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DTBF Philosophy & Deck Selection , June 2011 Update
1, Merfolk
2, Team America
3, Maverick
4, Zoo
5, Painter
6, Sneak Attack
7, Pro Bant
GP Providence Day Two Archetype Breakdown
Merfolk 33
Zoo 16
UW Landstill 13
Bant 8
Team America 8
Dredge 7
Junk 6
Affinity 5
Natural Order Bant 5
Caw-Blade 4
Painted Stone 4
Reanimator 4
Ad Nauseum 3
BW Weenie 3
BUG Landstill 3
Goblins 3
DTBF Philosophy & Deck Selection September 2010 Update
1, Vengevine = 10.7%
2, Merfolk = 8.85%
3, Dredge = 7.16%
4, Goblins = 6.77%
5, Zoo = 6.47%
6, CounterTop = 5.16%
7, TES = 4.54%
8, New Horizons = 4.46%
9, Bant = 4.16%
DTBF Philosophy & Deck Selection August 2010 Update
1, Zoo = 10.08%
2, Merfolk = 8.47%
3, Goblins = 6.45%
4, Bant = 4.84%
5, Landstill = 4.44%
2010-08-01 GP Columbus
Day 2 Metagame Breakdown
Zoo 20
Bant* 16
CounterTop 12
Merfolk 10
Goblins 10
Aluren 7
Land 6
Belcher 6
ANT 5
Landstill 7
*(Including New Horizons and Natural Order variants)
2009-09 ~ 2009-12 DTB Status
1, CounterTop = 164 (Bant CounterTop + Bant NOProg CounterTop = 84)
2, ANT = 155
3, Tempo Threshold = 150
4, Dredge = 140
5, Merfolk = 115
6, Goblin = 107
7, Zoo = 78
8, Faerie = 61
9, Bant Aggro = 59
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2010-03-16, update Mystic Control/Bant deck
2010-03-01, update Pro Bant of GP Madrid Top 8
2010-01-26, update "Sylvan Library"
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Color
(U+G+W)
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Type
Bant Aggro (Aggro-Control)
Pro Bant (Aggro-Control-Combo)
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History
Exalted ability (Noble Hierarch, Qasali Pridemage), creature with artifact/enchantment hate (Qasali Pridemage), and 3cc 3/4 lifelink creature (Rhox War Monk) created this deck.
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Main Deck
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Draw (4~8)
4 x Brainstorm
0~4 x Ponder
0~2 x Sensei's Divining Top
0~2 x Sylvan Library
Counters (7~11)
4 x Force of Will
3~4 x Daze
0~3 x Spell Snare : 1cc against 2cc
0~3 x Spell Pierce : 1cc against noncreature spell
Removal (4~8)
4 x Swords to Plowshares
0~4 x Path to Exile : 1cc remove target creature
Counter/Removal
0~2 x Bant Charm : put on the bottom of library/counter instant spell
Creatures
4 x Noble Hierarch
4 x Tarmogoyf
3~4 x Qasali Pridemage : against artifact/enchantment and exalted
3~4 x Rhox War Monk
0~2 x Trygon Predator : against artifact/enchantment, flying
0~2 x Vendilion Clique : the best 3cc flying blue creature
0~2 x Loaming Shaman
0~4 x Stoneforge Mystic
Combo (Pro Bant only)
3 x Natural Order
1 x Progenitus : 10/10 Protection from everything
0~1 x Dryad Arbor : land creature for Natural Order
Land (18 or 19)
8~9 x Fetch land (Misty Rainforest , Windswept Heath , Flooded Strand)
6~7 x Dual land (Tropical Island , Tundra , Savannah)
1~2 x Island
1~2 x Forest
1~2 x Plains
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Sideboard (15)
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[1] against red-based deck
Blue Elemental Blast , Hydroblast
- Zoo/Burn
- Goblin
[2] destroy artifact/enchantment
Krosan Grip , Trygon Predator
[3] graveyard hate
Tormod's Crypt , Relic of Progenitus , Faerie Macabre
- Dredge
- Aggro Loam
[4] Combo
Gaddock Teeg --> against ANT, Landstill, Stax, etc.
