We discussed this a bit back and I tired Eerie, and I have to admit, it was too expensive to be relevant most of the time. Hoser was right at the time, that the best way to beat sweepers is probably just load up on Gideon post board.
Yes. Gideon post SB, even on the play. As well as Avacyn, to counter Fumigate.
I just faced a BW Midrange deck on XMage, and got destroyed (0-2, first cold shower). Of course, Midrange is exactly on the clock where it's supposed to beat us. I lost game 1 to Fumigate, followed by Linvala, Liliana and Gideon. I went full Aggro on Game 2 (replacing 2 Gideons with 2 Messengers). Bad mistake. Always prepare for a long matchup against such decks, even on the play. They'll slow you down so much... Speed matters less that resiliency. I knew that, but forgot that I knew, and sideboarded like a robot. Now, I'll remember I'm supposed to think.
BTW, Aethersphere Harvester may not be a bad choice against Midrange. Vehicles survive sweepers, and fliers are Planeswalkers bane. It is easily crewed by our Weenies (contrary to Heart of Kiran).
I dropped from first place on XMage (Constructed ranking), but I think I'm still in the top 3.
I won 2-0 against RG Energy. Game 2, I was down to 4 life, and he was still at 16, I think. He attacked with a 5/5 Cub, a 4/4 Helion and 2/2 Servant. I chump blocked Cub and Hellion with Mimic and Token, down to 2. But Avacyn flipped, dealing 3. I activated Needle Spires and Gideon, and attacked for 13 while he was tapped out. Win!
I also played against Jund Energy. I won game 1 on the draw, but lost game 2 to extreme deviance : I was still at 2 lands after 4 turns, while he missed no land drop. Then I got 2 lands, and could cast either Gideon or Chandra on turn 6. But it was too late anyway. Game 3, on the play, I went full Aggro. But he was very Control with his SB. I think he removed almost everything I played, and then he got card advantage through Tracker and Syphoner. At one point, I thought I had him, attacking for exact lethal damage and using Repel the Abominable to prevent lifelink from Harvester. But I forgot that Bushwhacker was not a human, and his damage got prevented. He went down to 2 life, and Needle Spire was ready to go lethal next turn. But he added a bit too much blockers. I tried to find a way to win, and then the inevitable happened. Timer killed me...
Against Control, you'd be better with 2 more Gideon (if you have them) than with 2 Nahiri. His +1 really beats them. Arlinn Kord may even be better than Nahiri (wolf, burn, rince and repeat ; or giving haste).
Release the Gremlins has embedded card advantage in it. I would prefer that than Natural Obsolescence.
Eerie Interlude against Saheeli is too slow. Any decks are already slowed against her : the moment one of the combo piece hit the table, you'll slow yourself down to deal with the Combo. If you have a slow spell in addition to that, you're getting even more behind. I know Repel won't help against Fumigate, but it will against Return and Radiant. Also, it will disrupt the Combo. So the card serves two purposes.
Other than that, I was trying to squeeze in some Allies (Mage and/or Scout), but without Envoy to help trigger Rally, or Bushwhacker only in the SB, it's pretty pointless.
Edit : I know Brawler interacts with Lightning and Hub, but I would dump it for Recruiter (full playset). The interaction with a flipped Recruiter, Mimic (gets recruited) and all other humans with colorless in the mana cost is quite amazing.
3-1, first place tonight! The above list as edited based on patbou's suggestions.
Match 1: Mono-B Aetherborn; 2-0, 1-0
Game 1: He was stuck on 2 mana for too long while I curved out.
Game 2: Triple Mimic draw into Garrison. He pushed 1, but a 4/5 Garrison that spawns 2 3/3s is just ridiculous. Tracker starting out with two counters, then drawing cards buried him.
Match 2: Izzet Control; 2-1, 2-0
Game 1: Curved out, got lucky
Game 2: Thing went off, and despite drawing some cards, Torrential Gearhulk is a good card.
Game 3: Super close topdeck war followed a back and forth battle with Gideon, Tracker. Finally Skysovereign was facing down 2 Torrential Gearhulks with opponent at 4. Heron's Grace Champion crewed Skysovereign for the win.
Match 2: RG Energy; 1-2, 2-1
Game 1: Stuck on 2 land while opponent curved out
Game 2: Opponent mulled to 5. Mimic into Garrison into Champion, not close.
Game 3: Stuck on 3 land while opponent curved out. Lots of trades and an untapped land in either of the last 2 turns could have stabilized it by playing Champion. Alas, Champion #2 into Evolving Wilds didn't cut it
Match 4: GB Energy (Nelson); 2-0, 3-1
Game 1: I killed a Servant, then followed his Rishkar with a Garrison. Grasp, then Garrison #2. Then Champion and Tracker. Then Gearhulk and opponent chumping a 5/5 Champion and a 7/6 Tracker went to the inevitable end.
Sideboard: +1 Bestiary
Game 2: He drew 3 Servants and no Siphoners. I played a Recruiter, then didn't block until I got to 4 mana. Swing, opponent blocked Recruiter with a Servant. Champion, eat Servant, gain 3. Eventually he gets Constrictor and Rishkar while I draw creatures then flip Recruiter. I get Bestiary going and start drawing cards off it. Hanweir Garrison plus a huge Lieutenant overrun him after I Harnessed Lightning a 7/7 Verdurous Gearhulk.
Would you change anything to your deck? Or SB strategy? How was Bestiary?
I did 3-1 this morning on XMage :
2-0 vs Mardu Vehicles
2-0 vs Mono Black Vampires (including Yaheeni)
2-0 vs Mardu Atog
0-2 vs Sultai Colossus
The Colossus matchup was frustrating. Both games, he played Hedron Archive on curve, then turn 5 the Skysovereign + TWO Colossus for zero mana. I should have won game 1 anyway, but I completely misplayed Repel the Abominable (due to my lack of understanding of the interface, but I won't make the same mistake twice, ever). I got rolled over on game 2, drawing no Lantern Scout, Firemantle Mage (evasion!), Repel the Abominable or Release the Gremlins (or my other removals). Not sure I sideboarded well, don't remember. I'll never know how game 3 would have ended if game 1 would have been played normally (as in real life)...
If Colossus decks are there to stay, I'll definetily add Consulate Crackdown in the SB.
The matchup against Mardu was funny. Game 1 he got stucked at 1 land for 3 turns, but had plenty of 1 drops and was very aggressive (got me below 10 very fast). At one point, he attacked with 2 Exemplars, pumped by the Inspector's Clue. I blocked with Captain and Envoy, and 2 for 1'ed with Repel the Abominable. I don't recall game 2, but I overwhelmed him and won (Vehicles are akin to Equipments, and lots of cards on the board doesn't mean that many creatures).
Results so far :
Real life : 6-0 (12 wins - 1 loss)
XMage : 6-3 (11 wins - 7 losses ; Colossus, Jund Energy and BW Midrange)
Would you change anything to your deck? Or SB strategy? How was Bestiary?
I did 3-1 this morning on XMage :
2-0 vs Mardu Vehicles
2-0 vs Mono Black Vampires (including Yaheeni)
2-0 vs Mardu Atog
0-2 vs Sultai Colossus
The Colossus matchup was frustrating. Both games, he played Hedron Archive on curve, then turn 5 the Skysovereign + TWO Colossus for zero mana. I should have won game 1 anyway, but I completely misplayed Repel the Abominable (due to my lack of understanding of the interface, but I won't make the same mistake twice, ever). I got rolled over on game 2, drawing no Lantern Scout, Firemantle Mage (evasion!), Repel the Abominable or Release the Gremlins (or my other removals). Not sure I sideboarded well, don't remember. I'll never know how game 3 would have ended if game 1 would have been played normally (as in real life)...
If Colossus decks are there to stay, I'll definetily add Consulate Crackdown in the SB.
The matchup against Mardu was funny. Game 1 he got stucked at 1 land for 3 turns, but had plenty of 1 drops and was very aggressive (got me below 10 very fast). At one point, he attacked with 2 Exemplars, pumped by the Inspector's Clue. I blocked with Captain and Envoy, and 2 for 1'ed with Repel the Abominable. I don't recall game 2, but I overwhelmed him and won (Vehicles are akin to Equipments, and lots of cards on the board doesn't mean that many creatures).
Results so far :
Real life : 6-0 (12 wins - 1 loss)
XMage : 6-3 (11 wins - 7 losses ; Colossus, Jund Energy and BW Midrange)
Nice work! I love that Repel play against Vehicles.
