Standard has a new hero emerging to take down Aetherworks Marvel.
Last weekend, I decided to keep the grind going and play in the SCG Open in Baltimore to get some Modern practice in for the SCG Invitational coming up in about a month. After scrubbing out playing Abzan Traverse in Modern, I decided I wanted to play a deck that I’ve been thinking about for a while in the Standard Classic. Despite having a great result at GP Montreal playing Mardu Vehicles the week prior, going 11-4, I wanted to try out some version of a G/R Energy deck, as I believed it had the tools to consistently beat Temur Aetherworks and the other top dogs of Standard.
I was looking at Standard League decklists from days prior, and one stood out to me that was similar to the deck I was theorycrafting in my head to potentially be a force in Standard.
Creatures (20)
- 2 Tireless Tracker
- 4 Longtusk Cub
- 2 Voltaic Brawler
- 2 Bristling Hydra
- 4 Servant of the Conduit
- 4 Rogue Refiner
- 2 Glorybringer
Planeswalkers (5)
Lands (21)
Spells (15)
There were some things with this list I was not high on, like Arlinn Kord. I played a League with this list and she wasn’t what I hoped she would be.
There were also a ton of two-drops in this deck, so I wanted to add some more threes over twos to make a stronger curve, and I love Bristling Hydra and Glorybringer because of how strong they are in creature and midrange matchups, as well as Hydra excelling against U/R Control, and I wanted to up the count of them. I was trying to find a deck that can really attack Aetherworks decks, and the maindeck Negates were a really good idea, something I have not previously done when playing similar decks trying to get them to work.
After playing a League with this list and basically having the game end when I cast Negate against Aetherworks Marvel Game 1 with a battlefield presence of Longtusk Cub or another creature, I was on board and was up most of the night prior to the Classic, going over the list to play. I arrived at this:
Creatures (22)
- 2 Tireless Tracker
- 4 Longtusk Cub
- 3 Bristling Hydra
- 2 Whirler Virtuoso
- 4 Servant of the Conduit
- 4 Rogue Refiner
- 3 Glorybringer
Planeswalkers (3)
Lands (21)
Spells (14)
For Standard apparently being dominated by one deck, Temur Aetherworks, I played against quite a diverse metagame in the ten rounds I ended up playing in the Classic. My matchups consisted of three Torrential Gearhulk control decks, three Aetherworks Marvel variants, one Mardu Vehicles, White-Colorless Eldrazi, B/G Energy, and Mono-Black Zombies. My only loss came in Round 3 to my friend and Steve Rubin lookalike John Rosum playing Temur Aetherworks.
A few cards in particular stood out to me throughout the tournament. I haven’t played much with Longtusk Cub since it got printed, but the power of that card is off the charts and it singlehandedly won me at least four games in the tournament by going unchecked on turn 2.
It is comparable to a green Goblin Rabblemaster, obviously not as good, but games play out in a similar fashion when it lives. Another card in particular that stood out was Confiscation Coup. Every time I cast that card, it was absurd, stealing Ulamog, Torrential Gearhulk, Reality Smasher, Aetherworks Marvel, and a big Winding Constrictor to win Game 3 of my Top 4 match when I was on a mulligan to five. This deck at its core is a tempo/value deck and the advantage Coup provides in most matchups is great.
On Monday, there was a Standard PTQ on Magic Online, and it was won by the same 75 I registered at the Classic. This result makes me believe even more that this deck is absolutely a new pillar of the metagame, mostly because of having a great Zombies matchup and being strong against basically anything you sit across from.
