Old Faithful

by Lucian_Devine on 21 October 2012

Main Deck (60 cards)

Sideboard (15 cards)

Instants (2)


Artifacts (1)


Enchantments (2)

Submit a list of cards below to bulk import them all into your sideboard. Post one card per line using a format like "4x Birds of Paradise" or "1 Blaze", you can even enter just the card name by itself like "Wrath of God" for single cards.


Deck Description

I call it Old Faithful, because it's pretty similar to the naya deck that I ran pre-rotation. It's pretty much the same cards and tricks that have served me well irl.

I've had a lot of questions on card choices and numbers, so I'm going to explain some of the ones that I've been asked about the most.

Cloudshift: Wrath effects aren't as prominent as they once were, and in a world full of Sever the Bloodline, Dreadbore, Selesnya Charm, and Detention Sphere, Cloudshift can be an absolute blowout. It, along with Restoration Angel give me part of my ability to pass the turn freely with a Huntmaster of the Fells in play, and still have a way to interact, in case they have a play at the end of my turn. I've found it to be worth it overall, because of it's ability to defend my guys from removal, in addition to giving me more uses out of my ETB's. It also lets me use Fiend Hunter to exile key threats permanently, and secondary threats normally, or permanently if it's a token. 4 mana to kill both halves of an Armada Wurm for example.

Searing Spear: This card was chosen, primarily because of it's ability to do 3 damage at instant speed. It combines with Cloudshift and Restoration Angel as part of my instant speed package that goes even better with Huntmaster of the Fells.

Zealous Conscripts: I have loved this card since it was spoiled, and eight main deck sources of flicker make it even better. I can borrow a Planeswalker or a creature, or even just use it to untap a big threat that Tamiyo is trying to lock down. Alternately, if you combine it with any of the flicker cards, I can either get a second use out of it, or flicker the creature I borrowed and keep it.

Faith's Reward: This card raises the most questions. In deck building, I found myself basically ending up on 59 cards. The two choices I came up with for the 1 card spot were basically this or one Trostani, Selesnya's Voice main deck. After testing, Faith's Reward has proven itself in the main deck. When you remember all of the midrange decks in the metagame, and all the ETB effects that make this deck run, it's no wonder why this card can cause blowouts, primarily in game one, when my opponent doesn't know fully what to expect. This card gets boarded out against both Jund and Miracles, since it's effectiveness is lessened against Pillar of Flame, Sever the Bloodline, and Terminus.

Witchbane Orb: It's there, and only a one of, for the Jund decks that run Rakdos's Return. I only run 1, because I never need two. I either get to resolve it, and it sticks, since Acidic Slime is no longer played, or I am forced to discard it, be it to Duress, Appetite For Brains, or Rakdos's Return. It replaces Faith's Reward in these matchups.

Ray of Revelation: This card is self-explanatory. It's for Detention Sphere in the control matchups.

Bonfire of the Damned: This card replaced the second Witchbane Orb in the sideboard. I found Mizzium Mortars to be better in the matchup that I need it, This card is admittedly a faster answer to something like Geist of Saint Traft, but doesn't answer a turn two Loxidon Smiter.

Pillar of Flame: These come in, replacing the Searing Spears 1:1. They come in for the zombie matchup.

Rest in Peace: Ironically enough, this card isn't for the zombie matchup, like most people think. The Pillars of Flame, Trostani, Selesnya's Voice, as well as all the lifegain and flicker in the main deck handle zombies well enough. These cards actually come in in the control matchup, and against Frites. It shuts down Snapcaster, Unburial Rites, denies them the flashback on Think Twice, AND Shut down Tamiyo's ultimate.

Mizzium Mortars: As explained above, this card is here to replace Searing Spear in the GW agro matchup. Their plan is to turn two Loxidon Smiter, turn three Silverblade Paladin. Mizzium Mortars can handle the Smiters, as well as unbound Wolfir Silverhearts. I have a stronger mid and late game than the GW agro decks, and this, along with Fiend Hunter, helps me get there.

Trostani, Selesnya's Voice: As was touched on above, this card comes in for the zombie matchup. It replaces Zealous Conscripts, which is too slow for those matchups. The lifegain, and populate add another level of redundancy that helps me survive to and through the mid and late game.

As always, comments and suggestions are always appreciated, especially with the sideboard.

Deck Tags

  • Tournament

Deck at a Glance

Social Stats

0
Likes

This deck has been viewed 1,109 times.

Mana Curve

Mana Symbol Occurrence

15001019

Card Legality

  • Not Legal in Standard
  • Legal in Modern
  • Legal in Vintage
  • Legal in Legacy

Deck discussion for Old Faithful

3 gavony townships seems just a little excessive maybe 2
Also trostani seems unplayable because f how intensive her mana cost is
And while I'm not sure I can help your deck a lot
I can tell you where your hardest matchups will be
control and jund midrange because they will use things like Olivia to gain cumulative advantage or rakdos's return to cause blow outs
They also love planeswalkers so oblivion ring may have a home in the sideboard

0
Posted 22 October 2012 at 02:06

Permalink

I actually haven't found playing Trostani to be that big of an issue. When you look at the mana base, only those 3 Gavony Townships and the 1 mountain don't produce the necessary white or green mana.

As for the number of Gavony Townships, I tried two of them, and just didn't see them often enough, and with 4 Farseek and 3 Borderland Ranger, I am rarely color or mana screwed.

Both midrange and control are actually better matchups than youthink. Rakdos's Return is a bit of a problem. That is the reason for the 1 Witchbane Orb, and only the 1. More than 1 is useless, since the first one will always land and stick, since Jund has no way to remove it, save for Vraska. I can also go threat for threat with midrange, while using my own incremental advantage, produced by my creatures, and the flicker effects, to win in the end. Gavony also proves to be a game-breaker in the long run.

As for control, Cavern of Souls into Conscripts often ends things. They rely so much on their planeswalkers, and his ability to borrow them, in case they try to ultimate is invaluable. And as for Entreat, I've found Fiend Hunter, and Mizzium Mortars to be all the answers I need. Control hardcasts Entreat a lot more than they used to, and 1 Fiend Hunter knocking them down to, say 1 angel from 2, makes the race winnable with my life gain. That, with the flicker effects and mortars out of the board, and it's not a huge issue.

I do appreciate the input though. Feel free to respond back to this.

0
Posted 22 October 2012 at 04:22

Permalink