Dude, that was so 2 weeks ago!

Hello everybody! As I previously mentioned, I was gone all summer working at boy scout camp. Just 11.5 weeks. How much news could I possibly miss?

Jace and Stoneforge banned in Standard!?!?!
Modern is the PT Philly format!?!?!
Crazy banned list in Modern!?!?!

Yeah, thats just a couple events, but those are huge events! I think its humerous how even though Jace and Stoneforge got banned in Standard (and modern) that Caw-Blade is still considered a top-tier deck. That just goes to show you how much of a beast that deck was. I would be willing to argue it was the most powerful deck for its archaetype of ALL TIME. The only thing I can think of that could take that throne away from it is maybe Combo Winter or Necro Summer, but I wasn't around for that time in Magic history so I can't ever really know for sure. I am very glad they banned Jace and Stoneforge though, even despite owning 2 of each, because now there is actually an oportunity for creative deckbuilding. There's two decks that I'm throwing together for the waning weeks of standard before rotation: Allies and Bant Pod.

4x Hada Freeblade
4x Adaptive Automation
4x Akoum Battlesinger
4x Jwari Shapeshifter
4x Kabira Evangel
3x Kazandu Blademaster
3x Talus Paladin
1x Tuktuk Scrapper
2x Umara Raptor

4x Preordain
3x Spell Pierce

4x Seachrome Coast
4x Arid Mesa
4x Scalding Tarn
3x Mountain
4x Island
5x Plains

The big addition to the deck is Adaptive Automation. This card is so sweet in that everybody should want him for their casual tribal decks, but he is also a force to be reckoned with in constucted as well. He simply adds so much power to your board. Each ally in this deck adds something special and unique to the gameplan, and Adaptive Automation is no different. I have already talked at length about how good Allies is (t4 kills anybody?), but it often does take curving out to make things work. The spell pierces are in there for crippling spells, especially Day of Judgement. Imagine on your turn 3, you play an Akoum Battlesinger and then pass. They untap, play a 4th land and cast Day of Judgement. You spell Pierce, and they basically just scoop up their cards. Turn 1 Hada Freeblade is still as dangerous as a turn 1 Wild Nacatl (if not more), so this deck is still ballin'.

The other deck I am assembling is the LSV Bant Birthing Pod deck found here. Although I kinda don't want to buy Lotus Cobras... Aside from the cobras and fetchlands, the entire deck will survive post rotation. I am willing to bet that with Innistrad's graveyard theme, there will be a sweet Birthing Pod decklist right out of the gates. I have mentioned before how epic of a card Birhting Pod is, so I will absolutely be tracking the spoilers close for cards that will work with the deck. Other cool cards to think about with the upcoming graveyard theme set is Visions of Beyond and Necrotic Ooze.

The other new format is Modern. PT Philly is next week, which will bring huge changes to the format obviously, but one deck I think I may build is Doran Rock. The deck is very fast and very aggressive, and lets me use the Dark Confidants and Tarmogoyfs I have in my binder. No one is really trading for those right now due to their grotesquely inflated prices, and I have been dying to cast them since I got them (still hasn't happened). Here's the list I'm thinking about right now:

4x Dark Confidant
2x Tarmogoyf (I only have 2 and theres no way I'm buying 2 more. Maybe the trade gods will smile upon me)
4x Doran the Deige Tower
4x Treefolk Harbringer
3x Loam Lion
2x Spellskite
4x Sheltering Ancient

2x Duress
4x Thoughtseize
3x Path to Exile
3x Maelstrom Pulse
1x Elspeth, Knight-Errant

2x Forest
1x Godless Shrine
2x Misty Rainforest
3x Murmuring Bosk
2x Overgrown Tomb
2x Plains
3x Swamp
1x Temple Garden
3x Treetop Village
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4x Verdant Catacombs

Another Idea of where to go with this deck was more of a control route with lots of walls that has an "oops, I win" moment as soon as it drops. Think along the lines of Wall of Omens and Wall of Roots. Another card worth considering is Dungrove Elder. It would take a small adjustment to the mana base, but he could be an absolute beating in this kind of deck. Another card I want to point out from this deck is Sheltering Ancient. If managed correctly, it's a 5/5 trample for 2 mana which is a beating. Either they don't have any creatures in play and you just smash the Red Zone, or a Maelstrom Pulse/Path to Exile can clean the whole problem up for you and then you bash for 20.

I'm not going too hard in Modern right now, as prices are sure to drop shortly after the Pro Tour, and there's bound to be some changes to the banned list afterwards as well which will change the meta with every step and every swing. But that's all I have for today. Until next time, stay classy!

-Ryan Lackie
Ryan.Lackie92@gmail.com