After winning G1 against GB easily, I didn't follow my sideboard strategy at all, just bringing in Bestiary. Small sample size, but my new theory is that removal is good to disrupt GB synergies. Bestiary turned what could have been a topdeck struggle into a laugher in that game 2, but I keep forgetting about the free scries.
I put the second Recruiter in pursuant to your feedback and I want a third, as they were great. The weakest cards seem to be the Brawlers and Hanweir Militia Captains. If I get rid of the Brawlers, since all my RR cards are in the sideboard, I can probably cut an R source and make the mana better for G and WW (obv also cutting Chandra and Combustible).
I should have 1-2 Needle Spires in the deck for control matchups.
I would have put in Release the Gremlins like you suggested, but a friend was borrowing all of mine.
I like the idea of the Bushwhackers, but never bring them in. Maybe I should try them main in place of Verdurous Gearhulk and land. Come to think of it, they are strangely similar cards with Verdurous Gearhulk.
Avacyn wasn't great. She's on the watch list.
Without at least one Attune, 4 Aether Hubs may be too many. Two Aether Hubs in an opening hand can kill me in a deck with this many colored sources.
I am considering getting rid of the 5 drops and some land to try to top out with Champion and just get them dead. Shock or Declaration could help a low curve.
Edit: Maybe this is wrong since I just cashed with this list, but I've been building Naya Humans as if the core is Metallic Mimic, Thalia's Lieutenant, Hanweir Garrison, Tireless Tracker and Heron's Grace Champion. What if Metallic Mimic makes the deck too slow? What if my ideal out of the first 2 turns is to have 2 1-drops instead of 1 2-drop?
1st match - against BW Midrange. 0-2
To much removal I was not able to keep anything on the board.
2nd match - against BR Vampires. 2-0
No problem, I just kept attacking without blocking and eventually the Lantern Scout come out and your HP goes trough the roof.
3nd match - against RG Energy 2-1
Same thing as the BR Aggro. I just ignore his creatures. Once you are able to resolve a Lantern Scout on a board that have an Expedition Envoy and then the turn after, a Firemantle Mage + a Bushwacker, it's really hard for the opponent to stabilize. Either he lose his creature blocking or he just become to far behind in life.
Kari Zev is really good with a Lantern Scout and a Firemantle Mage.
Always Watching is great when you attack with your ally (lifelink, menace or Bushwacker.) When you have 2 Thraben Inspector and Always Watching and you cast a Firemantle Mage, you have two 2/3 vigileance attacking with menace and you can chomp block the turn after.
Most of the time, when I cast Metallic Mimic at the beginning of the game, I name it Human, but it happenened 3 time I had 3-4 creatures, including a Lantern or Firemantle and I cast Mimic and made it an Ally to trigger Rally. Good card.
About Kari Zev : Her monkey doesn't benefit from Rally, as it was not in play when Rally triggered (it will never get Menace or Lifelink). She has Menace herself and doesn't benefit at all from Firemantle Mage. And I don't see why she's so good with Lantern Scout, dealing only a single point of damage. How exactly was she so good with these two?
About that difficult BW Midrange matchup... First, I'm glad you see it as a Midrange deck. People (me included) refer to it most of the time as BW Control. Not understanding the enemy makes it harder to defeat. On the clock, Midrange gets defeated by Combo. This is where we have to play our deck to beat BW Midrange. The closest things we have that is Combo are Bushwhacker + Weenies and Avacyn vs Anything. Knowing this may help you win game 1, and SB better for game 2 and 3. This is what I recommend :
On the draw : +1 Plains, +1 Gideon, +1 Chandra, +3 Avacyn, +2 Declaration in Stone ; -2 Captain, -4 Scout, -2 Repel the Abominable.
On the play : same as above and +2 Messenger ; -2 Captain.
Thraben Inspector : Games against BW Midrange are extra long. You want card advantage, and it combos well with Bushwhackers.
Hanweir Militia Captain : Mimic and Lieutenant have more combo potentials with Bushwhackers. But 2/2 is better than 2/1 or 1/1 if opponent prevents us from gaining value from our T2. Removing 2 Captain is probably sound (it's still cheap and helps surge the Bushwhacker).
Lantern Scout : We need Menace more than Lifelink (to get around a single Kalitas, for example). And we need as many drop 1 and 2 creatures as possible to surge the Bushwhacker. Cards have to go, and I prefer to lose this one than the others.
Repel the Abominable : Preventing Kalitas and/or Shambling Vent to deal damage, and gaining life while doing so, can be a game changer. It can also save a creature from Essence of Extraction. It's not as useful against a deck that doesn't burn to remove your creatures, so -2 is probably ok.
Planeswalkers : Good against sweepers. Keep them, and add more.
Avacyn : She's better on the play than on the draw, if you can get to 5 lands first. Otherwise, she's a nice way to keep pressuring opponent, and will make Fatal Push looks ridicule (opponent can only destroy a small creature, and will trigger Avacyn, take 3, and then 6 flying). Also, played on the stack of Yaheeni's Expertise or Flaying Tendrils, and you're sure to get her transformed (as she'll "see" the weenies die to -3/-3).
Declaration in Stone : We don't need instant speed that much in this matchup. It's cheaper than Stasis Snare, and better with Bushwhacker. It's good to get rid of Kalitas' zombies, or Linvala's Angel, without giving opponent a Clue.
Village Messenger : Another weenie to feed the Bushwhacker. Fast by itself, and should transform early on (with Menace imbedded). Good on the play to pack some punch to end the game faster (instead of Captain).
Strategy : Resist the urge to add too many creatures to the board. Get your Planeswalkers on the field ASAP. Then, start hoarding weenies and Bushwhackers in your hand until you can go lethal in one shot (remember that Combo beats Midrange on the clock).
Edit : With 3 Gideon in the deck after SB, Mimic is often better as an Ally to make the tokens 3/3. Think about this when you play it.
I put the second Recruiter in pursuant to your feedback and I want a third, as they were great.
Edit: Maybe this is wrong since I just cashed with this list, but I've been building Naya Humans as if the core is Metallic Mimic, Thalia's Lieutenant, Hanweir Garrison, Tireless Tracker and Heron's Grace Champion. What if Metallic Mimic makes the deck too slow? What if my ideal out of the first 2 turns is to have 2 1-drops instead of 1 2-drop?
Too many 1-drops will be counterproductive with Recruiter (he'll recruit too small creatures, and won't help cast them faster). I would not pursue that route if I were you. But it's true that Mimic is better with a lot of 1 and 2-drops, to get the most value out of it, or with token production (like Garrison). Same is true for Captain. Thus why I prefered the Boros build than Naya. If I were to play Naya, I would have the following (4 of each) : Inspector, Recruiter, Lieutenant, Mimic, Captain, Garrison, Tracker, Champion, with 4 removals or 4 Repel, and 24 lands. I would count on Recruiter to fetch creatures and reduce their cost, to make the most out of Mimic and Captain (and Lieutenant), and to make up for the lower count of 1-drop. I would play Battlements instead of Abbey, if colors can be fixed ok with the other 22 lands. If not, none of the two.
In goldfishing, the following manabase has been better than I thought possible (but still not very good). I can't really say about the creatures before I do some actual battling.
No Needle Spires? And you only have 23 lands... is that what you want with Tireless Tracker? Also, Evolving Wilds may be better than Attune with Aether if you want to get more Clues, and less dependant on G on your first turn if one of your 2-3 "lands" is Attune. Your 24th land may be Hanweir Battlements...
I'm having second thoughts on Repel the Abominable. It performed ok, but not as good as expected against the decks that it mattered. Here are my latest results on XMage (from the past 4-5 days) :
1-2 Mardu Vehicles (opponent was on the play : the coin toss determined the winner)
2-0 UB Control
2-1 Esper Control
2-0 Esper Control
2-0 UB Inspire
2-0 4c Saheeli (I was on the play, and won game 1 on turn 4 or 5 ; opponent got mana short on game 2)
1-2 Jund Energy (I was on the play, and expected to win game 1 and 3 ; but I lost game 3 with 3 Avacyn in my hand and not enough mana to cast the first one)
1-2 Temur Tower (this is a rought matchup ; I won game 1, but misread his deck and thought opponent was playing a weird 4c Saheeli deck that got color screw... so I sided the wrong cards and forgot to change the SB for game 3)
2-0 Jeskai something
2-0 Mono U artifact
2-0 Bant Fog Tower (nobel prize for the most boring deck to play against goes to this deck ; I actually won game 1, and would have won game 2 with Avacyn + flipped-Avacyn + Gideon's Emblem, but lost to the timer as I clicked on All Attack button ; in real life, I would have won 2-0 on time extension, but on xMage, that's a 1-2 loss)
2-0 Grixis Control
2-1 Temur Tower (now that I knew this deck existed, I knew what to do to beat it).
