Big Two

[Qweerios]

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/kamiofsight/aether_vial-1.jpghttp://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/kamiofsight/fauna_shaman.jpghttp://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/kamiofsight/squadronhawk.jpghttp://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/kamiofsight/Image-1.jpg

Big Two is a white and green aggro deck using Aether Vial, Fauna Shaman, and Squadron Hawk combined with a toolbox of creatures with a converted mana cost equal to two. The deck generates card advantage by resolving a Squadron Hawk and converting the searched copies into more valuable creatures via Fauna Shaman. It generates enormous amounts of card advantage using Sword of Light and Shadow to recur discarded creatures, Sword of Fire and Ice to draw when unblocked, and uses Jotun Grunt to recycle Hawks and fallen singletons.

Original list:

Creatures (29)
4 Mother of Runes
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Fauna Shaman
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Qasali Pridemage
2 Scavenging Ooze
1 Scryb Ranger
1 Jotun Grunt
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Phyrexian Metamorph

Spells (11)
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Aether Vial
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of Fire and Ice

Lands (20)
4 Wasteland
4 Horizon Canopy
4 Windswept Heath
4 Savannah
2 Plains
2 Forest

Sideboard (15)
4 Surgical Extraction
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Tajuru Preserver
1 Silhana Ledgewalker
1 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Lone Emissary
1 Kor Firewalker
1 Leonin Relic-Warder
1 True Believer
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Sword of Feast and Famine


GWU Big Two:


Creatures (24)
4 Mother of Runes
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Fauna Shaman
3 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Jotun Grunt
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Gilded Drake
1 Waterfront Bouncer
1 Phyrexian Revoker

Instants (12)
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Brainstorm
4 Daze

Artifacts (6)
4 Aether Vial
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Light and Shadow

Lands (18)
4 Wasteland
2 Tundra
2 Tropical Island
1 Savannah
1 Plains
1 Forest
4 Windswept Heath
3 Flooded Strand

Sideboard (15)
4 Surgical Extraction
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Manriki-Gusari
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Lone Missionary
1 Kor Firewalker
1 True Believer
1 Leonin Relic-Warder
1 Tajuru Preserver
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Meddling Mage

[Kich867]

It's interesting you bring this deck up. When the two were standard, I ran a G/W aggro list that abused this very concept--I would fetch up extra squaddy hawks and, just as you mentioned, boop them away for cards like Thrun, Obstinate Baloth, Hero of Bladehold, Mirran Crusader.

It was actually pretty effective, so a better legacy version of it sounds very cool. Any chance you'd run Green Sun's for some redundancy? Or if FS dies?

[Qweerios]

I like to maximize Thalia and Teeg's effect by not using GSZ.

[ScatmanX]

Wordly Tutor seems very nice here.

[Mon,Goblin Chief]

Wordly Tutor seems very nice here.

As does splashing blue solely for Brainstorm (or the other minor splash cards you mentioned yourself. But seriously, if you run Hawks, run Brainstorm). Hawkcestral Recall is quite broken (I should know). You could also think about adding Iona or Elesh Norn plus Loyal Retainers - gives you a knockout punch instead of just the ability to grind opponents out with CA.
I'd also want a few Birds in the deck, as redundant acceleration for when you don't draw a Vial.

[Telkku]

I just dont get where are the Knight of the Reliquarys? Its just the best g/w mob there is, and maybe in this deck you dont have to max them out, but at least 2, just so much utility and huge body, besides adding karakas would be good idea vs alot of decks and it has basicly no downsides, except getting wasted, but thats just life.. :D

[Qweerios]

I first played this deck with 3 colors for Brainstorm, StP, and Daze but I didn't like it. Pulling off the Hawkcestral Recall was rare the optimal play for my aggro gameplan. Besides, as it is now, I often cannot fetch all 3 Hawks without discarding 1 end of turn.

