raggedjoe

This deck definitely does not lose to control decks. In fact, I designed this deck for the purpose of defeating Caw-Blade. Trust me, I'm not worried about that matchup.

Kuldotha is another story. I usually lose to them, but then most decks lose to a good Kuldotha hand.

Thanks! I don't like them either, so I designed a deck that has a good matchup vs it. Caw-Blade is hard pressed to beat this deck, especially once I bring in the Walls from the SB.

The term "Caw" was originally coined by Brian Kibler at the 2010 World Championships, with a deck he called "Caw-Go". It refers to Squadron Hawk, one of the most powerful M11 commons. Used correctly, Squadron Hawk is powerful in both aggro and control decks, providing card advantage to both decks. Caw-Go soon became a powerful control deck before the release of MBS. Currently, the best deck in standard is known as "Caw-Blade". Caw-Blade is a UW control deck that runs 4 Squadron Hawks, 4 Stoneforge Mystics, and Sword of Feast and Famine. Since the sword allows Caw-Blade to cast spells and still have untapped lands for countermagic, it is a powerful strategy.

In this deck, Squadron Hawk provides card advantage, as well as serving a crucial role blocking opponents' Hawks in the match vs Caw-Blade.

Kibler's deck can be found at: http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/deck/601

I dont have a ton of G creatures, so GSZ is meh. Training Drone is not that good, but I'm glad I tested him. Reminded me how I should almostalways be tossing Venge for another T3-4 if I can afford to.

Faunna Shaman lets me fetch cratures, so I'm experimenting with a singleton Training Drone. Why don't you like it?

That's chill Edna! Tbh i wouldnt be able to afford it had i not opened two at the prerelease and got two in drafts. You seem to be a good deckbuilder, I'd like your ideas on some more of my decks :)

My favorite style is combo, and I got a cupple cool combo decks, my favorite being the one I most recently uploaded, Painter's Spellbomb!

I'm glad you like it! I took this deck to the next level in my next deck. This combo+Painter's Grindstone with an Intuition/Gob Welder/Imperial Recruiter engine!

You should try out legacy. The skill level is much higher, and the format a lot looser. There are litteraly 20+ highly competitive decks. It all depends on the exact card choice and skill level of the players.

Ugh. I'm used to legacy where 'white removal'=exile target creature for W, opp gains a few life.

Aggro is never a problem for ramp. Fatties ftw!

On the number of ramp guys: I have actually had hands with no ramp. obviously this is rare but it also sucks. 12 ramp creatures almost garentees 2+ ramp in starting hand, which is what I want. What good removal does white have in T2? Oust?

Any other ideas?

Ehh, vengevine is kind of a bonus. AA on anyone should be game. Also, Quest can put it on him, so nothing lost there.

Ornithopter is actually really powerful in this deck. 0 drops are critical to explosive starts and Ornithopter usually deals more damage than Memnite. With 4 Signal Pest, 4 Cranial, and 4 Ravager the odds of him swinging for damage is very high, and his evasion is handy.

Under the old design, I agree the combo was needed to be able to win past turn 5, but this has changed a lot with SoM and MBS. Etched Champ is unblockable by anyone (who except us has artifact creatures?) while also chump blocking Goyf, KotR, and everyone else. Mox opal is also an amazing card that makes having 3 mana turn 2 a high-probability thing. Signal Pest also makes a HUGE difference here, making turn three swings often for 6+ Finally, Tezzeret is a complete house. +1 free artifact, -4 Win is nothing to take lightly. He fills the win-out-of-nowhere function that Disciple held, while simultaneously giving card advantage.

I seriously recommend you try testing this list. A similar list won the most recent SCGO, but I think Ravager>Enforcer.

Ok, I want to begin by saying I'm impressed you were so candid. Not something I see everyday. You are right about everything, except for two small details.
1) This deck was posted on Jan 18th, ie before GW Quest was any good, and certainly before it was popular.
2) I had not updated this deck in months.

That said, everything you say is true. I have made some changes and am thinking up other origonal tricks. What do you think of Training Drone in this deck? I am also considering Khemba, but I feel she is not as useful, since she wants lots of equipments, not 1. There are also a few other SoM cats worth considering I think.

Thank you very much. I'm afraid I have become more involved in legacy than Standard in the past month so I don't know the format as well as I once did.

Yea, that makes sense. Thanks.

Over what?

I know. It can find PT and Thrun though

Wow, completely missed the architect. Scrap that then. Maybe Master of Etherium or Etched Champion?

No, I cut them by choice. It's a shock, I know, but I seriously don't think it makes the cut. Disciple is only good with Ravager, and we have access to really good guys now, so situational usefulness is not great. Besides, which card on my list do you think it is better than?

GSZ is the key to consistancy in this deck. It's a ramp spell, its a fatty, it's everything you need.