Noctem, you are correct that March from the Tomb has won me more than one game. That's a powerful card that catches opponents by surprise.

Shambling Vent is a surprisingly useful card. I don't necessarily use it for the lifelink. Rather, it is the surprise creature to block-- or more often attack. I activate it when needed (which is not much more than once per game), and often it acts as that one extra creature (or two!) to finish off an opponent with a full swing of all creatures. It's also the card that has saved me after board wipes as I am able to draw upon it as offense/defense when I have no creatures. I get from where you're coming saying that 2x suffices, but it has saved me enough times that I (personally) prefer to keep 4x in the deck. To each their own, though, so I say try it and let me know how it worked for you!

Vampire Envoy is a big blocker, and gets bigger with the anthem effects. 1 damage isn't enough, and it won't stop Heart of Kiran, but it will stop most fliers. It's also a card that I frequently pull (to trade in sideboard cards) when facing decks with few fliers.

Authority of the Consuls, yeah, that's just a great card. To beat the kitty combo, I normally have enough fliers to get damage to Saheeli Rai before she can be too effective. If the opponent curves perfectly, it can be problematic. If not, it's a very beatable deck just by using fliers to get at Saheeli. Removal, of course, helps as well, for the kitty.

I have taken Always Watching out before, and I never liked the result. Vigilance with smaller creatures is awesome. the +1/+1 is even better. Arguable the largest weakness of the deck is the weakness of the creatures. These anthem effects are what has helped get the deck into a more competitive range. I realize that there are other ways, but Metallic Mimic is a lightning rod, and Gideon, Ally of Zendikar has other uses if I don't want to sac him or -4 him. I get what you're saying, and (as before) I say go for it. However, this one card has probably had the largest impact on the rebirth of this deck.

Speaking of Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, I had 2x in the deck until just a few weeks ago. I reduced to 1x simply because I find him useful and he can definitely change games, but not essential to the strategy. He's a nice bomb, but my play style doesn't necessarily need or want him as much. You are correct to want more of him, I think, as this definitely depends on play style and preferences for this card. You certainly won't be disappointed with 2x or 3x of Gideon, Ally of Zendikar.

I actually switched Transgress the Mind for Collective Brutality because I wanted the greater versatility of Collective Brutality. Personal preference.

Fragmentize is terribly useful! I wouldn't trade that card out at all! Heart of Kiran? Gone before it can do anything. Artifact creatures like Bomat Courier or Scrapheap Scrounger or any number of other vehicles? Gone. Oath of Nissa, Oath of Chandra, etc..., all are gone. In the current meta with Kaladesh and Aether Revolt, I almost think this card should be mainboard. Again, though, to each their own. Fatal Push is good, but not great because it is limited unless I want to lose a creature. Grasp of Darkness would be a better substitute, in my opinion. Then again, I wouldn't part with my artifact/enchantment killer for anything, given the current meta. Again, though, that's just me!

In short, a lot of the cards in this deck and sideboard depend on the play style of the person holding the cards, so there are arguments to be made for and against the changes you suggest. I say you should go for it and see what works best for you!

Except Authority of the Consuls, that card is just good and really should be mainboard, at least 3x. I just haven't figured out what I want to remove to get there...

While not an Ally, Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet has also been used in this deck to great effect. Indeed, adding Metallic Mimic is what prompted the removal of Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet and it is still a questionable replacement, in my opinion. Might be worth a try for you as well.

Noctem, just to add an addendum to my Shambling Vent comment, above. 2x or 3x Evolving Wilds might be good for this deck as they can help trigger revolt for Fatal Push. Just a thought.

I think Evolving wilds wouldn't work simply because the land it fetches comes into play tapped and it'll totally shut you down if you don't get untapped lands in the early game. That's kinda why I'm iffy with shambling vent. Evolving wilds is much worse. What you need is a reliable sac outlet... That would allow you to trigger zulaports at will amongst other cards in your deck.

Noctem, well, you pretty well said exactly why I don't use Evolving Wilds, but other versions of this deck do (to trigger revolt). They're fine late game, but early game isn't so great. Shambling Vent is just too useful for my play style, so that's why I prefer the 4x. I get why others (yourself included) may want fewer of them.

cohort is such a bad mechanic lol.

http://www.magicspoiler.com/mtg-spoiler/throne-of-the-god-pharoah/

lol

So, I'm probably missing it, but what is the sac outlet to juice the Zulaport Cutthroat?

