MtG Standard - Junk Midrange/Valuetown

[AsianGuy1137]

I've seen several Naya and Bant lists, but the only Junk lists seem to be focused purely on Reanimator. I believe the Junk combination has the potential to not just do well but entirely DOMINATE the midrange field if it were given its chance in the spotlight. Aside from the classic GW core, the black splash allows access to Unburial Rites, arguably the best five CMC value card besides Thragtusk, Disciple of Bolas for some lifegain and digging (even overwhelming CA), and Sever the Bloodline, which I personally think is an underrated removal card this format. Aside from those, the SB can now support cards like Lingering Souls, Golgari Charm, Abrupt Decay, Vraska, and so on for a versatile array of options.

As of right now, there have been a few similar lists that have topped at two different States events as far as I'm aware of, but I'm hoping that this changes soon because this deck really deserves more credit than people give it. My build is below.

Valuable Junk

- Creatures: 22 -

2 | Angel of Serenity
2 | Armada Wurm
4 | Thragtusk
3 | Restoration Angel
3 | Disciple of Bolas
3 | Loxodon Smiter
4 | Avacyn's Pilgrim
1 | Arbor Elf

- Other Spells: 14 -

4 | Farseek
3 | Sever the Bloodline
3 | Unburial Rites
2 | Cloudshift
2 | Garruk, Primal Hunter

- Lands: 24 -

4 | Temple Garden
4 | Sunpetal Grove
4 | Overgrown Tomb
4 | Woodland Cemetary
3 | Cavern of Souls
2 | Forest
1 | Plains
1 | Gavony Township
1 | Vault of the Archangel

The GW core helps to establish formidable field presence. I know many decks choose to not play Armada Wurm, but I think that's a huge mistake considering that it's essentially a 2-for-1 that can be blinked or unburied for extra value. The tokens generated by Thragtusk, Wurm, and Garruk ensure maximum field presence with Disciple of Bolas and Angel of Serenity serving as a way to generate surplus value to stabilize or overwhelm your opponent with advantage. Vault of the Archangel really shines here as it turns every single card into a significant threat that allows you to regain life and stabilize or overwhelm. I've considered taking out a Township and a Plains for 2 more copies as it's just been so good everytime I've seen it.

The aggro matchups are slightly harder as I chose to forego the 8 dork plan for less turn 3/4 Thragtusks but greater threat diversity and less susceptibility to Turn 3-5 Bonfires. The sideboard includes Centaur Healers that can replace the Angels of Serenity and some mana acceleration/Wurms for a better chance at stabilizing.

I've not had extensive testing against control, but I think the matchups are fair as we can actually race them in terms of raw of advantage if we can land Caverns since their only real advantage engine is Sphinx of Relevation which on average should only generate around 6 or 7 draws per use that can easily be matched or mitigated by Disciple and Garruk. Smiters really shine here as they'll be forced to use up their boardwipes or point removal to deal with it, allowing us to preserve our bigger threats. As their main form of interaction is through counterspells, landing a cavern will shut down a fourth to a third of their non-land spells leaving only Restos and Snaps to deal with. The only thing to really watch out for is Miracled Entreats (which Sever or Angel of Serenity should be able to deal with) and the occasional Pikes.

Against other Midrange decks, if we have reasonable draws that can match theirs, then it should be in our favor as our grave recursion and Disciples really outraces them. If the game gets drawn out long enough, Angel of Serenity and Vault/Gavony should be able to breakthrough boardstalls or at least give the extra little push needed to come out on top.

[AsianGuy1137]

Bump in the (misguided) hope of getting at least one reply.

[Flame Dragon]

Not going to tell you what changes I'll make, just what cards I like and don't like in this kind of deck. With that said, here we go:

Disciple of Bolas is meh. Since your on a reanimator plan Grisly Salvage is really good here.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the ramp in the deck. It isn't bad but it makes your really weak to board clearing effects. Mulch can help make sure you hit your land drops.

Resto is just an amazing card so you should run the 4th copy.

Centaur healer can help with your aggro matchup can plays well with the flicker stuff.

For control I like Lili since she eats that their hand and you have stuff you don't mind discarding.

This is also a personal thing, but I don't really like Smiter since its just an undercosted guy.

[AsianGuy1137]

Fair enough, but this is definitely NOT reanimator. This is a midrange value deck. Disciple is amazing, and if you've ever played it, you'll know that it can seal a game or at least swing the state of the game in your favor with the added benefit of enabling Rites, which I think speaks for itself as a value card as shown by Conley Woods. It usually has targets if you draw at least tolerable hands so that's not really an issue. Grisly Salvage was in here, but I felt that it wasn't needed. The ramping is a necessary evil. Farseeks are used in every non-aggro deck that runs green as a main color, and the dorks just speed you up which is why Mulch is rarely used in midrange decks. It's not that we don't want more consistent land drops, it's that we want to play cards a turn or two earlier than they otherwise can be. The fact that I'm only running 5 dorks mean that I'll only lose one extra dork than I usually would against boardwipes in most cases so that's hardly relevant with all the value cards run in here. Only 3 restos are used because of the teched Cloudshifts which I think is an interesting idea with the low cmc so you're not blown out by a well timed counterspell alongside the element of surprise. Liliana is very underwhelming. Even Jund doesn't run her for control matchups purely because a more useful spell could be used in the form of a value creature or Garruk. Her discard is largely irrelevant as control will outpace you in CA quickly. This can be demonstrated by how little she's used in top 8 deck lists. Her -2 is the only thing that makes her somewhat useful in dealing with hexproof creatures. Centaur Healers are good against aggro and are put in the sideboard. I prefer maining Smiters because they dodge discard, not usually relevant except for the occasional Rakdos Returns, and counterspells as well as Searing Spear while Healer does none of those things. The 4/4 body is also very relevant in dealing with aggro guys whilst making it shrug off all the keyrunes and be a good on the curve target for Disciple. The GWB Midrange topic on mtgsalvation has largely come to the consensus that most of the cards used in this list comprise the core of the archetype, barring specific numbers on Serenity and Wurm which are at times not run at all.