Mtg Deck Tech: G/B Counters in Aether Revolt Standard!

[@WillArtie]

Watching a Dev deck Tech is pure escape & joy. Completely forget your worries, problems, work for around 15 minutes. Wish it went for longer... Thanks again Dev!

[@SBMTG]

Ohhhh snap a decklist very similar to this one just won SCG Open Columbus y'all

[@SBMTG]

sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=111025

[@SBMTG]

I'm surprised at the lack of Nissas, but not surprised that Flayer is there

[@SBMTG]

Oh and also 2nd and 3rd place are GB aggro decks too AND YES I WILL CONTINUE TO REPLY TO MYSELF lol

[@Gh0stfaceKiIIah]

aaand Ballista just spiked to $15 f*#%!

[@rossrudolf6787]

Strictly Better MtG bant clues thx!

[@Dreznin]

I've been play-testing an entirely different G/B Counters list and have come to really like Lifecrafter's Gift in the 4-slot. The synergy that it has with the Winding Constrictor and being at instant speed makes it an incredibly potent combat trick. It's also great for baiting out and surviving an expertise, which is a definite plus. Just food for thought and experimentation.

[@MetallerAaron]

Awesome Dev! Definitely going to sleeve this one up and give it a whirl! Keep up the good work man!

[@elibillings8598]

Armorcraft Judge is an insane card and I want to play this deck because of it. This decklist looks great

[@Basurita]

You have my vote for the mono-red aggro red/black aggro double deck tech. Always love your videos, keep up the great work!

[@germtheory9053]

It'd be awesome to see your version of a white black servo aristocrats deck, maybe work in some aetherborn tribal. My version is what you'd expect from a typical aristocrats deck but it has a lot of board wipes and removal to potentially give you a Yahenni with a bunch of counters on an otherwise empty board

[@alxdegroot]

This deck looks really a lot like my kind of deck! I almost forgot how much I love putting counters on things until I pulled a Winding Constrictor at Prerelease. Very happy to see a deck like this in the format again. Go Hardened Scales-Snake! Go!

[@inertia5744]

Listening to you get all hype about a deck list is making my hyped up too! Keep up the great work

[@Gh0stfaceKiIIah]

Ridgescale Tusker seems like a solid budget replacement for Green Hulk (especially if you don't have money for Ballista also) no? For my finishers i am running two of that, 1 Green Hulk & 1 of Big Pig (running 3 Armorcraft Judge to sac to it). Although i agree the deck isn't worth making if you don't have at least 3 Nissa VoZ, luckily bought my last 2 for ~$4 a month ago for my Hardened Scales frontier deck. I am also splashing red for Harness Lightning instead of Grasp, i think it is just as easy to get a 3rd color then to get double black, running 4 evolving wilds, 4 Aether Hubs & 4 Attune with Aether (i am running Cub also) so it seems super easy to get 3rd color. What is everyone's thought on Obsessive Skinner, i have always really liked this card, seems like it would be pretty easy to get Delirium running 4 Ballista, 4 Nissa, 4 evolving wilds, 4 instant speed removal and like i said above you would need to go energy sub theme and run 4 Attune with Aether.

[@SBMTG]

Good call on this. Fully support

[@kassill3786]

Strictly Better MtG yeah thats what i ran in its place yesterday and, in certain limited board states, it's a bit better. Green Hulk is still king, but Tusker is no joke either

[@miguelalvarez6450]

Jacob Anderson hey i only have 1 ballista. What can i use to to replace hulk and ballista temporarily?? Till i can obviously afford it lol.

[@Gh0stfaceKiIIah]

I'm no pro so i'm probably not the best person to ask, but are you in more of a Delirium build a a Energy build, like i said tho Ridgescale Tusker is a good replacement for hulk, unless for some reason you aren't running that many creatures.

[@miguelalvarez6450]

Jacob Anderson hey I'm running a counters deck with some removal. The only things i dont have are Nissa, hulk, and only 1 ballista.

[@Executor422]

Hey Dev, i absolutely love your deck techs and your content and would like to ask you a question. Where do you go to test the decks you have built?

