Could be the additional one-drop White Heroic was looking for? Anyone who has played Wu Heroic should know that Favored Hoplite is the best creature in the deck, and the prospect of having another T1 play that can take over games is exciting. This also completely trolls RW Burn, being unkillable by everything but Chained to the Rocks Game 1 (you'll be triggering it before Warleader's Helix becomes relevant). The sturdy butt this thing sports is great for wearing Hidden Strings and cracking Ordeals. I'm eager to test it out. Example decklist:
I'm still testing how many lands is correct (18-20). I used to run 22 lands with 2 Mutavault, but found it to be largely intrusive and inferior to spells (while not providing mana to actually cast anything).
While you curve out at 3, I would suggest still playing at least 20 lands. Against removal based decks(control/mono black/burn) you want to hit your 3rd land drop on turn 3 or 4 so that you can buff a creature and then represent a spell like God's Willing/Mizzium Skin/Ajani's Presence. I feel like playing with 18 lands you're going to lose a few games to not hitting lands when you need them.
On the note of the post however:
I do agree the Lagonna Trailblazer does have a place, however I'm not sure whether or not that place is in main board or not. It's rather dead against some decks. Against control / mono black and monster decks the last thing you want is to be behind as an aggro deck turn one by having a 0/4 instead of a Favored Hoplite or other one drop with power.
While you curve out at 3, I would suggest still playing at least 20 lands. Against removal based decks(control/mono black/burn) you want to hit your 3rd land drop on turn 3 or 4 so that you can buff a creature and then represent a spell like God's Willing/Mizzium Skin/Ajani's Presence. I feel like playing with 18 lands you're going to lose a few games to not hitting lands when you need them.
On the note of the post however:
I do agree the Lagonna Trailblazer does have a place, however I'm not sure whether or not that place is in main board or not. It's rather dead against some decks.
Completely agree with 3-4 lands, but I just tend to flood a lot in playtesting for whatever reason. I was playtesting UWR with 20 lands/4 Mana Confluence (greediest version possible) and kept hitting nothing but lands off my Ordeals and what not.
When you're Voltroning, what does it matter if you start 0 power or 1? The Trailblazer seems like an excellent dude to go deep on. Outside of Doom Blade, Ultimate Price, Downfall, etc, once you trigger it once it's out of range of every damage-based removal (bar Fated Conflag I guess) and Bile Blight. Heroic triggers lead to more triggers. Moreover, you can safely play T1 this T2 Strings untap lands Ordeal even into open Red mana, as Shock doesn't do anything. This is a huge deal.
Against removal light decks, you don't need 18 creatures anyways, so I'd probably cut this first (like Mono-Blue). Against those decks, you just wanna stick 1 guy, Voltron it up with something scummy (like Aqueous Form, out of the side) and get a free win.
I'm also trying to find the correct balance of these 4 cards: God's Willing, Ajani's Presence, Mizzium Skin, and Triton Tactics.
So these are triggers that reactively protect your heroes and can be burned to just put some counters on them (particularly when Nivmagus is around). I'm thinking 8+ is correct; you want as many of these things as your average midrange deck (Mono Black devotion, perhaps) has targeted removal, or at least something similar.
It's important to examine the weaknesses of each, as well as what it stuffs:
God's Willing - Easy four of. Only thing it can't stop is Supreme Verdict, and it lets you attack through pro White creatures, mass 2/1 Elemental tokens, and so on. And Scry 1!? Insane card.
Ajani's Presence - Playtesting of this has impressed. Strive doesn't come up much, but the basic card is very playable (+1/1 matters) and it answers Supreme Verdict very well. It can protect any 2 toughness creature from Bile Blight (trigger Heroic and +1/1) but can't save Heroes from Detention Sphere effects. 2-4 copies.
Mizzium Skin - Answers all targeted removal, and adds a wimply 1 toughness to get around Anger of the Gods and what not. Mediocre as hell in creature matchups; drawing too many of these and no gas can lead to some less than heroic heroes. 0-2 copies is probably for the best, although I ran 4 before Ajani's Presence was around. If Banishing Light + D. Sphere becomes popular, 4 Skin/4 God's Willing could shut them down with ease. Maybe 2 main 2 side?
Triton Tactics - The most "gas" of these by far, this is the only trick besides God's Willing that can have a devastating output when it isn't saving a guy. "Target, target, exile to Nivmagus" comes up in removal light matchups, and is dirty as hell. This also is one hell of a combat trick that nobody is playing around in Constructed, and answers damage based removal of all forms (and Bile Blight). The issue with it? It's kind of a brick against UW Control. It only answers Last Breath (very narrow window) but can't save your heroes from anything else. 2 main 2 side seems about right (most Mono-Black decks run 2- Bile Blight).
The problem with a 0-4 is that he's no threat by himself. A deck eventually has to deal with a 1/2 slowly bashing his face in but with a 0/4 you're always opening yourself up for a two for one for no damage. My current deck right now is Esper and I run 6 sack effects main board (4 Devour Flesh/2 Celestial Flare) and the minute I see this guy I'm going to just be delighted. Most Jund decks also run sac effects and as I'm switching to America control post Nyx I'll probably be running Celestial Flare in the main still. Despite Mono White(Splash blue in your case) being a deck that focuses on throwing everything on one creature you still need to get value out of it.
