A Standard approach

So this week at FNM it is Standard, I didn't define FNM between Relax and Elite as both are Standard this week.  Standard is a funny format - I still think of it as "Type 2" from way back when, because they stopped us playing all of our sweet old cards.  I was one of the many who massively objected to my old cards becoming worthless and voted with my feet by quitting Magic.  As always though just as I thought I was out they pulled me back in!

So MTG is like the Mafia now?

However, type 2 has become the "Standard" way of playing magic and it has changed the face of the game and has created a more accessible way for people to enter the game to begin with.  Other than actual  limited, Standard is the most limited format in Magic - there is currently a total of 1,109 different cards legal in Standard.

However, it has to be noted that standard is the most open and diverse it has been for a number of years with no CAW Blade or Delver deck to be the defining deck of the format at present.

I didn't break standard - I am Standard!

I am not a massive fan of net decking but I thought it might be useful to look at the top decks from this weekends Star City Games Standard Open:

Naya midrange 1st place

Creatures (24)

4 Avacyn's Pilgrim

4 Huntmaster of the Fells

4 Loxodon Smiter

4 Restoration Angel

4 Thragtusk

4 Thundermaw Hellkite

Lands (24)

4 Forest

3 Mountain

4 Cavern of Souls

3 Clifftop Retreat

2 Kessig Wolf Run

4 Rootbound Crag

4 Temple Garden

Spells (12)

4 Selesnya Charm

4 Bonfire of the Damned

4 Farseek

Sideboard

3 Angel of Serenity

2 Zealous Conscripts

2 Rest in Peace

2 Garruk Relentless

2 Garruk, Primal Hunter

4 Pillar of Flame

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We even have a playable dragon in Standard...

Jund Midrange 2nd Place

Creatures (14)

2 Deathrite Shaman

4 Huntmaster of the Fells

4 Thragtusk

2 Thundermaw Hellkite

2 Olivia Voldaren

Planeswalkers (5)

2 Garruk, Primal Hunter

3 Liliana of the Veil

Lands (24)

2 Swamp

4 Blood Crypt

2 Cavern of Souls

3 Dragonskull Summit

1 Kessig Wolf Run

4 Overgrown Tomb

4 Rootbound Crag

4 Woodland Cemetery

Spells (17)

3 Abrupt Decay

2 Ultimate Price

1 Bonfire of the Damned

3 Dreadbore

4 Farseek

2 Pillar of Flame

1 Rakdos's Return

1 Sever the Bloodline

Sideboard

2 Deathrite Shaman

3 Vampire Nighthawk

2 Appetite for Brains

1 Blasphemous Act

1 Bonfire of the Damned

2 Pillar of Flame

1 Rakdos's Return

2 Slaughter Games

1 Cavern of Souls

So very good - try her with Basilisk Collar in extended...

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5 Colour Control 3rd Place

Creatures (10)

4 Huntmaster of the Fells

4 Thragtusk

1 Gisela, Blade of Goldnight

1 Griselbrand

Planeswalkers (2)

1 Garruk, Primal Hunter

1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker

Lands (26)

1 Alchemist's Refuge

1 Blood Crypt

3 Cavern of Souls

1 Dragonskull Summit

1 Glacial Fortress

1 Hallowed Fountain

2 Hinterland Harbor

1 Isolated Chapel

1 Kessig Wolf Run

4 Overgrown Tomb

2 Rootbound Crag

1 Steam Vents

1 Sulfur Falls

2 Sunpetal Grove

4 Temple Garden

Spells (22)

3 Chromatic Lantern

2 Curse of Death's Hold

1 Detention Sphere

1 Abrupt Decay

3 Sphinx's Revelation

1 Ultimate Price

4 Farseek

3 Lingering Souls

2 Rakdos's Return

1 Supreme Verdict

1 Terminus

Sideboard

1 Door To Nothingness

2 Centaur Healer

2 Rhox Faithmender

1 Curse of Echoes

2 Rest in Peace

1 Abrupt Decay

2 Tragic Slip

1 Jace, Memory Adept

3 Duress

Will see more play come Gatecrash.

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B/R Zombies 4th Place

Creatures (29)

4 Blood Artist

1 Bloodflow Connoisseur

3 Bloodthrone Vampire

4 Butcher Ghoul

4 Diregraf Ghoul

3 Falkenrath Aristocrat

4 Geralf's Messenger

4 Gravecrawler

1 Hellrider

1 Zealous Conscripts

Lands (21)

6 Swamp

4 Blood Crypt

4 Cavern of Souls

4 Dragonskull Summit

3 Rakdos Guildgate

Spells (10)

4 Brimstone Volley

2 Searing Spear

3 Tragic Slip

1 Flames of the Firebrand

Sideboard

2 Rakdos Keyrune

1 Vampire Nighthawk

2 Zealous Conscripts

2 Ultimate Price

1 Dreadbore

4 Pillar of Flame

1 Rakdos's Return

2 Sever the Bloodline

Brainssssssssssssssssssss!!!

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U/W Control 5th Place

Creatures (14)

3 Augur of Bolas

4 Restoration Angel

4 Snapcaster Mage

3 Geist of Saint Traft

Planeswalkers (2)

2 Jace, Architect of Thought

Lands (23)

8 Island

3 Plains

2 Cavern of Souls

4 Glacial Fortress

4 Hallowed Fountain

2 Moorland Haunt

Spells (21)

2 Runechanter's Pike

4 Azorius Charm

4 Dissipate

2 Essence Scatter

2 Sphinx's Revelation

2 Think Twice

3 Thought Scour

2 Unsummon

Sideboard

2 Detention Sphere

1 Oblivion Ring

2 Dispel

2 Negate

2 Purify the Grave

2 Righteous Blow

1 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage

3 Supreme Verdict

Card advantage and incidental life gain - Boo-Yaa!

This really is a massively eclectic mix of decks.  There is full on control, including the holy grail of Magic in 5 colour control as well as uber aggro in the form of B/R Zombies and the whole thing got won by Naya midrange.  The top 3 decks all ran 4 copies of Thragtusk who seems to be the right card at the right time just now.  With all these top tier possibilities I am looking forward to what we may see on Friday.

That's all for today but I will be back on Friday with the first part of an article on how to build a deck.  I know that there are a number of people at FNM Relax who have asked about this so I hope the blog will answer these questions.  Goodbye till then.