You might as well run a burn deck instead of using 3 cards and 6 mana to deal 3-6 damage. You use value creatures to make them use more resources then just 3 life for a single creature.
I don't think you actually got what I'm saying. You're not investing 3 cards and 6 mana to deal 3-6 mana. You're playing an indestructible 5/4 for 3 that when a creature you are already going to play dies, you either get to replay it again, or burn for 3 damage to your opponent, who if you're an aggressive type of deck, could very well be unpayable, giving you not only a steady stream of creatures, but inevibility. You're not playing anything you probably wouldn't of already been playing in those colors. Daring Skyjek, Boros Elite, Soldier of the Pantheon, Brimaz. If it's a white/black creature capable of dealing damage, Athreos just makes them better. All those times people would just doom blade Brimaz the turn he comes out, now either wasted their doom blade or at least he got "1" attack in basically.
If you had to invest anything else beyond just him, he obviously wouldn't be as good. That's why he's kind of like Thassa. He turns creatures into something more than they ever would. Now, he's not nearly as good as that, because Thassa could make use of herself becoming unblockable, but like her turning something like a Frostburn Weird from just a "1/4 blocker that 'could' attack for more" into a "4/1 unblockable". It makes weaker cards maybe just that little bit better. You don't need to play a Voice of Resurgence and have it die, get a token, that, won't do anything with Athreos, and will also only add 1 at 2 cmc devotion wise, when you can play something that synergizes more with him.
Also, people saying don't play him in aggro shells, Thassa is played in basically an aggro shell. Mono U Devotion is basically Mono U Aggro because you play low drop aggressive creatures and swing to win. Sure, sometimes she won't do anything the turn she's played, because scrying won't start till next turn, but it's the turns after that, that she starts making up for her being in play. This guy, the turn he comes into play on 3, you can attack and potentially start activating his ability. They block, trade there creature, take 3 more and don't let it go back to your hand. Even if he doesn't ever become a creature, he gives you the reach that sometimes a deck needs. I remember playing WB aggro for awhile, and loosing a lot of games with a few points making the difference. This guy is that last few points.
Who needs a value creature? Every single creature will either return or burn for an extra three on the way out. Even getting back a 1/1 like a Boros Elite becomes value. Not to mention you're in Orzhov Charm colors. So you can have them take three, then just bring it back again with the charm. He gives every creature value.
Yeah, he's much better in an aggressive shell. In control, I'm pretty sure when they ultimate price your Demon, they'll just pay the three, mostly because it's less damage in the long run. But if you're trying to return 3-4 creatures, that damage can add up, really fast. Picture this scenario....
Turn 1: 1 drop. Probably some sort of 2/1. Let's say best case, so you get a turn 1 Soldier of the Pantheon.
Turn 1 O: Scry land.
Turn 2: Play who cares. Another 2/1 one drop, or like a 2/2 2 drop like Cartel Aristicrat. Swing for 2. 20/18.
Turn 2 O: Lets say this is some sort of control deck. They leave open some mana. 2, expect some sort of removal spell probably.
Turn 3: Athreos. Now this forces there removal spell now. Which allows you to make better plays. Obviously next turn something like a detention sphere would suck. But now combat is better for you, because they're taking lightning bolts to the face to trade there creatures in or just giving you your creature back. It becomes an almost unwinabble battle for them if they try to verdict on turn 4 with you having 3 creatures and a Athreos out. It's like, take 9 damage or slow me down a bit. Replay some creatures, swing with a God. I think it's going to be pretty good actually. Not to mention its in Brave the Elements colors, and some of the most aggressive win cards like Brimaz, Precinct Captain, both Angels. This is a good card.
I also don't think that list is exactly the direction you wanna go. The god reminds me a lot of Thassa, in that he can be pretty aggressive and a creature probably more than some other decks. Yeah, the 7 seems scary, but think about it instead as 5, which is just one less than Thassa, but you still get some amazing creatures. Boros Reckoner is like Nightveil, you get Precinct Captain, Cartel Aristicrat, all the worlds best one drops in whatever way you wanna take it. Heavier black gives you the new minotaur and tormented hero. White gives the flying pegasus, Soldier of the Pantheon. The list goes on. You also get Brimaz, new equipment. I always thought the deck needed a good four drop to really be a thing, but after seeing this guy, the deck has all it needs to be amazing already.
