Knights and Angels (Standard)

This is (at its core) a Knight deck. The main game plan is to sequence an opening that leaves you with a board full of Knights entering turn 4 where you play either another of the decks fantastic 3cmc cards, a powerful 4cmc card, or removal. On turn 5 you are ideally looking at playing either of the Angels (and this would be the turn that Benelia has step 3 and your Knights are jacked up to full capacity.)

One of the great things about the deck is that nearly all these cards are good on their own, but are especially good when played together.

The deck plays several anthem effects, none of which are on legendary permanents:
1) History of Benelia (just for Knights)
2) Benalish Marshall (other creatures)
3) Angel of Invention (other creatures)
4) Metallic Mimic (will mainly be used to put +1/+1 counters on Knights)
5) Shefet Dunes (a bonus anthem to finish off games)

The deck also has a few ways of protecting itself:
1) Shalai, Voice of Plenty (gives us and our creatures hexproof)
2) Dauntless Bodyguard (a rare 1cmc creature that is a nice topdeck, great with Shalai)

The black splash:
1) It is just to play the two Knights, which are both fantastic in the deck. Since we are playing Unclaimed Territory then the splash can be used to play other black spells.
2) Due to the difficulty of casting Benalish Marshal I wanted to avoid playing lands that could not produce mana for it, so going any further than I have is a stretch.
3) I did not play Forsaken Sanctuary because if you play these lands in your deck then you are desperate, and whatever you are trying to pull off is likely not worth it.

Utility cards:
1) Playing x4 Seal Away because it is the best removal in the format right now with all the heavy aggro and recurring threats being played.
2) Cast Out is our best answer for planeswalkers and is also great for the same reasons as Seal Away.
3) I tried to play Glint-Sleeve Siphoner in this deck, however the mana base was just too stretched and it had no synergy with the other cards. I would however have sacrificed the synergy if the mana base could have held up to it.

Most the cards in the sideboard are there for fairly obvious reasons. Here are some notes on sideboarding:
1) Dauntless Bodyguard comes out versus red.
2) Karn is in there for control based decks since we have no card draw at all.
3) At first glance people see Settle the Wreckage and think it is there for red, however I would not side it in versus red as our creatures simply outclass theirs most games (all the anthem effects, first strike, and Shalai). I'd rather keep my midrange creatures in to go up against red. I have it in the side more so for the decks playing green that are running around out there (Constrictor/Green Stompy). These decks are fast and can actually outclass us in speed and power. Where we get them is with our removal package and sideboard options.