MTG Salvation

You can certainly make a try at Abzan, but you lose Ojutai. Abzan doesn't have a comparable creature (hexproof and flying and card advantage) so you will need to rebuild to make it work. -Surrak, -Ojutai, +4 Siege Rhino to start, but then what else do you change to get back control of the skies?

And as this sideboard is 80% blue, you will need a whole new sideboard. In place of counter spells you need Thoughtseize.

In the end, it's a viable idea but a different deck.

Quote from lajube »

You can certainly make a try at Abzan, but you lose Ojutai. Abzan doesn't have a comparable creature (hexproof and flying and card advantage) so you will need to rebuild to make it work. -Surrak, -Ojutai, +4 Siege Rhino to start, but then what else do you change to get back control of the skies?

And as this sideboard is 80% blue, you will need a whole new sideboard. In place of counter spells you need Thoughtseize.

In the end, it's a viable idea but a different deck.

I'm not sure that I need control of the skies. But, I would like Dragonlord Dromoka in my build, probably sideboard. Here's my decklist (although it's unfortunately dependent on my lacking a number of key cards):


I'm unfortunately lacking sufficient Coursers, Caryatids, and pain/fetch lands to really make this robust. I'm also lacking the Dens & Deathmists, but going to trade for those this evening. Otherwise, the deck falls apart. I'm not wanting to siderail this thread, so I'll quit discussing this deck build. But if you have feedback, please provide!

Your Ajani Steadfast is really interesting to mouse over.
In light of the Ojutai feeding frenzy going on right now, I am thinking about Abzan, Sultai and four-color DeathProtector builds. I was thinking that if you started an Abzan thread in Standard Deck Creation, I could chime in. But then I remembered that there is an Abzan thread in Proven. I checked, and they are heavily discussing using the DenMist combo. So I imagine we should head over there to brew Abzan.

Another rough day in an MTGO daily, only going 2-2. Beat mono-red aggro and Esper Dragons, then lost to Abzan Aggro and Esper Dragons.

When the Esper Dragons player just starts dropping Dragonlord Silumgar and Dragonlord Ojutai on turn five instead of casting Crux of Fate, the deck struggles.

Updated list, sideboard changes.



I had the opportunity to go turn 3 Arashin Cleric, it died, then turn 4 Ojutai's Command today, which was kinda fun. I ended that game (against mono-red) at 35 life. I didn't need to, but hey, when in life-gain land, gain life.

Green/Blue, with 6 main counter spells rocked FNM tonight, beating midrange, aggro and control decks. Clever Impersonator proved a valuable sideboard card, copying enemy dragons among other things. Enemy Ojutai or Silumgar are not immune to this guys powers of imitation. Bow of Nylea solved a Hornet Nest conundrum: Attack with manifests, nest blocks. Then ping one Hornet. Next turn, ping the other and resume attacking.

Congratulations! I do think that Bow of Nylea is a neat card. At this point, however, I am not interested in a card that doesn't help my Mono-Red/Atarka Red, Abzan, or Esper Dragons match.

It helps the mono red match plenty, but only vaguely useful in Esper. Yesterday my Elvish Mystic accumulate 9 damage thanks to Bow pumps. Against red, gain3 life every turn wins. And sometimes you can outsize their attack or removal with counters.

Any thoughts on Sagu Mauler in the board? It is useful against a number of decks. Playing this tomorrow and having difficulty picking the right sideboard.

If anyone wants to cut Ojutai but still fly, I think Wingmate Roc is a good fit. Also, can we get a list of the UG version? I've been hearing a lot of good things about it - even though I bet the UGw version simply destroys it.

You heard a lot of good things about UG? I think I'm the only one talking about that pair in this context!

My list is HERE

I chose Prognostic Sphinx to replace Ojutai, because it's flying/scrying/hexproof.

Sagu Mauler is useful largely because it's large, but it's on the ground. But honestly I can't imagine why you would prefer it over more Ojutai, unless you have in mind some big ground pounders that are causing trouble? Or you don't want to spend $40. I run Arbor Colossus because it can stop RG dragons. Mauler can't do that.

I just ran 16 games against that Jund deck that Gerard Fabiano played recently. Won 13 games.

That matches my experience against the archetype. I went 12-2 against Jund and BR midrange.