2-1 UR Emerge
0-2 Jeskai Saheeli (I lost game 1 on the draw ; game 2, I had a very good hand, but misclicked and mulliganed to 6, then 5, then 4... obviously, all these other hands had no lands at all, so I conceded).
1-2 Jund Energy (lost game 1 on the draw, to triple Fatal Push, a Cub + Hydra + Gearhulk ; won game 2 with aggressivity ; lost game 3 to a Cub and that Module that adds a +1/+1 counter to a creature when you gain energy... I got 3-for-0'ed at one point, expecting 2-for-1'ed, just to kill the Cub and avoid it snowballed, but forgot about the Module activated ability that added an energy, a +1/+1 counter, and another +1/+1 counter due to that extra energy).
Results so far :
Real life : 6-0 (12 wins - 1 loss)
XMage : 17-8 (37 wins - 20 losses ; 65% ratio)
In the end, I have to admit all these articles on Channel Fireball and Starcity Games are right : Standard is dominated by a few cards that can snowball out of control if they are not answered almost immediately, and thus Standard is most often won by whoever wins the coin toss on game 1 (in tier 1 matchups ; which I consider this deck to have the potential to be).
Repel the Abominable is not the one-size-fits-all solution to all these problems, and will replace it with some removals.
I have yet to find the perfect removal for the current metagame. Going Mardu for Fatal Push is very tempting (no Unlicensed Disintegration, because of the artifact theme that is required). This way, I could replace Captain by Syphoner and get more card advantage (its ability won't hurt that much, thanks to Lantern Scout), and an extra energy input/output to help with Harnessed Lightning if I want more removals (main or SB).
But Fatal Push may be tricky against the wrong matchup...
I'm not a super fan of Declaration in Stone (sorcery speed and gives card advantage) or Stasis Snare (costs 3). The only other sensible removal seems to be Harnessed Lightning, but with no other energy input, it may not be that great. Going Naya is probably the cheapes way to fix this (Attune with Aether and Aether Hub), but it seems this will be at the cost of speed and/or Ally synergy.
So if anyone has good suggestions to stay Boros with a good removal, I'm ready to hear them!
If not, I may try a Naya version :
Replace 4 Hanweir Militia Captain with 4 Duskwatch Recruiter.
Replace 4 Thraben Inspector with 3 Heron's Grace Champion and 23rd land.
Replace 4 Repel the Abominable with 4 Harnessed Lightning.
Fix the manabase with Attune with Aether and Aether Hub, but not Evolving Wilds (since Tireless Tracker is not in the deck).
This version would allow me to maintain the full squad of Ally (Scout and Mage for their Rally, plus Envoy, Mimic and Bushwhacker to repeat trigger). I get really excited thinking about turn 2 Recruiter, attack for 2 and pass on turn 3 to recruit and flip, and then cast a flurry of Mimic (Human), Envoy, Lieutenant and surged Bushwacker (18 = win).
I would love to fit Tracker and Garrison in the deck, but I beleive the immediate and repeatable effects of Rally (Menace or Lifelink) is more useful in the current metagame than some delayed and conditional advantages (Clues if land drop, then pay mana for a card ; or Tokens if you manage to attack). This, at least for game 1... Maybe Tracker and Garrison are better however on game 2, when each threat that hits the table and stays there for more than a turn needs to have a bigger impact, more so if alone by itself (we face many removals post-SB). Maybe I can add them in the SB...
Hmm. Better removal. I am not sure about your current deck contents, so that is hard to say (the latest listing I saw seemed to be on the previous page using Outnumber). A couple of Aether Hubs could occasionally make Harnessed Lightning better against the Felidar Guardians. Hungry Flames is interesting as it doesn't kill the cat, but can be used to take out Saheeli. Lots of conditional options.
Winning 2/3rds of the time despite misclick misadventures seems solid, IMO. Meta-wise, I think Radiant Flames being pretty bad against Constrictor and Vehicles helps aggressive 2-color human decks. We can often kill the turn 3 Saheeli and kill the combo decks before turn 6. GWx with Champion seems like it should be solid against Vehicles.
Selfishly, I'd love to see what you come up with brewing Naya, as there are so many more possibilities than I get to try.
I've replaced the 4 Repel the Abominable by 4 Harnessed Lightning to these results :
2-0 vs Mono Red Aggro (he conceded after I played Lantern Scout and gained 10+ life)
2-0 vs UR Control (I don't know what the deck was, exactly)
1-2 vs Naya Tokens Planeswalkers (left unchecked, this deck really is wonderful... I lost, but was impressed, and it was inspiring)
There was a glitch in the deck editor, and ended with 62 cards in the main deck (5 Forests instead of 3). This crushed me in the first matchup, but I fixed the problem right after...
0-2 vs Abzan Tokens Planeswalkers : A lot of Oaths, tokens spells, and Planeswalkers ; really hard to beat, but then, because of the above mentioned glitch, I was completely color screwed game 1 (4 lands, no red, and 7 red spells in my hand), and flooded game 2. I deeply wanted to draw these mana sinks I used to play and loved (Needle Spires and Westvale Abbey), but I had to cut most of them to fix the manabase.
2-0 vs a RW deck piloted by a player named "TheBoss" : One of the most annoying player I've ever seen on XMage. He managed to chat 4 messages in the first round, complaining about my speed (turn 1 took me less than 25 seconds, but I was still trying to figure out the best sequence to play my Battle Lands and Shadow Lands). Me : Recruiter on turn 2. Him : Thalia on turn 3 (he was on the play). Then, I played Aether Hub, which ETB tapped because of Thalia, and dumb fool was mocking me ("ha, ha, hope you didn't need it, newb!"). I passed the turn to flip Recruiter, and killed Thalia with Harnessed Lightning before he draw a card. He played something, I think Heart of Kiran. Then on turn 4, I land dropped and at a discount, I played Mimic (Ally), Lantern Scout... and he raged quit with Scout on the stack, saying something about losing his time vs a Tier 3 deck. I was about to cast Bushwhacker for 1, and attack for 15 Lifelink on an empty board. Who's the loser, moron?
2-0 vs Mono Blue Control : I don't know what was his win condition. Game 1, I played Recruiter on turn 2, recruited another one and attacked for 2 on turn 3, then followed with Mimic (Human), Recruiter, Lieutenant and surged Bushwhacker, attack for 18! Game 2, he countered my first 2 Recruiters, and a Mimic, but Envoy managed to stick and attack for 2, before opponent blocked the road with two Thing in the Ice. Eventually, Recruiter #3 hit the table. Opponent passed the turn (still 4 counters on each Thing), and Recruiter flipped. Huge sell-off then, with all my cards at a 33% to 50% discount! At such a low price, I emptied my hand : Mimic (Ally), Mage, Bushwhacker and another Bushwhacker (attack for 25, on 6 dudes with Menace)... GG!!!
Manabase needs to be revised. I deeply want to have more Needle Spires. Deck is even more explosive now, but manabase is clunky, and lacks a serious mana sink (manland). It obviously doesn't have the card advantages of Thraben Inspector and Tireless Tracker, but Envoy and Mage are more aggressive and help to end games faster (Menace on a full squad removes a half or more blockers). The quicker you can finish the game, the less you need card advantage. Recruiter has some imbedded card advantage in it, at a higher price than a Clue. But it's ability is repeatable, and you get to pick your creature out of 3 cards. I haven't tested yet Champion, so it's hard to tell. But I beleive it can be very nice, and a fine play on turn 3 during opponent's turn (to flip Recruiter). Mostly, it seems Harnessed Lightning is getting just the right amount of encouragement from Attune and Hub. Tracker wouldn't be happy in a deck under 24-25 lands and no Evolving Wilds, so I guess even testing it in the deck would result in me feeling it is underwhelming.
There are 8 Forest/Plains type cards to reveal to play Fortified Village untapped in the early game. It is the perfect land to fix my early game needs (there are 8 untapped lands, +4 maybe untapped lands to play the first 2 turns).
Including Attune, there are 8 basic lands to help play Cinder Glade untapped in the mid game (when red spells are needed ; all in all, there is up to 16 untapped mana sources for the mid game).
Gideon and Avacyn can both be casted with 2 Plains, if they're the only white sources (natural draw or with Attune).
The 4 manlands are there, which should help against control. And no other lands provide RW, to not hinder paying the activation cost (if your only source of R and of W is on the same card, you can't activate the manland).
