This is a post-rotation deck that works on Heroic and +1/+1 Counter Boosts, ultimately granting extra turns with no end in sight. No high mana cost cards here (with the exception of Ajani). You won't need them. Recently added some Khans of Tarkir cards to bring more stability and options. Let's break it down:
Turn 1: Basic Land, then Hardened Scales. This one-drop will help you IMMENSELY! If not available, then Combo Land.
Turn 2: Basic Land, Sylvan Caryatid for bonus mana next turn. If not, Fleecemane Lion can be an early threat.
Turn 3: Combo Land,
Fabled Hero
will sit and wait to strike during extra turns. Abzan Falconer would work to prepare your countered creatures for flying. Each time the Outlast ability is used, you could gain 2 counters instead of 1. Courser of Kruphix could be played if needed to mow through your land cards early and bring up everything else. A staple for almost any deck with green. A fourth option would be Banishing Light if an early creature could be perceived as a threat.
Turn 4: Basic Land, Ajani, Mentor of Heroes, build up that
Fabled Hero
or Abzan Falconer with counters. Don't attack if it will leave Ajani vulnerable. You will NEED him shortly. If Hardened Scales played, everything will just look that much uglier from the other side of the table.
Turn 5: The time is now. Sage of Hours plays, followed by Ephara's Enlightenment. 2 (or 3, depending on that one-drop) counters gained, followed by more from Ajani will give you at least five. Attack, then remove the counters for your first extra turn.
Turn 6-?: Playing creatures brings back Ephara's Enlightenment to your hand. You then reload Sage of Hours with counters to take multiple extra turns. For even more turns, use
Solidarity of Heroes
to double the counters on Sage of Hours to give you twice the return. Don't forget to attack before you remove the counters, especially if it is flying or has an Aqueous Form attached to it. As an added incentive, bonus turns could result in 100 bonus life, courtesy of Ajani.
Another Turn-By-Turn Option:
Turn 1- Hardened Scales
Turn 2 - Sage of Hours
Turn 3 -
Fabled Hero
or similar
Turn 4 - Ephara's Enlightenment & Aqueous Form on Sage of Hours. Attack 6. Remove counters. Extra turn. Add mana, then Ajani. Beast mode.
Other Combos of Interest:
--
Fabled Hero
+ Ephara's Enlightenment: double strike, flying, PLUS two +1/+1 counters. A mild-looking 2/2 turns into a 4/4 double strike flying behemoth! I won a rather intense match with this combo by flying over my opponent's 8 3/3 creature tokens. They never see it coming. Hardened Scales could be another 2 counters to REALLY make it big!
--Hardened Scales +
Phalanx Leader
+
Reap What Is Sown
: Wrap your mind around this one - "Reap" targets "Leader". "Leader" gains +1 for Heroic & +1 for "Hardened". Then, all other creatures gain +1 for "Phalanx" ability & +1 for "Hardened". THEN, the other two creatures you targeted with "Reap" gain +1 for "Reap" & +1 from "Hardened". That's 12 (or more) +1/+1 counters from a single card play! Make "Reap" target one of your Sage of Hours and your Sage now has 4 counters to play with! If you have 2 Sages on the field, then you can build up both at the same time for the same mana cost! SICK!
Thanks for taking a look. Should be ready to take this one to FNM soon. Will post updates afterward.
