I agree paying a G to attack with a 5/5 or 7/7 is worth it. I just don't know if it is for a 3/3, plus I wuould have to put more sources of green in the deck to add the carytid and don't know what I would cut to make room for it.
I've just seen this thread as I've been thinking about a Formation deck as well. What about going GB and having Kheru Bloodsucker around? If Assault Formation doesn't come out, then start sacrificing walls and going 2 up/2 down while making it bigger as well... Plus would allow graveyard interaction, exploit, etc to combine with the green ramp...
I haven't put together a manabase, but it's just the obvious: 4 pain lands, 4 temples, 4 gain lands, forests, islands. Nykthos is possible, but there's nothing currently listed that would use the big mana.
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Current Awesome Deck: UWAll-In GiftsWU Consistent, Resiliant, and way overpowered, making multiple 4/4s per turn.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWUFree Stuff MidrangeUWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
I went 3-1 and took second place, losing the last round to the guy who got first.
I beat a black discard/Waste Not home brew( 2-0), a red burn/haste deck(2-1), a red boss sligh variant(2-1), and lost (1-0-1) to a green and white Megamorph/counters deck running 4x Deathmist Raptor, 4x Ajani Steadfast, and 4x Hardened Scales, along with mana ramp and a couple other megamorph guys.
Against the black deck, I drew too quick of hands for him to discard enough for it to matter. Against both red decks, I lost games where I was mana screwed, but seemed to handle them fine when I had enough and the right colors of mana. The Megamoroh deck beat me because of Deathmist Raptor. The first game was drawn out and he drew into all 4 raptors and kept returning them, to slowly beat me down. 1st game took so long, we didn't have time to finish game 2.
It was fun to play, however, I stalled when I did not draw Assault Formation, Siege Rhino, or Kin-Tree Invocation. The sideboard still needs lots of work. I kind of threw it together until I can figure out what I need. I am thinking more exile removal (although I am biased after killing Raptors multiple times and them coming back). Any suggestions would be welcome.
Glad someone ran a Abzan version of this deck and glad to see it worked out for you! I was thinking of trying a build myself, but lacking a lot of the mana base...
Thanks for the suggestions Sting. I was considering most of those removal cards for sideboard, but am still not quite sure on which ones to go with yet. I had not even thought of Anafenza, The Foremost, that could be a very solid side or even mainboard card. I got you on whip. It was more of just a "I like this card, so I will throw one in" than it being part of the actual plan, but it surely saved my life a time or two and kept me in some games when I shouldn't have been. Solid idea on Erebos, I will have to see where it would fit in the SB.
Interesting wall build there as well. Although, 4 color seems like it could be rough. I have enough issues with 3 color.
Is assault formation strong enough to actually build around competitively? I can see it doing well at a kitchen table, or even an FNM if you catch people off guard, but given that you are putting a bunch of bad attackers into a deck that only can reliably win if you get the Assault Formation, is it worth it? If you do not get Assault formation is there a valid plan B?
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SB was a bunch of blue and green cards. Anyway, I went 2-0-1 on Monday magic. I beat R-g (Pro Tour list) and U/B control. I drew against G/W devotion. That has to count for something right? The deck is a rough draft since those were the cards I had. The Sagu Mauler would probably go into the sideboard and more Deathmist Raptors would come in. I need to squeeze in a 4th slot for Assault Formation.
Anyway, there's something legit about the deck. I can feel it. It runs a vaguely similar style to G/W devotion except it doesn't devote itself to 12 mana dorks that otherwise do nothing. The difference is I get DTT and all of the creatures have decent toughness. Trail of Mystery is quite degenerate with 4 Whisperwood and 11 morphs, plus I trigger off Deathmist Raptor returning face down. Finally, by overloading on enchantments, Dromoka's Command isn't as big of a threat.
Briefly on the games I played -
R-g, opponent won when I sat on 2 lands and he went Rabblemaster on me. I won game 2 when he went down to 5 and I stabilized with Mastery and Courser. Game 3, he knocked me down to 5 when his 3 Goblins, Foundry, Zurgo, Atarka's Command ran into Courser and Hornet's Nest (made 3 bees). I played Mastery, played Monastery Flock, unmorphed it, gained 6 or so, and climbed back out of the basement. From there, Whisperwood Elementals brought in cheap manifests and game went out of reach.
G/W devotion. He won game 1 in 40 minutes after monstrous Polukranos. I won game 2 in 5 minutes when he couldn't stop Monastery Flock with Assault Formation. I also had Dromoka's Command and Reclamation Sage to kill Courser and Mastery. Ran out of time.
