Explore got some pieces in Rivals of Ixalan, so the deck might be decent. Most of the explore decks I've seen have been BG, but I decided to go with blue for a couple reasons.
So I played some matches, and the deck definitely isn't there yet. The main problem seems to be the lack of good threats. Gifted Aetherborn and Deathgorge Scavenger are good, but Tocatli Honor Guard and Kinjalli's Sunwing are just very bad in too many matchups and there was nothing in the side to really switch them out for. Maybe in big tournaments, the metas will be more focused, but online it seems too random for a pure hate deck to really work.
I'd like to add blue for Glimmer of Genius, so we can do something when we have (or are bluffing) Cast Out or Settle. Also, Spell Piercewould be good in the side.
I've put the deck together but haven't played any games yet. I'll post results whenever I find time to play some.
Tocatli Honor Guard wrecks your own Bristling Hydra, Glint-Sleeve Siphoner, Rogue Refiner, Rishkar and Verdurous Gearhulk hard. If you play it, you may need to kill it.
Maybe I just like a challenge.
I definitely didn't just completely miss those interactions. lol
Apologies, then. I assumed that you thought it was an asymnetric effect. But please let me know if it works. Because if it's good, I'm even stupider than I think I am and I need to learn something.
My analysis based on moderate experience with Bestiary and hardly any with Sanctuary.
Shapers Sanctuary vs Lifecrafter's Bestiary
SS cheaper and easier to resolve, better against removal and don't block effects (aggro, midrange). More durable, as enchantments don't have much hate.
LB better against counterspells and sweepers (control)
Meta-dependant? Which matchup do you want the help against?
My bad. I was joking. I did totally miss how it would interact with my own cards.
As far as Shapers' Sanctuary versus Lifecrafter's Bestiary, having no experience with either, Sanctuary seems much better. Bestiary requires so much more mana for only a little situational upside and could get blown out by Abrade. I don't think trying to out card advantage Control will work, and you'll end up giving up too much tempo.
Tocatli Honor Guard wrecks your own Bristling Hydra, Glint-Sleeve Siphoner, Rogue Refiner, Rishkar and Verdurous Gearhulk hard. If you play it, you may need to kill it.
Maybe I just like a challenge.
I definitely didn't just completely miss those interactions. lol
I have been curious about what a Bellowing Aegisaur list would look like. I think people don't run 4 Verdurous for curve considerations and the way it is not great against Abrade. I have put plenty of Glory-Bound Initiate in decks, but they just die. They don't seem that synergistic, either. Ranging Raptors seem interesting. The following represent my ignorant suggestions.
With that curve, I would run 4 mana dorks. You aren't running Energy, so Servant of the Conduit may not be good. Channeler Initiate interacts badly with Winding Constrictor, but you could try Druid of the Cowl. Druid of the Cowl only makes G though. I would be tempted to run an energy package with Attune and Servants.
With no other energy, 4 Aether Hub will often be problematic. Your 2-3 Aether Hub draws will leave you unable to cast spells too quickly.
Evolving Wilds is good with Fatal Push, but I wonder whether some Scattered Groves and Sunpetal Grove make sense. Both cycling and coming into play untapped can be useful
Maybe I'll switch out the Initiates with Drover of the Mighty. I'm also considering Tocatli Honor Guard after reading the channelfireball article on hate cards.
The landbase is definitely going to evolve after some playtesting.
The Enrage Dinos seem to line up well against Red as well given their high toughness and probably against Temur's thopter chumping. Ripjaw Raptor also doesn't die to Glorybringer and Chandra, Torch of Defiance.
I noticed that recent GB Constrictor decks haven't been running the full playset of Verdurous Gearhulk. Is there a specific reason for this? Would it be better to switch out a couple for something like Nissa, Vital Force or Liliana, Death's Majesty?
When I started playing at FNMs with Kaladesh, I was constantly having to read my opponent's (and my own) cards. Nobody got annoyed (visibly at least). The vast majority of players have been friendly. I've even played at FNMs where players have showed up with decks that weren't Standard legal and everyone let them use them.
