Hello everyone. With the recent ban of Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath, I was hoping that Standard might open up a little bit so that more decks could thrive. Unfortunately, Omnath, Locus of Creation is still running rampant in Standard, stifling many people's creativity. However, there are still folks trying to come up with new decks that can be used to get wins in Standard. This week I have three such decks, so let's get started.

Mono-Green Stompy

We'll start with Mono-Green, which has been around for quite a while now. Let's take a look at the deck.

Mono-Green Stompy | ZNR Standard | crokeyz, mtgazone.com user

• Creatures (29)
• 2 Garruk's Harbinger
• 2 Scavenging Ooze
• 2 Yorvo, Lord of Garenbrig
• 3 Wildborn Preserver
• 4 Gemrazer
• 4 Kazandu Mammoth
• 4 Lovestruck Beast
• 4 Stonecoil Serpent
• 4 Swarm Shambler

• Planeswalkers (2)
• 1 Garruk, Unleashed
• 1 Vivien, Monsters' Advocate

• Sorceries (8)
• 4 Primal Might
• 4 Turntimber Symbiosis

• Artifacts (2)
• 2 The Great Henge

• Lands (19)
• 16 Forest
• 3 Castle Garenbrig

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Vivien, Monsters' Advocate
• 1 Chainweb Aracnir
• 2 Garruk's Harbinger
• 2 Scavenging Ooze
• 4 Oakhame Adversary
• 1 Run Afoul
• 4 Ram Through

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Other creatures that offer additional ways to boost their +1/+1 counters include Scavenging Ooze, Wildborn Preserver, and Yorvo, Lord of Garenbrig. Scavenging Ooze had been a great way to remove Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath from an opponent's graveyard. Now that Uro is gone, Scavenging Ooze can act as protection against cycling decks relying on the power of Zenith Flare to finish off games. Wildborn Preserver Will be able to gain +1/+1 counters whenever you play another creature, since there are no Human creatures in this deck. Yorvo, Lord of Garenbrig will also gain a +1/+1 counter every time you cast any of your creature spells, or when Swarm Shambler's ability to create Insect tokens is triggered.

With all of these +1/+1 counters floating around, Gemrazer is the perfect creature to play to mutate with. This allows you to turn a tiny Swarm Shambler that only has one +1/+1 counter on it into a huge 5/5 creature. It will also have the ability to continue to grow, thanks to the additional +1/+1 counters it can get. Gemrazer can also mutate onto Scavenging Ooze in a similar manner, and it's even better there because adding additional +1/+1 counters doesn't require you to tap your creature. You can create a truly horrifying creature with all of the +1/+1 counters, making it difficult for your opponent to be able to attack.

Mono-White Aggro

Next, I have for you a Mono-White deck. Usually, Mono-White decks have been all about gaining life, but this one is different. Let's take a look at the deck.

Mono-White Aggro - ZNR Standard | Santosvella, mtgazone.com user

• Creatures (16)
• 2 Shepherd of the Flock
• 3 Giant Killer
• 3 Selfless Savior
• 4 Seasoned Hallowblade
• 4 Venerable Knight

• Spells (3)
• 3 Glass Casket

• Lands (41)
• 18 Plains
• 3 Castle Ardenvale
• 1 Kabira Takedown
• 1 Makindi Stampede
• 2 Archon of Emeria
• 2 Emeria's Call
• 2 Legion Angel
• 4 Luminarch Aspirant
• 4 Maul of the Skyclaves
• 4 Skyclave Apparition

• Sideboard (15)
• 2 Archon of Emeria
• 2 Baneslayer Angel
• 2 Containment Priest
• 2 Lavabrink Venturer
• 2 Legion Angel
• 2 Revoke Existence
• 1 Glass Casket
• 2 Idol of Endurance

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This deck also features a fair number of creatures that have flying, which you can use with great success when attacking. Archon of Emeria limits each player to only being able to cast one spell each turn. This effect can really be devastating against certain decks looking to flood the battlefield with threats. It also slows down any opponent that is relying on nonbasic lands. Legion Angel is a 4/3 flyer that allows you to search your sideboard for another copy of Legion Angel to put into your hand. This allows you to maintain card advantage and offers the ability to build up a host of 4/3 Angels. Finally, Emeria's Call creates two 4/4 Angel Warrior creature tokens. It also offers indestructibility to all of your non-Angel creatures until your next turn.

One additional way you can have one of your creatures gain flying is by equipping it with Maul of the Skyclaves. This equipment gives a +2/+2 bonus along with flying. It also provides the first strike ability to the equipped creature, allowing you to attack into a crowded battlefield, knowing that you'll be able to destroy a blocker or two before being taken down. It also automatically equips to one of your creatures when it enters the battlefield, which allows you to begin attacking with it right away.

Gruul Landfall

The final deck I have for you this week is a deck that gets out of hand very quickly. Let's take a look at it.

Gruul Landfall | ZNR Standard | Lanyr, mtgazone.com user

• Creatures (31)
• 1 Radha, Heart of Keld
• 2 Ashaya, Soul of the Wild
• 4 Akoum Hellhound
• 4 Bonecrusher Giant
• 4 Brushfire Elemental
• 4 Gemrazer
• 4 Kazandu Mammoth
• 4 Questing Beast
• 4 Robber of the Rich

• Instants (3)
• 1 Kazuul's Fury
• 2 Spikefield Hazard

• Sorceries (8)
• 4 Shatterskull Smashing
• 4 Turntimber Symbiosis

• Artifacts (4)
• 4 Embercleave

• Lands (14)
• 3 Forest
• 3 Mountain
• 4 Cragcrown Pathway
• 4 Fabled Passage

• Sideboard (15)
• 3 Garruk's Harbinger
• 3 Ox of Agonas
• 4 Redcap Melee
• 4 Thundering Rebuke
• 1 The Akroan War

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Landfall isn't really the only thing this deck it trying to achieve. It also has the potential to ramp up its mana quite well. That is due to Ashaya, Soul of the Wild, which has an ability that allows all of your nontoken creatures to be Forests in addition to their other types. This allows them to be tapped for a Green mana, like any other Forest. That additional mana can be used to fill up your side of the battlefield in a hurry. You can also use that additional mana to activate the activated ability of Radha, Heart of Keld. By spending six mana, Radha will get +X/+X, where X is equal to the number of lands you control. She also has first strike on your turn, so blocking a buffed Radha can be costly for your opponent.

This deck also features a couple of cards that will help assure your victory. The first is Embercleave. Since its debut in Standard a year ago, Embercleave has carved a path of destruction through Standard. It's been the finisher of choice for mana Red aggressive decks. With a number of creatures that can get large in this deck, you should have no problems finding a suitable target to equip Embercleave to. If that target is large enough, you can finish off an opponent after you've attacked by casting Kazuul's Fury. This will allow you to sacrifice that large creature to deal damage to any target equal to that creature's power. By targeting your opponent's life total, you can deal them a fatal blow with this additional damage.

Wrapping Up

While Standard is certainly in a better place with the banning of Uro, it's still not perfect. Time will tell if Omnath (and possibly additional cards) also need to get the boot. In the meantime, all we can do is try to have fun with Magic. For me, aggressive decks are fun, so that what I'll be sticking with when I play.

What do you think of these decks? Do you have any suggestions for improvements? Let me know by leaving a comment below. Also, 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