I don't see Sublime Archangel competing for the same spot as either of those cards in most decks. Most decks need those cards for very specific reasons - the anthem effect for swarm decks, or the bounce effect of the angel for interactions with the comes into play abilities you have stacked into your deck for that very reason.
I could easily see Sublime Archangel fitting into a midrange deck that has a decent amount of white in it. The amount of pressure it adds with only even 1 other creature in play is significant.
Call me crazy, but has anyone considered a 1 or 2 of for Caress of Phyrexia
At best it throws 3 counters on your opponent and end the game, at worst it gives you some hand refill late game. The real downside is that this deck doesn't seem to want to play expensive spells.
I know - Thought Hemmorhage seems odd in the sideboard, but it's good vs many decks and I haven't ever had a hard time casting it with 8 vivids. Firespout is usually easy to cast vs ground and air if I need to, or just selectively to let me fliers survive. This deck doesn't care about having 8 taplands.
I just want to point out that Howling Banshee has great synergy with the Sigil.
Drop a banshee, lose 3, they lose three, pop the sigil and gain 6.
If you have Sanguine Bond out: Drop the banshee, lose 3, they lose 3, pop the sigil, gain 6, they lose 6. Works out nicely for a 9 point swing and you get a 3/3 flyer.
Okay - I've been solo testing pariah + paladin en-vec and it seems like it would work out pretty well. All you have to do is hold out until you get the two online.
From there you have to have counter backup for infest and just beat face until the game ends.
If you are going to go for the Pariah + X combo you might as well make it Pariah and Voice of All, or Pariah and something like Burrenton Forge-tender. At least that way you get flexibility vs other colors if you REALLY want it, and you don't get the vulnerability that the Swans have.
The point of the mines is to deplete them quickly so you have a win via Sanity Grinding or Jace.
I've only found an issue running howling mines vs red decks. Faeries isn't as hard as you think: You run 12-20 counterspells maindeck depending on your build when you include twincast. Yes, they only have to resolve a bitterblossom and protect it to win, but you can always bounce it end of turn.
I see no problems with more than 1 Finest Hour in play. The effects are cumulative. Attacking with that single Noble Hierarch will result in a 2/3, then a 4/5, then a 6/7.
It's slow, but I'm looking at a sideboard with 4 celestial purge, 4 path to exile, and 2 arbiter of knollridge for anti-red. Remove the howling mines, unsummon/booomerang and 2 of something else to fir it.
It gets you that RFG removal that you need for the hellsparks and demigods, and delays the game long enough to get out an arbiter. It's hard for RDW/blightning to recover from you dropping an arbiter.
As an added bonus, they will have to spend multiple burn spells to kill an arbiter. Spells that won't be directed at you.
I actually prefer Jhessian Infiltrator to the Mimic.
It breaks stalemates. It always gets through for it's damage. It pumps well with exalted (I have 10 exalted and 2 sledge in my list). It's more reliable than the Mimic. You can count on the damage unless its removed.
I don't get the crazy 14 points of damage combo on turn 3, but that's a rarity anyways. In long events consistency wins the race, and Jhessian is more consistent for me.
That goes a long way.
I don't see Sublime Archangel competing for the same spot as either of those cards in most decks. Most decks need those cards for very specific reasons - the anthem effect for swarm decks, or the bounce effect of the angel for interactions with the comes into play abilities you have stacked into your deck for that very reason.
I could easily see Sublime Archangel fitting into a midrange deck that has a decent amount of white in it. The amount of pressure it adds with only even 1 other creature in play is significant.
At best it throws 3 counters on your opponent and end the game, at worst it gives you some hand refill late game. The real downside is that this deck doesn't seem to want to play expensive spells.
3 Baneslayer Angel
4 Guardian Seraph
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Mulldrifter
Spells
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Path to Exile
4 Volcanic Fallout
2 Earthquake
3 Intimidation Bolt
4 Ajani Vengeant
2 Hallowed Burial
4 Vivid Meadow
4 Vivid Crag
4 Reflecting pool
4 Plains
8 Mountain
3 Banefire
3 Wispmare
2 Pyroclasm
3 Thought Hemorrhage
4 Runed Halo
I know - Thought Hemmorhage seems odd in the sideboard, but it's good vs many decks and I haven't ever had a hard time casting it with 8 vivids. Firespout is usually easy to cast vs ground and air if I need to, or just selectively to let me fliers survive. This deck doesn't care about having 8 taplands.
Drop a banshee, lose 3, they lose three, pop the sigil and gain 6.
If you have Sanguine Bond out: Drop the banshee, lose 3, they lose 3, pop the sigil, gain 6, they lose 6. Works out nicely for a 9 point swing and you get a 3/3 flyer.
From there you have to have counter backup for infest and just beat face until the game ends.
What do you side in and out vs RDW? I do well against everything but, so I would love to know what to do about RDW/Blightning.
I've only found an issue running howling mines vs red decks. Faeries isn't as hard as you think: You run 12-20 counterspells maindeck depending on your build when you include twincast. Yes, they only have to resolve a bitterblossom and protect it to win, but you can always bounce it end of turn.
You almost invariably win counter wars.
Not too shabby.
What I mean is that when you board out the mines vs RDW or Blightning it slows the deck down a lot. It's very effective, but slow.
It gets you that RFG removal that you need for the hellsparks and demigods, and delays the game long enough to get out an arbiter. It's hard for RDW/blightning to recover from you dropping an arbiter.
As an added bonus, they will have to spend multiple burn spells to kill an arbiter. Spells that won't be directed at you.
If they open with a thoughtseize --> sculler and take some early answers you can have a tough time.
If you can actually get to turn 5 or 6 without losing though they simply cannot win.
It breaks stalemates. It always gets through for it's damage. It pumps well with exalted (I have 10 exalted and 2 sledge in my list). It's more reliable than the Mimic. You can count on the damage unless its removed.
I don't get the crazy 14 points of damage combo on turn 3, but that's a rarity anyways. In long events consistency wins the race, and Jhessian is more consistent for me.
What are our main tools post-board (if we have to run something than other than islands that's fine) to handle this matchup?
Possible options:
Runed Halo
Relic of Progenitus
Wall of Denial
Straight counterspells aren't that good. It's the Demigods, Hellspark elementals, and unearth in general that is the problem.
Any other ideas? This is the only true problem matchup.
4 Noble Hierarch
3 Qasali Pridemage
4 Jhessian Infiltrator
3 Jenara, Asura of War
4 Rhox War-monk
3 Rafiq of the Many
Spells - 16
3 Snakeform
3 Path to Exile
4 Negate
4 Cryptic Command
2 Behemoth Sledge
3 Brushland
3 Yavimaya Coast
5 Forest
4 Flooded Grove
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Seaside Citadel
3 Celestial Purge
3 Pithing Needle
4 Windborne Muse
2 Guttural Response
3 Dauntless Escort