Versions of an Eldrazi aggro deck has been appearing in Magic Online Daily tournaments and it is obvious that the deck archetype will be one of the cornerstones of Standard after the arrivals of Shadows over Innistrad. One version that I have been looking on for a possibility is Black Red Eldrazi. The initial components would be the following:

Creatures
4 Forerunner of Slaughter
4 Eldrazi Mimic
4 Dust Stalker
4 Reality Smasher
4 Flayer Drone
3 Bearer of Silence
2 Eldrazi Obligator

Spells
4 Transgress the Mind
2 Spatial Contortion
1 Ruinous Path

Looking at the current spoilers list of Shadows over Innistrad, we still have limited options on what new cards we will add in the deck. I am speculating the return of Black Red Vampires so we might want to look for a few components there. Here are the current options:

Heir of Falkenrath
Elusive Tormentor
Mindwrack Demon

The Heir of Falkenrath is a solid two drop in itself though discarding a card can become our drawback in certain scenarios because as an aggro deck, we needed more cards as possible. The tormentor is hard to kill and a 4/4 body for four is already good. What we do not need here though is to pile up the four-drops as it can result to clunky draws.

For removals, we have the one casting cost Sinister Concoction and Fiery Temper but we do not have a discard engine yet.

As for the mana fixing and colorless mana source, we have a few land cards from Oath like Crumbling Vestige and Corrupted Crossroads.

I won’t post the full decklist just yet as we wait for more card previews from Shadows over Innistrad but maybe by next week we will have version one of the deck.

That is a wrap for now. Until the next post.

With the imminent rotation in Standard in the next month, we must prepare ourselves especially our card pool of the possible decks once Khans of Tarkir and Fate Reforged goes out. We lose the clans and the fetchlands to help our mana fixing issues and will eventually rely on the current duals and painlands as a substitute. I personally liked Abzan to leave the format so we could give way for new decks to emerge and get a few underperforming cards into use.

The deck brewing spark has got me again and the first deck that I have thought of was Jund Midrange. To recall, I have been a fan of Jund since its Shards of Alara days and it even got me one notable Top 4 finish in the WMCQ last 2013. The deck’s compo that time was Thragtusk, Huntmaster of the Fells and Olivia Voldaren. My last pilot of that archetype was a Jund Monsters version for Theros and RTR Standard.

This time and just recently, the deck has been getting good results in Magic Online dailies and even in PTTQ and Champ qualifiers. I have decided to check on some possible card components and here are some of the notables.

Goblin Dark-Dwellers – it is a solid five-drop in itself with the Menace bonus but with its ‘flashback’ ETB effect that makes its card advantage very notable. It can re-cast most of the decent spot removals in the format like Ruinous Path and Kolaghan’s Command.

Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet – Rally might be out of Standard but this guy still works well with all your removals in the deck. His bonus Lifelink is relevant against Mono Red matchup which will surely plague the format right after the rotation.

Sylvan Advocate – this Elf is a good early beater and defense in itself and can still be relevant in the late game once you hit your sixth land. He can also bonus pump your manlands (Hissing Quagmire) in the process.

Chandra, Flamecaller – Your late game relies on this fiery planeswalker as she does multi-function in certain scenarios. For instance like wiping the board or drawing your cards. She is like the Red version of Elspeth, Sun’s Champion.

Let us cut the list for now as we wait for card previews from Shadows over Innistrad. Here is version one of the creature lineup for Jund Midrange in SOI.

2 Den Protector
2 Dragonlord Atarka
4 Goblin Dark-Dwellers
3 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
4 Sylvan Advocate

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this deck discussion. Thanks for reading and until next time.

The Standard deck feature for today comes from the recently concluded Grand Prix Houston wherein Channel Fireball’s Owen Turtenwald took the championship trophy with 4color Rally deck. The deck was played by Cody Lingelbach which finished in the Top 8 of the tournament.

