Post Ban Aftermath Decks to Reinvigorate Standard
Ah yes, the feeling of confidently tapping out to cast your expensive janky enchantment against Mono-black or Rakdos without fearing an instant Invoke Despair
. The May 29th Banned and Restricted updates for Standard may have been meh, but it still tilted the meta in a better direction, and had effects on how players think about newer viable cards.
For this specific list, we shall look at some updated decks after these bannings. See for yourself if anything significant changed, or if more recent ideas truly brought something unique enough to the table because you are about to see the same faces for one more entire year.
Orzhov Fills the Open Void
Without Reckoner Bankbuster
for draws and walls, and devoid of Invoke Despair, a few cards of similar designs claw their back to revelance, while cards used alongside them hold their dominance a few more steps. Phyrexian Arena, for instance, suddenly feels a lot more potent, and is even assisted with cards like Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
(who can completely negate its drawbacks), and Sunset Revelry
(which can consistently use its first two effects).
As for the deck itself, well it is nearly the same flavor of meta Orzhov that you are used to. But this specific build is quite well protected against the likes of Rakdos and Mono-red, with all of its lifegain sources, chump blockers, extra edict target, and board wipes. Sure, this deck can be a bit “boring” structure-wise. But the choices and interactions are varied enough that playing this deck will still help temper your decision-making in MTG to some degree while climbing the ranks.
Gameplay Video 1 / Gameplay Video 2
Featured Cards:
Kaya & Broken Sky Control
Main 60 cards (22 distinct)
Lands - 25
Main 60 cards (22 distinct)
Lands - 25
Main 60 cards (22 distinct)
| Creature (6) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.94 | |||
| $0.50€0.892.73 | |||
| Other (2) | |||
| $0.50€0.320.02 | |||
| Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (23) | |||
|
2
Farewell
|
$5.53€5.643.94 | ||
| $3.180.03 | |||
| $0.45€0.570.50 | |||
| $0.22€0.180.03 | |||
| $1.25€0.880.03 | |||
|
1
Duress
|
$0.39€0.370.04 | ||
| $2.86 | |||
|
3
Sunfall
|
$8.000.55 | ||
| Planeswalker (4) | |||
| $0.49€0.320.02 | |||
| Land (25) | |||
|
5
Swamp
|
$0.98€0.490.04 | ||
|
4
Plains
|
$0.34€0.180.04 | ||
| $6.99 | |||
| $0.22€0.110.03 | |||
| $2.36 | |||
| $10.00 | |||
| $7.13€8.980.72 | |||
| $0.20€0.130.02 | |||
Mardu (Re)Mobilization Frenzy
For those wanting to focus on Invasion of Tolvada // The Broken Sky a bit more, splashing red for a Mardu build could be your next most exciting option. Not only does it replace heavier Standard options like Repair and Recharge
and Invoke Justice
. But if flipped, it can allow this entire build to shift entirely to offense, running all the token generators without fearing a random Invoke Despair obliterating your combat streak. To add, the deck has a surprise Dreadfeast Demon
, to take advantage of the deck’s formidable token resource investment (which also becomes a huge lifelinking body for The Broken Sky).
If you feel like the deck is lacking lifegain, you can add a few copies of Union of the Third Path
. You can also add one more The Wandering Emperor for additional midrange pressure as well.
