It is just a month to go before Ravnica Allegiance comes out but until now, there are no traces of cards spoilers from this set. Before there are a few promo foils that are leaked for the upcoming sets but lately they seem to be moderated well by the WotC authorities. 

This coming weekend will be the World Magic Cup tournament in Barcelona, Spain and hopefully they will have some card previews there or any other important announcement related to Ravnica Allegiance. Also, good luck to the Philippine Team that will be participating there. Day 1 will probably start this afternoon or early evening PH time. 

Going back to the Ravnica Allegiance, I just hope that my Rakdos guild will have an efficient ability this time and more powerful than the Unleash ability in Return to Ravnica. The guild has shown an impressive performance in the Standard metagame at that time and also powered my Jund deck to a Top 4 finish in WMCQ 2013 with a few components such as Rakdos’ Return. 

I am also excited to see the other guilds’ new abilities and with the completion of the ten guilds, this will surely be an exciting Standard metagame. 

The next promo card for the current month of April for Friday Night Magic events is another Green aligned card, and was once one of my personal favorites when Return to Ravnica entered Standard. It is the pseudo-Watchwolf sorcery named Call of the Conclave. It is currently unlikely used in the metagame (which is ruled by 3/4s and Boros Reckoner) but still it is a promo foil card for keeps.

Here is what it looks when you win your FNM tourney this Friday:

*banner pic from Carteblanchehobbies.wordpress.com

Last weekend featured two Grand Prix events in two cities, Atlantic City and Singapore. The former was Standard while the latter’s format was RTR Limited. One deck, which proved that the format has still room for innovation, emerged victorious in GP Atlantic City.

The player Jon Stern piloted a Bant-color Hexproof critters deck with powerful & cheap casting aura spells. Officially called Bant Aura, the deck battled through the field of 1,647 players & Jon went unscathed on Day One and powered the deck until the top eight on Day Two.

The deck previously caught attention on Magic Online wherein it made several 4-0’s in Daily Events.

Here is the list that Jon Stern played.

Bant Aggro by Jon Stern
Winner, Grand Prix Atlantic City
Maindeck
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Temple Garden
4 Hinterland Harbor
3 Cavern of Souls
2 Sunpetal Grove
1 Glacial Fortress
4 Forest
1 Island

4 Avacyn’s Pilgrim
4 Invisible Stalker
4 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Silverblade Paladin

4 Abundant Growth
4 Ethereal Armor
4 Rancor
4 Spectral Flight
4 Selesnya Charm
2 Increasing Savagery

Sideboard
2 Feeling of Dread
2 Loxodon Smiter
3 Nearheath Pilgrim
1 Rootborn Defenses
1 Negate
2 Nevermore
1 Angelic Overseer
3 Rest in Peace

The GP coverage details can be found here.

The Magic: the Gathering deck archetype to discuss today is one of my fave decks since Lingering Souls was published in Standard. The previous version was just purely Black White but Green was too good not to include in the list. The current Junk Tokens build after the cut.

Here is a list:

Maindeck
4 Forest
2 Gavony Township
3 Isolated Chapel
4 Overgrown Tomb
1 Plains
3 Sunpetal Grove
1 Swamp
4 Temple Garden
1 Vault of the Archangel

3 Arbor Elf
4 Avacyn’s Pilgrim
3 Borderland Ranger
2 Restoration Angel
4 Thragtusk

1 Garruk Relentless
2 Garruk, Primal Hunter
4 Intangible Virtue
4 Lingering Souls
3 Midnight Haunting
2 Selesnya Charm
1 Sever the Bloodline
2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
2 Ultimate Price

Sideboard
2 Centaur Healer
1 Collective Blessing
2 Golgari Charm
2 Predator Ooze
2 Rest in Peace
2 Rhox Faithmender
1 Selesnya Charm
1 Sever the Bloodline
1 Sigarda, Host of Herons
1 Ultimate Price

Green has provided good ways to ramp up the deck, walkers like Garruk and of course Thragtusk. Tokens have been getting popular lately on Magic Online, although still considered a Tier 2 deck. If you are tired of the usual Zombies and American aggro, I’d suggest this list.

