SPLASHED BLACK FOR ATHREOS YO
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Banisher vs Chained in the main? I picked chained because at 3, banisher kinda clogs the curve
Daring Skyjek vs Ash Zealot? I picked Zealot because +2 devotion and haste, which means 4 damage over 2 turns instead of 3, but in subsequent turns, obviously Skyjek is better. Flying is nice too. But Zealot is more resilient to blockers too. Anything with flying can kill skyjek...
I didn't include Hammer because I think I want to play more dudes instead. Haste speeds things up in theory, which I really really like, but what about the opening hand that's 1 Soldier, 1 Hammer, 1 God, 1 Chained, and 3 land? Or 1 Hammer, 1 Spear, 1 Brimaz, and 1 Brave the Elements? Creates more crap draws that slow me down.
Judge's Familiar in the main to stop a t4 verdict or other shenanigans? Slowing them by even 1 turn is huge for this deck. I think it has a place in here somewhere.
Brimaz vs Ajani? Brimaz is a creature which could trigger batallion for Legion Loyalist / Daring Skyjek, but I should already have enough creatures to trigger it. Double-strike seems key to a kill on turn 4-5, but making tokens is cool too. Maybe they aren't mutually exclusive, but it seems so given the current curve.
Honestly, Archangel seems like asking for too much. I found that with goblins (although playtested not against current standard), it's better to have a much lower curve and ditch the 4/5-drops altogether. Maybe you hold back 1 Archangel for post-verdict if it seems like that's what they're gonna do, but if that happens, I'd rather just have a spell in hand to save my dudes like ajani's presence/boros charm/rootborn defenses than a fat creature. Look at other weenie lists in white or in other colors, and this is what you'll see. If I were to add something that big, Aurelia the Warleader might just win the game. If I have 2-4 other guys, it probably means 14+ damage on the turn it comes out. If it doesn't win that turn, then the next turn for sure.
What anti-board wipe strategy is best? I think rootborn defenses + boros charm is probably enough, and better than Ajani's presence since they're less mana. There's also Legion's Initiative, which is 4 total to play and activate, but it boosts my guys in the meantime and adds to devotion.
I'm not sold that Hammer has a spot in the main because on T3 I would probably rather be dropping a creature than an enchantment that does nothing on the turn it's played. Haste is good, but it can slow down the first 5 turns by taking up a spot in an opening hand. Consider a hand of hammer, spear. God, 3 lands... I dunno I think it would require testing to see.
Akroan Hoplite seems good in this deck, but maybe not good enough...
