I'm sort of looking for a mix? Foil Cavern of Souls seems like a good pick up because Bant Eldrazi would be a fun deck and because I know Legacy players that prefer these foils to old AVR. I want cards that are nice to hold on to but that I could easily take out of my binder and make a deck with, if I ever wanted to.
My argument is that against very few decks do they allow you to actually do that. Abzan Aggro is going to do T1 Warden of the First Tree, T2 level it up, T3 Anafenza, and T4 Gideon/Siege Rhino. That automatically makes it "Have X Ramp/Shrines or die" and I wasn't a fan of that match up being purely based on chance.
You can be a ramp deck that lands dragons I mean, that's not bad, but Ulamog is a house man. There's a reason a "bad" card has to see play, it's because without Obliteration, very few decks would be able to answer a chain of 4 Ulamogs. That's 8 exiled permanents + 4 answers needed for the chain, that = 12 cards for 4. That's pretty powerful. Ugin on his own is sometimes a 3-4 for 1 that sticks around to board wipe again and again.
The Part the Waterveil deck was sweet man, why aren't you going that route? I played against it and was LOLZ to see it goldfished ( I say Goldsfished because 2 ramp decks going at it is pretty much a game of solatire. He who reaches 8-10 lands wins, and the UG gets there faster in the mirror).
Ulamog often ate an Abzan Charm/Crackling Doom/Utter End and an Infinite Obliteration just made me lose. This gives me more headway against that sort of hate. Abzan Aggro is miserable though and I want a sideboard/main that can beat that deck.
My primary issues I've noticed is that I either want a curve of:
Embodiment of Spring > Explosive Vegetation T3 > Nissa's Renewal > Part the Waterveil (Awakened)/Ugin/Ulamog
Some ramp > Ojutai/Dromoka/Ugin
Often times I side out the Part the Waterveil because, while it's good, I need to be even or ahead and does nothing to recover a bad board-state. I figure the bright thing to do is cut Ulamog but I can't really call myself Gx Ramp without Ulamogs. The lands are also in a spot where I don't know if I like them and I was looking for input.
I messed up because I thought Conduit of Ruin tutored the colorless creature to your hand but ruining my draws for an Ulamog I couldn't cast yet was bad. I fixed up the manabase a bit with fetches and battlelands and have only had 1 game where I had numerous dead ramp spells. Dragonlord Ojutai is a quick clock that can get absurd with extra turns. My sideboard is highly control/aggro based and I am thinking of turning the Gideon's Reproach into Horribly Awry.
Aggro is still next to impossible but Abzan Aggro gets better because I can set up life gain so I'm not dead to a rhino. 10 mana is the magic number that I need in my deck so I can awaken Part the Waterveil + Swing with my 6/6. I try to stick a threat before awakening but it doesn't always succeed.
My ramp threats are a little light, as you can tell. I ran Embodiment because Wild Slash is absolutely rampant and against aggro I'll often wait to pop it and if they use Draconic Roar then that's a Rattleclaw Mystic and Nissa that doesn't die.
For my sideboard I currently have this but don't like it:
I want more staying power against aggro and Jaddi Offshoots proved poor in testing because I never got to block with them. Surge is primarily for red aggro and RB Control so I stopped auto-losing to Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury.
Thought I'd post a little report from my Goyf-based Standard tournament. Wound up getting 2nd out of 30-ish players and getting 1 Tarmogoyf and a box of Magic Origins and first getting 3 Tarmogoyfs.
