This Primer is for the development of a competitive Prime Speaker Bant deck. I will attempt to update the Primer as much as possible, and give feedback on posts. Below I will be listing possible card choices, and decklists, including your own decklists if you so choose. Feel free to post your own decks, results, and strategies below.
Card Choices
Creatures
Loxodon Smiter: Solid uncounterable threat, and great to topdeck late game.
Centaur Healer: Great for the aggro match post side, and a sizable body that can play Defense until you stabilize.
Rhox Faithmender: Double life allows you to outrace almost any aggro deck, but I believe that with 8 sources of EtB lifegain you don't need it
Arbor Elf: The usual mana dork for some lists, I personally don't believe they are needed while the pilgrim is in standard still.
Avacyn's Pilgrim: My go-to choice for mana dorks. Ramps without having to have a ravnica shock and can pseudo mana-fix.
Thragtusk: What's more to say about Mr. Thrag, he's made waves in standard since he was first printed and will be played up until the day he rotates.
Wolfir Silverheart: This guy can make zegana nutty, but until the meta shifts from blitz aggro to a more midrange based meta I'd rather have the Thragtusk as my five-drop.
Restoration Angel: Much of the same reasons above, saves your mana dork from dying in a chump block and allows for the mini-Thrag combo that generates a large amount of card advantage.
Angel of Serenity: A great curve-topper with immediate board impact that can consistently be cast on turns 5 and 6 thanks to our ramp.
Prime Speaker Zegana: The namesake for the deck, comes down with a sizable body and generates enormous amounts of card advantage.
Master Biomancer: Great "value" creature in the midrange matchups, allowing you to severely outclass even the largest threats, and if left unanswered can make bodies big enough to favorably block even craterhoof or Garruk wurms.
Planeswalkers
Garruk, Primal Hunter: The fourth and fifth Zeganas to begin with, otherwise allows you to present an alternate win condition if you are able to ult him, also helps put the breaks on aggro game 1, and has synergy with Biomancer if you curve out right, making 5/5 beasts is nothing to joke about. Overall the only planeswalker I'd ever consider including
Garruk Relentless: Helps to repopulate the board after a wipe and lets you tutor for threats late game. Don't know how I feel about him yet, he seems a little underwhelming when compared to his big brother, but the G instead of GGG makes him very appealing.
Gideon, Champion of Justice: Can be a suitable planeswalker if your meta is full of aggro, but I think he's better reserved for post-rotation when we need a new 4-drop.
Spells
Farseek: Best color fixing ramp in the format, what else is there to say.
Azorius Charm: Let's you gain a tempo boost versus aggro, draw a card late in the game, and is the second half of our sphinx's revelations (lifelink is still a viable mode of this card).
Selesnya Charm: Gives us a mainboard answer to cards like obzedat, and olivia; the trample boost also let's us roll over token decks that are stalling on the ground.
Oblivion ring: Catch-all removal for problem cards like falkenrath aristocrat, boros reckoner, and other problem permanents such as enchantments and the like. Also can target detention sphere which makes it a plus over it's azorius cousin in my opinon.
Detention Sphere: See oblivion ring above, but with the possible outcome of two-for-one trades on your opponent.
Cyclonic Rift: Definitely a sideboard card but has several great applications in board stalls
Syncopate: A great card versus reanimator and other midrange decks where you're looking to counter their haymakers and protect your own
Blind Obedience: Can be good versus aggro, but I don't think you'll need if with your larger creatures, extort could be nice though.
Supreme Verdict: Good for clearing the board in the aggro matchup and can let your curve right into a Thragtusk
Utility Lands
Alchemist's Refuge: Can be useful allowing you to flash in blockers, or perform cute combat tricks, but otherwise I'd advise against it's inclusion.
Kessig Wolf Run: In the decks that splash red this land can be a huge bonus, allowing you to trample over souls tokens and keep the pressure coming.
Gavony Township: My personal favorite utility land for the colors, allows you to outclass your opponent's creatures in board stalls and has wonderful synergy with biomancer.
This Primer is for the development of a competitive Prime Speaker Bant deck. I will attempt to update the Primer as much as possible, and give feedback on posts. Below I will be listing possible card choices, and decklists, including your own decklists if you so choose. Feel free to post your own decks, results, and strategies below.
Card Choices
Creatures
Loxodon Smiter: Solid uncounterable threat, and great to topdeck late game.
Centaur Healer: Great for the aggro match post side, and a sizable body that can play Defense until you stabilize.
Rhox Faithmender: Double life allows you to outrace almost any aggro deck, but I believe that with 8 sources of EtB lifegain you don't need it
Arbor Elf: The usual mana dork for some lists, I personally don't believe they are needed while the pilgrim is in standard still.