Got back from a local GPT earlier today. Went 2-2-1, but my play was loaded with mistakes. My first time playing it, so that was going to happen. Liking the deck very much, but I'm questioning Valorous Stance. It was a pretty dead card in most matches and was almost always boarded out. I played:
1x Esper Dragons (loss)
1x Mono Red Atarka (loss)
1x UW Control (tie)
1x Mardu Aggro (win)
1x G/W Devotion (win)

I agree, and that's why I moved mine to the side. It certainly has some utility in game one against most decks, but I find it to be dead enough that I'd rather run Stratus Dancer instead. The deck is strong against Abzan Control, and weaker against Abzan Aggro, so if you expect a lot of Abzan Aggro then perhaps you want them main, but I'm not sure that that's better.

The deck showed 5th, 16th, and 22nd at the SCG open this weekend.

5th's deck looked identical to Wescoe's deck except swapping an Encase for another Plummet.

16th was Chris Anderson, and he made more notable changes -- -1 Ojutai and no Surrak, also -1 Valorous Stance, but adding in 2 Whisperwood and a Disdainful Stroke in the main.

22nd was identical to Wescoe's deck with a couple minor sideboard changes.

So where does this leave us --

Is Disdainful Stroke in the main worthwhile?

I was running 1 Stratus Dancer in the main and 1 in the board, and I was happy with that. Valorous Stance seems to be cuttable a little in the MB, as has already been discussed here.

I ran Profaner of the Dead as a 1x in my sideboard but unfortunately never saw it in the matchups that I boarded it in for.

I also ran 2x Ojutai's Command, 1x mainboard and 1x in the sideboard, and I was tickled pink with them all day.

I tried Profaner of the Dead, but could never get much value out of it. Love that card in Limited, though.

Ojutai's Command is just great in a lot of situations. I even like it against RG Dragons.

If you expect dragons, Disdainful Stroke main is worth playing. It also deals with Crux of Fate and other notable expensive cards.

It's only bad against heroic and red aggro (though there still is Stoke the Flames and Become Immense).

Quote from hoser2 »

Okay. I want to build this as soon as I get my hands on some Ojutai. The cute idea I have is that Kiora's Follower untapping Ojutai in response to removal for Ojutai seems good. But nobody is running Kiora's Follower. What am I missing?

Blue is just a splash, I think the mana would have to be changed if you want to be able to reliable cast either Fleecemane Lion or Kiora's Follower on turn 2. You wouldn't be running Kiora's Follower as just a partner for Ojutai, you'd be replacing some other mana dork.

A couple of semi-related questions:

1) Is Ojutai the best Dragon for the deck? I have not tested with any other, but it seems to me that Dragonlord Dromoka could be just as good.

2) I've been playing Chris Andersen's list from SCG Cleveland. Against UB Dragons, I've been siding: -4 Caryatid, -3 Dromoka's Command; +2 Negate, +2 Disdainful Stroke, +2 Stratus Dancer, +1 Mastery of the Unseen. I've been winning, but I have also had some trouble with blue mana. Do others side out the Caryatids?

Somewhat related: I've played a few games where I drew Flooded Strand after already seeing both Plains and the Island. Maybe one of the Flooded Strands should be a Temple of Enlightenment?

I've played a few games against the Blue 5-Color Dragon deck that has gotten some press this week. Perilous Vault is tough on us. I first thought Dromoka's Command would get better, then found that targeted player sacrifices an enchantment, not enchantment or artifact. Some artifact hate might be warranted in the SB: Mastery, Whip, and now Vault.

Quote from thg »

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Blue is just a splash, I think the mana would have to be changed if you want to be able to reliable cast either Fleecemane Lion or Kiora's Follower on turn 2. You wouldn't be running Kiora's Follower as just a partner for Ojutai, you'd be replacing some other mana dork.

A couple of semi-related questions:

1) Is Ojutai the best Dragon for the deck? I have not tested with any other, but it seems to me that Dragonlord Dromoka could be just as good.

2) I've been playing Chris Andersen's list from SCG Cleveland. Against UB Dragons, I've been siding: -4 Caryatid, -3 Dromoka's Command; +2 Negate, +2 Disdainful Stroke, +2 Stratus Dancer, +1 Mastery of the Unseen. I've been winning, but I have also had some trouble with blue mana. Do others side out the Caryatids?

