BANT standard midrange

Always have plenty of options! This color combination is rare in current standard, but if you have your mana base right you'll be surprised at what it can do.

This deck is basically a combination of two decks which I used to play: Selesnya aggro and Simic control. I have added a lot of Azorius cards as well to the use the strengths of all three guilds. This deck combines elements of control with some agression and makes sure you often have plenty of options available.

----------
Why i built it?

In my opinion, Selesnya was the best aggro in the previous block. However, when Theros came out it was quickly overrun by all kinds of monocolored aggro decks, often simply lacking the proper tools to beat them. I also ran a poorly performing Simic deck by then and decided to combine the two guilds in one deck. Simic and Azorius have a lot of tools which Selenya lacks and which can help it to defeat the annoying devotion decks.

There's multiple ways to play this deck, often depending on your starting hand.

If you have a lot of (Selesnya) creatures like Voice of Resurgence, Fleecemane Lion, Boon Satyr, Selesnya Charm, Advent of the Wurm and Loxodon Smiter in your starting hand, going aggro (often using the Selenya Charm for a Knight Token) is a good decision. You can use cards like the other Charms, Negate and Detention Sphere to keep your creatures alive and to remove threaths.

If you're holding a Supreme Verdict and some cards like Negate and Detention Sphere, you would usually play it as a midrange control deck but always try to keep some pressure on the opponent. Play on or two creatures to keep the pressure on (Voice of Resurgence is great as it 'returns' as a token after a Supreme Verdict) and think out a strategy to overrun your opponent. Getting the ultimate out of Kiora is cetrainly possible, but first wiping out your opponent's most important creatures and then killing him with yours if often the way to go.

In general, this deck should provide a combination of both 'aggro' and control. You need some of the control to beat aggressive monocoloured decks, and can use cards like Loxodon Smiter versus control.

------

Some random remarks:

The manabase in this deck is very important: you will need two green, two white, and two blue mana to be able to play all the cards. There is quite a lot of scrying in this deck, and although the temples slow the deck down, they are usually worth it.

Don't be afraid to use Simic Charm or Azorius Charm for bouncing a creature if is gives you a clear board-advantage. And certainly don't forget to exile gods with Selesnya Charm whenever you have the chance.

Boon Satyr, Advent of the Wurm and Selesnya Charm all produce creatures at instant speed. Keeping mana open and playing them at the end of your opponent's turn gives plenty of advantage. First of all, you can keep open mana for a counter or a charm. Secondly, you will surprise your opponent after his main phases and be able to attack right away the next turn.

Be very afraid of Stormbreath Dragon. If your opponent gets it on the board, you'll often be in big trouble as this deck lacks any flying creatures and it has protection from white. Curse of the Swine, Plummet or Krasis Incubation (sideboard) can get rid of it.

• Bant
• Midrange
• Azorius
• Selesnya