[@VeronicaFernandez9109]

Great Birthday present Dev!. My vote goes for the Meccaclues Deck. If done well ( which you will ) seems stupid. I feel like this standard environment almost requires running blue so that is what I'd like to see. I'm Tapped Out

[@SBMTG]

Happy birthday V!

[@geesegoose6174]

Veronica Fernandez HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

[@VeronicaFernandez9109]

Jeez, I pulled a foil *fatal push* from Birthday pack wars AND a Happy Birthday from my favorite MTG guru... I'm so tapped out.

[@yellow_jacket3260]

Veronica Fernandez that foil fatal push is 30 bucks

[@ZevMaximus]

Won prerelease with G/B counters. Totally wanted to make it for standard. Really excited to have seen this in my subscriptions!!

[@Juhheli]

So get counters ramp to get huge stuff and turn everything sideways. I love it.

[@NonkiKong]

Nice video and deck tech :) i would be happy to see your mono red deck! my favorie type of deck ^^

[@GodEmperorofDune1986]

I'm building something similar, so your video is much appreciated. Some questions: Constrictor and Bandar: Why four and not three counters? Also main deck four Fatal Push. And Maulfist Revolutionary. Brings build in trample and shares +1/+1 counters. And what about Rhino Train? Guess this is a strong archetype.

[@kassill3786]

love the deck man. Ran my own version (no hulks/nissas) yesterday at a GPT and had good results

[@geesegoose6174]

LOVE this deck! I want to see the mech production deck tech!!!

[@ultimus1998]

I love the deck! It's been fun to play with it. Any reason why you didn't run Narnam Renegade x3 instead of the Oath of Nissa and one of the Servants of the Conduit? While playing, and thoroughly enjoying it, I felt that a good 1 drop was all the deck needed.

[@jakesalgado5807]

I'm 100% all in to this deck. I've been toying around with a very similar deck list, but I'm testing with a splash of blue. Two reasons: 4x Skyship Plunderer and 2x Altered Ego (maybe more). Both basically serve as copies of Winding Constrictor (Altered Ego could even be a copy of VGH, but better.) and with all the mana fixing from Servant and the Aether Hubs, you can run a single Botanical Sanctum and boom, Sultai counters.

[@user-fh2hk3tx1x]

At 3:10 in the video when you mention Servant of the Conduit and having a Constrictor in play wouldn't you get 4 energy counters instead of two? I'm relatively new to the game and was just curious. Your channel is great btw!

[@Vi101Jay]

Hey Dev!! Look, I've been thinking... Is it possible to make a deck with brains in a jar and inspiring statuary? Like, using brains 4 value spells, some artifacts 4 statuary and ramp towards worldbreakers and big Ulas?

[@phillipmeade7640]

Awesome deck Dev. You are still my best deck DEVeloper on KZbin.

[@minibuffalo6634]

If you had multiple scrounging bandars out with a constrictor, how exactly would the bouncing of counters back and forth work. They come with 3 counters, trade 2 to each other which would then instead be 4 counters? If that's the case first upkeep of having both of them the 3/3 bandars become 5/5 bandars, then next turn they trade 4 counters and become 9/9? Or am I thinking about it wrong?

[@michaelgleason4791]

Wow, no Oath of Ajani? I like the rest of the deck, but I enjoy having Panharmonicon out on four and a Verdurous on five. I can't disagree with anything else, but curious why you left out Oath of Ajani.

[@SH1014]

R/B aggro sounds right up my alley!! I'm Looking forward to that one

[@AshBMX2011]

oh man! This deck looks like a ton of fun. Awesome work Dev

[@evileyeball]

I love the Constrictor... I made sure to get one at Pre-release. I play mostly EDH so all I needed was one but I tell you where he's going its going to be FUN I'm putting him in "Don't Truffle with me" My Thelon of Havenwood Fungus Tribal. I also have to get an Animation Module as I didn't pick one up yet. Anything I can get that puts extra spore counters on all my thalids is welcome.

[@captainferrite]

We are of the same mind. Got me a playset of Nissas at her lowest point a week ago and Ballistas and Rhiskars at $2 each. I agree completely on Armorcraft Judge.

