Topic: Selesnya Hexproof build

Running this build at my local FNM, I've only been to one event, but I would consider it a fair success with good potential, going 2-2 and being 1 win away from #1 (I would have finished 3-1 tied with the other selesnya deck, but winning on the tie-breaker. From being in position to win, to finishing out of the prizes ... I feel like I've got potential with this at my local. I didn't leave empty handed though, as in the final match we shook on splitting the prize packs, 6 each. I cracked another mana con, so I feel alright about that.)

http://deckbox.org/sets/702969

2 games I lost were against Mono-B and a Selesnya Aggro mirror. The mirror was a blow out against, I had no answer for his combat tricks. The mono-b, he got thoughtseize and duress very fast in games 2 & 3 after losing game 1 to me. I've added aegis of the gods into my sideboard in an attempt to strengthen this matchup.

I'm looking for any comments you might have, anywhere in the deck. This was built on a budget, and I only recently traded for the voice ... though I do question it's effectiveness as a single. Everything else I cracked myself, except for purchasing the temple gardens, and the enchantments.

I'm also questioning ajani's presence in this build, though for W it is easy to cast any i have in my hand, or use strive to protect creatures from wipes. In a mirror match, and against mono-B, I feel like they aren't great value.

This leads in to what I think is my weakest area: sideboard.

Any additional comments on what I can do to improve the sideboard (hopefully with minimal investment) would be great.

Re: Selesnya Hexproof build

I think you can drop the presence, tactics and the aspect. For now selesnya charm is a better alternative.  Makes dudes, buffs, hard removal against big creatures (IE desecration demon). 

It's curious to me that you would trade for a voice over a fleecemane for this style of deck.  Seems like that's a better direction to go. I don't hate voice though.  It's good in the deck against control. Just probably not a priority for me to pick up first.

Obviously more lands would be great shocks/temple of plenty/confluence. 

Loxodon is solid, but not where I'd want to be with this deck.  More aggro seems better like, soldier of the pantheon perhaps.   The new ajani might be good here too as a bomb/draw engine.

Looking at your inventory you have a couple fiend slayer paladins, as a lot of removal out there is black/red he's very nearly hexproof and you can't discount the lifelink/first strike. I'd drop a couple loxodon for this guy.

skylashers is a definite sideboard card.

edit: also, instant speed buffs are okay, but really with hexproof you're looking to suit a dude up with enchants and go to town with a guy they can't kill.  if mana wasn't an issue I might suggest splashing red for boros charm/madcap skills.

Last edited by elpablo (2014-06-05 15:01:50)

Re: Selesnya Hexproof build

Im not a huge standard guru but I almost feel like Selesnya Charm would be better suited in the Main instead of Aspect of Hydra. While the buff wont always be as high as what Aspect grants, I myself would prefer the options that Charm gives for 1 more mana since you get a Buff for your guys, a conditional Removal spell or an instant speed Knight. Its hard to work devotion mechanics in a multi-colored deck in my opinion.

EDIT- N'njaed...

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Re: Selesnya Hexproof build

Thank you for the suggestions ... I am going to run with 4 selesnya charms, and swap out the voice for an ajani, mentor that I just cracked yesterday.

I have my fleecemane's added back into the sideboard, and I can see myself putting them in to help with speed.

We'll see how it goes tonight! Thanks

Re: Selesnya Hexproof build

So I actually pieced a similar deck together for my GF to play at JOU gameday... As for the W/G aggro match-up, I've found EVERY aggro match-up to be very much in your favor as you can get in there with lifelink.  If they have combat tricks, and you know this from game 1, then just play a bit more cautiously.

The list she ran is here:  http://deckbox.org/sets/673328

A few thoughts:

1) Banishing Light in the main is really where it's at.  This is a card that, honestly, you are NEVER sad to see.  It gives more pumps via Ethereal Armor AND deals with their (insert card here).

2) Heliod in the main is actually better than you think.  It's actually quite easy to get sufficient devotion given Gift of Orzhova's double white symbols.  He gives your super enchanted dude vigilance (always nice when racing to keep the giant lifelinker back on defense too).  Other benefits include being an enchantment and also crapping out more enchantments via his clerics.  Great dude here all around and, in a pinch, indestructible is almost as good as hexproof.

3) Eidolon of Blossoms.  Sure, this is the card that EVERYONE is trying to build around, but think about it, it draws you a card immediately, gives you another body that they have to deal with (that you could potentially enchant if you REALLY needed to), and will continue to draw you cards for every aura you drop.  If they're using their removal and such to get rid of this, they can't really be doing it to your other hexproof guys or your enchantments, now can they?  Now U/W has to either use that D'sphere to exile your Ethereal Armor OR your card draw engine... win-win in my books.

4) Eidolon of Countless Battles is essentially Ethereal Armors 5-8 depending on how many you put in.  Sure, it costs 4 and you will almost NEVER be casting it as a creature, but it provides wrath resistance to some degree, and will often result in a hilariously large creature.

Now, having said all of this, a few things to keep in mind.  The Selesnya aggro match-up should be cake as long as you get a single creature with hexproof to have lifelink.  You can, and likely will, win that race.  Control and mono-black are a bit more of a headache, but still matchups you can make your way through.  Against control, Ajani's Presence comes in from the board to protect against verdict.  You also ALWAYS want to attack with an unenchanted Gladecover Scout alongside your huge enchant creature, as Celestial Flare is most definitely a thing that will bite you in the arse.  Against mono-black, you really just have to survive their hand disruption and a few creatures on the board (again, Devour Flesh can be a pain), but once you have a big dude on the board... you likely just win as Pack Rat is too slow to answer your huge dude.

Overall, a fun deck.  I've had some serious success playing it online.  I hope some of this helps.

Re: Selesnya Hexproof build

TyWoo, thank you for the advice, I really like the shape of the decklist you put up. Seems like it could be a lot of fun, and I think i'm going to use that as a starting spot and see how it does in my local meta.

Could you possibly explain the sideboard choices you've picked? Ajani's presence is great no doubt, what is the call for rest in peace?  In what matchup would you bring in elspeth, and for what?

What's your thought on hopeful eidolon for more lifelink + enchantment body?

Appreciate the advice and looking forward to running with this.

Re: Selesnya Hexproof build

So Ajani's Presence is pretty self-explanatory for control match-ups.  Rest in Peace was a bit of a local meta call - if you have any concern that you might run into B/G constellation or B/G "Dredge" or even Orzhov Humans it will just plain out beat those decks (RIP actually keeps Athreos and Xathrid Necromancer from triggering).  Elspeth is honestly just an effort toward something that you could bring in against R/G decks that either drop a bunch of big threats (chumping all day) or to get rid of Stormbreath Dragon (not an ideal solution).  To be 100% honest, I only had the one spot left and figured, why not, it is the dominant card in the format and it can certainly free you up to swing with your big hexproof threat.

As far as Hopeful Eidolon for the deck... it does give you more lifelink, but honestly, you already have 8 sources and with Ajani, Mentor of Heroes you can actually dig more out.  Toss in the card draw off of Eidolon of Blossoms and you're likely going to hit Gifts or Unflinching rather reliably.  The biggest issue is that Hopeful costs 4 to bestow (as you'll almost NEVER want to creature cast it), and at that cost, you can bestow Eidolon of Countless Battles for a much greater effect.