Somewhat related: I've played a few games where I drew Flooded Strand after already seeing both Plains and the Island. Maybe one of the Flooded Strands should be a Temple of Enlightenment?

I've played a few games against the Blue 5-Color Dragon deck that has gotten some press this week. Perilous Vault is tough on us. I first thought Dromoka's Command would get better, then found that targeted player sacrifices an enchantment, not enchantment or artifact. Some artifact hate might be warranted in the SB: Mastery, Whip, and now Vault.

Thanks for the response. I did end up trying 1 Kiora's Follower in place of a Caryatid. Obviously it doesn't fix as well, nor resist Bile Blight. With the need for fixing, I could only see using one.

I don't like having fetches=basics. I replaced a Flooded Strand and a Mana Confluence with a Temple of Mystery and a Haven.

Nissa is a classic response to Perilous Vault.

I played it in a five round tournament last night. The only times I played Ojutai were when Stormbreath was out. Oh well. I went 3-2.

R1: Narset Servant (a deck I'd never seen w/8 creatures: 4 Narset, 4 Generator Servant, Narset Transcendent, Ugin)
Loss in three. Ugin wrecked me twice.

R2: A Temur dragon brew with Sarkhan
Win in 3. Mana troubles dictated all 3 games.

R3: Esper Dragon Control
Win in 2. G1 got a Fleecemane to stick, then monstrous, then Den Protector and Deathmist shenanigans. G2 he couldn't deal w/looping Den Protectors.

R4: Abzan Whip w/Strength From the Fallen
Win in 2. Game 1, got Fleecemane, monstrous, then landed Dragonlord Dromoka. People keep wanting to cast spells on my turn. Not allowed. In game 2, opponent was mana screwed.

R5: Red deck with Stormbreaths
Loss in 2. G1 was a race that I wasn't winning. Stormbreaths took it. G2 we both mulled to 5, where I kept a 1 lander. He had 4 land and Outpost Siege. I didn't draw land until the game was over.

I played Kiora's Follower once. He was immediately Magma Jetted. Score 1 for Sylvan Caryatid over Kiora's Follower.

This was loosely based on Chris Anderson's Cleveland list.



Problems: Stormbreath, Ugin
What worked: beat Esper Dragons

Changes:
-1 Mastery of the Unseen SB, -1 Hidden Dragonslayer SB, -1 Valorous Stance MB, +2 Arbor Colossus SB, +1 Ojutai's Command SB, 1 Disdainful Stroke SB->MB

I went through the North American RPTQ results and saw a number of Bant Morph decks. It seems that there is a core with a few flex slots:
For the 3 Creature Flex Slots, the options I noticed included: 2 Stratus Dancer, 2 Whisperwood Elemental, 1 Dragonlord Ojutai, 2 Sarrak, the Hunt Caller, 1 Courser of Kruphix.

For the 4 Noncreature Flex Slots, the options I noticed included: 3 Negate, 3 Valorous Stance, 1 Dromoka's Command, 1 Disdainful Stroke. By far the most popular configuration was 3 Dromoka's Command, 3 Valorous Stance, 2 Mastery of the Unseen.

I think that seven flex slots is quite a lot. And, it strikes me that the variety of successful choices means that the core is strong and that you can pick what to fill it out with based upon your comfort, preferences, and local meta without too much worry that you're giving away much. For instance, I think I will include a Dragonlord Dromoka in a creature flex spot (or even replacing an Ojutai) and I'm not going to worry that I'm killing my game.

Sam Pardee takes the deck into a MTGO Standard Daily: http://www.channelfireball.com/videos/channel-pardee-time-standard-ojutai-bant/

Quote from riliss »

Sam Pardee takes the deck into a MTGO Standard Daily: http://www.channelfireball.com/videos/channel-pardee-time-standard-ojutai-bant/

He also provides a deck guide with sideboarding.

This deck looks kind of neat.

Also, its a midrange deck that's not in the usual base BGx shell, so that's something unusual.

Sam Pardee posted videos of a similar deck on ChannelFireball. He went 1&2. The one he won was like pure luck. Deck looked atrociously bad in every scenario. Which is confusing because in this thread there seem to be a lot of really great builds. Was he just playing a sub-par list? He certainly wasn't getting unlucky with draws. Just seemed really durdly and underpowered.