Tag: bant

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Gregoire Thibault - February 13, 2014

Deck of the Day – Bant Walkers by Brian Braun-Duin (31st at SCG ...

Kiora, The Crashing Wave
Bant Walkers
Brian Braun-Duin
31st Place at StarCityGames Standard Open on 2/8/2014
Lands (27)

Planeswalkers (10)

Spells (23)

Sideboard 

Here we have another Planeswalker themed control deck along the lines of Zendikar’s Super Friends or last seasons Junk Walkers. It is really just your good ol’ UW control from Theros standard with a small splash of green for Kiora, the Crashing Wave and Mistcutter Hydra out of the sideboard. It moves away from the Aetherling win con and opts for a Planeswalker plan only in the main.

The main deck contains UW‘s usual removal, counter and draw package. The powerful Azorius Charm is used mostly for tempo with Detention Sphere as four-ofs along side a couple of Last Breaths for removal. Your counter package is just a set of Dissolve and a Syncopate. For draw spells it’s primarily the instant speed Sphinx’s Revelation, but also Azorius Charm can be used for it’s draw one which can be handy in conjunction with the Scry from your lands and spells. Although there are no Divination or Opportunity, there is still Jace who coupled with Kiora‘s Explore ability is still a potent draw engine. Finally there’s a set of Supreme Verdict as your number one sweeper with Elspeth‘s minus three as a good alternative against things like RG Monsters and Desecration Demon.

This deck’s main goal is to survive long enough to stabilize on board than finally winning with the sheer power of it’s Planeswalkers or the odd time with Mutavault beatdown. You take control by wiping the board with Supreme Verdict or Elspeth and using Sphinx’s Revelation to come back by gaining life and drawing into your answers.

The sideboard gets interesting as it has a few surprises against opponents who side out all or most of there removal and sweepers. There is a set of Archangel of Thune and three Brimaz, King of Oreskos which if used together will make a rapidly growing token army when left unchecked. Mistcutter Hydra is a great answer against Mono-Blue Devotion. Pithing Needle for things like Maze’s End or other Walkers and Negate to counter any non-creature threats. Revoke Existence is mainly against Indestructible gods like Thassa or Erebos and can also get rid of Underworld Connections.

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Eric Jeffrey Seltzer - February 11, 2014

Deck of the Day – Bant Aggro by Ryan Hipp (28th SCG Nashville on...

Ephara, God of Polis
Bant Aggro
Ryan Hipp
28th Place at StarCityGames Standard Open on 2/8/2014
Lands (24)

Creatures (21)

Spells (15)

Sideboard

While this deck is billed as a Bant Aggro list it is in essence a White Weenie variant. With its mana base such as it is sporting eight Scry lands there is no one drop in the deck instead looking to open with a Scry of the bat. The two drops then power the deck out of the gate with Voice of Resurgence, Precinct Captain and Fleecemane Lion to start laying the beats. Then we have the popular newcomer Brimaz, King of Oreskos and Loxodon Smiter next at three on the curve. Also filling at three mana there is the decks utility removal Detention Sphere and the creature buff Spear Of Heliod. All of that serves to build the devotion count for the two gods which fill the four drop slot with Heliod, God of the Sun able to clutter the board while granting Vigilance to all your creatures and Ephara, God of the Polis which serves as the decks primary draw engine. In true White Weenie form this deck uses Brave the Elements as both a way to save it’s creatures from targeted removal and as an enabler for Alpha Strike wins. Finally we have utility from Selesnya Charm which is able to either push a creature over the top, exile a big nuisance creature including a god or just add an extra body to the board to keep the pressure on. All in all a powerful and exciting deck sure to hold a spot in the meta.

Eric J Seltzer
@ejseltzer on Twitter
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Eric Jeffrey Seltzer - November 28, 2013

Deck of the Day – Prime Speaker Bant – Reid Duke (SCG Providen...

Prime Speaker Zegana
Prime Speaker Bant
Reid Duke
101st Place at StarCityGames Standard Open on 11/24/2013
Lands (25)

Creatures (21)

Planeswalkers (4)

Spells (10)

Sideboard

What an interesting new idea which has potential for huge card advantage once it gets going.  Bant has the particular quality of combining acceleration with control and card advantage.  This deck attempts to accomplish that in spades.  It all starts with a ten pack of mana dorks with Mystics, Caryatids & Satyrs to get the plan into high gear.  From there the threats start at converted cost of four with Polukranos, which doubles as removal for the deck, and Jace, which also doubles against aggro with the +1 ability.  We then hit the five spot and the centerpiece for this deck from Prophet of Kruphix which provides the unique ability to be proactive on your turn AND their turn while always holding up mana to threaten countermagic.  Then we hit the top of the curve at six with a diverse package including premier control finisher Aetherling, card advantage beast Prime Speaker & the truly diverse Primeval Bounty.  As with any deck using both blue and white mana should there is a full four Sphinx’s Revelation and the life gain can be a key in surviving against fast aggro.  The control aspect of the deck is limited to Plasm Capture that plays into the plan of mass card draw by providing more fuel to spew out more threats as quickly as possible.  The rest of the deck is comprised of a small removal suite with Detention Sphere which can work to hold off a swarm and Curse of the Swine which is either a sweeper or can be used to remove indestructible Gods.  This is definitely an idea to keep in mind moving forward as it may not yet be properly positioned but a few tweeks primarily with respect to shoring up the aggro matchup could turn this deck into a premier powerhouse.

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Gregoire Thibault - November 19, 2013