For today’s potential EMN Standard deck, we have a Rare White sorcery card previewed earlier today in Reddit. The card is named Providence. This looks to be a new variance of life gain and we shall check how it will fit for a Mono White lifegain deck. Below is the card image.

The first card I immediately thought about after seeing this is Felidar Sovereign. Starting at a healthy 26 life and later on gaining it back is just very hard to deal with for most aggro decks. We will just find a way to setup the right components so as we can also go in par with Midrange and Control decks.

With that in mind, here is my preliminary decklist:

Creatures
1 Aegis Angel
4 Felidar Sovereign
3 Lone Rider
2 Ruin Processor

Spells
2 Blessed Alliance
2 Declaration in Stone
4 Prism Ring
4 Hedron Archive
4 Stasis Snare
3 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Silkwrap
2 Descend upon the Sinful
4 Providence

4 Blighted Steppe
20 Plains

Prism Ring is your initial lifegain source, followed by Lone Rider which works well with the ring. Gideon can be your offense/defense partner in the mid-game and the Hedron Archives will help you ramp into early Felidar Sovereigns, Ruin Processor, sweep the board with Descend upon the Sinful or a hard cast Providence.

Do take note that this list will likely improve once the spoiler is complete. Your comments and suggestions are very much welcome so just post them in the box below. I’d be glad to hear them out.

It is the first week of Eldritch Moon card previews and for tonight, (in PH time) we have a preview from the mothership website is a Vampire which I think will fit in today’s title for this blog post. The card is named Bloodhall Priest. Here it is below:

It looks like a regular 4-drop 4/4 creature and does not even have evasion like Flying and the trigger works only on Hellbent or no cards in your hand. While I am not really a fan of having no hands in Magic matches, I think her ability will work well with certain cards in the format.

My initial build for this is obviously, Black-Red Vampires that abuses the Madness ability. My reference was my Standard Pauper matchup last Sunday wherein I faced a Black-Red Madness deck. It looked consistent with gas cards like Tormenting Voice as well as other spot removals like Fiery Temper.

My aim now is to build a Standard version of the deck. The initial list will include cards like these:

Black
Asylum Visitor
Call the Bloodline
Heir of Falkenrath
Macabre Waltz
Murderous Compulsion
Pale Rider of Trostad

Red
Fiery Temper
Incorrigible Youths
Bloodmad Vampire
Falkenrath Gorger

I will come up with a version one of the deck once the Eldritch Moon spoiler is complete. That is a wrap for now. Until the next blog post.

Here is a Standard deck tech from the recent WMCQ I Philippines held last weekend in Manila. The innovative deck looks like a straightforward B/G aggro but with an Eldrazi twist as it uses Thought-Knot Seers and Reality Smashers. It was piloted by Zax Ozaki, whom I regard as one of the best players in the country. He finished 2nd place in the event, losing to a Blue Red Eldrazi Ramp deck.Here below is the decklist:

Maindeck
4 Reality Smasher
4 Thought-Knot Seer
4 Deathcap Cultivator
4 Sylvan Advocate
2 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
2 Eldrazi Displacer

4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
3 Declaration in Stone
2 Anguished Unmaking
3 Dromoka’s Command
3 Oath of Nissa

4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Caves of Koilos
4 Hissing Quagmire
3 Shambling Vent
3 Canopy Vista
1 Sea Gate Wreckage
3 Plains
3 Forest

Sideboard
4 Transgress the Mind
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Silkwrap
2 Hallowed Moonlight
1 Ob Nixilis Reignited
1 Painful Truths
1 Languish

From the recent success of the MtG Standard Seasons Past deck, the archetype then evolved to a traditional or let us say straightforward approach of a control deck. This build piloted by seasoned pro Ben Stark finished at 18th place at the recent SCG Standard Open in Orlando, I think that was last weekend.

Here below is his decklist:

Maindeck
3 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
4 Sylvan Advocate
2 The Gitrog Monster
4 Tireless Tracker
2 Woodland Bellower

2 Ob Nixilis Reignited
2 Dead Weight
4 Grasp of Darkness
2 Languish
4 Oath of Nissa
4 Ruinous Path
3 Ultimate Price

4 Evolving Wilds
6 Forest
4 Hissing Quagmire
4 Llanowar Wastes
6 Swamp

Sideboard
2 Dark Petition
2 Duress
2 Infinite Obliteration
2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
1 Languish
1 Seasons Past
2 Transgress the Mind
1 Ultimate Price
2 Virulent Plague

Source

The variance of Eldrazi ramp decks in Standard comes in many forms. The most common build would be mono Green or Green with Red for Chandra Flamecaller. For today’s featured Standard decklist though we have a Blue-based counter heavy deck version and finishes the game with Drowner of Hope and Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger.