Round 1 - Abzan Control (Languish + End Hostilities)
I won the die roll and ended up hitting Woodland Bellowers on Turn 4 after a Turn 3 Xenagos. He kills my Bellower and Languishes my field but Xenagos puts pressure on too quickly. Sideboard I added Nissa Worldwaker, Gaea's Revenge. I get stomped Game 2 after he goes Elspeth into Languish. Game 3 he misses a color and between a T5 Atarka, a Nissa Worldwaker, and a Gaea's Revenge, he scoops. 2-1 Win
Round 2 - Red/Black Goblins
Game 1 I'm able to stabilize with 3 Courser of Kruphix and seal the deal after landing an Atarka. I knew he was on the Obelisk of Urd plan so I sided in Seismic Rupture, Reclamation Sage, Hornet Nest and Nylea's Disciple and took out Xenagos and Rattleclaw Mystic. Game 2 he relies on Obelisk and destroying it with Reclamation Sage plus Hornet Nest into Bellower + Hornet Nest with Rabblemaster out seals the game. Game 3 he starts out with the 1 drop that makes creatures unable to block and 2 tokens, he Roasts my 2 back to back coursers and I'm sure I'm dead. I rip Seismic Rupture off the top and wipe him, stick a Whisperwood Elemental next turn, and win the game. 2-1 Win
Round 3 - Green/Black Elves (Collected Company)
This player is easily the best in the shop and Game 1 he assembles about 6 elves, gets out Dwynen, then double Shamans from a Company after my 2 Whisperwoods gummed up the board. I side in Seismic Rupture and Hornet Nest and take out Rattleclaw Mystic. I end up getting destroyed because he flips Nissa while throwing elves faster than I can get creatures. 0-2 Loss
Round 4 - Abzan Control (End Hostilities + Crux of Fate with Raptor/Protector package)
He gets Game 1 off using Dromoka's Command repeatedly to kill Courser and trading Raptors for Whisperwoods and recurring them until he stuck Elspeth. Game 2 I side Gaea's Revenge, Nissa Worldwaker. I manage to use Bellowers to recur Raptors faster than him and had two Hornet Queens with mana open in case he wiped the field. Game 3 I won off 3 Whisperwood Elementals. 2-1 Win
Round 5 - Abzan Aggro
This round was awkward because the guy helped pay my entry fee because my bank card was acting up. He wanted to split into Top 8 but I was 90% sure he'd miss anyways while winning this would put me in top seed. We play and I get him Game 1 after going Raptor into Xenagos into Whisperwood Elemental into Bellower + Raptor. Game 2 I side in Hornet Nest and Nissa Worldwaker and Gaea's Revenge. I snag out Gaea on Turn 5 and my opponent had to Abzam Charm it rather than drawing cards he needed. That combined with sticking a Hornet Nest got me the match. 2-0 win
Top 8 - Green/Black Elves (Chord Version)
I play a new player who is getting back into Standard. Game 1 he Shamans me to death after some elf beats with Dwynen backup. I side in Seismic Rupture and Hornet Nest and Nylea's Disciple and Reclamation Sage. Game 2 I manage to win because Atarka cleaned up a majority of his board and he had no flying answers. Game 3 gets interesting. He has Obelisk and enough elves to severely impact our boards. Between Hornet Queen and Xenagos and 2 Whisperwood Elementals, I had the board gummed up and he ended up throwing elves away to stop the board regrowing. I was waiting for Atarka to finish things but I onew waiting was asking to die to Shaman so I swung with Hornet Queen and threw every creature I had into blocks so she could clean up. 2-1 Win
Top 4 Green/White Devotion (Mastery)
Game 1 was my nut draw with Turn 3 Xenagos, Turn 4 Whisperwood Elemental, Turn 5 Atarka and the game was over. Game 2 I sided in Hornet Queen and Reclamation Sage. He builds an absurd board and with 2 Whisperwood Elemental and Mastery of the Unseen, he has an overwhelming board. I do also but he top-decks Polukranos, wipes my field with his monstrosity and alpha strikes me. Game 3 I had Turn 2 Deathmist Raptor, Turn 3 Xenagos, Turn 4 Woodland Bellower + Raptor while he's on 1 Courser. 2-1 Win
Finals Red/Black Dragons
This match was not happy at all because my friend declined to split after being goaded into playing after wanting to split initially. Game 1 ends oddly. He is at 8, I have a 2/2 Genesis Hydra (played to up devotion because I was missing lands) ans 2 Satyr tokens. I had a Xenagos on the top of my deck with a Genesis Hydra in my hand but only had 5 mana. I made an observation (because I'll mutter to myself when playing games) and my opponent scooped prematurely even though I didn't have it. I let him know and he got incredibly pissed and said rude remarks about my integrity, blah blah. Judge gave me the win so it was time for sideboard. I sided in Plummet and Nylea's Disciple and Hornet Queen and took out a Bellower and Rattleclaw Mystics because although he had removal spells, he was very aggressive with his creatures and removal. He sideboarded into Rabblemasters that gummed the ground while Stormbreath and a dashed Kolaghan mucked the air (I killed Stormbreath but Kolaghan stuck after he Thoughtseized my Queen). Game 3 I side in Hornet Nest and take out Elvish Mystic. I mull to a crappy 5, hoping to go Nissa, Courser, then Whisperwood Elemental. I hit Nissa and have 4 lands but my opponent Thoughtseized my Courser. With me being unable to get a 5th land, Kolaghan and Stormbreath kill me quickly.
Post thoughts - I've never topped a serious event like this so I was new to a lot of things. My success could be attributed to winning the die roll almost every game and being top seed but Bellower was always a 2 for 1 that either initiated a board wipe they were sitting on or made removal tricky despite beingthe most criticized card in the deck. Gaea's Revenge is no joke either, card was bonkers when it came out. Only changes I would make with my 77 is finding room for 4 Plummet and 2 Seismic Rupture. Every card did amazing and my deck was good to me. Long live devotion!
I'm considering this deck for some time, has anyone considered cards like Nissa Vastwood Seer, Woodland Bellower, Animist's Awakening or some of the other cards from origins?
