Human Deck Description

This is an aggro creature deck. The deck triggers +1/+1 counters when another Human creature enters the battlefield (ETB), and I add an extra +1/+1 counter by using Hardened Scales. Affinity, the previously most popular +1/+1 counter deck, is now less than 2% of the Meta Game (as of 26/06/2019). Another popular classic deck with a similar theme (+1/+1 ETB counters) was Miracle Grow which featured Quirion Dryad.

Thorn of Amethyst & Thalia, Guardian of Thraben are fantastic against Red & Blue & Black (i.e. spells).

Miracle Grow:

• https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/miracle-grow-2008-09-01
• https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/785627#paper

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Meta Game

• Aggro > Control
• Midrange > Aggro
• Control > Midrange

Turn 4 Win Conditions

1a) Champ [3 Card Combo; 3CC]

• Champion of the Parish (t1) + Thalia's Lieutenant (t2) + General Kudro of Drannith (t3) = 22 dmg (0+3+8+11)

1b) Champ [3 Card Combo; 3CC]

• Champion of the Parish (t1) + Thalia's Lieutenant (t2) + Field Marshal (t3) = 21 dmg (0+3+8+10)

1c) Champ [4 Card Combo; 3CC]

• Champion of the Parish (t1) + Thalia's Lieutenant (t2) + Hardened Scales + Thalia, Guardian of Thraben (t3) = 21 dmg (0+3+8+10)

2a) Champ & Kytheon [4 Card Combo; 3CC]

• Champion of the Parish (t1) + Thalia's Lieutenant (t2) + Recruitment Officer + Thalia, Guardian of Thraben (t3) = 23 dmg (0+3+8+12)

2b) Champ & Kytheon [4 Card Combo; 3CC]

• Champion of the Parish (t1) + Thalia's Lieutenant (t2) + Recruitment Officer + Coppercoat Vanguard (t3) = 28 dmg (0+3+10+15)

3a) Recruitment Officer [3 Card Combo; 3CC]

• Recruitment Officer (t1) + Coppercoat Vanguard (t2) + Field Marshal (t3) = 20 dmg (0+3+7+10)

3b) Recruitment Officer[3 Card Combo; 3CC]

• Recruitment Officer (t1) + Coppercoat Vanguard (t2) + General Kudro of Drannith (t3) = 21 dmg (0+3+7+11)

Note: Training - Whenever this creature attacks with another creature with greater power, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.

Legacy Sideboard

• Council's Judgment
• Settle the Wreckage
• Zealous Persecution
• Magus of the Disk

Answers for True-Name Nemesis

• Outpace your opponent. If you have enough power on the field, you can either kill kill them faster than they can kill you, or force them to keep the True-Name Nemesis untapped as a blocker.
• Council's Judgment [lsb]
• Worship [mb]
• Norn's Annex
• Nevermore
• Meddling Mage
• Zealous Persecution [lsb]
• Insult // Injury
• Settle the Wreckage [lsb]
• Magus of the Disk [lsb]

[lsb - legacy sideboard]
[mb - main board]

Maybeboard

• Noble Hierarch
• Avacyn's Pilgrim
• Recruitment Officer
• Werewolf Pack Leader
• Shardless Agent
• Anafenza, the Foremost
• Elite Spellbinder
• Braids, Cabal Minion

Gods?

Gods (i.e. Ephara, God of the Polis) are suitable for this deck since I will have so many colored permanents (creatures).

MTG Final Touch Comparison:

1. Ephara, God of the Polis 8.77 **
2. Shardless Agent 9.1 *
3. Lurrus of the Dream-Den 9.21 (graveyard)
4. Athreos, God of Passage 9.16 (graveyard)

Note: Ephara is better than the other three because it's more powerful than Shardless and doesn't wait for creatures to die in order to make an impact like the other two.

Ideas

Option A: {Minor}

• 2x Gird for Battle => 2x Kytheon, Hero of Akros ✓
• 3x Anafenza, the Foremost OR 3x Knight of Autumn => 3x Shardless Agent
• SB: 2x Path to Exile => 2x The Wanderer

Option B: {Minor into Black} ***

• 2x Mantis Rider => 2x Athreos, God of Passage
• 4x Unclaimed Territory => 4x Silent Clearing
• 4x Razorverge Thicket => 4x Horizon Canopy (offsets)
• 2x Reflecting Pool => 2x Ancient Ziggurat
  Note: Decided on Athreos, b/c I wanted to focus my tertiary mana to black rather tha have blue and red, plus Athreos protects about creature board sweeps.