@ Cassial - The original list that I started running had a much deeper splash of red. It was GR Devotion, for the explosiveness, but then I wanted to try out a more Planeswalker heavy build. I tried out a few versions over time using stuff like Kioras, Kiora's Follower, Cyclonic Rift, in addition to the usual red cards like Xenogas and stuff. Slowly I started liking the blue much more than the red and started taking out red cards to make the blue splash much more consistent. I always felt really bad when I had a hand of forests, stomping grounds, nykthos, and stuff, and then a Rift, and that rift would just sit there the whole game and I could of won had I been able to produce a single blue. So I guess I just never stopped thinking of it as a RUG Devotion deck even though the red slowly got taken out one by one. Although the more I think about it, splashing for Xenogas as another planeswalker seems really good, and the amount of mana could end up being a lot better than a few of the other cards. Hands without a nykthos seem kind of bad most of the time and I'm wishing I had more mana, so Xenogas could provide that a better control matchup, which seems to be quite bad sometimes preboard. I just don't know what I would take out. I fear taking out creatures makes Garruk worse so I thought about just switching Garruk out for Xenogas, something like,
And also I wanna probably fit in Turn//Burn into the sideboard somewhere for some matchups. Turn just seems like it could be really good against decks trying to go bigger, while burn is good for smaller creature decks where I need to kill off things, and the fuse can just be game ending.
I would like to chime in on this actually as I have been playing a sort of, 'rug' ramp since BotG has been out and it has been doing really well for me.
Over the past three days I have done 3 tournaments and had very successful results. For the most part this list was made for testing with a lot of iffy choices and numbers, and has since then been redone a bit. That list will be at the bottom after the results from this weekend.
- Day 1: FNM Round 1 - Played a GW with Voices and Armada Wurm. Won in two games, basically it comes down to who draws what more. Do I draw more threats or does he draw more Selesnya Charms. I just ended up getting Garruk online and started filling my hand like a mad man. Couldn't keep up against me.
1-0 Round 2 - RB Aggro. Rx based decks are usually my best matchup because there removal is either not big enough burn, or there creatures are just not big enough to get past mine. Not to mention the life gain from Courser is really really good here. All I'm afraid of is Doom Blade/Dreadbore/Ultimate Price, luckily he was heavier red based so I didn't have to worry about Hero's Downfall, and he wasted most of his Dreadbores on Big Poppa' P so Garruk just won me the game.
2-0 Round 3 - Bant Creatures from what I could see. It was probably a more midrange list because he played Supreme Verdicts, but it seemed like he just got stuck on lands in games 2 and 3. I lost the first game because he had 3 rifts so I was never able to Monsterous my Arbor to kill his Archangel. He just overran me from there. Otherwise Arbor did some real good work games 2 and 3.
3-0 Round 4 - Split into top 8. No reason to play it out.
Top 8 Round 1 - Same GW aggro deck from before. Very easy win. Same stuff, just couldn't draw enough Charms to handle all my big creatures. Eventually Kiora ultimate got me there. Round 2 - Mono Black Devotion. This was not fair to him. I won game one because he stumbled on mana, and game 2 I got the turn 1 pithing needle on his pack rat plan and he just couldn't draw out of it. He didn't see a single Lifebane Zombie, otherwise I'm pretty sure I would of lost. Finals - Split, I was tired and wanted to do Games Day the next day
- Day 2: Games Day
At my local store, they have a challenge where if you win with 2 event decks combined, you get a free box along with the usual prizes, and knowing that the event decks were black based with Doom Blades and Ultimate Prices, I was a little worried. Luckily through all the swiss and top 8, I didn't face a single event deck. Round 1 - Mono Black Devotion. I did face MBD though. He beat me 1-2, I just couldn't handle a turn one Thoughtseize, into turn two Pack Rat into Turn 3 Lifebane into turn 4 Thoughtseize Make rats plan. My hand was nothing and he had an active rat. Bad matchup.
0-1 Round 2 - This poor GW kid from yesterday again, I again just beat him. I don't know if this matchup is actually really good or this kid just draws really bad against me, but I just Poly'd his board and swung for insane amounts of damage.
1-1 Round 3 - Bant Control. This matchup isn't so good pre-board, but having access to blue mana means that I get Gainsay and Mistcutter Hydras. Game 1 I just overwhelmed him and he didn't see enough verdicts. Game 2 He tried to Sphinx's at the right moment and I just had the gainsay into the next turn Mistcutter for your dead.
