The Heroic Auras

Standard Aggro Competitive Enchantment WU (Azorius) WUB (Esper)

Emberflux

Creature (16)

• 4x Favored Hoplite
• 4x Hero of Iroas
• 4x Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
• 4x Phalanx Leader

Land (20)

• 4x Hallowed Fountain
• 12x Plains
• 4x Temple of Enlightenment

Enchantment (20)

• 4x Aqueous Form
• 4x Battle Mastery
• 4x Ethereal Armor
• 4x Gift of Orzhova
• 4x Mortal Obstinacy

Instant (4)

• 4x Gods Willing

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Sideboard

Creature (3)

• 3x Nyx-Fleece Ram

Enchantment (4)

• 4x Ordeal of Thassa

Instant (8)

• 4x Dispel
• 4x Ephemeral Shields

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Maybeboard

Instant (1)

• 1x Hubris

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SECTION 1

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The main objective of Heroic Auras is to win early by pumping up a single creature with low-cost auras so that it could be abused for its heroic mechanic. Heroic is undoubtedly strong because every time you cast a spell that targets your heroic creature, it gets a free +1/+1 counter. Using the heroic mechanic alongside auras - looking at you Ethereal Armor- makes Favored Hoplite , Lagonna-Band Trailblazer , Phalanx Leader , or Hero of Iroas apply insane amounts of damage for an early victory (see Section 6 for 4th turn wins)!

For a budget version of my deck, visit budget-heroic-auras

SECTION 2

Note: When making changes to the mainboard, it's important to maintain a minimum of 16 creatures, 16 enchantments, and 4 protective instances.

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: Grants evasion to your creature, scry 1, pumps up Ethereal Armor, and triggers heroic. Really one of the only reasons why I splashed blue because it is that good.

Note: Super essential

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Double strike is no laughing matter especially in a deck that relies on one creature to dish out the damage. This aura grants you the possibility of dealing as much as 28 damage with one creature by turn 4.

Note: Super essential

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The bread and butter of Aura Type decks. Every aura you control pumps your guy up with the added bonus of first strike. For one cmc it gets insanely powerful, really fast.

Note: Super essential

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This little guy has the potential to overpower a god. His heroic gives a +1/+1 counter and prevents all damage done to him (talk about amazing versus aggro or burn). As explained in Section 6, he can end the game fairly quickly.

Note: Super essential

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Wizard's gift to aura users. This aura gives what the deck lacks in (flying and lifelink). The flying is another form of evasion next to Aqueous Form and as a result makes it easier to hit your opponent for game.

Note: Super essential

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Stricly better than Brave the Elements and Mizzium Skin in this deck and here's why: Gods Willing effectively activates heroic, protects your creature against targeted removal, burn, and creature damage, lets you scry 1, and grants your creature another form of evasion. The low-cost of one CMC allows you to safely play creatures as early as turn two.

Note: Super essential; it's the best instant speed protection for this deck.

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: His ability to reduce your auras by 1 CMC is irreplaceable in a deck that uses auras to win early.

Note: Super essential

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Same reason for why Favored Hoplite is strong. Stops a lot of aggro decks in their tracks due to it having a 0/4 body.

Note: Super essential

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: Another low-cost aura with a nifty ability? Yes please. With heroic, it basically gives a +2/+2 for one mana which is pretty huge.

Note: Not super essential but I dare you to find a better low-cost aura in its place.

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In scenarios where you would draw an unnecessary amount of creatures, this guy will shine bright. He single-handedly can alter the strategy of relying on one creature to win the game. Do not underestimate.

Note: Super essential unless you like Battlewise Hoplite more.

SECTION 3

"What do we say to the god of death? Not today."

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Indestructibility is a staple in any aggro deck. It is needed to prevent your creature from being wiped by a Supreme Verdict for example. It has the potential to be a free cast by turn 2 which is huge in Standard.

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Superb stopping power against hyper aggressive decks like Red Deck Wins. Also, Ethereal Armor says wassup.

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Great card value - 2 mana for 2 cards - and it allows us to fetch for more auras.

SECTION 4

:Originally one of the reasons why I splashed blue. Not only does his heroic grant a +1/+1 counter but it also lets you scry 1! Unfortunately he became outclassed by Hero of Iroas though it is debateable whether or not Hoplite is better than Phalanx Leader .

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This guy is a walking Ethereal Armor on steroids. Just like a creature with heroic, he gets a +1/+1 for every aura you enchant him with and that's not including the +1/+1 he gets from the creatures on your field. Unfortunately his high cost of 4 CMC to cast as an aura and 3 CMC as a creature is too high.

