Non-Oko Standard Decks

MTG_Joe November 9, 2019 3 min

At this point, we all know about the Elk in the room, Oko. This single 3 mana Planeswalker has taken over pretty much every Magic format, making food and turning your creatures into Elks. The early landscape of the most recent Mythic Championship appears to be Oko decks representing 69% of the meta. With all these factors, we can hope that with the Ban & Restricted announcement on November 18, Oko gets banned.

While we wait for the next B&R, below are some non-Oko decks I have featured on my channel which are fun, semi-competitive alternatives to the Jersey Shore Trickster.

[ELD] UW Midrange

Main 60 cards (17 distinct)
Creature (28)
$0.38€0.430.02
$0.25€0.170.03
$4.87€3.770.02
$0.20€0.090.03
$0.35€0.160.02
$0.25€0.150.03
$6.23€5.100.02
$0.32€0.190.02
$2.06€1.590.03
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (4)
$0.20€0.140.03
Planeswalker (4)
$3.99€5.525.39
Land (24)
$0.50€0.600.02
$5.54€4.210.15
$8.43€9.530.17
$0.47€0.420.02
Side 15 cards (8 distinct)
$0.480.02
$0.20€0.110.03
$0.20€0.130.03
$0.30€0.200.02
$0.20€0.100.03
$0.40€0.430.18
$0.20€0.170.03
$1.00€0.920.02

Gameplay for UW Midrange

The goal of this deck is to exploit enter the battlefield abilities to draw cards and gain life. You are able to stack a bunch of ETB creatures under a Lumbering Battlementimage to create a big beater. It can then either be blinked to recycle the ETB effects, or, if you can chain three battlements together, it creates an infinite loop. Once the loop is established, you can either draw your entire deck, gain a bunch of life or mill out your opponent with Overwhelmed Apprenticeimage.

[ELD] Abzan Tokens

Main 60 cards (23 distinct)
Planeswalker (6)
$1.99€1.460.02
$38.88€32.4815.22
$0.99€0.380.02
Creature (17)
$0.50€0.350.02
$0.86€0.570.03
$0.37€0.230.20
$1.32€0.590.03
$0.50€0.570.02
$0.45€0.240.02
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (13)
$0.20€0.130.03
$0.20€0.090.03
$1.21€0.840.02
$0.20€0.090.03
Land (24)
$3.43€3.482.03
$5.54€4.210.15
$0.40€0.240.02
$11.78€10.380.15
$0.40€0.320.02
$10.01€9.670.07
$0.47€0.420.02
$10.16€9.730.24
Side 15 cards (6 distinct)
$4.58€4.210.55
$2.99€1.950.13
$0.20€0.060.03
$0.23€0.100.03
$0.56€0.450.02
$0.20€0.170.03

Gameplay Abzan Tokens

This is a more “Aristocrats” variant of the tradition GW tokens list. The core of the Selesnya deck remains, using cards like Emmara, Soul of the Accordimage, Trostani Discordantimage and March of the Multitudesimage to assemble a large board state of creatures. Splashing black adds in a couple unique effects in Corpse Knightimage to ping the opponent as creatures enter the battlefield, and Cruel Celebrantimage to ping as they leave. Finally, a single copy of Garruk, Cursed Huntsmanimage can continue making tokens, but also threatens a permanent overrun anthem with his ultimate.

[ELD] Esper X & O's

Main 60 cards (19 distinct)
Creature (33)
$0.25€0.080.02
$0.99€0.720.02
$1.32€0.900.31
$0.200.03
$0.50€0.350.02
$0.35€0.160.02
$0.21€0.080.03
$1.32€0.590.03
$0.86€0.570.03
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (5)
$0.56€0.450.02
$0.64€0.630.02
Land (22)
$8.43€9.530.17
$13.50€13.620.29
$0.40€0.320.02
$10.01€9.670.07
$5.54€4.210.15

Gameplay Esper Cheerios

Up next is a bit of a combo deck. For those unaware, the term Cheerios in Magic refers to an old deck archetype that looked to exploit 0 costing artifacts. What we are trying to do with this deck is fill our graveyard with a bunch X costing creatures in stonecoil serpant, Chamber Sentryimage and ugin’s conjurant, along with combo pieces Cruel Celebrantimage and Corpse Knightimage. From there we can Command the Dreadhordeimage back all the creatures, having them all deal damage as they enter and leave the battlefield. Midnight Reaperimage can be used to refill our hand, with celebrant offsetting the life loss.