I don't play KotR because I only have 4 fetches and preffer Ooze as a fatty. I did play a singleton KotR at some point for Karakas and Moorland Haunt but he was often difficult to cast and the ability was subpar. Size of the creature is the least of my concern in this deck.

The Loyal Retainer combo is interresting. I will give it a try.

[Koby]

I would consider the Mangara/Karakas combo here, as well as Weathered Wayfarer to find select lands.

This deck should be called: E'erday I'm Shufflin'.

[NathanS2k]

I would consider the Mangara/Karakas combo here, as well as Weathered Wayfarer to find select lands.

This deck should be called: E'erday I'm Shufflin'.

Lmao!

[Qweerios]

lmao!

lmfao*

[Freggle]

Seems like there is a lot of design space yet to explore with this concept.

Is locking the deck at cmc 2 correct? I can't help to think about ticking one vial up to 3 and run Trinket Mage plus a myriad of excellent creatures at 3.

Have you seen the new lord? http://nurgleprobe.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/avayn-restored-spoiler-champion-of-lambholt.jpg

She seems kinda juicy in a deck like this.

[Vacrix]

I cannot begin to consider Squadron Hawk as card advantage in Legacy. 1W for a 1/1 flying is a joke. Doesn't matter if you can play a bunch more because it 'draws' you three cards; those 3 cards are Squadron Hawks. Lingering Souls is miles better, producing 4 1/1's with flying for 5 with just one of them while Squadron Hawk produces 4 1/1's with flying for 8 mana and you need to waste deck space on them, casting them one at a time. Even with Fauna Shaman, they Bolt your Shaman.. then what? You're stuck with 3 of the shittiest cards you could play in hand. I just don't see it.

That Champion looks dope with Lingering Souls. I would find a way to run black for the flashback and drop those Hawks. I've played against them with multiple decks and have never lost a single game to them.

[Qweerios]

I piloted WGu Big Two to a second place finish at a local event. I took down GWb Maverick and Dredge before losing to Hive Mind with a horrible missplay (Big Two is hard to play!). I will make some space for Daze and update the opening post to a GWU version.

[Qweerios]

First place at a local event with the following results:

2-0 Bant Maverick
2-0 Esperblade
2-0 UWb Landstill
2-1 Pox


Creatures (26)
4 Mother of Runes
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Fauna Shaman
3 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Jotun Grunt
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Gilded Drake
1 Waterfront Bouncer
1 Phyrexian Revoker

Instants (8)
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Daze

Artifacts (6)
4 Aether Vial
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Light and Shadow

Lands (20)
4 Wasteland
2 Tundra
2 Tropical Island
2 Savannah
1 Plains
1 Forest
4 Windswept Heath
4 Flooded Strand

Sideboard (15)
4 Surgical Extraction
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Lone Missionary
1 Kor Firewalker
1 True Believer
1 Leonin Relic-Warder
1 Tajuru Preserver
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Meddling Mage

[Kich867]

I've played similar decks (and this prospect in general intrigues the -shit- out of me. I wish I had better lands T_T;;), and I find that I'm often land-flooded and I have no real use for them past the first few turns once aether vials are online.

Have you thought about incorporating sensei's divining top at all? It would be a nice usage of your otherwise unspent mana.

Meddling Mage seems pretty strong, it's definitely a personal preference, but I enjoy cards like that greatly. At the moment I actually feel it would be quite a powerful card what with the format leaning so hard on Swords to Plowshares and other "This is the best card there is for this slot" situations.

[Qweerios]

I haven't had much value out of Meddling Mage so far simply because I have no way of knowing whats in my opponent's hand and let's face it, Meddling Mage is pretty crappy if your opponent doesn't have the named card availlable. However, I have found cards like Thalia and Daze with Vial and Wastelands to be extremely powerful nearly all game long.

Big Two can function with two lands but I have found 3-4 to be optimal to be able to abuse the engine and card advantage to its fullest. I remember being mana short and color screwed quite often with 18 Lands (4 Wastes), 20 lands feels much more apropriate.