[5] removal
Submerge : best removal against green-based creature
Path to Exile
Engineered Explosives
[6] Other
Umezawa's Jitte
Meddling Mage
Threads of Disloyalty
Divert
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Banned !!
Counterbalance
=> Superme Blue CounterTop, Bant CounterTop, Pro Bant CounterTop => CounterTop Thread
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Reference
- Horizon Canopy + Wasteland + Stifle = New Horizons Thread
- UGW + Survival of the Fittest = Bant Survival Thread
- White tempo threshold = UGw Tempo Thread
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Question :
1. How about these cards in the main deck ?
Creature :
1-1. 0~3 x Knight of the Reliquary
1-2. 0~2 x Sower of Temptation --> 4cc 2/2 flying
1-3. 0~2 x Rafiq of the Many --> 4cc 3/3 exalted
1-4. 0~4 x Nimble Mongoose --> same as UGW threshold
1-5. 0~4 x Spellstutter Sprite --> counter-spell creature
Planeswalker :
1-6. 0~2 x Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1-7. 0~2 x Garruk Wildspeaker
1-8, How about this ? one, two, or three ?
Last edited by Tarmogoyf; 12-18-2013 at 08:10 AM.
Decklist check (2010-10-07 updated)
============================================================================
Bant Aggro
============================================================================
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37985
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37883
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37660
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37541
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37318
M11 (2010-07-17)
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36979
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36860
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36820
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36725
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36110
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35655
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35635
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35260
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35086
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35073
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34921
Rise of the Eldrazi (2010-04-23)
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35651
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34939
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34599
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34587
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34429
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34425
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34421
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34280
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34236
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33883
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33881
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33776 = 23
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33421 = 39
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33414 = 106
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33398 = 46
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33078 = 85
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33070 = 32
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32785 = 32
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32989 = 24
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32724
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32358 = 133
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32356 = 47
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32339 = 20
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32334 = 20
Worldwake (2010-01-30)
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32130 = 24
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31806
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31795
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31378 = SCG 5K Los Angeles T16
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31374 = SCG 5K Los Angeles T16
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31323
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31210 = 60
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31085
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=30361 = 59
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=30250
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=30257
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=30219
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31125
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=30336
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=30074
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29486
Zendikar (2009-10-02)
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29418 = 283 people
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29361
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29262 = 42
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29261 = 41
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29217
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29160
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=28419
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=28108
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=28101 = 53
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=28047 = 76
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27950 = 52
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27946 = 52
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27940 = 116 people
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27805
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27735 = 78
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27732 = 78
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27721 = 132 people
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27628
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27516
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27111 = 60
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27009
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=26615
Alara Reborn (2009-04-30)
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=25639 = 83
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=25058
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=23953
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=23426
============================================================================
Pro Bant
============================================================================
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37895
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37820
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37751
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37693
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37665
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37538
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37417
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=37412
M11 (2010-07-17)
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36875
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36859
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36724
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36702
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36497
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=36108
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35902
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35670
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35262
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35112
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34926
Rise of the Eldrazi (2010-04-23)
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=35648
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34943
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34827
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34634
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34629
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34475
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=34433
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33975 = 37
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33755 = 35
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=33422 = 39
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32841 ( 2225 GP Madrid )
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32471 = 35
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32351 = 47
Worldwake (2010-01-30)
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=32146 = 24
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31937 = 65
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31932 = 69
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31819 = 88
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31257 = 45
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=31190
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=30455 = 72
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=30283
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29643
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29603
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29511 = 112 people
Zendikar (2009-10-02)
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=29166
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=28752 = 46
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=28686
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27999 = 95
Last edited by Tarmogoyf; 10-07-2010 at 10:28 AM.
Finally, a Bant thread. There are some things you can do to improve it.
I think you should post up some match up analysis and SB plans.
You should also explain the advantage and disadvantage of NO/Pro in Bant aggro.
Another big thing I know everyone would ask is why ditching CounterTop, so you should post your reasons as well.
Just my 2 cents trying to make this thread better.
