMOVED
Wrath of God (flavorful as…heaven…with a low mana cost to boot, in this deck, it's outshone by cards like Austere Command)
Rout (see above)
Rolling Earthquake (packing so much MLD makes the deck a target, so a damage-dealing wipe isn't the greatest)
Terminus (wonderful card, but if we're to cast something like this and risk losing Gisela, I'd rather use Final Judgment)
Volcanic Vision (cutting sorceries makes this less powerful than it was)
Expedition Map (this was most frequently used to tutor up Reliquary Tower; Thought Vessel diminishes its utility here)
Mind's Eye (yes, a deck is cutting card draw; why? it's slow, and the new additions are what we'd want to draw)
Sensei's Divining Top (Scroll Rack is better here, 'cos when we want to dig, we want to dig)
Fated Retribution (so satisfying to surprise opponents mid-combat, but also really expensive to cast)
Miren, the Moaning Well (the tuck rule's been changed for awhile, making Bribery the only real concern; too niche)
Emeria, the Sky Ruin (typically requires both Land Tax AND Crucible of Worlds)
In several respects, this is a purer version of the deck. The increased emphasis on artifact ramp seeks to capitalize on all the mass land removal. Bringing the equipment total back up is actually a return to the deck's roots, when I originally envisioned it as "7-angel Voltron." Although I was initially concerned about cutting so many of the creature wipes, a quick second glance reminded me the deck is still packing almost a dozen board wipes that hit creatures. Finally, this is also a more flavorfully accurate version of the deck, now counting the Four Horsemen among the Seven Seals.
ADDED
Descend Upon the Sinful
REMOVED
Final Judgment
I eyed Flameblade Angel for some time as a possible substitute for Akroma, Angel of Fury. However, getting so many other abilities for the same (morph) mana cost makes more sense to me.
ADDED (22)
1x Drifting Meadow ( wants more card draw)
1x Secluded Steppe (see above)
1x Smoldering Crater (see above)
1x Forgotten Cave (see above)
1x Blasted Landscape (see above)
1x Darksteel Citadel (Flagstones of Trokair 2.0…of sorts)
1x Twilight Shepherd (Adarkar Valkyrie eats removal without protection)
1x Archangel Avacyn (I love Deathless Angel, but the flash(y) surprise factor here is too good to pass up)
1x Angel of the Dire Hour (I love Sunblast Angel, but again, flash(y) surprise factor FTW)
1x Aurelia, the Warleader (Akroma, Angel of Fury's nice, but it doesn't win games on its own)
1x Wheel of Fortune (I have no excuse not to run this)
1x Tormenting Voice (see above)
1x Wild Guess (see above)
1x Oblation (see above)
1x Faithless Looting (I honestly can't remember why I cut this)
1x Stranglehold (see above)
1x Aura of Silence (I have no excuse not to run this)
1x Blood Moon (see above)
1x Rest in Peace (see above)
1x Sword of Light and Shadow (see above)
1x Basalt Monolith (while I could go infinite, this is for Clock of Omens hijinks)
1x Rings of Brighthearth (lets me get extra mileage out of my cycling cards, amongst other things)
REMOVED (22)
1x Battlefield Forge
1x Clifftop Retreat
1x Command Tower
1x Kor Haven
1x Strip Mine
1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion (this might make it back in)
1x Adarkar Valkyrie (often dies before I get to untap with it)
1x Akroma, Angel of Fury (great with Swords, but doesn't close games like Aurelia)
1x Deathless Angel (this miiight make it back in depending on how Madvacyn performs in the 99)
1x Sunblast Angel (the sorcery speed does nothing against surprise alpha strikes)
1x War's Toll (would be better if I were running more Orb effects)
1x Mana Web (see above)
1x Boros Signet (does nothing if I don't have land)
1x Coldsteel Heart (only produces one mana)
1x Fire Diamond (see above)
1x Marble Diamond (see above)
1x Darksteel Ingot (see above)
1x Fractured Powerstone (see above)
1x Prismatic Lens (see above)
1x Thought Vessel (see above)
1x Pearl Medallion (doesn't produce any mana)
1x Worn Powerstone (this might make it back in)
JUDGMENT DAY: HATE THE SINNER ultra-control version
1x Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
"THE REVELATION…
TO SHEW THINGS
WHICH MUST
SHORTLY COME
TO PASS"
1x Enlightened Tutor
"AND I, JOHN,
SAW THE HOLY CITY,
NEW JERUSALEM,
COMING DOWN FROM
GOD OUT OF HEAVEN"
1x Weathered Wayfarer
TITHING
1x Land Tax
STREETS PAVED WITH GOLD
(THIRTY-FIVE LANDS)
1x Flagstones of Trokair
1x Mistveil Plains
1x Drifting Meadow
1x Secluded Steppe