*banner image from commandercast.com.

As the Magic: the Gathering Gatecrash spoilers continue for the rest of January, we see Standard shaping up again. In particular, we will be seeing archetypes getting completely upgraded. One of which I will discuss today is the Naya Midrange deck.

Here are my initial thoughts on what cards to add to the deck:

Domri Rade – he is not that great of a planeswalker but he can get you to work on a few things. The deck would probably have around 30 critters for him to be very effective. Two copies in the deck seem to be the right number.

Angelic Skirmisher – this angel is a good addition to the list, and acts both as an attacker and boost defense. Its each combat trigger is very good at maneuvering your board to your advantage.

Firemane Avenger – another angel to give you options for your four drops. I might add one or two for the deck.

Rubblehulk – this elemental might work well with a Domri Rade based build, plus Kessig Wolf Run makes it more effective.

Signal the Clans – the new ‘Green Zenith’ for the deck effective on fetching utility creatures. Three in the deck is okay if you add singleton critters like Armada Wurm and Angel of Serenity.

Here is a preliminary list. Let me know what you think.

2 Angel of Serenity
1 Angelic Skirmisher
1 Armada Wurm
2 Arbor Elf
4 Avacyn’s Pilgrim
4 Huntmaster of the Fells
4 Restoration Angel
3 Loxodon Smiter
4 Thragtusk
2 Borderland Ranger

2 Bonfire of the Damned
3 Domri Rade
2 Farseek
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
2 Signal the Clans

4 Stomping Ground
4 Temple Garden
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Rootbound Crag
2 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Plains
2 Forest
1 Mountain

Until the next post.

Its just one month to go and Ravnica’s expansion set Gatecrashed will be released. This set covers the remaining guilds Dimir, Orzhov, Simic, Boros and Gruul. So far the cards previewed showed potential for constructed gameplay. Here are my current favorites.

Obzedat, Ghost Council – The father of the Ghost dads (err dadception?) with a very evasive ability, Obzedat, Ghost Council got some potential in Esper midrange decks or even in pure Orzhov decks. Selesnya Charm is its current only answer card.

Zameck Guildmage – the Simic can now officially become a aggro-tempo deck coupled with Undying critters and this guildmage. You can also splash a little of Selesnyan token producers and add its first ability. (The card image in the link is its Gameday promo version).

Skullcrack – Mono Red is now back in action in Standard with this card. This instant can deny Thragtusk & Sphinx’s revelation life gain. A very good sideboard card for Zombies and RDW.

Murder Investigation – Since I am still a fan of token decks, this has a good potential of a sideboard card for the that archetype. The usual target would be Thragtusk & now all we need is a good sacrificial outlet.

I’ll cut off at this point as I wait for more card spoilers in the coming weeks.

As the next expansion Gatecrash is approaching, the current Standard still has enough room for innovation. This was again proved by the deck that won Grand Prix Nagoya last weekend. That deck approach featured a fast-paced Humans reanimation plan with Angel of Glory’s Rise.

As for today’s topic, I am taking another adaptation of the Standard staple Naya deck. Previously we had featured Junk Tokens, now we have Naya Tokens. Here is my first version:

Naya Tokens by Mark Ian Alloso
Standard Constructed

Lands
3 Forest
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Temple Garden
4 Sunpetal Grove
2 Clifftop Retreat
2 Plains
2 Mountain
3 Gavony Township

Creatures
3 Huntmaster of the Fells
3 Hellrider
3 Thragtusk
2 Borderland Ranger
1 Armada Wurm
1 Geist-Honored Monk
4 Avacyn’s Pilgrim

Spells
1 Oblivion Ring
2 Farseek
4 Selesnya Charm
3 Intangible Virtue
3 Garruk Relentless
1 Rootborn Defenses
1 Collective Blessing
4 Midnight Haunting

The main reason aside from teching to Red is to gain advantage of the Zombie matchup post-sideboard. I could side in Pillar of Flames, a cheaper removal in which the Junk version has no access with. Also, having Huntmaster maindeck gains you ahead on the battlefield against other aggro.