I have recently build a swans deck for modern, which I splashed green to add hornet nest and some fun things in the board. And after seeing how fun nest was in that deck, I decided to try it in standard. After trying and failing with a bunch of card combinations, I finally found one I like. Esper with a splash of green seemed to be really good whith what I was trying to do. It still needs some tweaking, but with your help, I think this can be a thing. So here it is. Please comment any and all advice you may have for this deck.
Well... It's something new! I personally don't like 4-colour decks in this current meta but am interested on how you got to this deck in the first place.
I feel Hornet's Nest is a bit too cumbersome to work with granted it can be funny to use against Aggro decks. Generally speaking however I don't think it's worth the splash when you also have several Dragons available.
My honest advice as such is to drop both Hornet's Nest and Mentor. The Mentor is worth nothing for a Jeskai (Dragon) Control deck but going 4 colors for either isn't really worth it. In a short way, those cards will never win you the game and as such arn't worth it to splash for. Dragonlord Ojutai on the other hand is a card that will win you the game and the prime reason why Esper Control is Esper and not UB.
Please let me know how bound you are on this build.
I scrubbed out 0-2. Lost Round 1 to Abzan Megamorph. Game 1 I managed to stabilize into Ojutai after timing removal to hit Rakshasa Deathdealer, sided in Tasigur, Bile Blight, Foul Tongue Invocation, and Thoughtseize and died to him curving perfectly. Game 3 ended up a stalemate until Ugin cleared hia Rakshasa. I got him down to 1, he Collected Company for Anafenza on my end step and an attack with her and a top-decked Siege Rhino killed me.
Round 2 was against Atarka red but I didn't draw any Bile Blights and a Hall of Triumph killed me in the second game.
My opponent's attitude turned me off so much in the Abzan game that I bought a Siege Rhino to rip in half, dropped from the event, and I'm seriously contemplating selling my deck until Abzan rotates. I paid $25 to lose 0-2 (knocking me out of Top 8 contention where all the prizes were) and have nothing to show for it despite practicing for weeks. Screw Standard.
Round 1 sounds like a bit of luck on your opponent's side and a good dosis of bad luck on yours. Curving out for Abzan is possible but not always optional. In special if you had kept a decent hand. Which inclines me to ask, what did you keep?
Additionally I can recommand Perilous Vault against that match up aswell. If Lions are monsterous, Dealers get regenerated and Elspeth's/Den Protectors hit the field you'll enjoy the exile whipe.
Round 2 again sounds like a bit of bad luck on your side. Granted in this matchup aswell you'll really enjoy a 4th Bile Blight and 4th Foul-Tonge combined with some Drown in Sorrow.
I think you shouldn't blame the deck too much. MtG still is a game of luck. As posted above after my 3-1 Standard I went 0-3 with my Draft deck.
Out of the 6 games I was stuck on 3 land each game. Does this mean my deck is bad or my plays are bad? I personally don't think so, in special if you start out with those 3 lands in hand and have 17 in your 40.
My best advice is to give it a go again next week.
Against Abzan Round 2? Bile Blight, Ultimate Price, Silumgar's Scorn, an Ashiok and lands. Bile Blight took out a Fleecemane Lion but from there he slammed a Rakshasa Deathdealer with mana for numerous pumps and Ashiok ate a Downfall the next turn. The abzan deck was a collected company deck so it wasn't the more traditional version at least. Regardless, my jitters over the event were probably to blame and my opponents remarks didn't help me either. I'm pretty demoralized but I constantly find a way to come back every week so I'll just need to man up out of my slump.
It still is rather sensitive against turn 1-2 Thoughtseize but most decks are. Additionally versus Abzan a turn 1-2 Thoughtseize often means no turn 1-2 Fleecemane Lion or Rakshasa Deathdealer.
After boarding that Dragonlord Ojutai ideally is a Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver but a Dragonlord Ojutai still will do.
Starting out without second counter but an Anticipate instead also generally speaking will work out in your favour.
Now what I have found of utmost importance in special against any type of Abzan is that generally during the early stages of the game the removal is favoured over counters. This mainly because every turn we have and can protect a Dragonlord Ojutai on the swing generally wins you the game. Where in match ups like G Devotion the mix isn't too important and the same is true versus all kinds of Aggro.
Abzan for us is such an issue because during the later stages of the game our removal cards become near useless. A good to great Abzan player will play around Bile Blight if he/she can with both Fleecemane Lion and Rakshasa Deathdealer as they generally know that they can outrace a Dragonlord Ojutai in most circumstances unless the Lion and Deathdealer arrive after it (which isn't too likely).
- An important thing to do note is that not every Abzan match up is the worst match up. From easy to hard I would say it's:
1. Abzan Midrange/Control, slow set up, loads of card advantage but no real way to race your (this build often does not contain Raptors/Anafenza but Courser instead) Example: http://mtgpulse.com/event/20386#289042.
