Topic: Dromoka Dice Warriors - Standard

Heys, I'm relatively new to magic (been playing for less than 3 months) and chasing some feedback on my G/W warrior deck.
https://deckbox.org/sets/948599
I have been modifying it for a few weeks now but have played very few actual standard games with it yet, mostly playing against my friends with their random modern decks. Took it to fnm last week and went 3-0 without dropping a game so i was pretty stoked with that but the only decent deck i faced was mono-red so i feel that result doesn't represent much.

The idea behind the deck is pretty straight forward, go pretty aggro for the first few turns and if the game goes long take advantage of 1/1 counter effects to boost and push my guys through with lots of protection spells to keep them alive.

Changes i am considering (when i eventually own the cards)..
Swapping out annafenza for another seeker of the way
inspiring call for another valorous stance. Perhaps also the banishing light for another valorous.
Also if i came across another arashin foremost i could end up replacing the sandsteppe outcast.

Other than that I am at a loss as to how i could make this deck better. I really need to play a lot more standard games with it to gain further insight and I'm sure that more experienced players will see things immediately.
Thanks in advance

Re: Dromoka Dice Warriors - Standard

First off, it looks a bit more scattered than I think you'd really want to be able to keep up with tier 1 competition.  If you're able to clean up at your FNM with it, then by all means disregard what I'm about to say, but I just don't see where it has the amount of focus and consistency needed to get there against many of the decks out there.

That being said, in response to your specific thoughts:

1) Although not a warrior, I think Anafenza is likely just plain out better than Seeker here.  The ability to make EVERYTHING bigger will likely make a lot of difference both in the short-game and in the long term.

2) I cannot speak to your experience, but Inspiring Call has worked wonders for me - although, looking at your deck, there really aren't enough +1/+1 counters for it to be effective.  If you're going to keep it this way, then you should probably go with the Valorous Stance.

3) Arashin Foremost is definitely a good piece, but I would raise the question of, why not either B/W warriors or full Abzan warriors?  The simple addition of Chief of the Edge can make even the smallest warrior a much larger threat (especially when combined with double-strike).

For what it's worth, I have a totally different build that my gf was able to pilot to top 8 at gameday.  U/W, not warriors, but more focused on the counters.  The added evasion of the flyers currently in white's arsenal is not worth overlooking - especially against decks that will try to clog the ground (see Hornet Nest).  If you want to take a look, you can see the deck here: https://deckbox.org/sets/943966

Good luck!

Re: Dromoka Dice Warriors - Standard

Thanks mate, that is just the sort of advice i am looking for.

As for doing well at fnm, because I am new i am still down in the lower pods so i tend to not face tier 1 competition yet so your advice will certainly not be disregarded.

1) I like anafenza, so far she has served me pretty well. I could be letting the warrior synergy cloud my judgement on this one, in play I have never regretted having her in my hand, nor regretted playing her so you are probably right there.

2)Inspiring call is another one I have never regretted drawing (yet) and it has carried me over the line more than once. It does look like it has potential to be a dead draw at times though which is i guess why i am considering swapping it. I don't own another valorous yet so it will stay there for the moment, a few more games might help me with that decision.

3) Arashin foremost is my favorite card in this deck after the dromoka's command. Arashin and surrak, the hunt caller is devastating, as is the seeker if i can get a trigger for prowess/lifelink. Hell he turns any warrior into a much bigger problem for my opponent.
I have given serious consideration to black myself. in addition to chief of the edge and good removal spells, i also have 2 mardu strike leader which are almost begging to be in here. It does have strong appeal.
I'm just not really confident to build/play a tri-colour deck yet, it didn't work out well for me before. B/W warriors will probably happen anyway eventually, I think i'm just enjoying the dromoka colours for now because i have happened to get some good dromoka cards lately tongue
I like that deck of yours, I had a sunscorch regent and a high sentinels of arashin in this deck until very recently. sunscorch is still interchangable with wingmate roc to me, he makes his own counters which works well with some of my other cards but wingmate is 2 threats in the air for the price of one which seems really good to me. I ended up taking out the high sentinals when i realised that he doesn't get a counter of his own, just the +1/+1 to his stats, he got replaced by daghatar the adamant. Any thought on those choices?

Thank you very much for your input, it is greatly appreciated.

Re: Dromoka Dice Warriors - Standard

High Sentinels is really only worth it if you're really heavily into the counters theme.  In the event you're on that path, they will over-perform.  Sure, some folks will mock you for it, but a 5/6 or 6/7 flyer for 4 is nothing to scoff at.

As for the black part of the warriors build, W/B is the prime strategy there.  You certainly go more aggro, but Blood-Chin Rager and Chief of the Edge make life worthwhile.

Re: Dromoka Dice Warriors - Standard

Alright here is my latest Warrior configuration, Abzan.
I have been agonising over this one and seeking out cards since my last post.

As an update, my dromoka warrior deck is still going strong for me, went 4-0 at WNM when i took it there next (Still playing in bottom division). Hopefully my new warrior deck will be even stronger.

https://deckbox.org/sets/967545

4 x Aven Skirmisher
This guy is an easy choice for me over the array of awesome black warrior 1 drops. The evasion has proved important in a huge number of my games playing G/W warriors both early and late. also wanted to keep it white to get better value from battle brawler.

