I took this deck idea from John Taylor's SCG deck tech in Atlanta on 10/10/15. I believe that there is a solid 75 cards for a competitive aristocrat deck in standard waiting to be discovered, and his was my favorite so far. I've made some changes to adjust the power level and consistency, and will continue to do so as I play test the deck more. I will add updates in the description on any changes I make.
Removed following:
3x Bloodsoaked Champion
2x Butcher of the Horde
2x Sorin, Solemn Visitor
2x Carrier Thrall
Added following:
4x Blisterpod
2x Nantuko Husk
3x Abzan Ascendency
Removed Bloodsoaked Champion due to his inability to block early game. This card is very powerful late game with the ability to recur multiple times in a single turn, so I went down to 1 copy, which is all you will ever need for sacrificing and recurring. Replaced this card with Blisterpod which is the superior 1 drop in an aristocrat style deck.
While Butcher of the Horde is great in this deck, I feel it relied too heavily on him. A single kill spell could leave this deck in a disadvantageous position with butcher, so I cut two. The husks have a similar effect on the game, and come down a turn earlier, with less mana requirements.
The Sorin, Solemn Visitors seemed great for life gain, but otherwise don't fit the theme of the deck. They were an easier cut. Carrier Thralls were the hardest cut to make in my opinion, but I came to the conclusion because they are the weaker form of Sultai Emissary, and the deck already has plenty of 2 drops. I've rounded out the deck with some diversification and upped the power level with Abzan Ascendency, which I feel is far too powerful to not include in an aristocrat strategy.