This build currently does very well against a board range of the meta but for me personally isn't a build that strikes fear into me.
For sure Thoughtseize, Abzan Charm, Hero's Downfall and Crux of Fate make my head spin but this match up can be seen as a regular opposing Control match up. Thoughtseize + Ashiok + counter back up can put you ahead of the game incredibly fast.
2. Abzan Aggro, faster set up, some card advantage but still vunerable against board sweeps (this build often doesn't include Raptors/Courser but does have the full suite of Lion's and Death Dealers). Example: http://mtgpulse.com/event/20245#286542
This build currently seems to be the least popular variant mainly because it has difficulties to recoup from a Perilous Vault sweep.
The above example isn't an example I would incredibly fear but if the Wingmate Roc where turned into Eslpeth, Sun's Champion and room would be made for 1-2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang and a 4th Thoughtseize I would feel it would be very well set up to wreck multiple faces.
3. Abzan Megamorph, the build that is almost immume to non-Perilous Vault sweeps and removal alltogether. Example: http://mtgpulse.com/event/20319#287988
This build has gained some popularity but is also more new to the scene. I feel that the Den Protector/Deathmist Raptor set up of this deck does incredibly well against us. Now I personally don't feel the Satyr Wayfinder is needed for such a list to preform well but I can understand the potential it has when hitting Deathmist Raptors.
Now the build I am currently planning for my upcommong Abzan would be:
Now that Whisperwood Elemental is some kind of personal imput into the deck and not mandatory by any means. Granted I was and still am very suprised that Abzan Megamorph currently refuses to make use of it. I feel that the card itself allready holds some incredible power (also in special for the mirror) but being able to 'Morph' everything is the only thing you need to consistantly get Deathmist Raptors back.
Upside of this deck is that it's incredible against Control, good against Midrange and suffers from Aggro. The latter however is not heavily present anymore in the meta and generally speaking Midrange and Control are.
The biggest advantage Esper Dragon Control has over the meta however is that you don't need incredible hands.
As long as your able to trade cards until turn 5 your set up decently well against anything that might come. 3-4 lands are required for this in most scenario's and 2-3 lands is exceptable when an Anticipate/couple of Temples are in your hand.
I scrubbed out 0-2. Lost Round 1 to Abzan Megamorph. Game 1 I managed to stabilize into Ojutai after timing removal to hit Rakshasa Deathdealer, sided in Tasigur, Bile Blight, Foul Tongue Invocation, and Thoughtseize and died to him curving perfectly. Game 3 ended up a stalemate until Ugin cleared hia Rakshasa. I got him down to 1, he Collected Company for Anafenza on my end step and an attack with her and a top-decked Siege Rhino killed me.
Round 2 was against Atarka red but I didn't draw any Bile Blights and a Hall of Triumph killed me in the second game.
My opponent's attitude turned me off so much in the Abzan game that I bought a Siege Rhino to rip in half, dropped from the event, and I'm seriously contemplating selling my deck until Abzan rotates. I paid $25 to lose 0-2 (knocking me out of Top 8 contention where all the prizes were) and have nothing to show for it despite practicing for weeks. Screw Standard.
Probably my last update before my big tournament. Same mainboard but in the side I did -1 Self Inflicted Wound, -1 Ultimate Price for +2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang. I'm still not sold on Bile Blight but I managed to lose 1-2 against Abzan Aggro and it never felt like I was dead in the water. Glare helped take care of a pesky Sorin and G2 an Ashiok milled all his Downfalls. Bile Blight did make it so my opponent could never overextend with his Rakshada Deathdealers so thata point in their favor.
While one of the targets for Glare is indeed Sorin, I'd still like to advice you to remove the Glares for Tasigurs.
Again because of possible mana issues but also because of other options. For example why run Glare of Heresy over Perilous Vault? The latter also deals with a massive board advantage of Abzan and outside of Thoughtseize they can't 'deal with it'.
Bile Blight for me is just the perfect card to have main-board because it deals with many, many cards and simply said blows tokens out of the water.
Additionally I also feel they are only dead against Control, granted in higher quantities still do the job.
I currently have 4 cards to deal with specific RDW/Atarka Aggro/Jeskai Tokens/Bant Heroic, being:
- 1 Bile Blight (4th in 75)
- 1 Foul-Tongue Invocation (4th in 75)
- 2 Drown in Sorrow
(- 2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang)
Versus Abzan and other Midgame Gxx strategies I can also add 3 Self-Inflicted Wound, the 4th Bile Blight and 4th Foul-Tongue Invocation, often when these come in the Drown in Sorrow's don't. An additional Perilous Vault also usually gets boarded in with Ashiok.
