Overview:
U/W Spirits is, as of this writing, the most powerful tribal subtheme to emerge from the Shadows of Innistrad Block. The deck is most reminiscent of U/B fairies, historically-- using instant speed fliers with disruptive abilities, such as tapping down creatures, or countering spells, to ensure that combat damage is pressed through unimpeded.
The deck appears to support two separate playstyles:
1) Aggressive tempo, typified by the use of Anafenza, Kin Tree Spirit and Nebelghast Herald. As a temporary reference for such a build, Below is Harrison Feng's Top 32 (and second best performing) List from the 7/23/16 SCG open:
The second potential playstyle is flash midrange/control, typified by a full set of avacyn, as well as more removal and countermagic. An example of such a build is Jeff Hoogland's 13th place list from the same SCG Open
Mausoleum Wanderer is the only one drop in the deck, and it's a versatile one. Foremost, without even bringing any other spirits into play, wanderer has the ability to force spike an opponent's instant or sorcery, thereby forestalling the resolution of opponent's critical spells (in the current format dromoka's command, collected company, or Languish) at critical junctures during the game. In addition, wanderer is buffed whenever another spirit enters play. This has two implications: first, wanderer can become substantially larger, allowing the spirit player to race damage more effectively, or, alternatively, that the force spike ability becomes increasingly difficult to pay. In the later case, because spirits have flash, you cant wait until an opponent attempts to cast a spell before flashing in spirits to ensure the spell is countered.
Selfless spirit is a solid card in any creature heavy deck. Here, its purpose is fairly obvious. It's a 2/1 body with flying that has the added bonus of making combat highly favorable, preventing mass losses to damage/destruction based sweepers, and ensuring that more disruptive spirits such as mausoleum wanderer and spell queller remain in play.
Rattlechains is berhaps the bread and butter creature of the deck. It has flash, grants flash to all other spirits that do not otherwise have it (for example, mausoleum wanderer or sefless spirit and also has the added benefit of granting a spirit hexproof upon entering the battlefield. This ability is of particular importance because of the need to preventspell queller from leaving the battlefield.
nebelghast herald Is a flash speed spirit that taps a creature whenever a spirit comes into play. This allows the spirits player to tap down creatures at instant speed during either player's combat.
This Card Likely Needs little introduction. Very powerful disruption stapled to a stocky flying body.
Avacyn is the top end of the curve, and functions much as selfless spirit, while having a larger body, and no loss of card advantage. An interesting note, is that avacyn can be flipped into avacyn, the purifier with little repercussion for the spirit player, if he or she controls a selfless spirit at the time of the ability triggering.
Noncreature Spells
clash of wills offers flexible removal that can hit ealy game plays and adds redundancy to the disruptive plan of the deck.
Ojutai's command is played in this deck almost universally, currently. The command is especially potent here, because the deck has an abundance of creatures at the 1 and 2 drop slots. Further, bringing back cards such as mausoleum wanderer, rattlechains, or selfless spirit can effectively end up countering non-creature spells, while generating additional card advantage or swinging the damage race.
Sideboard
TBA
Mono white & W/R humans: This is the match the deck does not want to play. Interestingly, Tempo lists struggle more than controlling lists because of their lack of sweepers. The deck is simply incapable of producing threats as efficiently, typically using 2 mana at a time to put threats on the board, rather than 1. Further, because so few creatures in the deck have more than 2 toughness, blocking is almost never profitable. Finally the disruptive element of the deck is practically moot against creature heavy builds (force spike, hexproof, etc). In short, White humans puts creatures of comparable or better stats onto the boards both more quickly and efficiently than spirits, and is also fairly unaffected by the disruption plan. Some sideboard measures have included always watching (which is also tremendously useful in the mirror), blessed alliance (to try to swing combat and life totals), as well as secure the wastes (which rather unfortunately can be invalidated by a single thalia's lieutenant). Unfortunately, here, the objective is to curve out near perfectly, and hope that the opponent sees a relatively slow hand.
Bant company: U/W spirits is perhaps the only deck that gives bant company a good run for its money. Mausoleum wanderer and spell Queller make resolving dromoka's command and collected company correctly a far more challenging affair. To boot, all the spirit deck's creatures fly, leaving the company player unable interact with creatures coming into the red-zone, outside of having dromoka's command. A loss here is often caused by flooding, color screw or simply running out of gas. Coco has a near inexhaustible threat density, and certainly more ways to accumulate card advantage with cards such as tireless tracker and duskwatch recruiter.
G/W Tokens: While this is a matchup that has not been observed extensively in video coverage, it does not seem a overly-challenging one. Specific advantages had by the spirit player are the fact that all of its creatures simply fly over plant and knight ally tokens, dispatching the deck's planeswalkers quite handily. In addition, access to planar outburst and declaration in stone makes dealing with tokens a simple mater.
Edits:[This space to be modified as necessary throughout the deck's life course]. There's way more to be written, but this is what i could bang out in the hour or two I had. Let me know if you think there should be some edits. I'll make accommodations only for well-reasoned and competitively oriented suggestions.
I'll repost my deck setup here as well for contribution's sake.
The primer mentions a solid Aggressive Tempo option as well as a Midrange/Control option. Mine is sort of a combination of the two, with a focus on Tempo that proceeds into Midrange; with options in the sideboard to convert the deck into a much more Aggressive Tempo or a much more Control-based playstyle.
Posting to contribute my own deck creation. I'm thinking I may move more towards Matsuri's build, though, as it makes use of reflector mage and a few other critical pieces.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I'm actually sort of tempted to try to fit in Eldrazi Displacer somehow. I'm a big fan of flicker tricks, and it'd be great to have in the late game when our hand is empty but our mana pool remains unused. You can use it to just outright negate attacks and counter targeted spells and so on. Might try it.
I think the problem with eldrazi displacer is the lack of evasion. Elder deep-fiend has the same problem, and the extra power doesn't really make up for the fact that tokens and humans can block the creature. The strength we got with spirits right now in standard besides them being able to get flashed in is the fact every last one of them is either flying or has some kind of ability such as skulk.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
As much as I hate playing top tier decks, I love the aggro/tempo style decks that UW Spirits is tooo much to not play it. However, I'd wonder about a slightly different approach to it, closer to the first deck than the more controlling one.
Question 1) Why no Topplegeist?
- That plus Nebelgast Herald seems like itd be able to race the faster decks with no problem, as well as making it practically impossible for them to block.