2-1 Round 4 - RB Minotaurs. Yeah, I didn't know decks like this existed, but I just treated it like a Rx aggro/burn deck. The only thing was Reckoners were a bit of a problem, luckily he only ever saw one and Kiora kept it on lockdown until I got the Cyclonic to clear the board and swing with the win.
3-1
3-1 was good enough to get into the top 8. Winner gets the Champion playmate! Quarterfinals - Monoblue Devotion. The dude was kind of a ********. Turn 4 I syncopated his Master off of a 2 Cloudfin draw and he looked at me like I was the biggest cheater in existence. I use to play mono blue and knew that he was going to play something big turn 4. Welcome to the world of playing rogue. Game 2 I just mistcutter'd him to death. I don't think he knows how to use Rapid Hybridization against a mist cutter. Oh well
1-0 Semifinals - RW Burn. Really nice guy, first time in the top 4 of anything at the shop, but I have tested against him a lot, so I knew his deck inside and out, and he knew mine, so he didn't look very happy when I sat down. Pretty much went how it did every other time. He'd get a Satyr Firedancer online and hope that it could carry him, I got a Kiora and he just got sad. Gained some life from lands, and won with a big smashing dude. Same went for game 2, only this time I had even more life gain.
2-0 Finals- GW Aggro. This time the dude knew what I was playing, and yet, every time he drew a charm, used it to boost his guys, leaving me with giant creatures. Maybe people forget how to play charm, but I really still don't think that GW aggro is that good of a matchup for me. Regardless I swept the dude 2-0. Both games just got crazy with an online Kiora. To good.
So at this point I was two for two for winning, and the next day was a SCG IQ. All my friends wanted to go, so I decided why not?
- Sunday: SCG IQ Round 1 - I won't go much into this. Young woman, had no idea how to play magic really. She told me what she was side boarding and asked me how to selesyna charm. I felt kind of bad.
1-0 Round 2 - Bant Control?? I put ?'s because he played a Brimaz game 1 and game 2 his only creature the whole game was a Sylvan Caratyid, so I was really confused at what he was trying to do. Swept him 2-0. He Simic charmed my Courser like twice, and I never really knew why. Sylvan Primordial was a house against detention sphere and opposing Kioras.
2-0 Round 3 - Esper Humans. How do I put this, 3 Ghost Dads. Yeah, I lost that game. Game 1 I beat him with the classic turn 2 Sylvan Primordial into turn 3 scoop my cards. Game 2 lost to 3 Ghost Daddies, which was nuts, and game 3 I stumbled on land.
2-1 Round 4 - Monoblack Devotion. Lost to my last Monoblack devotion match, so I was determined not to this time. Game one he attacked his Nightveil into my Arbor, I don't think he realized it had Reach till it was far to late. Game 2, he kept a 2 lander and a pack rat hand with a mull to five. The pithing needle on pack rat just won it all for me.
3-1 Round 5 - RW Burn. Lets just say I forgot how Boros Reckoner worked. I killed myself. Lots of misplays on my part. I wasn't to happy about it. This was the game that made me realize a lot of my decks weaknesses.
3-2 Round 6 - Monoblack Devotion. Winner would most definitely at least be top 16, loser had a very slim chance. He swept me in 2. It was pretty brutal. Thoughtseize on a threat light hand just really really hurt me to much. I could never get back into the games.
3-3
Luckily for me, whoever was 16th place must of dropped, because I got 17th and was bumped up to 16th, so at least I made money. So I wasn't completely sad.
Overrall I love this deck. I do. Kiora is amazing and I have lived the dream of turn 2 Primordial on the play to blow up there turn 1 scry land. So good. As far as to what I would play tomorrow?
This is my updated list. I found Zegana to be a way worse Garruk most of the time. Or every time I would wish she was a Kiora. Kiora is amazing. She is by far my favorite part of the deck and I was never disappointed to draw her. So so so good, especially against burn and even against mono black devotion if they don't have a downfall. I would always wish a primordial was an Arbor, because it's a faster better reacher against flyers, like Archangel and Nightveils and Demons. But I still love the Primordial for utility. Syncopates wasn't as good as I thought, and has become the third Rift and a Kiora. Took a Courser out for a Satyr. The life is good, but with more Kioras, I'm not taking nearly as much damage and the mana ramp is way better. The turn 2 BTE into Satyr can make for some fun turn 3 plays, of which include primordial. Curse of Swine isn't nearly what I wanted compared to Rapid Hybridization. More Mistcutters are good too. It's good not only against MUD, but against most variations of Bant because there only removal is Detention Sphere.