Verus Control I board in the other cards being:
- 2 Thoughtseize (total of 4 in 75)
- 1 Ashiok (total of 3 in 75)
- 1 Dragonlord's Prerogative
(- 2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang)
The other sideboard cards I'm still unsure of. Dragonlord Silumgar so far hasn't really done anything for me barring stealing a single game I allready felt I had on lockdown.
But feel this can still change. Would love to have some feedback on sideboards from others aswell.
I got beat by Stratus Dancer on turn 5 yesterday in the last mirror. But still feel this card does little unless it shows up in time. Perhaps I should still include it twice as again Dragonlord Silumgar has done very little for me lately.
Perilous Vault has been good for me however, being able to swipe a whole board still works very well. Just like the parent UBx Control deck of a few months ago there is very little an opponent can do against you when you have it on board with a Dragonlord Ojutai. They need to over extend and Perilous Vault punishes this to the extreme. Additionally it's the only real way for is to deal with Den Protector/Death Dealer/Lion during the later stages of the game.
Unfortunately my card shop isn't selling cards the day of so I'm stuck with what I got. I added Tasigur to the board but cut an Ultimate Price (now I have 2 main, 1 Side) and a Self-Inflicted Wound (2 in the side). If you could sculpt a good opening 7 against Abzan, what would it look like to you?
Probably my last update before my big tournament. Same mainboard but in the side I did -1 Self Inflicted Wound, -1 Ultimate Price for +2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang. I'm still not sold on Bile Blight but I managed to lose 1-2 against Abzan Aggro and it never felt like I was dead in the water. Glare helped take care of a pesky Sorin and G2 an Ashiok milled all his Downfalls. Bile Blight did make it so my opponent could never overextend with his Rakshada Deathdealers so thata point in their favor.
Another card which might spark your interest after Glare of Heresy in the sideboard would be Tasigur, the Golden Fang. Other than that our sideboards look very similair and I can vouche for it's effectiveness.
Tasigur will help you out the most versus Aggro and Control. Basicly dropping a card that requires an awnser or creates (random) card-advantage.
If I decided to up my white sources to try to play Glare, what mana changes would you advise?
I agree with that if you can cast Glare of Heresy that it is a great card. What Ive personally found inconsistant in the deck however is how much you actually want W on turn 2+.
Ideally I set up my lands so I can make UU or BB by turn two. Not so much because I like Bile Blight so much but much more because Silumgar's Scorn can be incredibly effective and one of the reasons why this deck allready is so well equipped for handling Aggro deck. Such as Bant Hero's and RDW/Atarka Red.
Versus both Abzan and Heroic however I feel that additional Ultimate Price, Bile Blight and Foul-Tongue Invocation would serve a very similar role as Glare of Heresy. With the upside of being 'correct' on your mana base. While Foul-Tongue arguably is at it's worst versus Abzan I still think it hold quite some value. In special when combined with Self-Inflicted Wound. After all, the more edicts effect you push into a deck, the more these edict effects become like targeted removal/hard counters.
Additionally for me versus Abzan you want to have a foothold after or when stabilizing. Ashiok for us performs that role the best. While they can remove it my current line of play is to force out an awnser. Because once DLO starts knocking down the doors, the real game begins.
What use does Bile Blight have against Abzan Aggro? It kills Fleecemane Lion and Warden of the First Tree but not Rakshasa Deathdealer (unless on T2 or my opponent over extends), Anafenza, Siege Rhino, or Wingmate Roc.
Well those 3 form larger problems during the later stages of the game as Siege Rhino or Anafenza. The main reason here is that eventually the Fleecemane Lion and Death Dealer will survive Crux of Fate and this has always been an issue for me.
The main plan against Abzan as such is to trade cards and eventually follow up with one of your own win-cons.
The other meta analysis that we have to make is how much Abzan Aggro is actually Aggro. Bile Blight also deals with Deathmist Raptors and Den Protectors if they happen to include them.
If one was to run UB dragons, what proportions would you put in? 2/2/2 of DLS/SDD/Icefall? Some other split? Or is it not worth switching from pure control? I can't afford the Ojutais right now, so won't be going Esper any time soon.
Reason I'm asking is we have a GPT coming up here on the 20th. I'm still torn between my UB control (2-2 last outing, with a screw-up that cost me 3-1) and my medium red (1-3 last time, but new cards arrived), but if a Dragon Control might be better, then I can switch and test for two FNMs before the GPT.
Esper is the main Dragon deck but Ive been succesfull with Yasooka's 3 Icefall Regent, 2 Silumgar, the Drifting Death, 1 Dragonlord Silumgar. The main reasoning behind them all is that they often force your opponent to overextend the board to have more card advantage out of Crux of Fate. Plus Icefall Regent does a really decent job of swinging.
Dragon Control (in all it's different UBx forms) has an advantage against Aggro decks (pure in the sence of RDW/Atarka) because of how well Scorn and Foul-Tongue can stop early problems. Additionally it might not even be uncommon for your Aggro opponent to need and tap out for Icefall Regents.
