At long last, here’s my Orzhov brew for Ravnica Allegiance!
Orzhov posed a particular problem in deckbuilding – you could go the route of the Azorius aggro deck I wrote about last week with Afterlife creatures instead, but it felt like you were passing up on so much black-based removal. On the other hand, a more aggressive black strategy sees you losing out on powerful cards such as Tithe Taker or Settle the Wreckage.
Instead, I decided, why not play them all? To that end, I’ve built a more controlling Orzhov deck, focused on neutralizing opponents’ early creatures and closing out the game with powerful threats.
Orzhov Angels
2 Basilica Bell-Haunt
3 Lyra Dawnbringer
3 Resplendent Angel
3 Seraph of the Scales
2 Shalai, Voice of Plenty
3 Cast Down
4 Mortify
3 Duress
3 Kaya’s Wrath
3 Arguel’s Blood Fast
2 Settle the Wreckage
4 Vraska’s Contempt
4 Godless Shrine
4 Isolated Chapel
2 Memorial to Folly
8 Plains
7 Swamp
Sideboard:
2 Consecrate // Consume
2 Ixalan’s Binding
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
3 Moment of Craving
4 Tithe Taker
2 Unbreakable Formation
The Main Deck
With eleven removal spells and five board wipes – including Kaya’s Wrath – this deck is prepared for creature combat. Add a discard package of Duress and Basilica Bell-Haunt, and powerful finishers in Seraph of the Scales and Lyra Dawnbringer, and you’ve got yourself a party. Additionally, Memorial to Folly provides some late-game grind with the ability to bring your threats back from the graveyard.
Unfortunately, playing a black and white control deck means losing out on card-draw, so Arguel’s Blood Fast plays a vital role. Mortify is another particularly compelling addition – with enchantments like Wilderness Reclamation, Search for Azcanta and Experimental Frenzy running amok, you’ll always find a use for it.
It’s also not unreasonable to splash green to be able to activate Shalai, Voice of Plenty. However, her Hexproof ability is the real draw to playing her; she does work against Mono-Red and shuts off disruptive cards like Thought Erasure and Settle the Wreckage.
The Sideboard
This deck has many dead main deck cards against opposing control decks, so we’ve loaded up on them in the sideboard. Karn, Ixalan’s Binding, Tithe Taker, and Unbreakable Formation are all great in control mirrors.
I’ve also added Moment of Craving to the sideboard as another concession to aggressive strategies. Meanwhile, Consecrate // Consume is a great, flexible card that punishes both graveyard strategies and any deck running that pesky Hydroid Krasis.
Overall, I believe this deck has the ability to grind with the best of midrange, and go toe-to-toe with aggressive strategies. If your local game store doesn’t have an abundance of control or Turbo Fog in its metagame, then I would recommend this build for you!
I’m sad to see the weeks of brews come to an end. If you have another take on a guild that has been working well for you, let us know on Twitter!
A Spike at heart, Chantelle spends her free time prepping for tournaments, working toward the ever-elusive Mythic Championship, and championing other competitive ladies. She’s a combo aficionado and seasoned aggro deck player, and Standard and Modern are her preferred formats. Growing and improving as a player, both technically and in her mental game, are of the utmost importance to her.