I assume you need Ingot Chewer for some quota of artifact spells? That is the only reason I would include it at 450. I would cut it before I cut Defiance. Defiance has been really solid so far.
I don't run Channel, Green Sun's Zenith, Tooth and Nail, Nissa, and Vinelasher in my 540 and don't really miss them. Not saying any of them are bad but none of them are essential. I love Greenwarden and can't see it getting cut for a long time.
I like cutting vengevine. Not nearly as handy as Polukranos for 4 drops. I would play the Courser over Oracle and I would really consider Wild Growth. I put it in as a tester after people were talkinga bout how great it was recently and I am officially a fan. We always need more elves and having one that doesn't die to wrath effects is pretty great. You are playing a really limited selection of LD so you don't really have to worry about getting blown out too often. Another thing I like about it is depending on the land you cast it on, you can use it for mana the turn you play it.
As long as I am running conspiracies, none of the creature enhancing ones like Muzzio's Preparations and Brago's Favor or even Immediate Action are close to being cut. They don't take up a deck spot but instantly make your creatures better. I love the way Brago's Favor can make an extra one drop for aggro decks and the way that Muzzio's Preparations can make your early dudes hit that much harder. On top of those benefits you can use them for basically any creature to enhance their level of insanity. Any creature is better with haste, one mana cheaper, or with an extra point of power and toughness and the only thing these cards cost you is a pick in your draft.
Man, I have been having the exact opposite experiences with Ajani 3 lately. He has been great in the mid range decks but also good in the aggro decks coming out on curve and making threats scarier. I have even seen him do good work in a control deck that played him on turn 3 right after wall of omens in one game and spellskite in the next to completely shut down my aggro dudes. I am much closer to cutting the other conditional doublestrike 1WW permanent but I really like both.
I can't speak for Rant but the reason I don't love it is because it is basically Blaze unless you can hit RRR. I'd rather have the exiling and potential to redraw Red Sun's Zenith, the dividable damage from fireball, or some of the other options out there.
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I just did that too. There is a reason no one got to know the hydra. He didn't show up in decks ever!
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The first three red cards listed seem like good cuts but I would have to think long and hard about ever cutting pyroclasm or pillage.
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I can't speak for Rant but the reason I don't love it is because it is basically Blaze unless you can hit RRR. I'd rather have the exiling and potential to redraw Red Sun's Zenith, the dividable damage from fireball, or some of the other options out there.
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