Question 2) Could we just lower the curve a TON and skip Archangel Avacyn?
- Without her, your curve stops at a 2-of with Ojutai's Command at 4cmc, IF you cut those (Q4) it stops at 3, which is nuts, and hyper aggressive.
Question 3) How necessary is Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit?
- I mean I can tell shes good in this list, but I've never really been a fan of Bolster, and without that shes just a legendary Grizzly Bear.
Question 4) Whats the proper number of Declaration in Stone and Ojutai's Command?
- Personally I've never thought that highly of DiS, I mean its good, but I'd hate to play an all flash deck with sorcery removal lol. Also, if we're going super low to the ground with fliers, we may not even need them, especially if we run Ojutai's Command for recursion, and counter creatures, and Reflector Mage.
Question 5) Is Reflector Mage needed?
- Hes OP, and my gut says yes he is, however the non spirit part makes me cringe lol, though I like him better than card]Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit[/card]. This seems like one of those decks that is kinda tight on slots, and though he is OP, perhaps its just not quite worth it, especially in a hyper aggro thats going under (or over hehe) everything.
Something I was thinking was possibly something along the lines of:
So basically I just tried to get this as low to the ground as possible. Again, the highest CMC is a 3-of with Ojutai's Command, which I could see being cut to a 2-of, but figured its our only card draw so I'll keep it for late game if it gets there. Topplegeist with Nebelgast Herald as well as Fogwalker should keep their board super tapped down. Every single creature has evasion, with Flying on all except for the Fogwalkers that have Skulk. Mainboard Always Watching pumps the team and gives us a little bit of blocking power, and helps in the mirror.
For the sideboard, Reflector Mage is too good to not have in there, as well as Declaration in Stone, but I just think they'd slightly slow us down mainboard. Turn Aside essentially serves as Essence Flux 5-8 in protecting our stuff. Bygone Bishop I'm not entirely sold on as it raises the curve a bit and doesnt do all that much with investigate as its CA, but really slow CA, he is mainly the flex spot.
What do yall think about this version? I think it can be extremely quick and go under/over a lot of decks, including White Weenies. All we really need to do is Spell Queller their Always Watching or Thalia's Lieutenant and/or keep the stream of tappers going, after that the tempo loss should be an easy GG. It's probably a little bit weaker mainboard to things like BW Control, but I think its fast enough to steal a game, and has pretty hefty self protection, even mainboard.
As much as I hate playing top tier decks, I love the aggro/tempo style decks that UW Spirits is tooo much to not play it. However, I'd wonder about a slightly different approach to it, closer to the first deck than the more controlling one.
Question 1) Why no Topplegeist?
- That plus Nebelgast Herald seems like itd be able to race the faster decks with no problem, as well as making it practically impossible for them to block.
Question 2) Could we just lower the curve a TON and skip Archangel Avacyn?
- Without her, your curve stops at a 2-of with Ojutai's Command at 4cmc, IF you cut those (Q4) it stops at 3, which is nuts, and hyper aggressive.
Question 3) How necessary is Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit?
- I mean I can tell shes good in this list, but I've never really been a fan of Bolster, and without that shes just a legendary Grizzly Bear.
Question 4) Whats the proper number of Declaration in Stone and Ojutai's Command?
- Personally I've never thought that highly of DiS, I mean its good, but I'd hate to play an all flash deck with sorcery removal lol. Also, if we're going super low to the ground with fliers, we may not even need them, especially if we run Ojutai's Command for recursion, and counter creatures, and Reflector Mage.
Question 5) Is Reflector Mage needed?
- Hes OP, and my gut says yes he is, however the non spirit part makes me cringe lol, though I like him better than card]Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit[/card]. This seems like one of those decks that is kinda tight on slots, and though he is OP, perhaps its just not quite worth it, especially in a hyper aggro thats going under (or over hehe) everything.
Something I was thinking was possibly something along the lines of:
So basically I just tried to get this as low to the ground as possible. Again, the highest CMC is a 3-of with Ojutai's Command, which I could see being cut to a 2-of, but figured its our only card draw so I'll keep it for late game if it gets there. Topplegeist with Nebelgast Herald as well as Fogwalker should keep their board super tapped down. Every single creature has evasion, with Flying on all except for the Fogwalkers that have Skulk. Mainboard Always Watching pumps the team and gives us a little bit of blocking power, and helps in the mirror.
For the sideboard, Reflector Mage is too good to not have in there, as well as Declaration in Stone, but I just think they'd slightly slow us down mainboard. Turn Aside essentially serves as Essence Flux 5-8 in protecting our stuff. Bygone Bishop I'm not entirely sold on as it raises the curve a bit and doesnt do all that much with investigate as its CA, but really slow CA, he is mainly the flex spot.
What do yall think about this version? I think it can be extremely quick and go under/over a lot of decks, including White Weenies. All we really need to do is Spell Queller their Always Watching or Thalia's Lieutenant and/or keep the stream of tappers going, after that the tempo loss should be an easy GG. It's probably a little bit weaker mainboard to things like BW Control, but I think its fast enough to steal a game, and has pretty hefty self protection, even mainboard.
Unfortunately, the reality is that there's no reason to try to make spirits "hyperaggro". Please note, Hyperaggro typically involves many more small creatures and burn spells of some fashion to win by turn 4 or 5. Atarka Red is a great example of hyperaggro. In any case, this deck has only 2 one drops, , neither of which is particularly aggressive. Anafenza is the only card in the deck that comes close to enabling a hyperaggro strategy, and shes legendary, making her a pretty suboptimal build-around/enabler. We certainly can't do aggro better than humans which has much more efficient creatures (see thalia's lieutenant which is leagues better than anafenza). No reason to go low to the ground when humans does it better. Not interested in playing a worse version of a deck that already exists.
As much as I hate playing top tier decks, I love the aggro/tempo style decks that UW Spirits is tooo much to not play it. However, I'd wonder about a slightly different approach to it, closer to the first deck than the more controlling one.
Question 1) Why no Topplegeist?
- That plus Nebelgast Herald seems like itd be able to race the faster decks with no problem, as well as making it practically impossible for them to block.
Question 2) Could we just lower the curve a TON and skip Archangel Avacyn?
- Without her, your curve stops at a 2-of with Ojutai's Command at 4cmc, IF you cut those (Q4) it stops at 3, which is nuts, and hyper aggressive.
Question 3) How necessary is Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit?
- I mean I can tell shes good in this list, but I've never really been a fan of Bolster, and without that shes just a legendary Grizzly Bear.