I am super fond of ub control, and I know it probably has a place in upcoming standard. I completely agree with the guy above me. Less opportunity, it clogs up the early game an can lead to not enough removal or survival hands against Rdw. Look into maybe wring flesh as a pseudo tragic slip. It has te benefit if you play omenspeaker to allow it to trade a lot more with things such as ash zealot etc.
After seeing the new Soldier of the Pantheon spoiled, I decided to try and put together a decent white weenie list; I don't expect it to be top tier or anything but it could be a fun and hopefully decently viable option for new or budget minded players. Here's what I got:
Thoughts? I'm not too impressed with Ajani's Sunstriker but I can't really think of a better 2 drop at this point. And he at least gives 2 devotion.
Sadly Sunstriker is rotating once Theros comes out, so it's not much of an actual option. Maybe look into other one drops? Dyrad Militant, Judge's Familiar are really good white weenie one drops. There's also that new 1 drop heroic 1/2, and the 2 drop 1/1 with heroic, which at the moment don't seem like the best things in the world without a way to abuse Heroic, but if you put a few spells that target like the new Pro instant and maybe splash for a charm or something, they can turn a team of weenies into champions.
CheshireBear 1GU
Legendary Creature - Trickster Bear
Vanishing 4
When CheshireBear enters or leaves the battlefield, each player draws a card. UT: Discard a card, untap target attacking creature, that creature deals no combat damage this turn. GT: Place a +1/+1 counter on target creature, that creature's opponent draws a card.
0/3
Thought vanishing would only be appropiate, he comes, gives everyone a little advice, then messes with people, only to leave with a little touch more, and then repeats it again and again. Doesn't really win on his own, but I think he'd be a lot of fun in a more fun mulitplayer game that's all about playing politics.
Personally: Renegade Krasis looks like it'll be the most fun to try and fit into a list. It and Gyre Sage/X-One and other misc. evolve dudes might be something maybe one day. But it's not really a deck atm....
Actual Decks: I think so far UWR has gotten a lot of interesting tools to test and try out in
- Ral Zarek
- That new Meddling Council, could be amazing in mirrors or just for hosing cards/making yours better
- Turn/Burn. I really think it should be played in anything with ur in it. A unconditional removal that makes thragtusk look silly while also possibly being an amazing combat trick to 2 for 1 your opponent. I'll take a few please
- That r/w fuse card seems like an interesting sideboard card. Stops artifacts and enchantments all in one card. Dunno.
- And there's also the Azorius champion, who doesn't look horrible, and might have a small chance at md maybe sb depending on how the meta develops. I like her personally, but she might be a tad to expensive for what she does.
Pretty much, I'm excited to be a uwr player and hoping we get even better things with Boros Champion, maybe an Electrolyze reprint? Lightning Helix lol? A guy can dream
I actually just took the deck to a first place finish this last Friday. Afterwards I have a few changes in mind that would help the rough matches. Here's the list I played, no changes.
After playing. I'm thinking the Frontlines could go main over the Silverblade Paladins. I had a lot of people trying to keep trading with the Geist and the Silverblade was a little difficult to cast sometimes. Also, I think the deck needs a few more white sources. Might drop a Hinterland for another Sunpetal. Also, I want to find room for Restoration Angel, because she is nuts with Master Biomancer. Turn 2 Geist, turn 3 Master Biomancer, turn 4 angel blink on Giest, make it a 4/4 and get a 5/6 flyer.
Tonight I took my pet deck I've been working on to FNM and rocked the competition. It's a Bant Zoo list I'm pretty much in love with. It could use some fine tuning and the sideboard needs some work, but so far it's been performing really well. I'll edit the list into my post in a bit.
Just let me say I think you're really missing out by not playing Loxodon Smiter somewhere in your 60. It's a really good solid beater when combined with pretty much any spell is going to just either wreck face or force your opponent to overcommit to trying to take it out.
A lot of people didn't seem to have anything new, but that didn't stop a lot of people from trying. I saw a gruul werewolf deck, a bunch of naya. And then probably mine as most innovative with bant biomancer. Overall, assemble the legion was the weirdest card I saw from the naya deck that got first
I went 3-1 for fourth on Friday with a Bant Zoo-ish list. What I played/took away
Round 1 : Selesnya Aggro 2-0
Poor guy didn't really have any new Gatecrash cards, and he didn't have very many good Ravnica cards to begin with. Played Dreadbridge as one of his main finishers along with Predator Oooze, which sounds really strong, minus the part where I curved perfectly from Cloudfin Raptor into Master Biomancer/Geist of St. Traft and just Selesnya Charm'd his Ooze when it got Rancor'd.