Avacyn's Pilgrim: My go-to choice for mana dorks. Ramps without having to have a ravnica shock and can pseudo mana-fix.
Thragtusk: What's more to say about Mr. Thrag, he's made waves in standard since he was first printed and will be played up until the day he rotates.
Wolfir Silverheart: This guy can make zegana nutty, but until the meta shifts from blitz aggro to a more midrange based meta I'd rather have the Thragtusk as my five-drop.
Restoration Angel: Much of the same reasons above, saves your mana dork from dying in a chump block and allows for the mini-Thrag combo that generates a large amount of card advantage.
Angel of Serenity: A great curve-topper with immediate board impact that can consistently be cast on turns 5 and 6 thanks to our ramp.
Prime Speaker Zegana: The namesake for the deck, comes down with a sizable body and generates enormous amounts of card advantage.
Master Biomancer: Great "value" creature in the midrange matchups, allowing you to severely outclass even the largest threats, and if left unanswered can make bodies big enough to favorably block even craterhoof or Garruk wurms.
Planeswalkers
Garruk, Primal Hunter: The fourth and fifth Zeganas to begin with, otherwise allows you to present an alternate win condition if you are able to ult him, also helps put the breaks on aggro game 1, and has synergy with Biomancer if you curve out right, making 5/5 beasts is nothing to joke about. Overall the only planeswalker I'd ever consider including
Garruk Relentless: Helps to repopulate the board after a wipe and lets you tutor for threats late game. Don't know how I feel about him yet, he seems a little underwhelming when compared to his big brother, but the G instead of GGG makes him very appealing.
Gideon, Champion of Justice: Can be a suitable planeswalker if your meta is full of aggro, but I think he's better reserved for post-rotation when we need a new 4-drop.
Spells
Farseek: Best color fixing ramp in the format, what else is there to say.
Azorius Charm: Let's you gain a tempo boost versus aggro, draw a card late in the game, and is the second half of our sphinx's revelations (lifelink is still a viable mode of this card).
Selesnya Charm: Gives us a mainboard answer to cards like obzedat, and olivia; the trample boost also let's us roll over token decks that are stalling on the ground.
Oblivion ring: Catch-all removal for problem cards like falkenrath aristocrat, boros reckoner, and other problem permanents such as enchantments and the like. Also can target detention sphere which makes it a plus over it's azorius cousin in my opinon.
Detention Sphere: See oblivion ring above, but with the possible outcome of two-for-one trades on your opponent.
Cyclonic Rift: Definitely a sideboard card but has several great applications in board stalls
Syncopate: A great card versus reanimator and other midrange decks where you're looking to counter their haymakers and protect your own
Rest in peace: Great reanimator and control hate
Blind Obedience: Can be good versus aggro, but I don't think you'll need if with your larger creatures, extort could be nice though.
Supreme Verdict: Good for clearing the board in the aggro matchup and can let your curve right into a Thragtusk
Utility Lands
Alchemist's Refuge: Can be useful allowing you to flash in blockers, or perform cute combat tricks, but otherwise I'd advise against it's inclusion.
Kessig Wolf Run: In the decks that splash red this land can be a huge bonus, allowing you to trample over souls tokens and keep the pressure coming.
Gavony Township: My personal favorite utility land for the colors, allows you to outclass your opponent's creatures in board stalls and has wonderful synergy with biomancer.
2x Gavony Township
4x Breeding Pool
3x Hinterland harbor
4x Temple Garden
3x Sunpetal Grove
2x Hallowed Fountain
2x Cavern of Souls
4x Forest
Creatures-24
4x Avacyn's Pilgrim
4x Loxodon Smiter
4x Thragtusk
4x Restoration Angel
3x Angel of serenity
3x Prime Speaker Zegana
2x Master Biomancer
2x Garruk, Primal Hunter
3x Azorius Charm
2x Selesnya Charm
1x Oblivion Ring
4x Farseek
2x Supreme Verdict
1x Garruk Relentlesss
4x Centaur Healer
1x Selesnya Charm
1x Cyclonic Rift
3x Rest in Peace
1x Jace, Memory Adept
2x Syncopate
4 Arbor Elf
4 Avacyn's Pilgrim
4 Loxodon Smiter
4 Restoration Angel
3 Strangleroot Geist
4 Thragtusk
3 Prime Speaker Zegana
5 Forest
4 Breeding Pool
3 Gavony Township
1 Hallowed Fountain
3 Hinterland Harbor
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
3 Centaur Healer
1 Silklash Spider
2 Detention Sphere
3 Rest in Peace
3 Syncopate
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
2 Jace, Memory Adept