Finally, there are 16 W, 16 G and 15 R sources, so it should be quite reliable
I know my needs for R are higher than G, but I wanted to fix G in the early stage to help casting Attune and Recruiter. This may have to be revised however, because it's not rare that I want to unload a hand with 2-3 red creatures (with the help of Recruiter).
There are 8 Forest/Plains type cards to reveal to play Fortified Village untapped in the early game. It is the perfect land to fix my early game needs (there are 8 untapped lands, +4 maybe untapped lands to play the first 2 turns).
Including Attune, there are 8 basic lands to help play Cinder Glade untapped in the mid game (when red spells are needed ; all in all, there is up to 16 untapped mana sources for the mid game).
Gideon and Avacyn can both be casted with 2 Plains, if they're the only white sources (natural draw or with Attune).
The 4 manlands are there, which should help against control. And no other lands provide RW, to not hinder paying the activation cost (if your only source of R and of W is on the same card, you can't activate the manland).
Finally, there are 16 W, 16 G and 15 R sources, so it should be quite reliable
I know my needs for R are higher than G, but I wanted to fix G in the early stage to help casting Attune and Recruiter. This may have to be revised however, because it's not rare that I want to unload a hand with 2-3 red creatures (with the help of Recruiter).
That seems really good. I had been hoping to get at least 2 Needle Spires into my Naya base eventually and I can steal some of your ideas for that.
I am not sure you really want 4 Needle Spires, but you can always switch one or two with Inspiring Vantage later if you find yourself with too many taplands. I would want at least 14 G sources to cast Attune, so I would do something to get at least one more G source, maybe swap an Attune to become an Evolving Wilds. I think you will hate yourself when you have hands with Attune, but no G source.
That seems really good. I had been hoping to get at least 2 Needle Spires into my Naya base eventually and I can steal some of your ideas for that.
I am not sure you really want 4 Needle Spires, but you can always switch one or two with Inspiring Vantage later if you find yourself with too many taplands. I would want at least 14 G sources to cast Attune, so I would do something to get at least one more G source, maybe swap an Attune to become an Evolving Wilds. I think you will hate yourself when you have hands with Attune, but no G source.
Thanks. You may be right. I'll play test this updated list, however, before adding G...
I traded 2 Needle Spires for 2 Inspiring Vantage in the main deck. It was a bit too slow.
I traded 3 Expedition Envoy for 3 Thraben Inspector. I feel some more card advantage is needed in the deck. And while Envoy paired well with Bushwacker, double trigger on Rally is totally useless.
I traded 2 Heron's Grace Champion for 2 Hanweir Garrison. Champion is win more, and slow, compared to Scout and Bushwhacker. I opted for Garrison, hoping it will add value to Lieutenant and Mimic. They shined less with only four 1-drops.
I traded the last Champion for a third Gideon, to maintain at least 20 Allies in the deck (to trigger Rally).
SB : Another Needle Spires, to help against Control and to add mana when Avacyn gets in.
SB : 2 Hanweir Garrison instead of 2 Village Messenger. Garrison is above Fatal Push, and will have a greater impact on the play.
SB : 3 Selfless Spirit instead of 3 Stasis Snare. Harnessed Lightning does the instant-removal job in the main deck, and what I need now is a way to protect my army against Control and Midrange, and to trigger Avacyn against Aggro (and act like Midrange).
SB : With my 3 Gideon now fully in the main deck, Arlinn Kord can fill the open slot. She can be good against Control (token, then burn, then +2/+2 vigilance and haste on all creatures that will follow).
I played the above mentioned deck, with the following changes in the SB : -1 Garrison, -1 Arlinn, +2 Bestiary.
Some testing, some results:
0-2 Jund Energy : Color screw game 1, and super flood game 2. Also, hard to deal with 2 Walking Balista and Constrictor when you're already behind.
2-0 GW Human : Mirror, but no match vs Garrison, Firemantle Mage and Bushwhacker.
2-0 Mono U Reservoir : Opponent never found his combo, and Engulf is just funny for me. I get te replay all my creatures in the most perfect order... all followed up by Bushwhacker.
2-1 GW Revolt : Interesting deck. He used Miner, Rampager and Eldritch Evolution to trigger Revolt (as well as that Enchant Land card), and he achieved some nice results. But my deck exploded on game 3, with 2 flipped Duskwatch Recruiter (Mimic-Human for 0, then Garrison, Scout and Mage for 1, then Bushwhacker). Ka-boom!
2-1 Mono black energy : Effective and aggressive deck. He got me on game 1, but Planeswalkers won me game 2 and 3.
So far : 6-2 on xMage (W/L 12-6, or 67%). I'm probably ready to play Rated matches now with this deck.
As long as the right mana is there, everything is fine. Recruiter provides excellent card advantage, and powerful bang with all the low cost cards that can follow with high synergy and often haste.
Hanweir Garrison with Mimic and Lieutenant was above expectations. Must stay, and always happy to side in one more when on the play.
But I'm not totally convinced it is enough reasons to go Naya on a non-reliable mana-base, however. Oh, right, I'm Naya now to fix the energy needs of Harnessed Lightning... Mmm...
2-1 BG Constrictor (play) : These two games were against the same opponent. I'm not totally sure he played the deck well, particularly Balista. But there isn't much one can do against Gideon. He killed two, but the third stayed, along with 3 Mimic, and spawning 5/5 tokens every turn. He got his Cub to 11/11, but my life was then close to 30 (thank you, Mr Scout). He couldn't threaten my life, but I was threatening his with Mage and Menace Rally. He had to get rid of it, but this let Recruiter get me the rest of the cards I needed to win. Sideboard plan, on the draw : MORE TO COME...
2-0 RW Weenie Equipment : Could have been explosive in opponent's favor if he found an Equipment. He had Always Watching in play, Apprentice, Exemplar, and the two Ally-Equipment lords (the RW and 1W). He had me down to 8, and he was still at 20 when I stabilized with Lantern Scout and Bushwhacker on an already crowded board. I went all in, for 22 lifelink damage. He had no choice to trade creatures then. Even tapped out, my life protected me from retaliation, and I had more creatures in play. It took me a few more turns, and some Recruiter's activation to get what was needed to finish him off.
2-1 RG Energy : I won game 1, but don't remember who was on the play. Scout was MVP, to stabilize and get a nice cushion that prevented him to go all in. He won game 2 on the play, with Pummeler and nasty combat tricks (quadrupled). Game 3 was a long one, but again Scout did the job, along with flipped Recruiter. These two and a few more creatures, plus Bushwhacker, really do miracles to turn the tide. He went from 20 to 7 in a single attack, and I lost a few creatures doing so (no trades, I attacked to gain life and to put him off balance). But I was protected by my beefed up life total (now 20+), and he was then forced to play defensively, even if he outnumbered me! This gave me time to get a few activations from Recruiter, which gave me the win.
Getting ready for PPTQ next week. I practiced a lot yesterday on XMage :
0-2 GB Constrictor : *sigh*
2-0 Mono U artifact : no comment
2-0 Mono U artifact : no comment
0-2 Temur Tower : I got seriously mana short on both games (2 lands out of 16 cards on game 1, and 2 out 12 on game 2)
2-1 Colorless Eldrazi : Interesting deck that uses Metallic Mimic. But Scout helped me stabilize, while Mage allowed me to bypass fat Eldrazis.
1-2 Jeskai Human : Very interesting build on the Human theme. He played Garrison, Mimic, Lieutenant and Stoneforge Masterwork on Game 1. Very explosive. I won game 2 on the back of Scout. Game 3, he had a similar board to game 1, but I stabilized again. He however played Saheeli and copied Hanweir Garrison. This doubled the Tokens, which triggered Lieutenant 4 times, and the Garrison that was equipped with Masterwork got a huge boost.
2-1 Naya Vehicles : Similar to Mardu, but uses Voltaic Brawler as a fine pilot, and a better attacker. Again, ScoutwS MVP.
2-1 UG Energy : no comment
0-2 Temur Tower : see below.
0-2 Temur Tower : Hard matchup for my deck. Temur Tower is more on the Midrange side of the clock than Control, or otherwise this would be an easy matchup for Aggro. Without strong Combo to defeat Midrange, or some sort of Control to get rid of Tower and prevent Gearhulk from resolving, I beleive this is the strongest deck of the format for the moment. I'm considering splashing an Island in the SB and some counterspells just to deal with this deck.
2-0 WB Tokens : no comment
2-0 WB Control : no comment
2-0 Grixis Tower : no comment
0-2 4c Saheeli : flooded out both games.