What I do want to advice you is not to drift too far away in a 'Dragon build'. Cards like Perilous Vault, Ashiok, Dissolve and Silence the Believers are currently still very potent cards. So much that I'm inclined to say that the best form of Esper Dragon Control is one that has all the strenghts of UBx Control plus Dragonlord Ojutai.
Mainboard I did -1 Bile Blight and +1 Dragonlord Silumgar. I think losing 1 Bile Blight isn't the biggest deal and in my opinion, Bile is only amazing against Atarka Red. Duress doesn't hit everything that I want and 4 Thoughtseize post board feels more powerful than 3 Thoughtseize and 2 Duress so I made that change. I took the advice of you and the other poster so I'm running a foul tongue in my sideboard and a whopping 4 Ultimate Price between my 75. I'm not confident enough to outright cut the Glares but this tweak feels appropriate. Plus with the new Dragonlord that makes 5 dragons mainboard since ugin does not count sadly.
My favorite card would probably be Bonfire of the Damned. Even though miracles were not the best-received, I have won many of my matches due to a good top-deck and a mechanic that rewards you for that is absolutely delightful.
Pile A:
Scalding Tarn
Verdant Catacombs
Pile B:
Tarmogoyf
I know a Goyf is a Goyf but these fetches seem quite low but I'm concerned of Wizards printing them a 2nd time and hurting their long term price.
Ulamog often ate an Abzan Charm/Crackling Doom/Utter End and an Infinite Obliteration just made me lose. This gives me more headway against that sort of hate. Abzan Aggro is miserable though and I want a sideboard/main that can beat that deck.
2 Dragonlord Dromoka
3 Part the Waterveil
3 Nissa's Pilgrimage
3 Nissa's Renewal
3 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
3 Embodiment of Spring
3 Rattleclaw Mystic
3 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
2 Flooded Strand
6 Forest
5 Island
2 Canopy Vista
2 Prairie Stream
3 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
3 Windswept Heath
4 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
2 Explosive Vegetation
3 Planar Outburst
2 Plains
3 Den Protector
3 Gideon's Reproach
3 Surge of Righteousness
2 Gaea's Revenge
My primary issues I've noticed is that I either want a curve of:
Embodiment of Spring > Explosive Vegetation T3 > Nissa's Renewal > Part the Waterveil (Awakened)/Ugin/Ulamog
Some ramp > Ojutai/Dromoka/Ugin
Often times I side out the Part the Waterveil because, while it's good, I need to be even or ahead and does nothing to recover a bad board-state. I figure the bright thing to do is cut Ulamog but I can't really call myself Gx Ramp without Ulamogs. The lands are also in a spot where I don't know if I like them and I was looking for input.
2 Dragonlord Dromoka
3 Part the Waterveil
3 Nissa's Pilgrimage
3 Nissa's Renewal
3 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
3 Embodiment of Spring
3 Rattleclaw Mystic
3 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
2 Flooded Strand
6 Forest
5 Island
2 Canopy Vista
2 Prairie Stream
3 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
3 Windswept Heath
4 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
2 Kiora, Master of the Depths
3 Explosive Vegetation
3 Planar Outburst
2 Plains
3 Gideon's Reproach
3 Surge of Righteousness
1 Void Winnower
3 Negate
3 Dispel
I messed up because I thought Conduit of Ruin tutored the colorless creature to your hand but ruining my draws for an Ulamog I couldn't cast yet was bad. I fixed up the manabase a bit with fetches and battlelands and have only had 1 game where I had numerous dead ramp spells. Dragonlord Ojutai is a quick clock that can get absurd with extra turns. My sideboard is highly control/aggro based and I am thinking of turning the Gideon's Reproach into Horribly Awry.
3 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
3 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
2 Dragonlord Dromoka
3 Embodiment of Spring
4 Rattleclaw Mystic
3 Kiora, Master of Depths
3 Nissa's Pilgrimage
3 Explosive Vegetation
3 Nissa's Renewal
4 Part the Waterveil
5 Island
1 Plains
3 Prairie Stream
4 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
4 Windswept Heath
Aggro is still next to impossible but Abzan Aggro gets better because I can set up life gain so I'm not dead to a rhino. 10 mana is the magic number that I need in my deck so I can awaken Part the Waterveil + Swing with my 6/6. I try to stick a threat before awakening but it doesn't always succeed.
My ramp threats are a little light, as you can tell. I ran Embodiment because Wild Slash is absolutely rampant and against aggro I'll often wait to pop it and if they use Draconic Roar then that's a Rattleclaw Mystic and Nissa that doesn't die.
