So you have all this cute stuff, but what exactly will you do with it?
Goggles kills the opponent by dealing a million damage to the opponent with fall of the titans.
the goggles also ramp you.
This seems to me like red might not be the right color or at least you'd want some other colors aswell, like black.
If your plan works you can gain tons of value and life, but what do you plan on doing after that?
Edit: by the way i hope this didn't come across too negative, i definitly like your idea (drawing two cards with every clue, how epic is that!?!?) and really want to play a deck like that now
Nissa's renewal seems like another lifegain option besides pulse of murasa, or even nissa's revelation.
Naturally you use your regular ramp options, I was thinking an Eldrazi package with Sanctum of Ugin to further increase threat density. World Breaker and Ulamog main, Atarka as well. Throw in some threat diversity in the board with Dragonlord Dromoka (if we splash white). Sylvan Advocate and Tireless Tracker for early interaction.
This is a little mock-up of the concept, might be trying to do too much... Might be a good diversification... Gonna have to try it to find out. If you have any ideas on what needs tweaking let me know. I was thinking a white splash, but that would dilute my utility lands. Not sure if it is worth it.
Hey guys, thought I would bring something to the table to discuss. I originally played the Goggles Ramp, but really found it lacking in some respects as the meta shifted away from small creature strategies. I was thinking of an interesting ramp build that works off a little different synergy than is being run in the majority of you decks. I am planning of trying it over this week and seeing it if can produce any decent results.
Concept that differs:
Alhammarret's Archive - Our alternate goggles that acts as a pseudo-engine in the deck with our other cards. Also helps generate additional life. Big plus working with clues off of Tireless Tracker as well since we get draw 2 instead if we do it on our turn. Tormenting Voice and Magmatic Insight - Our Goggle friends are back, but this time spiking extra cards off of Alhammarret's Archive and generally smoothing out draws + helping to obtain spell mastery/delirium. Drownyard Temple - Comes back to the deck with Magmatic Insight, another T3+ ramp. Goblin Dark-Dwellers - My favourite card in standard, works great in ramp too... T3 Nissa's Pilgrammage, T4 Goblins flashback. Also doubles up your removal spells and re-uses magmatic/tormenting. Pulse of Murasa - Life gain for buffer, reuseable with Goblin's, life gain double on Archive.
I feel that this shell seems quite powerful, any one try this or have insight?
Painful Truths in for Read the Bones - Why? Originally I liked the idea of flashback RtB off Goblin Dark-Dwellers, but in practice I usually used the flashback on removal or Kolaghan's Command for value... So RtB ended up worse than Truths. We want extra cards from Truths to discard to Tormenting Voice/Nahiri.
Reworked the mana base to focus more on black mana. White splash ends up light and Shambling Vents moves to a 4x.
The threats in this deck have been solid, ended up moving a Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet to the main board to shore up Displacer combo and humans matchups. Also helps stabilize life totals if you can manage to stick him.
Tormenting Voice has been good at dumping card that are weak in game 1, it has been important on a few occasions to reach Radiant Flames on T3. Might consider a 3rd if I can decide what to cut for it.
Grasp of Darkness has been good since my reworked mana base. I really needed the versatility.
Goblin Dark Dwellers into Kolaghan's Command has been an absolute house. With enough creatures in the deck to support the mode of "Return a creature, Discard a Card" this becomes a backbreaking card value engine when you don't have a specific threat to kill with a flashback removal.
On Hallowed Moonlight. Good card, I just found it awkward in this type of deck as I am generally in tap-out mode being proactive attacking my opponent. A few times I ended up with it stuck in my hand while tapped out and seeing an EoT Secure the Wastes. I feel that with my discard package, combined with some silver bullets in the board, I don't want to play it.
This deck will be attempting to disrupt it's opponent's hand and control the board state with removal, then present threats that are difficult to deal with. This deck thrives on each piece being powerful, rather than focusing on specific card interactions to create strong synergies.
