Block

Wizards has set up a semi-awkward situation. PT Hollywood is this weekend, next up is Regionals in a few weeks. They will be Standard and I assume we'll see the impact (whatever it might be) of Hollywood. However also starting in a couple weeks is PT Berlin PTQ season which is block. Block right now is virtually unexplored. MODO has no Shadowmoor or PEs and there have been no large block events. The only large block event in the near term will be GP Birmingham at the end of the month. Honestly it comes at a bad time as most pros devoted all their time to Hollywood so I don't expect too much work to have been done on the format.

Faeries will be the default deck based on its place in Standard. This is bad for me. I think Faeries is utterly busted in Standard but it looses a lot in block. However because block is unknown at the start of the season everyone will be gunning for faeries. I'm not sure if they can take the heat in block.

I want to play fae in block because I have the deck, know it well, and play it well. Hopefully it will be a viable and strong deck but we just can't tell yet. What is also unclear is what the proper block faerie decklist will look like. First I'll look at auto includes at 4x.

4x Bitterblossom
4x Scion of Oona
4x Mistbind Clique
4x Cryptic Command
4x Nameless Inversion
4x Secluded Glen
4x Sunken Ruins
4x Mutavault


This leaves us with 32 cards, 20 spells 12 land. Lets base the deck off 24 land and no more non basics. That gives us 12 more cards putting us to 44 cards, room for 16 more spells. Spells that leap to mind:

Thoughtseize
Ponder
Broken Ambitions
Pestermite
Vendillion Clique
Wydwyn the Bitting Gale
Profane Command
Eyeblight's Ending
Peppersmoke

As the deck stands there are no one drops. I want to run Ponder and Thoughtseize to give the deck early game. Thoughtseize as a 4x might not work maindeck so I think I want to start with three. Broken Ambitions will have to stand in for Rune Snag and should do a fine job of that.

3x Thoughtseize
4x Ponder
4x Broken Ambitions

This brings us to 55 spells. We have five slots left, these could be used for more removal or more creatures. To start I might want to try a split.

3x Peppersmoke
2x Pestermite

So the list comes to:

4x Bitterblossom
4x Scion of Oona
4x Mistbind Clique
4x Cryptic Command
4x Nameless Inversion
4x Secluded Glen
4x Sunken Ruins
4x Mutavault
8x Island
4x Swamp
3x Thoughtseize
4x Ponder
4x Broken Ambitions
3x Peppersmoke
2x Pestermite

Clearly weaker than Standard but I think this should hold up in block. I think Peppersmoke might be an all-star against decks like Elementals. Will probably sleeve this up soon and try to get some paper testing in.