U/B control. I won game 1 when Assault Formation resolved turn 2. After baiting a counter with Whisperwood Elemental, I played my MVP - Sylvan Caryatid. Hexproof won. Game 2 - Ashiok took stuff and eventually won. Game 3 - I beat him down with 3 face-down creatures - an Obscuring Aether, Dragon's Eye Servants, and Stratus Dancer.
I have ordered updraft elemental to replace wall of frost, and Silumgar to replace Ugin. I will run this deck this weekend. A 4/4 flyer on turn 3 is magic christmasland, but a lot of fun. Mirror mockery on exploit creatures also looks like fun.
I just sort of brainstormed this list here; completely untested; and I think that "tech green" might be the way to go. I include Sidisi, Undead Vizier on the list because if I have to do so in order to cast one of the green spells, I could use the exploit to fetch the needed land if I didn't draw it.
You need more green sources. With only 5, you have a 50% chance of not being able to cast Kiora or Assault Formation in the early game. Very bad for a deck revolving around Assault Formation. I would go 4 GB temples replacing 3 swamps and 1 Island. Then I would add 2 Llanowar Wastes, and cut some other card because you need more lands.
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Current Awesome Deck: UWAll-In GiftsWU Consistent, Resiliant, and way overpowered, making multiple 4/4s per turn.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWUFree Stuff MidrangeUWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
I don't see Kiora coming down before turn 5 outside of a pefect hand. As I generally play aggro decks - that is what I consider "early".
Without manabase being a consideration; I do think we need a wincon OTHER than Assault Formation; Phenax and Ashiok play well into this strategy. If you commit to playing Assault formation turn 2 and going for multiple rounds of combat damage; the Assault formation becomes increasingly vulnerable to removal. That might win game 1; but sideboard enchantment hate from white as a color is rampant - and green has access to such cards.
I would not want the Assault Formation enchantment out there until it was time to attack if white is an opponent's color.
If that's your game, you need some air defense. There's an 0/5 morph flyer available. I'm partial to Prognostic Sphinx for the role. Possibly a Silumgar.
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Current Awesome Deck: UWAll-In GiftsWU Consistent, Resiliant, and way overpowered, making multiple 4/4s per turn.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWUFree Stuff MidrangeUWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
Hey! I've been tinkering around, trying to create a deck that utilizes Assault Formation to the fullest. The main point for me is choosing the right colors, as G is a given. Imo I think U is kind-off a must as well, using its dig to help you find assault or any other win-con and counters to protect your enchantment/whatever else your opponents' are targeting.
Now im kinda torn between going GUw or GUb, but I think black gives us versatiliy which is important. So anyways, here is my take on the deck:
What do you guys think? Plan A is to land some high-toughness creatures to stall to opponent till you find an Assault Formation, then swing ftw. If that doesn't work, we've got plan B which is either resolve an Invocation and get a big creature out, or mill your opponent with Phenax. Sidisi is a tutor for either formation when you ca ar when you do. Sideboard is kinda messed up, but its supposed to be able to turn me into a more controlish or aggroish deck by choice, either side in removal+counters or side in deathdealers.
This may be crazy, but my pet card is Disciple of Deceit. As a 1/3 for 2 that fetches Assault Formation, it just might be what you want.
One thing you DEFINITELY want is more multicolored lands. At the very least, go 4 Opulent Palace. Next since you seem to be budgeting lands, I suggest Evolving Wilds. Third, if you're running lots of fetches, Courser of Kruphix is excellent here.
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Current Awesome Deck: UWAll-In GiftsWU Consistent, Resiliant, and way overpowered, making multiple 4/4s per turn.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWUFree Stuff MidrangeUWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
Back from Gameday with Assault Formation. Managed to place 7th out of 24 and securing one of those pretty foil promos. RDW seems to have a tough job handling all that early high toughness stuff. Control proved uh ... complicated. The aggro draw (Disowned Ancestor into Formation into Caryatid in my case) gave them a major headache, but when Formation runs afoul of countermagic, things get pretty tricky ...
Decklist proves I can't count. It's 61 cards maindeck, which I found out after round 1. Manabase was built pretty randomly (I just kept shifting around lands until it looked 'right enough'), but I somehow never ran into problems with missing colours.
Orator was weird. Amazing in some cases ('4/4' flyer), a total dud in others (aforementioned trouble with control). Might want to try Sidisi in future deck iterations for some delicious tutoring.
