Disclaimer
This Primer is heavily based on my experience on the Gold bracket and the feedback of my fellow coalition members (most of them Platinum). As I am regularly in the Top 5 for this event, I should say that I know what I’m talking about, but I think it is far from a be-all and end-all, as experience may vary following the bracket you are on when you entered the event and card availability. I’ll listen to any feedback any of you want to contribute.
White/Black Node - Low Support Vampires
Lifegain Vampire (Sorin or Ob are the choices): You use your Bloodbond Vampire and Defiant Bloodlord in conjunction to Gifted Aetherborn and, if you have it, Olivia. Sorin is the best in this archetype, as his abilities fit the theme.
Indeed, the deck achieves consistency through redundancy, there is the lifegain package (Aetherborn, Olivia, Ondu Rising, Unholy Hunger and Sorin’s Vampiric Drain and Vampiric Power), and the life-enabled package (Bloodbond Vampire, Bloodlord, Sorin’s Vampiric Strength).
However, if you notice that the win are dependant on Olivia, you can always had a draw package in Read the Bones and Forsake the Worldly to cycle through your deck and find her.
Sorin - Lifegain Vampire:
Bloodbond Vampire [BFZ - Uncommon]Defiant Bloodlord [BFZ - Rare]Gifted Aetherborn [AER - Uncommon]Olivia, Mobilized for War [SOI - Mythic]Stromkirk Condemned [EMN - Rare]
Grip of Desolation [BFZ - Uncommon]Ondu Rising [BFZ - Uncommon]To the Slaughter [SOI - Rare]Transgress the Mind [BFZ - Uncommon]Unholy Hunger [ORI - Rare]
Sorin - Budget Lifegain
Bloodbond Vampire [BFZ - Uncommon]Gifted Aetherborn [AER - Uncommon]Indulgent Aristocrat [SOI - Uncommon]Kalastria Nightwatch [BFZ - Common]
Enshrouding Mist [ORI - Common]Grip of Desolation [BFZ - Uncommon]Lethal Sting [HOU - Common]Ondu Rising [BFZ - Uncommon]Tandem Tactics [BFZ - Common]Transgress the Mind [BFZ - Uncommon]
Discard Vampire (Ob, Sarkhan or Nicol Bolas): Here you go with Indulgent Aristocrat, Stromkirk Condemned route but there is some common ground with the previous archetype.
Nicol Bolas - Discard Vampire
Heir of Falkenrath [SOI - Uncommon]Indulgent Aristocrat [SOI - Uncommon]Olivia, Mobilized to War [SOI - Mythic]Stromkirk Condemned [EMN - Rare]
Chilling Grasp [EMN- Uncommon]Grip of Desolation [BFZ - Uncommon]Pull From Tomorrow [AKH - Rare]To the Slaughter [SOI - Rare]Transgress the Mind [BFZ - Uncommon]Unholy Hunger [ORI - Rare]
Other cards to consider for this archetype: Read the Bones, Stensia Masquerade, Falkenrath Gorger, Cathartic Reunion.
Both the lifegain and discard archetype are complemented with cheap spells, be it removal, draw or basic interaction.
Removal Vampire (Sarkhan or Nicol Bolas): This is me theorycrafting a deck which would base on your opponent losing its creature which might be useful in this meta (see “Meta consideration” below).
Nicol Bolas - Removal Vampire
Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet [OGW - Mythic]Malakir Cullblade [ORI - Uncommon]Olivia, Mobilized to War [SOI - Mythic]Voldaren Pariah [EMN - Rare]Yahenni, Undying Partisan [AER - Mythic]
Final Reward [AKH - Common]Grip of Desolation [BFZ - Uncommon]To the Slaughter [SOI - Rare]Transgress the Mind [BFZ - Uncommon]Unholy Hunger [ORI - Rare]
Blue Node - Low Spell Eldrazi
Drowner Deck (any PW): In this node, you can go heavy ramp thanks to supports and throw your Eldrazi Threat. If you are using Nissa3 or Tezzeret you can add a cycling element to the deck. If you possess Drowner of Hope, you can either combo it with Saheeli or use Hangarback Walker to lock the enemy board.
In the following Saheeli build, Hazoret’s Favor might be a questionable pick there, but I found out I go either Thopter or Scion, but not both, which leaves two creatures which would use the haste and buff, however, I recognize that it is the weak point in this deck.
