1st thing 1st I am a Timmy/Johnny player so i'm not set on this deck being hyper powerful- I just want to see if I can make this particular take on B/W tokens work well enough to be modern playable. I want to keep this deck from getting any more expensive so i'm not running Liliana of the Veil or Bitterblossom - I'd love to prove that there can be a decent B/W deck that doesn't run her lol. I am also not running a "tier 1" mana-base because I am already spending way the hell too much on this deck
Basic Overview
So the main game plan is to survive the early game until a few walkers hit the board and use their flexibility to stabilize and then over whelm the opponent with a horde of tokens. In particular, Landing, ultimating a,"Gideon of the Trials", and then protecting him is a key strategy to the deck.
The deck has 6 discard spells( 4 Inquisition of Kozilek, and 2 Thoughtseize -this 4-2 split is a budgtet consideration) to keep threats out of the opponent's hands and see what their game plan is.
The deck has 11 removal- 4 Path to Exile, 3 Grasp of Darkness, 2 Anguished Unmaking, and 2 Wrath of God. Path because its the best cheap unconditional removal white has access too and it can ramp me up if i missed a land drop- as this deck is partly control the extra land for the opponent seems rather negligible. Grasp because the mana base can support it and it kills the vast majority of threats and if it doesn't it makes it possible for my tokens to kill whatever I need. The Anguished Unmaking because it kills...anything problematic that isn't a land for 3 mana. The 2 Wrath of Gods are included because the opponent will be inclined to over-extend themselves to counter the tokens/kill our walkers; which, makes them really vulnerable to a wrath effect.
The deck has 13 walkers- 2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor, 2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad, 2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant, 2 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, and 3 Gideon of the Trials. . 4 produce tokens , 4 buff creatures, and each has their own unique ability that will prove game winning. Both Sorins gives us a much needed way to gain life to cope with our life loss due to our own cards and buffs our creatures, Elspeth can combine with Shambling Vent to net us our 2nd way to gain a ton of life, Gideon, Ally of Zendikar is a 5/5 beater that can bring out anthem effects, and Gideon of the Trials can stall for days whilst being a beater. I mean what else is there to say? They generate so much card advantage that it isn't even funny.
The deck has 4 other non- Planeswalker token generating cards-Lingering Souls.The 4 copies each of Lingering Souls need no explanation, I hope.
The deck has 3 land-hate cards- Ghost Quarter which can help me color fix if i need it.
Lastly we have a cheap mana-base that I really don't think ill be changing because 30$ for Marsh Flats is too expensive for a land to me.
There are 4 copies of Wall of Omens in the deck, the wall is for early game stall and a cantrip.
Explanation of Planeswalker Choices
Planeswalkers
There are 3 total Elspeth cards( Elspeth, Knight-Errant, Elspeth Tirel, Elspeth, Sun's Champion) and I plan on using Elspeth, Knight-Errant I chose this version because I want multiple relatively cheap mana-costing walkers that produce tokens by not using a minus ability. So that takes out both of the other 2 versions of her(1 costs too much mana and the other is not as synergistic)...plus this one synergizes better with the rest of the deck because it can also pump the tokens, Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, and Shambling Vent while still upticking... With Gideon, Ally of Zendikar I get an 8/8 flyer with indestructable and with Shambling Vent I get a 5/6 flyer with lifelink.
For Sorin there are really only 2 versions that make sense for this deck and they are both excellent. Sorin, Lord of Innistrad and Sorin, Grim Nemesis both offer similar yet unique benefits so I run 2 of each.
Our third Walker is Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and I chose him over most of his other variations because he seems the most relevant to the general game-plan. He is a 5/5 indestructible beater, token producer, and can anthem all the creatures on my side of the field... perfect utility and flexibility.
The last walker is Gideon of the Trials and he adds a much needed way to stall the early game and he is on curve, fits the theme, and is just an overall powerhouse.
Answers to Common Questions
(this part of the description will be updated as often as possible)
"Have you thought to include,"Intangible Virtue? I am on the fence about adding a couple of copies to the deck as I already have Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, Sorin, Lord of Innistrad, and Sorin, Solemn Visitor as anthems as well... Sure they all do not provide vigilance, but I can stack multiple emblems, and I get lifelink and a pump for my turn with the last Sorin, so I am going to try to run the deck without Intangible Virtue.
"Where is Bitterblossom, Liliana of the Veil, Marsh Flats? well, to be honest, if you were to suggest these cards you are right to do so. They would be immensely useful and amazing fits for this deck, however, they all are just out of my budget for now. When I can afford them, trust me, they will be slotted in immediately.
(Fatal Push will be tested in the place of Grasp of Darkness as will Smallpox once I get those playsets.
What I Need Help With for the Deck
So the deck hopes to survive the early game with our removal/Discard Packages in the early game and use the walkers for stabilization and taking over the game. Meaning, I need help making sure the deck can survive the early game and yet still poses a real late game threat. The deck has infinite inevitability IF we can land a Gideon of the Trials hit his ultimate and protect him- So, how can we better do that? Secondly, I am rather clueless with the sideboard tech to be honest. Any insight into that would be immensely helpful.
The Sideboard
I want to do something rather unique for this deck's Sideboard. Ideally, I would like help creating 2 sideboards.I think a more "typical" and serious type of sideboard for one of them is just required. However, I do think the idea of a transformative sideboard would be exceptionally fun. Any fun ideas for that plan please do tell!
So far I am thinking about adding rather big/Ridiculous creatures as they probably boarded out their removal for game 2... or maybe a combo? For now I am thinking of rats...
To make this an easier task, the "serious" sideboard will be listed with the deck and the transformative sideboard ideas will be listed here:
Side Board 1-4 Pack Rat, 4 Mutavault, 4Swarmyard, 3 Duress
Side Board 2-4 Zur the Enchanter, 2 Solemnity, 2 Phyrexian Unlife, 3 Glacial Fortress, 1 Island, 3 Mastermind's Acquisition
Sideboard 3-4 Heartless Summoning, 3 Mastermind's Acquisition, 2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa, 2 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, 2 Massacre Wurm, 2Noxious Gearhulk
Why Play the Deck?
A lot of the modern format focuses on doing some really unfair and broken thing as fast as possible for their victories. This deck, on the other hand, does not do that. You are actually playing "fair" magic with this deck. That in itself can be a breath of fresh air within the modern format; and yet, the deck has a few other quirks that make it a blast to play. The fact that the deck slows the game down to a point where it makes it's 11 planewalkers relevant is a really fun aspect as that in itself is almost unheard of in modern. Playing so many planeswalkers as the primary wincons to the deck is immensely fun and unexpectedly powerful. If you can manage to stall the game to a point where you can get a walker or two down you often times can just win due to the repeated card advantage they give.
Any and all suggestions, critiques, etc are wanted and welcome; regardless, thanks for the help and if you liked the deck consider an upvote :)