Question 4) Whats the proper number of Declaration in Stone and Ojutai's Command?
- Personally I've never thought that highly of DiS, I mean its good, but I'd hate to play an all flash deck with sorcery removal lol. Also, if we're going super low to the ground with fliers, we may not even need them, especially if we run Ojutai's Command for recursion, and counter creatures, and Reflector Mage.
Question 5) Is Reflector Mage needed?
- Hes OP, and my gut says yes he is, however the non spirit part makes me cringe lol, though I like him better than card]Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit[/card]. This seems like one of those decks that is kinda tight on slots, and though he is OP, perhaps its just not quite worth it, especially in a hyper aggro thats going under (or over hehe) everything.
Something I was thinking was possibly something along the lines of:
So basically I just tried to get this as low to the ground as possible. Again, the highest CMC is a 3-of with Ojutai's Command, which I could see being cut to a 2-of, but figured its our only card draw so I'll keep it for late game if it gets there. Topplegeist with Nebelgast Herald as well as Fogwalker should keep their board super tapped down. Every single creature has evasion, with Flying on all except for the Fogwalkers that have Skulk. Mainboard Always Watching pumps the team and gives us a little bit of blocking power, and helps in the mirror.
For the sideboard, Reflector Mage is too good to not have in there, as well as Declaration in Stone, but I just think they'd slightly slow us down mainboard. Turn Aside essentially serves as Essence Flux 5-8 in protecting our stuff. Bygone Bishop I'm not entirely sold on as it raises the curve a bit and doesnt do all that much with investigate as its CA, but really slow CA, he is mainly the flex spot.
What do yall think about this version? I think it can be extremely quick and go under/over a lot of decks, including White Weenies. All we really need to do is Spell Queller their Always Watching or Thalia's Lieutenant and/or keep the stream of tappers going, after that the tempo loss should be an easy GG. It's probably a little bit weaker mainboard to things like BW Control, but I think its fast enough to steal a game, and has pretty hefty self protection, even mainboard.
Always Watching is basically dead against the best deck in Standard right now so I wouldn't want it main. I agree that it's good in the mirror though so I'd consider it as a sideboard option. Dec might slow us down but it takes a dump on Spell Queller and helps us race (it's brutal against WW). Also I feel like there are better options than Fogwalker (Dimensional Infiltrator and Anafenza come to mind). Other than that though your list looks really solid, I'd change the sideboard a little bit but that's mostly personal preference.
Fogwalker does seem a bit lackluster on his own, but I feel like when you add in Topplegeist as well as have Nebelgast Herald its a crazy tempo play, pretty close to playing a Reflector Mage, and the skulk is decently relevant, though Always Watching makes it worse.
Regarding Always Watching, how is it dead against the best deck? (im assuming bant coco?) I mean Dromoka's Command gets it, but even if its there for 1 combat step it should do pretty good work. Only other thing I could see changing it for would be maybe mainboard Reflector Mage, which isnt a bad idea.
What about Unsubstantiate in the main, or at least the side. Its not a counter, and its not remand, but going with a very aggressive style like this it would be a great utility card. Bounces a blocker or a spell (then again, we probably have enough tappers already with out evasion). As for bouncing a spell, it may also be better to just play Turn Aside or Negate mainboard over Always Watching
I think the problem with eldrazi displacer is the lack of evasion. Elder deep-fiend has the same problem, and the extra power doesn't really make up for the fact that tokens and humans can block the creature. The strength we got with spirits right now in standard besides them being able to get flashed in is the fact every last one of them is either flying or has some kind of ability such as skulk.
I don't care about evasion on Displacer. Honestly it's not even there for attacking or blocking unless I must do so. What it is there for is recurring flickers. You can target opponent creatures too, so you can straight up no well their attacks. It combos perfectly with Reflector Mage as well-- just kick everything back to their hand every turn!
The real problem is wrecking an otherwise perfect mana base to provide colorless energy to fuel its ability.
@pyro: Topplegeist is valid and synergizes super well with Nebelgast Herald and Rattlechains. It'd be even better if you could set up delirium.
Avacyn isn't essential if you want a pure tempo build. Some of us like more control-y and midrangey styles of play though, where she has a very happy home.
Anafenza and Reflector Mages also aren't vital, but they are toolbox cards that can change the tide of the game when played correctly.
I like 2/2 on DiS and O-Command. DiS is crappy spot removal, but it's devastating when it can hit multiple things.
When I get home, I want to post a build I'm thinking about. Your thoughts have sparked an idea for a hyper-aggro build.
I have been testing an aggressive tempo build, it really is a third way to go. In this plan you get Topplegeist which is not desirable in slower versions.
I believe cheap counters are the way to go rather than sorcery speed or expensive stuff. Get early damage in and make them desperate to catch up and blunder into a Spell Queller. Topplegeist helps keep attacking.
All instant except 11 cards with average CMC of 1.3 so after T2 you never need to tap out. You use 1-drops to advance your board if they try to wait in yiu to tap down something. But if the opp is aggro you may choose to jam Nebelgast triggers on their turn so you win the combat race.
No removal except unsubstantiate, but when the deck does its thing you don't care. I'm fond of Unsub on one turn then Quell the same card next.
Sideboard, you counter their early creatures and they won't catch up. I wouldnt oppose some form of cheap removal or Ojutai's Command but prefer them sideboard.
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Don't know the best plan; I'm equally attracted to a 24 land 2 Fiend+2 Avacyn build. Consider T5 Avacyn, T6 Fiend expoliting a 3 drop or 2 drop. T7 flips into a 5/6 and 6/7. It's common to have 1 always tapped UW land, but I would rather have an Evolving Wilds as it supports Prairie Stream.
I'm currently running a Bant list (for CoCo and Tamiyo) but will likely rework it into WU once CoCo is gone in fall. That said I feel the match-up spirits in general need to worry about is W/x humans. Given the power of their one and two drops they can go wide and hit hard faster than we can deal with. I also think Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit could have a home in this deck as she serves a pump source that can get Spirits out of Languish range, and with all of the flash going on here an extra few +1/+1 counters would definitely be helpful.
I'm surprised to see no Collective Effort in decks. It's a very powerful modal spell that serves as pump, removal, and enchantment destruction.
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Currently Playing:
Standard - Some kind of control
Modern - UB Mill (casual)
EDH - Meren's Grave Shenanigans
As much as I hate playing top tier decks, I love the aggro/tempo style decks that UW Spirits is tooo much to not play it. However, I'd wonder about a slightly different approach to it, closer to the first deck than the more controlling one.