Option C: {Major into Black}

• 2x Gird for Battle => 2x Thoughtseize
• 1x Hardened Scales + 1x Knight of Autumn => - 2x Assassin's Trophy
• 2x Knight of Autumn => 2x Athreos, God of Passage
• 1x Forest => 1x Nurturing Peatland
• 1x Plains => 1x Silent Clearing
• 4x Unclaimed Territory => 2x Godless Shrine + 2x Overgrown Tomb
• 1x Reflecting Pool => 1x Ancient Ziggurat

Option D: {Major into Black} *

• 2x Gird for Battle => 2x Kytheon, Hero of Akros ✓
• 1x Elite Spellbinder + 1x Anafenza, the Foremost => 2x Athreos, God of Passage
• 1x Forest => 1x Nurturing Peatland
• 1x Plains => 1x Silent Clearing
• 4x Unclaimed Territory => 2x Godless Shrine + 2x Overgrown Tomb
• 1x Reflecting Pool => 1x Mox Amber

Option E: {Red}

• 3x Mox Amber **
• 2x Combat Celebrant *
• 2x Iroas, God of Victory **
• 1x Angelic Overseer
• 2x Benalish Marshal OR 2x Resplendent Marshal

Option F: {Blue & Red} * {Decided against putting in Gods b/c devotion is hard to achieve in competive play and all my cards only contribute 1 white mana}

• 2x Gird for Battle + 1x Hardened Scales => 3x Kytheon, Hero of Akros ✓
• 3x Knight of Autumn + 1x Anafenza, the Foremost => 2x Mantis Rider + 2x Iroas, God of Victory
• 1x Reflecting Pool => 1x Mox Amber *
• 2x Anafenza, the Foremost => 2x Ephara, God of the Polis (I like this better than Athreos - similar devotion but higher power / toughness; doesn't need creatures to die)
• 0x God-Eternal Oketra
• 1x Plains + 1x Forest => 1x Fiery Islet + 1x Waterlogged Grove (1 less white mana, 2 more blue & 1 more red)
• 1x Plains => 1x Sunbaked Canyon (1 more red)
• 1x Razorverge Thicket => 1x Horizon Canopy (offsets)
• 4x Unclaimed Territory => 4x Ancient Ziggurat (white/black/blue/red are always creature, only green is spells, and Unclaimed Territory wouldn't have been used to pay green spells anyway)
• Note: 10x Blue & Red Human mana
• Note: 6x Blue & 6x Red mana plus 3x Aether Vial pays for Gods
• Note: I maintain 10x Green mana after the above changes
• Note: Skipped (Black w/ no Blue and I'll be left with only 3 Black cards) - Nurturing Peatland, Silent Clearing (prefer Ziggurat - see above note)

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Notable from Humans

https://mtgtop8.com/archetype?a=667&meta=51&f=MO

• Noble Hierarch ** (better than Mox Opal)
• Shardless Agent ** (blue; don't swap in black)
• Mantis Rider **
• Ancient Ziggurat **
• Horizon Canopy **
• Silent Clearing **
• Sunbaked Canyon **
• Imperial Recruiter
• Kitesail Freebooter * (Elite Spellbinder is better)
• Meddling Mage
• Militia Bugler * (I use better)
• Reflector Mage * (Elite Spellbinder is better)
• Sanctum Prelate ** (6 Thorns is better)
• Auriok Champion
• Chalice of the Void
• Esper Sentinel *
• Sanctifier en-Vec
• Silverquill Silencer * (not a huge fan of 'name card' like Meddling Mage)
• Unsettled Mariner * (some spells / abilities don't use the word 'target')

BEST MTG WEBSITES
1) https://www.mtgtop8.com/
2) https://www.mtgassist.com/
3) http://www.magicspoiler.com/
4) http://tappedout.net/
5) https://mtg.gamepedia.com/