I actually tested a lot of angles for this BEFORE assault formation, because; kin-tree invocation, and there's one card that hasn't been mentioned in this thread that works really well in this kind of deck(for G/B especially) Scourge of Skola Vale
People act like this card doesn't exist but it's pretty decent, especially because of the trample. Works super well with Kin-tree invocations and disowned ancestors. Just an interesting card to think about including in your version of the deck.
Is anyone running Collected Company with the walls and Assault Formation? If so is it worth it? Seems like it could be decent to grab a couple walls at once at instant speed...?
Are most people opposed to the Abzan version of this deck? Seems like there is a lot of Sultai builds opting for blue to put in counter magic and card draw spells. My thought is to just get a whole bunch of threats on the board with cool tricks like Dromoka's Command. Here is a list that my buddy and I drafted up after scrubbing out of game day last weekend. What are everyone's thoughts?
Some thoughts on SB cards would be Eidolon of Rhetoric, Nyx Weaver and Erebos. Nothing has been finished on this front yet. Just looking for some input on an Abzan build since I'm looking to be playing Doran in Modern as soon as I can get some of the cards!
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Mardu Ascendancy.
Woo made a Doran Ascendancy deck for Modern in December and the idea of pulling it off in standard would be amazing. It wouldn't be a turn 3 win but
Modern: UR Dragonfish
Legacy: Merfolk
Tiny Leaders: Mono Anafenza
3 Sadisi Faithfull
3 dragons eye savant
3 Wall of Frost
2 Profaner of the Dead
1 Clever Impersonator
2 Phenax
1 Lilian Vess
1 Ugin
3 Negates
4 kin Tree invocation
3 Sultai Charm
3 Grim Contest
3 assault Formation
3 Villenous Wealth
Aertherspouts
Drown in sorrows
4 temple of plenty
Mana Confluence
3 opulent Palace
3 dismal Backwaters
1 Polluted Delta
11 other lands
I am running the lands I have, not necessarily the ones I want.
3 Sidisi's Faithful
1 Elvish Mystic
4 Kiora's Follower
4 Courser of Kruphix
3 Yisan, the Wanderer Bard
1 Wall of Frost
1 Deathmist Raptor
2 Polukranos, World Eater
1 Profaner of the Dead
2 Whisperwood Elemental
2 Den Protector
2 Prophet of Kruphix
4 Prognostic Sphinx
2 Disdainful Stroke
2 Assault Formation
2 Arbor Colossus
3 Negate
2 Disdainful Stroke
2 Singing Bell Strike
2 Windstorm
2 Curse of the Swine
2 Reclamation Sage
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWU Free Stuff Midrange UWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
My greatest hits:
GURFate Reforged Temur Ascendancy COMBORUG
GUDragons of Tarkir Whisperwood Forever UG
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWU Free Stuff Midrange UWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
My greatest hits:
GURFate Reforged Temur Ascendancy COMBORUG
GUDragons of Tarkir Whisperwood Forever UG
2x Caves of Koilos
4x Forest
2x Llanowar Wastes
1x Plains
4x Sandsteppe Citadel
1x Swamp
2x Temple of Plenty
2x Temple of Silence
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4x Windswept Heath
1x Whip of Erebos
Creature (23)
4x Courser of Kruphix
4x Disowned Ancestor
4x Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
4x Nyx-Fleece Ram
4x Siege Rhino
3x Sylvan Caryatid
Sorcery (7)
4x Commune with the Gods
3x Kin-Tree Invocation
Instant (3)
3x Abzan Charm
4x Assault Formation
2x Abzan Beastmaster
1x Abzan Charm
1x Dragonlord Dromoka
2x Drown in Sorrow
2x Erase
4x Jeskai Barricade
2x Utter End
1x Whisperwood Elemental
I went 3-1 and took second place, losing the last round to the guy who got first.
I beat a black discard/Waste Not home brew( 2-0), a red burn/haste deck(2-1), a red boss sligh variant(2-1), and lost (1-0-1) to a green and white Megamorph/counters deck running 4x Deathmist Raptor, 4x Ajani Steadfast, and 4x Hardened Scales, along with mana ramp and a couple other megamorph guys.
Against the black deck, I drew too quick of hands for him to discard enough for it to matter. Against both red decks, I lost games where I was mana screwed, but seemed to handle them fine when I had enough and the right colors of mana. The Megamoroh deck beat me because of Deathmist Raptor. The first game was drawn out and he drew into all 4 raptors and kept returning them, to slowly beat me down. 1st game took so long, we didn't have time to finish game 2.
