So I managed to pick up a copy of the 2012 Planechase cards for 15 bucks (+10 for shipping) and me and my friends really enjoy it! What I personally like about it is how due to the randomness that's still fun, even players new to the game will be able to win occasionally.
I have some friends that enjoy playing magic occasionally, but feel nauseous at the prospect of sinking insane amounts of money into decks that they'll only occasionally play due to us all being adults with various obligations. Playing with proxies is certainly an alternative, but some people simply don't have much time to create, test and print decks that are nor too strong nor too weak for our playgroup.
This deck is aimed towards providing an (at least in our group) competitive and fun way to play with with various decisions. I was able to pick it up for slightly over 40 bucks from magiccardmarket (+10 for shipping from various sellers).
This deck's main goal is to feel like the Jund of Alara, that chaotic Jungle Plane home to wild forms of goblins, elves, humans and, most importantly, dragons! At the same time I definitely wanted this deck to be competitive in a multiplayer environment and reward complex decision making as well as provide that classic Jund-value feel. Let's go over the choices!
Ignoble Hierarch's ability to accelerate and fix mana is really what holds this deck together. It's why I spent almost half my budget on this cards with 4x4=16 bucks. While he occasionally dies to Jund Charm if the board gets too full, he can also pump creatures enough to survive the charm, including another Ignoble Hierarch. The main reason to play him over other mana dorks and land enchantments like Utopia Sprawl though is how well he fits into the whole Jund theme.
Grim Flayer is somewhat of an upgrade over the traditional Putrid Leech from 2009 standard that just doesn't cut it anymore. Due to the fetchlands and Courser of Kruphix who is an enchantment, there's up to 5 different card types for delirium. Exalted from Ignoble Hierarch and counters from Jund Charm help this card setting up cascades as well as lands for Courser of Kruphix.
Maelstrom Pulse answers almost everything you want it to. Very good with all the token and copy effects from Planechase as well as other decks of course.
Jund Charm is combat trick, Pyroclasm effect and maindeck graveyard hate at the same time. It's flavor and power all in one! There's the neat rule that if Jund Charm is your fourth card type in your graveyard, Grim Flayer doesn't die to the Pyroclasm effect similar to how Tarmogoyf doesn't die to a Lightning Bolt if it's the third card type in a graveyard.
Sprouting Thrinax is a nod to the deck's slowness and probably one of the weaker cards. That said the blockers disincentivize opponents from attacking, it provides bodies when the board gets wrathed and has some good synergy with the plane of Jund which is enough reason for me to play it.
Courser of Kruphix admittedly doesn't really fit the theme properly (though who's to say there's no centaurs in the wild Jungles of Alara?). However the synergy and options they provide with the budget fetchlands, Grim Flayer and the cascade mechanic (seeing what you'd cascade into and being able to shuffle it away or just draw it) as well as dodging Jund Charm's pyroclasm effect makes the small flavor error worth it though.
Bloodbraid Elf is particularly good due to the deck having basically no bad hits. Even a Ignoble Hierarch still gives exalted though you'll admittedly prefer any other card which there's plenty of.
Bituminous Blast is probably one of the weaker spells and could be all sorts of powerful creatures, but I honestly just love Raymond Swanland's artwork and haven't played with this card in years. There's also something to be said about removal in multiplayer that's more than just 1-for-1, leaving any player not involved at a card advantage. Ideally you set it up to cascade into Bloodbraid Elf with Grim Flayer or Courser of Kruphix. You can even play it on your upkeep if you know your top card costs 3 or 4. #value
Broodmate Dragon continues this deck's theme of 2-for-1s. I'd have loved to split it with Dragon Broodmother, but that red mana requirement was just far too big. I also tried a split with 2 Hellkite Overlords, but that card was either too slow, got removed immediately or worse, was stolen or copied to kill me. Sad. Dragonlair Spider was another consideration, but that card seems worse overall, costs a few bucks and seems like it has a giant target on its back everytime I announce "I get an insect token". If it made spiders with reach I'd have considered it, but as is Broodmate Dragon provides the deck with some much-needed flyers.
Raging Ravine is strictly speaking from Zendikar and not Jund, but to me (maybe because it was in Jund standard back in 2009) it always felt like it fit the wild Jund. Playing it over let's say Savage Lands is not as greedy as you might think since due to the fetchlands and hierarch, this deck still plays 14 black sources to play a grim flayer on turn 2. Man-lands also seem especially good in planechase where almost nothing seems sacred from wraths and other effects except lands.
