This deck is a Jeskai Wins variant, however it has a slightly higher curve than most. The main differences that you may notice are in the creature-base. Yep, you saw that correctly: no main boarded
Goblin Rabblemaster
s, and no
Seeker of the Way
anywhere in the 75. Coming into the new standard I was fully behind these two cards. I was playing a RW tempo deck with Monastery Swiftspear,
Seeker of the Way
,
Goblin Rabblemaster
,
Dragon Mantle
and
Defiant Strike
and burn. However, now the meta has shifted with the midrange decks clogging up the ground very effectively. By having no creatures that cannot fly, Satyr Wayfinder and Sylvan Caryatid just got a lot less valuable. To make up for this speed loss in the early game, 2 copies of Anger of the Gods make the cut in the main (with 2 more in the side for aggro.) Against midrange decks, this will generally take out accelerants or even a Hornet Queen, and vs aggro this is often enough to close a game by simply casting one of the proactive cards post-wrath.
Now: Let's take a look at the deck card-by-card. By CMC.
The 1-drops: Or on this deck's case: the lack of 1-drops. Having no 1-drops is pretty standard in Jeskai Wins, and so the best thing to be doing at this point is playing a tap-land. 4
Mystic Monastery
and 10 temples are the cards which can be played here, so turn 1 is very often not completely wasted.
The 2-drops: Often another tapland is the right play, but sometimes a little interaction is required here.
Lightning Strike
: This is the most common turn 2 play. It generally will kill an accelerant vs midrange or a 1 or 2-drop vs aggro variants. If your opponent isn't playing any of these (such as if they're a control deck or have a slow start) it can go to the dome or a planeswalker later on as well.
Negate + Disdainful Stroke: These aren't really going to be played turn 2, however there's nowhere else to put them, so here they are. They certainly aren't great against aggro, but at least they're not completely dead.
Stoke the Flames
turns both of these online, and sometimes aggressive strategies run a curve-topper like sarkhan. However, against the midrange decks of the format, maining these is very beneficial to game-1. They only cost 2, so they're relatively easy to hold, and they stop a plethora of annoying cards from rhinos to sorins to butchers which are running around.
The 3-drops: This is where the action really starts happening. The deck begins to come online here, and has a number of back-breaking plays at this point.
Mantis Rider
: This guy is insane. Half of the time he is just deal 3 damage, eat a removal spell, which is very strong, but when he is left unchecked, the damage adds up very quickly. If you get to untap with one of these guys, considering that this deck main-decks Negate and Disdainful Stroke, you are going to have a hard time losing. Even if your opponent just invests their turn into killing this dude, you still then have an easy window to follow up with another, or something like an
Ashcloud Phoenix
. There's also a neat interaction with vigilance and
Stoke the Flames
.
Jeskai Charm
: This card is just plain awesome. It does everything. For the bargain price of 3 mana you get 4 points of damage, a (in my opinion at least) better removal spell, or some lifegain. Lifegain is something that is at a premium in this standard, as there is nothing like Sphinx's Revelation that is just going to give you 6 life and 3 or so threats at the same time.
Seeker of the Way
is the other option that this deck could employ, but it clashes with anger, is bad vs midrange, and aggro players are now getting more prepared for it, and are going to burn it on sight. Having an extremely powerful card which can also function as just "gain 9 life" is a very powerful tool.
Anger of the Gods: Yes, it has anti-synergy with
Mantis Rider
, and yes, it has anti-synergy with
Ashcloud Phoenix
, but that's not stopping me from maining a couple. It's that good. Against basically everything but abzan midrange (vs abzan aggro this is good), this card is absolutely bonkers. Generally: if I control a
Mantis Rider
or
Ashcloud Phoenix
, then I'm in a good spot anyway, and don't need to cast this, but when I don't, this is just so good. People don't expect it game 1, and thus don't really play around it, and the effect is also just nuts. Seriously. Main it.
The 4-drops: By now we're getting to the point where we've (hopefully) got a
Mantis Rider
onto the board and swinging, and either they're tapped out to kill it or are trying to find a solution to it, OR you've just cast Anger of the Gods and the board is relatively clear. If they're looking for an answer for mantis, then I can just hold burn and/or counters, but if the board is quite clear, then it is time to lay down a card-advantage generator. The two best ones come in this one, along with the last piece of the burn package.
