Video: Abzan Devotion In Standard!

I played G/B Devotion at Pro Tour Khans of Tarkir. The deck didn’t really pick up after the Pro Tour, and I don’t think it was positioned that well in the
Pro Tour. I played the deck because I was trying to go over other midrange decks, but despite the success of Abzan, the field was more polarized (meaning
there were more decks that were focused on being aggressive or controlling) than I’d expected. Jeskai seems less popular, and the world seems to be
particularly full of Courser of Kruphix’s at the moment, so I wonder if See the Unwritten is well-positioned again.

Of course, I’m not just looking to dust off my Pro Tour deck. I want to incorporate some elements of other successful decks in this format, specifically,
two of the best cards in the format: Whip of Erebos and Siege Rhino.

I think I can make the mana support these cards while powering a devotion strategy as long as I’m willing to drop Elvish Mystic and go a little slower.
Given that I’m looking to grind out other Doomwake Giant decks, and that it was likely right to side out Elvish Mystic against Doomwake Giant anyway, I
don’t think that’s too much of a sacrifice, and what I lose against aggressive decks by missing out on the speed of Elvish Mystic, I pick up with the
strength of Siege Rhino.

One big question I have is whether this needs to be a 25-land deck now that I’ve moved away from Elvish Mystic. I suspect the answer is yes, but I want to
try it at 24 first to see how it plays.

Abzan Devotion

Sam Black

Test deck on 12-15-2014

Standard

Creatures (26)

• 3 Polukranos, World Eater
• 4 Sylvan Caryatid
• 1 Arbor Colossus
• 4 Voyaging Satyr
• 4 Courser of Kruphix
• 2 Eidolon of Blossoms
• 4 Doomwake Giant
• 4 Siege Rhino

Lands (24)

• 3 Forest
• 4 Llanowar Wastes
• 1 Plains
• 4 Windswept Heath
• 3 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• 1 Temple of Silence
• 4 Temple of Malady
• 4 Sandsteppe Citadel

Spells (10)

• 3 Hero's Downfall
• 2 Whip of Erebos
• 3 See the Unwritten
• 2 Murderous Cut

Sideboard

• 2 Erase
• 4 Thoughtseize
• 2 Hornet Queen
• 2 Arbor Colossus
• 1 Eidolon of Blossoms
• 1 Pharika, God of Affliction
• 2 Nissa, Worldwaker
• 1 Reclamation Sage

Round 1

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Round 2

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Round 3

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Round 4

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So I won every game 1 and lost every match. First of all, these opponents weren’t representative of the metagame I predicted. I’m inclined to think that’s probably due to an error in my prediction more than a particularly skewed sample. Moreover, I think my deck is just somewhat easy to sideboard against, especially for people with End Hostilities in their sideboard. I’m also not sure if cutting Elvish Mystic from Green Devotion and adding more tapped lands just costs too many free wins where you curve out perfectly.