MTG Salvation

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Playing many years of EDH, I have started to branch into Standard for the first time. These questions are more of theory questions verses specific card choices (though those are great to hear as well).

Though I will paste a Deck List, it is still in the works and will change according to discussions here and play testing.
I think card draw is my biggest weakness. Thought about splashing green to add Tireless Tracker, or Blue for whatever, but I think I want to stay in just BW to worry less about color fixing.

For lands: this will be adjusted at the end. My thought is 40%, so Xx plains, Xx swamps, 1x Rogue's Passage, 1x Shambling Vent

Key cards: Thalia's Lancers, Ever After, Black/white/colorless legendary creatures


**mana curve attached below

DEFENSE
In EDH I set aside 15-20% mess with the other player's board state (removal, etc) That would translate to 9-12 for a 60 card deck. Is this common in standard? Besides maybe getting out the Angel Meld (Bruna, the Fading Light & Gisela, the Broken Blade) I don't really have a way to control until I pull that off. What I'm looking at is building up a board state, targeting Odric, Lunarch Marshal with the Thalia's Lancers to spread out the static abilities. Or using the Lancers in a pinch to find something to help out.

I feel like Languish, Ever After, and even Sword of the Animist go together well. I can be a bit more aggressive than I normally play. In some cases, swinging with the sword attached to get the extra land, even if the creature will die.

With Hixus, Prison Warden, I'm up to 10 "removal" cards. You could count Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim & Sorin, Grim Nemesis but my goal is to use them more offensively and card draw. Thus giving me the option to play multiple ways.

CONSIDERATION
Cards I considered, maybe sideboard in the madness cards for the Duress in certain games:

• Alms of the Vein
  
• Anguished Unmaking
  
• Utter End
  
• Biting Rain
  
• Murderous Compulsion
  
• Always Watching
  
• Alhammarret's Archive
  

Legends that didn't make it:

• General Tazri (no Allies)
  
• Kozilek, the Great Distortion (would have to add some colorless producing lands, card draw would be awesome)
  
• Kytheon, Hero of Akros (Nah)
  
• Liliana, Heretical Healer (middle ability is non-legendary)
  
• Linvala, the Preserver (...)
  
• Sidisi, Undead Vizier (would be tutoring to tutor)
  
• Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger (Probably Ever After vs. Cast, but still good)
  
• Archangel Avacyn (could use the extra vigilance flyer...but...)
  
• Emrakul, the Promised End (Probably Ever After vs. Cast, but still good)
  

Though...Emrakul would give them all trample and Kozilek menace.

cut it to 60 cards. that's my biggest piece of advice.

Quote from Ronnie328 »

cut it to 60 cards. that's my biggest piece of advice.

Wise advice. For deck consistency and higher likelihood of drawing your best cards...hmm.

BW Angel Control is a deck right now that's basically Tier 1.5-2. It's probably what you're looking for.

Just so you know though, removals are VERY important, which is the main thing you're missing. Stuff like Ultimate Price and Grasp of Darkness. Don't add legendary creatures just because they're legendary. A lot of them are actually terrible and don't add to a strategy.

Creatures that you will play: Kalitas, Linvala (VERY important card, don't knock it), Grisela, Bruna, and Avacyn. Lancers can even fetch Geier Reach Sanitarium, which can be relevant when you need to hit your curve. After that add in card draws, removals, and planeswalkers and you're set.

For reference this is my list that I got 2nd in a six round FNM:

Buzzsaw,
I see. Yes you have about 28-30% removal (with Ob Nixilis Reignited as card draw or removal). Which is very controlly. Though BW angel control is a thing; however, I'm going to go my own direction, with a bit less control.

The obvious point a finger at it, is the 3 Infinite Obliteration and 3 Duress. Does seem to be very iffy wether or not I can pull that off. I guess just seems more fun than realistic. I am going to sideboard or switch Anguish Unmaking and Utter Ends ready to go. A bit more expensive, but I like the flexibility. Maybe they just need to be Ruinous Path, I'm used to the need an answer to everything of EDH.

I did cut the Hixus, Prison Warden. Seems like a long-shot way of dealing with things if I am Lancering for it.

But....I totally didn't read the any legendary card part. Thanks.

General Questions for your standard deck:
1. What do you want your deck to do? Are you looking to be an aggro deck? Tempo? Midrange? Control? Combo?
2. What are your Win Conditions? Even a fun/casual deck is meant to win somehow.

For choosing cards:
1. Why do I want to play that card?
2. How does this card help me win?

Not really sure what direction you want to take this. I mean for standard you'll be lucky to see a game go past Turn 8 unless you've got 2 Control Decks or a bad board stall. Which is also why removal is so important in standard. I run 2 decks, aggro and tempo and I still have some type of removal/bounce/timewalk shenanigans going.

Utter End is not standard legal, just so you know.

Quote from TBuzzsaw »

Utter End is not standard legal, just so you know.

I think it is. Until Sept 30th, when it and Origins bump out. http://whatsinstandard.com/ I think this year is weird because of the change in only 2 sets in between verse 3

Utter End is from Khans of Tarkir. Khans and Fate Reforged rotated out when Innistrad came in back in April.

Well shoot...my bad. Symbol tricked me.