Round 2: 4 Color StatiPeddler 0-2
Got rocked by the combo. For some reason I never saw a Geist of St. Traft or a Rapid Hybridization in any of the games and just folded. Realized I'm low on creature removal in my 75. Maybe some Detention Spheres?
Round 3: Gruul Werewolves 2-0
Resident dude who thinks werewolves are still a thing. Once I got Master Biomancer online, the game was just mine. This card is nuts with Geist of St. Traft and Garruk Relentless.
Round 4: Rakdos Aggro 2-1
This is where my amazing sideboard tech of Simic Manipulator and Blind Obediance did so much work. He won the die roll and the first game, just couldn't catch up against all four of his Shred Freaks back to back. Games 2 and 3, Blind Obediance made his deck into a laughing stock. He tried Lightning Mauler and didn't remember it came into play tapped. I felt bad, but it wouldn't of mattered anyway.
Overall, I learned a few things from playing...
1. Master Biomancer and Geist of St. Traft is an amazing combo with Cloudfin Raptor. Having it evolve to a 5/6 on average just makes me laugh. Also makes all late top decks to much better. Token producers like Garruk Relentless get so much better. 4/4 wolf every turn? Yes please
2. Simic Charm is also amazing. The +3/+3 is actually what I ended up using the most with some Hexproof thrown in. Amazing to use it to protect against an Oblivion Ring and laugh because ALL your stuff is Hexproof. So good.
3. Blind Obedience. Did exactly what I thought it was going to do. Stop anything with Haste like Aristicrat and Thundermaw and at the same time give me a little more reach to last long enough to win the war against anything aggressive.
I really think Gatecrash has a lot more to explore, and I'm sure next Friday there will be a lot more decks with a lot more Gatecrash cards.
I don't think you actually got what I'm saying. You're not investing 3 cards and 6 mana to deal 3-6 mana. You're playing an indestructible 5/4 for 3 that when a creature you are already going to play dies, you either get to replay it again, or burn for 3 damage to your opponent, who if you're an aggressive type of deck, could very well be unpayable, giving you not only a steady stream of creatures, but inevibility. You're not playing anything you probably wouldn't of already been playing in those colors. Daring Skyjek, Boros Elite, Soldier of the Pantheon, Brimaz. If it's a white/black creature capable of dealing damage, Athreos just makes them better. All those times people would just doom blade Brimaz the turn he comes out, now either wasted their doom blade or at least he got "1" attack in basically.
If you had to invest anything else beyond just him, he obviously wouldn't be as good. That's why he's kind of like Thassa. He turns creatures into something more than they ever would. Now, he's not nearly as good as that, because Thassa could make use of herself becoming unblockable, but like her turning something like a Frostburn Weird from just a "1/4 blocker that 'could' attack for more" into a "4/1 unblockable". It makes weaker cards maybe just that little bit better. You don't need to play a Voice of Resurgence and have it die, get a token, that, won't do anything with Athreos, and will also only add 1 at 2 cmc devotion wise, when you can play something that synergizes more with him.
Also, people saying don't play him in aggro shells, Thassa is played in basically an aggro shell. Mono U Devotion is basically Mono U Aggro because you play low drop aggressive creatures and swing to win. Sure, sometimes she won't do anything the turn she's played, because scrying won't start till next turn, but it's the turns after that, that she starts making up for her being in play. This guy, the turn he comes into play on 3, you can attack and potentially start activating his ability. They block, trade there creature, take 3 more and don't let it go back to your hand. Even if he doesn't ever become a creature, he gives you the reach that sometimes a deck needs. I remember playing WB aggro for awhile, and loosing a lot of games with a few points making the difference. This guy is that last few points.
Turn 1: 1 drop. Probably some sort of 2/1. Let's say best case, so you get a turn 1 Soldier of the Pantheon.
Turn 1 O: Scry land.
Turn 2: Play who cares. Another 2/1 one drop, or like a 2/2 2 drop like Cartel Aristicrat. Swing for 2. 20/18.
Turn 2 O: Lets say this is some sort of control deck. They leave open some mana. 2, expect some sort of removal spell probably.