An alternative to Hangarback Walker would be Thopter Spy Network, you can then switch Walker and Hazoret’s Favor against TSN and another Eldrazi.
Also, I don’t own them, but Fevered Visions and/or Tamiyo’s Journal is a great help in a Saheeli build, as you need to draw those Eldrazi. Sunset Pyramid is a good cheap alternative if you have it.
Saheeli - Drowner Control:
Drowner of Hope [BFZ - Mythic]Hangarback Walker [ORI - Mythic]Incubator Drone [BFZ - Common]Lashweed Lurker [EMN - Uncommon]
Drownyard Temple [SOI - Rare]Hazoret’s Favor [AMK - Rare]Insidious Will [KLD - Rare]Prism Array [BFZ - Rare]Pyramid of the Pantheon [AMK - Mythic]Sphinx’s Tutelage [ORI - Uncommon]
Eldrazi Wall (any Kiora, preference on Kiora/Nissa for color combo): If you don’t have a lot of the big hitters, a good way is to spam low-cost defender Eldrazi and the Eldrazi Scion tokens.
Kiora - Eldrazi Wall (budget decklist inspired by Doug):
Brood Monitor [BFZ - Uncommon]Catacomb Sifter [BFZ - Uncommon]Incubator Drone [BFZ - Common]Lashweed Lurker [EMN - Uncommon]
Farm//Market [HOU - Uncommon]Fertile Thicket [BFZ - Common]Nissa’s Pilgrimage [ORI - Common]Sphinx’s Tutelage [ORI - Uncommon]Sunset Pyramid [HOU - Uncommon]Ulvenwald Mysteries [SOI - Uncommon]
Red/Green Node - Low Creature Werewolves
Control Werewolf (Kiora, Saheeli or Bolas): Here the name of the game is to play two werewolves (if you have either Sage or Ulrich, those are must-play) and then cheat creature into play another way. Kiora is very good on this node because it helps you find your creature in your creature-poor deck. Gather the pack is also an excellent way to get your creature.
Blue gives you some good drawing options, among them Prism Array, Fevered Vision, or Reason//Believe (spoken “Reason to Believe”), as well as way to cheat creature into play through control magic effect such as Confiscation Coup, Lay Claim, Kefnet’s Last Word or Exert Influence.
Kiora - Minimal Werewolf Control
Sage of Ancient Lore [SOI - Rare]
Animist’s Awakening [ORI - Rare]Exert Influence [BFZ - Mythic]Lay Claim [AMK - Uncommon]Gather the Pack [ORI - Uncommon]Reason//Believe [HOU - Rare]
Fertile Thicket [BFZ - Common]Insidious Will [KLD - Rare]Nissa’s Pilgrimage [ORI - Common]Prism Array [BFZ - Rare]
Token Werewolf (Arlinn/Samut): If Blue isn’t available to you, Reason//Believe is still an option, but you can also go the token generation route. In this case, use cheap werewolves and then concentrate on getting your token out. Shrill Howler is also a good option there, as it creates itself tokens when it transform.
Arlinn - Budget Token Werewolf
Breakneck Rider [SOI - Uncommon]Village Messenger [SOI - Uncommon]
Gather the Pack [ORI - Uncommon]
Fertile Thicket [BFZ - Common]Neglected Heirloom [SOI - Uncommon]Nissa’s Pilgrimage [ORI - Common]Sunset Pyramid [HOU - Uncommon]True-Faith Censer [SOI - Common]Ulvenwald Mysteries [SOI - Uncommon]
Saheeli - Token Werewolf (Courtesy of Span)
Desert of the Mindful [HOU - Common]Galestrike [AKH - Uncommon]Lay Claim [AKH - Uncommon]Unlicensed Disintegration [KLD - Uncommon]Violent Impact [AKH - Common]
Molten Nursery [BFZ - Uncommon]New Perspectives [AKH - Rare]Thopter Spy Network [ORI - Mythic]
Meta consideration
The meta for this event is very creature based and can be particularly centered on creatures with powerful ability, such as Drowner or Olivia. Tweaking the decks to make them disable and removal heavy might make the life of your opponent hard when they encounter your decks.
Acknowledgment
Thanks to my coalition member of the AlpacaArmy for their feedback, especially James, Doug and Span.