For today’s Magic: the Gathering Standard deck discussion, we feature a Tier 2 deck archetype in the format in which the strategy has long existed in the history of the game. That strategy is to win via Poison Counters, and there is one Uncommon creature in Kaldheim that can produce it: Fynn, the Fangbearer.

Fynn’s passive ability is that each Deathtouch creature you control whenever they deal combat damage gets the opponent two poison counters. You would only need five successful attacks with just one creature, three combat attacks with two creatures, and two combat attacks with three creatures.

Looking at the decklist below, let us check what other cards we have in Standard that can improve it.

Blue/Green Deathtouch tribal by TOTALmtg

Creatures (20)
4 Fang of Shigeki
4 Fynn, the Fangbearer
4 Kappa Tech-Wrecker
4 Needlethorn Drake
4 Tajuru Blightblade

Spells (23)
1 Bala Ged Recovery // Bala Ged Sanctuary
4 Curate
4 Fading Hope
2 Jwari Disruption // Jwari Ruins
1 Khalni Ambush // Khalni Territory
4 Master’s Rebuke
3 Spell Pierce
4 Tamiyo’s Safekeeping

Lands
1 Access Tunnel
1 Field of Ruin
9 Forest
6 Island

The initial fix on the deck build is to replace the four basic lands with the playset of Barkchannel Pathway. Along with it are utility Channel lands from Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty: Boseiju, Who Endures and Otawara, Soaring City, and man-lands from Adventures in the Forgotten Realms.

Next up are the creatures lineup. Having a four-of copy of each of the Deathtouch may be the easiest way, but we need to check on the variance and on how sustainable are these creatures in situations where they would require things done other than attacking. We can cut two or three copies of the creature card in the lineup and replace them with those who have a stronger late-game effect. Enter Kura, the Boundless Sky. and Saryth, the Viper’s Fang.

Kura, the Boundless Sky is a solid 4/4 flying body for five mana, and when it is dealt with can get you utility trigger options depending on the scenario.

Saryth, the Viper’s Fang gives a passive Hexproof to your untapped creatures and a bonus Deathtouch effects whenever they attack. This can even make your Lair of the Hydra an additional source of Poison Counters if needed.

As for the spell choices, there are decent auto-include cards like Tamiyo’s Safekeeping, Spell Pierce, and Master’s Rebuke as a spot removal when combined with your Deathtouch dudes. Jwari Disruption can be exchanged to a more efficient counterspell like Negate and Curate upgraded to Consider for one mana less.

Overall, the updated Simic Deathtouch deck would look like this one.

4 Barkchannel Pathway
1 Boseiju, Who Endures
1 Hall of Storm Giants
1 Lair of the Hydra
1 Otawara, Soaring City
2 Dreamroot Cascade
5 Forest
5 Island

4 Fang of Shigeki
4 Fynn, the Fangbearer
4 Kappa Tech-Wrecker
4 Needlethorn Drake
3 Kura, the Boundless Sky
1 Saryth, the Viper’s Fang

3 Consider
3 Fading Hope
2 Negate
4 Spell Pierce
4 Master’s Rebuke
4 Tamiyo’s Safekeeping

I would suggest you do a quick test run of this deck build on Magic Arena, Magic: the Gathering Online, or even at your local game store for a casual weeknight playtesting. For comments and suggestions, I’d love to hear them in the comment box below.

That is a wrap on this Standard deck tech update. Until the next blog post.