The fast start of Selesnya decks and critters with Rancor can be trifled by Selesnya Charm, and acting both as an offense and defense.

Hellrider is a pseudo pump that can boost your tokens. Imagine curving into a turn two virtue, turn three Midnight Haunting and turn four Hellrider. It would be devastating. He can even just sit there and let the flying crits do the damage. Hell yeah!

Let me know what you think of the list. Suggestions are very much welcome. Just hit the comment box below.

Until next post.

I have tried piloting Zombies again last weekend, despite its unfavorable performance it showed me last GP Manila. This is for the reason that the deck has been gaining momentum in the metagame lately, and I am to experiment something.

The popular version is Rakdos(Black/Red), but I am adding the third color Green for versatility. I really considered Lotleth Troll in the list (aside from buying it at its peak price after the release of RtR) as it has resiliency to removals. Bounce effects is quite bad for it, but surviving Supreme Verdict, and Pillar of Flame is not to be disregarded.

Here is the list I played last Saturday.

Lands
4 Blood Crypt
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Overgrown Tomb
2 Cavern of Souls
4 Woodland Cemetery
3 Swamp
1 Rakdos Guildgate
1 Golgari Guildgate

Creatures
1 Hellrider
4 Diregraf Ghoul
2 Bloodthrone Vampire
4 Rakdos Cackler
4 Lotleth Troll
4 Gravecrawler
4 Geralf’s Messenger
4 Falkenrath Aristocrat
2 Blood Artist

Spells
3 Mark of Mutiny
1 Victim of Night
2 Brimstone Volley
1 Bonfire of the Damned
1 Tragic Slip

I won against UW Flash and BR Zombies (started 2-0), and lost to GW Humans and GW Aggro (ended 2-2). There might be some sideboarding mistakes on my part, aside from unfortunate land stalls and flood which can’t be avoided. The most misfortune I got was against Humans, wherein a resolved turn four Angel of Jubilation shut down my graveyard and Falkenrath Aristocrat shenanigans.

Anyhow, I am thinking in adding more spot removals in the deck or additional Bonfire as more aggro decks has been appearing in my local metagame. This might be to worsen the matchup of UW Flash. I also think this is a good time for Bant Control to dominate the meta. Calling Mr. Tonton hehe.

I might be going back to Naya next weekend or I might try Kibler’s G/W Aggro concoction. Until next post.

Moving on with deck archetypes in Return to Ravnica Standard, here is a deck that is fond of enchanting its creatures. The deck tech is based on the color of the Bant shard in Alara, basing on Green as its main color fixer. It relies on cheap enchantment spells to boost up Hexproof critters like the Invisible Stalker and double striker Fencing Ace.

Here is the list:

Bant Aura
By Mark Ian Alloso

Lands
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Temple Garden
4 Sunpetal Grove
2 Plains
2 Island
2 Forest
1 Selesnya Guildgate

Creatures
2 Sigarda, Host of Herons
4 Fencing Ace
4 Invisible Stalker
4 Geist of Saint Traft

Spells
4 Abundant Growth
4 Spectral Flight
4 Rancor
1 Faith’s Shield
4 Ethereal Armor
2 Bonds of Faith
2 Selesnya Charm
1 Feeling of Dread
1 Detention Sphere

The deck can start fast with two drops and Auras on turn three. It has also various ways of getting the damage through with Feeling of Dread, Selesnya Charm and Detention Sphere. Bonds of Faith also has both offense and defense action.

I can’t wait to test this list once the card becomes available in my card pool. It might not look Standard worthy but I am pretty sure it will caught opponents off-guard.

Until next post.