3 x Battle Brawler   
3 x Herald of Dromoka
With 11 other 1-3 drop creatures that are white i should have no problem getting the most out of battle brawler. The herald scraped through because of the great value vigilance has been in my experiences with G/W. First strikers and double strikers with vigilance have been the bane of my aggro enemies and the herald has copped a bolt before my arashin foremost in more than one game,  real question is whether that is worth more than +1 to either stat that i would get from one of the chiefs... I am undecided but at least i own 3 heralds so they win by default for now.

4 x Arashin Foremost
Pretty self explanatory. Goes exceptionally hard with just 1 or 2 +1 counters on him.

3 x Brutal Hordechief
1 x Surrak, the Hunt Caller
I have a single Surrak here mostly because I only have 3 chiefs and 1 surrak but i don't think i mind. Surrak is a brutal surprise and awesome anyway.

3 x Elite Scaleguard
Not a warrior but i feel is an excellent fit for this deck anyway. His bolster effect can hit any of my earlier warriors (except surrak) and utilize the tap effect same turn he hits the battlefield. There are also 10 other cards in the deck capable of delivering +1 counters to creatures so odds of being able to use this ability to maximum effect. At worst he hits the battlefield alone for a 4/5 for 5 mana which is not a terrible loss.

3 Gods Willing
3 Dromoka's Command
4 Abzan Charm
2 Utter End
1 Valorous Stance

The instants are almost the hardest part to choose. The Gods willing and dromoka command both work towards keeping my warriors alive so they can do their job. I'd love 1 more gods willing but i just can't figure out what to sacrifice.
Abzan charm and utter end are obviously intended for removal. In this deathmist raptor/ den protector filled world i figure exile is the way to go these days. I did have 2 secure the wastes instead of the utter end. I LOVE secure the wastes but i just felt too light on removal in light of too many recurring threats and lands that bring back dragons and shit. I'm also lacking the rush of battle in this deck which was awesome for secure the wastes. Brutal hordechief makes it good still but yeah.. need removal.  Abzan charm and dromoka command obviously can also boost ( as a combat trick if necassary) and add counters for the scaleguard.

1 Bow of Nylea
1 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
1 Ajani, Mentor of heroes *EDIT

These 4 cards are constantly changing in my mind. If i had 2 x Sorin i would use both but i only have one. The citadel siege works great with the deck to either deal with enemy creature threats or boost my creatures, preferably my first strike or double strikers though i have found in my past games that boost the aven skirmisher if it is still around can be incredibly effective as well.
The bow of nylea essentially makes the first/double strike unblockable. Lifegain, kills small pesky fliers and gives +1 counters. I really want to kick it for another godswilling or valorous stance but i just.. can't. It is a legend though so i am happy with just the one in the deck.

sideboard is continually changing the more i think about it but here it is as it stands. Some cards are there because i havn't quite ruled them out of the deck. If I could afford some thoughtsieze, i would have them sad
3 Despise
2 Dragonlord Dromoka
1 Dromoka, the Eternal
4 Duress
2 Rush of Battle
2 Secure the Wastes
1 Valorous Stance

Well I was gonna outline some of my gameplans but this is already a novel. Havn't played with this at all yet as i am still chasing cards, lands in particular so it can actually work well. My last 3 colour deck was a bit of a failure because of the manabase.


PS, I know that if i swapped out heralds and scaleguards for fleecemanes and siege rhinos the deck would probably be instantly better. If I wanted a deck with those i would go download one of the various other abzan decks everyone uses. I find it more fun to build and use my own.

Last edited by 541032242 (2015-05-12 18:15:19)

Re: Dromoka Dice Warriors - Standard

So i scored myself an Ajani, mentor of heroes big_smile:D
I swapped him in for one of the citadel siege. Having only the one siege now seemed a bit.. lacking so i removed the other and added a valorous stance. More removal/protection can never be a bad thing.

I forgot to add earlier there is one more major change i have been debating but probably won't be sure of until i actually play some games. Opinions greatly welcomed.

Instead of the current 1/2 drop configuration instead having
3 x warden of the first tree
3 x aven skirmisher
4 x herald of dromoka

If i didn't sacrifice the battle brawler it would have been something white and his chances of being a 3/2 first striker the turn he drops or 1 after reduce a bit too much for my liking. My odds of a 1 drop increase and the warden is a great place to spend unused mana for value as the game progresses. He is a warrior after the first pump so fits in quite well with the rest of the deck. Probably slightly more aggressive as well with the increased chance of a 1 drop. Also would chief of the edge be more of a gamble in place of the herald here? Needing to potentially use all 3 colours of my mana in the first 2 turns seems risky.

Last edited by 541032242 (2015-05-12 18:26:38)

Re: Dromoka Dice Warriors - Standard

I'm still not sold the tribal warriors component justifies the third color.  If you're going the length to be in Abzan and mid-range-y like this, the existing Abzan aggro/mid-range decks are likely just better.  If you're going B/W warriors, you want/need to be aggro (more one-drops, the chiefs, etc).  If you're going G/W warriors, well, it's untested, but I don't know that it has the payoff you're looking for -  Fleecemane Lion is a bigger creature than warriors without the chiefs and it can monstrous to hose most decks.

I don't see anything that leaps off the page as being overly bad, but you have to weigh the trade-offs of what you've done with your manabase to be in three colors versus the added benefit.  I'm only seeing Surrak, 2 Dromoka's Commands, Bow of Nylea, Abzan Charm, and Ajani as the reasons for the green splash.  But another Hordechief will likely be as effective as Surrak, the commands are a bit harder, but they could be replaced if needed, Bow doesn't do as much for you as Spear of Heliod, etc, etc...

We may have reached the end of where I'm able to be much help as I just see where this is a less focused version of what it could be.