Arclight Phoenix was a key player in getting Faithless Looting banned in Modern.

While Faithless Looting had always been an amazing tool for graveyard decks of all sorts, those decks were typically fairly linear and therefor vulnerable to interaction and graveyard hate. However, the Izzet Arclight decks of that period were so good at playing a fair game plan that it felt almost unfair whenever they would line up a draw that would produce two attacking Arclight Phoenix on turn two.

As such, Faithless Looting was banned.

In this same vein, it was very surprising when Faithless Looting showed up on the Strixhaven Mystical Archive cardlist, as it would be injected into Historic right alongside Arclight Phoenix. Of course, with no Manamorphose or Thing in the Ice it wasn't nearly as potent, but Izzet Arclight has been a fixture at the top of the metagame in Historic ever since.

Well, what if we give it a little twist?

Time Stamps:

03:04 - Match 1

11:20 - Match 2

25:34 - Match 3

53:30 - Match 4

Jeskai Phoenix | Historic | John Wager, 11th Place Hooglandia Open

• Creatures (14)
• 2 Crackling Drake
• 4 Arclight Phoenix
• 4 Dragon's Rage Channeler
• 4 Sprite Dragon

• Spells (13)
• 1 Flame-Blessed Bolt
• 2 Faithful Mending
• 2 Opt
• 4 Consider
• 4 Unholy Heat

• Sorceries (11)
• 1 Finale of Promise
• 1 Maximize Velocity
• 1 Rip Apart
• 4 Expressive Iteration
• 4 Faithless Looting

• Lands (22)
• 1 Island
• 2 Mountain
• 3 Hallowed Fountain
• 4 Inspiring Vantage
• 4 Sacred Foundry
• 4 Spirebluff Canal
• 4 Steam Vents

• Sideboard (15)
• 3 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
• 2 Crackling Drake
• 2 Dovin's Veto
• 1 Disdainful Stroke
• 2 Anger of the Gods
• 1 Deafening Clarion
• 1 Justice Strike
• 1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun
• 1 Rip Apart
• 1 Flame-Blessed Bolt

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This interesting take on Arclight Phoenix in Historic was played by John Wager to an 11th place finish in the most recent Hooglandia Open.

In the maindeck it looks like a mostly normal looking Arclight Phoenix deck. Faithful Mending provides a little redundancy on Faithless Looting and life gain, while Rip Apart is a removal spell with a bit more flexibility. However, the interesting swaps are in the sideboard.

One of the most important things to have as an Arclight Phoenix in any format is a good plan against graveyard hate. A Rest in Peace in play neuters half of the threats in the deck, meaning that you need to have a plan B. Crackling Drake is a great part of that plan, but considering all of the removal and card draw the deck plays anyway boarding Teferi, Hero of Dominaria and leveraging a Jeskai Control plan is a super interesting option.

Having the ability to swap back in forth between two of the best decks in the format is a super awesome trait to have and will keep your opponent's guessing every match, while also playing almost 100% of one of the best decks in the format in Game 1!

If you love Izzet Arclight Phoenix or Jeskai Control decks, this is a perfect "why not both?" scenario!