Beyond the Grave (Abzan)

Modern BGW (Abzan, Junk) Collected Company Knights Reanimator Sacrifice

lhetrick13

Land (21)

• 2x Forest
• 2x Godless Shrine
• 1x Horizon Canopy
• 1x Indatha Triome
• 2x Marsh Flats
• 1x Nurturing Peatland
• 2x Overgrown Tomb
• 1x Plains
• 1x Silent Clearing
• 2x Swamp
• 2x Temple Garden
• 1x Vault of the Archangel
• 2x Verdant Catacombs
• 1x Windswept Heath

Creature (25)

• 3x Blacklance Paragon
• 3x Breathless Knight
• 2x Corpse Knight
• 4x Dauntless Bodyguard
• 3x Fiend Artisan
• 4x Haakon, Stromgald Scourge
• 3x Knight of Autumn
• 3x Midnight Reaper

Instant (6)

• 2x Collected Company
• 4x Nameless Inversion

Enchantment (2)

• 2x Evolutionary Leap

Artifact (3)

• 3x Aether Vial

Sorcery (3)

• 3x Bone Shards

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Maybeboard

Creature (3)

• 1x Knight Exemplar
• 1x Knight of the Reliquary
• 1x Wintermoor Commander

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Growing Rites of Itlimoc  ^Flip

Artifact (1)

• 1x Pyre of Heroes

Land (3)

• 1x Bojuka Bog
• 1x Buried Ruin
• 1x Ghost Quarter

Sorcery (3)

• 1x Eldritch Evolution
• 1x Finale of Devastation
• 1x Unearth

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Welcome all to my next knight deck, Beyond the Grave (Abzan). I actually have two version of this deck posted (Beyond the Grave (Mardu)) as splashing {G} or {R} drastically change the dynamic of the decks. The {G} splash provides me access to cards like Collected Company/Eldritch Evolution and Fauna Shaman/Fiend Artisan to search the deck for Haakon, Stromgald Scourge or get the right creatures out onto the field while the Mardu version focuses more on Madness and purposely placing cards in the graveyard.

The main driver for this deck is to get Haakon, Stromgald Scourge onto the field early to maximize his ability of resurrecting knights. Unlike the when I splash {R}, that relies heavily on discard abilities and the synergy that allows, this version focuses more creature cheat.

{G}{W}{B} Creatures {B}{W}{G}

1. Blacklance Paragon - The thought with adding Blacklance Paragon is to flash him in for his deathtouch and Lifelink. Even if I lose creatures, I should be able to yank them back freely under ideal conditions or during longer games allowing me to swing loosely with Blacklance.

2. Breathless Knight - Has the potential to be an absolute beast in this deck thanks to the reanimate synergy. On top of that, provides me some lifelink and some evasion with flying.

3. Corpse Knight - With the removal of Knight Exemplar and the idea of swinging freely with knights to land them in the graveyard only to be recast, I wanted to see how Corpse Knight felt in this. The deck has lots of ways to land creatures in the graveyard and subsequently introduce creatures back to the field so this could be a nice way to wear down opponents who perhaps prevent conventional damage though annoying means.

4. Dauntless Bodyguard - I love the synergy that Dauntless Bodyguard can add to the deck as I can sack him endless time and just recast him from the graveyard to add some invincibility if needed. If Breathless Knight and Corpse Knight are in play, that can be a deadly combo!

5. Fiend Artisan - A recent addition that replaced Fauna Shaman. Fauna Shaman was nice but I disliked how it only tutored a creature to my hand while Fiend Artisan brings it straight to the field at the expense of another creature. I also like that unlike Fauna Shaman, Fiend Artisan can become a viable combat threat adding some additional pressure.

6. Haakon, Stromgald Scourge - Is the king of this deck. The deck can function without him fine but it is really just stalling until I find a way to play him. Running a full playset to increase the odds of finding him naturally but I do have a few ways to force him out as well.

