Topic: [Standard] Azorius Midrange - need sideboard advice

The deck - http://deckbox.org/sets/261208

The maindeck is a copy of Zakk Meza's deck from Nevada States (http://magic.tcgplayer.com/db/deck.asp?deck_id=1064199). I've only played with it a few times, but it's been pretty good so far. No 3-0s yet, but I think the potential is here.

I changed the sideboard around to try to fit my LGS, and I could use some advice. Namely, what to take in and out against certain decks.

I've played more than a few UWR Thundermaw decks and I think the maindeck can handle itself against them.

I board in Detention Spheres against all creature matchups along with Nearheath Pilgrim to prevent getting slammed against those GW Paladin/Smiter Aggro decks. I'll usually take out some Spec Flights in Game 2 in favor of more creatures and creature control. I also have a single Supreme Verdict. I used to have Divine Deflection like in Meza's sideboard but I found it not to be very effective.

UW Control is also popular and has been my toughest matchup so far. I added Dispel just to stop their counters.

Jund and 4C Reanimator are also present. There's Redirect and Negate mainly to stop Bonfire. And there's a 4th Syncopate to keep Thragtusk and other big guns from hitting the board.

I have feeling Todd Anderson's U/W Flash deck and that new blue Reanimator deck will be popular tonight. I might add in Essence Scatter and Purify the Grave, but I'm not sure yet.

I would love your advice on what to add/remove and how to effectively sideboard against these decks. Thanks!

Re: [Standard] Azorius Midrange - need sideboard advice

I'd say that there are 2 main types of effective sideboards that i've seen, either cards that are designed to hose particular strategies or 3rd and 4th copies of spells that are in main deck, this sideboard seems very odd, I don't understand the pilgrims at all to be honest, it's too weak to really live long enough to give you life attacking/blocking and only the geists/resto angel really are big enough to survive and if you throw a flight on it you're just asking to get 2 or even 3 for 1ed since they'll take lifelink away from all the creatures you control.

I also love Sundering Growth for sideboard. Worst case scenerio it's a disenchant for WW. Best case scenerio it's a disenchant for W and a 4/4 angel for W stapled together, seems pretty good for a sideboard.

Overall it seems pretty solid, the only creature that can get hit with abrupt is snapcaster (also spectral flight) but it's still pretty hard for them to 2 - for - one you with that at least and everything else you can counter. Redirect is kinda cool but doesn't seem worthwhile in my opinion, you're sideboarding against a card that's completely random, it seems like in a flash deck it would be really good so you can have the option but in a deck like this it seems like it's just slowing you down since you're going to need to hold back mana for it and it just seems like it's not that great.

I'm a fan of devastation tide for a deck like this, alot of your creatures have ETB triggers so that will be helpful and alot of people run rootbound defenses to "Counter" your supreme verdict.

Cards I like for sideboard
Devastation Tide
Rest in Peace and/or Purify the Grave
Essence Scatter
Detention Sphere x3
Oblivion Ring x1 (You can't detention sphere your opponent's detention sphere but you can O-Ring it)
Supreme Verdict
Sundering Growth
Rootborn Defenses

I'm not sure of your match-ups but if you face jund/golgari zombies or reanimator frequently Rest in Peace is a well worthwhile investment, it even laughs at Tamiyo's Emblem since the card needs to hit the graveyard before it returns to hand, it also takes out Rancor against GW Paladin/Smiter. It may seem really bad since you want to be using the stuff in your yard but if you side out your snapcasters for Rest in Peaces it's like the deck was designed that way.

Also why no Tamiyo in SB? Tamiyo with a Jace is pretty good lockdown on its own.

http://deckbox.org/users/imsully2

Re: [Standard] Azorius Midrange - need sideboard advice

Very interesting. I honestly didn't think any of the populate spells were good, but maybe in this context they are.

Nearheath pilgrim is used to slow down the bleeding against fast aggro decks. It's been reasonable so far, but I'll reconsider it.

Tamiyo is a definite must, but I don't have any right now. Hoping to have at least one before a big tournament I'm playing on Sunday.

Redirect is mainly anti-Bonfire, but it also works against Pillar, Spear, and other counterspells.

I think I'm definitely going to add RIP, Purify, and Sundering Growth. Devastation Tide is certainly interesting, but I don't think it will work against other decks heavy with ETB triggers - Resto, Tusk, and Snaps namely.

I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts. Thanks so much!