I took this to a larger FNM than my usual store's (there were 28 players), and I wasn't disappointed with the results. I ended 4-1, took home 3 packs, pulled a Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh
Flip and traded it for an Exquisite Firecraft. I want to get as much use out of this deck as possible before it rotates out, because it will completely lose its Standard viability :(
Match 1:
VS Red Deck Wins, W 2-1
Hard fought match. I lost Game 1 due to a rather jank top-deck to top-deck to top-deck play involving Abbot of Keral Keep grabbing a Dragon Mantle drawing into a Lightning Strike for the last 3 life. However, I came back in Game 2 with a jank play of my own, dropping a Center Soul on a 3/3 Battlewise Hoplite on my opponent's turn, to buff him to 4 power so I could trigger the Ferocious Stubborn Denial countering a Stoke the Flames directed at me. Aegis of the Gods put in WORK coming from the side in Game 3; as long as I held a Gods Willing I was untouchable. Very fun.
Match 2:
VS Orzhov Enchantment Control, L 0-2
Gross. Myth Realized is bad enough, but with seemingly endless Oppressive Rays and Banishing Lights, there was always an answer to my attempts. Her only real creature was Hangarback Walker, which I couldn't use Gods Willing or Center Soul against, even though I still needed them for incoming removal. It put me in a tough spot boarding in. Game 2 was awful, no blue mana until Turn 8, and when I finally got it I already had a Sorin, Solemn Visitor emblem on me, so my creatures didn't matter. Also, countering a Valorous Stance aimed at Myth Realized with another Valorous Stance made me sad. Not very fun.
Match 3:
VS Mono Green Devotion, W 2-1
Game 1 went well for me, countering a crucial Collected Company to clinch it. I underestimated my opponent Game 2, when his deck comboed perfectly, while mine couldn't keep up. Game 3 I won due to mana screw.
Match 4:
VS Red Deck Wins, W 2-1
A similar deck to before, but with a less determined focus (token producers like Hordeling Outburst, but win con Pyromancer's Goggles?). Game 1 he had a lot of creautres out, but couldn't hit me with them due to my great board state. I swung a 6/6 double strike Battlewise Hoplite until I cleared his board, to which he had no response. Game 2 was a mana screw for me. Game 3 I was put down to 2 life before I could do any damage, but I survived with a timely Heliod's Pilgrim, searching for an Ordeal of Heliod for my Hoplite. His late game was lackluster, and mine prevailed after taking a beating early.
Match 5:
VS Abzan Midrange, W 2-0
Easy win. My deck was too fast for his to respond, and I could deal with Deathmist Raptor, Siege Rhino and Heir of the Wilds, evading whenever I needed to. I gave him no time to answer. Much salt occurred.
I did notice that this deck appears to struggle against the new Magic Origins meta, namely Enchantment Control. I tried adding Archangel of Tithes to the side, because I already had them from purchases for my Modern B/W Tokens deck, jokin-smokin-midnight-token. I was also expecting Elves or Thopters. But I never really got to use her, and even if I did I don't believe she would have had a great impact, at least against the decks I played against. I need to adjust the sideboard according to the new meta. In both of my matches against RDW, it came down to the wire. However, against the old meta decks like Abzan Midrange, I won rather handily. Noted.