2WEldrazi Displacer 0-2 Sideboard
- Fun with Goblin Dark Dwellers but the interaction is too cute for maindeck, good in board for token strategies. 3CThought-Knot Seer 1-3 Main/Side
- 4/4 Beater with disruption. 1B1CBearer of Silence 0-1 Sideboard
- Nice to have a sacrifice effect, can be brought back with Kolaghan's Command 2BBKalitas, Traitor of Ghet 1-3 Main/Side
- Eats removal without gaining immediate value but important in certain matchups, counterbalances life loss effects. 4CReality Smasher 1-3 Main/Side
- Haste/Trample means it eats Planeswalkers, and just generally is a big pain in the ass that is difficult to trade evenly with. 3RRGoblin Dark-Dwellers 2-4 Main/Side
- A little engine with the versatile Kolaghan's Command, recursive spells in general, and evasive beats. 4BRDragonlord Kolaghan 0-1 Main/Side
- Flying, hastey beatstick. Also works well if you choose to run Ever After with your build. Perhaps a little too cute, perhaps a good choice. Not sure.
RFiery Impulse 0-4 Main/Side
- Meta dependant on quantity and placement. 1RRoast 0-4 Main/side
- Good removal in our colours that remains relevant late game, use is meta dependant over other removal. BBGrasp of Darkness 0-3 Main Build dependant
- Need to develop your deck/mana base around consistently getting BB early, but this removal certainly pays off with it's versatility. 1BUltimate Price 1-3 Main/Side
- Good spot removal, but conditional portion makes it a blank at times. 1ROath of Chandra 0-1 Main
- 3 damage isn't as good as other options, nor can it be reused with Goblins hence a 1 of. Good for 2 damage to opponent/planeswalkers. 1WDeclaration in Stone 0-1 Sideboard
- With so many other options for removal available, it is hard to give out card advantage with removal. Still perhaps a sideboard choice vs. difficult threats/token strategies 1BBRuinous Path 2-4 Main/Side
- Hits just about everything. Late game awaken. 1WBAnguished Unmaking - 1-3 Main/Side
- Have to be caseful of additional life loss effects, very versatile effect though. 2WAngelic Purge 0-1 Sideboard
- May find a spot in the board, but we have other options. XXWWQuarantine Field 0-1 Main/Side
- Good flexible removal, but runs into issues with Nahiri/Dromoka's Command/Anguished Unmaking etc. Also no flashback.
3RCrumble to Dust 0-1 Side
- Hits Abbey proactively, also destroys man-lands in the control matchup. 1BBInfinite Obliteration 0-1 Side
- Good for taking out linch-pins in decks. Displacer in CoCo, Goblins in Grixis. Might not side in vs. ramp as they tend to diversify their threats, but it can still be good early if you can get a view of their hand with Duress/Transgress. 1RTormenting Voice 1-3 Main
- Smooth draws, makes 2 and 5 land hands much more keepable. 1WHallowed Moonlight 0-2 Sideboard
- Reactive approach to CoCo and Secure the Wastes/Westvale Abbey. As I like being proactive, I don't have any in my 75 ATM. 2BVirulent Plague 0-2 Sideboard
- Good for token decks, remember to keep this in mind with Chandra's +1 2BRead the Bones 0-3 in Main
- A little card advantage. 2BPainful Truths 0-3 Main
- Good card advantage, if you don't plan on many flashbacks on Read the Bones with Goblins, then this is more powerful in the deck with Tormenting Voice and Nahiri. 4BBEver After 0-1 Main/Side
- A kind of finisher, works well with hasted beat sticks and value creatures we bring to the table. Takes up a six drop slot so I likely won't run it.
RBWRadiant Flames 4 in Main/Side
- I run mine main deck, primary mass removal that goes under our 4/5 toughness threats. Could be in the side for control heavy metagames. 2BBLanguish 0-4 Metagame/Build dependant
- Would need to build around Languish as it hits your own threats, but it could find it's way in to certain builds.
2WRNahiri, the Harbinger 2-3 Main/Side
- Eats creatures and enchantments, generates virtual card advantage, good distraction. 3BBOb Nixilis Reignited 0-2 Main/Side
- 5 drops of full, can run 1 or 2 in some combination of main/board dependant on build. Good walker. 4RRChandra, Flamecaller 2-3 Main/Side
- Versatile. Dumps blanks, sweeps, and finishes. At least 2 of in main, additional in main/side dependant on your flavour 4WBSorin, Grim Nemesis 0-2 Main
- Eats walkers, generates advantage. 2WWGideon, Ally of Zendikar 0-3 Main
- If you want to go the Gideon route, I would put him in over Nahiri. He would make your deck a little more aggressive rather than controlling.