Question 1) Why no Topplegeist?
- That plus Nebelgast Herald seems like itd be able to race the faster decks with no problem, as well as making it practically impossible for them to block.
Question 2) Could we just lower the curve a TON and skip Archangel Avacyn?
- Without her, your curve stops at a 2-of with Ojutai's Command at 4cmc, IF you cut those (Q4) it stops at 3, which is nuts, and hyper aggressive.
Question 3) How necessary is Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit?
- I mean I can tell shes good in this list, but I've never really been a fan of Bolster, and without that shes just a legendary Grizzly Bear.
Question 4) Whats the proper number of Declaration in Stone and Ojutai's Command?
- Personally I've never thought that highly of DiS, I mean its good, but I'd hate to play an all flash deck with sorcery removal lol. Also, if we're going super low to the ground with fliers, we may not even need them, especially if we run Ojutai's Command for recursion, and counter creatures, and Reflector Mage.
Question 5) Is Reflector Mage needed?
- Hes OP, and my gut says yes he is, however the non spirit part makes me cringe lol, though I like him better than card]Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit[/card]. This seems like one of those decks that is kinda tight on slots, and though he is OP, perhaps its just not quite worth it, especially in a hyper aggro thats going under (or over hehe) everything.
Something I was thinking was possibly something along the lines of:
So basically I just tried to get this as low to the ground as possible. Again, the highest CMC is a 3-of with Ojutai's Command, which I could see being cut to a 2-of, but figured its our only card draw so I'll keep it for late game if it gets there. Topplegeist with Nebelgast Herald as well as Fogwalker should keep their board super tapped down. Every single creature has evasion, with Flying on all except for the Fogwalkers that have Skulk. Mainboard Always Watching pumps the team and gives us a little bit of blocking power, and helps in the mirror.
For the sideboard, Reflector Mage is too good to not have in there, as well as Declaration in Stone, but I just think they'd slightly slow us down mainboard. Turn Aside essentially serves as Essence Flux 5-8 in protecting our stuff. Bygone Bishop I'm not entirely sold on as it raises the curve a bit and doesnt do all that much with investigate as its CA, but really slow CA, he is mainly the flex spot.
What do yall think about this version? I think it can be extremely quick and go under/over a lot of decks, including White Weenies. All we really need to do is Spell Queller their Always Watching or Thalia's Lieutenant and/or keep the stream of tappers going, after that the tempo loss should be an easy GG. It's probably a little bit weaker mainboard to things like BW Control, but I think its fast enough to steal a game, and has pretty hefty self protection, even mainboard.
Topplegeist is no longer useful now that we have Mosoleum Wanderer. Tapping a creature during your own turn will rarely be relevant. And you'll pretty much never get delirium, which is the only reason to play the card. Nebelgast turns every spirit in your deck into a topplegeist, So you don't need a vanilla one.
2. Sure. I used to run her but removed her. The 5 mana means that if you flash her to block, your opponent catches you with your pants down to resolve whatever they want. It'S your deck so play whatever seems the best to you.
3. I removed Anafenza as well. Double white plus, no flash, plus no flying made her undesireable. She may be handy in mirror though. But you have to play her on your own turn. So hope to start and have WW on turn two.
4. I main 2 commands, I'd probably use 2 dec in stone as well, but side 2 for tokens.
5. I tried him, then removed him. Due to the lack of efficient card draw, I want the deck to have a decent clock, and I don't want to cast things on my main phase if I don't have to. Also, if you want to maximize your plays/options. a 3 cmc card is less desireable than a 2 cmc one.
The point of Topplegeist is to be more aggro. It's additional to Mausoleum. More early creatures, and can tap down a Spell Queller so you can attack. Ana is lame in the mirror. What good is a 3/2 attacking into a 2/1? Meanwhile you get disadvantaged by having tapped out for her.
I'm currently running a Bant list (for CoCo and Tamiyo) but will likely rework it into WU once CoCo is gone in fall. That said I feel the match-up spirits in general need to worry about is W/x humans. Given the power of their one and two drops they can go wide and hit hard faster than we can deal with. I also think Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit could have a home in this deck as she serves a pump source that can get Spirits out of Languish range, and with all of the flash going on here an extra few +1/+1 counters would definitely be helpful.
I'm surprised to see no Collective Effort in decks. It's a very powerful modal spell that serves as pump, removal, and enchantment destruction.
Ana will always bolster 1-toughness creatures or herself, and you won't escape Languish range. She taps you out so you can't threaten to counter Languish.
Collective Effort should be good against werewolves and humans.
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Current Awesome Deck: UWAll-In GiftsWU Consistent, Resiliant, and way overpowered, making multiple 4/4s per turn.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWUFree Stuff MidrangeUWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
Sideboard can be set up to change the mode of the deck to be more Control/Midrange, depending on your preference.
The idea of this version is to go all-out offensive-- there is still a presence of counterspell and counter-style spells with Mausoleum Wanderers, Spell Quellers, Unsubstantiate, O-Command, and Collective Effort, but it's all about throwing creatures down and swinging in the air with them. Anafenza, Always Watching, Thunderclap Wyvern, Collective Effort, and Borrowed Grace all aid you in this endeavor, letting you swing in with multiple creatures for ridiculous amounts of damage. The really cool part of this is that the Mausoleum Wanderers are naturally stronger, so sacrificing them to counter instants and sorceries makes them THAT much better. With Anafenza, Wyvern, or Always Watching they're guaranteed to come out as at least 2/2s. And with Always Watching out, the pumped fliers are solid blockers as well due to vigilance.
No need for much in the bouncing or flickering department, and the necessary curve is less steep due to no Avacyn-- though I kept the manabase the more or less same due to multiple cards with double white costs.
Collective Effort and Borrowed Grace are ambush cards for combat tricks, too. Swing in with multiple creatures for decent damage, but in response, you can suddenly pump them up by 1 or 2 each. This can also help your bigger creatures in response to Languish, since you'll pop them above 4 toughness.
EDIT: Collective Effort is sorcery speed, sorry. Still good.
