4/5- Abzan (including abzan blue) 5 points
The old reliable deck of the format Abzan has been a force in standard since PT Khans of Tarkir and despite going through many different iterations it has always been a top end deck. It will be interesting to see how Abzan finds its identity in the coming months.
Abzan Blue by Willie Porges
2 Den Protector
4 Reflector Mage
4 Siege Rhino
4 Warden of the First Tree
1 Wingmate Roc
4 Anafenza, the Foremost
2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
3 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
2 Forest
1 Plains
1 Swamp
2 Canopy Vista
4 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Delta
1 Prairie Stream
1 Smoldering Marsh
1 Sunken Hollow
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Dromoka’s Command
2 Murderous Cut
3 Stubborn Denial
4 Oath of Nissa
SB: 2 Disdainful Stroke
SB: 1 Dispel
SB: 2 Hallowed Moonlight
SB: 1 Ojutai’s Command
SB: 2 Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy
SB: 1 Exert Influence
SB: 2 Painful Truths
SB: 4 Self-Inflicted Wound
4/5- Dark Jeskai 5 Points
An ideal deck for someone looking for control in a world gone mad, balancing a tremendous suite of removal and card draw backed by powerful threats that get only more frightening as the game wears on. There are many ways to build this deck with more aggressive or controlling ideas, there is a lot of opportunity to experiment with the numbers and card choices in this deck.
Jeskai Black by Gerry Thompson
2 Monastery Mentor
3 Soulfire Grand Master
4 Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy
1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
1 Chandra, Flamecaller
1 Island
1 Mountain
1 Plains
1 Swamp
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Canopy Vista
2 Flooded Strand
2 Mystic Monastery
4 Polluted Delta
1 Prairie Stream
1 Shambling Vent
2 Smoldering Marsh
1 Sunken Hollow
2 Wandering Fumarole
3 Wooded Foothills
4 Crackling Doom
2 Disdainful Stroke
4 Fiery Impulse
1 Murderous Cut
2 Duress
2 Magmatic Insight
3 Painful Truths
2 Roast
3 Treasure Cruise
SB: 2 Dispel
SB: 3 Negate
SB: 1 Utter End
SB: 1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
SB: 1 Linvala, the Preserver
SB: 1 Chandra, Flamecaller
SB: 1 Infinite Obliteration
SB: 3 Radiant Flames
SB: 2 Roast
3-Atarka Red 7 Points
A deck that has gone through countless versions and countless salty opponents since the days of Jackal pup and fork my fireblast up to winning 2 of the last 3 pro tours the red menace is still here and as dangerous as ever. A powerful token based attack backed by anthems in the form of Atarka’s Commands and Reckless Bushwackers to close the deal this is a deck that can win easily against under-prepared opponents.
Atarka Red by Korey McDuffie
4 Abbot of Keral Keep
4 Monastery Swiftspear
3 Reckless Bushwhacker
3 Zurgo Bellstriker
1 Forest
11 Mountain
4 Bloodstained Mire
2 Cinder Glade
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Atarka’s Command
2 Become Immense
3 Fiery Impulse
4 Titan’s Strength
4 Wild Slash
4 Dragon Fodder
3 Hordeling Outburst
SB: 2 Den Protector
SB: 2 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
SB: 3 Arc Lightning
SB: 2 Painful Truths
SB: 4 Self-Inflicted Wound
SB: 2 Smoldering Marsh
1/2-Green-Red Eldrazi
And now for our Main Event! Fighting out of the red corner, from the blind eternities. Weighing in at innumerable tons of Eldrazi fury. Green Red Eldraaaazi. A deck that is using early ramp spells to generate a huge mana advantage and turn that into powerful Eldrazi threats such a world breaker, and Ulamog the very hungriest which take over the game and can even cut your opponent off of what little mana they may have.
G/R Eldrazi by Zhengdong Shan
4 Hangarback Walker
4 Sylvan Advocate
2 Thought-Knot Seer
4 World Breaker
1 Kozilek, the Great Distortion
2 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
1 Chandra, Flamecaller
2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
8 Forest
2 Mountain
1 Cinder Glade
2 Crumbling Vestige
4 Sanctum of Ugin
4 Shrine of the Forsaken Gods
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Kozilek’s Return
4 Oath of Nissa
4 Explosive Vegetation
4 Nissa’s Pilgrimage
SB: 2 Jaddi Offshoot
SB: 1 Void Winnower
SB: 1 Kozilek’s Return
SB: 2 Natural State
SB: 2 Winds of Qal Sisma
SB: 2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
SB: 2 Crumble to Dust
SB: 3 Roast
1/2-Rally 10 points
And Fighting out of the blue corner, from your own graveyard weighing in at mostly nothing since they’re already dead. Rally the Ancestooors. Playing many creatures that provide a small value when entering the battlefield as well as some allies that love to watch them go. Backed by an easy sacrifice outlet in Nantuko husk, as well as card advantage from Collected Company and Jace with Rally the Ancestors to bring the whole thing together. You get what many people considered the best deck prior to OGW’s release. We are eagerly waiting to see if it can defend that title in a new and hostile environment.
Four-color Rally by Emma Handy
3 Catacomb Sifter
4 Elvish Visionary
3 Grim Haruspex
4 Nantuko Husk
3 Reflector Mage
3 Sidisi’s Faithful
4 Zulaport Cutthroat
4 Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy
1 Forest
1 Island
1 Plains
1 Swamp
2 Canopy Vista
3 Evolving Wilds
4 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Delta
1 Prairie Stream
2 Sunken Hollow
4 Windswept Heath
4 Collected Company
4 Rally the Ancestors
SB: 2 Arashin Cleric
SB: 1 Felidar Cub
SB: 1 Fleshbag Marauder
SB: 1 Merciless Executioner
SB: 2 Dispel
SB: 3 Murderous Cut
SB: 3 Anafenza, the Foremost
SB: 2 Duress
This week on Constructed Criticism Spencer and Manny are joined by their new permanent co-host Casey to discuss the current modern metagame and a training ground on Making Meaningful Plays.
