I think all of your points are valid. I'd honestly be playing Vial if they fit the budget. Do you think this deck needs either Vial or Scales to function? I mean, are they considered part of the core? I really like your inclusion of Bolts, seems like an auto-include in any deck playing red. When you have a decklist, please share it! Sounds exactly what I'm looking for.
What are people's thoughts on Gavony Township? Seems like it could be a mid-late game way to bounce back after a sweeper or something. Or is a turn 5 activation just not good enough?
I haven't tested at all but I feel that having both Vial and Scales in the mainboard feels a bit of overkill, it would make us mulligan more often and reduce our creature count to fit both, considering we don't want to give up some CoCo or disruption. We would have worse topdecks too I believe.
I don't like the idea of 4 bolts, 3 path and 1 boros charm, we would just be a bad zoo deck. In that case why are we playing allies instead of Nacatls, Goyfs, Loxodon smiters? Besides we need the slots for creature drops to keep triggering our allies.
I could do with bolts in the mainboard instead of Paths for extra reach.
Regarding Gavony Township. Playing with 4 ally encampments and 4 cavern of souls leaves too much brown mana for spells. Adding furhter colorless lands may hurt more, even leave us unable to activate its ability. Maybe as a one-of could work or switching one of the other lands for it, or in a more GW build.
So close. Reckless Bushwhacker could have been the card we needed to make a build with rally the ancestors and an explosive win, but it seems allies in Oath aren't going to be near the power level of the originzal allies in the Zendikar block. At least the new cohort mechanic could bring something interesting...or not
yeah, the 3 allies spoiled so far are of no use to us. Cohort needs to have a really good payoff or we won't be playing any of those either, tapping 2 guys for some counters is not in my list of needs...
I'm gonna say right now oath is looking like another disappointing set, it looks like wizards is going hard with the eldrazi tribal but leaving allies in the dust.
Stellar logic. All decks that will ever be tier 1 or 2 have already been discovered. Might as well lock up the forum here and stop brewing everyone. Format solved.
We haven't seen alot of the common and uncommons. We can still get good pieces for Modern Allies in one of those. Weren't most of the good allies not at rare or mythic rare level?
Feels like OGW's allies are more geared towards edh (5 color general hype!) and other multiplayer formats. Hopefully there are some awesome common allies still to come!
Veteran warleader does the same job for the same mana, triggers etb matters and is an ally itself. However, it's been agreed that he is not worthy in the shell
Yes, it does like Veteran, but any ally having +1/+1 for each other ally, being unblockable, it can be really painful. I'll try it anyways, I see it, may I'm wrong, but this was built for tribal decks, and allies with protections and this...
I don't know if I can fit it into my naya build. Maybe it needs a different shell than the common 29 ish creatures + CoCo and go towards a more midrange style along gideon.
Stoneforge Masterwork seems like a win-more card. In order to get the most out of it you need the board to be full at which point an Evangel trigger will probably win the game either way. It also doesn't give anything like trample or double-strike to punish chump blocking and force damage through. I honestly think Veteran Warleader is superior in every aspect; especially since it turns allies that can't attack safely into combat advantage. Masterwork seems much better in a deck like BW Tokens where all the threats are naturally evasive weenies.
I don't know if I can fit it into my naya build. Maybe it needs a different shell than the common 29 ish creatures + CoCo and go towards a more midrange style along gideon.
Oath of Gideon is interesting. It does seem designed specifically for new Gideon but it also plays well with Garruk Wildspeaker. Personally, I've always wanted a more midrange shell to make the higher CMC allies playable. Hopefully we see a few more cards to get us there; I don't think Oath is good enough on its own. Now if Oath was a tribal enchantment...
I'm excited for Oath of Gideon, simply as a strictly-better version of Join the Ranks. This could lead to a whole new 'walker-infused list with new Gideon. I can't wait to test it.
Yeah i like it too. I just wish cloudshift could exile enchantments... i searched gatherer and nothing can flicker both creatures and enchantments (aside from flicker and comes back at the end step, like flickerwisp, but those aren't good).
Drana's Chosen: Seems bad. The tokens she makes are not allies, CITPT, and her cohort cost lends itself to grinding out a stalled board. Also lacks flying like several other vampire allies.
Cliffhaven Vampire: Flies. Fits into the whole B/W Allies lifegain/aristocrat draft archetype. Not where we want to be.