[@marka7759]

drana feels so good if you go for a real low mana curve she got big potential. i wouldnt go for walking balista playset. it is so much relient on you getting things out earlier on. if you face control like it is probablie going to happen if jeskai becomes a thing in standart i dont see it that potent and efficient. totaly agree on armorcraft judge tho. two off sounds perfect. im so glad i protected nissa when i saw the first spoilers :) got my playset for like 22 bugs. jay im not the only one who likes grasp :D! what do you think about metallic mimic + engine combo? and maybe including heroic intervention ahhhh so much stuff to think about :D

[@TheoFrastB]

Hey Dev, what is your opinion on Undergrowth Champion in this deck? Is it too slow and would take one of the three mana spots that are more important?

[@thunter1995]

Wow Dev. You might have caused Walking Ballista to price spike! It's doubled after your video came out!

[@SBMTG]

The tournament results from the first tournament of the season came out today, and G/B Counters builds took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. I got lucky and posted my GB Counters deck on the same day (although it does kinda suck that half of the prices in the video are instantly invalidated)

[@BFinFlavin]

Does this nissa rotate out of standard in april? wish I would have gotten back into magic a month sooner. I love the functions of this deck.

[@mattbrooks4921]

Great deck. Take out oath of Nissa for at LEAST 2 fatal push and a bristling hydra for your control match up is awesome!

[@tempvar6492]

Soooo what do you think, will this or some other Green Black thing be playable after the rotation, when EMN and all of that stuff rotates out? I'm broke af and don't really want to spend all my money on Nissas, only to be able to play them for 4 months or so. Will this continue to be good without those cards?

[@ashadeofnight]

YES!!! Was hoping you'd do this deck!!!!

[@Lordborgoth666]

love it man good list but then again i have always loved playing the counters decks.

[@absolumx6676]

what you guys think about having root out instead of natural obsolescense. yes is sorcery but you can blast an enchantment plus you get a clue for an extra (c) which seem relevant with Tireless tracker in the deck

[@Jess_Stryker]

As someone who enjoyed Hardened Scales in Standard a year ago, excited to try out GB counters in both standard and frontier. That said, one card I can't decide if I like in some form or not is Narnam Renegade. I think Revolt as a whole is a bit of a trap mechanic, but a 1/2 deathtoucher you can drop for some early presence may not be a bad inclusion. Probably the only Revolt card I'm considering for either format as everything else feels a bit too Magical Christmasland.

[@frissionx_gaming912]

Bant Clues! I have a Sultai version with Herald of Anguish and Battle at the Bridge. The only real reason I thought about white was Thraben Inspector and I couldn't justify that over removal and Herald. I'd love to see what you came up with!

[@matttaylor2803]

My version of the deck dropped Drana, that double black hurts, and picked up Aetherborn Marauder who's shown himself to be a real heavy lifter. Steal a counter from whatever isn't in danger from a grasp/yahennis, pay a green for a counter from durable handicraft(an auto include imo), and you have a massive flying life linking threat that demands instant removal.

[@Flippyfloppy007]

How do you come up with the numbers in your deck score? Would love to be able to assess my own brews in the same way. Thanks!

[@meatrace]

Narnam Renegade is my 1-drop for this archetype and I'll tell ya for why. Even on turn 1 it's a 1/2 DEATHTOUCH making her a road spike for anyone attacking into, say, your Nissa? And unlike most 1-drops this one gets better later in the game. I run 3-of.

[@ahusted93]

Any thoughts there on the inclusion of Unteathered Express in this?

[@brighamschellinger147]

I like the Bant deck idea. Best of luck with your video making endeavors.

[@dougwayman8066]

Mono Red and that Bant Mech Production tech sounds like a great set of videos

[@photohound4793]

This was very close to what I came up with! Looks good!

[@H4BITAT]

What about panharmonicon at the 4 slot? could be fun.

[@eirikastokes9652]

I'd like to see the R or B/R list!

[@sammysofa1511]

BANT CLUES NEXT!!!!! I'm working on a deck that splashes black for Herald of Anguish. Good idea, or too risky?