The third set completing the Return to Ravnica block has been finally announced just recently. The set is called Dragon’s Maze and to be released to the market on May 3, 2013. It has a total cards of 156, and it will include all ten of the Ravnica guilds.

Prerelease Events will be on April 27-28, 2013, and the set’s Gameday will be on May 25-26, 2013. More info the set can be found here.

Here is another discussion of one of the many archetypes in the current metagame in Standard. Surely Return to Ravnica has made the format very interesting and innovative. This time, I’ll be talking about a deck combo that appeared in a previous Star City Games Open series. Thought it didn’t made it to the top 8, the interesting design of the deck caught attention.

The deck is nicknamed “RUG Soulbond” and here is my version below.

RUG Soulbond
By Mark Ian Alloso
Lands
2 Island
4 Steam Vents
4 Sulfur Falls
4 Rootbound Crag
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Blood Crypt
2 Forest
4 Hinterland Harbor
1 Mountain
1 Kessig Wolf Run

Creatures
2 Deadeye Navigator
2 Acidic Slime
3 Huntmaster of the Fells
3 Izzet Staticaster
3 Nightshade Peddler
1 Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
1 Thundermaw Hellkite
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Zealous Conscripts

Spells
1 Dissipate
3 Syncopate
3 Farseek
1 Gilded Lotus
2 Essence Scatter
1 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
1 Garruk Relentless
2 Mizzium Mortars
2 Forbidden Alchemy
2 Izzet Charm

My changes were the inclusion of the following cards: Acidic Slime, Thundermaw Hellkite, Garruk Relentless and Tamiyo. First, the slimes’ main purpose is to destroy Cavern of Souls to make your counterspells effective, and can also pair up with Deadeye Navigator for unlimited land destruction.

Next, Thundermaw Hellkite is an efficient five drop, killing spirit tokens and can also wipe out Angel tokens when paired with the Deathtouch peddler. Heck, it can even deal with Sigarda.

Lastly, the walkers act various roles obviously: Garruk for tutoring up the needed creature to combo with, and Tamiyo tapping out opponent’s threats or fatties.

I have no definite sideboard yet so if you any ideas in mind, please share it in the comments box below.

Until next post.

I have been doing some test builds lately on the Selesnya Guild (which I am obviously a fan), and I am considering the midrange build is more okay meta-wise. Tempo decks has been sprouting around lately, stomping small toughness critters with Pillar of Flames and Searing Spears so setting up for the late game is essential.

Here is my recent list:

Lands
2 Gavony Township
4 Plains
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
8 Forest
2 Cavern of Souls

Creatures
4 Arbor Elf
4 Avacyn’s Pilgrim
2 Armada Wurm
2 Thragtusk
4 Restoration Angel
3 Angel of Serenity
2 Borderland Ranger
1 Fiend Hunter
1 Geist-Honored Monk
3 Acidic Slime
2 Somberwald Sage

Spells
4 Selesnya Charm
1 Garruk Relentless
3 Selesnya Keyrune

Essentially, I have 15 mana ramp cards to power up early Angels and Armada Wurms. Somberwald Sage works very well on casting these fatties as early as turn three.

My current tech here is the Acidic Slimes. I’ve placed them as a solution against Jund and Reanimator decks. They don’t ramp that fast, but cutting up their manabase can slow down their big spells letting you gain advantage with your fatties. This has not been tested yet, though I think the early land destruction is very relevant. It can also be good against control decks, combined with Cavern of Souls.

Here is the present sideboard:

1 Acidic Slime
1 Cavern of Souls
3 Oblivion Ring
4 Centaur Healer
2 Fiend Hunter
2 Tormod’s Crypt
1 Druid’s Deliverance
1 Sigarda, Host of Herons

I removed Thalia as she very vulnerable to Pillar of Flame and can’t affect that much on the tempo decks. The plan here vs control is to disrupt their mana early and pressure them with angels and Thragtusk. You also need to resolve big creatures with the third Cavern.

Comments and suggestions let me know all of it. Just hit the comment box below.

Thanks and until next post.