It was fun to play, however, I stalled when I did not draw Assault Formation, Siege Rhino, or Kin-Tree Invocation. The sideboard still needs lots of work. I kind of threw it together until I can figure out what I need. I am thinking more exile removal (although I am biased after killing Raptors multiple times and them coming back). Any suggestions would be welcome.
BWTokens
GCollected Stompany
BWGUSeance Insanity
URUR Bloo
Interesting wall build there as well. Although, 4 color seems like it could be rough. I have enough issues with 3 color.
BWTokens
GCollected Stompany
BWGUSeance Insanity
URUR Bloo
4x Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
4x Yolked Ox
4x Nyx-Fleece Ram
4x Prophetic Flamespeaker
4x Assault Formation
2x Break Through the Lines
4x Commune with the Gods
3x Banishing Light
3x Collected Company
2x Citadel Siege
4x Mana Confluence
4x Battlefield Forge
2x Temple of Plenty
2x Temple of Abandon
3x Forest
3x Plains
I have not built a S/B for it yet, but have been considering things like Den Protector, Display of Dominance, and Anger of the Gods
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2 Mastery of the Unseen
3 Assault Formation
1 Secret Plans
1 Obscuring Aether
4 Whisperwood Elemental
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Courser of Kruphix
2 Dragon's Eye Servant
3 Monastery Flock
2 Sagu Mauler
1 Deathmist Raptor
3 Dromoka's Command
2 Rattleclaw Mystic
1 Den Protector
2 Dig Through Time
2 Flooded Strand
4 Yavimaya Coast
4 Temple of Mystery
3 Island
4 Forest
1 Plains
1 Mana Confluence
SB was a bunch of blue and green cards. Anyway, I went 2-0-1 on Monday magic. I beat R-g (Pro Tour list) and U/B control. I drew against G/W devotion. That has to count for something right? The deck is a rough draft since those were the cards I had. The Sagu Mauler would probably go into the sideboard and more Deathmist Raptors would come in. I need to squeeze in a 4th slot for Assault Formation.
Anyway, there's something legit about the deck. I can feel it. It runs a vaguely similar style to G/W devotion except it doesn't devote itself to 12 mana dorks that otherwise do nothing. The difference is I get DTT and all of the creatures have decent toughness. Trail of Mystery is quite degenerate with 4 Whisperwood and 11 morphs, plus I trigger off Deathmist Raptor returning face down. Finally, by overloading on enchantments, Dromoka's Command isn't as big of a threat.
Briefly on the games I played -
R-g, opponent won when I sat on 2 lands and he went Rabblemaster on me. I won game 2 when he went down to 5 and I stabilized with Mastery and Courser. Game 3, he knocked me down to 5 when his 3 Goblins, Foundry, Zurgo, Atarka's Command ran into Courser and Hornet's Nest (made 3 bees). I played Mastery, played Monastery Flock, unmorphed it, gained 6 or so, and climbed back out of the basement. From there, Whisperwood Elementals brought in cheap manifests and game went out of reach.
G/W devotion. He won game 1 in 40 minutes after monstrous Polukranos. I won game 2 in 5 minutes when he couldn't stop Monastery Flock with Assault Formation. I also had Dromoka's Command and Reclamation Sage to kill Courser and Mastery. Ran out of time.
U/B control. I won game 1 when Assault Formation resolved turn 2. After baiting a counter with Whisperwood Elemental, I played my MVP - Sylvan Caryatid. Hexproof won. Game 2 - Ashiok took stuff and eventually won. Game 3 - I beat him down with 3 face-down creatures - an Obscuring Aether, Dragon's Eye Servants, and Stratus Dancer.
4 Polluted Delta
4 Temple of Deceit
4 Swamp
4 Island
4 Opulent Palace
Creatures
3 Sidisi's Faithful
3 Dragon's Eye Savants
3 Wall of Frost
3 Disowned Ancestor
3 Returned Phalanx
3 Black oak of Odunus
3 Ukud Cobra
4 Bile Blight
3 Hero's Downfall
Key Cards:
2 Phenax, God of Deception
2 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
2 Kiora, The Crashing Wave
3 Assault formation
2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
3 Virulent Plague
2 Silumgar, The Drifting Death
1 Hero's Downfall
8 ???
