Deck I've recently put together for an upcoming event this weekend. I definitely think it has potential, but wanted to see if anyone had any insight as to if it needs improvement in any department.
Mainboard choices:
Creatures-
Sylvan Caryatid: Obvious manafixing/ramping powerhouse. Resists removal and hinders hyper aggressive creature decks. (Mono Red esp.) Loxodon Smiter: Cheap, effective body, uncounterable, resists Thoughtseize. Fleecemane Lion: Cheap, effective body, laughs at U/W control if they can't stop it going Monstrous. Draws early removal. Fanatic of Xenagos: Beginning to see a pattern here. Almost always ends up as a 4/4 for 3, and if they don't pay tribute, hits them early on. Trample is invaluable with this. Brimaz, King of Oreskos: Possibly the cheapest, most effective body amongst them. Vigilance and token production synergize well with almost every aspect of the deck that isn't a creature. Archetype of Courage: Makes every other creature in the deck better and, frankly, terrifying. Would run 3 if I had room. Cut a Banishing Light, maybe?
Enchantments:
Gruul War Chant: Gonna address this choice right up front. Always maintained that this was a great card. I stand by that judgment. This takes an average board that your opponent THINKS they can cope with and turns it into a warhammer of pain and devastation. This card handily out-aggros most if not all blocker setups. Banishing Light: Excellent removal for anything that happens to be bothersome, barring Stormbreath Dragon. Shuts down Desecration Demon, planeswalkers, frees your stuff from Detention Spheres. So versatile. Madcap Skills: Value and then some. Turns any creature in the deck except Sylvan Caryatid into an absurdly effective clock. On Brimaz, it's insane.
Planeswalkers:
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes: Just a one-of, but still very, very good late game. If you can get him out turn 4, he can put you well beyond the grips of defeat either by pumping your board, or by digging for answers. A bit bulky, but still, only one.
Xenagos, the Reveler: This is the guy you play after your opponent has wasted all their counterspells and D-Spheres on your other guys. One of the best token engines in Standard. The ramp effect is also highly useful when it comes to just dumping 3-drops, or Monstrous-ing Cats. He just does work.
Instants:
Boros Charm: Probably the most powerful charm next to Azorius in Standard. Beats face, helps other things beat face, and saves your guys so they can continue to beat face unhindered. So amazingly good.
Selesnya Charm: Also good, if a bit less so. Gives trample to punch through pesky blockers, Exiles big dudes, and, in a pinch, makes a body to put a Madcap Skills on.
Sideboard:
Nyx-Fleece Ram: Shuts down aggressive creature decks like gangbusters. Laughs at Pack Rat, Ash Zealot and Boros Reckoner, among others. Mistcutter Hydra: Control's worst nightmare. Uncounterable, untargetable by an overwhelming majority of their answers, and haste puts them on the clock so fast their heads spin. Mizzium Mortars: Rememeber how Banishing Light doesn't do a thing against Stormbreath? Yeah, this is here for that reason. Also, great in the mirror match against other big creature decks. Rootborn Defenses: In this day and age, creatures need to be protected against boardwipes. Boros Charm can only do so much. Spirit of the Labyrinth: Stops Sphinx's Revelation dead. Good body. Considering replacing. Fiendslayer Paladin: Toying with this replacing Spirit. Does much of what Nyx-Fleece does now, but in a much more offensive way.
So that's the deck. I'm hoping I don't get decimated round one, but we'll see. Please give me any comments that you care to, anything helps.
It’s like the universe screams in your face, “Do you know what I am? How grand I am? How old I am? Can you even comprehend what I am? What are you, compared to me?” And when you know enough science, you can just smile up at the universe and reply, “Dude, I am you.”
I also run an aggressive Naya decklist and I share a lot of cards with you, like Boros Charm, Caryatid, Fanatic of Xenagos (underrated IMO) and Loxodon Smiter. Brimaz looks cool too.
I dunno about Madcap skills. A lot of your big guys will be removal magnets and unless you have Boros Charm or a monstrous Lion, you're asking to be 2 for 1'd. Having Selesnya Charm and Boros Charm will go far to push damage, and they're more versatile than the Skills. Personally I kind of prefer the God version of Xenagos because he's harder to remove and doubles your guys to push massive damage... maybe a 1-of? Or even 2? (like I have)
And, naturally... Stormbreath Dragon!!! The haste, evasion, pro-white, and monstrosity together make him as good as people make him seem. Caryatid and planeswalker Xenagos can get him out there, and though he's a nonbo with the charms, it's that good. I run three in my deck.
Best of luck at your event!