Also, it doesn't matter how much I try to incorporate Brainstorm in this deck, it is terrible.

I think the sideboard is what needs the most work right now.

[Kich867]

I haven't had much value out of Meddling Mage so far simply because I have no way of knowing whats in my opponent's hand and let's face it, Meddling Mage is pretty crappy if your opponent doesn't have the named card availlable. However, I have found cards like Thalia and Daze with Vial and Wastelands to be extremely powerful nearly all game long.

Big Two can function with two lands but I have found 3-4 to be optimal to be able to abuse the engine and card advantage to its fullest. I remember being mana short and color screwed quite often with 18 Lands (4 Wastes), 20 lands feels much more apropriate.

Also, it doesn't matter how much I try to incorporate Brainstorm in this deck, it is terrible.

I think the sideboard is what needs the most work right now.

If you don't know what your opponent is playing by turn 2 you can safely assume they're playing jank and you should stomp them anyways.

Brainstorm may not be ideal, but Sensei's Divining Top is an absurdly powerful card. In my experience, having virtually no way to manipulate your draws is rarely a good thing. I would drop jotun grunt, waterfront bouncers, and a daze in a heartbeat for tops.

[Norm]

I haven't had much value out of Meddling Mage so far simply because I have no way of knowing whats in my opponent's hand and let's face it, Meddling Mage is pretty crappy if your opponent doesn't have the named card availlable. However, I have found cards like Thalia and Daze with Vial and Wastelands to be extremely powerful nearly all game long.

Big Two can function with two lands but I have found 3-4 to be optimal to be able to abuse the engine and card advantage to its fullest. I remember being mana short and color screwed quite often with 18 Lands (4 Wastes), 20 lands feels much more apropriate.

Also, it doesn't matter how much I try to incorporate Brainstorm in this deck, it is terrible.

I think the sideboard is what needs the most work right now.

Perhaps you should try including Brainstorm as a 2-of (or some number less than four). The interaction with Squadron Hawk is absurd, if you played it in Standard you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. This would allow you to generate card advantage when Fauna Shaman dies.

[Honoluluicecaps]

I really like the bant list you got first place with Qweerios (mostly because I'm bored of playing Maverick but love g/w). I'm wondering whether Weathered Wayfarer and Scryb Ranger would be worth testing in here.

Edit: Also, does it need to be blue? I like Daze in this shell, but could we run black instead? Gives access to creature removal a la Shriekmaw, Liliana of the Veil, and Dark Confidant... even though Gilded Drake is one of my top 3 favorite cards of all time.

[Qweerios]

If you don't know what your opponent is playing by turn 2 you can safely assume they're playing jank and you should stomp them anyways.

Oh believe me, I know what my opponent is playing by turn two, but you won't get any value out of Meddling Mage unless the card you name is availlable to them (AKA: in their hand).


Perhaps you should try including Brainstorm as a 2-of (or some number less than four). The interaction with Squadron Hawk is absurd, if you played it in Standard you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. This would allow you to generate card advantage when Fauna Shaman dies.

I don't remember when Brainstorm and Squadron Hawk were standard legal but I did play Cawblade. I believe I also mentioned that I have tested Brainstorm countless times in a myriad of iterations of Big Two and have concluded that it was irrelevent in nearly every single realistic scenario.

As for a black splash, it may be a good choice. Dark Confidant and Tidehollow Sculler are what attracts me the most out of that color. I play blue because the splash is very light, Daze has great synergy, and because Bouncer is insane with Hawks and with Gilded Drake (my #1 engine to break the stalemate against Maverick). When you look at how the Bant version is composed, it is really a monowhite Vial deck with a light green and blue splash for a couple of cards.

I had Scryb Ranger in the original list but dropped him because he was win-more. He was great when the engine was already online. I would never fetch a scryb when better cards were availlable.

I did not try out Weathered Wayfarer yet, and I don't intend to in the near future.

