A Junk Midrange-Control deck that wins by dragging the game out with cheap removals and blockers and then overpowering the opponent and gain board control with bigger, better, more efficient creatures and planeswalkers. Restoration Angel increases the value of herself and other ETB creatures on the list such as Thragtusk,
Obzedat, Ghost Council
, and Angel of Serenity.
Garruk, Primal Hunter usually shifts the game in your favor when resolved. He can either get you a sizable token to attack or block with or the card draws (most of the time 3+) to keep you going.
Abrupt Decay and Doom Blade are by far the best removals in standard. The first spell is able to kill pretty much anything on aggro lists, removes annoying cards like Liliana of the Veil, Oblivion Ring, Detention Sphere,
Boros Reckoner
, Blind Obedience, etc. Doom Blade can kill most creatures in the format at instant speed and at a very affordable cost and color. Also, Abrupt Decay can kill
Ravager of the Fells
!
Tragic Slip is very versatile in this list. It can be a simple weenie removal early game while it can damn near kill everything with morbid trigger that will happen VERY often with all of the little tokens I make. This spell also goes through indestructibility and regeneration.
Lingering Souls is one of the best cards, in any format. Getting 2 flying chump blockers for 2W, 2 more for 1B, or 4 at once for 3WB is excruciatingly efficient. These guys do serious work at chump blocking (for you or for your planeswalkers) and your opponent will think twice before turning sideways when these tokens and a
Vault of the Archangel
and 2WB are open on the field. They are also very painful with Sorin, Lord of Innistrad's emblem. Huge nightmare for control decks. Definitely worth the 4-of.
Loxodon Smiter is just fat. He is a nightmare for control decks and is a pain for aggro decks to deal with. Sure, a Mizzium Mortars can beat him, but a 4/4 for 3 with extra effects isn't something to scoff at. He dodges
Ultimate Price
,
Searing Spear
,
Pillar of Flame
, which are all popular removal spells. And should someone be foolish enough to +1 his own Liliana of the Veil, well let's just say they will get a LEGO-mallet to the face. I literally have him in my deck just because he's a 4/4 for 1GW. The extra abilities are just icing on the cake.
Sorin, Lord of Innistrad is great against aggro or any deck, for that matter. He protects himself coming in with a lifelink token and is usually protected further by other creatures (especially other spirit tokens) and once comfortable, he can either make an emblem that turns my chump blockers into flying clumps of nightmare or sit on his counters and blow up to take up to three of my opponent's creatures/planeswalkers, which usually will win me the game.
Cloudshift is such a seldom played sleeper spell! This bitch is a body-less Restoration Angel that abuses the crap out of other creatures' ETB abilities and opens up further combat trick options. This spell basically has the following modes in this deck: "W: Choose one: Counter target spells or abilities that targets a creature you control; or Untap target creature (or target creature gains vigilance until the end of turn); or abuse ETB ability/ies on target creature you control." One of the best things you can do with this is swing through with Restoration Angel and another creature and surprise block or dodge targeted removals with Cloudshift targeting Restoration Angel and use her to target the other creature. Many plays can be made with this spell, and all that for just one mana. This card has won me numerous games and I am so glad I found it.
Since this deck leans on the slower side of the Midrange archetype, Staff of Nin is there to give me the card advantage/damage to finish the game and/or remove any pesky creatures/chump blockers. Drawing two cards every turn when most decks would start running out of steam and go into topdeck mode will usually put you so far ahead to secure the win.
Angel of Serenity is in many cases a win-con by herself if she resolves, being a pseudo-sweep to swing in for lethal or to return those creatures that a, say, Supreme Verdict has swept away back to my hand should she leave play. Should I have enough mana, I can also make a play where I bounce her with
Orzhov Charm
in response before her ETB ability resolves and exile my three targets indefinitely, which is pretty darn awesome. Same play works with Cloudshift, except you get 3 more targets to exile!
Sigarda, Host of Herons is very well positioned in the current meta, which is one full of removals due to prevalence of high-impact creatures. She is extremely hard to remove and the only way to remove her is by board sweeping or through combat, but her size makes the latter a challenge.
Sideboard:
Sin Collector - Great 3-drop to come in against control. Takes out things like Supreme Verdict and/or Sphinx's Revelation before they can happen. Also the knowledge of what's in your opponent's hand is huge. He also synergizes with Restoration Angel.
Golgari Charm
- Anti-Supreme Verdict, spirits token sweeper, weenies, and enchantment removal (like Blind Obedience, Oblivion Ring, Assemble the Legion, and Detention Sphere)
Sever the Bloodline - This comes in against aggro and midrange lists and in many cases can act as a board sweep that counters Undying and Indestructibility. I can always flash it back for more removal as well, letting this spell be a threat throughout the game. It is also great against Voice of Resurgence.
Purify the Grave
- A graveyard hate that is much harder to deal with since they can't remove it, per se. Cast this in response to their targeting something with Unburial Rites or Angel of Serenity or Snapcaster Mage or target key pieces against Humanimators. Very useful.
Abrupt Decay - Card is way too good to not run 4 total somewhere. Perfect side-in against aggro and weenies.
Witchbane Orb
- This is there mainly to combat Esper Control's
Nephalia Drownyard
but it's also good against Bonfire, RDW,
Geralf's Messenger
, Blood Artist, Skullcrack, Mill, Rakdos's Return,
Slaughter Games
. etc.
Blood Baron of Vizkopa - Protection from Black and White is ridiculous against a lot of decks in the meta. He's immune to a lot of popular removals like Azorius Charm,
Feeling of Dread
,
Dreadbore
, Doom Blade, Oblivion Ring, Detention Sphere, etc. His superman ability is simply icing on the cake and should not be too difficult to pull off in this deck. He also can't be blocked by the Aristocrats.
Unflincing Courage - Most of the time a blowout against aggro thanks to lifelink. Slap it on any of the creatures to turn it into a lifegain beatstick.
Any suggestions are welcomed!
Also, be sure to check out my other decks on my profile!