After playing my own version I'm thinking that having the 2 anticipate really isn't helping much. I'm almost always wanting a counter spell of some kind and having the extra draw fixing was more of a liability than a boon. I'm really liking essence flux, though. It's basically a 1 cmc hard counter that gives a spirit a buff as well. Anyone think Imprisoned in the moon has much use? Right now it seems like we got things covered with Stasis Snare, but the ability to basically disable a planeswalker or turn a land into a colorless one might be handy.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I think Imprisoned may have its own place over Stasis Snare. It's not flash speed, but it can also hit lands, Spreading Seas style and planeswalkers as well. Might be nice to have that versatility.
After playing my own version I'm thinking that having the 2 anticipate really isn't helping much. I'm almost always wanting a counter spell of some kind and having the extra draw fixing was more of a liability than a boon. I'm really liking essence flux, though. It's basically a 1 cmc hard counter that gives a spirit a buff as well. Anyone think Imprisoned in the moon has much use? Right now it seems like we got things covered with Stasis Snare, but the ability to basically disable a planeswalker or turn a land into a colorless one might be handy.
I have been play testing with one imprisoned in the moon. It is the only planeswalker removable we have in blue.
Basically this deck is tempo aggro with a few top end beaters. I can easily take the top end off and sub in Dimensional Infiltrators if I want to.
I am still trying to find the spell balance between Main Deck and Sideboard, but basically I'd be okay with any of the combinations (some match ups, certain cards will be better than others.)
I plan on keeping Topplegeist. Its an easily buffed flier with essence flux that triggers both its ETB and Nebelgast Herald's. Can actually even be useful late game to tap down a major threat on the other side of the board (or even more than one with Nebelgast) and if your opponent gets rid of Nebelgast or you just don't see any in the game, Topplegeist can help you control the combat step, which is essential in Standard.
Private Mod Note
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Standard
Currently Playing: WGW/G HumansGW WUW/U SpiritsUW WGG/W TokensGW URU/R ProwessRU
I will be playing a playset of imprisoned in the moons in sideboard I think.
I agree. in all my test I've always found walkers to be problematic to deal with. not all the times we have a counter ready.
sure it's sorcery speed and it can be dealt with by dromoka's command. on the other hand the walkers that really are a problem are liliana, sorin, nahiri and chandra, so not dromoka's command's colours.
Private Mod Note
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Huey, Dewey and Louie are always dressed in RUG. it is CLEARLY going to be the wedges block Pioneer: WURFaerie fires BRGDragons ModernBGElves WRBurn UR Fires Turns URGift Storm UG Twiddle Storm
It just hit me that my super aggressive build is actually given an edge against CoCo and Languish via pumped up Mausoleum Wanderers. It's so simple to make it a 3/3+ which means sacrificing it makes it essentially a Mana Leak for 1 mana. And it's a heavy flying beater until you're ready to pop it.
Couple things I have noticed while playing this deck, Ojutai's Command is rarely played for anything good but when it is used its amazing. Example I casted it on opponents turn to bring back a selfless spirit from yard, block lethal dmg from their creatures, sac selfless spirit and hit lethal next turn. Without Ojutais that game was lost. Essence Flux is amazing its auto 4 of for me now it has so much utility above and beyond just saving a creature. Unsubstantiate is a great mainboard spell with more specific removal in side board. Imprisoned in the moon just straight up beats planeswalkers and it does it well.
I don bother with avacyn my top out cards are Gisela or Niblis of Frost I want to keep my creature curve 1 to 4 mana. I haven't tested Niblis of frost yet but Gisela does a pretty good job with the life link. Spell queller is awesome unless it gets spell quellered lol. I make a ton of misplays playing this deck and still win more often then not I think this deck has amazing potential. A big misplay I always fall for it using the queller on say turn 5 to pick up the first cast creature, then it getting hit with removal with open mana opponent has untapped.
I am currently running 3 Topplegeists and I really like them a flashed in topplegeist with a Neb on board is 3 creatures tapped. Topple is also a great card to have on board when your opponent clips wing it makes the choice very easy.
Topplegeist is a fascinating card to me. On one hand, it's a pretty simple "Pay 1 and tap a thing" card, and it has really good synergy with Rattlechains and especially good synergy with Nebelgast Herald. I guess the only real reason why I don't run it in my Midrange or in my Aggro build is because with Nebelgast Herald and Rattlechains out, *any Spirit* is a technical Topplegeist in a sense, because you can flash them in right before attacks and tap things. It's especially fun when you have multiple Heralds out-- just save Spirits in your hand and play them as Tap spells you can swing with. It's like blocking without blocking-- which is cool when you want to swing out with all your fliers and still play defensively. (And you can keep this combo going as long as you have Spirits to flash in!). In some cases, it's like casting a Fog every turn while you still can deal lots of damage.
U/W Spirits is, as of this writing, the most powerful tribal subtheme to emerge from the Shadows of Innistrad Block. The deck is most reminiscent of U/B fairies, historically-- using instant speed fliers with disruptive abilities, such as tapping down creatures, or countering spells, to ensure that combat damage is pressed through unimpeded.
1) Aggressive tempo, typified by the use of Anafenza, Kin Tree Spirit and Nebelghast Herald. As a temporary reference for such a build, Below is Harrison Feng's Top 32 (and second best performing) List from the 7/23/16 SCG open:
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Nebelgast Herald
4 Rattlechains
4 Reflector Mage
4 Selfless Spirit
4 Spell Queller
3 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
2 Archangel Avacyn
8 Island
7 Plains
4 Port Town
4 Prairie Stream
Spells (8)
4 Essence Flux
2 Ojutai's Command
2 Declaration in Stone
2 Bygone Bishop
2 Always Watching
2 Stasis Snare
2 Blessed Alliance
3 Negate
2 Summary Dismissal
2 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
The second potential playstyle is flash midrange/control, typified by a full set of avacyn, as well as more removal and countermagic. An example of such a build is Jeff Hoogland's 13th place list from the same SCG Open
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Rattlechains
4 Selfless Spirit
4 Spell Queller
4 Archangel Avacyn
Lands (25)
8 Island
8 Plains
1 Meandering River
4 Port Town
4 Prairie Stream
3 Stasis Snare
2 Anticipate
3 Clash of Wills
1 Essence Flux
3 Ojutai's Command
1 Scatter to the Winds
2 Planar Outburst
2 Bygone Bishop
2 Silkwrap
2 Blessed Alliance
1 Confirm Suspicions
2 Negate
2 Summary Dismissal
2 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
2 Planar Outburst
Mainboard
Creatures
Mausoleum Wanderer is the only one drop in the deck, and it's a versatile one. Foremost, without even bringing any other spirits into play, wanderer has the ability to force spike an opponent's instant or sorcery, thereby forestalling the resolution of opponent's critical spells (in the current format dromoka's command, collected company, or Languish) at critical junctures during the game. In addition, wanderer is buffed whenever another spirit enters play. This has two implications: first, wanderer can become substantially larger, allowing the spirit player to race damage more effectively, or, alternatively, that the force spike ability becomes increasingly difficult to pay. In the later case, because spirits have flash, you cant wait until an opponent attempts to cast a spell before flashing in spirits to ensure the spell is countered.