I will be driving eighteen hours to Omaha this weekend with Dan Ward and hopefully some others in pursuit of a great chance at Silver if I can win my upcoming Regional PTQ. After learning a ton about this deck during the Classic and Magic Online Leagues this week, this is my updated list that will be one of my top choices to play in Omaha this weekend:
Creatures (21)
- 2 Tireless Tracker
- 4 Longtusk Cub
- 3 Bristling Hydra
- 2 Whirler Virtuoso
- 3 Servant of the Conduit
- 4 Rogue Refiner
- 3 Glorybringer
Planeswalkers (3)
Lands (22)
Spells (14)
I made several changes to the list, mostly regarding the manabase and sideboard. First I will go over the manabase change. Lots of times throughout the tournament, I was wanting another land to help Tireless Tracker get Clues and to color-fix instead of using Aether Hub. Many times I was also wishing I had a creature-land in the deck to get the last points of damage in. In the list from the Classic, there was somewhat of a shortage of red and blue lands; adding the extra Wandering Fumaroles fixes those problems with no cost to the manabase by just switching lands around.
Sideboard changes of note include adding another Magma Spray over the second Sweltering Suns to have a more diverse sideboard; I essentially wanted more help in the Vehicles matchup, which Magma Spray helps. I also added the fouth Ceremonious Rejection over the fourth Negate, as one mana is significantly better than two and allows you to still play out spells against Aetherworks decks. I also added two copies of Cut//Ribbons to the sideboard, as it’s an excellent removal spell against the mirror and B/G decks, where my sideboard was severely missing cards for the matchup during the Classic.
Matchups
Out:
In:
It may seem weird cutting Harnessed Lightning, but you really want to be proactive in the matchup and have cards such as Chandra, Flamecaller; Confiscation Coup; and Glorybringer be your removal spells for their tireless trackers.
Torrential Gearhulk Control Decks
Out:
In:
Post-sideboard, these decks love to bring in Thing in the Ice or Shielded Aether Thief; if so, bring in the fourth Harnessed Lightning over Chandra, Flamecaller. The way I beat these decks is to land a Chandra, Torch of Defiance with six mana, holding up Harnessed Lightning for Torrential Gearhulk.
Zombies
Out:
In:
This is what I would consider the best matchup for this deck, as a lot of your cards create a tempo and advantage against them without much difficulty.
Mardu Vehicles
Out:
In:
I’m still somewhat unsure about Negate in the matchup. It’s tough to find a good spot to cast it, although it is way better post-sideboard when their deck slows down by bringing in planeswalkers. I can see cutting all the Servants in anticipation of Mardu bringing in Fumigate to kill Bristling Hydra and having them be Negates in the post-sideboard games.
B/G Energy
Out:
In:
Kill Winding Constrictor on sight, as that card can ruin all of the damage-based removal in the deck. B/G Energy also plays Glint-sleeve Siphoner, a good Magma Spray target along with Walking Ballista, Longtusk Cub, and Rishkar, Peema Renegade. Watch out for Blossoming Defense and try to set up a turn in which you can cast Confiscation Coup with them tapped out.
Looking Ahead to Grand Prix Omaha
I think Temur Aetherworks will be by far the most-represented deck in the room this weekend, like it was in Montreal and Santiago weeks prior. I’m also anticipating Tier 2 decks tuned to beat Aetherworks, such as U/W Flash and R/G Pummeler, to show up in decent numbers, which I believe is good for Temur Energy, based on my results against those decks during the week.
Zombies will be at an even lower percentage of the metagame due to poor matchups against some Aetherworks draws, Mardu Vehicles, and Temur Energy. I’m hoping I play against a similar metagame as the Classic, but based on Magic Online Leagues I’ve played this week where four out of five rounds were Temur Aetherworks, I do not think that will be the case.
I’m currently testing the Temur Energy list above and a Vehicles variant that I think will be well-positioned for the Grand Prix. Temur Aetherworks is still definitely the top dog, but I do see a time where this Temur Energy midrange deck will be the best deck in Standard (hopefully because Aetherworks Marvel gets banned).
I do highly recommend this deck to people who like playing tempo-oriented midrange and aggressive decks that are looking for something besides Aetherworks and Vehicles to play. The deck is a blast with tons of different game-altering decisions revolving around combat, which make the best games. Good luck to anyone playing Temur Energy this weekend!