Turn 3: Athreos. Now this forces there removal spell now. Which allows you to make better plays. Obviously next turn something like a detention sphere would suck. But now combat is better for you, because they're taking lightning bolts to the face to trade there creatures in or just giving you your creature back. It becomes an almost unwinabble battle for them if they try to verdict on turn 4 with you having 3 creatures and a Athreos out. It's like, take 9 damage or slow me down a bit. Replay some creatures, swing with a God. I think it's going to be pretty good actually. Not to mention its in Brave the Elements colors, and some of the most aggressive win cards like Brimaz, Precinct Captain, both Angels. This is a good card.
- 2 Garruk, Caller of Beasts
- 5 Forest
+ 4 Stomping Grounds
+ 1 Temple of Abanadon
+ 2 Xenogas, the Reveler
And also I wanna probably fit in Turn//Burn into the sideboard somewhere for some matchups. Turn just seems like it could be really good against decks trying to go bigger, while burn is good for smaller creature decks where I need to kill off things, and the fuse can just be game ending.
For starters, the deck list...
Over the past three days I have done 3 tournaments and had very successful results. For the most part this list was made for testing with a lot of iffy choices and numbers, and has since then been redone a bit. That list will be at the bottom after the results from this weekend.
- Day 1: FNM
Round 1 - Played a GW with Voices and Armada Wurm. Won in two games, basically it comes down to who draws what more. Do I draw more threats or does he draw more Selesnya Charms. I just ended up getting Garruk online and started filling my hand like a mad man. Couldn't keep up against me.
1-0
Round 2 - RB Aggro. Rx based decks are usually my best matchup because there removal is either not big enough burn, or there creatures are just not big enough to get past mine. Not to mention the life gain from Courser is really really good here. All I'm afraid of is Doom Blade/Dreadbore/Ultimate Price, luckily he was heavier red based so I didn't have to worry about Hero's Downfall, and he wasted most of his Dreadbores on Big Poppa' P so Garruk just won me the game.
2-0
Round 3 - Bant Creatures from what I could see. It was probably a more midrange list because he played Supreme Verdicts, but it seemed like he just got stuck on lands in games 2 and 3. I lost the first game because he had 3 rifts so I was never able to Monsterous my Arbor to kill his Archangel. He just overran me from there. Otherwise Arbor did some real good work games 2 and 3.
3-0
Round 4 - Split into top 8. No reason to play it out.
Top 8
Round 1 - Same GW aggro deck from before. Very easy win. Same stuff, just couldn't draw enough Charms to handle all my big creatures. Eventually Kiora ultimate got me there.
Round 2 - Mono Black Devotion. This was not fair to him. I won game one because he stumbled on mana, and game 2 I got the turn 1 pithing needle on his pack rat plan and he just couldn't draw out of it. He didn't see a single Lifebane Zombie, otherwise I'm pretty sure I would of lost.
Finals - Split, I was tired and wanted to do Games Day the next day
- Day 2: Games Day
At my local store, they have a challenge where if you win with 2 event decks combined, you get a free box along with the usual prizes, and knowing that the event decks were black based with Doom Blades and Ultimate Prices, I was a little worried. Luckily through all the swiss and top 8, I didn't face a single event deck.
Round 1 - Mono Black Devotion. I did face MBD though. He beat me 1-2, I just couldn't handle a turn one Thoughtseize, into turn two Pack Rat into Turn 3 Lifebane into turn 4 Thoughtseize Make rats plan. My hand was nothing and he had an active rat. Bad matchup.
0-1
Round 2 - This poor GW kid from yesterday again, I again just beat him. I don't know if this matchup is actually really good or this kid just draws really bad against me, but I just Poly'd his board and swung for insane amounts of damage.
1-1
Round 3 - Bant Control. This matchup isn't so good pre-board, but having access to blue mana means that I get Gainsay and Mistcutter Hydras. Game 1 I just overwhelmed him and he didn't see enough verdicts. Game 2 He tried to Sphinx's at the right moment and I just had the gainsay into the next turn Mistcutter for your dead.
2-1
Round 4 - RB Minotaurs. Yeah, I didn't know decks like this existed, but I just treated it like a Rx aggro/burn deck. The only thing was Reckoners were a bit of a problem, luckily he only ever saw one and Kiora kept it on lockdown until I got the Cyclonic to clear the board and swing with the win.
3-1
3-1 was good enough to get into the top 8. Winner gets the Champion playmate!