I started with the prerelease then 2-3 weeks of FNM drafts before deciding on a direction for my Standard deck. That might be a good way to start because you shouldn't be at a disadvantage deck-wise in Limited. Maybe just peruse the channelfireball prerelease primer and set reviews. Then when you start leaning towards a style you can buy singles. Buying packs is never going to be a good use of money because there's so much Limited filler. The MTGGoldfish budget decks are definitely a good place to start (just pay attention to which cards are rotating). I've been to at least 10 stores and none of them had exclusively competitive players, so with a decent deck you should be able to win a couple matches at least. Luckily, the dual lands from Ixalan are reprints, so two-color allied decks should be a little cheaper than usual.
Definitely start going to FNMs now if you can because the Fatal Pushs will be worth a lot in trade towards whatever deck you decide to build.
I like the Enrage angle. There are some particularly interesting ways to boost the Hatchling's power. I think this would look a lot better with Huatli in place of Raging Swordtooth, even if it's just a soft white splash. The versatility of Huatli is far greater. Burning Sun's Avatar also has the convenient ability to target your own dude while also being just an awesome card by itself. Here's what I'd try:
Even with one each, it's essentially six mana to put 5 +1/+1 counters on all your creatures. Seems a bit overpowered to me. I guess abrade keeps it in check.
If you're putting 5 counters on your creatures and letting this die you're doing it wrong. You put 4 counters on all your creatures on your turn. Then another 4 on your opponent's turn. Then another 4 your next turn...
I completely missed that. It's even better than I thought.
4 Wildgrowth Walker
4 Merfolk Branchwalker
4 Jadelight Ranger
3 Herald of Secret Streams
3 Bristling Hydra
3 Unsummon
4 Blossoming Defense
4 Enter the Unknown
3 Shadowed Caravel
4 Aether Hub
4 Botanical Sanctum
4 Hashep Oasis
3 Ipnu Rivulet
4 Forest
1 Island
3 Spell Pierce
2 Dive Down
2 Sentinel Totem
4 Negate
Explore got some pieces in Rivals of Ixalan, so the deck might be decent. Most of the explore decks I've seen have been BG, but I decided to go with blue for a couple reasons.
Herald of Secret Streams is important to close out games. I think the BG version will struggle against Energy, especially trying to push through Bristling Hydra and Whirler Virtuoso.
Spell Pierce and Negate are invaluable against UW Approach.
The Mono Red matchup seems pretty good with Wildgrowth Walker and Ixalli's Diviner in the side.
4 Gifted Aetherborn
4 Kinjalli's Sunwing
4 Deathgorge Scavenger
4 Fatal Push
4 Harsh Scrutiny
2 Gideon of the Trials
4 Cast Out
4 Settle the Wreckage
2 Vraska, Relic Seeker
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Concealed Courtyard
3 Swamp
1 Forest
4 Plains
2 Blossoming Defense
2 Sentinel Totem
3 Authority of the Consuls
3 Duress
2 Solemnity
3 Lost Legacy
This is my attempt at Standard hatebears.
Tocatli Honor Guard is good against all of the energy creatures, Hostage Taker, and even Earthshaker Khenra.
Gifted Aetherborn is great against Ramunap Red and can trade up against other decks
Kinjalli's Sunwing is good against Ramunap Red.
Deathgorge Scavenger works against The Scarab God, God-Pharaoh's Gift, and the lifegain can help against Ramunap Red.
Harsh Scrutiny, Cast Out, and Settle the Wreckage are good against Gods.
Gideon of the Trials and Vraska, Relic Seeker are our win cons.
Sentinel Totem for Scarab and Gift.
Authority of the Consuls for Ramunap Red.
Duress and Lost Legacy for Approach of the Second Sun.
Solemnity for energy.
Blossoming Defense if removal is an issue though Shapers' Sanctuary might be better.
I'd like to add blue for Glimmer of Genius, so we can do something when we have (or are bluffing) Cast Out or Settle. Also, Spell Piercewould be good in the side.
I've put the deck together but haven't played any games yet. I'll post results whenever I find time to play some.
My bad. I was joking. I did totally miss how it would interact with my own cards.
