Went 3-1 at FNM last night with this list, which I've been gradually tweaking more and more midrange from a more control oriented build over the last 3 weeks
Round 1: Mardu Midrange
Game 1 was a back and forth affair which came down to him having a Butcher and a monstrous Dragon against my my field of 2x Courser, Caryatid, Wingmate Roc sans token and a Monstrous Fleecemane, I was at 1 life a couple times this game, some lucky land flips from Courser and the life gain from Roc proved invaluable in letting me grab this one barely, one of the funnest games I've played so far this standard. Games 2 and 3 proved less exciting as I failed to draw more than 1 or 2 threats, which he met with removal and multiple Dragons
1-2
Round 2: Rabble Red
I feel this matchup is super heavily in my favour, and the games went to show that, quick 2-0 of the back of Rhino + Roc in game 1 and Rhino + Sorin game 2
2-0
Round 3: Ascendency Combo
This matchup is where I didn't like having no End Hostilities main, as I have no way to answer Caryatid apart from Bile Blighting my own, which is still risky if they have Ascendancy on board, lost game 1 as I couldn't put up a fast enough clock. Post board I brought in the 4th Thoughtseize along with my Erase, Utter Ends, and End Hostilities, I think he might have made some misplays with his mana game 2 which caused him the game, and game 3 I managed to hit him to 1 with only painlands on board
2-1
Round 4: Jeskai Tempo
Game 1 was a relatively simple thoughtseize your best card, remove your threat, play my rhino kind of game that ended up with me winning, game 2 saw me draw very little removal to deal with his threats and I ended up going down in that game to rather lackluster draws and a mull to 5. Game 3 I kept what I thought at the time was a riskyish hand of 5 land Bile Blight Hero's Downfall, however I had 2 Black Scrylands and was on the play, ended up working out perfectly as he had a lackluster curve with Rabblemaster as his only threat which got blighted precombat, and a Srkhan on 5 that got downfalled in response to +1, allowing me an opening to slam Elspeth and take over the game from there
2-1
Overall I think I like the Fleecemanes, was testing Anafenza as a way to get through courser with the lions however that didnt really come up at all this week so I may keep her in dependent on if there are a lot of coursers in the top 8 at the Pro Tour. I still like End Hostilities a lot in the board, but I'm not sure if 2+1 Duneblast is too many wrath's. Garruk comes out a lot and I feel that might warrant cutting him or at least relegating him to the sideboard, probably to bring back the 4th charm which I missed a lot this week. Sorin absolutely demolished my expectations, the card is insane and I'll be looking to pick up another ASAP.
I'm very open to any advice you guys have on my take on Abzan, and am hoping to contribute to this thread into the future, as the deck seems like it's here to stay, whether in a Caryatid/Courser shell or a more aggressive variant.
4 Sylvan Caryatid
4 Fleecemane Lion
4 Courser of Kruphix
4 Siege Rhino
2 Wingmate Roc
1 Anafenza, the Foremost
Instants (9)
3 Hero's Downfall
3 Abzan Charm
2 Bile Blight
1 Murderous Cut
Sorceries (3)
3 Thoughtseize
Planeswalkers (4)
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
1 Garruk, Apex Predator
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
3 Llanowar Wastes
3 Forest
3 Swamp
3 Temple of Malady
2 Plains
2 Caves of Koilos
2 Temple of Silence
2 Windswept Heath
1 Temple of Plenty
3 Nyx-Fleece Ram
2 Despise
2 Drown in Sorrow
2 Utter End
2 End Hostilities
1 Erase
1 Thoughtseize
1 Liliana Vess
1 Duneblast
Round 1: Mardu Midrange
Game 1 was a back and forth affair which came down to him having a Butcher and a monstrous Dragon against my my field of 2x Courser, Caryatid, Wingmate Roc sans token and a Monstrous Fleecemane, I was at 1 life a couple times this game, some lucky land flips from Courser and the life gain from Roc proved invaluable in letting me grab this one barely, one of the funnest games I've played so far this standard. Games 2 and 3 proved less exciting as I failed to draw more than 1 or 2 threats, which he met with removal and multiple Dragons
1-2
Round 2: Rabble Red
I feel this matchup is super heavily in my favour, and the games went to show that, quick 2-0 of the back of Rhino + Roc in game 1 and Rhino + Sorin game 2
2-0
Round 3: Ascendency Combo
This matchup is where I didn't like having no End Hostilities main, as I have no way to answer Caryatid apart from Bile Blighting my own, which is still risky if they have Ascendancy on board, lost game 1 as I couldn't put up a fast enough clock. Post board I brought in the 4th Thoughtseize along with my Erase, Utter Ends, and End Hostilities, I think he might have made some misplays with his mana game 2 which caused him the game, and game 3 I managed to hit him to 1 with only painlands on board
2-1
Round 4: Jeskai Tempo
Game 1 was a relatively simple thoughtseize your best card, remove your threat, play my rhino kind of game that ended up with me winning, game 2 saw me draw very little removal to deal with his threats and I ended up going down in that game to rather lackluster draws and a mull to 5. Game 3 I kept what I thought at the time was a riskyish hand of 5 land Bile Blight Hero's Downfall, however I had 2 Black Scrylands and was on the play, ended up working out perfectly as he had a lackluster curve with Rabblemaster as his only threat which got blighted precombat, and a Srkhan on 5 that got downfalled in response to +1, allowing me an opening to slam Elspeth and take over the game from there
2-1
Overall I think I like the Fleecemanes, was testing Anafenza as a way to get through courser with the lions however that didnt really come up at all this week so I may keep her in dependent on if there are a lot of coursers in the top 8 at the Pro Tour. I still like End Hostilities a lot in the board, but I'm not sure if 2+1 Duneblast is too many wrath's. Garruk comes out a lot and I feel that might warrant cutting him or at least relegating him to the sideboard, probably to bring back the 4th charm which I missed a lot this week. Sorin absolutely demolished my expectations, the card is insane and I'll be looking to pick up another ASAP.
I'm very open to any advice you guys have on my take on Abzan, and am hoping to contribute to this thread into the future, as the deck seems like it's here to stay, whether in a Caryatid/Courser shell or a more aggressive variant.
WUU
Counter target spell. Its controller cant cast spells this turn. Cant take more photos because they gave it to another player.