I just got the idea to start brewing an aura deck myself when I spotted Hero of Iroas and Herald of the Pantheon but I see neither in this deck...curious. I had the idea to use more expensive auras, since they'd effectively be 1 or 2-drops with the power of 3 or 4-drops, but a 5/3 first strike trample hexproof on turn two is...compelling. Even at the cost of 3 cards, I have to admit that's NOT something to ignore.

Has this deck ever gone in a different direction worth exploring?

Daynen

It has actually gone in a different direction, one that is quite enjoyable too! While not having hexproof creatures REALLY hurts in competitive modern, the deck I'm about to link is pretty legit (and fairly cheap too!). It can get a 7/7 first strike lifelinker on turn two, at the cost of not having hexproof. It also runs a few combos (Soul Tithe + Sun Titan and Hero of Iroas + Kor Spiritdancer + Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx ) that surprise people every time.

Bestowed Invulnerability

Eidolon+two ethereal armors...hm. Yeah I could see that being pretty scary on turn two, but then again, so's a hexproof 5/3 first strike trampler. Very informative. One gives a MASSIVE life swing, the other has to be beaten by a very uncommonly sized body or a very indirect method of killing. Interesting choice to make.

Hexproof is usually better, but the mono-white version has control elements. With Spiritdancer and Hero of Iroas, you can cast upwards of 25 cards in a turn so...

So does that mean the 1 in HoI's cost reduction applies to colored mana? I was under the distinct impression it does not. If so, that's even more absurdly powerful than I thought.

It does not. However, what you can do is flood the board with enchantments then activate Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx and rince/repeat.

Even with nykthos, that's still a considerable amount of initial mana needed to spring that combo off like that. At best, it nearly doubles your total mana available in a turn, since only colored mana counts for nykthos and only colorless mana is reduced by the hero; you've also got to reserve two mana to activate nykthos to begin with...unless you've got an INCREDIBLY wide and/or tall board state, it seems like this draw combo would peter out far sooner than 25 draws...just trying to figure out where all the extra mana's coming from...unless you've got more than one nykthos, I guess...still seems quite prohibitive to set up.

It's usually done around turn 6 or 7. I've dropped half the deck before, it just takes a little bit of prepwork.

Ajani?

Lacour Yeah. I know it's not something that you EVER see in Bogles lists, but it has closed out games for me. I experiment with a lot of cards for this deck, and I found that the +1/+1, flying, and double strike that Ajani usually gives in a game can take opponents by surprise more often than not.

so would you recommend it in http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/29-11-16-selesnya-hexproof/?

It really depends on your meta. Let me ask you this though, which would create a more meaningful impact on the game? Unflinching Courage or Ajani, Caller of the Pride? For my meta, with their top decks being a BtL Scapeshift, Titanshift, two affinity decks, and infect, the lifegain doesn't mean THAT much from Courage, and the stat boost is not enough to come back from a Titan. However, the flying and double strike can take my opponents by surprise and possible draw out a few attacks onto Ajani (effectively gaining me a few points of life anyway.

But if YOUR meta is defined by a lot of wide strategies (Abzan CoCo, Affinity, Naya Burn, Orzhov Tokens, Kiki-Chord) then Unflinching Courage definitely is a better pick for the 3 CMC slot.

Not a bad build but super weak to mill and deck/hand control or manipulation. Especially if made to discard from hand.

Also, requiring hexproof for a T1 is KILLING this deck. You need a more reliable way of getting them to the hand versus mulligans. Like...dude lol it killed me to Mulligan some of the hands that didn't have hexproof...

Nice thought but you need some serious mill protection. Turn 3 never got off against mill/deck control/hand control/discard. You need something to replenish your graveyard to your deck or hand.

You also NEED to watch out for Midnight Oil. That card neuters this deck so hard, even with removing it and, I don't run it or any enchantments first match. Coupled with a Mesmeric Orb or conversely, if someone's played Fevered Visions.

I suggest something to cycle your hand, like maybe a Scroll Rack. Might do you more good than the aura searches or Spiritdancer. Just a few thoughts.

I'm not sure you realize how bad mill is as an archetype...ESPECIALLY in modern. This is coming from someone who has played a competitive mill list which spared no expense. Mill loses to aggro, mill loses to my sideboarded Leylines, and hand manipulation loses since this deck just places down threats before they can make me discard. Sometime last year, Bogles was a super prevalent pick because it COUNTERS control/midrange. Lantern control is the one exception, which is why I have Suppression Field, Leyline of Sanctity, Damping Matrix, AND Seal of Primordium to answer it in game two/three.