Ashcloud Phoenix
: If you haven't played with this card against a control deck: then do it. If they can't exile it, then they're just screwed. You literally cast one of these, and just hold 6 mana for the rest of the game. They need 3 or 4 cards to deal with it, and even if they do, they've probably already taken 12 or so by this point, and are dead to burn or another threat. Against abzan, this is just another flier. Notably, if they -2 a sorin, then you can attack it, trade with the vampire, and then revive the phoenix dealing 2 to the sorin, killing it. A lot of their removal is exile-based, such as Abzan Charm, Banishing Light and Utter End, but if they play heroes' downfall, Bile Blight or Drown in Sorrow, then this can grind out a game. Against aggro this card should just be treated as a 2-for-1. A 4/1 that when it dies you get a 2/2. It kills 2 creatures and buys you time for a more effective win-con, but if they have nothing left, then by all means kill them with the phoenix :)
Chandra, Pyromaster
: When I first saw this chandra, I was a it underwhelmed by it, but take it from me: it's good. Dealing 1 damage may not seem too exciting, but killing Elvish Mystic, a bunch of aggro 1-drops and also just dealing 1 damage should not be under-rated. She starts on a virtual 5 loyalty, and likely with a
Mantis Rider
to protect her, a lot of card advantage can be generated off her. The 0 ability is virtually draw a card, as there are only 4 purely reactive spells in the deck. The ultimate often is just deal 12, so your opponent can't just leave her alone, or they'll be in for an unpleasant surprise.
Stoke the Flames
: I'll be honest. I don't like this card very much. It's 4 mana for 4 damage, and if you want to make it cheaper, you're losing tempo by tapping your creatures.
Mantis Rider
is the only reason that this card is acceptable in the deck. That, and that there is no other better alternative. It takes a large chunk out of the opponent's life, which is nice, but it's a bit expensive for what it does. If you want to suggest anything, this would probably be the first thing I'd cut.
The 5+ drops: Here we get to the top end of the curve. These are designed to close out the game, by swamping the opponent in card advantage, and/or just getting the dirty work done themselves.
Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
: Often this guy's role is to take out your opponent's last threat or top deck, and then just kill them. I very often find myself minusing him as soon as I play him, and then just hitting in for 4 each turn. This guy plus burn spells creates a very fast clock like
Mantis Rider
, and the flexibility to remove threats makes this guys even better. He also can make victory through a sorin emblem quite feasible.
End Hostilities: Clearing all creatures off the board is very good for this deck. I have 7 creatures: 3 of which "survive" End Hostilities, 7 planeswalkers, and 11 burn spells, which want the game to go on for a long time so that I can deploy them. It is a little slow, so I only main 1, with 2 sided to come in against midrange, but it is very valuable to the deck nonetheless. Also note that with Dig Through Time often only 1 copy is needed to find it when it is needed.
Elspeth, Sun's Champion
: This deck struggles with massive creatures. Anything X/5 and greater is not ideal to be playing against, as
Jeskai Charm
is the only way to slow them down, with just 1 End Hostilities to deal with them. Otherwise you just have to race them. Elspeth gives the deck a way to close out the race by killing all of their fatties, letting the last few points of damage come through. Three blockers/attackers a turn is also very useful, but in a format of tramplers and fliers, it's not as well-positioned as it was in old standard. Still, it's not a bad option to have available.
Jeskai Charm
for lifelink with a few soldiers is also funny.
Dig Through Time: This deck isn't as insane as some of the modern or legacy decks rolling off turn 4 cruises for 1 mana, but dig still has its place. With 4 Flooded Strand alongside a suite of burn and must-answer creatures, the graveyard is going to get stocked reasonably quickly. You don't want more than one of these a game, but 2 is about right, providing you with the last bit of late-game push needed to take over the game.
The sideboard has not been tested very much, but in theory I am quite happy with it as it is. Keep in mind when suggesting cards that whilst card choices are similar, this deck plays differently to most Jeskai wins decks. Against Abzan, I don't have to be the one racing. Often I just out-attrition them and grind out a win, since I run sources of repeatable card advantage and have access to Dig Through Time (which they don't) however racing in the air is always a fine option. Don't try to race in the mirror, as you have a stronger late-game. All feedback, up votes and comments are appreciated however, so feel free to suggest away.
