Frontier Abzan aggro (card choice explanations) (Frontier)

For an aggro deck, there is great balance. There is recursion, big creatures, lifegain, great removal options, and defense.

The creatures tend to outclass the creatures our opponent play every turn. I've been testing Greenwheel Liberator in other decks and it is just nuts in Frontier. It has been a 4/3 on turn 2 every game that I start with it. Just so much pressure on the opponent, must be removed every time. I feel if you have a two drop that draws removal out of your opponents hand it just sets up so much for the rest of the game. Either they do not remove it and they have to chump block multiple times or take 4 damage multiple times, or it draws the removal making it more likely that an Anafenza or Siege Rhino may go unchecked. Either way it is either card advantage for you or a big life swing, all for two mana.

Another fun factor of the deck are the Bloodsoaked Champion and Scrapheap Scrounger are so hard to permanently remove. It gives the deck the ability to bounce back against mass removal. Great enablers for Copter as well.

The deck has just enough life gain to offset other aggro matchups. A Siege Rhino or well timed Blessed Alliance can really swing a game back your way.

If given the option of playing any two removal spells in Frontier I would take Fatal Push and Dromoka's Command. This deck allows for both. They are just so consistent. Fatal Push is perfect for this deck as it allows you turns where you continue to drop threats while holding one up for removal. The Command just allows you to have wacky turns... double removal, pump removal, shut down Radiant Flames or burn removal.

Our defense against our opponents removal is excellent. Besides the recursion, the deck also has Selfless Spirit to save our bombs, Copter is a constant pain to remove at non-instant speed, Thalia slows the opponent by a turn and makes playing creatures to block a nightmare. The +1/+1 counters can also play a role in the game as creatures can get out of the range of Radiant Flames, Lightning Strike, Grasp of Darkness, and even Languish.

The sideboard helps in a variety of ways:
vs aggro- Kalitas, Liliana, Vengeful Rebel, Pulse of Murasa
vs midrange- Liliana, Blossoming Sands
vs control- Duress, Gideon, Anguished Unmaking sometimes
vs Rally- Kalitas, Duress
Other cards are there to sure up games against a variety of decks, just solid cards.

The mana base is solid. There are not any incredibly hard to cast cards on turn one or two. Anafenza and Siege Rhino take some planning, but not a problem to cast. Originally the deck played more one drops, however the deck cannot always generate any type of untapped mana on turn one. Also, many games you want your fetch land for turn two for the Liberator. While I love Bloodsoaked Champion, it may have to be cut for issues of playing it consistently turn 1.

Cuts: (I will list cards that get cut over time)
1) Bloodsoaked Champion. Deck does not allow for a consistent turn 1 play in black.
Replaced with- Sorin, 2nd Rishkar, 4th Selfless Spririt, 4th Dromoka's Command