Arashin Foremost : This deck features a lot of warriors and it might be the best place for this card to shine ! Do not underestimate the power of double strike, especially when it's paired with triggers that enhance creatures power, like a renowned
Consul's Lieutenant
or even better Citadel Siege.* Try to use the surprise factor of double strike to your advantage. The deck has ways to conceal your creatures ( Mastery of the Unseen ) and also ways to push for some unexpected damage (
Ajani's Presence
on a double striking
Seeker of the Way
for instance)
Consul's Lieutenant
: This new addition from Magic Origins has some very powerful abilities. It's a 2/1 with First Strike that comes down very early, meaning your opponent will have a hard time blocking it profitably in the first turns of the game.
* Once he gets renowned, he becomes a 3/2 First Strike that's going to be even harder to block and on top of that, he gives a Anthem effect to your attacking creatures !
Dragon Hunter
: It's just a simple 2/1 for with the upside of being a Warrior and having protection from Dragons. Not bad.
Hidden Dragonslayer : This guy is the deck's best answer to many creatures in the format : Siege Rhino, Tasigur, the Golden Fang, Thunderbreak Regent, Polukranos, World Eater,
Whisperwood Elemental
, a pumped-up Goblin Rabblemaster, the Dragonlords and many more while also having a decent lifelink body.* It won't happen very often, but if you manifest a Hidden Dragonslayer, you can turn him face up for with megamorph or turn him face up for , his mana cost. The trigger will still go on the stack but it'll leave you with a 2/1 instead of a 3/2.
Knight of the White Orchid :This reprint from Shards of Alara has 2 things in his favor :
First, it's a 2/2 First Strike, which are good stats for a 2 drop.
Then, the enter-the-battlefield ability : If you have less lands then your opponent, you get to fetch a Plains for free ! It's excellent because it allows you to keep hands with a low land count without having to worry.*A little trick when you're on the draw : Try to play another 2 drop on turn 2 then cast Knight of the White Orchid on turn 3 before playing your land. This will ensure you get your third Plains and you can even play your land afterwards to have 2 mana up for another 2 drop or a instant.
Mardu Woe-Reaper : Are you tired of thoses pesky Deathmist Raptor/Den Protector shenanigans ? Well here's the solution !At first glance, a 2/1 for is decent, but boring. However, it has a major upside : It allows you to hinder opposing graveyard recursion strategies while also gaining a life on top of that !* Unless you're in a really dire situation, try to keep your creatures in your graveyard, except for Arashin Foremost. It's because
Return to the Ranks
can always bring them back later on.
Seeker of the Way
: This card is simple, yet very powerful. A 2/2 for , not bad, but once you cast a noncreature spell, it turns into a 3/3 lifelinker, which is very powerful for such a low initial investment. It also has the upside of being of warrior, which means synergies with Mardu Woe-Reaper and Arashin Foremost.
Soldier of the Pantheon : Are you also of multicolored spells, like Fleecemane Lion,
Rakshasa Deathdealer
, Anafenza, the Foremost and Siege Rhino ? This guy, while also being completely immune to theses cards, gains you a life each time a opponent cast them ! Even without this impressive upside, Soldier of the Pantheon's a 2/1 for which is decent versus almost any deck.
Lightform
: While this deck has a pretty decent ground game, it severely lacks flying creatures. For this purpose, I decided to include
Lightform
, which gives a simple yet useful flying body to break theses long ground stalled games.