Without Green casting Gideon and Worship reliably (or early on turn 3) becomes more problematic.
The deck also loses the good Manlands (outside of Mutavault) and the late game Gavony Township.
Knights aren't usually fast enough to win with creatures on turn 4 (the Aggro plan).
So the plan becomes to assemble the combo and protect it while slowly grinding out a winning board position or making the opponent scoop because he can't win.
How would you build a deck like this ?
What would you play as your finisher/win-con ?
Blade of the Bloodchief is more suited for midrange Vampire beatdown decks in my opinion, this deck doesn't usually win by creature damage so it doesn't seem very good here.
Paying 2 mana every turn to activate Vampiric Rites instead of casting more creatures makes it a big tempo loss in my opinion, it's probably a better idea to use Viscera Seer and Cartel Aristocrat + Grim Haruspex for the same effect.
Falkenrath Aristocrat doesn't seem impactful enough as a 4-drop to me and is less efficient as a sac.outlet than the cheaper options.
4. War Falcon is really worth considering in my opinion, it's rather easy to "activate" and gives much needed evasion to the deck, or can block an early flipped Delver that can race us (or Affinity's fliers and Blinkmoth/Inkmoth).
Since our deck can't really win long matches before sideboarding the appropriate hate cards I would rather run War Falcon over Figure of Destiny (which can be a big tempo loss if removed).
5. Another card which can be interesting for attrition matches is Silver-Inlaid Dagger which can make any human a big threat and keep us from overextending against controling decks.
Other equipment options are: Basilisk Collar (against big midrange decks and lifegain against burn)
and Captain's Claws (supports the Allies's sub-theme and fills the board).
Veteran's Armaments is also interesting with all the Soldiers in the deck and can be equipped for free (or be a finisher in a clogged board on a War Falcon).
Since when card draw is bad in a combo deck ?
The more you draw the more you can cast and the easier it is to find the relevant cards (sac.outlet, drain creature, recursion spell).
The deck also loses the good Manlands (outside of Mutavault) and the late game Gavony Township.
I decided to move Rebuff the Wicked to the sideboard (instead of True Believer) and replaced it with Faith's Shield.
Knights aren't usually fast enough to win with creatures on turn 4 (the Aggro plan).
So the plan becomes to assemble the combo and protect it while slowly grinding out a winning board position or making the opponent scoop because he can't win.
How would you build a deck like this ?
What would you play as your finisher/win-con ?
Eternal Witness, Noble Hierarch and Nature's Claim/Melira, Sylvok Outcast.
What can replace them ?
Sun Titan needs more lands/mana dorks and can't get back Worship.
Auramancer seems rather narrow.
Emeria, the Sky Ruin and Forbidding Watchtower/Mutavault (non-bo with Suppression Field) come to mind as well.
What can replace Rebuff the Wicked ?
Maybe Faith's Shield ? (It can't counter discard and edict)
I thought about Emerge Unscathed but it can't protect Worship.
There is also Eight-and-a-Half-Tails but it seems rather slow.
Elspeth, Knight Errant and Heliod, God of the Sun might fit in as well.
Doesn't seem very good to me.
I would rather Sac' and recur Black Cat or use Cry of Contrition to "Haunt" a creature.
And discard is mainly a sideboard option in an Aristocrats deck as I see it (mainly Thoughtseize and Inquisition of Kozilek).
2x Eternal Witness
2x Knight Exemplar
4x Knight of the Holy Nimbus
3x Knight of the White Orchid
4x Mirran Crusader
4x Noble Hierarch
3x Paladin en-Vec
3x Stillmoon Cavalier
Enchantment (4)
4x Worship
Planeswalker (1)
1x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2x Gavony Township
2x Plains
4x Razorverge Thicket
3x Stirring Wildwood
4x Temple Garden
1x Treetop Village
4x Windswept Heath
Instant (10)
3x Brave the Elements
4x Path to Exile
3x Faith's Shield
2x Dismember
1x Mark of Asylum
1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
3x Nature's Claim
1x Nevermore
1x Tormod's Crypt
2x Spellskite
2x Stony Silence
2x Rebuff the Wicked
What do you think ?
Any other green cards that can help ?
(Garruk Wildspeaker, Ajani, Mentor of Heroes, Harmonize, Steward of Valeron)
With all the defensive abilities they have it might just work.
I would take out Olivia Voldaren and the Planeswalkers as they are rather slow.
I wouldn't play more than 2x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth as well.