One of the main factors that separates an inexperienced Bogles player from a vet is how you mulligan. While consistency has always been an issue for the Bogles archetype, it's not NEARLY as bad as you make it out to be. I probably lose...hmm...probably 1 out of 8 games due to a poor draw. Otherwise the deck has one of the most consistent mana bases to draw from and even things out.

Meanwhile, Spiritdancer is just too good at drawing cards to put on the Bogle or on the Dancer herself. If you know that your opponent doesn't have removal up their sleeve, you can swing with over 10 power with only one or two auras. Now, if the meta is flooded with removal, then Silhana Ledgewalker is a fantastic sub adding both consistency and evasion. Meanwhile, Open the Armory grants consistency in the form of essentially adding additional copies of Daybreak Coronet, Rancor, or Ethereal Armor.

So far, the one I run fairs pretty well. Then again, the local meta might be changing what's working for us. In my area, bogle players must have no idea what they're doing as I've yet to lose more than a single match in a round to them. The aggro decks are a coin toss, depending on if I can keep their mana limited or creatures exiled. Burn, control, infect and delirium are the ones that give me fits from time to time. From what I've seen and tested at a few local card shops, mill isn't as bad as you're making it out to be. Could be different in other areas though.

Bogle just doesn't seem to dangerous, even for the guys near me who've gone and traveled for games. But again, I've only really had experiences with shops near and around the Chicago area so might just be a different play style or something.

I can see how Dancer is important but at the same time, I still think some graveyard cycling wouldn't hurt or at least, add in some Scavenge. Good burn decks will eat a 10/10 with no issues and still whale on bogle.

I can see where this is nasty though but I want to practise more with it before I'll see it as dangerous. I want to play against it or with it properly before I'll move my stance. Yours is definitely different than the ones I've played against. Way way cheaper, cmc wise that is. Might make a big difference...

Yeah, it sounds like the bogles players have no clue how to play the deck. Burn is a good matchup both pre and post board (depending on how many Deflecting Palms they run). Control is a fantastic matchup (again, barring Lantern Control), though Infect is the hardest matchup for this deck. As for mill, it's inherently countered by aggro. Here's the list I ran for quite some time Silence in the Library - Competitive Mill.

From what you're saying, it sounds like the bogles players in your meta are running idiotic lists. Do they just have 4 copies of Spectra Ward and Gift of Immortality?! A proper Bogles list has a solid 65/35 to 55/45 matchup vs Naya burn (depending on sideboards). No burn deck alive can answer an 8/6 with first strike, vigilance, lifelink, hexproof, and trample without having to have a sideboard entirely geared against it. That's a mediocre draw for this deck that we have on turn 3.

I'm really interested to see what kind of deck lists the bogles players in your meta are running. Could you list a few examples of how they differ from mine?

I LOVE enchantment decks, yours is great too! Butttttt, Ajani? In a Bogles deck. I think you should give up on the Ajani and put in another creature, giving yourself a better chance to get a creature. The description was very specific though, giving you a good idea of how you should play this deck.

The Ajani is largely an experimental replacement for Unflinching Courage. Same slot, but a GIGANTIC impact that quite often wins games on its own. i.e. my opponent has a turn 3/4 Primeval Titan on the field. Instead of drawing into an Unflinching Courage to deal 2 points of trample damage and gain 6 life, I could topdeck Ajani and swing for 12 double strike and FLYING. It's not unlike Spirit Mantle, except it deals upwards of 10 damage instead of adding 1-2 power.

In my current meta, Ajani simply has a bigger impact than Unflinching Courage. The deck is consistent enough that adding another creature adds too much redundancy, and returning Unflinching Courage is too slow (possibly winning the game a full turn later).

I can see where your coming from, but in my opinion, you can never go wrong with more creatures, but it's your deck.

You can definitely go wrong with more creatures. At some point, when your opening hand ctonsists of 3 creatures and a land, you realize that the game is over. Or if you draw into a creature when you already have the board position well-established.

This is a voltron deck, you need things to make the creature win the game. Being at the highest end of the curve, you need it to impact the board like nothing else in the deck. Ajani or Unflinching Courage, you decide which one impacts the board the most.

Lol. Someone told you to watch out for mill. oh god lol.

Yeah, I didn't quite understand that either.

What the heck is Wordmail in here for.

AtomicEmpire Uhhhhhh...that's an odd glitch! I NEVER added that to the list. Thank you, for the heads up.