Geo67, there's not a sac outlet. It's more protective to keep my creatures from getting dinged, and getting a couple out at a time really makes an opponent think twice about board wipes.

Noctem, that's an interesting card. Makes the vigilance thing questionable, eh? Not sure I want to try it, but could be worth a tinkering, just to see how it flows with the deck.

FAGGOTUS-REX, I completely forgot about that book! Yes, I do need to amend my description above to a FIVE book TRILOGY! Thank you for catching that!

Alright well I took this deck to standard last night. Went 2-2.

Played against a U/G Geralf's Masterpiece deck for match 1. Won 2-0. Played again for fun and won again. good start to the night. Having 3x dec in stone in the side + 1x Anguished Unmaking + 2x Stasis Snare that I added to the sideboard was very useful against his deck.

Next I played against Saheeli combo. God I hate the combo. So stupid. Anyway I lost 0-2. Game 1 he combo'ed off for the win. Game 2 I got him to 3 HP with him dead the following turn on upkeep and he top decks exactly what he needs to combo again. I never drew any of the 3x Authority of the Consuls or any of the other stuff I sided in.

Match 3 was against R/U control. Won 2-0. I exhausted his counterspells, then enough threats to force a board wipe, which let me March from the Tomb everything back. He used Radiant Flames which meant his mana was tied up and it gave me more freedom to refill the board post wipe. He ended up misplaying and killing himself with a board wipe when I had zulaport on the field. He wasn't happy.

Match 4 was the closest match of the night vs G/W aggro. Won game 1 easy. Game 2 on the other hand had him use a timely Blossoming Defense on the Avacyn he played to stay alive, which worked. Game 3 had the exact same thing happen. I played removal at instant speed on his avacyn before the trigger could resolve, he then played Blossoming Defense to save it. However I managed to get him to 1 HP. He then put me at 1 HP. I needed a relevant top deck, preferably Kalastria Healer or Zulaport which would have won me the game on the spot but I didn't and so I lost. It was that close.

Before FNM started I also played a few practice games against Mardu Vehicles. The lesson I got from it was simply that he out-values you card for card big time. I got close to winning in most of our games with him in single digits but I couldn't lock in the win unfortunately.

Another problem I noticed was that, after taking out 2x Shambling Vent and putting in 1x Abbey + 1 more swamp, I often didn't have the 2 white mana needed to cast non-creature spells. That made my turns awkward for example or stopped me from playing cards like Always Watching and Gideon. Ally Encampment is deceptive here. It doesn't let you cast your much needed double white non-creature spells properly because it only taps for colorless. Having 2 swamps, 1 plains and an encampment let's you cast every creature you have, BUT it doesn't let you cast super important cards. I think the mana base needs to be re-worked a bit and the loss of 2x shambling isn't the problem because those come into play tapped anyway. I think -2 ally encampment to put in more guaranteed colored sources, like at least 1 more white source would be the better idea. And yes, I know you can bounce an ally back to hand with the encampment but I don't know if that's important enough to have to deal with mana issues.

also, even though it's not an ally, it was recommended to me to look into Scrapheap Scrounger so that I can have a recurring threat. But I'm not sure if it would fit in the deck per se. though it was would be a good way to use the mimics since you can't bring them back via March from the Tomb anyway.

Noctem, ya, as I said earlier-- mardu vehicles is beatable, but that's a very tough match up. Odds are in favor of the mardu deck. G/W aggro is about what I would predict-- fairly even. Probably had some creature stall and the passive life gain/drain is what was helping you. Second game your opponent probably added additional removal.

I disagree with the mana base. I rarely have the problems you describe. They happen, of course, but they happen on the pro tour, too (I've seen top 8 matches were people get mana screwed or flooded). I don't include Westvale Abbey  ^Flip because I'm just not yet convinced it's worth sacrificing 5 creatures (unless the Zulaport Cutthroats are out). The Shambling Vents just add reliability.

I do get what you mean about the Ally Encampment, and it's great in a creature heavy deck like this. It really depends on how much one needs to get creatures out. Reducing to 3x or possibly 2x isn't a terrible idea, but I've also used those Ally Encampments to great effect, so I'm torn on that one. To be honest. though, I rarely use the card's ability to return an ally to my hand. Once in a great while, maybe to save a Drana, Liberator of Malakir, but not very often at all.

