Need help w/ Abzan Sideboard.
Standard Deck Help forum
Posted on Jan. 5, 2016, 4:15 p.m. by infinitx
I recently started playing abzan (snapping gnarlid list) and I need help figuring out what to side in against the common matches that would appear at a GP.Here is the exact list: http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/deck.asp?deck_id=1255806
Thanks guys~
UpperDeckerTaco says... #3
First of all, I have never liked Snapping Gnarlid. Whenever someone plays a Snapper on me, I'm like, "ok fine, it's going to eat a cheap removal spell that I would otherwise have that removal spell be worthless on your 4/4 Anafenza. Yes I understand, on the play it is decent because you can potentially swing for 4 on turn 3. But still, never been a big fan. It does nothing late game either. Abzan is supposed to have threats that win on their own at any stage of the game, Gnarles doesn't do that. But, to each their own. Anyway, we are talking about sideboards...
You can expect to see 4 Color Rally and Eldrazi in the meta so at least 1 of's of Infinite Obliteration and Hallowed Moonlight aren't a bad option. They also offer value against other decks. Infinite Obliteration is good against control, especially Esper Dragons. Hallowed Moonlight is good against Esper and/or B/W tokens. Either way, you can't go wrong where a card has more than one use. Most of the sideboard looks pretty solid. Not sure the Self-Inflicted Wounds are all that Jazz because G/W megamorph isn't a high portion of the meta right now. Plus, you are already well suited against that match up anyway. The 2 Painful Truths are fine. The 4 Pitiless Horde are fine. The 3 Duress are fine. I am not a huge fan of Rising Miasma in the deck. Even though it doesn't kill the majority of your own creatures, it still costs 4 mana and isn't the best answer to the decks you want to use it against because it COSTS 4 MANA! I like the Planar Outburst but only as a 1 of not a 2 of because there aren't much strategies that typically ramp like crazy and go super wide in Standard. So the board wipe is essentially only great against decks that evade targeted removal (i.e. Esper Dragons). So if you were to remove the Wounds for 1 Hallowed Moonlight and 1 Infinite Obliteration and you remove both Rising Miasma and 1 Planar Outburst you have 3 spots that could help you out tweaking it. For example, why are you not running at least 1 Utter End in the side?! It's the catch all answer. So then you would only have 2 spots left, in which I would suggest either some lifegain to stave off Atarka Red such as Surge of Righteousness as a 2 of, and if that's not the route you wanna go, then I would suggest Sorin, Solemn Visitor as a 1 of, and maybe either an Ultimate Price as a 1 of OR another Murderous Cut as a 1 of. You will find that this will allow your sideboard to be more flexible and have more answers to more of the meta rather than just a couple of decks.
TMBRLZ says... #2
Actual Hyperlink for Deck
For you lazy folk out there.
January 5, 2016 4:44 p.m.