The decklist below:

Maindeck
4 Thopter Engineer
4 Thunderbreak Regent
4 Kolaghan, the Storm’s Fury
4 Hangarback Walker
4 Bearer of Silence
4 Eldrazi Skyspawner

1 Dispel
3 Murderous Cut
4 Draconic Roar
2 Ghostfire Blade

4 Bloodstained Mire
2 Haven of the Spirit Dragon
3 Mountain
4 Polluted Delta
4 Shivan Reef
3 Smoldering Marsh
2 Sunken Hollow
1 Swamp
3 Wooded Foothills

Sideboard
3 Dispel
1 Murderous Cut
1 Disdainful Stroke
3 Self-Inflicted Wound
2 Silumgar, the Drifting Death
4 Transgress the Mind
1 Seismic Rupture

I might try this build if the components in the card pool are vacant but I will change a few cards. We will see how it goes this week. Here is the link of the source of the decks on the Top 8 of GP Houston.

I have been a fan of Black and White decks before by piloting a B/W Strangler list in BFZ Standard. This time I have found that love in the form of Allies. I have listed this deck build after checking on the Standard Pauper version of Allies for our next local tournament. Its basic strategy is setting the board while taking advantage of the Rally triggers. Oath of the Gatewatch offered Cohort mechanic as another method to use and I included two cards from the new set in Ondu War Cleric and Drana’s Chosen. The cleric is another way to trigger Serene Steward and Drana’s Chosen gets you out of the way in stalled board situations.

Here is version one of the deck B/W Allies:

Creatures
2 Ondu War Cleric
2 Lantern Scout
4 Expedition Envoy
4 Serene Steward
4 Kalastria Healer
1 Drana, Liberator of Malakir
4 Drana’s Emissary
2 Brutal Hordechief
3 Kor Bladewhirl
1 Drana’s Chosen

Spells
1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
2 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Grasp of Darkness
1 Ruinous Path
2 Silkwrap
2 Stasis Snare
1 Valorous Stance

Lands
2 Windswept Heath
4 Shambling Vent
2 Bloodstained Mire
4 Ally Encampment
1 Blighted Fen
3 Caves of Koilos
4 Plains
3 Swamp

The Eldrazi invasion did not just stop in Zendikar. They proceeded to dominate in Atlanta last weekend and garnered a win on the Pro Tour event. The six Eldrazi decks in the Top 8 slot were mostly owned by the pros from Team Channel Fireball but it was Jiachen Tao with his Blue Red version, mostly composed of cards from Battle of Zendikar and Oath of the Gatewatch, which triumphed in the tournament.

Below is the winning decklist of Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch:

Maindeck
4 Drowner of Hope
4 Eldrazi Mimic
3 Eldrazi Obligator
4 Eldrazi Skyspawner
4 Endless One
4 Reality Smasher
2 Ruination Guide
4 Thought-Knot Seer
4 Vile Aggregate

3 Dismember

3 Cavern of Souls
4 Eldrazi Temple
4 Eye of Ugin
1 Gemstone Caverns
2 Island
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Shivan Reef
2 Steam Vents

Sideboard
2 Chalice of the Void
2 Gut Shot
3 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Ratchet Bomb
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Spellskite
3 Stubborn Denial
1 Tomb of the Spirit Dragon

Source

For today’s Standard deck feature, Oath of the Gatewatch really did an impact on this build. It somewhat completed the features and look of an actual Eldrazi deck. Not to mention the deck that won the Pro Tour last weekend was almost composed of cards from the new set. Anyhow, this Standard version go with the colors Blue and Black. The deck was played by all4non and went 5-0 in the MTGO Standard League last first week of February.

