Abzan Rally Elves
Standard
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Sunday Standard Write-Up (1-2) —Dec. 13, 2015
I popped over to my favorite game store in town where they were going to be hosting a Standard event for the first time that I could remember. I had just finished the main shell of my deck, so I headed on over. There were some of the usual faces, which was good I had wanted to play against these guys and their decks, but we only had 6 people. That's understandable, it was a Sunday, a new event, and it's a college town so it was clearing out quick. A cursory glance told me that I was in Abzan Country, including my self, 5 of the 6 were playing Abzan Midrange/Rally. the last was Jeskai, who I never played.
Round 1, Game 1
I got paired up against another Abzan Rally deck, his was working off of Allies. He's a good guy, so we shuffled and got into it quickly. His draws were awful, he never hit white and only played a Catacomb Sifter that met it's end chumping a Siege Rhino. Then I established my army and slammed Shaman of the Pack for 7 to end it.
Game 2 1-0
I sided in Bone Splinters and Dromoka's Command, I believe. I took out 3 Murderous Cut and 1 Atlar's Reap.
His mana seemed to be all over the place because again, he didn't hit one of his colors. He only landed a Kalastria Healer and it ended up having to chump a Nantuko Husk before a wave of elves washed over him. We were laughing and joking about the mana screw he got in, he's a good guy. I love playing people like him. I was 1-0 about to face off against an Abzan Legion.
Match 2, Game 1
This played out much like I though it might, my creatures were smaller and he made sure that I knew that. Murderous Cut eventually killed an Anafenza, the bane of this deck, but a turn too slow for my liking. He dropped a Rhino and I answered with one of my own. The Warden of the First Trees were really good threats through out the game. This was a tough loss, but I knew that Game 1 was usually Big Brother Abzan's.
Game 2 0-1
I boarded in 2 Bone Splinters, 2 Self-Inflicted Wound, and 1 Dragonlord Dromoka, taking out 3 Murderous Cut, 1Altar's Reap, and Leaf Gilder(?).
I killed his Anafenza, the Foremost with Bone Splinters early and that kept me on track. I hit Siege Rhino and my opponent didn't have a good answer this game. Shaman of the Pack came down twice I believe and I pulled this one out.
Game 3 1-1
I never got my land base going, which is a concern in a 21 land deck. I had some points where I could have made a game of it, but I never had the board or the mana to do it the way that I wanted. I was 1-1 on the day, we shook hands. He's a great guy, too.
Round 3, Game 1
This game was against another guy who is a good player and person. Isn't it cool when it work out that way?
All that my notes say about the match is " Gm1: Lost. No Mana. Gm2: Bad. No." I remember a lot of Dromoka's Command and bad mana situations.
What I learned:
*Abzan is huge in my meta, which I should have expected.
*Murderous Cut does not play the way that I want. I was valuing it being an Instant rather than it's cost. Given it's cost, it comes too late for Anafenza, the Foremost, which is Enemy #1, and that's not excusable.
*Altar's Reap is a one-of, but I've been considering dropping it for a while. Evolutionary Leap seems like that natural successor.
*Collected Company may as well wedge itself in here, I need ways to fill the board and I'm not finding them right now.
Changes I made: *Murderous Cut is out. Bone Splinters is now main board.
*Altar's Reap is out. Evolutionary Leap is in.
*Collected Company is being considered.
@ CeraAngel- From what I've seen, she doesn't pull enough weight. She makes my elves better, 2/2s and some 3/3s. The way I thought about it is she is adding one damage to each elf, but this is only true if they can attack without blocks. What's better is dealing that damage immediately through Shaman of the Pack. For example, I was playing a match for fun earlier this week against Abzan Aristocrats, Dwynen's Elite is amazing and Siege Rhinos were the name of the game, until I dropped a Rally the Ancestors for a Dwynen's Elite and two Shaman of the Pack on a full board. Stack the triggers and each Shaman deals 10, 20 total, that's lethal out of nowhere.
November 14, 2015 3:11 p.m.
The best case scenario I can get out of Collected Company is Shaman of the Pack x2 on a full board. The worst case is either all lands or, worse, Siege Rhinos being marooned in the bottom of my deck.
So, that establishes the floor and ceiling of the card in this deck. Coco and Rally could exist together in say an Abzan Allies list, but they can't in this list because I am hedging on Shaman of the Pack's ETB being more impactful than Zulaport Cutthroat or Kalastria Healer. Which from some play testing, it has been.
Because ofRally the Ancestors, my deck is way more interesting imo. I can put my opponent in bad positions, having to blocking deathtouching elves and pump-able Nantuko Husks. I don't care about what happens to my guys too much because then I just rev my elves and a few Siege Rhinos for a huge hit back then I can sack them to Nantuko Husk for another go. Coco doesn't add anything to that and it's game plan isn't demonstrably better, I've played with both.
CoCo frets about overcommitting to the board, while this deck begs for a board wipe, so it can go off again. I like that second plan of attack much more. When Khans and FRF rotate, I'm probably going to shift into a GB Coco Elves/Allies deck, it's a solid card/deck.
December 3, 2015 8:13 p.m.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to make it to a standard event at my LGS because exams are this week. I really have not been able to get myself out from under my textbooks. Here's to next week possibly being better.
I have been able to play some casual matches against two of the store's better players and I went 4-1 against Abzan Allies Rally and 3-2 against GW Hardened Scales. I'm very excited to have the chance to play.
December 5, 2015 11:28 a.m.
i try similar your deck casual play against Mardu midrange and Blue black control , both match i had won. but not confidence to bring over to fnm or major event. since there is so much abzan and artaka red deck around now. what your opinion on the match up against those deck?
December 5, 2015 noon
How's the match up with UB control? I'm hoping that it works well.
I think that Abzan and Atarka Red are our worst match-ups. Anafenza destroys our combo plan and the combo from Atarka Red is very powerful and becomes more dangerous through out the game.
But I think that we have some resilience out of the sideboard, bringing in hand disruption, removal, and larger creature. Against Abzan; Self-Inflicted Wound, Dragonlord Dromoka, and either Bone Splinters or Duress come in, depends on how big/small they are. We take out 2 Murderous Cut, Altar's Reap and, I believe, Gnarlroot Trapper. This gives us more efficient ways to kill Anafenza and Siege Rhino, ways to interact with their hand, and a bigger creature that they have to deal with.
Against Atarka Red, we bring in Dragonlord Dromoka and Dromoka's Command. We take out Altar's Reap and Gnarlroot Trapper. This goes bigger than them, they don't have a lot of ways to deal with our dragonlord, and we have an efficient way to kill their creature while their going for the combo, usually while Become Immense is on the stack.
I could be wrong, what are your thoughts?
CeraAngel says... #1
Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen seems like a good fit, and is one of the main rewards for playing elf tribal.
November 13, 2015 6:31 p.m.