Standard Tournament Legal 2014 Deck
60 card deck. 15 card sideboard
Creatures;
Axebane Guardian x1
Gyre Sage x1
Sylvan Caryatid x3
Kalonian Hydra x4
Desecration Demon x4
Spells;
Devour Flesh x3
Golgari Charm x2
Hero’s Downfall x3
Abrupt Decay x3
Putrefy x3
Savage Summoning x3
Grim Return x3
Treasured Find x4
Lands;
Swamp x7
Forest x10
Overgrown Tomb x3
Sideboard;
Elvish Mystic x3
Jarad’s Orders x3
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord x2
Gaze of Granite x3
Corpsejack Menace x4
The purpose of this deck is simple; Control. Well, creature and enchantment control and to dominate your opponent.
With a little luck, the mana ramp in this deck helps to get a Desecration Demon or Kalonian Hydra onto the battlefield by turn 4. The use of the kill spells enables you to control your opponents battlefield and make sure that they’re unable to sacrifice creatures to the Desecration Demon. But don’t be afraid of sacking your own creatures during your opponents turn and giving the extra counters.
Abrupt Decay and Savage Summoning comes into play when you’re up against those annoying Blue Control Decks. Neither spell can be countered and saved my game several times last week. Nothing more annoying than a Detention Sphere wiping the board of Hyrdas and Demons, but easily countered with Abrupt Decay.
I avoided putting the Golgari Guildgates into the deck for obvious reasons. When playing tournament style, sometimes that extra turn for a land drop can be the end of the game.
Keep in mind which spells are cast in what order though. If your opponent has two creatures on the battlefield, use Hero’s Downfall or Putrefy on the strongest creature first and then Feast of Flesh, allowing you to decide which is the sole creature on the board for them to sacrifice.
The Golgari Charm comes in handy when your opponent is using a token building deck, like those made by Elspeth, Sun’s Champion. Nothing more annoying that letting your opponent think they’re going to ultimate out Elspeth and then wiping the board of their pesky 1/1 Soldier Tokens and using Hero’s Downfall to take her down.
Don’t be afraid to lose your creatures with this deck. The look of shock on their face after you use Grim Return is priceless. Don’t have the mana for Grim Return, use Treasured Find. The possibilities are endless.
