GW Bees (Standard)

Tonight's terrible brew!

This deck is based around the infinite bees combo with Midnight Guard, Hornet Nest, Setessan Tactics, and a source of "indestructible". That's not to say that the deck is terrible without the combo. Odds are more often than not you won't get your combo before turn 10. But that's ok! Because everything in the deck used to support the combo is not actually bad at playing a fair game of magic!

I thought about throwing in some ramp to support getting the combo out as soon as turn four, but honestly, that's magical x-mas land. It's much better to play stronger cards in the interim while your combo comes together. Most the time you just end up winning without the combo - hardly a disappointment. :)

This deck has found a home for kooky underplayed cards such as:

• Herald of Anafenza
• Yisan, the Wanderer Bard
• Ephemeral Shields

While giving you something to do with your mana, the Herald also plays an important role as a source of tokens for Ephemeral Shields' convoke casting cost. I've been able to pull off quite a few blowouts while being tapped out. :)

Yisan does a wonderful job of card advantage by letting you tutor up your combo pieces. He's also pretty good bait for removal since he can run away with the game by himeself if left unchecked. The curve tops out at four for a playset of Temur Sabertooth. Interestingly, if you manage to get Yisan up to four counters and play a Sabertooth, the sabertooth can bounce Yisan back to hand to start all over again. :)

Ephemeral Shields has been amazingly good. From the aforementioned surprise blowouts, it also means your combo can be fired off for 1G (Setessan Tactics targeting Midnight Guard).

Some good budget substitutions:

• Swap Favored Hoplite for Warden of the First Tree
• Swap Jeskai Barricade for Fleecemane Lion (not as aggressive, but makes for some interesting plays especially if Temur Sabertooth is on board)
• Swap Blossoming Sands for Windswept Heath

Always open to comments and suggestions!