[Qweerios]

I resleeved Big Two recent and nearly got another first place. A last minute missplay cost me greatly. Here was the list:


Creatures (25)
4 Mother of Runes
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Fauna Shaman
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Jotun Grunt
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Gilded Drake
1 Waterfront Bouncer
1 Phyrexian Revoker

Spells (15)
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Daze
1 Tricks of the Trade

4 Aether Vial
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Light and Shadow

Lands (20)
4 Wasteland
4 Windswept Heath
4 Flooded Strand
2 Savannah
2 Tundra
2 Tropical Island
1 Plains
1 Forest

Sideboard (15)
4 Spell Pierce
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Kataki, War's Wage
1 True Believer
1 Kor Firewalker
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Meddling Mage
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Sword of Fire and Ice


1-1-1 UW Miracle
2-1 UW Stoneblade
2-0 Maverick
1-1-1 Maverick

R1 and R4 both went to time. If you are wondering about Tricks of the Trade, it was for a bet where we all include a random on-color card from a m13 booster pack and play the tournament with it. Whoever performs the best gets to win all the packs and gets his next entry fee covered by the one who performed the worst. I was also not allowed to side it out at any point. I took out my 2nd Qasali for it and it did hurt me greatly in all of the matchups. An interesting thing to note is that I played against Maverick with rarely more than 1-2 lands since I can't really stop the T2 KotR Wastelock shenanigans.

[frogger42]

Just taking a quick look at the decklists, I'm going to hop on the bandwagon and say KotR should be in here. The reason I'm saying that is this: all your dudes are weenies and a strategy that can deal with weenies can leave you in the lurch. The fact that KotR (or Goyf) is so huge is super-useful in a weenie deck - like Mav - because now your opponent has to deal with two strategies: weenie swarm and super-fatties. This means that Massacre and mini-sweepers will wipe much of your board, but your opponent still has to deal with the KotRs on the field to win. The opposite - all fatties - can be dealt with by StoP + Snapcaster.

Look at it this way - an active Grim Lavamancer (esp in Zoo) can house your entire board, whether MoR is online or not. KotR or Goyf are oddball threats that are weak to a different kind of removal - StoPs, not Forked Bolts - which causes your opponent to react differently depending on your board state. You've got options into two types of threats in your colors, and if your opponent can deal with one type effectively (like with Ensnaring Bridge), then just lead with the one he/she can't deal with. You lose no consistency, and I see no reason not to diversify your threats in this list.

[Qweerios]

I used to play with a singleton Mangara, KotR, Karakas, and Moorland Haunt in my deck. I took them out because once I tick the vial up to 3, I lose half of my tricks and protection. This deck isn't a "weenie" to begin with, it is extremely slow and mid-late game oriented. Mom protects from spot removal, and Teeg and Revoker prevents most sweepers from happening. The only sweepers that I have to Meddling Mage are pretty much Perish/Nature's Ruin and Virtue's Ruin. Also, rebuilding the board is extremely easy with Hawks and SoLS.

[Mirrislegend]

Not trying to be a dick here, but this deck is BARELY viable in Modern. The addition of Stoneforge does not make it Legacy playable. Why on earth would anyone play this over Maverick?

[frogger42]

But you get what I'm saying, right? All your guys max out at 2 toughness, which means I can spam one kind of removal (Infest etc.) and wipe almost all your pressure off the board. Just because you run Meddling Mage doesn't mean you'll always draw it - esp when you need it - so why play answers for his answers when you can just make his cards do less damage? Mix it up a bit, it'll make your deck more resilient.

[frogger42]

Not trying to be a dick here, but

Oh, yes you are, sir. Aren't you on vacation or something?

[Qweerios]

I completely understand this argument about having all my eggs in the same basket. However, the only decks that attempted to cast Infest against me didn't have much of a board presence. Combining Daze with Thalia and Spell Pierce post-board often allows me to clock on the storm player b4 he can think of casting infest. I have also played against Miracle a few times and i have won matches where I took 3 Terminus to the face. I am willing to accept a game loss against Deadguy with a well-timed Perish or Esperblade with a clutch Zealous Inquisition because those scenarios are rare.

