For this week’s topic, I’ve decided to check on the potential decks that will survive and Thrive in the post rotation Theros Standard. If you are fond of checking the recent articles on the popular MtG sites, the writers predicted archetypes of Mono Red, whether is the small or big version, Blue White Control, Mono Green and other single color deck archetypes that will be popular in the metagame. Some also ‘scryed’ that Jund will still be viable after the retirement of Thragtusk, Huntmasters, and Olivia. I am somewhat positive that it will still exist with the powerful new cards of its colors that Theros has offered. That would not be my topic today though as I will discuss an archetype that I’ve recently (and previously) fell in love with, Selesnya Aggro.
In the early days of Return of Ravnica Standard, I’ve played a Selesnya deck with Loxodon Smiters and stuff and have been bashing people with double striking and trampling fatties. The deck is still existent up to now and I’ve checked that it was recently playing with Archangel of Thune and Scavenging Ooze.
I have created a draft list of the deck for post rotation Standard. Let us take a look.
Selesnya Aggro by Mark Ian Alloso
Lands
8 Plains
2 Selesnya Guildgate
4 Temple Garden
8 Forest
Creatures
4 Kalonian Tusker
1 Mistcutter Hydra
4 Witchstalker
4 Fleecemane Lion
4 Voice of Resurgence
4 Loxodon Smiter
4 Soldier of the Pantheon
4 Experiment One
Spells
3 Advent of the Wurm
2 Selesnya Charm
4 Unflinching Courage
The deck’s pre-Theros compo was initially referenced from a recently popular version of Witchstalker/ Unflinching Courage. I have decided continue with this build as Fleecemane Lion’s monstrous mode is another good target to enchant. This also makes the deck a good matchup against other aggro decks like RDW.
We have eight one drops to start with, and two sets of 3/3 two drops. This makes Experiment One at most 3/3 on your third turn, a very aggressive curve. Soldier of the Pantheon is another solid one drop that is also immune to most removals (as most of them are multicolor) and blocks Burning Tree Emissary and Boros Reckoner all day. The gain life bonus is just an icing on the cake.
Fleecemane Lion at its current price I think is somewhat hyped, though he is a good inclusion in this type of build. I am pretty positive its price will stabilize at around 200php once the products are released in the stores. Just don’t run him into a turn-three Anger of Gods.
The highest curve on four-mana is Advent of the Wurm with three copies in the deck, though it stabilizes with only three lands to use even with the twelve three-drops.
The lone Mistcutter Hydra is your late game fatty and Haste critter which also uncounterable by itself and avoids Azorius Charm.
The land composition somewhat sucked after losing Sunpetal Grove, and we had to resort to Selesnya Guildgate. That is a good thing though as I won’t be buying those Scry lands at their current preorder price.
I have not yet decided a complete sideboard for the deck just yet, but I have a few cards in mind: Rootborn Defenses, Ranger’s Guile, Scavenging Ooze, more Selesnya Charms and probably Banisher Priests for removals.
I guess that is about it for Selesnya Aggro in the Theros Standard metagame. It will be Theros Prerelease this weekend so I hope it will be enjoyable to all of us participants. Good luck y’all and until next post.