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EDH/Commander
UBR Sedris RG Omnath, Locus of Rage UB The Scarab God RUG Maelstrom Wanderer WU Dragonlord Ojutai
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3 Brimaz, King of Oreskos
3 Fanatic of Xenagos
3 Fleecemane Lion
3 Loxodon Smiter
3 Sylvan Caryatid
3 Madcap Skills
3 Gruul War Chant
4 Banishing Light
1 Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
3 Xenagos, the Reveler
2 Selesnya Charm
3 Boros Charm
2 Temple of Triumph
2 Temple of Abandon
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Stomping Ground
4 Temple Garden
4 Forest
3 Plains
3 Nyx-Fleece Ram
3 Mizzium Mortars
3 Rootborn Defenses
2 Spirit of the Labyrinth
1 Fiendslayer Paladin
Deck I've recently put together for an upcoming event this weekend. I definitely think it has potential, but wanted to see if anyone had any insight as to if it needs improvement in any department.
Mainboard choices:
Creatures-
Sylvan Caryatid: Obvious manafixing/ramping powerhouse. Resists removal and hinders hyper aggressive creature decks. (Mono Red esp.)
Loxodon Smiter: Cheap, effective body, uncounterable, resists Thoughtseize.
Fleecemane Lion: Cheap, effective body, laughs at U/W control if they can't stop it going Monstrous. Draws early removal.
Fanatic of Xenagos: Beginning to see a pattern here. Almost always ends up as a 4/4 for 3, and if they don't pay tribute, hits them early on. Trample is invaluable with this.
Brimaz, King of Oreskos: Possibly the cheapest, most effective body amongst them. Vigilance and token production synergize well with almost every aspect of the deck that isn't a creature.
Archetype of Courage: Makes every other creature in the deck better and, frankly, terrifying. Would run 3 if I had room. Cut a Banishing Light, maybe?
Enchantments:
Gruul War Chant: Gonna address this choice right up front. Always maintained that this was a great card. I stand by that judgment. This takes an average board that your opponent THINKS they can cope with and turns it into a warhammer of pain and devastation. This card handily out-aggros most if not all blocker setups.
Banishing Light: Excellent removal for anything that happens to be bothersome, barring Stormbreath Dragon. Shuts down Desecration Demon, planeswalkers, frees your stuff from Detention Spheres. So versatile.
Madcap Skills: Value and then some. Turns any creature in the deck except Sylvan Caryatid into an absurdly effective clock. On Brimaz, it's insane.
Planeswalkers:
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes: Just a one-of, but still very, very good late game. If you can get him out turn 4, he can put you well beyond the grips of defeat either by pumping your board, or by digging for answers. A bit bulky, but still, only one.
Xenagos, the Reveler: This is the guy you play after your opponent has wasted all their counterspells and D-Spheres on your other guys. One of the best token engines in Standard. The ramp effect is also highly useful when it comes to just dumping 3-drops, or Monstrous-ing Cats. He just does work.
Instants:
Boros Charm: Probably the most powerful charm next to Azorius in Standard. Beats face, helps other things beat face, and saves your guys so they can continue to beat face unhindered. So amazingly good.
Selesnya Charm: Also good, if a bit less so. Gives trample to punch through pesky blockers, Exiles big dudes, and, in a pinch, makes a body to put a Madcap Skills on.
Sideboard:
Nyx-Fleece Ram: Shuts down aggressive creature decks like gangbusters. Laughs at Pack Rat, Ash Zealot and Boros Reckoner, among others.
Mistcutter Hydra: Control's worst nightmare. Uncounterable, untargetable by an overwhelming majority of their answers, and haste puts them on the clock so fast their heads spin.
Mizzium Mortars: Rememeber how Banishing Light doesn't do a thing against Stormbreath? Yeah, this is here for that reason. Also, great in the mirror match against other big creature decks.
Rootborn Defenses: In this day and age, creatures need to be protected against boardwipes. Boros Charm can only do so much.
Spirit of the Labyrinth: Stops Sphinx's Revelation dead. Good body. Considering replacing.
Fiendslayer Paladin: Toying with this replacing Spirit. Does much of what Nyx-Fleece does now, but in a much more offensive way.
So that's the deck. I'm hoping I don't get decimated round one, but we'll see. Please give me any comments that you care to, anything helps.
I stepped out of a supernova...and so did you.
I dunno about Madcap skills. A lot of your big guys will be removal magnets and unless you have Boros Charm or a monstrous Lion, you're asking to be 2 for 1'd. Having Selesnya Charm and Boros Charm will go far to push damage, and they're more versatile than the Skills. Personally I kind of prefer the God version of Xenagos because he's harder to remove and doubles your guys to push massive damage... maybe a 1-of? Or even 2? (like I have)
And, naturally... Stormbreath Dragon!!! The haste, evasion, pro-white, and monstrosity together make him as good as people make him seem. Caryatid and planeswalker Xenagos can get him out there, and though he's a nonbo with the charms, it's that good. I run three in my deck.
Best of luck at your event!
UBR Sedris
RG Omnath, Locus of Rage
UB The Scarab God
RUG Maelstrom Wanderer
WU Dragonlord Ojutai