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Synergizes amazingly well with any deck relying on creature damage. Mostly used for his -2 ability but unlike Battle Mastery he isn't an enchantment.

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Counters the majority of creature/enchantment removal. Its mana cost of one is why it's arguably better than Negate. In the right deck, the 2/2 bird it gives your opponent poses little to no threat.

SECTION 5

Against Red Deck Wins:

-3 Mortal Obstinacy

+3 Nyx-Fleece Ram

Note: Against hyper aggressive decks, you will want to get your creature powerful enough to kill your opponent before they kill you. Lagonna-Band Trailblazer and Nyx-Fleece Ram will stop this deck in its tracks and once you start swinging with Gift of Orzhova he won't be able to keep up with all that life gain.

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Against Esper Control:

-4 Gift of Orzhova // -4 Gods Willing

+4 Swan Song // +4 Ephemeral Shields

Note: One of your most difficult matchups. They mainboard Far / Away, Devour Flesh, Doom Blade, Supreme Verdict and the list goes on. Even against Esper Control, Bant Hexproof was sometimes outmatched. That being said, take out Gift of Orzhova because control decks in general don't really run creatures so the evasion isn't needed and the lifelink is more useful against decks that like to win early. Swan Song is for pretty much everything they have to throw at you. Ephemeral Shields is great against Supreme Verdict or Doom Blade.

SECTION 6

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I: 4th Turn Win [via Favored Hoplite or Lagonna-Band Trailblazer ]:

T1: Play Favored Hoplite

T2: Enchant with Ethereal Armor & Aqueous Form
Note: Your creature is now a 5/6 with first strike, cannot be blocked, and scry 1

• Attack for 5 damage [20 - 5 = 15]
• Scry 1

T3: Enchant with Gift of Orzhova
Note: Your creature is now a 7/8 with first strike, cannot be blocked, scry 1, flying, and lifelink

• Attack for 8 damage [15 - 7 = 8]
• Gain 8 life [20 + 7 = 27]
• Scry 1

T4: Enchant with Battle Mastery and Mortal Obstinacy
Note: Your creature is now a 13/14 with cannot be blocked, scry 1, flying, lifelink, and doublestrike

• Attack for 26 damage [8 - 26 = -18]
• Gain 26 life [27 + 26 = 53]
• Scry 1
• Destroy his enchantment while you're at it
• Drink your opponent's tears
  
  

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II: 4th Turn Win [via Hero of Iroas ]:

T1: Play Temple of Enlightenment
Note: Scry 1

T2: Play Hero of Iroas
Note: Your aura spells will now cost 1 CMC less to cast

T3: Enchant with Ethereal Armorand Gift of Orzhova
Note: Your creature is now a 7/7 with first strike, flying, and lifelink

• Attack for 7 damage [20 - 7 = 13]
• Gain 7 life [20 + 7 = 27]

T4: Enchant with Aqueous Form, Mortal Obstinacy , and Battle Mastery
Note: Your creature is now a 14/14 with flying, lifelink, cannot be blocked, scry 1, and doublestrike

• Attack for 28 damage [13 - 28 = -15]
• Scry 1
• Gain 28 life [27 + 28 = 55]
• Destroy his enchantment while you're at it
• Ask your opponent if he even lifts
  
  

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III: 4th Turn Win [via Phalanx Leader & friends]:

T1: Play Favored Hoplite

T2: Play Phalanx Leader
Note: Leader is good for starting hands that have multiple creatures when we typically want auras instead

• Attack with Hoplite for 1 damage [20 - 1 = 19]

T3: Play Lagonna-Band Trailblazer and enchant Leader with Ethereal Armor and Aqueuous Form
Note: Leader is now a 5/5 with first strike, cannot be blocked and scry 1, Hoplite is a 3/4, and Trailblazer is a 2/6

• Attack for 10 damage [19 - 10 = 9]
• Scry 1

T4: Enchant Leader with Mortal Obstinacy and Battle Mastery
Note: Leader is now a 10/10 with cannot be blocked, scry 1, and doublestrike; Hoplite is a 5/6, and Trailblazer is a 4/8

• Attack for 29 damage [9 - 29 = -20]

Scry 1

Destroy his enchantment while you're at it

Refer him to a therapist; he may be traumatized

Top Ranked	Achieved #10 position overall 11 years ago
Date added	11 years
Last updated	10 years
Legality	This deck is not Standard legal.
Rarity (main - side)	8 - 0 Rares 24 - 7 Uncommons 16 - 8 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	1.60
Folders	Test, Standard, Decks, Standard Theros, Other Peoples Decks, Cool decks, Auras, RTR & THR, Jarrett's Decks (Standard), decks I like