With a Top 8 chocked full of Abzan decks, it’s no wonder that similar decks did well all throughout the Pro Tour. However, some of the Abzan players had
some interesting tweaks on the archetype, such as Tzu-Ching Kuo.
His deck does most of the same stuff that normal Abzan decks do, namely play giant monsters. Instead of using removal, disruption, and planeswalkers, he
utilizes the power of See the Unwritten to further cement his board position against other midrange decks. With cards like Siege Rhino, Reaper of the
Wilds, and Polukranos, World Eater, it’s not difficult to turn on ferocious. From there, you can take to the skies with Wingmate Rocs and Hornet Queens,
both very powerful cards that are difficult for other midrange decks to deal with.
Kuo’s sideboard is pretty normal for an Abzan deck, featuring removal spells of all kinds and Thoughtseize, so if the matchup dictates it, you can morph
into a more traditional version. However, Kuo’s tweaks to the maindeck appear to give him huge edge in the mirror matches. If you expect Pro Tour Khans of
Tarkir to create an influx of midrange decks, you might want to follow in Kuo’s footsteps.
Creatures (31)
- 3 Hornet Queen
- 4 Elvish Mystic
- 1 Polukranos, World Eater
- 4 Sylvan Caryatid
- 4 Fleecemane Lion
- 3 Reaper of the Wilds
- 4 Courser of Kruphix
- 1 Doomwake Giant
- 3 Wingmate Roc
- 4 Siege Rhino
Lands (24)
Spells (5)
Sideboard