Here is a quick mock-up of the deck. This version is purposely avoiding the token route in favor of main deck Virulent Plague. It runs 3 Petition/1 Seasons Past as a nod to the strength of the engine, but doesn't commit 4/2 to ensure the rest of the deck is solid.
I was thinking hard about what I wanted to play vs. the field right now, with quite a few decks doing well we have a sort of rock/paper/scissors format. So we need to find a solution, a deck that can play any of the regular top decks at around 50/50 win rate that rewards good technical play.
How about a fusion between Seasons Past shell with B/W control build to make an Abzan control?
Why Seasons Past shell?
Petitions allow us to run a "Silver Bullets" build in the main/sideboard that allows us to specifically target some match-ups with hate while saving deck/SB slots. It also allows us a late game card advantage/life engine.
Why B/W control?
This list has lots of great 1 for 1 removal, and great exile effects that assist in this deck being a "generalist". It also comes with quality Planswalkers that allow accured card advantage left unchecked, these walkers also come back with Season's past. Basically Planswalker grind is Plan A, Seasons Past is Plan B and supports inevitability.
What do we want out of our colours?
Black - Targeted removal, mass removal, discard, walkers, silver bullets
White - Targeted removal, walkers, targeted removal, silver bullets
Green - Engine cards (Seasons past, Nissa's Renewal/Pulse of Murasa), utility (traverse?), silver bullets
I will be attempting to craft a decklist today, but I wanted to run this by the community to see if anyone else has tried this sort of Abzan shell?
Any thought to running Raise the Alarm as a 2 drop when M15 comes out? Sadly it doesn't make humans, but in a build focused on pushing out bodies in order to use Anthem effects/Fortify 2 1/1s as a 2 drop could be a good option (also helps Battalion).
Anyone try Launch the Fleet? Threw it in as a 1-of but I haven't seen it make an impact yet. Can easily get 2-3 hasted tokens with it, likely best in an Anthem build vs. a Fortify build. Also with a blue splash Battlefield Thaumaturge could make a cute combo and provide hijinks with Return to the Ranks
I think it is a terrible card when you view it as a turn 1 drop, but if you view it as a card that allows you flexibility and explosive starts than it looks better.
Scenarios
1) Drop Mutavault turn two, drop Loyal Pegasus.
2) Turn 2 Pegasus + other 1 drop
3) Turn 2 Pegasus + 1 white mana open for instants
etc.
Basically allows you to be flexible vs. removal by dropping a 1 drop in later turns leaving mana open or bring an explosive start with multiple cheap creatures turn 2.
I tried them out in a golgari midrange at one point that ran Grisly Salvage and scavangers. The Rot Farm is pretty decent and can act as a recurrable threat, I could see him as good sideboard material vs. control if you are in his colours. I found Jarad a little iffy though and didn't like seeing him much.
Just a random cobbled together deck but it has the basics. I feel like white devotion needs to be more controlling in trying to make it to the midgame.
I'm running a mono-white version and just get rolled by RDW. Any tips?
Throw Gods Willing in the board, they blank more expensive 2 CMC removal that RDW will throw at your guys for a single mana or allow you to trade off your spell for their creature on a combat block.
As for strategy, you may have to play a little conservative and keep a plains open at all times rather then pushing the board state as our deck will want to play reactively vs. RDW.
Here's how I've been using my sideboard to this point. Again sideboard is always dependent on the current meta. So if Red becomes big again Reckoner finds his way back etc. Let me know if there aren't any key match ups I didn't break down that you're facing. From what I've found the "hard counter" for this deck is Jace, AOT. Having access to 5 anthem effects really, really helps that issue. 99% of the time we aren't being hit by control or they are Last Breath'ing us so its very rare for path of bravery to not accelerate us. Beyond that there isn't a matchup that I feel I'm in the underdog in. Really happy with the direction my list has moved so far. Always looking to improve it though of course.