[ELD] Grixis Scion

Main 60 cards (21 distinct)
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (21)
$0.20€0.090.04
$0.25€0.120.03
$0.25€0.150.03
$1.01€0.860.03
$0.25€0.230.03
$0.75€0.600.02
$0.25€0.090.03
$0.20€0.120.03
Creature (13)
$0.730.02
$0.492.25
$1.10€1.380.24
$0.40€0.400.02
Planeswalker (3)
$0.70€0.730.02
Land (23)
$5.54€4.210.15
$15.00€14.700.92
$12.40€12.060.96
$0.42€0.240.02
$13.50€13.620.29
Side 15 cards (9 distinct)
$0.25€0.080.04
$0.40€0.430.18
$0.39€0.230.02
$0.44€0.240.02
$0.20€0.100.03
$0.23€0.100.03
$0.28€0.190.04
$0.20€0.100.03
$9.40€4.543.57

Gameplay for Grixis Scion

This is more of an aggressive slanted midrange list in Grixis colors. The core of the deck is built around taking advantage of both of the plus abilities on The Royal Scionsimage. We can fill our graveyard for Dreadhorde Arcanistimage, then use the +2/0 ability to give arcanist 3 power to flashblack more expensive spells. Dreadhorde Butcherimage is also an early aggressive threat that can take advantage of the bonus power, trample and first strike that The Royal Scions can provide. The rest of the deck is jam-packed with removal and disruption to control the opponents board as our 2 drop creatures help carry us to victory.

Mardu Kaalia

Main 60 cards (23 distinct)
Creature (25)
$2.06€1.590.03
$0.60€0.600.02
$2.00€1.760.02
$0.50€0.350.02
$1.16€1.090.02
$0.90€0.890.02
$8.04€5.490.02
$1.20€1.030.02
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (9)
$9.68€5.680.17
$0.23€0.100.03
$1.38€1.270.02
$0.33€0.130.02
$0.30€0.210.02
Planeswalker (2)
$1.38€0.960.02
Land (24)
$5.54€4.210.15
$0.40€0.320.02
$10.01€9.670.07
$17.00€14.920.76
$0.35€0.260.02
$15.00€14.700.92
Side 15 cards (8 distinct)
$0.20€0.130.03
$0.28€0.140.02
$0.23€0.100.03
$0.39€0.240.02
$1.38€1.270.02
$0.20€0.090.04
$0.25€0.230.03
$1.00€0.920.02

Gameplay for Mardu Kaalia

The mainboard for this list came from the 785th place deck from GP Lyon. The deck looks to leverage Fires of Inventionimage to play a bunch of powerful angels, demons and dragons. Kaalia, Zenith Seekerimage can refill your hand with these bombs and Embercleaveimage can surprise finish your opponent. Marauding Raptorimage is an interesting inclusion and it allows us to effectively ramp our 4 and 5 drops out a turn early thanks to their higher toughness.

[ELD] Budget Dimir Reanimator

Main 60 cards (15 distinct)
Creature (20)
$0.25€0.240.03
$0.23€0.130.03
$5.66€6.380.03
$0.200.03
$0.25€0.170.03
Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (16)
$0.30€0.210.02
$0.45€0.350.03
$0.25€0.120.03
$0.25€0.150.03
$0.25€0.140.03
$0.25€0.180.03
Land (24)
$0.21€0.090.03
$13.50€13.620.29
Side 15 cards (6 distinct)
$0.32€0.280.03
$0.15€0.060.03
$0.23€0.100.03
$0.40€0.430.18
$0.28€0.190.04
$0.20€0.100.03

Gameplay for Budget Dimir Reanimator

The one thing my channel is known for is my budget builds. Throne of Eldraine along with this being a smaller standard pool of cards has made these decks a bit more expensive, but this was a fun one – 10 rare, sub $100 Dimir Agent reanimator. The deck is pretty straight forward. Self mill yourself with cards like merfolk secret keeper and Wall of Lost Thoughtsimage then use Blood for Bonesimage or Connive // Concoct to bring back Agent of Treacheryimage and steal your opponent’s permanents. You can also create reanimation loops by bring back Scholar of the Agesimage which can return the reanimation spell back to your hand along with another spell.

If you have any cool brews or themes you’d like featured on the channel, drop a decklist in the comments below. Now gotta run before Oko finds me and turns this article into a 3/3 Elk!

-          MTG_Joe

About MTG_Joe:

MTG_Joe

I am a part time content creator on YouTube playing everything from budget brews to Tier 1 lists. I enjoy focusing on build guides and explaining strategy through my videos to help our newer and returning players. I am also very engaged in the Arena Subreddit community, also happy to chat MTG.

Youtube & Twitch: MTG_Joe

Twitter & Instagram: MTG_Joe2

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