So I slapped together Caverns, Vial, the newly spoiled hatebear changeling, looked for the most playable birds, and threw in some generic good cards to top it up. Pull out a manabase pretty much at random and add a sprinkle of meme cards that care about birds and this is the result:


4 Birds of Paradise
4 Judge's Familiar
4 Baleful Strix
4 Unsettled Mariner
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Nimble Obstructionist
2 Derevi, Empyrial Tactician

4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will

1 Airborne Aid

4 Aether Vial

4 Cavern of Souls
1 Island
2 Karakas
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Flooded Strand
1 Polluted Delta
1 Seaside Haven
2 Tropical Island
2 Tundra
1 Underground Sea
1 Windswept Heath

Results so far indicate that the deck can pull its weight and win games by surprise, but presents an anemic clock (as it turns out, beating down with 1/1s can take a while). It also struggles against equipment. You also lose to nonsense like Blood Moon etc.

I'm now looking for sideboard cards that hedge the matchups that appear problematic at first glance. Soraya can boost the team even though she's a human, and the banding is actually super helpful. (I'm also looking forward to the numerous judge calls or playing that deck on camera and have commentators awkwardly attempt to explain banding.) Cloudchaser Kestrel can take care of the few enchantments in the format. Am I missing anything?