Featured Cards:
Mardu reanimator
Main 60 cards (25 distinct)
Lands - 25
Main 60 cards (25 distinct)
Lands - 25
Main 60 cards (25 distinct)
| Other (3) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.50€0.320.02 | |||
| Creature (5) | |||
| $0.40 | |||
| $0.84 | |||
| Planeswalker (8) | |||
| $0.49€0.320.02 | |||
| $15.00 | |||
| Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (19) | |||
| $0.29€0.270.03 | |||
| $0.99 | |||
| $6.500.02 | |||
|
4
Cut Down
|
|||
| $2.86 | |||
| $0.49€0.640.01 | |||
| Land (25) | |||
|
3
Plains
|
$0.34€0.180.04 | ||
|
2
Swamp
|
$0.98€0.490.04 | ||
| $10.00 | |||
| $2.36 | |||
| $3.270.61 | |||
| $6.46 | |||
| $7.00 | |||
| $6.99 | |||
| $7.13€8.980.72 | |||
| $2.75 | |||
| $10.00 | |||
| $7.80 | |||
| $2.17€3.941.58 | |||
Miss Land Drops, Still ‘Pay’ for Abilities
This somewhat tricky Dimir deck is centered around Training Grounds
. Because this card does not lower costs to zero, you are incentivized to use a bit more expensive abilities, which will generally be left with a single-colored mana if this is on the battlefield. The most prominent combo for this would perhaps be Surge Engine
, which can enter its finalized form as early as turn three if you don’t have anything better to cast. Works really well with Concealing Curtains // Revealing Eye
for hand-spying shenanigans as well.
The deck does fail to react effectively to bigger plays, as it is limited to only disrupting (not even countering) the enemy enough for its small offensives to break through. But play it well enough, and you can generally hit a preemptive striking position before opponents can develop their boards into something that this deck can no longer answer (or you can also survive on just two or three lands like a fake meta deck).
Featured Cards:
Training Grounds Transformers
Main 60 cards (18 distinct)
Lands - 22
Main 60 cards (18 distinct)
Lands - 22
Main 60 cards (18 distinct)
| Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (14) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
2
Cut Down
|
|||
|
2
Duress
|
$0.20€0.110.03 | ||
| $1.32€0.810.04 | |||
| $4.49€4.120.02 | |||
| $0.40€0.640.03 | |||
| Creature (24) | |||
| $0.46 | |||
| $1.21 | |||
| $0.15€0.040.03 | |||
| $0.22€0.140.03 | |||
| $0.11€0.040.03 | |||
| Land (22) | |||
|
6
Island
|
$0.160.03 | ||
|
4
Swamp
|
$0.150.03 | ||
| $5.97€4.520.02 | |||
| $4.49€3.880.55 | |||
| $3.91€3.770.55 | |||
Bring to Your Side, Use, and Dispose
Black and Red do truly know the importance of meaningful sacrifice. Especially if your opponent’s creatures are the willing subjects. This deck takes the classic insurrection approach, using all the most optimized cards in Standard that can help you do this. Braids, Arisen Nightmare
is a good start to combo with them. But the tastiest one has to be Ayara, Widow of the Realm // Ayara, Furnace Queen
, which can literally transform the game on the spot depending on your opponent. For the stealers, Furnace Reins
and Involuntary Employment
is on the main menu, both of which work disgustingly well with Corrupted Conviction
and Eaten Alive
, even if your sacrifice mistresses are not in play.
In case stealing creatures is not an option for that moment, you still have an endless supply of sac targets in the form of Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia
and Urabrask's Forge
. Though, remember that even if these alternative targets are viable, the overall efficiency of the deck is still diminished if you draw into the stealers and are unable to use them on the spot.
Featured Cards:
jund sac
Main 60 cards (22 distinct)
Lands - 24
Main 60 cards (22 distinct)
Lands - 24
Main 60 cards (22 distinct)
| Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (19) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.90€0.300.03 | |||
| $0.20€0.090.03 | |||
| $0.24€0.120.03 | |||
| $0.20€0.140.01 | |||
| $7.501.86 | |||
| Creature (17) | |||
| $3.50 | |||
| $0.22€0.150.03 | |||
| $1.99 | |||
| $1.900.02 | |||
| $0.25€0.140.03 | |||
| Land (24) | |||
| $7.13€8.980.72 | |||
|
1
Mountain
|
$0.37€0.180.03 | ||
| $11.31 | |||
| $3.630.12 | |||
| $3.07 | |||
| $4.72 | |||
| $3.270.61 | |||
| $6.46 | |||
|
1
Swamp
|
$0.98€0.490.04 | ||
| $7.80 | |||
| $2.17€3.941.58 | |||
| $34.79 | |||
Mono-Black Discard and Disrupt (import)
Discarding holds a rather minor priority in the current meta due to how bombastic and absolutely ridiculous advantage accumulation has been for midrange and tempo games as of late. But this post-ban updated version can probably slide comfortably within such an environment of minor change. The caveat? You need to be a mind reader of sorts before you can optimize the decisions for these otherwise subpar cards. The Raven Man
is a pretty straightforward choice for any discard build, for example, but you have to constantly juggle your decisions on whether you want spot removal, or forcibly discard a future threat.
