Because Restoration Angel
+
Siege Rhino
is fun right?
and how about the old standard fun times with Restoration Angel
+
Thragtusk
, that's fun too, right?
how about doing that turn 3 and 4? thats even more fun, right?
Any questions that I don't explain in here I'm more than willing to answer!
Card choices explained:
Arbor Elf + Utopia Sprawl + Garruk Wildspeaker + Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx: Devotion parts, it's not really a devotion deck without these.
Creatures!
Acidic Slime: Reclamation Sage for more than can hit artifacts and lands too! I've had games where I've destroyed every land the other person had out because of all of the bounce I have (One of my most satisfying wins came from going against an Anafenza pod deck and winning after they went infinite. I stalled out the game long enough so they drew a card when they didn't have any cards left.)
Eternal Witness: Useful beyond belief, gets things back discarded, part of the Primal Command lock, gets Chords back, and allows me to chain Gen waves for max profit!
Genesis Hydra: Mini Gen-wave on cast! Super useful, and easy to get anything from the deck since my curve ends at 5.
Kitchen Finks: At this point, it's looking to be a modern staple, getting included in nearly every deck that has Green or White in it, it finds a good home here, providing 2 devotion to Green and White while gaining 2 life each time it ETBs, and between Resto, Sabertooth and Gavony, it'll be doing that a lot.
Knight of the Reliquary: Big creature that fetches Nykthos, fixes me, or gets either of my utility lands. Not much else to say here.
Restoration Angel: Do you remember the old standard times of Restoration Angel
+
Thragtusk
that made so many people complain? Well how about that in modern? Gain 10 life, get a 3/3 Beast and a 3/4 flier? in addition to your 5/3? Sounds like a good deal to me. Blinking Siege Rhino after declaring blockers? Sign me up for a trip to value town! Part of the blinking engine, and blinks anyone else for value or saving them from removal.
Siege Rhino: The original reason for splashing black, and the reason for not going Naya with the deck. When combined with the blinking, its possible to kill off of rhino triggers (which is absolutely hilarious), but when combined with the 2 utility lands, it becomes a powerhouse, gaining minimum of 4 life per hit, and killing darn close to anything in the format.
Temur Sabertooth: The other part of the blinking engine, for a measly you can blink any creature on your side of the field at instant speed for value! This card is a big reason why this deck works, even without the engine going you can have buttloads of value by returning things to your hand to save them (and her), or just abuse their ETBs.
Thragtusk: The ol' standard threat. Upon entering the battlefield, you gain 5 life, and when they remove it in any way (exiling, destroying, etc) you get a 3/3 Beast token. Sounds good to me, and the fun multiplies when combined with Restos or Sabertooth. With 5 power it can kill most things in the format, and sure the 3 toughness is measly, but with Gavony, the Leyline and blinking things, I'm not too worried about it dying. Besides, a 3/3 to replace it isnt that bad.
Instants/Sorceries!
Chord of Calling: Getting any creature at any time is so very useful, frequently I'll fetch an Eternal Witness with it at the end of the opponents turn, or get myself a Thragtusk in response to them declaring attackers. (I also hear that chording out an Elesh in response to attackers is fun)
Genesis Wave: Big brother to G-Hydra, proves itself almost every time it's cast, gaining me an average of 8 life and a very nice boardstate each cast.
Primal Command: Primal Command lock, one of such fun! Bounce a land to the top of their library and get an Eternal Witness, continuing for as long as you can, fetching Restos and Sabertooths
Lands!
Gavony Township: Utility land #1, Combos with Kitchen Finks for endless chump blockers and lifegain. Also funtimes when all of my creatures have three +1/+1 counters on them and I ult Garruk.
Overgrown Tomb + Temple Garden: Fixing that can be fetched by fetches and KotR, and can be sacrificed to KotR if need be.
Vault of the Archangel: Utility land #2, in testing still, but more than likely in the final product since lifelink + deathtouch on any creature is scary, but on big creatures it can get terrifying, and its really easy to get big creatures in the deck, between the ones that are already big and the various ways to pump the smaller ones.
Windswept Heath + Wooded Foothills: Fetches! Not much to say here, fixes your colours, thins your deck, just very useful all around.
Other stuff!
Leyline of Vitality: In testing, but I like it, provides 2 starting devotion, makes a lot of my creatures unboltable, and gains me even more life.