Vs U/W, Esper, UWr
-4 Banisher Priest
-2 Imposing Sovereign
+2 Renounce the Guilds
+2 Glare of Heresy
+2 Path of Bravery
Vs GW aggro
-4 Boros Charm
-4 Judge's Familiar
+4 Celestial Flare
+2 Pacifisim
+2 Renounce the Guilds
Vs GR Ramp
-4 Boros Charm
-2 Judge's Familiar
+4 Celestial Flare
+2 Pacifism
Vs MonoBlue
-4 Boros Charm
+2 Pacifism
+2 Path of Bravery
Vs R/X, Mono Red (small red, if they are bigger versions I will also look to include some celestial flare)
-4 Boros Charm
-1 Judge's Familiar
+3 Fiendslayer Paladin
+2 Path of Pravery
Vs White weenie variants
-4 Judges Familiar
-4 Boros Charm
+3 Fiend Slayer Paladin
+2 Path of Bravery
+2 Glare of Heresy
+1 Pacifisim
I actually like keeping in some Boros Charms in the aggro vs. aggro matchup as it can completely swing a game during a crutial combat phase where there is blocking going on.
I'm a bit underwhelmed with Legion's Initiative. I'm using just one, since I sometimes want a 2-mana creature instead. Also, Anax and Cymede is a removal sponge, which might be a good thing.
Anax and Cymede is good but the only way to trigger the heroic is out of the board or with Boros Charm (which generally wants to do other things) so I don't think he fits in this specific deck. At 3CMC being the top of the curve I was thinking I wanted a board presence immediately so haste or Banisher Priest seem like the best options.
I was doing a little theory crafting when it came to Boros, although I felt that both mono white and mono red had their own tools that made them strong I wanted to focus on Boros for itself.
The idea of the list is to run the benefits of White Weenie with a white creature base to take advantage of Brave the Elements, while also having access to Boros Charm for it's many uses, and Chained to the Rocks for it's pure mana efficiency. We also get Skullcrack out of the board.
The deck wins the game by flooding the board using its 1 CMC spells to out-value opponents in the early game and using Boros Charm to protect the board from sweepers, win trades in combat, or go to the dome for a finisher.
I avoided using CIPT lands to up our mountain count for Chained to the Rocks and to keep our curve consistant as the deck loves to have 1 extra mana free.
The deck loses Precinct Captain and some Mutavaults but gains a lot.
The sideboard was cobbled together just to give it a test run so don't think about it too much.
Removing the Banisher Priests/Spear of Heliod to add Viashino Firstblade/Skyknight Legionnaire and Legion's Initative could also allow an extra Mutavault removing any WW requirements.
Boros Reckoner is also a great choice to fit into the board for RDW matchups if needed.
Naturally you use your regular ramp options, I was thinking an Eldrazi package with Sanctum of Ugin to further increase threat density. World Breaker and Ulamog main, Atarka as well. Throw in some threat diversity in the board with Dragonlord Dromoka (if we splash white). Sylvan Advocate and Tireless Tracker for early interaction.
3 Sylvan Advocate
2 Tireless Tracker
4 Goblin Dark-Dwellers
1 Dragonlord Atarka
3 World Breaker
2 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
Spells (21)
2 Traverse the Ulvenwald
3 Oath of Nissa
2 Magmatic Insight
2 Tormenting Voice
3 Kozilek's Return
4 Nissa's Pilgrimage
2 Alhammarret's Archive
3 Chandra, Flamecaller
2 Drownyard Temple
3 Sanctum of Ugin
3 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
2 Evolving Wilds
4 Cinder Glade
8 Forest
2 Mountain
This is a little mock-up of the concept, might be trying to do too much... Might be a good diversification... Gonna have to try it to find out. If you have any ideas on what needs tweaking let me know. I was thinking a white splash, but that would dilute my utility lands. Not sure if it is worth it.
Concept that differs:
Alhammarret's Archive - Our alternate goggles that acts as a pseudo-engine in the deck with our other cards. Also helps generate additional life. Big plus working with clues off of Tireless Tracker as well since we get draw 2 instead if we do it on our turn.
