This was my original FNM deck back when I first started playing (back in the Zendikar block). Until I starting buying cards again recently, it was the only deck I hadn't gotten rid of. I have gotten surprisingly consistent wins with this deck: I'd say about 3 in 4 games in both 1v1 and 3 player free-for-alls.
I've tried revamping this build lately to use as my modern deck, but aside from a few direct swaps most of the changes I've tried just destabilize things. If I manage to find good changes, I will post an updated deck.
Creatures:
Hada Freeblade
- Though only a 1/2 to begin with, a turn 1 Hada followed by an Ally each turn becomes a pretty big threat.
Ondu Cleric
- Life gain proportional to number of allies. Easy to double your starting life in only a few turns.
Halimar Excavator
- The backbone of the deck. If you can get a Halimar to stick turn two or three, it can quickly mill through half your opponent's library by itself. Throw in a Jwari and a
Join the Ranks
and you can turn the tables on just about anything.
Jwari Shapeshifter
- A
Clone
for allies. Lets you double the effects of Ondu or Halimar, or provide another attacker.
Umara Raptor
- Bigger Hada, but with flying.
Sea Gate Loremaster
- I only get to use him on rare occasions, but drawing anywhere from 4-10 extra cards a turn in nothing to scoff at.
Hedron Crab
- Simple mill and a chump blocker for U.
Lighthouse Chronologist
- Possibly the only mythic I actually pulled from a pack in Zendi. I've only used his final ability once, maybe twice, but it was so worth it.
Jace Beleren
- My first planeswalker. Not immediately a threat, but if my opponent doesn't pay attention his [-10] can easily end a game.
Spells:
Join the Ranks
- The only noncreature spell for allies. Incredible in the fact that no only it gives you Ally-type chump blockers, but triggers your allies' abilities twice! See the example turns below.
Rite of Replication
- Another way to clone Halimar or Ondu, or on rare occasion one of your opponent's troublesome creatures. Kicked on a Halimar is an instant win, on an Ondu means enough life for about 10 games, and on a Hada or Umara means an army of beefy, expendable attackers.
Marshal's Anthem
- Really only used for it's multikicker, which can get Halimar back from the grave in a particularly unlucky game.
Archive Trap
- Zendikar ran rampant with search cards, with everything from Harrow to the (now $40) sac lands. 0 to cast after a search to mill 13 cards is a great thing to have, if not as useful as it was originally.
Negate
- Your standard set of Negates. Surprisingly, I only played these on extremely rare occasions, and I came to treat them as dead draws. Since been replaced with
Spell Rupture
, which functions much better in this deck.
Example turns:
Turn 1 - Plains,
Hada Freeblade
. Hada becomes a 1/2.
Turn 2 - Island,
Halimar Excavator
. Opponent mills two and Hada becomes a 2/3.
Turn 3 -
Sejiri Refuge
, Jwari Shapeshift targeting Halimar. Opponent mills six and Hada becomes a 3/4.
Turn 4 - Island,
Join the Ranks
. I get two 1/1 soldier ally tokens, my opponent mills 20 cards, and Hada becomes a 5/6.
On turn four I've already milled 28 cards (half their deck), have two chump blockers, and can attack with a 5/6 creature. And yes, in this example they would be milling 20 cards.
Join the Ranks
spawns two tokens at the same time, meaning it triggers Halimar twice while counting the tokens towards the total of allies both times (5 allies x 2 Halimar x 2 triggers = 20).
I'd be interested in any suggestions people have for updating this deck.
-Gimmick