[@DuncanEllis]

please show us the win on eight clues deck. I was always assuming that deck would be winning on servos, but there are so many Investigate cards that make clues!

[@tcz6978]

Hey Dev!! I'm trying to build a budget RW vehicles deck but after smuggler's copter got banned I'm not quite sure which vehicles I should use. I was thinking that consulate dreadnought, peacewalker colossus, start your engines and siege modification would work out really well together on this deck. What do you think? Also, it would be really nice if you could do an updated RW vehicles deck with the new aether revolt cards? Btw love this channel :)

[@randallferguson1981]

if you can manage to hexproof the vehicles maybe splash blue then you've got a winner

[@mr.mammuthusafricanavus8299]

Padeem can make your artifacts hexproof

[@tcz6978]

Mr. Mammuthus Africanavus i dont really wanna add some blue to the deck it doesn't really fit the theme

[@Venthryx]

LOVE the music you have every intro

[@thalisthes]

So I've been working on this deck as well lately and I have some slight differences. I also have an energy theme (which works well with constrictor as well) and I have 3 cubs 3 rampagers 2 servants and 4 glint-sleeve siphoners. Both the fact that it is aggressive and that it can easily draw you cards were something I really liked. Here is my list: 4 Aether Hub 4 Blooming Marsh 4 Hissing Quagmire 1 Westvale Abbey 5 Forest 3 Swamp 3 Greenbelt Rampager 4 Glint-Sleeve Siphoner 3 Longtusk Cub 2 Servant of the Conduit 4 Winding Constrictor 3 Drana 3 Rishkar 2 Tireless Tracker 3 Bristling Hydra 4 Verdurous Gearhulk 2 Attune with Aether 2 Fatal Push 4 Nissa I have also tried armorcraft judge but I feel like bristling hydra is better on the 4-drop slot

[@KineBuds]

Great video Dev keep up the great work ! Dev and Wedge best in the business !

[@claytonchaney2961]

Hey possibly check audio matching I see it off on some videos Great deck though!!

[@adamray3497]

My Blue/Green Clues deck has already been doing some serious work. I'd love to see what the Bant Deck can do.

[@TripsAhoy]

I like it Dev. Made mine a little different tho. Put it together last night. Narnam is great at the 1 slot with that death touch. And the green expertise is sweet with gearhulk. turn 5 wins with lots of pressure if you can't remove creatures early.

[@christraxel6971]

What would you incorporate if you turned this into a Jund build? Thats what im currently working on at the moment.

[@elliottreadings8029]

Did the math and with TCGplayer's prices this deck would cost round about $210 to make at the time of me making this message and that's not even including the side board! I mean I know by magic standards this but for a 15 year old who had been a shoe box full of worthless cards from his uncle this made my jaw drop and I'm pretty sure yor vid helped some of the card prices skyrocket. I'm not salty... just poor.

[@NinjaBro4000]

What's up Dev, I have been a fan of your channel for quite some time now and your deck techs have helped me do pretty good in my two years of playing Magic, and while you're probably busy making more entertaining and helpful vids for us, I was wondering if I could get some assistance in, or possibly a deck tech of its own, a standard U/B Aristocrat/Sacrifice deck involving beefing up Marionette Master with Animation Module and using Yahenni, Undying Partisan and Syndicate Trafficker as sacrifice outlets. I'm not quite sure where to go with this, or if you'll even see this comment, but if you do by some miracle, perhaps you can take a crack at this idea. Whatever the case, I can't wait to see more helpful and entertaining content from your channel

[@zander2582]

why not Glint-sleeve siphoner with Fabrication Model??

[@jeanmarais337]

I am soo glad I preordered Winding Constrictor and Walking Balista on day 1 of the spoilers. The first thing you gotta do with a counters deck is protect your guys or have ways to build back your board really fast after they get taken out. Blossoming Defence and Heroic Intervention?! Balista is essential. Something has to put that first counter on, otherwise you choke. I can completely aggree with your "get the toughness above 5" choice of Nissa. Great deck tech. IMO this plays out like a Midrange deck. Too slow at the start to be aggro and will die against control in the late game, so you have to get the corner. In principle, I'm not sure counters is a resiliant stradegy to be a good midrange deck in the long run to be T1...but it's fun to play.