2-0 BW Tokens : no comment
2-1 UB Vehicles : I'm not sure if this is the right name for the deck. He played UB for sure, and it was Aggro-Control oriented. I saw Scrounger, Scrap Trawler, Walking Ballista, Caravan, Heart of Kiran, Tezzeret, Baral's Expertise and Metallic Rebuke. It seemed fun to play. I won game 1, and he game 2 while on the play. For game 3, I went full Aggro on the play, with this SB : +2 Garrison, +2 Release the Gremlins, -2 Harnessed Lightning, -2 Gideon. I though things would end fast when I played this sequence : Envoy, Mimic, tap land + Recruiter, then tap land + recruit/flip. I had an untapped land to play next turn, along with Lantern, Garrison and Bushwhacker. My dreams got crushed by Baral's Expertise on Caravan. The board got reset like that 2 more times on the back of more Expertise, before finally I was able to play Mimic + Garrison that stayed there to attack next turn (but not before I played another Mimic, and another Garrison). Scout and Bushwhacker the next turn sealed the deal.
On the last few games, I removed Selfless Spirit from the SB and replaced it for Shock and another Garrison.
Results so far : 20-8 on XMage (40 wins, 25 losses = 61.5% ; rating at 1610).
I could brag with these results, but I'm not very happy. MW% is well below 50% against the tier 1 decks like Mardu Vehicles, Constrictor (GB or Jund), Tower (Temur, UB or Grixis) and Saheeli Combo. Something needs to be done if I want to Top 8 on PPTQ. Any ideas?
Yes. I saw that article. Chris Landsell hasn't explored the double synergy between Humans and Allies, with Mimic being the bridge between the two. Maybe Humans-only decks are better... still not sure about it.
2-0 vs UB Eldrazi
I was just too fast for him. Menace and Lifelink did the job (stabilize and squeeze through).
2-0 vs Temur Marvel
Game 1 : Misread that deck. I was certain this was a 4c Saheeli deck, and played according to that. I was happy to kill Servant of the Conduit, thinking he was screwed on white mana. He got Torrential Gearhulk online at one point, but I quickly killed it with an energized Harnessed Lightning. All along, I was holding to mana and removal to disrupt the combo, and this slowed me down terribly. I took a beating, and my life got pretty low. But I stabilized with Scout, and then he flooded, and never saw the Marvel or Ulamog. I managed to win, with some Lieutenants.
Game 2 : I still haven't figured out it wasn't 4c Saheeli, and sided accordingly to my assumption. I removed Gideon in favor of Thalia. He got 2 Virtuoso, but I put pressure with Menace, and he had to waste Thopters on chump blocks. Eventually, he had to block with Virtuoso, and I snowballed from there.
2-1 vs Mardu Ballista
He won game 1 on the back of 3 Gideons, and my cards were all clumsy (3 Harnessed Lightning was too much, and I would have much preferred to see some creatures instead).
I won game 2 after stabilizing with Scout, but I got lucky and he never saw the fifth land required to cast Fumigate.
Game 3 was won again on some luck, with opponent being stuck at 3 lands for too long. He got to 5, but no Fumigate. And since Scrounger can't block, and Heart isn't a creature, he never had a board wide enough to deal with Menace.
Still contemplating the prospect of going back to Boros. The reason I went to Naya was to energize Harnessed Lightning. Recruiter was the best creature to add, to benefit from the addition of green to the deck.
I don't feel Harnessed Lightning is good enough in Boros, however. This brings me back to the initial question : what's the best removal in RW for the current metagame?
Declaration in Stone may be ok, if I'm fast enough and opponent can't benefit from the Clue (as was the case in White Weenies before rotation). But it's not an instant and can't deal with vehicles and Saheeli Combo.
Stasis Snare can do so, but it's not fast enough to deal with Constrictor on the draw. And 3 mana is a lot for my curve.
Burn Spells? Shock is not enough to kill Constrictor or Heart. Incendiary Flow is sorcery and can't hit vehicles. Hungry Flames costs too much for my curve and is too late for Constrictor if on the draw. Flame Lash is the best, but at 4... no.
Could Thalia, Heretic Cathar be the best removal for my deck? She disrupts ETB crew on vehicles and "removes" Gideon's token. She passively prevents Saheeli Combo. She removes fat blockers from GBx Constrictor decks. And she renders Torrential Gearhulk, Shielded Aether Thief and Virtuoso's tokens useless on surprise blocks.
Plus, she'll slow down every decks (non basic lands ETB tapped, like Aether Hub, Spire of Industry, Battle and Shadow Lands, etc.). Ex. : Rishkar won't boost Constrictor on T3 if land #3 is Aether Hub or Blooming Marsh ; Tower may get delayed ; etc.
She's also excellent attacking with Menace, and even better with the help of Lieutenant, Mimic or Gideon's Emblem. If need be, she's a good road block on defense.
All in all, she can probably do the job of slowing down opponents' main strategy and screwing his defense, while allowing me to add another tribal threat and pressure the opponent (who won't attack if I can threaten lethal or close to lethal, which I can probably do more reliably on two colors).
What do you think of this reasoning? I know it's strange to not play removals, but Thalia may just be overall better than removals if these are all far from perfect in the current meta.
Of course I'll lose Recruiter's explosive ability and card advantage. But it always was a risky business, passing the turn to flip and counting on reduced mana cost on next turn to make up for the "lost" turn. Too often, opponent would kill Recruiter on his turn, and I'll have delayed my turn for nothing...
The removal question is quite vexing, but lacks good answers, so I have trouble seeing good advice.
The options I see:
Harnessed Lightning
Shock
Stasis Snare
Declaration in Stone
Splash Mardu with Push and Unlicensed Disintegration
I would want some Shock and Stasis Snare in the sideboard, but I don't really have answers.
So many cards I really like, but I see trouble for the sequencing and manabase of this version of the deck.
23 lands seems incompatible with Avacyn and Kor Entanglers
15 W sources is 1 less than I would want for Gideon
14 R sources is 2 less than I would want for Chandra
I only see 6 creatures that you can cast T1, so often there will be no 1 drop
I only see 6 creatures that you want to cast turn 2.
14 3 drops seems like too many
An ideal late turn is Lieutenant, Bushwhacker, but with few low drops, you will often need 5 mana to surge Bushwhacker
I would want to max out the Envoys, add some Kari Zev and shave 3 drops. I would give up on RR, dropping Chandra from the side. I would add another W source by adding a Plains or turn a colorless land into a Plains. If you want the 5 drops from the side, I would add 2 lands.
Yes. Gideon post SB, even on the play. As well as Avacyn, to counter Fumigate.
I just faced a BW Midrange deck on XMage, and got destroyed (0-2, first cold shower). Of course, Midrange is exactly on the clock where it's supposed to beat us. I lost game 1 to Fumigate, followed by Linvala, Liliana and Gideon. I went full Aggro on Game 2 (replacing 2 Gideons with 2 Messengers). Bad mistake. Always prepare for a long matchup against such decks, even on the play. They'll slow you down so much... Speed matters less that resiliency. I knew that, but forgot that I knew, and sideboarded like a robot. Now, I'll remember I'm supposed to think.
BTW, Aethersphere Harvester may not be a bad choice against Midrange. Vehicles survive sweepers, and fliers are Planeswalkers bane. It is easily crewed by our Weenies (contrary to Heart of Kiran).
I dropped from first place on XMage (Constructed ranking), but I think I'm still in the top 3.
I won 2-0 against RG Energy. Game 2, I was down to 4 life, and he was still at 16, I think. He attacked with a 5/5 Cub, a 4/4 Helion and 2/2 Servant. I chump blocked Cub and Hellion with Mimic and Token, down to 2. But Avacyn flipped, dealing 3. I activated Needle Spires and Gideon, and attacked for 13 while he was tapped out. Win!
I also played against Jund Energy. I won game 1 on the draw, but lost game 2 to extreme deviance : I was still at 2 lands after 4 turns, while he missed no land drop. Then I got 2 lands, and could cast either Gideon or Chandra on turn 6. But it was too late anyway. Game 3, on the play, I went full Aggro. But he was very Control with his SB. I think he removed almost everything I played, and then he got card advantage through Tracker and Syphoner. At one point, I thought I had him, attacking for exact lethal damage and using Repel the Abominable to prevent lifelink from Harvester. But I forgot that Bushwhacker was not a human, and his damage got prevented. He went down to 2 life, and Needle Spire was ready to go lethal next turn. But he added a bit too much blockers. I tried to find a way to win, and then the inevitable happened. Timer killed me...
