It seems like overkill to play that many angels, but they have worked out well at that number. Usually, I don't rely on Survival like I mentioned. I didn't want to get into the habit of having to mulligan to one every game. It's also handy to just run people out of removal quickly by being able to spam them with threats. I don't mind since I can just play them as a morph and flip them easily with Saffi, Blink, or discard Akroma to Survival and return her with a Retainer. I actually would like another Akroma, but 2 seems to be working so far. She's just a beast so I want her out right after a Exalted draws a swords.

Eight-and-a-half tails was an mvp for things like Shriekmaw on Akroma. He stops pretty much anything that's going to kill her and can sit and block most anything that tries to race. Wraths are rarely played around here.

Tarmogoyf sounds like it should be good, after all he's a monster in anything that's green, but he just plain has no synergy at all in here. There's no way to return him and I don't discard much of anything short of a creature here and there. He just seems subpar compared to third turn swings with one of the angels. I had him in my initial build, but eventually he went to the board since he always got boarded out, and finally was tossed since I never seemed to want him in any situation.

Pithing Needle isn't a big deal. That's one of the decks strengths. Name survival and I smile. I rarely use the Survivals. Survival is only there because it is dangerous as hell if you're going to let me have an active one out. I might blow a Needle up if you named Saffi. I don't like them on Saffi at all. Otherwise, it's a pretty bad card to board against this.

I board Needle myself just for Counterbalance really. Taking out the Tops makes it pretty useless other than odd topdecks. The mana costs are pretty weird as is. It was another reason I was trying out the Reveilarks. The cost was a bad spot for them to hit. We only have two Countertop style decks here, one with moat and counterspells and another with Imperial Recruiters, Painters Servants, Grindstone. So far, haven't had to much problem unless the one combos out fast. The control deck doesn't seem to be able to deal with this deck well. Runed Halo does work on Grindstone which is amusing.

I have had Harmonic Slivers in and out of the board. I like him a lot and I keep tossing the Wispmare and Grips back and forth for them. That's a personal choice I guess. Actually, I think if I pulled that deck out right now it has 3 Harmonics in the board.

I'm kind of surprised you went up on the number of Mangaras. I kept thinking he was too slow. Sure you get a nice remove from game effect, but man, I hated waiting for summoning sickness and I just couldn't bring myself to try getting an Anger online. That 4th color just seemed like stretching it.

If there was a white or Green card that didn't suck that could give haste, I might try it. I board him out a lot since I hate how slow he is. He stays in the deck because he's so randomly dangerous. If someone is running out of answers and he pops up, it can be a lock out. I've never wanted him early though. He working out for you? I may be trying to play him at odd times or something.

And lastly, Swords, yeah. I couldn't see myself taking those out for much of anything. The day you do, you run into something you need a swords for. Never seems to fail.

So my questions would be how are you guys dealing with combo? That seems to be my biggest problem. Game one is almost an auto lose. This deck can't out combo those dedicated ones. How are you doing against Threshold. I haven't had a chance to play against that. I take it that's why the comments about Loaming Shaman came up. Dredge surely isn't a problem. Go Saffi.