Selfless spirit is a solid card in any creature heavy deck. Here, its purpose is fairly obvious. It's a 2/1 body with flying that has the added bonus of making combat highly favorable, preventing mass losses to damage/destruction based sweepers, and ensuring that more disruptive spirits such as mausoleum wanderer and spell queller remain in play.
Rattlechains is berhaps the bread and butter creature of the deck. It has flash, grants flash to all other spirits that do not otherwise have it (for example, mausoleum wanderer or sefless spirit and also has the added benefit of granting a spirit hexproof upon entering the battlefield. This ability is of particular importance because of the need to preventspell queller from leaving the battlefield.
nebelghast herald Is a flash speed spirit that taps a creature whenever a spirit comes into play. This allows the spirits player to tap down creatures at instant speed during either player's combat.
This Card Likely Needs little introduction. Very powerful disruption stapled to a stocky flying body.
Avacyn is the top end of the curve, and functions much as selfless spirit, while having a larger body, and no loss of card advantage. An interesting note, is that avacyn can be flipped into avacyn, the purifier with little repercussion for the spirit player, if he or she controls a selfless spirit at the time of the ability triggering.
Noncreature Spells
clash of wills offers flexible removal that can hit ealy game plays and adds redundancy to the disruptive plan of the deck.
Ojutai's command is played in this deck almost universally, currently. The command is especially potent here, because the deck has an abundance of creatures at the 1 and 2 drop slots. Further, bringing back cards such as mausoleum wanderer, rattlechains, or selfless spirit can effectively end up countering non-creature spells, while generating additional card advantage or swinging the damage race.
Sideboard
TBA
Mono white & W/R humans: This is the match the deck does not want to play. Interestingly, Tempo lists struggle more than controlling lists because of their lack of sweepers. The deck is simply incapable of producing threats as efficiently, typically using 2 mana at a time to put threats on the board, rather than 1. Further, because so few creatures in the deck have more than 2 toughness, blocking is almost never profitable. Finally the disruptive element of the deck is practically moot against creature heavy builds (force spike, hexproof, etc). In short, White humans puts creatures of comparable or better stats onto the boards both more quickly and efficiently than spirits, and is also fairly unaffected by the disruption plan. Some sideboard measures have included always watching (which is also tremendously useful in the mirror), blessed alliance (to try to swing combat and life totals), as well as secure the wastes (which rather unfortunately can be invalidated by a single thalia's lieutenant). Unfortunately, here, the objective is to curve out near perfectly, and hope that the opponent sees a relatively slow hand.
Bant company: U/W spirits is perhaps the only deck that gives bant company a good run for its money. Mausoleum wanderer and spell Queller make resolving dromoka's command and collected company correctly a far more challenging affair. To boot, all the spirit deck's creatures fly, leaving the company player unable interact with creatures coming into the red-zone, outside of having dromoka's command. A loss here is often caused by flooding, color screw or simply running out of gas. Coco has a near inexhaustible threat density, and certainly more ways to accumulate card advantage with cards such as tireless tracker and duskwatch recruiter.
G/W Tokens: While this is a matchup that has not been observed extensively in video coverage, it does not seem a overly-challenging one. Specific advantages had by the spirit player are the fact that all of its creatures simply fly over plant and knight ally tokens, dispatching the deck's planeswalkers quite handily. In addition, access to planar outburst and declaration in stone makes dealing with tokens a simple mater.
Edits:[This space to be modified as necessary throughout the deck's life course]. There's way more to be written, but this is what i could bang out in the hour or two I had. Let me know if you think there should be some edits. I'll make accommodations only for well-reasoned and competitively oriented suggestions.
The primer mentions a solid Aggressive Tempo option as well as a Midrange/Control option. Mine is sort of a combination of the two, with a focus on Tempo that proceeds into Midrange; with options in the sideboard to convert the deck into a much more Aggressive Tempo or a much more Control-based playstyle.
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Rattlechains
4 Selfless Spirit
4 Nebelgast Herald
2 Reflector Mage
4 Spell Queller
1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
2 Archangel Avacyn
4 Essence Flux
2 Unsubstantiate
2 Ojutai's Command
2 Declaration in Stone
2 Hallowed Moonlight
Lands (23)
8 Island
7 Plains
4 Port Town
4 Prairie Stream
3 Always Watching
2 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
2 Stasis Snare
2 Eerie Interlude
2 Scatter to the Winds
2 Summary Dismissal
1 Reflector Mage
1 Unsubstantiate
I'm still totally open to critiques and suggestions for tweaking it, but it feels very solid for me so far.
EDIT: I tweaked the sideboard, to give it even more of a focus on aggressive play.
WB Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim | WBR Queen Marchesa | WUBR Breya, Etherium Shaper
Modern:
/ Death and Taxes | W/ Soul Sisters | Spirits | U Faeries | Tempered Steel Affinity
3x Archangel Avacyn
4x Mausoleum Wanderer
4x Nebelgast Herald
4x Rattlechains
4x Selfless Spirit
4x Spell Queller
8x Island
1x Meandering River
8x Plains
4x Port Town
4x Prairie Stream
2x Clash of Wills
2x Anticipate
2x Essence Flux
3x Ojutai's Command
2x Unsubstantiate
1x Scatter to the Winds
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
WB Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim | WBR Queen Marchesa | WUBR Breya, Etherium Shaper
Modern:
/ Death and Taxes | W/ Soul Sisters | Spirits | U Faeries | Tempered Steel Affinity
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Question 1) Why no Topplegeist?
- That plus Nebelgast Herald seems like itd be able to race the faster decks with no problem, as well as making it practically impossible for them to block.
Question 2) Could we just lower the curve a TON and skip Archangel Avacyn?
- Without her, your curve stops at a 2-of with Ojutai's Command at 4cmc, IF you cut those (Q4) it stops at 3, which is nuts, and hyper aggressive.
Question 3) How necessary is Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit?
- I mean I can tell shes good in this list, but I've never really been a fan of Bolster, and without that shes just a legendary Grizzly Bear.
