Abzan Evolution

Modern BGW (Abzan, Junk) Midrange

Emzed

Creature (23)

• 2x Birds of Paradise
• 1x Eternal Witness
• 1x Kambal, Consul of Allocation
• 1x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
• 4x Noble Hierarch
• 1x Qasali Pridemage
• 1x Renegade Rallier
• 2x Siege Rhino
• 1x Sin Collector
• 1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
• 1x Thraben Inspector
• 1x Tireless Tracker
• 1x Vengeful Rebel
• 4x Voice of Resurgence
• 1x Wingmate Roc

Land (22)

• 1x Blooming Marsh
• 2x Forest
• 2x Gavony Township
• 1x Godless Shrine
• 1x Horizon Canopy
• 1x Marsh Flats
• 1x Overgrown Tomb
• 1x Plains
• 1x Stirring Wildwood
• 1x Swamp
• 2x Temple Garden
• 4x Verdant Catacombs
• 4x Windswept Heath

Instant (3)

• 2x Fatal Push
• 1x Path to Exile

Sorcery (5)

• 3x Eldritch Evolution
• 2x Lingering Souls

Planeswalker (3)

• 2x Elspeth, Knight-Errant
• 1x Liliana, the Last Hope

Enchantment (3)

• 3x Oath of Nissa

Artifact (1)

• 1x Heart of Kiran

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Sideboard

Creature (7)

• 1x Aven Mindcensor
• 1x Burrenton Forge-Tender
• 1x Cataclysmic Gearhulk
• 1x Eidolon of Rhetoric
• 1x Gaddock Teeg
• 1x Orzhov Pontiff
• 1x Reclamation Sage

Instant (2)

• 1x Fatal Push
• 1x Path to Exile

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Gideon's Intervention

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Sorin, Solemn Visitor

Sorcery (3)

• 3x Thoughtseize

Artifact (1)

• 1x Nihil Spellbomb

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Maybeboard

Creature (11)

• 1x Anafenza, the Foremost
• 1x Courser of Kruphix
• 1x Flickerwisp
• 1x Kataki, War's Wage
• 1x Knight of the Reliquary
• 1x Mirran Crusader
• 1x Restoration Angel
• 1x Reveillark
• 1x Scavenging Ooze
• 1x Shriekmaw
• 1x Sun Titan

Instant (4)

• 1x Abrupt Decay
• 1x Ceremonious Rejection
• 1x Dismember
• 1x Unified Will

Sorcery (2)

• 1x Collective Brutality
• 1x Dusk / Dawn

Enchantment (3)

• 1x Leyline of Sanctity
• 1x Leyline of the Void
• 1x Stony Silence

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Modern Abzan midrange deck, built around Eldritch Evolution and to lesser extent Renegade Rallier.
Current record over multiple local tournaments: 53-27-1 (= 65,4 % win rate)

The deck doesn't include many cards in multiples, only Noble Hierarch, Voice of Resurgence and Eldritch Evolution are 3-ofs or 4-ofs. Those form the backbone of the deck, since they are universally good: You want them in almost every matchup, you are happy to draw more than one copy and they work great together. Everything else is more situational, and the chance of drawing a card like Sin Collector in the wrong matchup isn't too high, but thanks to Eldritch Evolution, you often have access to it when its services are required.
Isn't Eldritch Evolution highly risky when playing against countermagic? It sure is, but with a playset of Voice of Resurgence, two Renegade Ralliers to return them, as well as discard in form of Collective Brutality and Sin Collector, the deck does a decent job of clearing the way against counterspells. Also, there are plenty of other cards like Siege Rhino or Lingering Souls that require answers. All in all, it's usually possible to navigate the game towards a position where you can safely resolve an Evolution.
Wingmate Roc, really? In Modern? The deck can get away with playing one or two five mana creatures. Thragtusk was in the deck for a long time and served mostly the defensive role, while also being good against control decks. However, against opponents with big ground creatures like Tarmogoyf, Death's Shadow or Thought-Knot Seer, it usually won't be able to close out the game. A big flying creature is required, and initially I used Sigarda, Host of Herons for that job. However, Sigarda isn't good at defense against Death's Shadow, Gurmag Angler or Cranial Plating, and it gets blocked by Lingering Souls for ages. So I decided to give Wingmate Roc a try: While a little worse against removal heavy decks, it's still tough to answer, and much better at stabilizing the board or winning a race. The card immediately impressed me, and has really delivered ever since. Then I even went down to only a single five mana creature, and I am happy with that being the Roc. Thragtusk is a good card, but at this cost I don't want a creature that is so slow at ending the game against basically every deck with creatures, since it can easily get blocked and even trades with way too many creatures.

Date added	6 years
Last updated	6 years
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	6 - 2 Mythic Rares 39 - 6 Rares 9 - 6 Uncommons 2 - 1 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	2.34
Tokens	Bird 3/4 W, Clue, Elemental */* GW, Emblem Elspeth, Knight-Errant, Emblem Liliana, the Last Hope, Emblem Sorin, Solemn Visitor, Soldier 1/1 W, Spirit 1/1 W, Vampire 2/2 B, Zombie 2/2 B
Folders	No creature need