With the arrival of New Phyrexia, a new combo emerged in Standard. The phyrexian Deceiver Exarch, along with the aura Splinter Twin completes the combo kill. Before, this was an archetype in Extended, which uses Pestermite as one of the combo piece. The current one is a bit tougher to kill. Out of Lightning bolt range with the 4 toughness, opponents must rely on heavy spot removal to deal with the combo.
A few decks have been created revolving around this combo piece. A few stick with the two colors, Blue and Red while others splashed other colors to protect the combo. I’ve listed below a few of the variations with a short description of each.
Blue Red Twin
By Fleri, Magic League
Maindeck
9 Island
7 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Halimar Depths
4 Deceiver Exarch
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Pyromancer Ascension
4 Splinter Twin
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Preordain
4 See Beyond
4 Burst Lightning
3 Spell Pierce
1 Jace Beleren
2 Into the Roil
Sideboard
1 Spell Pierce
1 Jace Beleren
4 Flashfreeze
4 Pyroclasm
1 Deprive
4 Staggershock
This archetype has two outs: to go with the twin combo or with the Pyromancer Ascension shenanigans. I think the problem here though is the consistency, in which case the eight cards would not benefit or go well with the enchantment. Either way, the opponent would still have a hard time in dealing with these two.
Grixis Twin
By Michael Strunk, StarCityGames.com Open in Orlando, FL
Maindeck
4 Island
2 Mountain
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
4 Creeping Tar Pit
4 Darkslick Shores
2 Halimar Depths
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Spellskite
1 Consecrated Sphinx
4 Deceiver Exarch
4 Splinter Twin
2 Dismember
2 Go for the Throat
2 Into the Roil
4 Mana Leak
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
3 Duress
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Preordain
Sideboard
4 Calcite Snapper
1 Consecrated Sphinx
2 Combust
2 Shatter
3 Twisted Image
3 Pyroclasm
The access to black mana benefits this archetype with the powerful discard spells in Standard, Inquisition of Kozilek and Duress. The discards help protect the combo together with the artifact Horror, Spellskite. It can redirect removals to itself which just a cost of Phyrexian blue mana, effective enough against spot removals.
Post sideboard Calcite Snappers helps the deck on the matchup against control as you add additional threats other than your combo pieces. I’m guessing Twisted Image is for opposing Spellskites and probably anti Overgrown Battlement, while Pyroclasm is an auto sideboard against aggro.
RUG Twin
By Tim Landale, StarCityGames.com Open in Orlando, FL
Maindeck
2 Forest
4 Island
2 Mountain
4 Copperline Gorge
3 Halimar Depths
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Raging Ravine
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Deceiver Exarch
4 Inferno Titan
4 Lotus Cobra
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
3 Splinter Twin
3 Lightning Bolt
2 Mana Leak
2 Jace Beleren
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Explore
4 Preordain
Sideboard
2 Obstinate Baloth
4 Flashfreeze
3 Nature’s Claim
2 Spell Pierce
4 Pyroclasm
This might look like an ordinary RUG deck but it covers the Deceiver Twin combo. The good thing is that this have a few tricks of its own and can still win even without assembling the combo. Inferno Titan beats via Splinter Twin would look really nice.
Shaman Twin
By Richmond Tan, 5-15-11 PTQ Philadelphia
Maindeck
3 Raging Ravine
4 Copperline Gorge
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Forest
3 Mountain
3 Island
4 Deceiver Exarch
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Vengevine
2 Seagate Oracle
1 Spellskite
1 Precursor Golem
1 Acidic Slime
1 Oracle of Mul-Daya
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Splinter Twin
1 Sword of War and Peace
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
Sideboard
2 Acidic Slime
2 Thrun, the Last Troll
3 Obstinate Baloth
1 Frost Titan
1 Inferno Titan
3 Flashfreeze
2 Combust
This is another variation of the Red-Blue-Green mana combination, which strategize on the Shaman Vengevine shenanigans. Its either you go aggro with the Veggies (or sword wielding birds) or combo them out if given the chance.
That wraps up this post. You might as well try playtesting all of these variations and pick one that suits your playing style and taste.
Until next time. .