Weapons Trainer: Aggressively costed, but wants equipment which works against the CoCo shell. It also can't give more than +1/+0 regardless of how many equipment you have.
Sylvan Advocate: Very aggressively costed. However our +1/+1 counter dudes will grow bigger faster and we don't run any manlands or awaken spells to get full value.
All the new allies seem pretty sweet in draft but I'm not sure any of them have a place in the CoCo shell. Sylvan Advocate might have some legs in a midrange
shell that wants some manlands and isn't afraid of the game going to T6.
As for Oath of Gideon it also works pretty well with Sorin, Solemn Visitor. If the tokens and whatever else is on board can protect Sorin for a turn he can drop his emblem. This is probably good enough to beat a lot of fair decks. Ugin, the Spirit Dragon is the same case. Maybe he wants to be a curve topper in Super Friend Allies?
There are no good allies here for us which is just sad. The best one might be Oath of Gideon or that Equipment which generates kor ally tokens. It is about it from my understanding.
Natural State could be interesting, but it doesn't hit Twin.
Toyed around with 4 colour and 5 colour ally build. I finally settled on the 3 colour naya build as it is less taxing on the mana base and also to focus on what I want it to do.
I contemplated in removing Aether Vial for Hardened Scales but in the end, I decided against it. I decided to play the Aether Vial + CoCo build but no removals. But instead, I up to 6 evasions (4 protection + 2 menace) and 2 lantern scout to provide protection and as well as sustaining the mid to late games. 4x Expedition Envoy is really a must, it is very underrated and can easily be just as a threat compared to hada freeblade and kazandu blademaster in the early turns.
Sideboarding is simple, I put in cards that either hose or give me a fighting chance against decks that statistically shows to be a bad match-up. IMO, suppression field is severely underused in a format with so much activated abilities...
I'm still finding slot to put in 3-4x path to exile in my 75, but I personally don't think that would be necessary in the game plan to just push through the damage while using Aether Vial and CoCo to protect my creatures.
I've been playtesting with Reckless bushwhacker and it has been really good as a 5th and 6th battlesinger. It opens to really explosive lines of plays. It also gives more value to those vials and envoys that we topdeck. It may work as a 2 or 3 of.
Reckless bushwhacker is great ONLY if casted in the surge cost. But, if it just ETB as a 3-drop with 2/1 haste body, I rather take firemantle mage, kabira evangel or another lantern scout. If you are able to almost guarantee casting the surge cost, then sure. IMO, playing it with vials is fine, but I think there are better 3-drops with better abilities to aid the board.
What are people's thoughts on Gavony Township? Seems like it could be a mid-late game way to bounce back after a sweeper or something. Or is a turn 5 activation just not good enough?
I don't like the idea of 4 bolts, 3 path and 1 boros charm, we would just be a bad zoo deck. In that case why are we playing allies instead of Nacatls, Goyfs, Loxodon smiters? Besides we need the slots for creature drops to keep triggering our allies.
I could do with bolts in the mainboard instead of Paths for extra reach.
Regarding Gavony Township. Playing with 4 ally encampments and 4 cavern of souls leaves too much brown mana for spells. Adding furhter colorless lands may hurt more, even leave us unable to activate its ability. Maybe as a one-of could work or switching one of the other lands for it, or in a more GW build.
Any chance to include this cards in an modern allies:
Kor Bladewhirl
Lantern Scout
Kalastria Healer
Zulaport Cutthroat
Drana, Liberator of Malakir
Rally the Ancestors or March from the Tomb
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and Sorin, Solemn Visitor , maybe Liliana, Heretical Healer
Retreat to Emeria(i dont know if the ally tokens will trigger Kalastria and Zulaport effects)
Can someone show me a solid Naya SB? Is it just a pile of good hate pieces? Stony Silence et al?
Fish
0 Affinity 0
Blue Moon
With Kabira Evangel it can make you win in very few turns.
two ally for 3 mana, not the worst? Also is an incentive to play gideon, ally of zendikar, as you can now -4 right away without loosing it.
Yes, it does like Veteran, but any ally having +1/+1 for each other ally, being unblockable, it can be really painful. I'll try it anyways, I see it, may I'm wrong, but this was built for tribal decks, and allies with protections and this...
