I can't see that warping your meta enough that people would be playing windstorm. Stormbreath dragon is just one card. Spot removal seems like a fine enough answer. Not to mention that you can just race them half the time. If you can't, it is probably a matter of a focused deck vs one not so focused and less a matter of the card itself.
I'm not talking about usual abzan midrange. I'm saying that there's no significant flying armies that I know of where basic spot removal wouldn't suffice. So I don't understand why windstorm would be boarded by anyone you'd be concerned about losing to. Consider that you're neglecting to play possibly your best outlast creature over this.
The reason why they are your best outlasters is because they give relevant abilities, don't have initial bodies of too terrible size, and most importantly outlast for just 1. Where many of the others outlast for 2 or 3, eating up most of your mana, those two squeeze in between the cracks better.
The reason why they are your best outlasters is because they give relevant abilities, don't have initial bodies of too terrible size, and most importantly outlast for just 1. Where many of the others outlast for 2 or 3, eating up most of your mana, those two squeeze in between the cracks better.
Very true. I've had Tuskguard Captain in my sideboard for a while, and having the Outlast creatures that Outlast for one - Battle Priest, Nightblade, Falconer, and Tuskguard.
Do you have 4 ascehdancy? If you do, you should play them and do a little shuffle around. Elvish mystic is better than sunblade here. This deck is slow and can thus get away with a little more cipt fixing.
Sadly don't have 4 Ascendancies, but I do have 3. Maybe drop Disowned Ancestor to 2, then add the other Abzan Ascendancy and 2 Elvish Mystics to replace the Sunblade Elves?
A friend of mine and his wife pulled an Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver and don't really have a need for it, so he gave it to me today to trade for an Ajani.
I'm not sure which Ajani would help my deck more, though: Ajani, Mentor of Heroes or Ajani Steadfast. I think Mentor of Heroes would be better, though I'm not sure.
I think either ajani would be fine but I'll present the other side of thd coin.
For gw Ajani
The counter laying is a + ability and can more commonly grant your non-outlasters some counters though this can also be solved by ascendancy.
It gets gas.
For W Ajani
Costs 1 less
Helps more in races with lifelink and vigilance helps protect itself better.
Cheaper money-wise. It isn't like they cost the same so trading for them should not be the same.
Normally the card advantage would be big and it still is but outlast is a mechanic where you tend to be using your mana whether you draw gas or not. So it needs to draw gas comparatively much less than the typical deck.
personally I would go with Mentor since you want to get as many counters on to your outlast creatures as fast as possible so you don't have to use the outlast ability.
Yeah, I've been leaning towards Mentor the most between the two.
Also: updated the first post to reflect what my deck is currently looking like - same as what is in post #33.
Had a lot of help 1-2 FNMs ago with this deck; changes to the OP are what my deck is looking like now.
Hopefully I'll be able to get 2-3 Abzan Falconer and 2-3 Abzan Battle Priest from my friend-group's Cube.
Minus the sideboard, this deck - according to TCGPlayer - costs 32USD to order.
You shouldn't be afraid of a card like windstorm when there is cheaper & easier removal like murderous cut or hero's downfall in nearly every deck. Also, just because someone else has a flying creature is no reason to dismiss flying from your deck completely. If you want to continue the counter theme, you should also pick up Solidarity of Heroes to quickly boost your creatures
Yeah, my sideboard is kind of my "Outlast toolbox" in case I need something different to adapt to my opponent's deck.
Adding the Abzan Falconers alone has helped my deck immensely in my last few matches.
Granted, I've been spending my time recently playing Commander in my free time, but now that my fall semester of college is over, I have more time to play both Standard and Commander.
Not really "better than anafenza" given that Anafenza is cheaper and provides the first counter without extra mana spent. The only bonus is having counters itself but ascendancy helps that too anyway. Also, Anafenza has some built in sidisi whip hate.
Btw, discussing new in the process of being spoiled sets is against the rules. I forget why but it probably has something to do with not wanting to spoil it for those who'd rather not know.
I really like how some of the outlast creatures grant abilities to other creatures but I don't like actually using outlast (in constructed) as a means of adding counters for those abilities--takes too much time and resources and it's too easy to undo the work. If it were me, I"d run 3-4 each of:
Not really "better than anafenza" given that Anafenza is cheaper and provides the first counter without extra mana spent. The only bonus is having counters itself but ascendancy helps that too anyway. Also, Anafenza has some built in sidisi whip hate.
Btw, discussing new in the process of being spoiled sets is against the rules. I forget why but it probably has something to do with not wanting to spoil it for those who'd rather not know.
Very, very true.
Didn't know that - apologies and deleted that comment just in case.
Removed the 1 copy of Swarm of Bloodflies I have from the sideboard and put in 2 Brave the Sands, which probably prompts a taking out the 1 Ivorytusk Fortress in my sideboard.
I suppose this deck should be renamed "Abzan Outlast Abilities", haha.
Then again, I'm not running the "usual" Abzan Midrange - I'm using Outlast/+1/+1 counter abilities as the main focus of my deck.
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
I'll see what I can do.
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
Very true. I've had Tuskguard Captain in my sideboard for a while, and having the Outlast creatures that Outlast for one - Battle Priest, Nightblade, Falconer, and Tuskguard.
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
I'm not sure which Ajani would help my deck more, though: Ajani, Mentor of Heroes or Ajani Steadfast. I think Mentor of Heroes would be better, though I'm not sure.
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
For gw Ajani
The counter laying is a + ability and can more commonly grant your non-outlasters some counters though this can also be solved by ascendancy.
It gets gas.
For W Ajani
Costs 1 less
Helps more in races with lifelink and vigilance helps protect itself better.
Cheaper money-wise. It isn't like they cost the same so trading for them should not be the same.
Normally the card advantage would be big and it still is but outlast is a mechanic where you tend to be using your mana whether you draw gas or not. So it needs to draw gas comparatively much less than the typical deck.
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
Also: updated the first post to reflect what my deck is currently looking like - same as what is in post #33.
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
Hopefully I'll be able to get 2-3 Abzan Falconer and 2-3 Abzan Battle Priest from my friend-group's Cube.
Minus the sideboard, this deck - according to TCGPlayer - costs 32USD to order.
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
Adding the Abzan Falconers alone has helped my deck immensely in my last few matches.
Granted, I've been spending my time recently playing Commander in my free time, but now that my fall semester of college is over, I have more time to play both Standard and Commander.
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
Btw, discussing new in the process of being spoiled sets is against the rules. I forget why but it probably has something to do with not wanting to spoil it for those who'd rather not know.
(In numbers, I'd prioritize the Falconer and Nightblade over the other 2 for sure.)
Then I would fill out the creatures with some cheap dudes that are solid on their own, depending on what you have:
(Athreos, God of Passage might be a pretty good one-of if you have it.)
Spells for removal, blanking removal, and adding counters without the hassle of outlast and other conditional means:
Finally, Abzan Ascendancy for that huge turn out of nowhere that gives your whole team a buff and evasion.
Of course, if I were to try something like this, I'd have to test out a fun-of Spirit Bonds to see how it plays with Abzan Ascendancy.
Very, very true.
Didn't know that - apologies and deleted that comment just in case.
@RetractionFelix: Nice to know you're showing some interesting an Outlast ability deck!
And I would definitely run Rakshasa Deathdealer, Fleecemane Lion, Spirit Bonds, and Athreos, God of Passage if I had 1-2.
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay
I suppose this deck should be renamed "Abzan Outlast Abilities", haha.
EDH: GWCaptain Sisay