We’ve seen a lot of value-based Abzan decks in Modern, from Abzan Ascendancy to Collected Company to Rally the Ancestors, and this is the best looking list I’ve seen. The biggest reason is because this is the first decklist I’ve seen with both Blood Artist and Zulaport Cutthroat.
The plan for this deck is to put some stuff into the graveyard either by trading or self-milling via Satyr Wayfinder or Grisly Salvage. A Rally the Ancestors will bring back all your creatures, which hopefully involves a Viscera Seer, some token makers like Doomed Traveler and Voice of Resurgence, and some Blood Artists. Sacrifice your creatures and drain ’em out!
Eight virtual copies of Blood Artist is huge for this deck because it allows this deck to combo kill someone from a very low base. It certainly helps that the deck is comprised of only one- and two-mana creatures, so your Rally the Ancestors can be cast off the cheap. This deck doesn’t need to go very deep into its deck or have a stocked graveyard in order for Rally the Ancestors to be lethal.
The sideboard is about what you’d expect. Splinter Twin, big mana decks, and combo in general can give you trouble since you don’t have any way to interact in Game 1. The sideboard games are going to be all about Abrupt Decays, Thoughtseizes, and Fulminator Mages. If your opponent is playing fair? Good game.
Creatures (31)
- 4 Birds of Paradise
- 4 Noble Hierarch
- 4 Viscera Seer
- 4 Doomed Traveler
- 4 Blood Artist
- 3 Voice of Resurgence
- 4 Satyr Wayfinder
- 4 Zulaport Cutthroat
Lands (22)
Spells (7)
Sideboard