@Mirrislegend,

Not trying to be a dick here, but have you tried this deck against Maverick? The only iteration of Maverick that I haven't taken down consistently so far has been the Punishing Fire one. Especialy now that Maverick has cut back on the Mindcensors and the SFM, I find the MU much easier.

Also, a good way to break open the Maverick MU is with a singleton Invisible Stalker for those times when Hawks can't reach.

[Honoluluicecaps]

I'm planning on the running the following Junk Big Two list at my local on Thursday:

Creatures (28):

4x Mother of Runes
4x Dark Confidant
4x Fauna Shaman
4x Squadron Hawk
3x Stoneforge Mystic
3x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2x Tidehollow Sculler
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Qasali Pridemage
1x Phyrexian Revoker
1x Gaddock Teeg

Business (12):

4x Swords to Plowshares
2x Cabal Therapy
1x Umezawa's Jitte
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
4x Aether Vials

Manabase (20):

4x Wasteland
4x Windswept Heath
4x Marsh Flats
2x Scrubland
2x Savannah
2x Bayou
1x Forest
1x Plains

Sideboard (meta-specific)

2x Surgical Extraction
1x Tajuru Preserver (Pox)
1x Ethersworn Canonist
1x Kor Firewalker
1x Qasali Pridemage
2x Krosan Grip
Xx...

Meta seems to be few combo decks, except for two Dredge decks, Maverick, Reanimator, RUG Delver, Merfolk, Pox, Esper Stoneblade, Goblins and jank. Obviously as I'm still working on the board, I'd welcome any suggestions.

Sculler at the end of the opponent's drawstep is obviously bonkers, and I would love to have more in the MD. Also, Cabal Therapy is testing really well (sacking Stoneforge to flashback, recur with SoLaS, replay for Jitte), but I quickly found out that 4 is way too many, especially in a meta that doesn't have too much combo. Bob, as always, is a monster.

[thefringthing]

Cool green (http://i.imgur.com/iZWQx.png)-white (http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?20612-DTB-GW-x-Maverick) deck, bro.

[Qweerios]

Cool green (http://i.imgur.com/iZWQx.png)-white (http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?20612-DTB-GW-x-Maverick) deck, bro.

Might as well use the same argument for Death and Taxes, no? The core of aggro decks packing white is fairly similar (AKA: mom, SFM, Thalia) so why not put all of them in the same category. Hey, there's even Deadguy Ale out there that's just a bad version of Maverick...

Or maybe they aren't the same, because Big Two doesn't die to sweepers, steals creatures, tutors instant hatebears in response to your opponent's spells, and most importantly, stomps maverick on the daily.

[eq.firemind]

Since you already run Fauna Shaman, maybe try out Loyal Retainers and a big legend like Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite or Iona, Shield of Emeria?
I don't think it's good for maindeck, but in can be a nice sideboard stategy.

[Qweerios]

I think it would be good in the SB as well. I don't own a Retainer however.

[Qweerios]

Updates on Big Two!

Gilded Drake + Waterfront Bouncer combo bit the dust in favor of a singleton Void Stalker. I also took out Jotun Grunt because he eventually dies and his recycling properties are too slow to be relevant in most games. I replaced him with a Batterskull.

Latest list:


4 Mother of Runes
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Fauna Shaman
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Void Stalker
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Phyrexian Revoker

4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Brainstorm
4 Daze

4 Aether Vial
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Batterskull

4 Wasteland
4 Flooded Strand
4 Windswept Heath
3 Tundra
2 Savannah
1 Tropical Island
1 Plains
1 Forest
//SB
4 Spell Pierce
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Faerie Macabre
1 Angel of Despair
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Meddling Mage
1 Phantasmal Image
1 True Believer
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Sword of Feast and Famine


The main question now is: Thalia or Brainstorm? Knowing that this deck produces a lot of card advantage and is very resilient already, which one is best? I think the answer isn't obvious even though Brainstorm is the best card in Legacy.

