Pre-release events for Tarkir: Dragonstorm start next Friday! That means that previews for the newest set are done and it is once again time to take a look a closer look at the set and see if my kindred Standard B01 Orzhov Cleric deck will transform into a first tier deck.

Last time round, Aetherdrift only brought two new Clerics to the table. Tarkir: Dragonstorm will easily outdo that, offering up six new Cleric cards for consideration. So let’s see what we have to work with. One, Severance Priest, is immediately out because of the pip in its mana costs. That leaves us with five to review.

Abzan Devotee is a common that could prove useful when it comes to mana fixing. For , we can add either a or to the mana pool (you could tap for but it would not be not very useful in this deck).

Unrooted Ancestor is a card that I may try to get into the deck. The challenge is that the current deck is not built around sacrifice. Add Krumar Initiate to the mix and there is now a way to generate cheap Spirits that could power this card. It does require both cards and only generates one spirit per turn.

Maybe I should add Krumar Initiate to the deck and skip Unrooted Ancestor for now. I can use the Spirits for offence and defense instead of sacrificing them. I’ll start there and see if the card cranks out enough Spirits that I could then consider sacrificing some of them. Krumar Initiate also has a bit of synergy with Essence Channeler, giving it flying and vigilance as I lose life.

If you’ve followed this blog long enough, you know I like big creatures. Loxodon Battle Priest is not only one of those but it also can help me grow other Clerics into bigger ones. Is there anything better than a beefy Cleric swinging at your opponent? It is pricey though.

At first glance, Venerated Stormsinger looked like an automatic add. Then I re-read the card a bit more carefully. Sure it generates a 1/1 red Warrior each turn; but it’s only one per turn and it gets sacrificed at the next end step. So, that 1/1 will start to lose value as the game goes on and bigger threats emerge. The additional life trigger is not bad but still feels like less than it promises.

Time to see what I can cut to see if Krumar Initiate and Loxodon Battle Priest. My first choices are Metropolis Reformer and Infernal Vessel. That gives me four slots to work with. I think it will be a straight swap.

As far as non-creature spells, I will take a closer look and see what makes sense. Smile at Death caught my attention as I took a first glance through the list. It would let me return my Clerics to the battlefield given that I don’t have a lot of protection and they tend to die quickly. But two other cards caught my attention despite not going into this deck. Elspeth, Storm Slayer and Ugin, Eye of the Storms, definitely look like good fun. Ugin in particular could finally convince me to look at a colourless Commander deck. But that’s a topic for a future post.

As far as lands are concerned, nothing really jumps out. Many are focused on the three-colour combinations aligned to the Dragonstorm clan wedges. I may look at Dalkovan Encampment and Great Arashin City as they do give me an advantage over regular lands but at the cost of entering tapped. Not exactly a strong proposition!

So here is the deck that I will start to play with as soon as Tarkir: Dragonstorm cards are in my hands or on Arena!

Deck:

Deck:

• 2 Go for the Throat (BRO) 102
• 2 Anointed Peacekeeper (DMU) 2
• 2 Fell (BLB) 95
• 3 Evolved Sleeper (DMU) 93
• 3 Shadow-Rite Priest (DMU) 106
• 2 Loran’s Escape (BRO) 14
• 3 Essence Channeler (BLB) 12
• 2 Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim (DMU) 198
• 3 Phyrexian Missionary (DMU) 27
• 3 Annex Sentry (ONE) 2
• 3 Preacher of the Schism (LCI) 113
• 2 Roaming Throne (LCI) 258
• 2 Cut Down (DMU) 89
• 2 Krumar Initiate (TDM) 84
• 2 Loxodon Battle Priest (TDM) 15

Lands:

• 2 Cavern of Souls (LCI) 269
• 1 The Dross Pits (ONE) 251
• 2 Fabled Passage (ELD) 244
• 1 Forlorn Flats (OTJ) 258
• 1 The Fair Basilica (ONE) 252
• 2 Scoured Barrens (NEO) 274
• 1 Valgavoth’s Lair (DSK) 271
• 8 Plains (THB) 250
• 6 Swamp (THB) 252

Sideboard

• 2 Grand Abolisher (BIG) 2
• 1 Skrelv, Defector Mite (ONE) 33
• 1 Pest Control (BIG) 22
• 2 Lay Down Arms (BRO) 11
• 1 The Witch’s Vanity (WOE) 119
• 1 Sanguine Evangelist (LCI) 34
• 1 Zoraline, Cosmos Caller (BLB) 242
• 1 Leyline Binding (DMU) 24
• 2 Liliana of the Veil (DMU) 97
• 2 Virtue of Persistence (WOE) 115
• 1 Moonrise Cleric (BLB) 226