Below is a decklist played by Michael Segal which finished in 4th place in a recent StarCityGames.com Standard Open:

Maindeck
3 Drowner of Hope
3 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger

2 Chandra, Flamecaller
2 Jace, Unraveler of Secrets
4 Hedron Archive
4 Anticipate
4 Clash of Wills
2 Kozilek’s Return
4 Spatial Contortion
4 Spell Shrivel

6 Island
4 Highland Lake
4 Mage-Ring Network
4 Shivan Reef
4 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
2 Spawning Bed
4 Wandering Fumarole

Sideboard
3 Fevered Visions
2 Thought-Knot Seer
2 Kozilek’s Return
1 Deceiver of Form
1 Drowner of Hope
3 Fiery Impulse
3 Negate

I have thought to share with you the tournament details for this weekend’s first leg of the Magic: the Gathering World Magic Cup Qualifiers for the year 2016. The host store will be Regran and it will be a three-day event which will start with the Last Chance Qualifiers on Friday, the main event on Saturday and the Top 8 playoffs on Sunday.

Below are the tournament info for WMCQ I PH:

WORLD MAGIC CUP QUALIFIERS – STANDARD
JUNE 17-19, 2016

EVENT LINK: https://www.facebook.com/events/242900539419699/

EVENT TIMELINE
JUNE 17 – FRIDAY
AT REGRAN ORTIGAS

11:00AM-10:00PM – FINAL DAY FOR PRE-REGISTRATION
1:00PM – LAST CHANCE QUALIFIERS(STANDARD)
6:30PM – SUPER FRIDAY NIGHT MAGIC(STANDARD)

JUNE 18 – SATURDAY
AT FISHER MALL, QUEZON AVENUE

10:00 AM – VENUE OPENS
10:30 AM – PLAYER MEETING
11:00 AM – START OF ROUND 1
4:30 PM – STANDARD REBOUND EVENT, MODERN REBOUND EVENT, ETERNAL MASTERS 8-MAN DRAFT, SHADOWS OVER INNISTRAD 8-MAN DRAFT

JUNE 19 – SUNDAY
AT REGRAN ORTIGAS

11:00 AM – REGRAN OPEN 2016(STANDARD LEG)
1:00 PM – TOP 8 PLAYOFFS
4:00 PM – ETERNAL MASTERS 8-MAN DRAFT

************************************************************
LAST CHANCE QUALIFIERS
250.00 PHP ENTRANCE FEE
WINNER GETS WMCQ INVITE + FREE ENTRY FREE
PACKS TO TOP PLAYERS

SUPER FRIDAY NIGHT MAGIC
300.00 PHP ENTRANCE FEE
4-0 GETS 10 PACKS OR 1 ELDRICH MOON PRERELEASE PASS
3-0-1 GETS 6 PACKS
3-1 GETS 4 PACKS
2-1-1 GETS 2 PACKS
FNM PRIZE POOL TO ALL PLAYERS

STANDARD AND MODERN REBOUND EVENTS
300.00 PHP ENTRANCE FEE
4-0 GETS 10 PACKS OR 1 ELDRICH MOON PRERELEASE PASS
3-0-1 GETS 6 PACKS
3-1 GETS 4 PACKS
2-1-1 GETS 2 PACKS

3X ETERNAL MASTERS 8-MAN DRAFT
2000.00 PHP ENTRANCE FEE
3 ROUNDS, 1 PACK PER WIN

3X SHADOWS OVER INNISTRAD 8-MAN DRAFT
650.00 PHP ENTRANCE FEE
3 ROUNDS, 1 PACK PER WIN

REGRAN OPEN 2016 – STANDARD LEG
400.00 PHP ENTRANCE FEE
WINNER GETS 5000.00 PHP + 1 BYE AT 2016 REGRAN CUP HAPPENING ON DECEMBER 2016
RUNNER-UP GETS 2500.00 PHP

For today’s Standard deck tech was from the recent StarcityGames open last weekend in Atlanta. Remember last time we mentioned Saito’s Blue Red Flyers deck? This version preferred White over Red to open access to powerful White based cards in the current format in the form of Declaration in Stone and Reflector Mage. The deck was played by Hugo Terra and finished 6th place in the tournament.

Here is the decklist:

Maindeck:
2 Bygone Bishop
4 Dimensional Infiltrator
4 Rattlechains
4 Reflector Mage
3 Stratus Dancer

4 Declaration in Stone
2 Invocation of Saint Traft
3 Clash of Wills
2 Essence Flux
4 Spell Shrivel

4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar

6 Island
6 Plains
3 Evolving Wilds
4 Port Town
4 Prairie Stream
1 Westvale Abbey

Sideboard:
4 Silkwrap
2 Stasis Snare
1 Dispel
2 Hallowed Moonlight
1 Invasive Surgery
3 Negate
2 Secure the Wastes

Aside from the game demo this coming Sunday, there will be a Standard Pauper tournament with booster pack prizes for those who would want to enjoy a semi-casual and somewhat competitive environment. Fridays and Saturdays will be regular Standard events which also preparation exercise for the upcoming WMCQ I this 17th.