Tormenting Voice and Magmatic Insight - Our Goggle friends are back, but this time spiking extra cards off of Alhammarret's Archive and generally smoothing out draws + helping to obtain spell mastery/delirium.
Drownyard Temple - Comes back to the deck with Magmatic Insight, another T3+ ramp.
Goblin Dark-Dwellers - My favourite card in standard, works great in ramp too... T3 Nissa's Pilgrammage, T4 Goblins flashback. Also doubles up your removal spells and re-uses magmatic/tormenting.
Pulse of Murasa - Life gain for buffer, reuseable with Goblin's, life gain double on Archive.
I feel that this shell seems quite powerful, any one try this or have insight?
4 Caves of Koilos
1 Battlefield Forge
4 Shambling Vent
2 Needle Spires
4 Evolving Wilds
1 Foreboding Ruins
2 Mountain
1 Wastes
4 Swamp
3 Smoldering Marsh
Creatures (7)
2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
2 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Goblin Dark-Dwellers
2 Duress
2 Ultimate Price
2 Transgress the Mind
2 Grasp of Darkness
3 Tormenting Voice
3 Painful Truths
2 Radiant Flames
2 Ruinous Path
1 Anguished Unmaking
2 Kolaghan's Command
Planeswalkers (6)
2 Nahiri, the Harbinger
2 Ob Nixilis Reignited
2 Chandra, Flamecaller
1 Infinite Obliteration
2 Duress
2 Virulent Plague
2 Radiant Flames
1 Quarantine Field
2 Ruinous Path
1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
1 Transgress the Mind
2 Fiery Impulse
1 Crumble to Dust
Been trying this during the morning.
Painful Truths in for Read the Bones - Why? Originally I liked the idea of flashback RtB off Goblin Dark-Dwellers, but in practice I usually used the flashback on removal or Kolaghan's Command for value... So RtB ended up worse than Truths. We want extra cards from Truths to discard to Tormenting Voice/Nahiri.
Quarantine Field - Wanted a catch-all effect in the board deciding to cut an Anguished Unmaking to lessen the life loss effects.
+1 Kalitas - Winning games for me, added another maindeck.
Ob Nixilis - With additional draw spells in the deck I needed some more versatile removal.
-1 Radiant Flames MD - Draw too many against non-relevant matchups... Still can dig for it with draw.
4 Caves of Koilos
1 Battlefield Forge
4 Shambling Vent
2 Needle Spires
4 Evolving Wilds
1 Foreboding Ruins
2 Mountain
1 Wastes
4 Swamp
3 Smoldering Marsh
Creatures = 8
1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
2 Thought-Knot Seer
2 Reality Smasher
3 Goblin Dark-Dwellers
2 Duress
3 Grasp of Darkness
2 Tormenting Voice
2 Ultimate Price
2 Transgress the Mind
2 Read the Bones
3 Radiant Flames
3 Ruinous Path
1 Anguished Unmaking
2 Kolaghan's Command
Planeswalkers = 4
2 Nahiri, the Harbinger
2 Chandra, Flamecaller
2 Languish
2 Duress
2 Virulent Plague
1 Radiant Flames
1 Anguished Unmaking
1 Ruinous Path
1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
1 Eldrazi Displacer
2 Fiery Impulse
1 Crumble to Dust
1 Infinite Obliteration
Reworked the mana base to focus more on black mana. White splash ends up light and Shambling Vents moves to a 4x.
The threats in this deck have been solid, ended up moving a Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet to the main board to shore up Displacer combo and humans matchups. Also helps stabilize life totals if you can manage to stick him.
Tormenting Voice has been good at dumping card that are weak in game 1, it has been important on a few occasions to reach Radiant Flames on T3. Might consider a 3rd if I can decide what to cut for it.
Grasp of Darkness has been good since my reworked mana base. I really needed the versatility.
Goblin Dark Dwellers into Kolaghan's Command has been an absolute house. With enough creatures in the deck to support the mode of "Return a creature, Discard a Card" this becomes a backbreaking card value engine when you don't have a specific threat to kill with a flashback removal.
