Sooo... Everyone I talk to at my LGS says that, "Ashen Rider isn't a good card for Standard," or.. "Ashen Rider has too high a CMC to be viable in current Standard." Yeah, I understand their reasoning..
..but screw efficiency, I want to use Ashen Rider in Standard, I am going to use Ashen Rider in Standard, and dammit, it's going to work!!!
Theme
I thought up this Deck waaay before I knew Whip Sidisi was a thing, so I like to think that this is a creation all my own. The deck originally was an over complicated mix of both Abzan and Sultai flavors, but the end result is pretty much strictly Sultai. To simplify things, I cut White (Save for my precious Ashen Riders; the core of the Deck). That being said, adding White isn't completely out of the question; there are quite a few White cards (Ephara, God of the Polis, Banishing Light, Utter End, etc...) that I wouldn't mind adding if I could find room for them.
...Anyways...
Reanimation is the big theme here; get good ol' Ashen Rider into the Graveyard, then reanimate the hell out of 'em! Rinse, repeat, win!
Deck Tech
Creatures:
Ashen Rider: The star of the show...Big badass Flying kitty-cat that has a voracious appetite for your Opponent's Permanents..
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant: A Win-Con all by herself. She never seems to live very long, but she serves a purpose in this Deck simply by ETB. Granted, I'm not a huge fan of her being in this Deck; if I can find something to replace her, I'll gladly consider it.
Champion of Stray Souls: I've never seen anyone use this guy, nor have I even heard anyone talk about him. A 4/4 for 6 CMC isn't all that impressive, and his abilities aren't any less Mana expensive. However, the Champion has found a good home in this Deck. His purpose is simple: Sac stuff to bring back a Rider (..Or two.. :3). Combo's off very nicely with our next Creature...
Prophet of Kruphix: If you're playing Blue/Green, your Deck should have least one Prophet, at the very least. Tap out to play stuff on your turn and have your Mana refunded to play more stuff, including Creatures, on your Opponent's turn. Ummm...Yes Please!
Thassa, God of the Sea: Costs 3 CMC, lets you Scry 1 during your Upkeep, plus she's Indestructible.
Satyr Wayfinder: Self Mill, Land Draw, and a chump-blocker for 2 CMC. Also helps get Ashen Rider into the Graveyard.
Sylvan Caryatid: Early game Mana fixing of any Color with Hexproof. Self explanatory.
Instants & Sorceries:
Rescue from the Underworld: People never expected it!!! Haha!! Rescue has fabulous synergy with Ashen Rider. Sac a Sidisi to bring back a Rider...Sac a Rider to bring back a Rider..etc.. :3
See the Unwritten: Dig through 8 cards, hopefully hit an Ashen Rider, profit? Sadly, Ferocious can only trigger off of Rider himself and [[Champion of Stray Souls], regardless of that, however, this card can still be a game-changer.
Sultai Charm: I added 4 of these fairly recently. Was looking for cheap removal, found literally the perfect card for this type of Deck. Destroy Nyx-Fleece Ram? Check; Naturalize? Check; Draw 2 Cards and get Rider from your hand to the graveyard? CHECK!!! So much versatility.
Miscellaneous:
Whip of Erebos: This Deck's panic button! If you're in a bad situation and need some help, Whip a Rider into play and swing for 5, gain 5 Life! Obviously this isn't ideal considering you only get one ETB trigger from said Rider and it gets Exiled..but if you're in dire straights, for removal and/or Lifegain, the Whip can become your best friend very quickly.
Sideboard:
Dissolve & Negate: Counter unwanted spells? Self explanatory.
Bile Blight: Useful for heavy Aggro; specifically Goblin Rabblemaster. AEtherspouts might be a better choice depending on the match up. Regardless, I haven't ever actually sided in a Bile Blight; not sure if it belongs here.
Post DTK Changes
??? ---> Anticipate
Reasoning: Wannabe Brainstorm. Fantastic card for digging through your Library. Not sure what I'll take out for this, but I'm certainly going to Main-Deck 2-3 of them.
Bile Blight ---> Display of Dominance
Reasoning: One of this Deck's worst enemies is U/B Control. A 2 drop "Destroy target Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver?" Um...Hell Yeah!!!
Overall, this Deck has done better than I expected. As I anticipated, U/B Control is its worst enemy, with Aggro following close behind. I've actually debated Sideboarding out Ashen Rider against U/B Control, simply so Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver can't steal it..
Any Constructive Suggestions & Criticism are Welcome!!
Thank you for your time! :D