Either way, you need to smartly sidestep your opponent's attempts to counter your moves, so prioritize those activated abilities with due caution. Also, this build has four copies of Sword of Once and Future
. Save yourself from an Esper or Orzhov meta onslaught, or reach in just further to abuse your twisted version of midrange control if you are not flooding your hand.
Featured Cards:
Black Hand Destruction (import)
Main 60 cards (17 distinct)
Lands - 24
Side 15 cards (7 distinct)
Main 60 cards (17 distinct)
Lands - 24
Side 15 cards (7 distinct)
Main 60 cards (17 distinct)
| Creature (16) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.41 | |||
| $0.15€0.070.01 | |||
| $0.30€0.120.03 | |||
| Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (16) | |||
|
1
Cut Down
|
|||
| $4.68 | |||
|
2
Duress
|
$0.20€0.110.03 | ||
| $1.32€0.810.04 | |||
| $0.15€0.030.03 | |||
| Planeswalker (4) | |||
| $22.24€15.054.40 | |||
| Land (24) | |||
|
17
Swamp
|
$0.150.03 | ||
|
2
Mirrex
|
$3.470.53 | ||
| $0.69 | |||
Side 15 cards (7 distinct)
| $0.50€0.892.73 | |||
| $0.25€0.190.03 | |||
| $2.02 | |||
|
2
Cut Down
|
|||
|
1
Duress
|
$0.20€0.110.03 | ||
| $3.180.03 | |||
| $0.15€0.050.01 |
Urza Assembles the Esper Titans (updated)
Hold it! I understand this looks and feels like every other Esper superfriends deck that has already been tried and tested out there. This one is quite different, in that it is just a teensy bit more focused on Vraska, Betrayal's Sting
. As such, Urza Assembles the Titans
is potentially quite more potent here, especially if you decide to skip ahead so that you can instantly drop Vraska, which would promptly proliferate the saga to its third effect on that one (same) turn if tactically viable.
In fact, we can further declare that Vraska is this deck's primary win condition. Play smart, though. Your priority is to “assemble the titans” around her; to create circular synergy with other planeswalkers that will arrive at her aid. For this reason, you are also incentivized to pay the proliferation for the Staff of Compleation
whenever the opportunity presents itself, because Vraska will eventually launch her ultimate anyway.
Featured Cards:
MOMA-S Esper Friends (import)
Main 60 cards (23 distinct)
Lands - 24
Side 15 cards (4 distinct)
Main 60 cards (23 distinct)
Lands - 24
Side 15 cards (4 distinct)
Main 60 cards (23 distinct)
| Planeswalker (21) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| $2.63€3.770.09 | |||
| $1.82€1.500.02 | |||
| $5.491.24 | |||
| $22.24€15.054.40 | |||
| $7.320.52 | |||
| Instant, Sorcery, Enchantment, Artifact (15) | |||
| $0.78 | |||
| $0.29€0.200.03 | |||
| $0.82€0.390.03 | |||
| $5.28€5.360.26 | |||
| Land (24) | |||
| $7.00€3.410.06 | |||
| $10.46€11.470.17 | |||
| $10.00 | |||
| $3.91€3.770.55 | |||
| $3.74€4.542.30 | |||
| $0.88€0.600.02 | |||
|
1
Island
|
$0.160.03 | ||
| $5.97€4.520.02 | |||
About ChrisCee:
A witness since the time the benevolent silver planeswalker first left Dominaria, ChrisCee has since went back and forth on a number of plane-shattering incidents to oversee the current state of the Multiverse.
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