Here is another Magic: the Gathering Standard deck feature as we continue to be updated on the format by checking on the recent tournament results online in various events such as that of the Starcity Games. Today’s deck build that got my attention is the Orzhov Aggro that has core components of White utility creatures and backed up by solid Orzhov discard spells and spot removals.

Here below is the full decklist I got from the SCG Tour Online-Satellite #6 wherein it finished in the Top 16.

Main Deck
20 LANDS
4 Brightclimb Pathway
3 Fabled Passage
4 Plains
4 Shineshadow Snarl
5 Swamp

18 CREATURES
4 Clarion Spirit
4 Giant Killer
4 Sedgemoor Witch
2 Shadrix Silverquill
4 Silverquill Silencer

20 INSTANTS and SORC.
1 Agadeem’s Awakening
4 Bloodchief’s Thirst
4 Humiliate
2 Kabira Takedown
1 Malakir Rebirth
4 Vanishing Verse
4 Village Rites

2 OTHER SPELLS
2 Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis

SIDEBOARD
2 Archon of Absolution
1 Baneslayer Angel
3 Cling to Dust
4 Duress
3 Elite Spellbinder
2 Massacre Wurm

Reference: https://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=30299&d=436893&f=ST

The rest of the recently updated Standard decks with Strixhaven: School of Mages set, check out this link.

Welcome to another Magic: the Gathering Standard deck archetype feature post. We have today a list that has an update from Strixhaven: School of Mages set. It retained its core strategy of being an aggressive deck but at the same time can disrupt opponents with every creature of value. The deck is Boros Aggro and it finished in the Top 4 of the recent MTGO Standard Challenge tournament.

Check out the full decklist below.

Maindeck
24 LANDS
4 Fabled Passage
2 Faceless Haven
4 Needleverge Pathway
5 Snow-Covered Mountain
9 Snow-Covered Plains

29 CREATURES
3 Bonecrusher Giant
2 Elite Spellbinder
3 Giant Killer
4 Luminarch Aspirant
2 Reidane, God of the Worthy
4 Seasoned Hallowblade
3 Selfless Savior
3 Skyclave Apparition
3 Usher of the Fallen
2 Venerable Warsinger

7 OTHER SPELLS
3 Maul of the Skyclaves
4 Showdown of the Skalds

Sideboard
2 Frost Bite
2 Glass Casket
1 Ox of Agonas
2 Phoenix of Ash
2 Redcap Melee
2 Relic Robber
2 Roiling Vortex
1 Shadowspear
1 Soul Sear

Reference: https://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=30366&d=437335&f=ST

The major tournament last weekend, SCG Tour Online – Satellite #3 @ Star City Games, garnered 205 players and the Top 8 finishers were a mix of aggro, midrange, and control decks. One of the decks that I will feature today is another favorite, the Rakdos Aggro, which got updated with a few Kaldheim components. Check out the decklist below, played by Pedro Schmitt Neves, where he finished in the 5th-8th place.

Rakdos Aggro
23 LANDS (25)
4 Blightstep Pathway
2 Castle Locthwain
4 Fabled Passage
5 Mountain
5 Swamp
3 Temple of Malice

19 CREATURES
4 Bonecrusher Giant
2 Egon, God of Death
2 Immersturm Predator
4 Kroxa, Titan of Death’s Hunger
4 Mire Triton
1 Valki, God of Lies
2 Woe Strider

12 INSTANTS and SORC.
4 Claim the Firstborn
2 Heartless Act
2 Shatterskull Smashing
4 Village Rites

6 OTHER SPELLS
4 The Akroan War
2 Tymaret Calls the Dead

SIDEBOARD
3 Duress
2 Eliminate
1 Necromentia
1 Ox of Agonas
3 Phoenix of Ash
2 Roiling Vortex
2 Shredded Sails
1 Suffocating Fumes

Reference: https://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=30281&d=436777&f=ST

In the continuous brewing and updating of the decks in the Strixhaven Standard format. I decided to recall a previous Magic: the Gathering card mechanic that was potentially strong but gradually nerfed in the rulings: the Companion mechanic.

Today’s featured Companion card is Keruga, the Macrosage and it has been popular in Green-based ‘Go Big’ decks and has recently found a spot in Adventure kind of archetypes. With the entry of Strixhaven, the color pair shifted to Prismari (Blue-Red) with the Dragons as the main game-winner. Here is a decklist I have found in Reddit Spikes thread.

Companion
1 Keruga, the Macrosage (IKO)

Deck
3 Bonecrusher Giant (ELD)
1 Brazen Borrower (ELD)
1 Shimmer Dragon (ELD)
4 Goldspan Dragon (KHM)
3 Galazeth Prismari (STX)
3 Torrent Sculptor (STX)

3 Creative Outburst (STX)
4 Draconic Intervention (STX)
4 Saw It Coming (KHM)
4 Magma Opus (STX)
4 Prismari Command (STX)

7 Island (ANA)
7 Mountain (ANA)
2 Castle Vantress (ELD)
4 Riverglide Pathway (ZNR)
4 Frostboil Snarl (STX)
2 Fabled Passage (ELD)

Sideboard

1 Keruga, the Macrosage (IKO)

The decklist is half composed of non-creature spells that go in out-tempoing opponents’ threats and later on casting their Dragons to win the game. Keruga provides additional gas if you have established one or two threats on the battlefield.

This archetype has been getting enough success in tournaments online and has recently got a friend a 5-0 record in the MTGO League event. I think this will still be the deck to beat on this weekend’s online and local tournaments and we will see how it will perform again if the other deck archetypes will make changes to beat this deck.

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

With logistical issues in the distribution of the Magic: the Gathering Strixhaven School of Mages set, we expected another delay in the arrival of these products in our local game store Pro Reis place. The products ordered are Set and Draft Booster boxes and the PR kits.

The Prerelease will also move its date to about this weekend in a tentative schedule. I still think the players are eager to open boosters and cards that will be used in their Standard decks. That is even if the tournament attendance is limited because of the health protocols observed. Last weekend’s Saturday Standard player count was at ten participants.

I preordered one Strixhaven Set Booster box from Rei which I will later on use in my unboxing video on my Youtube channel. I think I will be lucky this time to get most value by opening a Demonic Tutor Mystical Archive or any foil version of the sought after cards in the set. Anywho, I will have another blog post update for any of our local game store’s planned events after the Strixhaven products arrive.

Until the next blog post.

The Magic: the Gathering Strixhaven gameplay has started in the Standard format via MTGO, and one of the notable deck archetypes that got a distinguished finish in the MTGO Standard League was the one played by a good friend and fellow Ilonggo. He goes by the username air_vengeance, and he piloted a Prismari (Blue-Red) deck that was kind of a tempo build but with game-ending Dragons as its creatures.

He finished 5-0 in the MTGO Standard League and here below is the decklist. I am not currently familiar with the detailed card interactions but what I know is that the dragons act as a Treasure token source which later on used to ramp up and be able to cast the big spells. While getting there, utilized are counterspells and spot removals.

Maindeck
3 Galazeth Prismari
4 Goldspan Dragon
4 Torrent Sculptor

4 Alrund’s Epiphany
2 Creative Outburst
4 Draconic Intervention
4 Magma Opus
4 Prismari Command
4 Saw It Coming
3 Shatterskull Smashing

4 Frostboil Snarl
6 Island
6 Mountain
4 Riverglide Pathway
4 Temple of Epiphany

Sideboard
2 Essence Scatter
3 Mystical Dispute
2 Negate
2 Ox of Agonas
1 Redcap Melee
4 Shark Typhoon
1 Test of Talents

Reference: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/3926035#paper