I think that NO/Pro is probably the best thing for the deck. I like that they worry about Goyf and War Monk that they dont see Prog coming. Also if you are going to run NO/Pro, you definitely need Dryad Arbor in the deck. The fact you can fetch out something to sac. Yeah losing a Heirarch isn't a huge deal, but sometimes they just arent there. Also most decks can't deal with Prog.
I run CounterTop as well. The fact the deck runs 1-5 mana costs makes it very nice. Yeah 3-5 are on the slim, but they are still in the deck if needed.
For sideboarding...I like to actually side out CounterTop because a lot of decks will bring in hate for it. Then they sit there holding K. Grip or whatever with nothing to hit.
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Hello,
I think Divert is a good choice for the SB against Discard and else. Sorry if i´am wrong.
I think Daze needs justification in this deck, especially because it seems to play differently than other variants.
Also, what makes a deck "Bant Aggro" / "Pro Bant"? Is this list Pro Bant? http://sales.starcitygames.com//deck...p?DeckID=30742
Level 2 Judge
Owner, Tales of Adventure Comics and Games, Coopersburg, PA
This thread is an excellent idea (and overdue in my opinion) but I think more justification is required for the specific card choices and, equally if not more importantly, the omissions (Jitte; Sower; Counterbalance- which sees play in most of the lists I've seen; etc.). Sure, you can take it for granted that Force of Will and Brainstorm (particularly in NO versions) are four-ofs, and likely a few other cards, such as Tarmogoyf, simply because they outclass other options in your colours, but most other cards demand logical justification if you're to speak with authority about why the deck is built the way it is. For example, I would not take it for granted that playing a minimum of three dazes is mandatory in this deck without some very firm grounding for that argument. Similarly, I do not see the logic behind determining that precisely 4 swords are mandatory (when you essentially have access to 8). Could the correct minimum number not be 3 or 5 or something else? Steve Menendian's new bant list (which may or may not be good) runs 7, for example.
In the ProBant builds, especially those with Counterbalance, I think 3-4 Daze is pretty mandatory. The deck's Sorcery speed card count is very high for an agro control deck and having free protection allows the deck to tap out aggressively shifting board position. It may be less relevant in the builds that don't curve out to 4cc cards. Some of the builds seem to bulk more at 2cc, so in those lists I could see the deck more often having mana available to utilize Spell Pierce or Spell Snare.
The OP lists 4-8 removal effects; which given how creature heavy the meta is seems very reasonable. I think in this deck Swords to Plowshares complements the strategy more than Path to Exile. Ones opponent generally is going to be more dangerous with an additional mana at their disposal than an additional ~4 life; the deck is built with the ability to fight and win an attrition battle, and it's not looking to 20->0 asap in the way that Zoo or something is. One could easily run 5-7 removal spells, but they should probably be 4 Swords to Plowshares and X Path to Exiles.
TPDMC
My point was moreso to suggest that you might be able to get away with 3 swords, or it might be absolutely mandatory to play at least 5, in which case, if we're sticking with the theme of declaring things to be absolutely mandatory (a potentially dangerous approach in my opinion), the minimum should be one of those numbers, or there should be some justification for the seemingly arbitrary number 4. When considering other card slots in this deck there is no such direct analogue (as there is with swords and path), so it can be taken for granted that if we're playing four we just want "as many as we can get." In this case, however, we can actually have more of the "same" card, so that implied argument flies straight out the window and there is a burden to justify why precisely four is the correct minimum.
Arguing about this specifically, though, I think isn't in anyone's best interest. The point I was trying to raise is that card selections, including numbers, and omissions should be justified and not simply taken for granted.
Last edited by GUnit; 01-06-2010 at 05:18 PM.
This is my list (which hasn't changed in about 4 months)
4 Noble Heirarch
4 Tarmogoyf
2 Trygon Predator
3 Rhox War Monk
2 Quasali Pridemage
1 Progenitus
4 Force of Will
4 Daze
2 Spell Snare
3 Ponder
4 Brainstorm
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Natural Order
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Windswept Heath
2 Flooded Strand
3 Tropical Island
2 Tundra
1 Savannah
2 Forest
1 Plains
2 Island
1 Dryad Arbor
------------------
SB
2 Gaddock Teeg
2 Tormod's Crypt
2 Relic of Progenitus
3 Path to Exile
2 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Hydroblast
2 Krosan Grip
I've done well with this deck - but have had problems vs. Goblins, Merfolk, and Dredge.