The decklist below:

Maindeck
4 Bearer of Silence
3 Dimensional Infiltrator
4 Fathom Feeder
4 Matter Reshaper
3 Reality Smasher
4 Thought-Knot Seer
4 Wasteland Strangler

2 Murderous Cut
4 Transgress the Mind
3 Warping Wail

2 Bloodstained Mire
4 Corrupted Crossroads
2 Crumbling Vestige
1 Island
2 Llanowar Wastes
4 Polluted Delta
4 Ruins of Oran-Rief
3 Sea Gate Wreckage
1 Sunken Hollow
2 Swamp

Sideboard
3 Duress
3 Flaying Tendrils
4 Horribly Awry
2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
1 Murderous Cut
2 Virulent Plague

I was able to obtain a spare time earlier today to brew a Standard Pauper deck to add in my current lineup of decks for the upcoming Pauper tournaments. This recent brew was referenced from the Allies theme in Battle for Zendikar and Oath of the Gatewatch sets. I initially experienced the power of this archetype when we played Boros Allies on the last 2HG Prerelease. I have thought that it will be possible for a pauper version. Access to Black as a third color opens the door to card options such as Kalastria Healer and solid spot removals like Unholy Hunger.

Below’s decklist is the first version:

Creatures
3 Zada’s Commando
1 Ponyback Brigade
4 Kalastria Healer
4 Kalastria Nightwatch
4 Ondu War Cleric
3 Goblin Freerunner
1 Goblin Heelcutter
2 Cliffside Lookout
3 Makindi Patrol

Spells
2 Shoulder to Shoulder
1 Unholy Hunger
1 Flatten
2 Bathe in Dragonfire
2 Read the Bones
1 Reach of Shadows
1 Boulder Salvo
1 Boiling Earth

Lands
3 Wind-Scarred Crag
4 Evolving Wilds
3 Scoured Barrens
3 Bloodfell Caves
4 Swamp
4 Mountain
3 Plains

I will be testing the deck tomorrow at the MtG Iloilo Standard Pauper tournament which I will also be the main organizer. We will check how the Allies synergy works.

Here is a decklist from the recently concluded Starcity Games Standard Open in Atlanta which features the powerful Converge Sorcery Bring to Light. The deck was piloted by Joe Lossett and its recent upgrade from Oath of the Gatewatch are the cards Flaying Tendrils and Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet.

Maindeck
2 Den Protector
4 Siege Rhino
4 Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy
1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
2 Nissa, Vastwood Seer

3 Silkwrap
4 Abzan Charm
1 Kolaghan’s Command
1 Silumgar’s Command
2 Utter End
3 Bring to Light
2 Duress
1 Flaying Tendrils
1 Languish
3 Treasure Cruise

2 Forest
1 Island
1 Plains
2 Swamp
2 Bloodstained Mire
1 Canopy Vista
1 Cinder Glade
4 Flooded Strand
1 Lumbering Falls
4 Polluted Delta
1 Prairie Stream
1 Smoldering Marsh
1 Sunken Hollow
1 Windswept Heath
3 Wooded Foothills

Sideboard
1 Den Protector
1 Silkwrap
1 Crackling Doom
3 Hallowed Moonlight
2 Negate
3 Surge of Righteousness
1 Anafenza, the Foremost
1 Flaying Tendrils
2 Painful Truths

All the Red mages, fans and enthusiasts will again rejoice as another card component is added to their arsenal on this official card preview for the upcoming set Oath of the Gatewatch. Presenting, Reckless Bushwacker:

This card is version two of Goblin Bushwhacker from the first Zendikar set. What it needs though is for you to cast another spell before him with the Surge mechanic. Based from the current build of Mono Red or Atarka Red, you can have a lot of interactions to validate Surge. Here are a few examples:

Turn three, cast Monastery Swiftspear, validate Surge, cast Reckless Bushwacker.
Turn four, cast Dragon Fodder, validate Surge, cast Reckless Bushwacker, attack for six.
Turn four, cast Abbot, reveal Reckless Bushwacker, validate Surge, cast Reckless Bushwacker, attack for four.

