With High Alert being spoiled in the new set, Arcades the Strategist now seems to be a feasible deck in the new set. This was recently brewed on mtggoldfish by SaffronOlive, but I thought the deck needed a bit of work.
I think Tetsuko makes this deck incredibly more powerful -- making all your defenders / walls unblockable just means as soon as he resolves, you can just smash the opponent. You can also potentially add +1/+3 to all your attackers with Rally to Battle, making for some nasty turns.
The biggest issue I see overall, though, is your deck entirely relies on having either Arcades or High Alert on the board, otherwise you literally cannot win. You need to be able to get this setup properly, or dig for these cards.
Incubation // Incongrurity seems to similarly be a nobrainer, as it allows you to dig and also give a removal option.
Incomplete, but a bit of a dump. Think this is still missing some candidate cards. Need the right mix to get setup so your walls can bash them down.
I think Tetsuko makes this deck incredibly more powerful -- making all your defenders / walls unblockable just means as soon as he resolves, you can just smash the opponent. You can also potentially add +1/+3 to all your attackers with Rally to Battle, making for some nasty turns.
The biggest issue I see overall, though, is your deck entirely relies on having either Arcades or High Alert on the board, otherwise you literally cannot win. You need to be able to get this setup properly, or dig for these cards.
Incubation // Incongrurity seems to similarly be a nobrainer, as it allows you to dig and also give a removal option.
Incomplete, but a bit of a dump. Think this is still missing some candidate cards. Need the right mix to get setup so your walls can bash them down.
4x Arcades, the Strategist
3x Gleaming Barrier
4x Portcullis Vine
3x Resolute Watchdog
3x Wall of Mist
3x Wall of Vines
4x Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
# Enchantments
4x Conclave Tribunal
4x High Alert
4x Breeding Pool
2x Glacial Fortress
4x Hallowed Fountain
3x Hinterland Harbor
1x Island
1x Plains
3x Sunpetal Grove
4x Temple Garden
# Sorceries & Instants
2x Dive Down
2x Slaughter the Strong
2x Incubation // Incongrurity
1x Rally to Battle
1x Cavalcade of Calamity
1x Unbreakable Formation
1x Elite Arrester
1x Aegis of the Heavens
1x Amaranthine Wall
1x Looming Altisaur
1x Surge Mare
CREATURES 23
4 Arcades, the Strategist
4 Resolute Watchdog
4 Saruli Caretaker
4 Grappling Sundew
3 Suspicious Bookcase
2 Amaranthine Wall
2 Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
ENCHANTMENTS 4
4 High Alert
INSTANTS 8
4 Dive Down
3 Tower Defense
PLANESWALKERS
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
LANDS
The best.
CREATURES 23
4 Arcades, the Strategist
4 Resolute Watchdog
4 Saruli Caretaker
4 Grappling Sundew
3 Suspicious Bookcase
2 Amaranthine Wall
2 Tetsuko Umezawa,Fugitive
ENCHANTMENTS 4
4 High Alert
INSTANTS 7
4 Dive Deep
3 Tower Defense
PLANESWALKERS 3
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
1 Vivien Reid
LANDS 23
3 Memorial to Unity
1 Memorial to Genius
19 of the best rare lands for Bant.
SIDEBOARD 15
2 Slaughter the Strong
1 Unbreakable Formation
3 Spell Pierce
1 Negate
3 Shaper's Sanctuary
1 Nature's Spiral
1 [Find // Finality[/card]
2 Deputy of Detention
1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
This is a rough draft but looks good on paper. We'll see, I suppose.