Question 4) Whats the proper number of Declaration in Stone and Ojutai's Command?
- Personally I've never thought that highly of DiS, I mean its good, but I'd hate to play an all flash deck with sorcery removal lol. Also, if we're going super low to the ground with fliers, we may not even need them, especially if we run Ojutai's Command for recursion, and counter creatures, and Reflector Mage.
Question 5) Is Reflector Mage needed?
- Hes OP, and my gut says yes he is, however the non spirit part makes me cringe lol, though I like him better than card]Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit[/card]. This seems like one of those decks that is kinda tight on slots, and though he is OP, perhaps its just not quite worth it, especially in a hyper aggro thats going under (or over hehe) everything.
Something I was thinking was possibly something along the lines of:
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Topplegeist
4 Selfless Spirit
4 Nebelgast Herald
4 Rattlechains
4 Fogwalker
4 Spell Queller
7 Island
7 Plains
4 Port Town
4 Prairie Stream
Spells (10)
4 Essence Flux
3 Ojutai's Command
3 Always Watching
3 Bygone Bishop
4 Reflector Mage
4 Declaration in Stone
4 Turn Aside
So basically I just tried to get this as low to the ground as possible. Again, the highest CMC is a 3-of with Ojutai's Command, which I could see being cut to a 2-of, but figured its our only card draw so I'll keep it for late game if it gets there. Topplegeist with Nebelgast Herald as well as Fogwalker should keep their board super tapped down. Every single creature has evasion, with Flying on all except for the Fogwalkers that have Skulk. Mainboard Always Watching pumps the team and gives us a little bit of blocking power, and helps in the mirror.
For the sideboard, Reflector Mage is too good to not have in there, as well as Declaration in Stone, but I just think they'd slightly slow us down mainboard. Turn Aside essentially serves as Essence Flux 5-8 in protecting our stuff. Bygone Bishop I'm not entirely sold on as it raises the curve a bit and doesnt do all that much with investigate as its CA, but really slow CA, he is mainly the flex spot.
What do yall think about this version? I think it can be extremely quick and go under/over a lot of decks, including White Weenies. All we really need to do is Spell Queller their Always Watching or Thalia's Lieutenant and/or keep the stream of tappers going, after that the tempo loss should be an easy GG. It's probably a little bit weaker mainboard to things like BW Control, but I think its fast enough to steal a game, and has pretty hefty self protection, even mainboard.
Always Watching is basically dead against the best deck in Standard right now so I wouldn't want it main. I agree that it's good in the mirror though so I'd consider it as a sideboard option. Dec might slow us down but it takes a dump on Spell Queller and helps us race (it's brutal against WW). Also I feel like there are better options than Fogwalker (Dimensional Infiltrator and Anafenza come to mind). Other than that though your list looks really solid, I'd change the sideboard a little bit but that's mostly personal preference.
Regarding Always Watching, how is it dead against the best deck? (im assuming bant coco?) I mean Dromoka's Command gets it, but even if its there for 1 combat step it should do pretty good work. Only other thing I could see changing it for would be maybe mainboard Reflector Mage, which isnt a bad idea.
What about Unsubstantiate in the main, or at least the side. Its not a counter, and its not remand, but going with a very aggressive style like this it would be a great utility card. Bounces a blocker or a spell (then again, we probably have enough tappers already with out evasion). As for bouncing a spell, it may also be better to just play Turn Aside or Negate mainboard over Always Watching
I don't care about evasion on Displacer. Honestly it's not even there for attacking or blocking unless I must do so. What it is there for is recurring flickers. You can target opponent creatures too, so you can straight up no well their attacks. It combos perfectly with Reflector Mage as well-- just kick everything back to their hand every turn!
The real problem is wrecking an otherwise perfect mana base to provide colorless energy to fuel its ability.
@pyro: Topplegeist is valid and synergizes super well with Nebelgast Herald and Rattlechains. It'd be even better if you could set up delirium.
Avacyn isn't essential if you want a pure tempo build. Some of us like more control-y and midrangey styles of play though, where she has a very happy home.
Anafenza and Reflector Mages also aren't vital, but they are toolbox cards that can change the tide of the game when played correctly.
I like 2/2 on DiS and O-Command. DiS is crappy spot removal, but it's devastating when it can hit multiple things.
When I get home, I want to post a build I'm thinking about. Your thoughts have sparked an idea for a hyper-aggro build.
WB Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim | WBR Queen Marchesa | WUBR Breya, Etherium Shaper
Modern:
/ Death and Taxes | W/ Soul Sisters | Spirits | U Faeries | Tempered Steel Affinity
I believe cheap counters are the way to go rather than sorcery speed or expensive stuff. Get early damage in and make them desperate to catch up and blunder into a Spell Queller. Topplegeist helps keep attacking.
8 1-drops
11 2-drops (8 flash)
8 3-drops
2 4-drops side.
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Topplegeist
3 Selfless Spirit
4 Dimensional Infiltrator
4 Nebelgast Herald
4 Rattlechains
4 Spell Queller
7 Island
7 Plains
4 Port Town
4 Prairie Stream
Spells (9)
3 Essence Flux
3 Negate
3 Unsubstantiate
2 Ongoing Investigation
3 Horribly Awry
2 Void Shatter
1 Selfless Spirit
2 Borrowed Grace
2 Elder Deep-Fiend
3 Dispel
All instant except 11 cards with average CMC of 1.3 so after T2 you never need to tap out. You use 1-drops to advance your board if they try to wait in yiu to tap down something. But if the opp is aggro you may choose to jam Nebelgast triggers on their turn so you win the combat race.
No removal except unsubstantiate, but when the deck does its thing you don't care. I'm fond of Unsub on one turn then Quell the same card next.
Sideboard, you counter their early creatures and they won't catch up. I wouldnt oppose some form of cheap removal or Ojutai's Command but prefer them sideboard.
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Don't know the best plan; I'm equally attracted to a 24 land 2 Fiend+2 Avacyn build. Consider T5 Avacyn, T6 Fiend expoliting a 3 drop or 2 drop. T7 flips into a 5/6 and 6/7. It's common to have 1 always tapped UW land, but I would rather have an Evolving Wilds as it supports Prairie Stream.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWU Free Stuff Midrange UWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
My greatest hits:
GURFate Reforged Temur Ascendancy COMBORUG
GUDragons of Tarkir Whisperwood Forever UG
I'm surprised to see no Collective Effort in decks. It's a very powerful modal spell that serves as pump, removal, and enchantment destruction.
