Deck 'MiniRampie_v4.1'

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Deck :	'MiniRampie_v4.1', by Eric Baes (created 2015-04-12)
Format :	Standard
Archetype :	(Abzan) Junk Aggro/Control
Colors :
Plan A :	mini-ramping towards (moderate amount of) overpowered creatures, with some protection
Plan B :	spot removal, plus some disruption
Strengths :	low mana curve (top = 6 spells in 4 CMC slot); versatile (more spot + swarm wipe) removal based non-intrusive sideboard (keeping offensive deck nature)
Weaknesses :	crowded 3 CMC slot; more relaxed aggro component than pre-Khans major deck version (due to the absence of shock lands); moderate (primarily lands) self-damage; limited card draw capability
Comment :	minor update vs. heroic; yet untested

Deck

Number of cards :	60
Mana curve :	0:24 1:6 2:8 3:16 4:6
Mana cost symbols :	:29 :0 :17 :0 :19
Mana ability sources :	:8 :20 :4 :19 :4 :17

					Why this card ?	Why this amount ?	Comment ...
24 Lands
Lands mana ability sources : :8 :16 :0 :15 :0 :13
Lands untapped mana ability sources : :8 :9 :0 :9 :0 :8
Lands self-damage mana ability sources : :0 :8 :0 :7 :0 :7

4	E	M		Caves of Koilos	/ tempo	/ 1st best (despite pain) multi-land	/
4	E	M		Llanowar Wastes	/ tempo	/ 1st best (despite pain) multi-land	/
4	E	M	L	Temple of Malady	/ scry	/ 2nd best multi-land, also supporting GG	/
3	E	M	L	Temple of Silence	/ scry	/ 2nd best multi-land	/
3	E	M		Windswept Heath	/ tempo	/ 3rd best fetch (untapped) multi-land	/ risking useless 3rd copy (unless 'Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth' on battlefield)
2	E	M		Forest	/ also fetchable	/ lands completion (some GG spells)	/
2	E	M	L	Temple of Plenty	/ scry	/ 4th best multi-land (i.e. not supporting BB)	/
1	E	M		Plains	/ also fetchable	/ lands completion (no WW spells)	/
1	E	M	L	Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth	/ remove all B lands self-damage	/ legendary	/
17 Creatures
Creatures mana curve : 0:0 1:0 2:8 3:5 4:4
Creatures mana cost symbols : :12 :0 :14 :0 :8
Creatures mana ability sources : :0 :4 :4 :4 :4 :4

4	E		L	Fleecemane Lion	/ early pressure + late defense	/ maximal 2 CMC slot aggression	/
4	E	M		Sylvan Caryatid	/ (safe) mini-ramping tempo	/ maximal early ramp probability	/
4	E	M	L	Master of the Feast	/ ultimate evasive beatdown monster, despite opponent's card advantage	/ always useful	/
1	E	M	L	Courser of Kruphix	/ acceleration (+ lifegain)	/ sideboard copies for aggro disruption (and tempo matching)	/
4		M	L	Siege Rhino	/ direct damage/lifegain + trample	/ always useful	/
13 Instants and Sorceries
Instants and Sorceries mana curve : 0:0 1:6 2:0 3:7
Instants and Sorceries mana cost symbols : :15 :0 :3 :0 :5
Instants and Sorceries mana ability sources : :0 :0 :0 :0 :0 :0

4	E	M	L	Thoughtseize	/ proactive disruption, in addition to other reactive removal	/ maximizing overall 1-drop probability, despite life loss	/
2		M	L	Gods Willing	/ cheap protection (+ situational evasion)	/ inferior to creatures and offensive removal	/
4	E	M	L	Hero's Downfall	/ versus primarily planeswalkers	/ most versatile B removal spell	/
3	E	M	L	Abzan Charm	/ versatile instant, including card draw	/ practically always useful	/
6 Other Spells
Other Spells mana curve : 0:0 1:0 2:0 3:4 4:2
Other Spells mana cost symbols : :2 :0 :0 :0 :6
Other Spells mana ability sources : :0 :0 :0 :0 :0 :0

4	E	M	L	Banishing Light	/ generic exile capability	/ always useful, despite sorcery speed	/
2		M	L	Sorin, Solemn Visitor	/ primarily lifegain boost	/ very-nice-to-have	/

Sideboard

Number of cards :	15

					Why this card ?	Why this amount ?	Comment ...
4 Creatures
1		M	L	Mistcutter Hydra	/ versus U(/x) control	/ limited tempo efficiency	/
2	E	M	L	Courser of Kruphix	/ acceleration (+ lifegain)	/ sideboard copies for aggro disruption (and tempo matching)	/
1		M	L	Whisperwood Elemental	/ extra defense against board wiping	/ minimal aggro tempo disruption	/
11 Instants or Sorceries
2	E	M	L	Bile Blight	/ cheap x-for-1 instant speed removal	/ more limited board wipe probability than 'Drown in Sorrow'	/
2	E	M	L	Self-Inflicted Wound	/ primarily against heroic	/ narrow usage	/
1	E	M	L	Ultimate Price	/ cheap creature removal	/ situational	/
1	E	M	L	Unravel the Æther	/ primarily hard enchantment removal	/ situational exile-ish removal	/
4	E	M	L	Drown in Sorrow	/ x-for-1 versus small (100% opponent's) creatures	/ maximal board wipe probability	/
1	E	M	L	Abzan Charm	/ versatile instant, including card draw	/ practically always useful	/