On Hallowed Moonlight. Good card, I just found it awkward in this type of deck as I am generally in tap-out mode being proactive attacking my opponent. A few times I ended up with it stuck in my hand while tapped out and seeing an EoT Secure the Wastes. I feel that with my discard package, combined with some silver bullets in the board, I don't want to play it.
This deck will be attempting to disrupt it's opponent's hand and control the board state with removal, then present threats that are difficult to deal with. This deck thrives on each piece being powerful, rather than focusing on specific card interactions to create strong synergies.
2W Eldrazi Displacer 0-2 Sideboard
- Fun with Goblin Dark Dwellers but the interaction is too cute for maindeck, good in board for token strategies.
3C Thought-Knot Seer 1-3 Main/Side
- 4/4 Beater with disruption.
1B1C Bearer of Silence 0-1 Sideboard
- Nice to have a sacrifice effect, can be brought back with Kolaghan's Command
2BB Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet 1-3 Main/Side
- Eats removal without gaining immediate value but important in certain matchups, counterbalances life loss effects.
4C Reality Smasher 1-3 Main/Side
- Haste/Trample means it eats Planeswalkers, and just generally is a big pain in the ass that is difficult to trade evenly with.
3RR Goblin Dark-Dwellers 2-4 Main/Side
- A little engine with the versatile Kolaghan's Command, recursive spells in general, and evasive beats.
4BR Dragonlord Kolaghan 0-1 Main/Side
- Flying, hastey beatstick. Also works well if you choose to run Ever After with your build. Perhaps a little too cute, perhaps a good choice. Not sure.
B Duress 2-4 Main/Side
- Disruption.
1B Transgress the Mind 2-4 Main/Side
- Disruption.
R Fiery Impulse 0-4 Main/Side
- Meta dependant on quantity and placement.
1R Roast 0-4 Main/side
- Good removal in our colours that remains relevant late game, use is meta dependant over other removal.
BB Grasp of Darkness 0-3 Main Build dependant
- Need to develop your deck/mana base around consistently getting BB early, but this removal certainly pays off with it's versatility.
1B Ultimate Price 1-3 Main/Side
- Good spot removal, but conditional portion makes it a blank at times.
1R Oath of Chandra 0-1 Main
- 3 damage isn't as good as other options, nor can it be reused with Goblins hence a 1 of. Good for 2 damage to opponent/planeswalkers.
1W Declaration in Stone 0-1 Sideboard
- With so many other options for removal available, it is hard to give out card advantage with removal. Still perhaps a sideboard choice vs. difficult threats/token strategies
1BB Ruinous Path 2-4 Main/Side
- Hits just about everything. Late game awaken.
1WB Anguished Unmaking - 1-3 Main/Side
- Have to be caseful of additional life loss effects, very versatile effect though.
2W Angelic Purge 0-1 Sideboard
- May find a spot in the board, but we have other options.
XXWW Quarantine Field 0-1 Main/Side
- Good flexible removal, but runs into issues with Nahiri/Dromoka's Command/Anguished Unmaking etc. Also no flashback.
3R Crumble to Dust 0-1 Side
- Hits Abbey proactively, also destroys man-lands in the control matchup.
1BB Infinite Obliteration 0-1 Side
- Good for taking out linch-pins in decks. Displacer in CoCo, Goblins in Grixis. Might not side in vs. ramp as they tend to diversify their threats, but it can still be good early if you can get a view of their hand with Duress/Transgress.
1R Tormenting Voice 1-3 Main
- Smooth draws, makes 2 and 5 land hands much more keepable.
1W Hallowed Moonlight 0-2 Sideboard
- Reactive approach to CoCo and Secure the Wastes/Westvale Abbey. As I like being proactive, I don't have any in my 75 ATM.
2B Virulent Plague 0-2 Sideboard
- Good for token decks, remember to keep this in mind with Chandra's +1
2B Read the Bones 0-3 in Main
- A little card advantage.
2B Painful Truths 0-3 Main
- Good card advantage, if you don't plan on many flashbacks on Read the Bones with Goblins, then this is more powerful in the deck with Tormenting Voice and Nahiri.
4BB Ever After 0-1 Main/Side
- A kind of finisher, works well with hasted beat sticks and value creatures we bring to the table. Takes up a six drop slot so I likely won't run it.
