4 Benevolent Bodyguard
2 Tragic Poet
4 Pride of the Clouds
4 Drift of Phantasms
4 Celestial Ancient
2 Sky Hussar
2 Hanna, Ship's Navigator
4 Standstill
2 Mobilization
4 Promise of Bunrei
2 Sacred Mesa
3 Flickering Ward
4 Plains
4 Island
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Tundra
4 Mishra's Factory
1 Kjeldoran Outpost
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
1 Prahv, Spires of Order
1 Miren, the Moaning Well |
  Counter
Magic.
Description of deck by it's author
(quoted):
The Azorius' Guild mechanic, Forecast, like
the Cycling triggers from Onslaught Block and the Channel spells from
Saviors of Kamigawa, provides some non-spell spells that offer up some
interesting deck possibilities. Maybe you want to break the symmetry of
Nullstone Gargoyle or Rule of Law (ooh, how flavourful!). Me, I wanted
to have fun with an old favourite: Standstill. In the days of yore,
people broke the symmetry of Standstill by playing cards like Aether
Vial, Decree of Justice, and man-lands like Faerie Conclave and Mishra's
Factory, since they allow you to produce threats without actually
playing a spell. Pride of the Clouds and Sky Hussar do the same thing,
making tokens and drawing you cards without breaking the Standstill.
Likewise, token makers Mobilization and Sacred Mesa are serious threats
pre-Standstill threats, because left unfettered (no pun intended), they
will inevitably provide enough men to overrun your opponent's defenses.
While we're playing with these Enchantments and making
all kinds of creature tokens, I thought it'd be fun to add a set of
Celestial Ancients. It's a bit of a leap, but I don't want to build the
same old Standstill deck. I included some Benevolent Bodyguards to protect
your Ancients from removal, while at the same time ensuring that the third
token-making Enchantment (Promise of Bunrei) actually makes tokens.
Flickering Ward also protects Celestial Ancient, and together they can
your make your army of Pegasus-Soldier-Spirits wicked big. Just play
Flickering Ward on the Ancient, put a +1/+1 counter on each of your
creatures, pay to return it to your hand, replay it, put another +1/+1
counter on each of your creatures (I hope you brought a bag of beads),
lather, rinse, repeat, comb out the tangles, and blow dry.
One card I've always liked with Standstill is the
underrated Hanna, Ship's Navigator. She also works very well with Promise
of Bunrei, and can retrieve Sacred Mesas that you haven't been able to pay
for. Tragic Poet can also fetch a Promise of Bunrei from your graveyard,
but it can also put one there.
Due to its Dimir-aligned Transmute ability, the
inclusion of Drift of Phantasms feels a bit like cheating (I originally
had Soulsworn Jury in that slot), but it just fits so much better. It's a
flying creature for Pride of the Clouds, and it Transmutes for many of the
key cards, like Hanna and all three token-making Enchantments. |
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