11/6 FNM Recap – Abzan In All Formats

Welcome back to the FNM recap. It’s been a while since we last met, and a lot has changed in the world of Standard. Rotation has come and gone, taking with it Theros block and Magic 2015, and leaving it its wake Battle For Zendikar. Despite the loss of Thoughtseize in Standard, Abzan appears to be alive and well in Dave and Adam’s Standard event, with Brandon Zadzilka going 4-0 at our recent Cash Night with Green/White/Black midrange:

3x Hangarback Walker

3x Den Protector

2x Nissa, Vastwood Seer//Nissa, Sage Animist

3x Deathmist Raptor

2x Catacomb Sifter

4x Siege Rhino

1x Tasigur, the Golden Fang

1x Greenwarden of Murasa

2x Ruinous Path

4x Abzan Charm

1x Languish

2x Utter End

2x Murderous Cut

1x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar

1x Sorin, Solemn Visitor

2x Ob Nixilis Reignited

3x Wooded Foothills

4x Windswept Heath

1x Canopy Vista

1x Smoldering Marsh

1x Llanowar Wastes

1x Caves of Koilos

4x Sandsteppe Citadel

4x Shambling Vent

4x Forest

1x Swamp

2x Plains

Sideboard

1x Ultimate Price

2x Transgress the Mind

3x Arashin Cleric

1x Silkwrap

1x Evolutionary Leap

2x Dromoka’s Command

2x Read the Bones

1x Languish

1x Tragic Arrogance

1x Greenwarden of Murasa

Abzan Midrange looks to survive until the middling turns, using removal and hard to kill creatures and eventually grind the opponent out of resources. Siege Rhino and Hangarback Walker, the two most ubiquitous creatures of the last Standard format make an appearance here, as well as Tasigur, the Golden Fang, and his ability to further grind resources out of the opponent using his recursion ability. With Abzan doing well at the Pro Tour and at smaller, private tournaments, it should be no surprise that people will stick with the old standby.

Abzan was the deck du jour in our most recent modern event, with our winner Rob Imbs:

4x Tarmogoyf
4x Siege Rhino
3x Scavenging Ooze
1x Tasigur, the Golden Fang

3x Liliana of the Veil
1x Sorin, Solemn Visitor

4x Verdant Catacombs
3x Windswept Heath
1x Marsh Flats
3x Overgrown Tomb
2x Temple Garden
1x Godless Shrine
2x Stirring Wildwood
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Tectonic Edge
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Plains
1x Forest
2x Swamp

4x Lingering Souls
3x Inquisition of Kozilek
3x Thoughtseize
4x Path to Exile
3x Abrupt Decay
1x Maelstrom Pulse
1x Dismember

Sideboard

1x Damnation
1x Thrun, the Last Troll
2x Spellskite
2x Feed the Clan
2x Golgari Charm
1x Zealous Persecution
1x Choke
2x Stony Silence
3x Leyline of the Void

Rob’s deck has the same overall game plan as the Standard list. Efficient 1-for-1 removal, difficult to kill creatures, card advantage, a little recursion and a little incidental life gain are par for the course for this style of deck. To give you an idea of the power level of Standard at the moment, Rob’s Modern list, which has access to cards printed from 8^th Edition all the way through Battle for Zendikar, also features Siege Rhino and Tasigur, the Golden Fang. The rhino, a 4/5 which drains your opponent for 3 life when it comes into play, and Tasigur, which can be a 4/5 for as little as 1 mana and can recur your dead creatures or your removal spells over and over are just that good.

Will Abzan reign supreme again next week? Find out for yourself at Friday Night Magic at Dave and Adam’s.