LINKS

• Magic: The Gathering rules > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic:_The_Gathering_rules
• Comprehensive Rules | Magic: The Gathering > http://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/rules
• Modern Metagame > Top Decks > http://mtgtop8.com/format?f=MO
• Modern Metagame > Most Played Cards > http://mtgtop8.com/topcards?f=MO&meta=51
• The Staples of Modern > https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/how-build/staples-modern-2017-03-07
• Commonly Played Cards in Modern > https://www.mtggoldfish.com/format-staples/modern
• The 20 Most Important Magic Cards Printed in the Modern Era > https://www.channelfireball.com/all-strategy/articles/the-20-most-important-magic-cards-printed-in-the-modern-era/
• Banned and Restricted | Wizards.com > https://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/rules-and-formats/banned-restricted
• Magic: The Gathering cards and art database - mtgpics.com > https://www.mtgpics.com/index

STORYLINE

• Ajani Goldmane > https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Ajani_Goldmane
• Elspeth Tirel > https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Elspeth_Tirel
• Gideon Jura > https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Gideon_Jura

CORE SET 2021

WISH LIST (collection):

• [B] 4x Heartfire Immolator (Equip) ***
• Angelic Ascension
• See The Truth (Good w/ Snapcaster Mage)
• Stormwing Entity (Equip)
• 4x All That Glitters (Equip)
• Riddleform (Equip)
• 1x The Great Henge (9.24) (Elves) ***
• 1x Rafiq of the Many (9.09)
• 1x 1x Death's Oasis
• 1x Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy

Note: See Ally deck description for general Buy List

Meta Game (>5% on 26/06/2019)

Suitable Path to Exile targets...

Humans [Aggro] [37 Creatures + Aether Vial]: 9%

• Champion of the Parish
• Thalia's Lieutenant
• Mantis Rider

Mono Red Phoenix & Izzet Phoenix [Red|Blue] [Aggro] [Prowess]: 8%

• Arclight Phoenix
• Thing in the Ice
• Soul-Scar Mage
• Monastery Swiftspear

Red Deck Wins [Aggro] [Red]: 5%
(13-32 Creatures)

• Monastery Swiftspear

Death's Shadow [Aggro] [Black|Blue|Red]: 3%

• Death's Shadow:
• Snapcaster Mage
• Monastery Swiftspear
• Tarmogoyf

UW Control [Blue|White] [Control] [Control + 8x Planeswalkers]: 9%

• Celestial Colonnade (land -> temp creature; avoids board clears & Socery speed spells & effects)
• Snapcaster Mage
• Vendilion Clique

Urza Tron [Colorless|Green] [Control] [Mana Pump + Card Draw to cast Bigs]: 8%

• 6-23 Eldrazi & Other Bigs
  ~ Note: Stony Silence is good against this deck's artifacts
  ~ Note: Target Chalice of the Void w/ Knight of Autumn

Dredge [Combo] [Black|Red|Green] (Graveyard + Bridge from Below): 8%

• Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
• Vengevine

Amulet [Combo] | [Green|Blue]: 3%

• Primeval Titan

NOTE: The 4 Decks above represent 48% of Meta Game as of 26/06/2019

Add to Sideboard:

• 4x Tormod's Crypt

Awesome Black Cards:

• Thoughtseize (9.33)
• Inquisition of Kozilek (9.33)
• Dark Confidant (9.6)
• Drana, Liberator of Malakir (8.84) (puts on counters)
• Liliana, Heretical Healer (9.41) (has lifelink)
• Falkenrath Aristocrat
• Kitesail Freebooter

Personal Favorite Cards in MTG

TODO: Ensure every card listed here is in my Wish List / Meta "decks" if I don't own it.
TODO: Print Wish List / Meta "deck" proxies.

1) Path to Exile
2) Lightning Bolt
3) Thoughtseize
4) Inquisition of Kozikek
5) Serum Visions
6) Aether Vial
7) Spellskite
8) Liliana of the Veil
9) Tarmogoyf
10) Mana Leak
11) Lord of Atlantis (notable: Master of the Pearl Trident)
12) Llanowar Elves (notable: Elvish Mystic & Noble Hierarch & Birds of Paradise)
13) Elvish Archdruid (notable: Elvish Champion)
14) Goblin Chieftain (notable: Goblin King)
15) Champion of the Parish ~
16) Thalia's Lieutenant
17) Field Marshal ~
18) Kiln Fiend ~
19) Winter Orb (legacy) ~
20) Force of Will (legacy) ~

Cards I dislike going up against:

• Blood Moon
• Ensnaring Bridge
• Anger of the Gods

Other top cards in Modern (12/01/2017):