Standard - Some kind of control
Modern - UB Mill (casual)
EDH - Meren's Grave Shenanigans
Topplegeist is no longer useful now that we have Mosoleum Wanderer. Tapping a creature during your own turn will rarely be relevant. And you'll pretty much never get delirium, which is the only reason to play the card. Nebelgast turns every spirit in your deck into a topplegeist, So you don't need a vanilla one.
2. Sure. I used to run her but removed her. The 5 mana means that if you flash her to block, your opponent catches you with your pants down to resolve whatever they want. It'S your deck so play whatever seems the best to you.
3. I removed Anafenza as well. Double white plus, no flash, plus no flying made her undesireable. She may be handy in mirror though. But you have to play her on your own turn. So hope to start and have WW on turn two.
4. I main 2 commands, I'd probably use 2 dec in stone as well, but side 2 for tokens.
5. I tried him, then removed him. Due to the lack of efficient card draw, I want the deck to have a decent clock, and I don't want to cast things on my main phase if I don't have to. Also, if you want to maximize your plays/options. a 3 cmc card is less desireable than a 2 cmc one.
Ana will always bolster 1-toughness creatures or herself, and you won't escape Languish range. She taps you out so you can't threaten to counter Languish.
Collective Effort should be good against werewolves and humans.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWU Free Stuff Midrange UWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
My greatest hits:
GURFate Reforged Temur Ascendancy COMBORUG
GUDragons of Tarkir Whisperwood Forever UG
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Rattlechains
3 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
2 Selfless Spirit
4 Nebelgast Herald
4 Spell Queller
3 Thunderclap Wyvern
4 Always Watching
3 Unsubstantiate
2 Ojutai's Command
2 Collective Effort
2 Borrowed Grace
4 Port Town
4 Prairie Stream
8 Plains
7 Island
Sideboard can be set up to change the mode of the deck to be more Control/Midrange, depending on your preference.
The idea of this version is to go all-out offensive-- there is still a presence of counterspell and counter-style spells with Mausoleum Wanderers, Spell Quellers, Unsubstantiate, O-Command, and Collective Effort, but it's all about throwing creatures down and swinging in the air with them. Anafenza, Always Watching, Thunderclap Wyvern, Collective Effort, and Borrowed Grace all aid you in this endeavor, letting you swing in with multiple creatures for ridiculous amounts of damage. The really cool part of this is that the Mausoleum Wanderers are naturally stronger, so sacrificing them to counter instants and sorceries makes them THAT much better. With Anafenza, Wyvern, or Always Watching they're guaranteed to come out as at least 2/2s. And with Always Watching out, the pumped fliers are solid blockers as well due to vigilance.
No need for much in the bouncing or flickering department, and the necessary curve is less steep due to no Avacyn-- though I kept the manabase the more or less same due to multiple cards with double white costs.
Collective Effort andBorrowed Grace are ambush cards for combat tricks, too. Swing in with multiple creatures for decent damage, but in response, you can suddenly pump them up by 1 or 2 each. This can also help your bigger creatures in response to Languish, since you'll pop them above 4 toughness.EDIT: Collective Effort is sorcery speed, sorry. Still good.
What do you think?
WB Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim | WBR Queen Marchesa | WUBR Breya, Etherium Shaper
Modern:
/ Death and Taxes | W/ Soul Sisters | Spirits | U Faeries | Tempered Steel Affinity
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
WB Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim | WBR Queen Marchesa | WUBR Breya, Etherium Shaper
Modern:
/ Death and Taxes | W/ Soul Sisters | Spirits | U Faeries | Tempered Steel Affinity
I have been play testing with one imprisoned in the moon. It is the only planeswalker removable we have in blue.
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Topplegeist
4 Rattlechains
4 Selfless Spirit
4 Nebelgast Herald
4 Spell Queller
2 Elder Deep-Fiend
1 Archangel Avacyn
4 Essence Flux
3 Unsubstantiate
2 Negate
Land (24)
4 Port Town
4 Prairie Stream
9 Island
7 Plains
2 Ojutai's Command
2 Declaration in Stone
2 Hallowed Moonlight
3 Dimensional Infiltrator
2 Tandem Tactics
2 Dispel
Basically this deck is tempo aggro with a few top end beaters. I can easily take the top end off and sub in Dimensional Infiltrators if I want to.
I am still trying to find the spell balance between Main Deck and Sideboard, but basically I'd be okay with any of the combinations (some match ups, certain cards will be better than others.)
I plan on keeping Topplegeist. Its an easily buffed flier with essence flux that triggers both its ETB and Nebelgast Herald's. Can actually even be useful late game to tap down a major threat on the other side of the board (or even more than one with Nebelgast) and if your opponent gets rid of Nebelgast or you just don't see any in the game, Topplegeist can help you control the combat step, which is essential in Standard.
Currently Playing:
WGW/G HumansGW
WUW/U SpiritsUW
WGG/W TokensGW
URU/R ProwessRU
sure it's sorcery speed and it can be dealt with by dromoka's command. on the other hand the walkers that really are a problem are liliana, sorin, nahiri and chandra, so not dromoka's command's colours.
Pioneer: WURFaerie fires BRGDragons
ModernBGElves WRBurn UR Fires Turns URGift Storm UG Twiddle Storm
I want to test that build more.
WB Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim | WBR Queen Marchesa | WUBR Breya, Etherium Shaper
Modern:
/ Death and Taxes | W/ Soul Sisters | Spirits | U Faeries | Tempered Steel Affinity
I don bother with avacyn my top out cards are Gisela or Niblis of Frost I want to keep my creature curve 1 to 4 mana. I haven't tested Niblis of frost yet but Gisela does a pretty good job with the life link. Spell queller is awesome unless it gets spell quellered lol. I make a ton of misplays playing this deck and still win more often then not I think this deck has amazing potential. A big misplay I always fall for it using the queller on say turn 5 to pick up the first cast creature, then it getting hit with removal with open mana opponent has untapped.
I am currently running 3 Topplegeists and I really like them a flashed in topplegeist with a Neb on board is 3 creatures tapped. Topple is also a great card to have on board when your opponent clips wing it makes the choice very easy.
WB Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim | WBR Queen Marchesa | WUBR Breya, Etherium Shaper
Modern:
/ Death and Taxes | W/ Soul Sisters | Spirits | U Faeries | Tempered Steel Affinity