I can switch some numbers in the deck for metagame reasons - usually swapping slots between Trygon Predator/Pridemage and the 4th Rhox War Monk.
The 7 plow effects after boarding can really give a lot of problems to decks that don't swarm or have secondary win conditions that aren't creatures. (Counterbalance). I rarely side out Natural Order.
It is a bit of a mystery to me that the deck has been seeing it's most popularity when paired with Counterbalance/Top. I tried that configuration - taking out Ponders and some creatures, and have had no success with it. Again, I may be playing it incorrectly.
Goblins and Dredge hate Propaganda and Ghostly Prison. I had problems with those matchups, especially Goblins, but now I don't because of those cards.
Engineered Explosives is good against Merfolk and Dredge while also being excellent against Zoo and random BGW decks that kick Bant's butt.
On the whole number of swords issue. I run 4 StP main and 3 Path side. I like 4 swords main, and only swords, because if you are facing a non creature deck, they are dead draws and you don't want dead draws. All though most decks do run creatures so therefore have 4 seems like the right numbers. Path is a great card but the fact that you are giving them extra mana to threaten you is no good. You don't want to give Zoo more mountains to burn you out with or anything like that.
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Why is counterbalance 'banned' for this deck? I realize that it is suboptimal against some decks but it is back breaking in others. What do you do aagainst Ant or T.E.S without balance? I mean I find that its really one of the only ways to do it.
If you run Counterbalance, then your deck is a Counterbalance variant.
"Bant Aggro" refers to the more aggressive variants that skip CB in favor of a stronger beatdown plan.
Incidentally, Rhox War Monk provides a similar clock to Counterbalance. Turn 1 Hierarch, turn 2 RWM, turn 3 swing forces your opponent to come up with like 11-12 storm for the kill. With more swings, it becomes impossible to win off of Ad Nauseum (due to low life), and impossible to kill you with IGG or other methods (due to your high life), so you win.
Clearly bant aggro does worse against TES than the CB lists, but it's not unwinnable by any means. Also, no matter what happens, you're opening with Force and Daze in the main, so you can always salvage the combo matchups with board material.
Is 3 ponder to much? I like 2.
wouldn't you wanna play with 4 natural order cause it's so good? If they counter one cast the next, and if they're not playin counters ... win ... it's faster!
Why trygon and pridemage why not just pick the better one and be consistent?
Team Awesome: Busting Toilets since 2009
Meth!
This is an excellent question.
My build plays...
4 Natural Order
1 Rafiq of the Many
1 Progenitus
I have yet to see a good argument against this approach.
Natural Order is an absolute bomb. On those feared occasions where I had a Progenitus in hand and no Brainstorm to shuffle it back into the library, I still won off the back of NOing for Rafiq of the Many which made my attack with either Goyf or RMW that turn absolutely massive and game swinging. It's pretty hard to lose when RMW gains you eight life while dealing eight damage, and Tarmogoyf deals an absurd 12 damage. There were many situations I was in where I opted to NO for Rafiq instead of Progentitus because that was actually the superior option in that case.
TP is better against Stax and multiple Enchantment/Artifact decks. It also dodges Firespout vs Japanese Supreme Blue.
QP is better for "Kill it now" and has Exalted.
The singleton of TP is so if you absolutely must, you can NO for it. For Bant Aggro, I wouldn't run Rafiq because of his vulnerability to bolt and no way to recur him like you can in Survival builds.
EDIT: Also, running 3 copies is fine. You can cantrip into it. It's 4 mana, which can be a chore sometimes, so if you don't have 4 mana, it's kinda dead. The deck is supposed to be solid without it is what I gathered.
I know. But it could kill theirs too if they played it, ya know? And Stax could always O-Ring it. Or in some builds, Maze of Ith it forever. I guess the JSB point was too weak of an argument, so I stand corrected.
I think it was you who originally shot down Rafiq in some other post saying something about how your "bomb" being Bolt-able is really lackluster. And I agree for this deck.
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