RBW Radiant Flames 4 in Main/Side
- I run mine main deck, primary mass removal that goes under our 4/5 toughness threats. Could be in the side for control heavy metagames.
2BB Languish 0-4 Metagame/Build dependant
- Would need to build around Languish as it hits your own threats, but it could find it's way in to certain builds.
2WR Nahiri, the Harbinger 2-3 Main/Side
- Eats creatures and enchantments, generates virtual card advantage, good distraction.
3BB Ob Nixilis Reignited 0-2 Main/Side
- 5 drops of full, can run 1 or 2 in some combination of main/board dependant on build. Good walker.
4RR Chandra, Flamecaller 2-3 Main/Side
- Versatile. Dumps blanks, sweeps, and finishes. At least 2 of in main, additional in main/side dependant on your flavour
4WB Sorin, Grim Nemesis 0-2 Main
- Eats walkers, generates advantage.
2WW Gideon, Ally of Zendikar 0-3 Main
- If you want to go the Gideon route, I would put him in over Nahiri. He would make your deck a little more aggressive rather than controlling.
4 Mountain
4 Evolving Wilds
1 Plains
1 Smoldering Marsh
1 Wastes
4 Foreboding Ruins
2 Battlefield Forge
3 Caves of Koilos
4 Swamp
2 Shambling Vent
Creatures = 8
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Reality Smasher
2 Goblin Dark-Dwellers
2 Duress
1 Tormenting Voice
3 Roast
2 Ultimate Price
1 Oath of Chandra
2 Transgress the Mind
2 Kolaghan's Command
2 Ruinous Path
2 Read the Bones
3 Radiant Flames
Planeswalkers = 6
2 Sorin, Grim Nemesis
2 Chandra, Flamecaller
2 Nahiri, the Harbinger
2 Ruinous Path
2 Hallowed Moonlight
1 Radiant Flames
2 Duress
2 Transgress the Mind
2 Virulent Plague
1 Eldrazi Displacer
2 Anguished Unmaking
1 Dragonlord Kolaghan
Version 1.1 - See Post #2
Version 1.2 - See Post #3
4 Caves of Koilos
4 Shambling Vent
4 Hissing Quagmire
3 Evolving Wilds
4 Llanowar Wastes
1 Forest
2 Plains
4 Swamp
Creatures = 1
1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
Spells = 29
3 Duress
2 Transgress the Mind
2 Hallowed Moonlight
2 Declaration in Stone
2 Ultimate Price
2 Ruinous Path
2 Anguished Unmaking
1 Pulse of Murasa
3 Read the Bones
1 Virulent Plague
4 Languish
3 Dark Petition
1 Seasons Past
1 Nissa's Renewal
2 Ob Nixilis Reignited
2 Sorin, Grim Nemesis
2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
1 Duress
2 Transgress the Mind
1 Eldrazi Displacer
1 Infinite Obliteration
2 Virulent Plague
1 Anguished Unmaking
2 Ruinous Path
3 Thought-Knot Seer
I was thinking hard about what I wanted to play vs. the field right now, with quite a few decks doing well we have a sort of rock/paper/scissors format. So we need to find a solution, a deck that can play any of the regular top decks at around 50/50 win rate that rewards good technical play.
How about a fusion between Seasons Past shell with B/W control build to make an Abzan control?
Why Seasons Past shell?
Petitions allow us to run a "Silver Bullets" build in the main/sideboard that allows us to specifically target some match-ups with hate while saving deck/SB slots. It also allows us a late game card advantage/life engine.
Why B/W control?
This list has lots of great 1 for 1 removal, and great exile effects that assist in this deck being a "generalist". It also comes with quality Planswalkers that allow accured card advantage left unchecked, these walkers also come back with Season's past. Basically Planswalker grind is Plan A, Seasons Past is Plan B and supports inevitability.
What do we want out of our colours?
Black - Targeted removal, mass removal, discard, walkers, silver bullets
White - Targeted removal, walkers, targeted removal, silver bullets
Green - Engine cards (Seasons past, Nissa's Renewal/Pulse of Murasa), utility (traverse?), silver bullets
I will be attempting to craft a decklist today, but I wanted to run this by the community to see if anyone else has tried this sort of Abzan shell?