For my sideboard I currently have this but don't like it:
3 Negate
4 Surge of Righteousness
3 Gaea's Revenge
1 Void Winnower
I want more staying power against aggro and Jaddi Offshoots proved poor in testing because I never got to block with them. Surge is primarily for red aggro and RB Control so I stopped auto-losing to Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury.
4x Courser of Kruphix
4x Deathmist Raptor
3x Den Protector
2x Dragonlord Atarka
4x Elvish Mystic
3x Genesis Hydra
1x Hornet Queen
2x Nissa, Vastwood Seer Flip
3x Rattleclaw Mystic
4x Sylvan Caryatid
3x Whisperwood Elemental
2x Woodland Bellower
2x Mountain
4x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
4x Temple of Abandon
4x Wooded Foothills
3x Xenagos, the Reveler
1x Gaea's Revenge
3x Hornet Nest
1x Hornet Queen
2x Nissa, Worldwaker
3x Nylea's Disciple
2x Plummet
2x Reclamation Sage
1x Seismic Rupture
Round 1 - Abzan Control (Languish + End Hostilities)
I won the die roll and ended up hitting Woodland Bellowers on Turn 4 after a Turn 3 Xenagos. He kills my Bellower and Languishes my field but Xenagos puts pressure on too quickly. Sideboard I added Nissa Worldwaker, Gaea's Revenge. I get stomped Game 2 after he goes Elspeth into Languish. Game 3 he misses a color and between a T5 Atarka, a Nissa Worldwaker, and a Gaea's Revenge, he scoops. 2-1 Win
Round 2 - Red/Black Goblins
Game 1 I'm able to stabilize with 3 Courser of Kruphix and seal the deal after landing an Atarka. I knew he was on the Obelisk of Urd plan so I sided in Seismic Rupture, Reclamation Sage, Hornet Nest and Nylea's Disciple and took out Xenagos and Rattleclaw Mystic. Game 2 he relies on Obelisk and destroying it with Reclamation Sage plus Hornet Nest into Bellower + Hornet Nest with Rabblemaster out seals the game. Game 3 he starts out with the 1 drop that makes creatures unable to block and 2 tokens, he Roasts my 2 back to back coursers and I'm sure I'm dead. I rip Seismic Rupture off the top and wipe him, stick a Whisperwood Elemental next turn, and win the game. 2-1 Win
Round 3 - Green/Black Elves (Collected Company)
This player is easily the best in the shop and Game 1 he assembles about 6 elves, gets out Dwynen, then double Shamans from a Company after my 2 Whisperwoods gummed up the board. I side in Seismic Rupture and Hornet Nest and take out Rattleclaw Mystic. I end up getting destroyed because he flips Nissa while throwing elves faster than I can get creatures. 0-2 Loss
Round 4 - Abzan Control (End Hostilities + Crux of Fate with Raptor/Protector package)
He gets Game 1 off using Dromoka's Command repeatedly to kill Courser and trading Raptors for Whisperwoods and recurring them until he stuck Elspeth. Game 2 I side Gaea's Revenge, Nissa Worldwaker. I manage to use Bellowers to recur Raptors faster than him and had two Hornet Queens with mana open in case he wiped the field. Game 3 I won off 3 Whisperwood Elementals. 2-1 Win
Round 5 - Abzan Aggro
This round was awkward because the guy helped pay my entry fee because my bank card was acting up. He wanted to split into Top 8 but I was 90% sure he'd miss anyways while winning this would put me in top seed. We play and I get him Game 1 after going Raptor into Xenagos into Whisperwood Elemental into Bellower + Raptor. Game 2 I side in Hornet Nest and Nissa Worldwaker and Gaea's Revenge. I snag out Gaea on Turn 5 and my opponent had to Abzam Charm it rather than drawing cards he needed. That combined with sticking a Hornet Nest got me the match. 2-0 win
Top 8 - Green/Black Elves (Chord Version)
I play a new player who is getting back into Standard. Game 1 he Shamans me to death after some elf beats with Dwynen backup. I side in Seismic Rupture and Hornet Nest and Nylea's Disciple and Reclamation Sage. Game 2 I manage to win because Atarka cleaned up a majority of his board and he had no flying answers. Game 3 gets interesting. He has Obelisk and enough elves to severely impact our boards. Between Hornet Queen and Xenagos and 2 Whisperwood Elementals, I had the board gummed up and he ended up throwing elves away to stop the board regrowing. I was waiting for Atarka to finish things but I onew waiting was asking to die to Shaman so I swung with Hornet Queen and threw every creature I had into blocks so she could clean up. 2-1 Win
Top 4 Green/White Devotion (Mastery)
Game 1 was my nut draw with Turn 3 Xenagos, Turn 4 Whisperwood Elemental, Turn 5 Atarka and the game was over. Game 2 I sided in Hornet Queen and Reclamation Sage. He builds an absurd board and with 2 Whisperwood Elemental and Mastery of the Unseen, he has an overwhelming board. I do also but he top-decks Polukranos, wipes my field with his monstrosity and alpha strikes me. Game 3 I had Turn 2 Deathmist Raptor, Turn 3 Xenagos, Turn 4 Woodland Bellower + Raptor while he's on 1 Courser. 2-1 Win