As far as Shapers' Sanctuary versus Lifecrafter's Bestiary, having no experience with either, Sanctuary seems much better. Bestiary requires so much more mana for only a little situational upside and could get blown out by Abrade. I don't think trying to out card advantage Control will work, and you'll end up giving up too much tempo.
Maybe I just like a challenge.
I definitely didn't just completely miss those interactions. lol
Maybe I'll switch out the Initiates with Drover of the Mighty. I'm also considering Tocatli Honor Guard after reading the channelfireball article on hate cards.
The landbase is definitely going to evolve after some playtesting.
4 Winding Constrictor
2 Rishkar, Peema Renegade
4 Ranging Raptors
4 Ripjaw Raptor
4 Verdurous Gearhulk
2 Bellowing Aegisaur
4 Walking Ballista
3 Fatal Push
3 Walk the Plank
2 Ixalan's Binding
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Concealed Courtyard
1 Swamp
6 Forest
1 Plains
3 Sentinel Totem
3 Authority of the Consuls
3 Harsh Scrutiny
2 Fragmentize
2 Cast Out
2 Carnage Tyrant
I added white because Authority of the Consuls is probably the best way to counter Ramunap Red. Ixalan's Binding and Cast Out are good against Gods and planeswalkers. Vraska's Contempt might be better though.
I also wanted to try out the combo with Bellowing Aegisaur.
The Enrage Dinos seem to line up well against Red as well given their high toughness and probably against Temur's thopter chumping. Ripjaw Raptor also doesn't die to Glorybringer and Chandra, Torch of Defiance.
Sentinel Totems for Gift. Harsh Scrutiny for Gods, Carnage Tyrant, etc. Carnage Tyrant for Control. Fragmentize for any possible flipping enchantment shenanigans.
Would Authority of the Consuls be good against Temur because it works well against their thopters and Glorybringer?
I noticed that recent GB Constrictor decks haven't been running the full playset of Verdurous Gearhulk. Is there a specific reason for this? Would it be better to switch out a couple for something like Nissa, Vital Force or Liliana, Death's Majesty?
I wonder if a better payoff would be Approach of the Second Sun. Maybe add Ipnu Rivulet. That plus Glint-Nest Crane and Supreme Will can churn through the seven cards pretty effectively.
4 Siren Stormtamer
4 Slither Blade
4 Kitesail Freebooter
4 Duress
4 Spell Pierce
4 Dowsing Dagger
4 Supreme Will
4 Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh
4 Fetid Pools
8 Island
8 Swamp
Having 4 Bolases is probably too much, so other options are Torment of Hailfire, Nissa, Steward of Elements, or Nissa, Genesis Mage which can give you 10-11 mana turn 5.
Getting the pieces might be an issue, so maybe Chart a Course for some more card draw.
I started with the prerelease then 2-3 weeks of FNM drafts before deciding on a direction for my Standard deck. That might be a good way to start because you shouldn't be at a disadvantage deck-wise in Limited. Maybe just peruse the channelfireball prerelease primer and set reviews. Then when you start leaning towards a style you can buy singles. Buying packs is never going to be a good use of money because there's so much Limited filler. The MTGGoldfish budget decks are definitely a good place to start (just pay attention to which cards are rotating). I've been to at least 10 stores and none of them had exclusively competitive players, so with a decent deck you should be able to win a couple matches at least. Luckily, the dual lands from Ixalan are reprints, so two-color allied decks should be a little cheaper than usual.
Definitely start going to FNMs now if you can because the Fatal Pushs will be worth a lot in trade towards whatever deck you decide to build.
And adding white would give you access to Priest of the Wakening Sun likely in the side and possibly Bellowing Aegisaur if you're running Walking Ballista.
4 Drover of the Mighty
3 Metallic Mimic
4 Ranging Raptors
3 Ripjaw Raptor
3 Regisaur Alpha
3 Raging Swordtooth
2 Carnage Tyrant
3 Chandra's Pyrohelix
3 Savage Stomp
2 Samut, the Tested
2 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
I completely missed that. It's even better than I thought.