I'm trying to create next-level Jeskai Ascendancy token deck.
My inspiration is Yuuya's Watanabe deck from Players Championship. I've played this deck a lot lately, but it seems to be not so good as it was due to metagame changes.
At first, there is a lot of Whip decks. Sidisi and Rhino decks are very dangerous, mainly because of Doomwake Giants and Bile Blights. These decks are played as Abzan, Sultai, GB Constrllation or Sultai+Abzan color combinations and all of them have in common big and threatening ETB effects.
I'd like to fight these strategies by adding 2 Hushwing Gryffs into maindeck (and have another one in sideboard). I believe, that Gryff can be deciding card against Whip strategies and one of the card (along with Jeskai Ascendancy), that has to be answered. Nice thing about gryff is that it flies, so it hits hard with Ascendancy pumps.
It turns off Sidisi ETB effect, Siege Rhino, Giant, Horned Queen, Reclamation Sage (!) and few more. Downside of Gryff is, that we have to play our hand little more conservative (more slow). It replaces 1
Seeker of the Way
and 1 Rabblemaster, so we are probably little more vulnerable against monocolored suicide strategies (monoR, monoB), maybe Gryff should replace Rabblemasters only. I dont know yet.
Another addition is Spear of Heliod. It triggers Ascendancy, helps our tokens to attack and survive and in long game can work as removal. I'm worried of aggresive manacost (we need UWR T3-T4 as same as 1WW and 1RR), it takes some testing to figure out manabase. Speer seems to be great in theory (turns off first Doomwake Giant trigger) and is really, really good in mirrors (allows your token to trade with Rabblemaster). With Ascendancy trigger it helps you to survive Drown in Sorrow (unfortunately not Bile Blight).
Last two changes are 1 Military Intelligence maindeck (this deck seems to be great for Intelligence, moreover it triggers Ascendancy) and 1
Triplicate Spirits
(as another flying threat paired with addition of with Spear of Heliod).
Some cards had to go: 1 early removal (Lightning Strike), second Lightning Strike is replaced with Magma Jet. I'd like to try this change. There are only 3 (or 4) little creatures at Standard right now that you want to kill early. Rabblemaster, Seeker, Sidisi (fourth one is probably Rattleclaw Mystic). Magma Jet can kill three of four and gives us some bonus scry. Inability to kill Sidisi is hopefully replaced with powering-up deck against Sidisi strategies.
Another card gone is one Jeskai Charm. Although I like that card as another burn and for its versatility, it is often very mediocre on draw.
Last out is 1 Chandra, Pyromaster. I'd like to have second one in sideboard, becouse she shines if deck transform into control, but maindeck is 1-of enough.
Sideboard:I want to have acces to third
Hushwing Gryff
(maybe to fourth one, I don't know yet).I want to have option to transform deck into control (against Mardu, Abzan Midrange without whip).I want to have option to side something in against suicide aggro strategies (Magma Spray, Anger of the Gods).It is why Sideboard have now 17 cards.
I need to cut one card from maindeck too. Not sure which one (maybe
Triplicate Spirits
(?), but I'd really like to try it).
I would really appreciate any feedback to this construction. Thank you in advance.