I just sort of brainstormed this list here; completely untested; and I think that "tech green" might be the way to go. I include Sidisi, Undead Vizier on the list because if I have to do so in order to cast one of the green spells, I could use the exploit to fetch the needed land if I didn't draw it.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWU Free Stuff Midrange UWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
My greatest hits:
GURFate Reforged Temur Ascendancy COMBORUG
GUDragons of Tarkir Whisperwood Forever UG
Without manabase being a consideration; I do think we need a wincon OTHER than Assault Formation; Phenax and Ashiok play well into this strategy. If you commit to playing Assault formation turn 2 and going for multiple rounds of combat damage; the Assault formation becomes increasingly vulnerable to removal. That might win game 1; but sideboard enchantment hate from white as a color is rampant - and green has access to such cards.
I would not want the Assault Formation enchantment out there until it was time to attack if white is an opponent's color.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWU Free Stuff Midrange UWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
My greatest hits:
GURFate Reforged Temur Ascendancy COMBORUG
GUDragons of Tarkir Whisperwood Forever UG
Now im kinda torn between going GUw or GUb, but I think black gives us versatiliy which is important. So anyways, here is my take on the deck:
3 Sidisi's Faithful
3 Disowned Ancestor
3 Sylvan Caryatid
3 Dragon's Eye Savants
3 Archer's Parapet
3 Wall of Frost
2 Silumgar, the Drifting Death
1 Phenax, God of Deception
1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
Spells (16):
4 Assault Formation
3 Commune With the Gods
3 Anticipate
2 Dig Through Time
2 Thoughtsieze
2 Kin-Tree Invocation
4 Temple of Mystery
2 Polluted Delta
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Opulent Palace
3 Swamp
5 Island
4 Forest
2 Hero's Downfall
1 Bile Blight
2 Sultai Charm
1 Whisperwood Elemental
3 Rakashasa Deathdealer
1 Profaner of the Dead
2 Negate
2 Disdainful Stroke
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
What do you guys think? Plan A is to land some high-toughness creatures to stall to opponent till you find an Assault Formation, then swing ftw. If that doesn't work, we've got plan B which is either resolve an Invocation and get a big creature out, or mill your opponent with Phenax. Sidisi is a tutor for either formation when you ca ar when you do. Sideboard is kinda messed up, but its supposed to be able to turn me into a more controlish or aggroish deck by choice, either side in removal+counters or side in deathdealers.
One thing you DEFINITELY want is more multicolored lands. At the very least, go 4 Opulent Palace. Next since you seem to be budgeting lands, I suggest Evolving Wilds. Third, if you're running lots of fetches, Courser of Kruphix is excellent here.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWU Free Stuff Midrange UWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
My greatest hits:
GURFate Reforged Temur Ascendancy COMBORUG
GUDragons of Tarkir Whisperwood Forever UG
Here's the list:
4 Disowned Ancestor
4 Orator of Ojutai
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Courser of Kruphix
3 Siege Rhino
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
2 Dragonlord Dromoka
2 Silumgar, the Drifting Death
1 Dragonlord Atarka
3 Assault Formation
1 Whip of Erebos
4 Abzan Charm
2 Hero's Downfall
2 Utter End
Lands
2 Sandsteppe Citadel
2 Mana Confluence
1 Caves of Koilos
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Haven of the Spirit Dragon
1 Polluted Delta
4 Windswept Heath
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Temple of Malady
1 Temple of Silence
1 Temple of Plenty
2 Plains
2 Forest
1 Island
3 Swamp
Decklist proves I can't count. It's 61 cards maindeck, which I found out after round 1. Manabase was built pretty randomly (I just kept shifting around lands until it looked 'right enough'), but I somehow never ran into problems with missing colours.
Orator was weird. Amazing in some cases ('4/4' flyer), a total dud in others (aforementioned trouble with control). Might want to try Sidisi in future deck iterations for some delicious tutoring.
L1 Judge
Scourge of Skola Vale
People act like this card doesn't exist but it's pretty decent, especially because of the trample. Works super well with Kin-tree invocations and disowned ancestors. Just an interesting card to think about including in your version of the deck.
4x Nyx-Fleece Ram
4x Sylvan Caryatid
4x Courser of Kruphix
3x Eidolon of Blossoms
4x Siege Rhino
3x Doomwake Giant
2x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
4x Assault Formation
2x Dromoka's Command
3x Banishing Light
3x Hero's Downfall
Lands
2x Caves of Koilos
3x Forest
3x Llanowar Wastes
2x Plains
4x Sandsteppe Citadel
1x Swamp
3x Temple of Malady
2x Temple of Plenty
4x Windswept Heath
Some thoughts on SB cards would be Eidolon of Rhetoric, Nyx Weaver and Erebos. Nothing has been finished on this front yet. Just looking for some input on an Abzan build since I'm looking to be playing Doran in Modern as soon as I can get some of the cards!