EDIT: Quick question. Can you respond to a Miracle trigger by vialing in Teeg? Will it prevent Entreat or Terminus from being cast via Miracle?

[Zupponn]

I'd personally rather use Thalia over Brainstorm. She just has a much bigger impact on the game IMO. I think that this deck would rather have a threat on the board than a card that might find you a threat. Also, she lets you enact shenanigans with Jitte a little because of her First Strike. I also was going to suggest Batterskull, so I'm glad to see you using it.

Something that I didn't see though was Leonin Arbiter, which I think would be an insane card to drop off a vial in response to a fetch and falls right in your 2 cmc mana curve (line?).

Also, I believe that you are correct in that interaction between vial, Gaddock Teeg, and Terminus. Since the miracle ability has to trigger before you can cast it, vialing Teeg in in respone prevents them from being able to cast it because it's still a 6 mana spell even though you're only paying 1 mana.

[Qweerios]

Oh I would love to use Leonin Arbiter. Unfortunately, his ability is symmetrical, and searching libraries is something that Big Two tends to do a whole lot more than the average deck.

[Zupponn]

Oh yeah. Completely forgot about that. Carry on then.

[ironclad8690]

I know this thread has been dead for some time now, but I just wanted to say that I have been testing Imposing Sovereign and it has been awesome as a tutor target. If you can vial one in in response to s sneak and show activation or when elves starts comboing off, it feels pretty awesome. I suggest anyone else interested in this deck to give it a try.

[Esper3k]

Two cards I would like to see in there are GSZ (for more tutoring!) and a 1-of Scryb Ranger for more Fauna Shaman / Mom activations.

[Zupponn]

Have you ever tested Karakas in this deck?

[ironclad8690]

Karakas is pretty good, but mostly in conjunction with knight as in maverick. Not really any way to tutor for it here. Weathered wayfarer could handle this job. Scryb ranger is definitely a good choice as well. Will have to test this some, as I currently play maverick and will need to switch it up for a few LGSes

[Qweerios]

A friend of mine wanted to play Imperial Recruiters and Vial in the same deck to make a fun brew so I remembered this thread and made a deck that uses the same principles. It is full of interesting techs and has proven to be quite a solid deck in the past few local tournaments. Here's the list:


4 Mother of Runes
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Fauna Shaman
4 Imperial Recruiter
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Spirit of the Labyrinth
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Mangara of Corondor
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
1 Knight of the Reliquary

4 Swords to Plowshares

4 Aether Vial
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Batterskull

4 Wasteland
3 Karakas
4 Windswept Heath
3 Arid Mesa
3 Savannah
1 Plateau
1 Taiga
1 Plains
1 Forest
//SB
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Pyroblast
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Council's Judgment
1 Mirran Crusader
1 Goblin Sharpshooter
1 Magus of the Moon
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Pithing Needle
1 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Rest in Peace
1 Choke


First, the Squadron Hawks were ditched to make way to Squee and Recruiters, a net improvement right there. SoLaS was replaced by SoFaI because we no longer have unlimited fliers to beat past Nemesis and because now Alesha plays the recursion role. Alesha is nothing to laugh at. She has some pretty awesome synergy with Karakas and Fauna Shaman and she will make your opponent think twice before attacking you when Recruiter is ready to block. My only complaint about her is that she cannot be tutored via Recruiter.

Then there is Karakas that was added as a definite 3-of. It gives the deck that DnT feel and makes certain combinations possible.

I am currently thinking about adding Brimaz to the mainboard. Perhaps over KotR or Mangara? All the Legendary silver bullets are extremely powerful in this shell. Magus of the Moon is another big scary creature that I would like to see in the main as well.

Let me know what you think!