[@jean-michelmichaud2584]

If the 4 slot is pretty empty, why not put Panharmonicon (1 or 2) in there? Seems to be LOTS of etb that just get WAY BETTER if you happen to have 1 copy of panharmonicon out. On top of it, you can ramp into it to get it turn 3. Basically, I see it as a card that can make the deck explode. (just imagine Constrictor into Rishkar, Panharmonicon and then Verderous Gearhulk,..Sweet dream )

[@grymgungus3933]

I was really countering on Dev to make a cool deck and he pulled through! I'd like to see red black aggro unlicensed disintegration is so good against Saheeli If you could figure out how to get enough artifacts in, Syndicate Trafficker could be good in aetherborn tribal. Weaponcraft Enthusiast seems pretty good at being an aetherborn and 2 artifacts. Also you would probably put Scrounger in even though it's not an aetherborn because it's too good.

[@austinmoore3577]

Should definitely roll out that mono red list, I think you're red haste deck from before would be a great place to start. Add in some pump and maybe some burn for those last few points of damage and I think it'd be to fast for some of the deck out there to compete with.

[@FunnyFunFunTime]

Hi I really enjoyed the video. I would like to contribute to the discussion by throwing white into the mix. Most notably 4th turn Oath of Ajani, plus the big cat himself 5th turn. His ultimate seems like it could be devastating with Winding Constrictor out. Pro-white mechanical keywords like: Bolster/Renown/Fabricate/Converge also seem quite A LOT better. An example could be Angel of Invention. Instead of a 4/3; it would be a 5/4 "Fligilink" Glorious Anthem. Or perhaps lets play this 7/7 Woodland Wanderer, because that seems plausible. I was also thinking of Constrictor with other crazy artifact counters using >Insert Brain in a Jar here< to 1 cost Diabolic Tutor(s) going from 4-6 during their end step, looking for 1 cost Part the Waterveil(s) during my main. With this strategy you could use cheap specific counterspells (Dispel/Warping Wail/Negate) for their artifact/constrictor removal, while also having mana resources to add to the board. On a random side note: I would like to see a Jund version of the Constrictor (perhaps with Olivia, Mobilized for War). Something along the lines of Turn 1 Renegade Map. Turn 2 Cathartic Reunion. Turn 3 Olivia, Mobilized for War. Turn 4 Constrictor (4/5 Haste) discarding a madness'd Asylum Visitor (5/3 Haste) OR casting Kari Zev (3/5 Haste, bringing a 2/1 Monkey). You could add value discard creatures like Amalgam & Scrapper or play on the "Hellbent" (no cards in hand) method with Lupine Prototypes as a 7/7 with haste for 2 colorless mana seems legit.

[@troybarrow8810]

So for the 4 drop slot would kalitas not work well? I mean he can give himself counters and ya know... be kalitas and all that good stuff. Besides being WAY more expensive couldn't go wrong with him right?

[@Altbomber1111]

Would winding constrictor be insane is the Superfriends or any planeswalkers style deck?

[@leemedhurst7729]

I'd love to see the mechanised production deck! cheers

[@shawnfitzpatrick1146]

In any deck with black centered on counters, I would look at Defiant Salvager, Animation Module, and Marionette Master. Sacrifice a Servo to the Salvager for a +1/+1 counter, spend a mana to create another servo via the Animation Module and repeat this process until you run out of mana. In mid to late game, after you drop Marionette Master (fabricate for the 3 +1/+1 counters), she is going to do 4 to the face of target opponent every time you sacrifice the servo to the salvager. Since you're complimenting the black with green and using Rishkar for mana ramp, take a look at Durable Handicraft in there as well.

[@aclaytonSR]

Do you know if "Scrounging Bandar" can give counters to more than one creature at the beginning of upkeep?

[@willmorosoff3191]

My vote goes to the mechanized production deck, but what I'd like to see is the hedron alignment and secret salvage stupid AWC deck. We've seen a lot of blue black recently though so i get it if we don't see it but i'd like to see it eventually.