Scrapheap Scrounger-- not a fan for this particular deck. I think Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet would be better. It costs more mana, but it's a way better card.

Thanks for play testing at FNM-- and especially for the report. You did about what I expect at 2-2. Occasionally, I think, a 3-1 record is expected, but (on average) 2-2 is about where I think it would fall. It's just missing some little piece that will push it up the next level and I cannot quite figure out what that piece is...

I live 70+ miles away from the nearest store, and I don't get to FNM much at this time of year-- work and family obligations eat up weekends during the March and April. I probably won't get to FNM before Amonkhet, so I may not even get a chance to test drive this deck again for a while at FNM.

Well I'll make a few tweaks and I'll bring it to standard again this coming week. My store does 3 standard events a week. This week is a cut short because of the long weekend (easter + family day) but I'll keep playing it. I think it has very good potential as a deck that no one is immediately prepared for.

Alright I've made a few teaks. Here's the list I'm going to bring tomorrow for Standard.

Main:

23 Lands =

7x Swamps

6x Plains

4x Concealed Courtyard

3x Ally Encampment

2x Shambling Vent

1x Westvale Abbey  ^Flip

24 Creatures =

4x Expedition Envoy

4x Zulaport Cutthroat

3z Kalastria Healer

4x Metallic Mimic

2x Drana, Liberator of Malakir

4x Drana's Emissary

1x Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet

2x Cliffhaven Vampire

13 Non-creature spells =

2x Fatal Push

2x Grasp of Darkness

1x Anguished Unmaking

2x Always Watching

3x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar

3x March from the Tomb

Sideboard =

3x Authority of the Consuls

3x Fragmentize

3x Declaration in Stone

3x Anguished Unmaking

2x Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet

1x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar

Let me know what you think BioProfDude :)

Noctem, looks pretty good. I think, though, getting 2x Authority of the Consuls into the main board is a good idea. Maybe in place of 1x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar + 1x Fatal Push (or 1x Grasp of Darkness)? Just a thought.

What are your thoughts on having only 4 one drops in the 75? How valuable do you think the Expedition Envoy is? For example you could cut those 4, put in 3x Authority of the consuls and run an extra kalastria healer. Thoughts?

Hmm but I don't like the creature count being that low.

That's an idea. I didn't have the Expedition Envoys in the deck for a long, long time. Indeed, they were added with the latest rebuild. I put them in just to get some 1 drop creatures in because the meta sped up so much with the release of Kaladesh. I might argue that more 1 drops are better, but I'm so aggro minded now that mid-range decks are hard to balance. I like Expedition Envoy only because it is a turn 1 play-- but so is Authority of the Consuls. That will reduce your creature total, but it may be worth it? It's worth play-testing.

What about hidden stockpile ? It would give you servos and you can sac them to scry and deal damaged with cutthroat

Nommarune, I have definitely thought of Hidden Stockpile! I'm just not sure what to remove to make room. It's a cool card for sure, and pretty cheap to cast at .

Thanks for the suggestion!

Anytime! Been playing u/r tower swapped to temur and hate it. I've always loved the allies deck and decided to dust it off and update. Saw your post and we are pretty similar. I'll post mine once I get it tested and good (:

Seems like a fun deck to play!

Have you ever thought of using a card like Eerie Interlude. It's a cheaper way to trigger a lot of allies at one time than for example March from the Tomb and it can also be a good counter against boardwhipes, being instant speed and all.

recodef, yes, eerie interlude was in an earlier version of the deck and was quite useful. It has a different purpose, though, than March from the Tomb. Eerie Interlude is more for protection from board wipes or even targeted removal, while March from the Tomb is to get creatures back from the graveyard. Yes, I do understand that eerie interlude would keep creatures from getting to the graveyard in the first place, but with only 4x in the deck maximum, it wouldn't be reliable enough to completely prevent all creatures from ending up in the graveyard. Thus, March from the Tomb has its own utility.

Eerie Interlude is a great card, and highly useful. probably worth a look (again) for the sideboard. Thanks for the suggestion!

I thought about Eerie Interlude as well when I looked over the deck. I'm not sure if it's better than MArch in this deck. Worth testing though :)