I'm new to deck building and could use some help with this one I'm trying to make. The goal is to protect myself early on and ramp into big angels to win the game.
Please lends me some advice; cards that should be trimmed out or new cards that would be an improvement on what I have, as well as any issues in the ratios or mana curve
Since you are trying to reach 8 mana for your big Angels, you really need more lands. You only have some fragile mana dorks and some land search spells to get there, and while those combined would be enough, that's only if the dorks stay on the board that long. And that is a big assumption. You yourself are already running two pieces of mass destruction, expect your opponent to also pack spot and mass removal. Your mana dorks' survival is in real jeopardy. It would be a different story, if they had a higher toughess like Overgrown Battlement and Vine Trellis, or if they had a built-in self protection like Sylvan Caryatid. Higher toughness also makes for better blockers.
Emancipation Angel is a cheap Angel with some utility for your deck. You can bounce a Wall of Omens to replay and draw another card, you can return itself to replay to get repeated triggers off off Seraph Sanctuary (more of those are then perhaps a good idea), you can return Thalia's Lancers to search for another legendary permanent, etc. And as a 3/3 flyer it is a respectable threat/deterent all by itself. Even if you don't have anything worthwhile to bounce, you can just bounce a land you used to play it, and if you haven't played a land that turn, you essentially played a 3/3 flyer for just 2 mana.
Your spot removal could be a lot better. Immolating Glare and Crytallization are fine in Limited or if you have a limited collection, but even if you don't have Path to Exile and other tournament worthy removal, there are Journey to Nowhere, Reprisal, Suspension Field, Valorous Stance, etc. Especially the last one offers additional utility by also being able to protect your creatures. More Oblivion Rings would also be a good idea, since they can deal with planeswalkers, enchantments and artifacts besides creatures.
Scroll of Avacyn is at best a life gaining cantrip. And while drawing a card is good, the life gain is pretty much useless. The best way to adress a shrinking life total is to get rid of what is killing you, not to patch up wounds while you are still being stabbed. Life gain should come as either an additional effect or as an additional option never as a main purpose. Any creature that can gain you life by any means is also able to block and potentially attack and is thus much better than any card primarily useful for gaining life. The Emancipation Angel I mentioned above can get you life and cards with the synergies I outlined, for example, while keeping attackers at bay.
Thank you for responding! I'll update my deck based on your suggestions Definitely going to look into those Overgrown Battlement's, it seems like they'd synergize really well with Wall of Omens.
How many lands would you suggest running?
Also is it even worth it to run the Day of Judgment's at all? I'm not sure if the board wipe is worth killing my mana sources. I was considering taking them out in favor of more spot removal
On the subject of mass removal, it is not a bad idea to have some around in a midrangy deck like yours. You are also running Avacyn, Angel of Hope which breaks the synergy of most mass removal cards. I think, your two copies of Day of Judgment are fine. Sometimes you simply have to blow up the world in order to stay in the game.
Lands
x8Plains
x5Forest
x2Seraph Sanctuary
x4Blossoming Sands
x2Fortified Village
Spells
x2Scroll of Avacyn
x2Condemn
x2Birds of Paradise
x4Avacyn's Pilgrim
x2Rampant Growth
x2Immolating Glare
x2Crystallization
x4Wall of Omens
x2Oblivion Ring
x1Armadillo Cloak
x2Cultivate
x2Shalai, Voice of Plenty
x1Angel of Jubilation
x2Day of Judgment
x2Defy Death
x2Thalia's Lancers
x1Baneslayer Angel
x1Twilight Shepherd
x1Lyra Dawnbringer
x1Avacyn, Angel of Hope
x1Akroma, Angel of Wrath
Please lends me some advice; cards that should be trimmed out or new cards that would be an improvement on what I have, as well as any issues in the ratios or mana curve
Emancipation Angel is a cheap Angel with some utility for your deck. You can bounce a Wall of Omens to replay and draw another card, you can return itself to replay to get repeated triggers off off Seraph Sanctuary (more of those are then perhaps a good idea), you can return Thalia's Lancers to search for another legendary permanent, etc. And as a 3/3 flyer it is a respectable threat/deterent all by itself. Even if you don't have anything worthwhile to bounce, you can just bounce a land you used to play it, and if you haven't played a land that turn, you essentially played a 3/3 flyer for just 2 mana.
Your spot removal could be a lot better. Immolating Glare and Crytallization are fine in Limited or if you have a limited collection, but even if you don't have Path to Exile and other tournament worthy removal, there are Journey to Nowhere, Reprisal, Suspension Field, Valorous Stance, etc. Especially the last one offers additional utility by also being able to protect your creatures. More Oblivion Rings would also be a good idea, since they can deal with planeswalkers, enchantments and artifacts besides creatures.
Scroll of Avacyn is at best a life gaining cantrip. And while drawing a card is good, the life gain is pretty much useless. The best way to adress a shrinking life total is to get rid of what is killing you, not to patch up wounds while you are still being stabbed. Life gain should come as either an additional effect or as an additional option never as a main purpose. Any creature that can gain you life by any means is also able to block and potentially attack and is thus much better than any card primarily useful for gaining life. The Emancipation Angel I mentioned above can get you life and cards with the synergies I outlined, for example, while keeping attackers at bay.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)
How many lands would you suggest running?
Also is it even worth it to run the Day of Judgment's at all? I'm not sure if the board wipe is worth killing my mana sources. I was considering taking them out in favor of more spot removal
If you want to pursue the Battlement further, I'd suggest running some more early defenders with the ability to block the skies, like Angelic Wall, Consulate Skygate, Geist of the Lonely Vigil, Wall of Tanglecord, or Grappling Sundew. One-Eyed Scarecrow diminishes opposing flyers. Etc.
On the subject of mass removal, it is not a bad idea to have some around in a midrangy deck like yours. You are also running Avacyn, Angel of Hope which breaks the synergy of most mass removal cards. I think, your two copies of Day of Judgment are fine. Sometimes you simply have to blow up the world in order to stay in the game.
Former Rules Advisor
"Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge
(The Gamers: Dorkness Rising)
"Any sufficiently analyzed magic is indistinguishable from science."
(Girl Genius - Fairy Tale Theater Break - Cinderella, end of volume 8)