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
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and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
2 Duskwatch Recruiter
2 Hanweir Militia Captain
4 Metallic Mimic
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
2 Voltaic Brawler
4 Hanweir Garrison
1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4 Tireless Tracker
4 Heron's Grace Champion
2 Verdurous Gearhulk
4 Harnessed Lightning
2 Stasis Snare
Lands
4 Aether Hub
2 Canopy Vista
2 Cinder Glade
4 Evolving Wilds
3 Forest
1 Hanweir Battlements
4 Inspiring Vantage
2 Mountain
2 Plains
1 Natural Obsolescence
1 Eerie Interlude
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
3 Reckless Bushwhacker
1 Renegade Rallier
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2 Nahiri, the Harbinger
1 Sigarda, Heron's Grace
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
1 Combustible Gearhulk
Sideboarding (if Fumigate, Radiant Flames, Yahenni's Expertise, Baral's Expertise, Thing expected (some Mardu, Jeskai Saheeli, some control)) +1 Eerie Interlude
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
Release the Gremlins has embedded card advantage in it. I would prefer that than Natural Obsolescence.
Eerie Interlude against Saheeli is too slow. Any decks are already slowed against her : the moment one of the combo piece hit the table, you'll slow yourself down to deal with the Combo. If you have a slow spell in addition to that, you're getting even more behind. I know Repel won't help against Fumigate, but it will against Return and Radiant. Also, it will disrupt the Combo. So the card serves two purposes.
Other than that, I was trying to squeeze in some Allies (Mage and/or Scout), but without Envoy to help trigger Rally, or Bushwhacker only in the SB, it's pretty pointless.
Edit : I know Brawler interacts with Lightning and Hub, but I would dump it for Recruiter (full playset). The interaction with a flipped Recruiter, Mimic (gets recruited) and all other humans with colorless in the mana cost is quite amazing.
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
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and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
Match 1: Mono-B Aetherborn; 2-0, 1-0
Game 1: He was stuck on 2 mana for too long while I curved out.
Game 2: Triple Mimic draw into Garrison. He pushed 1, but a 4/5 Garrison that spawns 2 3/3s is just ridiculous. Tracker starting out with two counters, then drawing cards buried him.
Match 2: Izzet Control; 2-1, 2-0
Game 1: Curved out, got lucky
Game 2: Thing went off, and despite drawing some cards, Torrential Gearhulk is a good card.
Game 3: Super close topdeck war followed a back and forth battle with Gideon, Tracker. Finally Skysovereign was facing down 2 Torrential Gearhulks with opponent at 4. Heron's Grace Champion crewed Skysovereign for the win.
Match 2: RG Energy; 1-2, 2-1
Game 1: Stuck on 2 land while opponent curved out
Game 2: Opponent mulled to 5. Mimic into Garrison into Champion, not close.
Game 3: Stuck on 3 land while opponent curved out. Lots of trades and an untapped land in either of the last 2 turns could have stabilized it by playing Champion. Alas, Champion #2 into Evolving Wilds didn't cut it
Match 4: GB Energy (Nelson); 2-0, 3-1
Game 1: I killed a Servant, then followed his Rishkar with a Garrison. Grasp, then Garrison #2. Then Champion and Tracker. Then Gearhulk and opponent chumping a 5/5 Champion and a 7/6 Tracker went to the inevitable end.
Sideboard: +1 Bestiary
Game 2: He drew 3 Servants and no Siphoners. I played a Recruiter, then didn't block until I got to 4 mana. Swing, opponent blocked Recruiter with a Servant. Champion, eat Servant, gain 3. Eventually he gets Constrictor and Rishkar while I draw creatures then flip Recruiter. I get Bestiary going and start drawing cards off it. Hanweir Garrison plus a huge Lieutenant overrun him after I Harnessed Lightning a 7/7 Verdurous Gearhulk.
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
Would you change anything to your deck? Or SB strategy? How was Bestiary?
I did 3-1 this morning on XMage :
2-0 vs Mardu Vehicles
2-0 vs Mono Black Vampires (including Yaheeni)
2-0 vs Mardu Atog
0-2 vs Sultai Colossus
The Colossus matchup was frustrating. Both games, he played Hedron Archive on curve, then turn 5 the Skysovereign + TWO Colossus for zero mana. I should have won game 1 anyway, but I completely misplayed Repel the Abominable (due to my lack of understanding of the interface, but I won't make the same mistake twice, ever). I got rolled over on game 2, drawing no Lantern Scout, Firemantle Mage (evasion!), Repel the Abominable or Release the Gremlins (or my other removals). Not sure I sideboarded well, don't remember. I'll never know how game 3 would have ended if game 1 would have been played normally (as in real life)...
If Colossus decks are there to stay, I'll definetily add Consulate Crackdown in the SB.
The matchup against Mardu was funny. Game 1 he got stucked at 1 land for 3 turns, but had plenty of 1 drops and was very aggressive (got me below 10 very fast). At one point, he attacked with 2 Exemplars, pumped by the Inspector's Clue. I blocked with Captain and Envoy, and 2 for 1'ed with Repel the Abominable. I don't recall game 2, but I overwhelmed him and won (Vehicles are akin to Equipments, and lots of cards on the board doesn't mean that many creatures).
Results so far :
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
After winning G1 against GB easily, I didn't follow my sideboard strategy at all, just bringing in Bestiary. Small sample size, but my new theory is that removal is good to disrupt GB synergies. Bestiary turned what could have been a topdeck struggle into a laugher in that game 2, but I keep forgetting about the free scries.
I put the second Recruiter in pursuant to your feedback and I want a third, as they were great. The weakest cards seem to be the Brawlers and Hanweir Militia Captains. If I get rid of the Brawlers, since all my RR cards are in the sideboard, I can probably cut an R source and make the mana better for G and WW (obv also cutting Chandra and Combustible).
I should have 1-2 Needle Spires in the deck for control matchups.
I would have put in Release the Gremlins like you suggested, but a friend was borrowing all of mine.
I like the idea of the Bushwhackers, but never bring them in. Maybe I should try them main in place of Verdurous Gearhulk and land. Come to think of it, they are strangely similar cards with Verdurous Gearhulk.
Avacyn wasn't great. She's on the watch list.
Without at least one Attune, 4 Aether Hubs may be too many. Two Aether Hubs in an opening hand can kill me in a deck with this many colored sources.
I am considering getting rid of the 5 drops and some land to try to top out with Champion and just get them dead. Shock or Declaration could help a low curve.
I haven't faced Saheeli either of the past weeks. I may need some Implement of Combustion or Authority of the Consuls just in case.
Edit: Maybe this is wrong since I just cashed with this list, but I've been building Naya Humans as if the core is Metallic Mimic, Thalia's Lieutenant, Hanweir Garrison, Tireless Tracker and Heron's Grace Champion. What if Metallic Mimic makes the deck too slow? What if my ideal out of the first 2 turns is to have 2 1-drops instead of 1 2-drop?
3 Expedition Envoy
4 Thraben Inspector
3 Town Gossipmonger
3 Duskwatch Recruiter
1 Hanweir Militia Captain
1 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
4 Hanweir Garrison
1 Renegade Rallier
1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4 Tireless Tracker
4 Heron's Grace Champion
4 Harnessed Lightning
Lands
4 Aether Hub
2 Canopy Vista
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Forest
4 Inspiring Vantage
1 Mountain
2 Needle Spires
2 Plains
1 Natural State
1 Declaration in Stone
1 Natural Obsolescence
1 Eerie Interlude
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Pia Nalaar
2 Stasis Snare
1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1 Thopter Arrest
4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Sigarda, Heron's Grace
Edit: this manabase is terrible. I've got better. More later.
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
4 Town Gossipmonger
4 Thraben Inspector
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
2 Hanweir Militia Captain
3 Lantern Scout
4 Firemantle Mage
3 Reckless Bushwacker
4 Expedition Envoy
3 Metallic Mimic
2 Outnumber
3 Shock
1 Invigorated Rampage
3 Always Watching
4 Needles Spires
4 Inspiring Vantage
7 Plains
7 Mountains
No sideboard because I feeled lazy.
1st match - against BW Midrange. 0-2
To much removal I was not able to keep anything on the board.
2nd match - against BR Vampires. 2-0
No problem, I just kept attacking without blocking and eventually the Lantern Scout come out and your HP goes trough the roof.
3nd match - against RG Energy 2-1
Same thing as the BR Aggro. I just ignore his creatures. Once you are able to resolve a Lantern Scout on a board that have an Expedition Envoy and then the turn after, a Firemantle Mage + a Bushwacker, it's really hard for the opponent to stabilize. Either he lose his creature blocking or he just become to far behind in life.
Kari Zev is really good with a Lantern Scout and a Firemantle Mage.