8x Plains
1x Flamekin Village
1x Smoldering Crater
1x Forgotten Cave
7x Mountain
1x Plateau
1x Sacred Foundry
1x Boros Garrison
1x Rugged Prairie
1x Ancient Tomb
1x Arid Mesa
1x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1x Cavern of Souls
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Slayers' Stronghold
1x Hall of the Bandit Lord
1x Darksteel Citadel
1x Blasted Landscape
HOLY RELICS
1x Everflowing Chalice
1x Chromatic Lantern
1x Coalition Relic
1x Gilded Lotus
1x Thran Dynamo
1x Mind Stone
1x Basalt Monolith
1x Grim Monolith
1x Mana Vault
1x Sol Ring
1x Clock of Omens
1x Rings of Brighthearth
St. Michael,
Dragonslayer
1x Baneslayer Angel
Gabriel,
Angel of Resurrection
1x Twilight Shepherd
Raphael,
Angel of Healing
1x Archangel Avacyn
Seraphiel,
the Silent
1x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
Ramiel,
Angel of Hope
1x Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Uriel,
Angel of Death
1x Angel of the Dire Hour
Raguel,
God's Vengeance
1x Aurelia, the Warleader
THE SON OF MAN
1x Sun Titan
"HIS WORD IS LIKE FIRE,
LIKE A HAMMER THAT
BREAKS THE ROCK"
1x Sunforger
"A SCROLL, SEALED
WITH SEVEN SEALS"
1x Scroll Rack
THE SEVEN SEALS
(including THE FOUR HORSEMEN
OF THE APOCALYPSE)
1x Stonehewer Giant (Conquest)
1x Nobilis of War (War)
1x Hokori, Dust Drinker (Famine)
1x Jaya Ballard, Task Mage (Death)
1x Descend Upon the Sinful
1x Austere Command
1x Tragic Arrogance
"AND WHEN THE SIXTH SEAL
WAS OPENED…
THE MOON BECAME AS BLOOD…"
1x Blood Moon
"AND WHEN THE SEVENTH SEAL
WAS OPENED, THERE WAS SILENCE
IN HEAVEN…"
1x Aura of Silence
THE SEVEN TRUMPETS
1x Chaos Warp
1x Swords to Plowshares
1x Path to Exile
1x Wear // Tear
1x Return to Dust
1x Wild Ricochet
1x Boros Charm
THE SEVEN BOWLS
1x Armageddon
1x Cataclysm
1x Global Ruin
1x Razia's Purification
1x Catastrophe
1x Devastation
1x Decree of Annihilation
LIFE'S WORRIES, AND
THEY DO NOT MATURE"
1x Stranglehold
ANGELIC RAIMENTS
1x Lightning Greaves
1x Swiftfoot Boots
1x Champion's Helm
FLAMING SWORDS
1x Sword of Fire and Ice
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
1x Sword of War and Peace
"THE GRAVE SHALL
GIVE UP HER DEAD"
1x Rest in Peace
BORN AGAIN
1x Reforge the Soul
1x Wheel of Fortune
1x Tormenting Voice
1x Wild Guess
"…THOU GIVE REWARD
UNTO THY SERVANTS
THE PROPHETS,
AND TO THE SAINTS,
AND THEM THAT
FEAR THY NAME,
SMALL AND GREAT"
1x Oblation
THOSE LEFT BEHIND
1x Faithless Looting
"AND I SAW A NEW HEAVEN
AND A NEW EARTH:
FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN
AND THE FIRST EARTH
WERE PASSED AWAY"
1x Crucible of Worlds
1 Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
CREATURES - 13
1x Angel of the Dire Hour
1x Archangel Avacyn
1x Aurelia, the Warleader
1x Avacyn, Angel of Hope
1x Baneslayer Angel
1x Hokori, Dust Drinker
1x Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1x Nobilis of War
1x Stonehewer Giant
1x Sun Titan
1x Twilight Shepherd
1x Weathered Wayfarer
SORCERIES - 15
1x Armageddon
1x Austere Command
1x Cataclysm
1x Catastrophe
1x Decree of Annihilation
1x Descend upon the Sinful
1x Devastation
1x Faithless Looting
1x Global Ruin
1x Razia's Purification
1x Reforge the Soul
1x Tormenting Voice
1x Tragic Arrogance
1x Wheel of Fortune
1x Wild Guess
1x Boros Charm
1x Chaos Warp
1x Enlightened Tutor
1x Oblation
1x Path to Exile
1x Return to Dust
1x Swords to Plowshares
1x Wear // Tear
1x Wild Ricochet
ENCHANTMENTS - 5
1x Aura of Silence
1x Blood Moon
1x Land Tax
1x Rest in Peace
1x Stranglehold
TOTAL ARTIFACTS - 22
EQUIPMENT - 8
1x Champion's Helm
1x Lightning Greaves
1x Sunforger
1x Swiftfoot Boots
1x Sword of Fire and Ice
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Sword of War and Peace
UTILITY ARTIFACTS - 4
1x Clock of Omens
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Rings of Brighthearth
1x Scroll Rack
MANA ROCKS - 10
1x Basalt Monolith
1x Chromatic Lantern
1x Coalition Relic
1x Everflowing Chalice
1x Gilded Lotus
1x Grim Monolith
1x Mana Vault
1x Mind Stone
1x Sol Ring
1x Thran Dynamo
1x Ancient Tomb
1x Arid Mesa
1x Blasted Landscape
1x Boros Garrison
1x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1x Cavern of Souls
1x Darksteel Citadel
1x Drifting Meadow
1x Flagstones of Trokair
1x Flamekin Village
1x Forgotten Cave
1x Hall of the Bandit Lord
1x Mistveil Plains
7x Mountain
8x Plains
1x Plateau
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Rugged Prairie
1x Sacred Foundry
1x Secluded Steppe
1x Slayers' Stronghold
1x Smoldering Crater