• Collective Brutality
• Abrupt Decay *
• Scavenging Ooze
• Mutagenic Growth
• Snapcaster Mage *
• Ancient Stirrings
• Terminate
• Kolaghan's Command
• Dismember
• Monastery Swiftspear
• Faithless Looting
• Dark Confidant *
• Spell Snare
• Become Immense
• Cryptic Command
• Expedition Map
• Thought-Knot Seer
• Lightning Helix *
• Lingering Souls
• Engineered Explosives
• Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
• Maelstrom Pulse
• Tasigur, the Golden Fang
• Mox Opal *
• Reality Smasher
• Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

Articles

How to Make a Magic: The Gathering Deck: 13 Steps - wikiHow
Link: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Magic:-The-Gathering-Deck

1. Preparing to Select Cards
2. Building Your Deck Concept and Mana Curve
3. Constructing Your Deck

How to Build Like a Pro!
Link: http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/how-build/how-build-pro-2016-02-02

1. Have a solid plan, play cards that matter.
2. Mana curve is important!
3. Have the Correct Mana Base

*

Article Archives: Level One
http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/257841

Glossary of Terms
http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/level-one/glossary-terms-2015-09-21

Recommended Reading:

• Tempo [July 20 2015]

• Aggro [September 29 2014]

• When to Cast Your Spells [August 31 2015]

• The Sideboard [August 10 2015]

• The Basics of Booster Draft [August 3 2015]

• Attacking and Blocking [July 27 2015]

• The Basics of Card Advantage [July 13 2015]: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/level-one/basics-card-advantage-2015-07-13

• The Basics of Mana [July 6 2015]

• Choosing Your Deck [June 8 2015]

• The Metagame [June 1 2015]

• Mulligans [Jaunary 26 2015]

• Linear Strategies [December 29 2014]

• What is Magic? [December 15 2014]

• Tempo & Card Advantage: A Delicate Balance [November 17 2014]

• Midrange Decks [October 27 2014]

• Control Decks [October 6 2014]

Lands

What's the rule of thumb with the correct number of lands in a deck?

A general “rule of thumb” of having “Land” cards comprise 40% of your deck. In a 60-card deck, this means you will have 24 “Land” cards, and therefore you will select 36 “Spells”.

Aggro decks can usually get away with 18-20 lands (most on the lower end of that subset), control usually has to have 26 or so. Midrange decks are somewhere in between, usually 22-24. If your deck curves out at three drops and maybe a couple four drops you can usually play 20 or 21 safely.

If you want 3 lands by turn 3 then you need 3 cards out of 9 to be lands. That gives 20. This will allow you to easily get up to 3 mana but not a lot more.

If you want 4 lands by turn 4 then you need 4 cards out of 10 to be lands. That gives 24. This will allow you to easily get up to 4 mana.

The quickest way to determine how many “Land” cards of each type you should add to a deck with two or more colors is to count the total number of colored mana symbols of one type in your deck, then divide that number by the total number of colored mana symbols in your deck. This will provide a ratio you can use to add “Land” cards of that color to the deck. (Example: Deck contains 17 “Plains” mana symbols in the “mana cost” of the cards in the deck, and 38 total colored mana symbols. 17/38 = 0.447. Using that ratio, 0.447*24 (or total desired “Land” cards) = 10.7, so roughly 11 of the 24 “Land” cards in your deck should produce White mana.)

Stardard Curve:

• CMC 1: 12
• CMC 2: 13
• CMC 3: 7
• CMC 4: 4
• CMC 5: 2
• Land: 22

Avg of Top 4 Grad Prix tournaments in 2014 in Minneapolis and Richmond (Avg CMC = 2.16):

• CMC 1: 13
• CMC 2: 12
• CMC 3: 6
• CMC 4: 5
• CMC 5: 1
• Land: 23

The optimal curve (computer program based) for a turn-4 format (Avg CMC = 2.18):

• CMC 1: 9
• CMC 2: 13
• CMC 3: 9
• CMC 4: 3
• Lands: 26

MTG Recommended Mana Curve (1.97 - 2.43)

• CMC 1: 12-13
• CMC 2: 12-13
• CMC 3: 6-7
• CMC 4: 4-5
• CMC 5: 1-2
• Land: 22-23

Richard Aggro Winnie Tribal Curve:

• CMC 1: 14
• CMC 2: 14
• CMC 3: 6
• CMC 4: 6
• Land: 20

Note: http://manacalculator.com/