Quarterfinals - Monoblue Devotion. The dude was kind of a ********. Turn 4 I syncopated his Master off of a 2 Cloudfin draw and he looked at me like I was the biggest cheater in existence. I use to play mono blue and knew that he was going to play something big turn 4. Welcome to the world of playing rogue. Game 2 I just mistcutter'd him to death. I don't think he knows how to use Rapid Hybridization against a mist cutter. Oh well
1-0
Semifinals - RW Burn. Really nice guy, first time in the top 4 of anything at the shop, but I have tested against him a lot, so I knew his deck inside and out, and he knew mine, so he didn't look very happy when I sat down. Pretty much went how it did every other time. He'd get a Satyr Firedancer online and hope that it could carry him, I got a Kiora and he just got sad. Gained some life from lands, and won with a big smashing dude. Same went for game 2, only this time I had even more life gain.
2-0
Finals- GW Aggro. This time the dude knew what I was playing, and yet, every time he drew a charm, used it to boost his guys, leaving me with giant creatures. Maybe people forget how to play charm, but I really still don't think that GW aggro is that good of a matchup for me. Regardless I swept the dude 2-0. Both games just got crazy with an online Kiora. To good.
So at this point I was two for two for winning, and the next day was a SCG IQ. All my friends wanted to go, so I decided why not?
- Sunday: SCG IQ
Round 1 - I won't go much into this. Young woman, had no idea how to play magic really. She told me what she was side boarding and asked me how to selesyna charm. I felt kind of bad.
1-0
Round 2 - Bant Control?? I put ?'s because he played a Brimaz game 1 and game 2 his only creature the whole game was a Sylvan Caratyid, so I was really confused at what he was trying to do. Swept him 2-0. He Simic charmed my Courser like twice, and I never really knew why. Sylvan Primordial was a house against detention sphere and opposing Kioras.
2-0
Round 3 - Esper Humans. How do I put this, 3 Ghost Dads. Yeah, I lost that game. Game 1 I beat him with the classic turn 2 Sylvan Primordial into turn 3 scoop my cards. Game 2 lost to 3 Ghost Daddies, which was nuts, and game 3 I stumbled on land.
2-1
Round 4 - Monoblack Devotion. Lost to my last Monoblack devotion match, so I was determined not to this time. Game one he attacked his Nightveil into my Arbor, I don't think he realized it had Reach till it was far to late. Game 2, he kept a 2 lander and a pack rat hand with a mull to five. The pithing needle on pack rat just won it all for me.
3-1
Round 5 - RW Burn. Lets just say I forgot how Boros Reckoner worked. I killed myself. Lots of misplays on my part. I wasn't to happy about it. This was the game that made me realize a lot of my decks weaknesses.
3-2
Round 6 - Monoblack Devotion. Winner would most definitely at least be top 16, loser had a very slim chance. He swept me in 2. It was pretty brutal. Thoughtseize on a threat light hand just really really hurt me to much. I could never get back into the games.
3-3
Luckily for me, whoever was 16th place must of dropped, because I got 17th and was bumped up to 16th, so at least I made money. So I wasn't completely sad.
Overrall I love this deck. I do. Kiora is amazing and I have lived the dream of turn 2 Primordial on the play to blow up there turn 1 scry land. So good. As far as to what I would play tomorrow?
This is my updated list. I found Zegana to be a way worse Garruk most of the time. Or every time I would wish she was a Kiora. Kiora is amazing. She is by far my favorite part of the deck and I was never disappointed to draw her. So so so good, especially against burn and even against mono black devotion if they don't have a downfall. I would always wish a primordial was an Arbor, because it's a faster better reacher against flyers, like Archangel and Nightveils and Demons. But I still love the Primordial for utility. Syncopates wasn't as good as I thought, and has become the third Rift and a Kiora. Took a Courser out for a Satyr. The life is good, but with more Kioras, I'm not taking nearly as much damage and the mana ramp is way better. The turn 2 BTE into Satyr can make for some fun turn 3 plays, of which include primordial. Curse of Swine isn't nearly what I wanted compared to Rapid Hybridization. More Mistcutters are good too. It's good not only against MUD, but against most variations of Bant because there only removal is Detention Sphere.
Sadly Sunstriker is rotating once Theros comes out, so it's not much of an actual option. Maybe look into other one drops? Dyrad Militant, Judge's Familiar are really good white weenie one drops. There's also that new 1 drop heroic 1/2, and the 2 drop 1/1 with heroic, which at the moment don't seem like the best things in the world without a way to abuse Heroic, but if you put a few spells that target like the new Pro instant and maybe splash for a charm or something, they can turn a team of weenies into champions.
