With records of 8-2, 8-2, 8-2, and 0-2, Sam Black’s Thursday morning brew ended up being the best performing deck in the Pro Tour with a 75% win rate. Even
Neil Reeves gave the deck high praise. It may not look it on the surface, but this deck is doing a lot of great things in this format.
For starters, this deck doesn’t care about removal in the slightest. Even Radiant Flames is merely a road bump, as Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and Retreat to
Emeria, the deck’s all-star, can simply keep pumping out tokens. Wingmate Roc ignores it completely, and Secure the Wastes can rebuild your board position
at instant speed. There are even Lumbering Falls!
Against most decks, you’re trying to kill their creatures with Stasis Snare, Silkwrap, and Quarantine Field while building up for a big turn or two where
you can finish your opponent with Retreat to Emeria. That card is basically a one-card combo where you first build up some creatures, and then pump your
team a few times courtesy of some fetchlands or the miser’s Blighted Woodland.
I’m not sure what their losses were to, but both Sam Black and Justin Cohen soundly defeated my removal-laden Mardu deck. Overall, this deck seems to have
good matchups against most of the popular decks. I could see getting beat up by G/W Megamorph if they have a fast draw with a couple Dromoka’s Commands or
Atarka Red, but if the game is going long, I think this deck is favored.
You should definitely try this deck. I know I’m going to.
Creatures (14)
Planeswalkers (4)
Lands (25)
Spells (17)
- 2 Dispel
- 4 Silkwrap
- 3 Secure the Wastes
- 1 Planar Outburst
- 2 Stasis Snare
- 1 Quarantine Field
- 4 Retreat to Emeria
Sideboard
