Shelving Kiora and wanting to go Ajani.

Blasphemous

Do any of you have deck builds faster or as fast as Kiora and would be willing to share? I haven't used him much since I got him.

EDHdad

Ajani was much faster before the recent Nerf. His first ability cost 3 and 2nd ability cost 6 which was devastating. Now they cost 6 and 9, which is fair, but the deck is a bit slower. They also Nerfed Relic Seeker by making him cost 15 instead of 12, and I took him out of the deck.

My current Ajani build uses lifegain and Serene Steward to grow creatures incrementally larger. I try to keep a low mana curve, which is one reason Relic Seeker is out.

Serene Steward (pumps a creature when gain life)
Enlightened Ascetic (gains life, might replace with Felidar Sovereign or Lantern Scout if I had one)
War Oracle (gains life)
Demolish (kills supports)
Swift Reckoning (kills disabled creatures - works with Ajani's -6 ability)
Smite the Monstrous (kills creatures)
Scour from Existence (kills creatures)
Exquisite Firecraft (usually kills creatures, sometimes finishes opponent)
Jori En, Ruin Diver (draws cards)
Devour in Flames (usually kills creatures, sometimes kills the opponent. Drawback usually doesn't kill you.)

****

My Kiora deck changed significantly after the recent event. I figure if this deck can beat Kozilek, it can probably hold its own in PvP mode.

Disperse
Murk Strider
Turn to Frog
Reclaim
Mantle of Webs
From Beyond
Scour from Existence
Nissa's Revelation
Drowner of Hope
Talent of the Telepath

Even though Drowner of Hope initially cost 17, if you sac the Eldrazi Spawn with Reclaim, you'll get a 24 mana rebate. Meanwhile, if From Beyond is on the battlefield, it will spawn an Eldrazi each turn, which in turn will disable all of the opponent's creatures. The creatures will also be disabled if Murk Strider is cast, and if there are any void gems on the field (from Scour from Existence), then Murk Strider can also bounce a creature.

Now that Nissa's Revelation costs 13 instead of 19, and Day's Undoing costs 10 instead of 6, I've switched to Nissa's Revelation, casting it when I actually need 5 cards or when I actually need 20 life.

span_argoman

EDHdad wrote:

Ajani was much faster before the recent Nerf. His first ability cost 3 and 2nd ability cost 6 which was devastating. Now they cost 6 and 9, which is fair, but the deck is a bit slower. They also Nerfed Relic Seeker by making him cost 15 instead of 12, and I took him out of the deck.

Correction, second ability went from 9 to 12. 9 is fair, 12 is overcosted.

Reaganstorme

Recently been playing with a new version of my Ajani deck now that he's at level 30 and it's a lot faster than previously:

Creatures: (4)
Enlightened Aesthetic (4) ---> Lantern Scout (5)
War Oracle (11) ---> Felidar Sovereign (8)
Serene Steward (6)
Akoum Stonewaker (8)

Spells: (5)
Smash to Smithereens (3) ---> Demolish (3)
Infectious Bloodlust (6)
Ondu Rising (4 + A8)
Smite the Monsterous (8)
Lightning Javelin (6) ---> Exquisite Firecraft (6)

Supports: (1)
Sword of the Animist (7)

I've listed the alternate cards to use if you have them. The deck works around two tactics: Big life-gaining creatures and bringing in 3/1 Tramplers with gem destruction causing landfalls. Serene Steward buffs a creature on life gain, and there are four sources of that including Ajani's second ability. Failing having a steward early, you can ride both yours and the AI's landfalls with the Elementals called by the Akoum Stonewaker. Sword of the Animist supports both of these tactics. The spells are a mix of removal spells for all situations, plus one buff that gives a permanent +2/+1.

In my worst case games, I've been brought down to 20+ life before the sheer removal ability, cheap creatures, and lifegain of the deck stabilises things. Usually though, it's early dominance and plentiful lifegain from the get-go.