1GU
Legendary Creature - Trickster Bear
Vanishing 4
When CheshireBear enters or leaves the battlefield, each player draws a card.
UT: Discard a card, untap target attacking creature, that creature deals no combat damage this turn.
GT: Place a +1/+1 counter on target creature, that creature's opponent draws a card.
0/3
Thought vanishing would only be appropiate, he comes, gives everyone a little advice, then messes with people, only to leave with a little touch more, and then repeats it again and again. Doesn't really win on his own, but I think he'd be a lot of fun in a more fun mulitplayer game that's all about playing politics.
Actual Decks: I think so far UWR has gotten a lot of interesting tools to test and try out in
- Ral Zarek
- That new Meddling Council, could be amazing in mirrors or just for hosing cards/making yours better
- Turn/Burn. I really think it should be played in anything with ur in it. A unconditional removal that makes thragtusk look silly while also possibly being an amazing combat trick to 2 for 1 your opponent. I'll take a few please
- That r/w fuse card seems like an interesting sideboard card. Stops artifacts and enchantments all in one card. Dunno.
- And there's also the Azorius champion, who doesn't look horrible, and might have a small chance at md maybe sb depending on how the meta develops. I like her personally, but she might be a tad to expensive for what she does.
Pretty much, I'm excited to be a uwr player and hoping we get even better things with Boros Champion, maybe an Electrolyze reprint? Lightning Helix lol? A guy can dream
I actually just took the deck to a first place finish this last Friday. Afterwards I have a few changes in mind that would help the rough matches. Here's the list I played, no changes.
Creatures
Spells
Lands
Sideboard
After playing. I'm thinking the Frontlines could go main over the Silverblade Paladins. I had a lot of people trying to keep trading with the Geist and the Silverblade was a little difficult to cast sometimes. Also, I think the deck needs a few more white sources. Might drop a Hinterland for another Sunpetal. Also, I want to find room for Restoration Angel, because she is nuts with Master Biomancer. Turn 2 Geist, turn 3 Master Biomancer, turn 4 angel blink on Giest, make it a 4/4 and get a 5/6 flyer.
Just let me say I think you're really missing out by not playing Loxodon Smiter somewhere in your 60. It's a really good solid beater when combined with pretty much any spell is going to just either wreck face or force your opponent to overcommit to trying to take it out.
Round 1 : Selesnya Aggro 2-0
Poor guy didn't really have any new Gatecrash cards, and he didn't have very many good Ravnica cards to begin with. Played Dreadbridge as one of his main finishers along with Predator Oooze, which sounds really strong, minus the part where I curved perfectly from Cloudfin Raptor into Master Biomancer/Geist of St. Traft and just Selesnya Charm'd his Ooze when it got Rancor'd.
Round 2: 4 Color StatiPeddler 0-2
Got rocked by the combo. For some reason I never saw a Geist of St. Traft or a Rapid Hybridization in any of the games and just folded. Realized I'm low on creature removal in my 75. Maybe some Detention Spheres?
Round 3: Gruul Werewolves 2-0
Resident dude who thinks werewolves are still a thing. Once I got Master Biomancer online, the game was just mine. This card is nuts with Geist of St. Traft and Garruk Relentless.
Round 4: Rakdos Aggro 2-1
This is where my amazing sideboard tech of Simic Manipulator and Blind Obediance did so much work. He won the die roll and the first game, just couldn't catch up against all four of his Shred Freaks back to back. Games 2 and 3, Blind Obediance made his deck into a laughing stock. He tried Lightning Mauler and didn't remember it came into play tapped. I felt bad, but it wouldn't of mattered anyway.
Overall, I learned a few things from playing...
1. Master Biomancer and Geist of St. Traft is an amazing combo with Cloudfin Raptor. Having it evolve to a 5/6 on average just makes me laugh. Also makes all late top decks to much better. Token producers like Garruk Relentless get so much better. 4/4 wolf every turn? Yes please
2. Simic Charm is also amazing. The +3/+3 is actually what I ended up using the most with some Hexproof thrown in. Amazing to use it to protect against an Oblivion Ring and laugh because ALL your stuff is Hexproof. So good.
3. Blind Obedience. Did exactly what I thought it was going to do. Stop anything with Haste like Aristicrat and Thundermaw and at the same time give me a little more reach to last long enough to win the war against anything aggressive.
I really think Gatecrash has a lot more to explore, and I'm sure next Friday there will be a lot more decks with a lot more Gatecrash cards.