Here are the planned Magic: the Gathering tournament for this weekend:

Tournament Schedule this Weekend

June 3, 2016
Friday Night Magic
Standard Constructed format, 80php entry fee.
Top 4 gets an exclusive FNM Promo foil card and Shadows over Innistrad booster packs
Tourney starts 6:00pm, Rei’s Place

June 4, 2016
Saturday Standard, 80php entry fee.
Shadows over Innistrad booster pack prizes
Tourney starts 3:00pm, Rei’s Place

June 5, 2016
Beginners Demo & Standard Pauper
1:00pm, Hi-Gear, Marymart Mall
Details here: http://bit.ly/1RT2hEk

Kitakits!

The Hall of Famer pro Raphael Levy has yet added another Grand Prix Champion trophy on his resume as he triumphed in GP Manchester last weekend. Mastering Green-White Tokens deck, he decided to add a ‘splash’ in the form of Chandra, Flamecaller. His Red source for casting it is via Oath of Nissa.

Here is his winning decklist:

Maindeck
Creatures (14)
4 Sylvan Advocate
4 Archangel Avacyn
4 Hangarback Walker
2 Lambholt Pacifist
Planeswalkers (10)
4 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
4 Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
2 Chandra, Flamecaller

Spells (11)
4 Dromoka’s Command
4 Oath of Nissa
2 Stasis Snare
1 Evolutionary Leap

Lands (25)
4 Fortified Village
4 Canopy Vista
3 Westvale Abbey
7 Forest
7 Plains

Sideboard
1 Evolutionary Leap
2 Clip Wings
1 Silkwrap
2 Hallowed Moonlight
3 Den Protector
2 Tragic Arrogance
2 Planar Outburst
1 Angelic Purge
1 Declaration in Stone

Checking on the coverage of Grand Prix Minnesota, I have read an article that discusses Sam Black’s innovation with White Humans. As of the recent metagame, Humans has been the fastest aggro deck. Popularized by pro player Craig Wescoe, the mono White versions has been successful as of late, but it is not a bad idea to do a little splash.

Sam is now implementing this idea on this current GP with Red as the second color. The splash purpose was for the R/W manland Needle Spires which he is having in the sideboard. It is maybe used for control matchups as a late-game gas against board sweeps. There is no decklist posted just yet, but I assume this is his partial list:

1 Anointer of Champions
2 Consul’s Lieutenant
2 Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
4 Dragon Hunter
4 Expedition Envoy
4 Knight of the White Orchid
4 Thalia’s Lieutenant
4 Thraben Inspector
4 Town Gossipmonger
3 Kytheon, Hero of Akros

4 Always Watching
4 Declaration in Stone
3 Gryff’s Boon

The lands would just be Plains and Battlefield Forge. We will stay tuned on how the deck performs on the second day of the Grand Prix which will start tonight PH time.

As one way of updating myself on the recent Standard metagame for the upcoming World Magic Cup Qualifiers I, I checked on the recent Grand Prix of the format and that was in New York last May 7-8th. Browsing through the 9th to 32th decklists, I noticed a few archetype updates. One of which was the 4-color Cryptolith which was before was just Black and Green. Here is a list played by Nathaniel Smith which finished in 13th place in the tournament:

Maindeck
4 Loam Dryad
4 Duskwatch Recruiter
2 Zulaport Cutthroat
4 Elvish Visionary
4 Eldrazi Displacer
4 Catacomb Sifter
4 Reflector Mage
3 Brood Monitor

4 Collected Company
4 Cryptolith Rite

2 Westvale Abbey
4 Yavimaya Coast
4 Llanowar Wastes
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Forest
1 Swamp
1 Island
1 Plains
4 Evolving Wilds

Sideboard
1 Enlightened Ascetic
2 Spatial Contortion
2 Fleshbag Marauder
4 Transgress the Mind
4 Thought-Knot Seer
2 Lambholt Pacifist

So I have recently checked some Standard Pauper decklist at PDCMagic.com for some reference on my future builds as well to see some new deck brews from the MTGO players and I came up this deck archetype played by Adner. The deck is Mono Red agro updated with a few Madness spells and discard enablers from Shadows over Innistrad. He finished first place with a finesse record of 4-1.

Here below is the decklist:

Here below is the decklist:

Maindeck
Creatures
4 Borderland Marauder
4 Mage-Ring Bully
3 Ember-Eye Wolf
3 Insolent Neonate
3 Sanguinary Mage
2 Bloodmad Vampire
2 Goblin Freerunner

Spells
4 Fiery Temper
4 Infectious Bloodlust
3 Senseless Rage
3 Tormenting Voice
3 Touch of the Void
2 Titan’s Strength
Lands
15 Mountain
4 Looming Spires
1 Evolving Wilds

SIDEBOARD
4 Boiling Earth
4 Boulder Salvo
2 Pyre Hound
2 Dual Shot
1 Consuming Sinkhole
1 Magmatic Chasm
1 Mad Prophet