Always Watching is great when you attack with your ally (lifelink, menace or Bushwacker.) When you have 2 Thraben Inspector and Always Watching and you cast a Firemantle Mage, you have two 2/3 vigileance attacking with menace and you can chomp block the turn after.
Most of the time, when I cast Metallic Mimic at the beginning of the game, I name it Human, but it happenened 3 time I had 3-4 creatures, including a Lantern or Firemantle and I cast Mimic and made it an Ally to trigger Rally. Good card.
About Kari Zev : Her monkey doesn't benefit from Rally, as it was not in play when Rally triggered (it will never get Menace or Lifelink). She has Menace herself and doesn't benefit at all from Firemantle Mage. And I don't see why she's so good with Lantern Scout, dealing only a single point of damage. How exactly was she so good with these two?
About that difficult BW Midrange matchup... First, I'm glad you see it as a Midrange deck. People (me included) refer to it most of the time as BW Control. Not understanding the enemy makes it harder to defeat. On the clock, Midrange gets defeated by Combo. This is where we have to play our deck to beat BW Midrange. The closest things we have that is Combo are Bushwhacker + Weenies and Avacyn vs Anything. Knowing this may help you win game 1, and SB better for game 2 and 3. This is what I recommend :
Edit : With 3 Gideon in the deck after SB, Mimic is often better as an Ally to make the tokens 3/3. Think about this when you play it.
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
Too many 1-drops will be counterproductive with Recruiter (he'll recruit too small creatures, and won't help cast them faster). I would not pursue that route if I were you. But it's true that Mimic is better with a lot of 1 and 2-drops, to get the most value out of it, or with token production (like Garrison). Same is true for Captain. Thus why I prefered the Boros build than Naya. If I were to play Naya, I would have the following (4 of each) : Inspector, Recruiter, Lieutenant, Mimic, Captain, Garrison, Tracker, Champion, with 4 removals or 4 Repel, and 24 lands. I would count on Recruiter to fetch creatures and reduce their cost, to make the most out of Mimic and Captain (and Lieutenant), and to make up for the lower count of 1-drop. I would play Battlements instead of Abbey, if colors can be fixed ok with the other 22 lands. If not, none of the two.
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
In goldfishing, the following manabase has been better than I thought possible (but still not very good). I can't really say about the creatures before I do some actual battling.
2 Attune with Aether
Lands
2 Canopy Vista
4 Cinder Glade
2 Evolving Wilds
2 Forest
4 Fortified Village
4 Inspiring Vantage
1 Mountain
2 Plains
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
Results so far :
In the end, I have to admit all these articles on Channel Fireball and Starcity Games are right : Standard is dominated by a few cards that can snowball out of control if they are not answered almost immediately, and thus Standard is most often won by whoever wins the coin toss on game 1 (in tier 1 matchups ; which I consider this deck to have the potential to be).
Repel the Abominable is not the one-size-fits-all solution to all these problems, and will replace it with some removals.
I have yet to find the perfect removal for the current metagame. Going Mardu for Fatal Push is very tempting (no Unlicensed Disintegration, because of the artifact theme that is required). This way, I could replace Captain by Syphoner and get more card advantage (its ability won't hurt that much, thanks to Lantern Scout), and an extra energy input/output to help with Harnessed Lightning if I want more removals (main or SB).
But Fatal Push may be tricky against the wrong matchup...
I'm not a super fan of Declaration in Stone (sorcery speed and gives card advantage) or Stasis Snare (costs 3). The only other sensible removal seems to be Harnessed Lightning, but with no other energy input, it may not be that great. Going Naya is probably the cheapes way to fix this (Attune with Aether and Aether Hub), but it seems this will be at the cost of speed and/or Ally synergy.
So if anyone has good suggestions to stay Boros with a good removal, I'm ready to hear them!
If not, I may try a Naya version :
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
Winning 2/3rds of the time despite misclick misadventures seems solid, IMO. Meta-wise, I think Radiant Flames being pretty bad against Constrictor and Vehicles helps aggressive 2-color human decks. We can often kill the turn 3 Saheeli and kill the combo decks before turn 6. GWx with Champion seems like it should be solid against Vehicles.
Selfishly, I'd love to see what you come up with brewing Naya, as there are so many more possibilities than I get to try.
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
4 Needle Spires
4 Inspiring Vantage
2 Westvale Abbey
8 Plains
4 Mountain
Creatures (32)
4 Thraben Inspector
4 Expedition Envoy
4 Metallic Mimic
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
4 Hanweir Militia Captain
4 Lantern Scout
4 Reckless Bushwhacker
4 Firemantle Mage
4 Repel the Abominable
2 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Plains
2 Village Messenger
2 Declaration in Stone
1 Hanweir Garrison
2 Stasis Snare
2 Release the Gremlins
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
3 Archangel Avacyn
I've replaced the 4 Repel the Abominable by 4 Harnessed Lightning to these results :
2-0 vs Mono Red Aggro (he conceded after I played Lantern Scout and gained 10+ life)
2-0 vs UR Control (I don't know what the deck was, exactly)
1-2 vs Naya Tokens Planeswalkers (left unchecked, this deck really is wonderful... I lost, but was impressed, and it was inspiring)
I've tested a Naya version...
2 Needle Spires
2 Inspiring Vantage
2 Canopy Vista
2 Fortified Village
2 Cinder Glade
2 Game Trail
3 Aether Hub
3 Forest
1 Plains
1 Mountain
4 Expedition Envoy
4 Duskwatch Recruiter
4 Metallic Mimic
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
4 Lantern Scout
4 Reckless Bushwhacker
4 Firemantle Mage
3 Heron's Grace Champion
Spells (9)
4 Harnessed Lightning
3 Attune with Aether
2 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2 Village Messenger
2 Declaration in Stone
2 Stasis Snare
2 Release the Gremlins
1 Hanweir Garrison
1 Tireless Tracker
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
3 Archangel Avacyn
There was a glitch in the deck editor, and ended with 62 cards in the main deck (5 Forests instead of 3). This crushed me in the first matchup, but I fixed the problem right after...
Manabase needs to be revised. I deeply want to have more Needle Spires. Deck is even more explosive now, but manabase is clunky, and lacks a serious mana sink (manland). It obviously doesn't have the card advantages of Thraben Inspector and Tireless Tracker, but Envoy and Mage are more aggressive and help to end games faster (Menace on a full squad removes a half or more blockers). The quicker you can finish the game, the less you need card advantage. Recruiter has some imbedded card advantage in it, at a higher price than a Clue. But it's ability is repeatable, and you get to pick your creature out of 3 cards. I haven't tested yet Champion, so it's hard to tell. But I beleive it can be very nice, and a fine play on turn 3 during opponent's turn (to flip Recruiter). Mostly, it seems Harnessed Lightning is getting just the right amount of encouragement from Attune and Hub. Tracker wouldn't be happy in a deck under 24-25 lands and no Evolving Wilds, so I guess even testing it in the deck would result in me feeling it is underwhelming.
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
4 Needle Spires
4 Fortified Village
4 Cinder Glade
3 Aether Hub
2 Forest
2 Plains
1 Mountain
3 Attune with Aether
There are 8 Forest/Plains type cards to reveal to play Fortified Village untapped in the early game. It is the perfect land to fix my early game needs (there are 8 untapped lands, +4 maybe untapped lands to play the first 2 turns).
Including Attune, there are 8 basic lands to help play Cinder Glade untapped in the mid game (when red spells are needed ; all in all, there is up to 16 untapped mana sources for the mid game).
Gideon and Avacyn can both be casted with 2 Plains, if they're the only white sources (natural draw or with Attune).
The 4 manlands are there, which should help against control. And no other lands provide RW, to not hinder paying the activation cost (if your only source of R and of W is on the same card, you can't activate the manland).
Finally, there are 16 W, 16 G and 15 R sources, so it should be quite reliable
I know my needs for R are higher than G, but I wanted to fix G in the early stage to help casting Attune and Recruiter. This may have to be revised however, because it's not rare that I want to unload a hand with 2-3 red creatures (with the help of Recruiter).
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
I am not sure you really want 4 Needle Spires, but you can always switch one or two with Inspiring Vantage later if you find yourself with too many taplands. I would want at least 14 G sources to cast Attune, so I would do something to get at least one more G source, maybe swap an Attune to become an Evolving Wilds. I think you will hate yourself when you have hands with Attune, but no G source.
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
Thanks. You may be right. I'll play test this updated list, however, before adding G...
