Like the deck, imo i'd take out all the Hangarback Walker i'd add one more Hooded Hydra, one more Managorger Hydra and 2x Daghatar the Adamant whose ability combined with hardened scales is really nice. Plus... 4x creatures that you pay X mana to cast them is enough... you don't need 8 of those.

You might want to reduce Den Protector to 2 copies and add 2 Hidden Dragonslayer as you don't have much removal... plus the the lifelink is nice.

Hangarback Walker is the best! It's not really like most X cost creatures, it lowered my mana curve so much I took out all the ramp creatures. I usually want to play it for 2 colorless. It's +1/+1 counter for 1 mana ability is perfect as long as you use it for defense. Never activate it before the declare blockers phase on the opponents turn. Daghatar the Adamant is legendary, costs twice as much to start plus an extra and a +1/+1 counter for the same effect. This deck often has one extra mana, but rarely enough to get much value out of Daghatar the Adamant. I still don't own the Hangarback Walker's because they're selling out at $25 - $35 a piece around here, so I am looking for a good reason not to buy them, but I've been proxy'ing them and can't find anything better.

Hidden Dragonslayer would be good, but Den Protector does a lot here. The way the mana curve and everything tend to work out, your flipping the Den Protector for 1 to return and play a Dromoka's Command for a 3 for 1! Plus Den Protector's unblockable abiltiy is what this deck is all about.

I'm debating the number of Managorger Hydra's and Hooded Hydra's. So far it seems like 3 each is best. Managorger Hydra is weak against red decks and only breaks even against most removal and Hooded Hydra is really a late game card even though you can play it for 3-4 mana.

Remember you can play Daghatar ability in combat as an instant, which means after blockers are declared you can adjust and boost a creature with 2 counters (combined with a single hardened scale). You should consider until you get the hangarback as you can get it for like 50 cents...

im building a similar and was wanting to know the FNM results

Any consideration for Valorous Stance?

About Valorous Stance, I feel like protection spells are a waste in this deck because even though you'll often make huge creatures, you don't ever really invest all that much in any of them. Half the creatures are practically better after their destroyed anyways. I'm really using Evolutionary Leap as a protection effect. The theme of this deck is that nothing can be removed at a profit.

The other option is Feat of Resistance which may be better here, the counter always helps and protection beats exile effects and can be used offensively.

I'm considering playing Gleam of Authority in the main deck, which would be worth protecting, but the way I intend to play it is to wait till the opponent taps out and then most likely just win that turn. In play testing it can easily add more then +10/+10 to any Den Protector/trampler/thopter.

So I'm having trouble figuring out why the Ornithopters are in here as opposed to any 1 mana 1/1 flyer or Abzan Falconer? Just to chump and provide Evolutionary Leap fodder?

Ornithopter is the weakest card in the deck for sure. It should really be another 1-2 drop creature with evasion that makes it own counters, but I don't think there are anymore. I'm hoping there will be something good in the next set. I tried Satyr Grovedancer and Ainok Guide, but they're nothing special. Hooded Hydra was good, but too expensive. This deck often runs out of mana more then it runs out of cards and just needs another cheap evasive body.

The best thing to do with an Ornithopter is play Gleam of Authority on it!

Otherwise there are many ways to put counters on them. Hardened Scales + Ornithopter + Servant of the Scale is a chump blocker that turns into a 3/5 flyer for 2 mana. This deck is all about being able to spread value out wide in a way that beats removal. A pair of Ornithopter's after a Managorger Hydra is awesome.

Everyone else seems to like Abzan Falconer, but I don't think it's that great since almost every creature already has some sort of evasion.

you realize time walk is not in your colors and no where near standard right?

I love the Time Walk out of the sideboard. That will really throw your opponents off, lol.

how in the hell can you even afford timewalk. XD

Honestly, Granted I've never played vintage/legacy, but I do not understand why Time Walk is 1.5 thousand dollars...

As a primarily standard player, I think of those super eternal formats as being basically 4 turn games at absolute maximum, which makes it seem like Time Walk would basically be a glorified blue Explore.

The prices seem crazy to me too, I don't actually own any Time Walk's!! But, considering it wasn't that long ago that I'd build whole decks for under $30 and now I'm over 10 times that. I can see how over enough years some people could spend that kind of money.

The main reason it's in my sideboard other then the fact that it's completely ridiculous is to skew the deck $$$ amount that shows on the page all the time. I don't necessarily want everyone who could be 'looking over my shoulder' to see how much I've spent on cards.

I feel as if you're going to love the creature that was just spoiled, Undergrowth Champion.

Undergrowth Champion is interesting for sure! 1 2/2, that gets a counter every landfall and has whenever it takes damage remove a counter and prevent that damage. It's a mythic rare, I bet it'll be popular and expensive.

It's not exactly what I want for this deck though. It would act more like a defensive creature, but it's got a comparably high CMC range where I really want to be playing win conditions. I'll test it out though for sure.

I really want something cheap and evasive, like a Charging Badger but with some ability that involves counters.

Are you using Dromoka's Command as your only protection?

My style is to have no main board protection at all really. Protection spells are potentially dead cards against some decks so I prefer them in the side board. Dromoka's Command is primarily used for the +1 counter and creature removal. The other modes are just occasional upside.

A big part of this decks strategy is that nothing can be removed at a profit. The creatures are all so cheap and some are actually better when they die that Evolutionary Leap provides the ultimate protection! I never really invest that much into any creature.

There are the eight protection spells in the sideboard for whenever I'd want them

I suppose that is truePlagueRats. I've only played against aggro in my meta really. Good point though.

Do you have any plans post rotation in October? Ornithopter, Ajani Steadfast and Bow of Nylea rotate out, so have you thought of anything current to replace them with?

I have a similar deck, but I'm thinking of adding Evolutionary Leap. I only have the Servant of the Scale though, so I'm not sure it's as useful for me.

G/W +1 Counter Crazy Playtest

Standard Harbynger

SCORE: 16 | 25 COMMENTS | 3722 VIEWS

Post rotation the deck won't necessarily change much, Ajani Steadfast is cool, this deck should really have two, but I didn't feel like buying a second so close to rotation. If there's nothing better released I'd replace Ajani with the fourth Gleam of Authority.

Bow of Nylea's not a big deal. It's a versatile side board card, but there's lots of options.

I'll be a little sad to see Ornithopter go, Maybe they'll reprint it again right away? It's been reprinted so many times before and it seems so fitting with all the thopter related cards in Origins. Maybe I'll have to add a land or two to play a couple 3-4 drop creatures? There will surely be something great in the new set.

I don't know if Evolutionary Leap is right for your deck (I haven't looked at it yet), but I want it in just about everything. It's in the sideboard of my Legendary Dragon Ramp deck, I use it defensively against removal, sacrificing even 7-drop dragons to draw another creature card.

Each instance of +1/+1 counters counter toward Hardened Scales not each +1/+1 counter; in other words Ornithopter would only be a 3/4 turn 2 provided servant of the scale dies turn 2 after being played. Still a good deck idea though; while you can you could add Ajani, Mentor of Heroes as well his plus ability triggers Hardened Scales and massively increases your counters.