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Hello everyone. After the banned and restricted announcement that happened on Monday, you can feel secure that Standard currently doesn't have any cards that are too problematic. That means it's time for you deck brewers to keep searching for the next ban-worthy broken combo. This week I have a few decks that could potentially feature cards that prove to be too powerful to remain in Standard. Let's get started by taking a look at our first deck.
Boros Agrus Kos
The first deck I have for you features Agrus Kos, Spirit of Justice. Is this Spirit Detective worthy of being banned? Let's take a look at the decklist.
Boros Agrus Kos | MKM Standard | LegenVD, aetherhub.com user
- Creatures (36)
- 2 Inti, Seneschal of the Sun
- 3 Agrus Kos, Spirit of Justice
- 3 Delney, Streetwise Lookout
- 4 Brutal Cathar // Moonrage Brute
- 4 Hopeful Initiate
- 4 Kellan, Daring Traveler
- 4 Lunarch Veteran // Luminous Phantom
- 4 Novice Inspector
- 4 Reckless Stormseeker // Storm-Charged Slasher
- 4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
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This deck is an aggressive deck, and you'll want to attack often with your team of creatures. Reckless Stormseeker // Storm-Charged Slasher allows you to attack with a creature you've just cast, as it provides haste, plus an additional power bonus, to a creature you target with its ability. Once Reckless Stormseeker transforms into Storm-Charged Slasher, the power bonus gets bigger, and the targeted creature also gains trample, allowing you to damage your opponent even if you're blocked.
Mardu Helix Control
The next deck I have for you features a reprint from Ravnica: City of Guilds. Let's check out the decklist.
Mardu Helix Control - MKM Standard | SlothMtg, aetherhub.com user
- Creatures (7)
- 1 Heartflame Duelist
- 2 Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
- 4 Archangel of Wrath
- Planeswalkers (3)
- 3 The Wandering Emperor
- Instants (11)
- 1 Destroy Evil
- 1 The End
- 2 March of Otherworldly Light
- 3 Outrageous Robbery
- 4 Lightning Helix
- Sorceries (5)
- 2 Molten Collapse
- 3 Deadly Cover-Up
- Enchantments (4)
- 4 Temporary Lockdown
- Artifacts (4)
- 2 The Celestus
- 2 Urabrask's Forge
You'll be able to control the battlefield in other ways, too. Archangel of Wrath has a pair of kickers that you can use as additional removal, or as direct damage to your opponent. Heartflame Duelist has one of the coolest abilities ever printed, in my opinion. Giving instants and sorceries you cast lifelink can allow you to outlast your opponent, even against the most aggressive decks. Finally, once you get Sheoldred, the Apocalypse into play, drawing cards results in adjustments to each player's life totals. If there was one card in this deck worthy of being banned, Sheoldred is that card.
Rakdos Control
Next, I have a deck featuring Judith, Carnage Connoisseur that just doesn't play fairly. Let's check it out.
Rakdos Control - MKM Standard | MtgMalone, aetherhub.com user
- Creatures (8)
- 2 Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness
- 3 Judith, Carnage Connoisseur
- 3 Trumpeting Carnosaur
- Instants (15)
- 3 Big Score
- 3 Bitter Triumph
- 3 Cut Down
- 3 Demand Answers
- 3 March of Wretched Sorrow
- Sorceries (10)
- 2 End the Festivities
- 2 Push // Pull
- 3 Brotherhood's End
- 3 Deadly Cover-Up
- Enchantments (3)
- 3 The Cruelty of Gix
- Lands (24)
- 5 Swamp
- 6 Mountain
- 2 Demolition Field
- 2 Raucous Theater
- 2 Restless Vents
- 3 Sulfurous Springs
- 4 Haunted Ridge
In addition to Judith, this deck includes a pair of powerful dinosaurs. You can choose to cast Trumpeting Carnosaur for 6 mana to get a 7/6 creature that brings another spell costing 5 mana or less with it. Or, you can choose to discard Trumpeting Carnosaur to deal three damage to a creature or planeswalker. There's also Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness, which allows you to use your opponent's cards against them. It can also transform into an 11/11 creature that can end games very quickly.
Orzhov Vampires
The final deck I have for you this week features Vein Ripper, a mythic rare from Murders at Markov Manor. Let's take a look at this deck to see what might be worthy of being banned.
Orzhov Vampires | MKM Standard | JayVillain, aetherhub.com user
- Creatures (29)
- 2 Ichor Drinker
- 3 Bartolomé del Presidio
- 3 Preacher of the Schism
- 3 Sanguine Evangelist
- 3 Vito, Fanatic of Aclazotz
- 3 Vraan, Executioner Thane
- 4 Bloodletter of Aclazotz
- 4 Greedy Freebooter
- 4 Vein Ripper
- Instants (7)
- 3 Destroy Evil
- 4 Bitter Triumph
- Lands (25)
- 5 Plains
- 10 Swamp
- 1 Restless Fortress
- 1 Shadowy Backstreet
- 4 Cavern of Souls
- 4 Caves of Koilos
- Sideboard (7)
- 1 Corrupted Conviction
- 1 Cut Down
- 1 Sheoldred's Edict
- 2 Fanatical Offering
- 1 Annihilating Glare
- 1 Tithing Blade
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This deck also includes a number of other creatures that give you a bonus when other creatures die. These include Vito, Fanatic of Aclazotz (who specifically wants you to sacrifice your own permanents), Vraan, Executioner Thane, and Greedy Freebooter. To make sure you have the means of sacrificing your own creatures, there are three copies of Bartolome del Presidio in this deck. While this Vampire Knight is on the battlefield, you can sacrifice another creature or artifact to put a +1/+1 counter on Bartolome. Keep in mind that this ability can be used when a creature is being targeted by a removal spell, giving you a benefit from tragedy.
Wrapping Up
Of the decks I've brought to you this week, I don't feel that any of them necessitate any emergency bans. While there are powerful cards and combos, there's nothing too egregious here. Standard seems to be in a really healthy space right now, and these decks are simply examples of powerful decks that aren't overpowered. Do you agree with my assessment?
What do you think of these decks? Feel free to share this article with your friends anywhere on social media. And be sure to join me here again next week as I continue my search for innovative decks in Standard. I'll see you then!
- Mike Likes
