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Creature Type Matters in MOM Standard

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Hello everyone. March of the Machine brought us over 180 new creatures. With those new creatures, it's time for us to take a look at some new decks that are themed around a particular creature type. I've got a few of them for you this week, so let's get started.

Azorius Knights

We'll begin with a Blue & White deck featuring Knights. Are Knights the new Soldiers in Standard? Let's take a look at the deck.


Marshal of Zhalfir
Not too long ago, decks featuring Soldiers were the way to go. And while Soldiers are still a viable choice when creating a deck, you can opt for Knights instead. Marshal of Zhalfir is the glue that binds the Knights together, providing a +1/+1 bonus to all other Knights that you control. It also allows you to tap another creature in play, preventing your opponent's best creature from attacking or denying them a powerful blocker. You'll often want to activate this ability on your opponent's turn just before they declare attackers, for maximum effectiveness.

This deck also includes a pair of Battles that are very beneficial for this deck. The first is Invasion of New Phyrexia // Teferi Akosa of Zhalfir. When this battle comes into play, you'll be able to create a variable amount of Knight creature tokens based on the amount of mana used to cast the spell. When the battle is defeated, you'll get Teferi Akosa of Zhalfir, with a -2 loyalty ability giving you an emblem that gives Knights you control a +1/+0 bonus and ward 1. By combining that emblem's effect with the flipped side of Invasion of Gobakhan // Lightshield Array, and your team of Knights will get more and more powerful with each attack, plus they can become indestructible.

Boros Dragons

Next, I have a Red & White deck featuring one of Magic's most beloved creature types, Dragons. Let's take a look at it.


Invasion of Tarkir // Defiant Thundermaw

While most Standard expansions only have one Dragon, March of the Machine includes a whopping six. This deck only includes one of them, and it's the flipped side of Invasion of Tarkir // Defiant Thundermaw. This battle is pretty important in this deck, because it can be a source of a lot of direct damage, depending on the number of Dragon cards you have in your hand when it is cast. Once the battle is defeated, Defiant Thundermaw enters play. Not only is it a 4/4 flying Dragon with trample, but it also continues the direct damage that you can deal when any Dragon you control attacks.

Nearly every creature in this deck is a Dragon, but there is a single exception. Rampaging Raptor is only a Dinosaur, not a Dragon, but it does bear some similarities to other Dragons in this deck. Like Tyrant of Kher Ridges, you can pay mana to activate its ability to increase its power for the turn. It also has an ability that is similar to Defiant Thundermaw, allowing it to deal additional damage to an opponent's planeswalker or a battle whenever it deals combat damage. The similarities don't stop there, though, as Rampaging Raptor also has trample, much like Defiant Thundermaw or Atsushi, the Blazing Sky.

Mardu Phyrexians

The next deck I have for you features the Phyrexians. We might not see these villains for a while, so you should try out this deck while Phyrexians are still legal in Standard.


Grafted Butcher
Grafted Butcher gives all other Phyrexians you control a +1/+1 bonus. Since every creature in this deck, as well as every creature token this deck creates, is a Phyrexian creature, you'll get a lot of mileage out of this ability. But Grafted Butcher is more than just a one-trick pony. When it enters the battlefield, Phyrexians you control gain menace for the rest of the turn. Grafted Butcheralso has another ability that allows you to sacrifice an artifact or creature to return Grafted Butcher from your graveyard to the battlefield, so blocking can be quite difficult for your opponent throughout the game.

To make things even more difficult for your opponent, you'll want to get a copy of Phyrexian Awakening into play. While this enchantment is on the battlefield, your Phyrexians will have vigilance. This means that you'll always have creatures that are able to block your opponent's attacks, if you want them to. Phyrexian Awakening also creates an Incubator token that can transform into a Phyrexian artifact creature. Those tokens, along with the tokens created by Skrelv's Hive and Urabrask's Forge become even more deadly while you have Mondrak, Glory Dominus in play.

Golgari Elves

The final deck I have for you this week features lots and lots of Elves. Let's check it out.


Llanowar Loamspeaker
Jinnie Fay, Jetmir's Second

In many ways, this deck acts like most typical Elf decks, using creatures like Llanowar Loamspeaker to help ramp your mana, allowing you to cast multiple creatures each turn. Since every creature in this deck is an Elf, having a copy of Leaf-Crowned Visionary on the battlefield will be greatly beneficial, as it provides a +1/+1 bonus to all of your other Elves, as well as giving you the ability to draw extra cards. You can quickly build up a large, powerful force to attack your opponent with, hopefully ending the game as soon as possible.

This deck does have a back-up plan, though. Jinnie Fay, Jetmir's Second has the ability to replace any tokens you would create with either 2/2 Cat creature tokens with haste or 3/1 Dog creature tokens with vigilance. By creating Incubator tokens with Elvish Vatkeeper and Glissa, Herald of Predation, you can end up creating some super-sized Cats or Dogs. You can even turn a Treasure token created by Gala Greeters into a Cat or Dog, if you'd like. Remember that replacing tokens with Jinnie Fay, Jetmir's Second ability is optional, so if you need that Treasure, you can create it.

Wrapping Up

Some of my fondest memories of playing Magic center on playing decks that are focused on one creature type. I can't think of any creature type that I won't try out, so I know there will always be a deck that focuses on the 'creature type matters' theme that I can have fun with.

What do you think of these decks? Feel free to share this article with your friends anywhere on social media. And be sure to join me here again next week as I continue my search for innovative decks in Standard. I'll see you then!

- Mike Likes

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