2 Needle Spires
2 Inspiring Vantage
4 Fortified Village
4 Cinder Glade
3 Aether Hub
2 Forest
2 Plains
1 Mountain
Creatures (30)
3 Thraben Inspector
1 Expedition Envoy
4 Duskwatch Recruiter
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
4 Metallic Mimic
4 Reckless Bushwhacker
4 Firemantle Mage
4 Lantern Scout
2 Hanweir Garrison
4 Harnessed Lightning
3 Attune with Aether
3 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Needle Spires
2 Declaration in Stone
2 Release the Gremlins
3 Selfless Spirit
3 Archangel Avacyn
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Arlin Kord
2 Hanweir Garrison
Modifications :
I'll play test this, and give you some news.
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
Some testing, some results:
0-2 Jund Energy : Color screw game 1, and super flood game 2. Also, hard to deal with 2 Walking Balista and Constrictor when you're already behind.
2-0 GW Human : Mirror, but no match vs Garrison, Firemantle Mage and Bushwhacker.
2-0 Mono U Reservoir : Opponent never found his combo, and Engulf is just funny for me. I get te replay all my creatures in the most perfect order... all followed up by Bushwhacker.
2-1 GW Revolt : Interesting deck. He used Miner, Rampager and Eldritch Evolution to trigger Revolt (as well as that Enchant Land card), and he achieved some nice results. But my deck exploded on game 3, with 2 flipped Duskwatch Recruiter (Mimic-Human for 0, then Garrison, Scout and Mage for 1, then Bushwhacker). Ka-boom!
2-1 Mono black energy : Effective and aggressive deck. He got me on game 1, but Planeswalkers won me game 2 and 3.
So far : 6-2 on xMage (W/L 12-6, or 67%). I'm probably ready to play Rated matches now with this deck.
As long as the right mana is there, everything is fine. Recruiter provides excellent card advantage, and powerful bang with all the low cost cards that can follow with high synergy and often haste.
Hanweir Garrison with Mimic and Lieutenant was above expectations. Must stay, and always happy to side in one more when on the play.
But I'm not totally convinced it is enough reasons to go Naya on a non-reliable mana-base, however. Oh, right, I'm Naya now to fix the energy needs of Harnessed Lightning... Mmm...
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
On the last few games, I removed Selfless Spirit from the SB and replaced it for Shock and another Garrison.
Results so far : 20-8 on XMage (40 wins, 25 losses = 61.5% ; rating at 1610).
I could brag with these results, but I'm not very happy. MW% is well below 50% against the tier 1 decks like Mardu Vehicles, Constrictor (GB or Jund), Tower (Temur, UB or Grixis) and Saheeli Combo. Something needs to be done if I want to Top 8 on PPTQ. Any ideas?
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
http://www.starcitygames.com/article/34671_When-Brewers-Attack-An-Established-Metagame.html
4 Expedition Envoy
3 Hanweir Garrison
2 Selfless Spirit
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
4 Thraben Inspector
4 Town Gossipmonger
2 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
3 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4 Harnessed Lightning
4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
9 Plains
4 Inspiring Vantage
2 Needle Spires
2 Westvale Abbey
2 Lone Rider
2 Selfless Spirit
2 Authority of the Consuls
3 Stasis Snare
3 Decommission
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Needle Spires
4 Expedition Envoy
4 Hamlet Captain
3 Heron's Grace Champion
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
4 Thraben Inspector
2 Veteran Cathar
2 Archangel Avacyn
3 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
3 Stasis Snare
3 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
9 Plains
4 Canopy Vista
4 Fortified Village
4 Tireless Tracker
3 Heroic Intervention
4 Immolating Glare
2 Gisela, the Broken Blade
2 Nissa, Vital Force
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
2 Needle Spires
2 Inspiring Vantage
4 Fortified Village
4 Cinder Glade
3 Aether Hub
2 Forest
2 Plains
1 Mountain
Creatures (30)
3 Thraben Inspector
1 Expedition Envoy
4 Duskwatch Recruiter
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
4 Metallic Mimic
4 Reckless Bushwhacker
4 Firemantle Mage
4 Lantern Scout
2 Hanweir Garrison
4 Harnessed Lightning
3 Attune with Aether
3 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Needle Spires
2 Declaration in Stone
2 Release the Gremlins
2 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
3 Archangel Avacyn
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 Hanweir Garrison
2 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
2-0 vs UB Eldrazi
I was just too fast for him. Menace and Lifelink did the job (stabilize and squeeze through).
2-0 vs Temur Marvel
Game 1 : Misread that deck. I was certain this was a 4c Saheeli deck, and played according to that. I was happy to kill Servant of the Conduit, thinking he was screwed on white mana. He got Torrential Gearhulk online at one point, but I quickly killed it with an energized Harnessed Lightning. All along, I was holding to mana and removal to disrupt the combo, and this slowed me down terribly. I took a beating, and my life got pretty low. But I stabilized with Scout, and then he flooded, and never saw the Marvel or Ulamog. I managed to win, with some Lieutenants.
Game 2 : I still haven't figured out it wasn't 4c Saheeli, and sided accordingly to my assumption. I removed Gideon in favor of Thalia. He got 2 Virtuoso, but I put pressure with Menace, and he had to waste Thopters on chump blocks. Eventually, he had to block with Virtuoso, and I snowballed from there.
2-1 vs Mardu Ballista
He won game 1 on the back of 3 Gideons, and my cards were all clumsy (3 Harnessed Lightning was too much, and I would have much preferred to see some creatures instead).
I won game 2 after stabilizing with Scout, but I got lucky and he never saw the fifth land required to cast Fumigate.
Game 3 was won again on some luck, with opponent being stuck at 3 lands for too long. He got to 5, but no Fumigate. And since Scrounger can't block, and Heart isn't a creature, he never had a board wide enough to deal with Menace.
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
I don't feel Harnessed Lightning is good enough in Boros, however. This brings me back to the initial question : what's the best removal in RW for the current metagame?
Declaration in Stone may be ok, if I'm fast enough and opponent can't benefit from the Clue (as was the case in White Weenies before rotation). But it's not an instant and can't deal with vehicles and Saheeli Combo.
Stasis Snare can do so, but it's not fast enough to deal with Constrictor on the draw. And 3 mana is a lot for my curve.
Burn Spells? Shock is not enough to kill Constrictor or Heart. Incendiary Flow is sorcery and can't hit vehicles. Hungry Flames costs too much for my curve and is too late for Constrictor if on the draw. Flame Lash is the best, but at 4... no.
Could Thalia, Heretic Cathar be the best removal for my deck? She disrupts ETB crew on vehicles and "removes" Gideon's token. She passively prevents Saheeli Combo. She removes fat blockers from GBx Constrictor decks. And she renders Torrential Gearhulk, Shielded Aether Thief and Virtuoso's tokens useless on surprise blocks.
Plus, she'll slow down every decks (non basic lands ETB tapped, like Aether Hub, Spire of Industry, Battle and Shadow Lands, etc.). Ex. : Rishkar won't boost Constrictor on T3 if land #3 is Aether Hub or Blooming Marsh ; Tower may get delayed ; etc.
She's also excellent attacking with Menace, and even better with the help of Lieutenant, Mimic or Gideon's Emblem. If need be, she's a good road block on defense.
All in all, she can probably do the job of slowing down opponents' main strategy and screwing his defense, while allowing me to add another tribal threat and pressure the opponent (who won't attack if I can threaten lethal or close to lethal, which I can probably do more reliably on two colors).
What do you think of this reasoning? I know it's strange to not play removals, but Thalia may just be overall better than removals if these are all far from perfect in the current meta.
Of course I'll lose Recruiter's explosive ability and card advantage. But it always was a risky business, passing the turn to flip and counting on reduced mana cost on next turn to make up for the "lost" turn. Too often, opponent would kill Recruiter on his turn, and I'll have delayed my turn for nothing...
4 Needle Spires
4 Inspiring Vantage
1 Westvale Abbey
1 Hanweir Battlements
7 Plains
6 Mountain
Creatures (34)
4 Thraben Inspector
2 Expedition Envoy
2 Hanweir Militia Captain
4 Thalia's Lieutenant
4 Metallic Mimic
4 Reckless Bushwhacker
4 Firemantle Mage
4 Lantern Scout
3 Hanweir Garrison
3 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
3 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2 Declaration in Stone
2 Release the Gremlins
3 Archangel Avacyn
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Hanweir Garrison
2 Courageous Outrider
2 Munda, Ambush Leader
2 Kor Entanglers
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
The options I see:
So many cards I really like, but I see trouble for the sequencing and manabase of this version of the deck.
I would want to max out the Envoys, add some Kari Zev and shave 3 drops. I would give up on RR, dropping Chandra from the side. I would add another W source by adding a Plains or turn a colorless land into a Plains. If you want the 5 drops from the side, I would add 2 lands.
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.