This is my deck:
4 Akoum Battlesinger
1 Expedition Envoy
2 Firemantle Mage
4 Hada Freeblade
4 Kabira Evangel
4 Kazandu Blademaster
3 Kor Bladewhirl
2 Lantern Scout
4 Oran-Rief Survivalist
Spells (12)
4 Aether Vial
4 Colected company
3 Path to exile
1 Tezzeret's gambit
4 Ally Encampment
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Forest
2 Mountain
2 Plains
2 Sacred Foundry
3 Temple Garden
2 Windswept Heath
2 Wooded Foothills
2 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2 Ondu Cleric
2 Relic of progenitus
1 Return to the ranks
2 Rending Volley
4 Suppression Field
2 Wear // tear
I went 3-2 last weekend beating Mono black devotion (2-0), 2x Abzan midrange (2-0)(2-1)and loosing to Dredge (1-2) and Burn (1-2)
Oath of Gideon is interesting. It does seem designed specifically for new Gideon but it also plays well with Garruk Wildspeaker. Personally, I've always wanted a more midrange shell to make the higher CMC allies playable. Hopefully we see a few more cards to get us there; I don't think Oath is good enough on its own. Now if Oath was a tribal enchantment...
Fish
0 Affinity 0
Blue Moon
Mook's Cube!
Mook's Frontier Atarka Red Primer!
For more of my projects and brews, check out Clutch City Cardboard on Facebook, or at our domain.
Drana's Chosen: Seems bad. The tokens she makes are not allies, CITPT, and her cohort cost lends itself to grinding out a stalled board. Also lacks flying like several other vampire allies.
Cliffhaven Vampire: Flies. Fits into the whole B/W Allies lifegain/aristocrat draft archetype. Not where we want to be.
Weapons Trainer: Aggressively costed, but wants equipment which works against the CoCo shell. It also can't give more than +1/+0 regardless of how many equipment you have.
Sylvan Advocate: Very aggressively costed. However our +1/+1 counter dudes will grow bigger faster and we don't run any manlands or awaken spells to get full value.
All the new allies seem pretty sweet in draft but I'm not sure any of them have a place in the CoCo shell. Sylvan Advocate might have some legs in a midrange
shell that wants some manlands and isn't afraid of the game going to T6.
As for Oath of Gideon it also works pretty well with Sorin, Solemn Visitor. If the tokens and whatever else is on board can protect Sorin for a turn he can drop his emblem. This is probably good enough to beat a lot of fair decks. Ugin, the Spirit Dragon is the same case. Maybe he wants to be a curve topper in Super Friend Allies?
Fish
0 Affinity 0
Blue Moon
It made a 5-0 on a modern league. What do you think guys? It doesen't have either vials or hardened scales.
Natural State could be interesting, but it doesn't hit Twin.
RIP: GWU Midrange (2012-2013) | GWR Ally (2014-2016)
4x Akoum Battlesinger
4x Expedition Envoy
2x Firemantle Mage
4x Hada Freeblade
4x Harabaz Druid
4x Kabira Evangel
4x Kazandu Blademaster
2x Lantern Scout
1x Mirror Entity
3x Oran-Rief Survivalist
Artifact (4)
4x AEther Vial
4x Ally Encampment
1x Arid Mesa
4x Cavern of Souls
1x Forest
2x Plains
1x Reflecting Pool
1x Sacred Foundry
1x Stomping Ground
1x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath
Instant (4)
4x Collected Company
2x Boros Charm
1x Crumble to Dust
2x Nature's Claim
2x Ondu Cleric
2x Return to the Ranks
2x Spellskite
1x Stony Silence
3x Suppression Field
I contemplated in removing Aether Vial for Hardened Scales but in the end, I decided against it. I decided to play the Aether Vial + CoCo build but no removals. But instead, I up to 6 evasions (4 protection + 2 menace) and 2 lantern scout to provide protection and as well as sustaining the mid to late games. 4x Expedition Envoy is really a must, it is very underrated and can easily be just as a threat compared to hada freeblade and kazandu blademaster in the early turns.
Sideboarding is simple, I put in cards that either hose or give me a fighting chance against decks that statistically shows to be a bad match-up. IMO, suppression field is severely underused in a format with so much activated abilities...
I'm still finding slot to put in 3-4x path to exile in my 75, but I personally don't think that would be necessary in the game plan to just push through the damage while using Aether Vial and CoCo to protect my creatures.
RIP: GWU Midrange (2012-2013) | GWR Ally (2014-2016)
RIP: GWU Midrange (2012-2013) | GWR Ally (2014-2016)