Sunday, October 21, 2012

TABLETOP TALES: "ANGELS, ELEPHANTS, & CENTAURS, OH MY!" DECK!

TABLETOP TALES PRESENTS:
"ANGELS, ELEPHANTS, & CENTAURS, OH MY!" DECK

To check out my other decks, hit the links below:


This article serves two purposes: To share the nerd entertainment around with anyone who might find it interesting and, in this case, to build a powerful deck on a reasonable budget.

A couple of weeks after the pre-release and my new deck for standard is coming on pretty strong. My only purchases for this deck have been made through trades, the cards from the pre-release event, and two boosters I bought the other day, as well as a couple singles, totalling my expenses at around $35-40.

Today's deck article though is a little special; most of my decks are budget style, made with what I can afford to build, and generally, up until this point, have not been very competitive. My friend Dayne was rather impressed with the deck's aggressive flow and asked to borrow it. Today's article is a breakdown of his version of the deck, changing about a dozen cards, and winning him first place at Friday night magic.

If you wanna check out the original version of the deck, click the link below.



You can find Magic Cards in super stores (Ex. Walmart, Target) but the best place you can buy your cards, meet other players, and play in events is at your local comic book store or hobby shop. I buy most of my cards at The Comic Cellar. Here is a link to its Google Maps location at 3620 Austin Peay Highway #2 Memphis, TN 38128.

Without further ado, with these purchases, I built...

THE GW AGGRO DECK:
"ANGELS, ELEPHANTS, & CENTAURS, OH MY!" DECK!

This deck mixes it up by completing some sets and throwing in three potent creatures that change the late mid-game to give it that extra edge. Restoration Angel & Thragtusk are a little over my budget, but my friend Dayne managed to snag some copies for Friday Night Magic, and took it to play (coming away with 1st place). These awesome creatures, combined with Rancor, making this deck an almost unstoppable machine of quick wins.

Please leave comments.

To check out the contents of the deck, click "READ MORE" below.
Contains 60 Cards
PLANESWALKERS
(1 White Planeswalker)

Deck contains. 1.
Reasons? Now, this is a fun thematic addition to the deck; as a three-drop planeswalker, his first ability is decent, his second ability wins matches, and his third ability, if it somehow comes to it, isn't bad either. I really like this card, but don't surprised if he gets phased out.

CREATURES
(21 Creatures: 8 Green Creatures, 4 White Creatures, 9 Green-White Creatures)

Deck contains. 4.
Reasons? I like having full set of Centaur Healers; not only do they delay my opponent by giving me more life, but they are potent threats that can deal serious damage and block most creatures my opponents could drop.Against other aggressive decks, this can flip the tempo in your favor.

Deck contains. 4.
Reasons? A fantastic card, possibly my favorite of the set and the one I was happiest to get in my draft, Loxodon Smiter is pretty easy to play and impossible to counter. He is gonna hit the battlefield with a beefy presence on turn three and there is nothing they can do about it; we can only hope to see a reprint of Loxodon Warhammer in the third part of the set to give this guy a boost.

 Deck contains. 4.
Reasons? I wish I could afford the two major shake-ups to this deck; Restoration Angel is card that I wish I had pulled at least one if not more of because, not only do I like angels, but I love the flicker effects that were introduced in Avacyn Restored. In this deck, Restoration Angel sets up Centaur Healers and Thragtusks, by building up your health and putting down 3/3 beast tokens.
Deck contains. 1.
Reasons?  It took a lot of work for me to snag a copy of Sigarda, which I've had a commander version of since Avacyn Restored's pre-release, and I am pretty happy with her abilities. She resists removal, screws up some enemy tactics, and flies into the end zone!

Deck contains. 4.
Reasons? This spirit does the job, swinging for a slick two damage, then returning the battlefield as a 3/2. A turn two threat that has little competition in his color/slot combo.
Deck contains. 4.
Reasons? The king of green creatures in this format; he is a cost efficient life-gaining 5/3 with the added and ridiculous bonus of putting down 3/3 tokens every time he leaves the battlefield. Combo'd with Restoration Angel for best effect.
NON-CREATURE SPELLS
(14 Non-Creature Spells: 4 Green Enchantments, 2 Green-White Instants, 4 Green-White Sorceries, 5 White Enchantments)

Deck contains. 4.
Reasons? This should pretty much show up in the creature section, as it nets me 3/3 creatures for two that are pretty hard to compete with, and add all the more fodder. Not much to say about it that hasn't already been said.

Deck contains. 4.
Reasons? One of the best removal cards ever printed, it is fantastic for targeting what you need to remove. I can't imagine making many white decks without it.

Deck contains. 4.
Reasons? How do you make all those cheap three cast buggers worthwhile? Rancor...all the rancor. This card makes the pace pick up so quickly that your opponent will be removing your creatures any chance they get...but that doesn't matter! This deck has creatures it can put down every round.

Deck contains. 2.
Reasons? The first and third abilities of this card are pretty decent, but its the second ability that makes this card a real winner. In a pinch, this card has the flexibility to do what you need it to do; you need something to attack/block, you need a boost for lethal damage/save a creature, or you need to remove a big baddy? Selesnya Charm fixes everything.

LANDS
(24 Lands: 11 Forest, 9 Plains, 4 Others)
CONTAINS: 11

CONTAINS: 9

CONTAINS: 4

IDEAL 1st HAND

And that's all. Any suggestions?