Notes & Combos

Similar to what I have had for a while now. This deck feels well positioned for the meta, runick spright is a little tough but at the same time this deck does well against most other meta threats, including pure spright. Also, due to Runick Sprights prevalence, all the cards to counter that strategy, such as typical board breakers, have come to our benefit, as we usually have handtraps to rely on if our board is negated. Nibiru becoming less popular is also to our benefit. Ghost ogre can be really annoying, though bare in mind people are preferring board breakers over handtraps currently, and any ogres ran are at usually 1 copy; sometimes 2.

Difference from my last list on this site is ghost belle has gone to 1. My reasoning for this was:

i) to put deck closer to 40 cards for overall improved consistency

ii) reducing handtrap ratio in favour of board breakers and engine - just slightly tho; 16 handtraps is bare minimum and it will likely go up in future metas.

Handtrap choice is standard. i kept 1 belle instead of a 3rd veiler just to diversify handtrap lineup and ensure I open a wide range, but all whilst prioritizing the best ones. ogre is good against spright, even runick variant - you just need to be patient with the timing. veiler imperm standard, not GY heavy meta just yet. ash and Maxx dont need explaining. Shifter however, seems interesting. many decks like exosister aren't fully running this card, but we have positive synergy with this card. zoodiac is about trading 1 for 2 or better with your opponents cards, and while current decks can play under shifter, they can't do so too efficiently and usually have weaker recovery; the idea is for your opponent to be left in a bad position to recover from all whilst have advantage over your opponent, locking them with handtraps and beating them down.

Due to midrange meta as a whole, board breakers have earned their place where other less impactful handtraps would reside, or more copies of current ones. Slayer send trouble sunny is brilliant, as, in the spright matchup, you can potentially rid the elf and the smashers, and then even if they successfully ip, they dont have much to recover off as they likely have no 2s on field; ideally you'd have more breakers and/or HTs, but even still on its own it puts in work. Pankratops is a gem. Not only a pop, but also a beatstick, a body - just incredibly versatile. Not the most powerful but most reliable for sure. LS duster for backrow - does the job well.