An aggro deck without evasion is most of the time useless. Spectra Ward also guarantees me a win every time I resolve it. It seems very wonky, but it is amazing. It also triggers prowess or heroic and has synergy with the Eidolon.

It's true only one can be out at one time, but I have never felt like I had too many. I have tapped down my nykthos and immediately played the other to double my mana pool on many occasions. Usually after casting two 5 or 6CMC threats, my opponent is left scrambling.

Favored hoplite is awesome, but this deck isn't about hitting heroic triggers. The few heroic creatures that are in here are there only because they fit the playstyle of the deck. Lagonna-Band Trailblazer is in here to make sure I have a turn one drop that can wall out damage. It just makes it better to have heroic. The Phalanx Leader is in here because it synergizes better than an anthem style effect card like Hall of Triumph or Obelisk of Urd or Spear of Heliod. When I played those types of cards before I revamped the deck, I found they didn't provide enough to the deck. I also love Ajani's Presence and have had it suggested before. I have tried it out, but found that whenever I was facing a situation where I had the presence or an Ephemeral Shields i would 9/10 times want the later.

I have gone back and forth with Hero of Iroas or Phalanx Leader. Playing only 5 auras kind of makes it a hard choice. I definitely have not counted it out yet though!

The Godsend isn't always going to resolve. Its also not always going to last. Granting +3/+3 and an "exiling deathouch" to even a lagonna however, is super intimidating. It definitely adds a clock for the opponent. It pushes them into the defensive position, which is where we want them.

Everyone always suggests Soldier of the Pantheon I originally had him in here when I first posted the deck. He didn't really do much. I played against a lot of Azban and jeskai at the time and found very unsatisfied. He could block the Siege Rhino all day, but would hand me 3 damage every time he did so.... it had little effects against a Mantis Rider and could even go down to a Goblin Rabblemaster token... I usually only receivers a net of 3-4 life from him on average. Lagonna-Band Trailblazer fits what I need in a turn one drop, while soldier is still too vulnerable. I would definitely love to hear why you think soldier is a good fit though! :) I am always doing big hauls on this deck.

Thank you cletus008 and kvttrs for your help and suggestions!

NO Avacyn, Guardian Angel N*&a is you serious?

Also, Glimpse the Sun God+ Nykthos seems legit af for evasive and heroic porpoises.

I really like your style haha. I do need a mana dump for late game, heliod is good, but the angel looks bonkers!! The glimpse is great, but pushes me too far into a control deck. I want to be on the offensive and push my oppenent into a defensive by playing threats. Not having threats and then having to respond glimpse the offense is not the best position for me.

Definitely will take a peek at that Angel or soul!!

You don't really have enough non-creature spells for Seeker of the Way. I'd suggest either Soulmender for life or Selfless Cathar for a mid-game push, while giving a one-drop creature.

I run 19 non creature spells. That's 1/3 of the deck, it's plenty. Life gain really isn't a problem I have, although I really do like the cathar.

Cool deck man! Props for going 2-2 for the night. I know you didn't ask for advice, but I would consider Ajani's Presence over Ephemeral Shields since late game you can strive to save that one additional creature.

Always looking for suggestions man! I have considered the presence over The shields. In all of my testing though, I'm usually wanting the shields because I tap out to play a beefy guy and need that backup plan. Most of the time, they aren't expecting it either.

I'd vote Ajani's Presence over both Gods Willing and Ephemeral Shields

spirit bond is another option...

3x Spectra Ward is 3x too many. U should be running some Devouring Light instead.

I also really think 3x Elspeth, Sun's Champion is way too many for 22 lands. I think u need about 25 lands if u intend to run 3 copies. I run 24 lands and recently dropped her from my SB because here CMC is too much...

I mainboard 3x wards because almost every time I resolve them I get a win and I want the odds of see if one by turn 5 to be pretty good. Then as soon as I use them I side them out the following game down to 1x.

I have said it before but, there hasn't been a time when I've needed to give more than one creature indestructible... Also, I would rather have a 1W cc card with convoke than a W cc card. That may be different for you, which is understandable. This decks game plan isn't to persist a bunch of creatures, but to keep introducing or replacing threats that get beefier and beefier.

I have devourig light in the sideboard. I would rather want the banishing light for game one. The banishing light gets sided out for more permanent removal cards later.

If you can get spirit bonds to be viable in standard, my hats off to you. It is way too slow and way too conditional.

The land base is something I have been playing around with, but it tends not to be a problem. I might consider rung 2x.

take out a Spectra Ward or a Wingmate Roc for another Phalanx Leader

And take out one or two Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx

You REALLY don't wanna get stuck with 2 or more in hand

Soldier of the Pantheon bro. So good right now.

Why not Ajani's Presence rather than Ephemeral Shields?

@NyxRavenscar because it can be free. It may not be better, but it can be cheaper so I understand. Still might be worth running Ajani's Presence.

Given the amount of instant speed removal in standard, I don't like to see Spectra Ward main deck. I would put it in the sideboard against midrange/low removal decks and replace it with Raise the Alarm.

Does spectra ward really pull that much weight? I'm only curious because it is so expensive and you are running 3 of them. Also happy to see Helios make it back main board

The Spectra Ward are meant as a game-one win con. Usually my oppenent has no sort of responses or ways to deal. They will most likely sideboard in some sort of removal game two, which is why I side out 2-3 on the next game. The first match is usually the hardest because of my inability to hang with midrange g/r devotion and Stormbreath Dragon and fast paced mono red builds. (which populate at least 25% of the meta here)

Ajani is still something I am considering. I love the filtering of God's willing and the ability to make my brimaz evasive. But I have experimented with a 2x and reducing the shields and gods willing. It seems kind of inconsistent though, when I want shields I end up with Ajani and vice versa.

Soldier is great, but I don't want more than one 1CMC drop. I may consider reducing the lagonna and something else to make room, but the lagonna is a great stall/wall card for fast red decks, and midrange aggro decks. It also "synergizes" well with the shields because I usually have him untapped and ready to convoke.

Raise the alarm is such a powerful card. But to be honest I had it in there and it played just as well without it. There wasn't really a time when I wished I had kept it in either.

I wouldn't exactly call this a suggestion, but what about Acolyte's Reward? It seems you will have quite a bit of devotion on the table and it will both protect a creature from direct numerical damage and send it back to the attacking player. I wouldn't personally put it in, but it could be worthy of debate.

I had it in a long time ago when I first designed the deck. It didn't really work very well, and in order for it to do anything useful, I would need at least 3 devotion to white. Are as a late game draw it can an extremely useful cantrip. It is too conditional though, but I do appreciate the feedback.

Yeah, I suspected as much. It's the one you wish you had in a very specific situation in 1 of a 100 games.

this really isnt that much of a weenie you are missing out with not having things like Hopeful Eidolon