This is the deck I am planning on taking to GP Oakland.
I've been brewing this deck for a little while as both Anafenza, the Foremost and
Crackling Doom
are just too good to not use. The deck basically uses some of the most efficient creatures to win the game. The removal is focused on controlling more of the early game, but the creatures can also allow the deck to get a little more aggressive if the situation calls for it.
Unfortunately most of the bigger local tournaments have been hard to determine the effectiveness of the deck, as I seem to come across a lot more fringe homebrews instead of the typical tier 1 decks of Abzan, Dark Jeskai, Esper, Atarka Red, and Rally.
In theory, Rally is a great matchup in game 1 as Anafenza, the Foremost just hoses their gameplan, and Thunderbreak Regent and Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury win easily by flying over. The sideboard games get a little more difficult, but Anafenza,
Radiant Flames
, and Feed the Clan keep the tilt on our side.
Esper (Dragons or Mage-Ring) are kind of up in the air. The one round I played a Mage-Ring Esper list, he forgot to de-sideboard before the tournament (he was playtesting against a friend's similar deck) started and had the perfect answer to EVERY SINGLE CARD I PLAYED. Every turn my creature was either countered, killed, or killed after attacking the following turn, all without my opponent ever using a draw spell. The second game I got mana screwed and scooped after turn 6 with only 2 lands.
Atarka Red is tough to judge on the surface, but any deck playing against it is really at the mercy of the deck draws. A nut draw from the Red player is almost impossible to beat, but any stumble for one turn can mean a complete swing my way. While post-board games generally mean they play a longer game with Outpost Siege, our creatures are still more efficient. Feed the Clan and
Radiant Flames
shine yet again.
Dark Jeskai seems to be a pretty good matchup, as our creatures are all big threats that they need answers to quickly and only double burn spells or one of their four
Crackling Doom
s kill our dudes. Additionally,
Wild Slash
and
Draconic Roar
basically kill all of their creatures easily. Post-board games depend on whether I'm on the draw (more control pieces) or play (more aggro pieces).
Straight Abzan is probably the toughest matchup for this deck, as their mana isn't stretched quite as much, especially if we're on the draw in game 1. Post-board games on the play seem to be a little more favorable as
Pitiless Horde
, Thunderbreak Regent, and Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury is a lot for them to handle. Post-board on the draw is really tough, as they basically do that to us instead, especially if they curve Warden of the First Tree, pump it or
Heir of the Wilds
, Anafenza, the Foremost, Gideon, Ally of Zendikar emblem.
We shall see if playtesting yields any other changes prior to the GP!
