Several weeks ago, at the MOCS, we saw a crazy R/G Thopter deck featuring Pia and Kiran Nalaar, Thopter Engineer, and other token generators backed by Atarka's Command and Trumpet Blast. That deck showed the power of going, but it has the potential to lose against decks which go a little bigger or pack too many sweepers out of the sideboard. Cody Lingelbach may have solved this problem with his innovative take on Thopter Midrange he took to the Top 4 of Grand Prix Oakland. Let’s take a look:

Mardu Thopters ? Battle for Zendikar Standard | Cody Lingelbach, Top 4 Grand Prix Oakland

• Creatures (17)
• 2 Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury
• 3 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
• 4 Abbot of Keral Keep
• 4 Thopter Engineer
• 4 Hangarback Walker

• Planeswalkers (4)
• 1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
• 3 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar

• Spells (14)
• 2 Fiery Impulse
• 2 Murderous Cut
• 2 Secure the Wastes
• 3 Wild Slash
• 4 Crackling Doom
• 1 Silkwrap

• Lands (25)
• 1 Plains
• 1 Swamp
• 2 Mountain
• 1 Cinder Glade
• 1 Smoldering Marsh
• 2 Battlefield Forge
• 2 Canopy Vista
• 2 Nomad Outpost
• 2 Windswept Heath
• 3 Bloodstained Mire
• 4 Shambling Vent
• 4 Wooded Foothills

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Utter End
• 2 Outpost Siege
• 2 Infinite Obliteration
• 2 Roast
• 2 Self-Inflicted Wound
• 2 Transgress the Mind
• 2 Duress
• 2 Arc Lightning

Buy This Deck

This deck is jam-packed with value. From Thopter Engineer to Abbot of Keral Keep, almost every creature in this deck is a two-for-one. These value creatures, in addition to Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and Secure the Wastes, are an incredible way to flood the board with creatures which threaten to get out of control very quickly. The addition of White and Black to this deck mean you gain access to Crackling Doom, Murderous Cut, and all manner of other efficient removal and midrange cards. This makes it easier to grind out the midgame rather than hoping Trumpet Blast is good enough.

The two most important additions to this deck are Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and Hangarback Walker. Gideon is a powerful midrange threat and can take over a stable board or help your tokens start trading up. It’s possible that Retreat to Emeria could fill a similar role, but Gideon is overwhelmingly powerful on so many board states it’s hard to argue against him.

Hangarback Walker, on the other hand, is more than a powerful midrange threat and token generator. This is a way for Mardu to go bigger than other midrange decks. Hangarback Walker fills a flexible slot on the curve, and is absolutely incredible in conjunction with Pia and Kiran Nalaar. Being able to turn your Thopters into shocks lets you take over the board and steal games out of nowhere.

Last, the deck’s ability to surprise the opponent with Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury is one of its biggest strengths. Curving Thopter Engineer into Pia and Kiran Nalaar and following up with a dashed Kolaghan represents an enormous amount of evasive damage. When you can back that up with the ability to grind out longer games with tokens and removal, you have a deck ready to take on all contenders in this Standard format.