Other possible inclusions: Stromkirk Noble, Guul Draz Vampire and Blade of the Bloodchief.
I would go for a build like this:
4x Bloodghast
2x Captivating Vampire
2x Drana, Liberator of Malakir
4x Kalastria Highborn
4x Stromkirk Captain
4x Vampire Lacerator
2x Vampire Nighthawk
4x Viscera Seer
Sorcery (4)
4x Inquisition of Kozilek
4x Æther Vial
Land (20)
4x Blackcleave Cliffs
4x Blood Crypt
4x Bloodstained Mire
1x Mountain
4x Mutavault
1x Swamp
2x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Instant (6)
4x Lightning Bolt
2x Terminate
4x Kolaghan's Command
4x Thoughtseize
2x Dismember
2x Terminate
2x Shattering Spree
1x Nihil Spellbomb
Paying 2 mana every turn to activate Vampiric Rites instead of casting more creatures makes it a big tempo loss in my opinion, it's probably a better idea to use Viscera Seer and Cartel Aristocrat + Grim Haruspex for the same effect.
Falkenrath Aristocrat doesn't seem impactful enough as a 4-drop to me and is less efficient as a sac.outlet than the cheaper options.
I've been rather pleased with War Falcon so far, but I didn't test the equipment yet.
2. If Thalia becomes less relevant I think Honor of the Pure should be one of the best 2-drop options, I'd take it over Imposing Sovereign.
3. Blind Obedience is basically only good against decks where Stony Silence will do a better job in my opinion.
4. War Falcon is really worth considering in my opinion, it's rather easy to "activate" and gives much needed evasion to the deck, or can block an early flipped Delver that can race us (or Affinity's fliers and Blinkmoth/Inkmoth).
Since our deck can't really win long matches before sideboarding the appropriate hate cards I would rather run War Falcon over Figure of Destiny (which can be a big tempo loss if removed).
5. Another card which can be interesting for attrition matches is Silver-Inlaid Dagger which can make any human a big threat and keep us from overextending against controling decks.
Other equipment options are: Basilisk Collar (against big midrange decks and lifegain against burn)
and Captain's Claws (supports the Allies's sub-theme and fills the board).
Veteran's Armaments is also interesting with all the Soldiers in the deck and can be equipped for free (or be a finisher in a clogged board on a War Falcon).
The more you draw the more you can cast and the easier it is to find the relevant cards (sac.outlet, drain creature, recursion spell).
Talking about Grim Haruspex, I think that I've found a place for him in an all-in combo list.
I've also added the Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit+Safehold Elite combo to it
and removed: Geralf's Messenger, Pawn of Ulamog and Carrier Thrall.
Here it is:
3x Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
4x Blood Artist
4x Cartel Aristocrat
4x Doomed Traveler
3x Grim Haruspex
4x Safehold Elite
1x Teysa, Orzhov Scion
4x Viscera Seer
4x Zulaport Cutthroat
4x Flagstones of Trokair
4x Godless Shrine
1x Isolated Chapel
4x Plains
4x Polluted Delta
3x Swamp
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4x Rally the Ancestors
Sorcery (4)
4x Return to the Ranks
1. Any new cards from the last sets that can be good in this ?
2. To speed up the deck
(cast Fabled Hero earlier, or cast a creature and hold mana for Emerge Unscathed/Prey's Vengeance)
I consider adding Birds of Paradise (Noble Hierarch is better but too expensive and without evasion),
is it a good idea ?
3. Here are some interesting Heroic-enablers that I came across:
Cauldron Haze, Bathe in Light, Test of Faith, Apostle's Blessing, Faith's Shield, Warriors' Lesson and Travel Preparations, are any of them worth playing ? (in Mb/Sb)
4. Are Runechanter's Pike and Wild Defiance good in this deck or are they too slow ?
I've made some small changes to the deck:
1. Abzan Falconer was replaced with Bramblewood Paragon which is cheaper and synergises with Seeker of the Way.
2. Feat of Resistance was replaced by the more versatile Dromoka's Command.
Here is the current version of the deck:
2x Bramblewood Paragon
4x Fabled Hero
4x Favored Hoplite
4x Phalanx Leader
4x Quirion Dryad
4x Seeker of the Way
2x Hardened Scales
Instant (16)
3x Dromoka's Command
4x Emerge Unscathed
3x Gods Willing
4x Prey's Vengeance
2x Vines of Vastwood
2x Canopy Vista
1x Forest
5x Plains
4x Razorverge Thicket
4x Temple Garden
4x Windswept Heath