Finals Red/Black Dragons
This match was not happy at all because my friend declined to split after being goaded into playing after wanting to split initially. Game 1 ends oddly. He is at 8, I have a 2/2 Genesis Hydra (played to up devotion because I was missing lands) ans 2 Satyr tokens. I had a Xenagos on the top of my deck with a Genesis Hydra in my hand but only had 5 mana. I made an observation (because I'll mutter to myself when playing games) and my opponent scooped prematurely even though I didn't have it. I let him know and he got incredibly pissed and said rude remarks about my integrity, blah blah. Judge gave me the win so it was time for sideboard. I sided in Plummet and Nylea's Disciple and Hornet Queen and took out a Bellower and Rattleclaw Mystics because although he had removal spells, he was very aggressive with his creatures and removal. He sideboarded into Rabblemasters that gummed the ground while Stormbreath and a dashed Kolaghan mucked the air (I killed Stormbreath but Kolaghan stuck after he Thoughtseized my Queen). Game 3 I side in Hornet Nest and take out Elvish Mystic. I mull to a crappy 5, hoping to go Nissa, Courser, then Whisperwood Elemental. I hit Nissa and have 4 lands but my opponent Thoughtseized my Courser. With me being unable to get a 5th land, Kolaghan and Stormbreath kill me quickly.
Post thoughts - I've never topped a serious event like this so I was new to a lot of things. My success could be attributed to winning the die roll almost every game and being top seed but Bellower was always a 2 for 1 that either initiated a board wipe they were sitting on or made removal tricky despite beingthe most criticized card in the deck. Gaea's Revenge is no joke either, card was bonkers when it came out. Only changes I would make with my 77 is finding room for 4 Plummet and 2 Seismic Rupture. Every card did amazing and my deck was good to me. Long live devotion!
Against Abzan Round 2? Bile Blight, Ultimate Price, Silumgar's Scorn, an Ashiok and lands. Bile Blight took out a Fleecemane Lion but from there he slammed a Rakshasa Deathdealer with mana for numerous pumps and Ashiok ate a Downfall the next turn. The abzan deck was a collected company deck so it wasn't the more traditional version at least. Regardless, my jitters over the event were probably to blame and my opponents remarks didn't help me either. I'm pretty demoralized but I constantly find a way to come back every week so I'll just need to man up out of my slump.
I scrubbed out 0-2. Lost Round 1 to Abzan Megamorph. Game 1 I managed to stabilize into Ojutai after timing removal to hit Rakshasa Deathdealer, sided in Tasigur, Bile Blight, Foul Tongue Invocation, and Thoughtseize and died to him curving perfectly. Game 3 ended up a stalemate until Ugin cleared hia Rakshasa. I got him down to 1, he Collected Company for Anafenza on my end step and an attack with her and a top-decked Siege Rhino killed me.
Round 2 was against Atarka red but I didn't draw any Bile Blights and a Hall of Triumph killed me in the second game.
My opponent's attitude turned me off so much in the Abzan game that I bought a Siege Rhino to rip in half, dropped from the event, and I'm seriously contemplating selling my deck until Abzan rotates. I paid $25 to lose 0-2 (knocking me out of Top 8 contention where all the prizes were) and have nothing to show for it despite practicing for weeks. Screw Standard.
Unfortunately my card shop isn't selling cards the day of so I'm stuck with what I got. I added Tasigur to the board but cut an Ultimate Price (now I have 2 main, 1 Side) and a Self-Inflicted Wound (2 in the side). If you could sculpt a good opening 7 against Abzan, what would it look like to you?
If I decided to up my white sources to try to play Glare, what mana changes would you advise?
This is my new sideboard going forward:
2 Ultimate Price
2 Drown in Sorrow
2 Bile Blight
2 Glare of Heresy
3 Self Inflicted Wound
1 Thoughtseize
1 Foul-Tongue Invocation
2 Negate
Mainboard I did -1 Bile Blight and +1 Dragonlord Silumgar. I think losing 1 Bile Blight isn't the biggest deal and in my opinion, Bile is only amazing against Atarka Red. Duress doesn't hit everything that I want and 4 Thoughtseize post board feels more powerful than 3 Thoughtseize and 2 Duress so I made that change. I took the advice of you and the other poster so I'm running a foul tongue in my sideboard and a whopping 4 Ultimate Price between my 75. I'm not confident enough to outright cut the Glares but this tweak feels appropriate. Plus with the new Dragonlord that makes 5 dragons mainboard since ugin does not count sadly.