As a sideboard card I think he's great I just don't think he's main deck material the fact that he has to be enchanted to do anything is too big a downside.
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Could be the additional one-drop White Heroic was looking for? Anyone who has played Wu Heroic should know that Favored Hoplite is the best creature in the deck, and the prospect of having another T1 play that can take over games is exciting. This also completely trolls RW Burn, being unkillable by everything but Chained to the Rocks Game 1 (you'll be triggering it before Warleader's Helix becomes relevant). The sturdy butt this thing sports is great for wearing Hidden Strings and cracking Ordeals. I'm eager to test it out. Example decklist:
4 Favored Hoplite
4 Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
2 Nivmagus Elemental
4 Battlewise Hoplite
4 Hero of Iroas
2 Eidolon of Countless Battles
2 Ajani, Caller of the Pride
Spells (20)
4 Ajani's Presence
4 Gods Willing
2 Mizzium Skin
2 Triton Tactics
4 Hidden Strings
4 Ordeal of Thassa
5 Plains
3 Island
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Temple of Triumph
2 Mana Confluence
I'm still testing how many lands is correct (18-20). I used to run 22 lands with 2 Mutavault, but found it to be largely intrusive and inferior to spells (while not providing mana to actually cast anything).
On the note of the post however:
I do agree the Lagonna Trailblazer does have a place, however I'm not sure whether or not that place is in main board or not. It's rather dead against some decks. Against control / mono black and monster decks the last thing you want is to be behind as an aggro deck turn one by having a 0/4 instead of a Favored Hoplite or other one drop with power.
Completely agree with 3-4 lands, but I just tend to flood a lot in playtesting for whatever reason. I was playtesting UWR with 20 lands/4 Mana Confluence (greediest version possible) and kept hitting nothing but lands off my Ordeals and what not.
When you're Voltroning, what does it matter if you start 0 power or 1? The Trailblazer seems like an excellent dude to go deep on. Outside of Doom Blade, Ultimate Price, Downfall, etc, once you trigger it once it's out of range of every damage-based removal (bar Fated Conflag I guess) and Bile Blight. Heroic triggers lead to more triggers. Moreover, you can safely play T1 this T2 Strings untap lands Ordeal even into open Red mana, as Shock doesn't do anything. This is a huge deal.
Against removal light decks, you don't need 18 creatures anyways, so I'd probably cut this first (like Mono-Blue). Against those decks, you just wanna stick 1 guy, Voltron it up with something scummy (like Aqueous Form, out of the side) and get a free win.
I'm also trying to find the correct balance of these 4 cards: God's Willing, Ajani's Presence, Mizzium Skin, and Triton Tactics.
So these are triggers that reactively protect your heroes and can be burned to just put some counters on them (particularly when Nivmagus is around). I'm thinking 8+ is correct; you want as many of these things as your average midrange deck (Mono Black devotion, perhaps) has targeted removal, or at least something similar.
It's important to examine the weaknesses of each, as well as what it stuffs:
God's Willing - Easy four of. Only thing it can't stop is Supreme Verdict, and it lets you attack through pro White creatures, mass 2/1 Elemental tokens, and so on. And Scry 1!? Insane card.
Ajani's Presence - Playtesting of this has impressed. Strive doesn't come up much, but the basic card is very playable (+1/1 matters) and it answers Supreme Verdict very well. It can protect any 2 toughness creature from Bile Blight (trigger Heroic and +1/1) but can't save Heroes from Detention Sphere effects. 2-4 copies.
Mizzium Skin - Answers all targeted removal, and adds a wimply 1 toughness to get around Anger of the Gods and what not. Mediocre as hell in creature matchups; drawing too many of these and no gas can lead to some less than heroic heroes. 0-2 copies is probably for the best, although I ran 4 before Ajani's Presence was around. If Banishing Light + D. Sphere becomes popular, 4 Skin/4 God's Willing could shut them down with ease. Maybe 2 main 2 side?
Triton Tactics - The most "gas" of these by far, this is the only trick besides God's Willing that can have a devastating output when it isn't saving a guy. "Target, target, exile to Nivmagus" comes up in removal light matchups, and is dirty as hell. This also is one hell of a combat trick that nobody is playing around in Constructed, and answers damage based removal of all forms (and Bile Blight). The issue with it? It's kind of a brick against UW Control. It only answers Last Breath (very narrow window) but can't save your heroes from anything else. 2 main 2 side seems about right (most Mono-Black decks run 2- Bile Blight).
So I could run like:
4 God's Willing
3 Ajani's Presence
3 Mizzium Skin
2 Triton Tactics
Or +1 Presence -1 Skin. Not sure yet.
As a sideboard card I think he's great I just don't think he's main deck material the fact that he has to be enchanted to do anything is too big a downside.