7. Knight of Autumn - Is a nice utility option for me depending on the situation as she provides me my only artifact/enchantment removal which can be crucial, some extra life, or just a nice 4/3 creature depending on the situation. I was running a full playset but decided to move a single copy to the side to make room for Aether Vial.

8. Midnight Reaper - A recent addition over Knight Exemplar. The idea here is that I can recast knights if the deck is working correctly so Indestructability is not really needed but as creatures die or are sacrificed, I can get some extra draws at the expense of health.

{G}{W}{B} Artifacts & Enchantments {B}{W}{G}

1. Aether Vial - I included three copies of this as it is a way to directly get Haakon, Stromgald Scourge but again, I do not want this to be the only way. If nothing else, it provides me some free creature flashing which is also nice.

2. Evolutionary Leap was recently added in place of Pyre of Heroes. The idea here would be to sacrifice creatures that are the targets of removal spells or that will be on the losing end of combat to "search" the deck for another creature to cast. With the low cost single {G} mana cost required to activate the ability, I think it will fit that role nicely.

{G}{W}{B} Spells {B}{W}{G}

1. Bone Shards - Provides me cheap removal with a way to discard. Considering dropping this for something else as I do not need the discard ability as bad as the other version of the deck and sacrifice is ok in this deck but not essential.

2. Collected Company - One of my favorite cards finds its way into a deck again! Not quite as direct as Fauna Shaman in terms of searching for a specific creature but this does allow me the ability to search the deck for Haakon and cheat him onto the field. With the number of creatures I have in the deck currently, I have about a 75% of hitting two creatures with Collected Company which is a little low. Thus, I may drop this to three copies to add in something more direct like an additional copy of Fauna Shaman but will need some playtesting to make that determination.

3. Nameless Inversion - Is the main removal for this deck. With its Changeling ability, it technically is considered a "Knight" and then therefore be cast over and over again as long as I have mana to burn, essentially unlimited Flashback!

{G}{W}{B} Updates and Feedback {B}{W}{G}

• First major revision included dropping 3xKnight of the Reliquary, 1xThe Circle of Loyalty, 2xKnight of the Ebon Legion in exchange for 2xDauntless Bodyguard, 3xBlacklance Paragon, and an extra copy of 1xKnight of Autumn. This helps out the mana curve a bit by lowering the average CMC while also giving me a bit more graveyard synergy.

• Second major revision included dropping 3xKnight Exemplar, 1xBone Shards, 2xCollected Company in exchange for 3xMidnight Reaper, 1xNameless Inversion, and 2xEldritch Evolution. I decided in a reanimation deck, Indestructability is not really needed but extra draws are always nice hence the addition of Midnight Reaper. Nameless Inversion can literally clear the board so wanted as many copies as that in the deck as I could fit. Eldritch Evolution is a new card for me so wanted to test it out here. The thought being I can cast it on turn 3 to force Haakon into play or use it to fetch a knight I need at the moment.

• Third revision saw the three filter lands being dropped for additional shock lands. I also swapped out Eldritch Evolution for Pyre of Heroes as Pyre of Heroes is a bit slower but has a lot more upside and potential. It was suggested I drop down to 20 lands, drop a copy of Haakon, make room for Unearth, and add at least a single copy of Knight of the Reliquary. These potential changes will be addressed at a later date.

• Forth Revision I dropped Pyre of Heroes to continue to try out other cards. Pyre of Heroes was very good but the limitation of what creatures could be retrieved with it made it difficult to be consistent when played. This version saw Evolutionary Leap enter the fold. Recently transitioned to paper from MTGO so this deck will take a while before I can accumulate the cards to actually play it...Willing to take donations if you are feeling kind :)

Top Ranked	Achieved #39 position in Modern 2 years ago Achieved #1 position in Modern BGW (Abzan, Junk) 2 years ago
Date added	3 years
Last updated	2 years
Splash colors	G
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	3 - 0 Mythic Rares 33 - 0 Rares 9 - 0 Uncommons 10 - 0 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	2.18