There are also other cheap spells like Wild Slash and Fiery Impulse for a quick Surge validation, though you don’t necessarily want a playset of this card in the deck. Three would be a right number because at times there are situations wherein you cannot cast two spells at the same turn or you are top decking and got this card. It would basically be just a hasty 2/1 creature.

Here is what I think the deck would look like:

Atarka Red post-OGW Standard

Creatures
4 Abbot of Keral Keep
4 Monastery Swiftspear
3 Reckless Bushwacker
3 Zurgo Bellstriker

Spells
4 Atarka’s Command
3 Become Immense
4 Dragon Fodder
2 Fiery Impulse
3 Hordeling Outburst
3 Temur Battle Rage
4 Titan’s Strength
2 Wild Slash

Lands
4 Bloodstained Mire
2 Cinder Glade
1 Forest
8 Mountain
2 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills

He can also fit in other token-based decks like Mardu or Black Red. The latter would be more consistent though as two colors would not be an issue and also a lower mana curve.

Last night was the first day of the official Oath of the Gatewatch spoiler season from the mothership site so you might want to check the rest of the previewed cards as well as the Oath of the Gatewatch products like the fat pack and booster pack packaging.

That is about it for this card preview blog entry, until the next post.

There is only one scheduled tournament for this week and that is the 2015 Year-ender for the Magic: the Gathering Iloilo community. Christmas day falls on a Friday and so the last intended FNM event for the year will be moved to next month. Below are the details of the tournament:

Magic: the Gathering Iloilo Year-Ender Tournament
December 26, 2015
Martinellee’s Pit Stop
Avanceña St, North Fundidor, Molo, Iloilo City
Link to their Facebook page: http://bit.ly/1J6pC2u
Standard Constructed format
Entry fee: 300php
Registration starts 11:30am, Round 1 Starts 12:30pm
Lots of Battle for Zendikar products at stake. Prize breakdown TBA.

Kitakits!

Mono White Standard deck strategies recently go with the aggro route, curving from cheap one-drops and two-drops into Gideon and a raided Wingmate Roc. This version I have found though is a midrange-ish version that halts opposing aggro with

Hangarback Walker or Archangel of Tithes and ramping mana with Knight of the White Orchid. The deck can still curve into Gideon and Roc while having solid removals in Stasis Snare and Silkwrap.

Here is the decklist played by MTGO user JohnnyHotSauce who finished Top in the 2015 Magic Online PTQ – 12/13.

Maindeck
2 Archangel of Tithes
2 Dragon Hunter
4 Hangarback Walker
4 Knight of the White Orchid
1 Kytheon, Hero of Akros
4 Mardu Woe-Reaper
2 Wingmate Roc

4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Mastery of the Unseen
3 Secure the Wastes
4 Silkwrap
4 Stasis Snare

2 Foundry of the Consuls
23 Plains

Sideboard
1 Archangel of Tithes
3 Hallowed Moonlight
2 Mastery of the Unseen
2 Pacifism
1 Planar Outburst
1 Secure the Wastes
3 Surge of Righteousness
2 Valorous Stance

I had my experience facing a three-color Retreat Control deck at one of my previous FNM tournaments. It was a hard matchup if you aren’t fast enough to kill them before they setup the enchantments. So far, Abzan is the best combination of this archetype. Here is a recent version played by Nikolas Carpenter:

Maindeck
3 Blighted Woodland
2 Canopy Vista
5 Forest
2 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Smoldering Marsh
3 Swamp
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills

2 Elvish Visionary
1 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
3 Oblivion Sower

4 Abzan Charm
1 Nissa’s Renewal
3 Painful Truths
1 Planar Outburst
1 Ultimate Price
1 Utter End

1 Quarantine Field
4 Retreat to Emeria
4 Retreat to Hagra
4 Retreat to Kazandu
2 Stasis Snare

Sideboard
2 Gaea’s Revenge
2 Murderous Cut
4 Siege Rhino
2 Stasis Snare
2 Surge of Righteousness
3 Transgress the Mind