Note: Unused Cards

		Why ?
Lands
	Sandsteppe Citadel	/ missing scry
Creatures
	Bloodsoaked Champion	/ too weak/slow, even against control matchups
	Elvish Mystic	/ too low turn-2 3-drop probability
	Selfless Cathar	/ too weak effect, because not many affected creatures
	Aegis of the Gods	/ too narrow
	Battle Brawler	/ less than 10 W main deck permanents with 3 or less CMC
	Chief of the Edge	/ missing synergy
	Master of Pearls	/ too slow/vulnerable/costly as morph creature, compared to e.g. 'Inspired Charge'
	Phyrexian Revoker	/ preference for minimal amount of creatures in sideboard
	Rakshasa Deathdealer	/ potentially too much mana sink self-damage (no evasion)'
	Anafenza, the Foremost	/ not powerful enough
	Athreos, God of Passage	/ too situational (in case of either opponent at high life total, or either other creature removal ways
	Boon Satyr	/ relatively weak toughness and presumably too high flash/reactive bestow cost
	Brimaz, King of Oreskos	/ relatively underpowered attacker without evasion, despite excellent vigilance
	Herald of Torment	/ already lands self-damage, plus relatively high bestow cost compared to extra damage
	Hushwing Gryff	/ too narrow; also too weak
	Mardu Strike Leader	/ expecting too slow/limited board state effect due to low toughness
	Reckless Imp	/ volatile sorcery speed dashing also reduces reactive deck nature
	Reclamation Sage	/ preference for minimal amount of creatures in sideboard
	Bellowing Saddlebrute	/ no evasion; weaker than e.g. 'Polukranos, World Eater'
	Orc Sureshot	/ too expensive underwhelming trigger
	Polukranos, World Eater	/ no evasion; insufficient mana ramping to enable large/multiple creature removal
	Reaper of the Wilds	/ no evasion
	Archfiend of Depravity	/ too slow sideboard card
	Dromoka, the Eternal	/ too thin aggro curve value
	Wingmate Roc	/ slightly too mana intensive for conditionality
	Hooting Mandrills	/ too slow
	Soulflayer	/ not enough main deck creatures with related static abilities
	Tasigur, the Golden Fang	/ expensive/underwhelming activated ability on non-evasive situational delve creature
Instants and Sorceries
	Dark Betrayal	/ too narrow
	Despise	/ inferior to 'Thoughtseize'
	Gather Courage	/ too weak/defensive (negative 2-for-1 risk)
	Glimpse the Sun God	/ relatively hard to use in aggro/tempo setting
	Ulcerate	/ too much self-damage
	Windstorm	/ too situational, and potentially too expensive; partly replaced by 'Bile Blight'
	Back to Nature	/ kills own monsters
	Damnable Pact	/ insufficient mana ramping for large card draws; already playing 'Abzan Charm'
	Feat of Resistance	/ 'Gods Willing' should suffice
	Glare of Heresy	/ slightly inferior removal (for an already supplementary removal oriented sideboard)
	Kin-Tree Invocation	/ creates (statistically) average creature without abilities
	Life's Legacy	/ can't be used reactively, hence tempo loss
	Return to the Ranks	/ slightly too situational
	Savage Punch	/ slightly too situational, hence preference for hard removal
	Titanic Growth	/ less versatile than e.g. 'Abzan Charm'
	Valorous Stance	/ slightly too situational (for sideboard purposes), in addition to already enough versatile removal
	Phalanx Formation	/ prefer more flexible 'Abzan Charm' for surprise (although moderate) boosting
	Reap What Is Sown	/ too weak per creature
	Collected Company	/ not even 25% 0..3 CMC creatures in deck
	Inspired Charge	/ not enough return on investment, due to low number of creatures
	Silence the Believers	/ more expensive than 'Banishing Light'
	Utter End	/ more expensive than 'Banishing Light'
	End Hostilities	/ self disadvantage
	Hunter's Prowess	/ relatively expensive; disrupting the low-CMC reactive removal/control deck aspect
	Become Immense	/ too situational; in principle worse than 'Titanic Growth'
	Tasigur's Cruelty	/ too situational
Other Spells
	Oppressive Rays	/ only useful during early/mid game
	Pacifism	/ prefer hard removal, i.e. also removing potential activated/triggered abilities
	Suspension Field	/ too situational exile capability
	Abzan Ascendancy	/ too weak against against heavy/wipe removal
	Bow of Nylea	/ relatively slow
	Lightform	/ early WW mana requirement doesn't fit main deck mana base
	Spear of Heliod	/ too weak/reactive/expensive
	Citadel Siege	/ extra counters shouldn't be necessary, and deck is already (cheaper) removal-heavy
	Whip of Erebos	/ too expensive; preference for 'Sorin, Solemn Visitor'
	Nissa, Worldwaker	/ slower than 'Siege Rhino'
	Spectra Ward	/ too expensive; no guarantee against mass or untargeted blowouts

Deck 'MiniRampie_v4.1'

Deck

24 Lands

17 Creatures

13 Instants and Sorceries

6 Other Spells

Sideboard

4 Creatures

11 Instants or Sorceries

Note: Unused Cards

Lands

Creatures

Instants and Sorceries

Other Spells