[@drummerjosh901]

Yes! Been super excited for this deck tech, no Narnam though? Found her to be crazy good.

[@randallferguson1981]

narnam with indestructible is boss. or first strike.

[@Kyle-xd1ci]

Did you consider Paradox Engine somewhere in the 75?

[@cooleycollege01]

yes to b/r aggro, also mardu agro or maybe something b/w?

[@OldSchoolGM94]

Ballista control? Walking Ballista, Winding Constrictor, scrap Trawler and Renegade Map is really fun as a control deck

[@Grimm_HD]

Great job Dev, I would like to see the red or BR list.

[@shrewvianno9565]

is there a budget version of this deck?

[@primedialga]

i'm currently testing a version with a lower mana curve (no gearhulks) and with a slight white splash for two oath of ajani, though i will probably replace him with more Dranas. Also in addition to the creatures i play Lead by Example (it's a useful combat trick, can blank grasps or Yahenni's Expertise or just place 4 additional counter on the board with constrictor out) and Heroic Intervention. As additional creatures Narnam Renegade can kill things and Kujar Seedsculptor can place it's prower whereever you need it.

[@ArcadisWR]

Are we ever going to get a mono green stompy deck

[@jamesblakeslee7462]

yo! that instrumental in the beginning is super sick. Is that one of yours?

[@Turai12]

Used both of the main cards during prerelease, just one of each though. Was great

[@spriteofsteel6130]

I'd like to see the mechanized production deck! I'm making one with thopters, and I'd like to see a case for GOING clues instead

[@mateuszmarsy7121]

what would you exile with something like lost legacy from this deck? winding constrictor? green gearhulk?

[@akacameron09]

Can i find a link to buy the exact deck online. And good job SBMtG

[@jonnyyeates5352]

Just a thought but couldnt you make this deck crazy with a couple panharmonicons and the improvise rock??

[@hallt13]

How do you think Drana, Liberator of Malakir would be in this deck? Seems like it would be great with the winding constricter and good on its own.

[@SBMTG]

There are already two copies of Drana in the deck. She's good, especially after she gets a couple of counters. Gearhulk can give her counters and she can suddenly be a 5/6 flyer or even bigger. She's also another way of putting counters on Ballista. That said, combat damage triggers can be notoriously hard to get, there are a lot of ways to remove her before she can do her thing, so I didn't go too overboar. I think two copies is enough, but I also think those two slots could be Fatal Push or Kalitas and that would work pretty well too

[@hallt13]

Strictly Better MtG oh ok. I must have zoned out at that part. Lol. Thanks for the reply. Love your stuff man!

[@ryanconnellyrc]

what are your thoughts on not using grim flayer or kalitas?

[@alexanderlea1820]

Yes do the clues deck please!

[@mikeybinfl]

I've been testing this deck for 3 weeks.... im currently running it with lifecrafter's bestiary... can't decide if I want to cut it... also running duskwatch recruiter....

[@kendogva]

Bant clues deck would be awesome, great video Dev!

[@garrybereby8289]

i would like to see the Aetheborn deck because i already create a version 2 weeks ago and i find it quite good so i'd like to see your opinion for this tribal deck

[@tonyavalos2287]

I am going to be playing this online. But the Nissa's are sixteen bucks online! Any idea what I can replace until I buy them?

[@Ivarrson]

G/W tokens looks really strong aswell. Whats your take on it?

[@TalesOfDylan]

i put duscwatch recruiter in this and it went pretty well what do you think?

[@ryderigo694]

Hey dev could you look into a hyper aggro red white deck with ornithopter and reckless Bushwacker at the top of the curve with toolcraft exemplar and inventors apprentice it can kill on turn 3 so it seems cool

[@XenWarriorTheReal]

wouldn't panharmonicon be perfect in this deck? Double procs the gearhulk etb, witch procs snake twice also, no?

[@TheOrian34]

If you have time to brew with pia's revolution. Would be fun. Not really surprised that BG counters is one of the most powerfull decks around

[@adamnickel8223]

I'm glad I got my Nissas back for the hardened scales deck.