Anyone try Launch the Fleet? Threw it in as a 1-of but I haven't seen it make an impact yet. Can easily get 2-3 hasted tokens with it, likely best in an Anthem build vs. a Fortify build. Also with a blue splash Battlefield Thaumaturge could make a cute combo and provide hijinks with Return to the Ranks
*** On Loyal Pegasus ***
I think it is a terrible card when you view it as a turn 1 drop, but if you view it as a card that allows you flexibility and explosive starts than it looks better.
Scenarios
1) Drop Mutavault turn two, drop Loyal Pegasus.
2) Turn 2 Pegasus + other 1 drop
3) Turn 2 Pegasus + 1 white mana open for instants
etc.
Basically allows you to be flexible vs. removal by dropping a 1 drop in later turns leaving mana open or bring an explosive start with multiple cheap creatures turn 2.
3x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
2x Mutavault
20x Plains
Creatures = 22
4x Precinct Captain
2x Imposing Sovereign
4x Banisher Priest
4x Boros Reckoner
3x Heliod, God of the Sun
3x Archangel of Thune
2x Evangel of Heliod
4x Brave the Elements
3x Pacifism
3x Celestial Flare
2x Spear of Heliod
1x Path of Bravery
Just a random cobbled together deck but it has the basics. I feel like white devotion needs to be more controlling in trying to make it to the midgame.
Throw Gods Willing in the board, they blank more expensive 2 CMC removal that RDW will throw at your guys for a single mana or allow you to trade off your spell for their creature on a combat block.
Fiendslayer Paladin and Boros Reckoner in the board are good options.
If you run Boros Elite board them out as they rarely will get their battalion bonus vs. RDW.
Imposing Sovereign is king!
As for strategy, you may have to play a little conservative and keep a plains open at all times rather then pushing the board state as our deck will want to play reactively vs. RDW.
I actually like keeping in some Boros Charms in the aggro vs. aggro matchup as it can completely swing a game during a crutial combat phase where there is blocking going on.
Anax and Cymede is good but the only way to trigger the heroic is out of the board or with Boros Charm (which generally wants to do other things) so I don't think he fits in this specific deck. At 3CMC being the top of the curve I was thinking I wanted a board presence immediately so haste or Banisher Priest seem like the best options.
The idea of the list is to run the benefits of White Weenie with a white creature base to take advantage of Brave the Elements, while also having access to Boros Charm for it's many uses, and Chained to the Rocks for it's pure mana efficiency. We also get Skullcrack out of the board.
2x Mutavault
4x Sacred Foundry
5x Mountain
11x Plains
Creatures = 26
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
4x Boros Elite
4x Dryad Militant
4x Akroan Hoplite
4x Daring Skyjek
3x Imposing Sovereign
3x Banisher Priest
3x Chained to the Rocks
4x Brave the Elements
3x Boros Charm
2x Spear of Heliod
3x Gods Willing
3x Keening Apparition
3x Skullcrack
1x Chained to the Rocks
1x Banisher Priest
3x Cavalry Pegasus
1x Boros Charm
The deck wins the game by flooding the board using its 1 CMC spells to out-value opponents in the early game and using Boros Charm to protect the board from sweepers, win trades in combat, or go to the dome for a finisher.
The sample size was of course small, but the deck was enjoyable to play. Some of the others Boros cards are definitely playable and they warrent testing: Legion's Initiative, Wojek Halberdiers, Viashino Firstblade, Truefire Paladin, Sunhome Guildmage, and Skyknight Legionnaire (of these I feel like the Viashino and Paladin may be the most promising).
I avoided using CIPT lands to up our mountain count for Chained to the Rocks and to keep our curve consistant as the deck loves to have 1 extra mana free.
The deck loses Precinct Captain and some Mutavaults but gains a lot.
The sideboard was cobbled together just to give it a test run so don't think about it too much.
Removing the Banisher Priests/Spear of Heliod to add Viashino Firstblade/Skyknight Legionnaire and Legion's Initative could also allow an extra Mutavault removing any WW requirements.
Boros Reckoner is also a great choice to fit into the board for RDW matchups if needed.