Chapin's Halo.dec piloted by Gerry T wins GP Denver!

Congratulations Gerry T. ! coverage here> http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgevent/gpden08/welcome I find it amusing that the pros are looking at Archon of Justice. I had that card in my original Solar Flare deck I was messing with a few weeks ago and I thought it would be a decent replacement for Angel of Despair. *gloat* *gloat* Even before I saw todays coverage on GP Denver, I made a new Pepperoni Pizza list with a lone Archon of Justice to get rid of problematic perms. It seems my thinking was not totally flawed! Not that I'm some kinda resident genius! Anyway, here is the deck that Gerry T. played...

Gerry Thompson
Main Deck

60 cards

1 Cascade Bluffs
3 Flooded Grove
3 Island
4 Mystic Gate
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Vivid Creek
3 Vivid Grove
4 Vivid Meadow

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26 lands


2 Archon of Justice
3 Cloudthresher
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Mulldrifter
3 Shriekmaw

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16 creatures

2 Austere Command
3 Broken Ambitions
4 Cryptic Command
4 Firespout
2 Makeshift Mannequin
1 Oona's Grace
2 Runed Halo

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18 other spells
Sideboard

3 Chameleon Colossus
1 Cloudthresher
2 Hallowed Burial
2 Plumeveil
2 Runed Halo
1 Shriekmaw
4 Wispmare

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15 sideboard cards

Reading the coverage, it seems this deck requires quite a bit of finesse to play correctly, especially when using a card like Runed Halo! A scrub like me would need mucho practice to get it right so that means I won't be playing this deck at a PTQ! So in conclusion, I'll be posting new Standard lists.

from Chapin's article:

Bonus Sideboarding Guide:

Versus Fae:
-2 Shriekmaw, -2 Austere Command, -2 Runed Halo, -2 Firespout
+4 Wispmare, +3 Chameleon Colossus, +1 Cloudthresher

Versus Kithkin:
-(0-3) Broken Ambitions, (0-2) Runed Halo, -1 Archon of Justice, -(1-2) Cloudthresher
+2 Hallowed Burial, +2 Shriekmaw, +1 Plumeveil

Versus Demigod Red:
-2 Austere Command, -3 Broken Ambitions, -1 Firespout
+2 Runed Halo, +2 Hallowed Burial, +1 Shriekmaw, +1 Plumeveil

Versus Doran:
-3 Cloudthresher, -1 Kitchen Finks
+2 Hallowed Burial, +2 Runed Halo

Also:

GerryT, LSV, Cheon and i all agree that the deck should be slightly tuned:
2shriekmaw, 2archon, 2cloud thresher, 2oona's grace, 4vivid grove
so essentially +1Oona Grace, +1land, -2creatures.

All it takes is some practice man. Having the best deck in the format can cover up some playmistakes, but obviously not all. At some point you have to just step up to the plate. I would definitely be playing this if I were still PTQing. Maybe that goes without saying lol

Edit:
Chapin also said Hallowed Burial is probably better than Austere Command, but didn't seem 100% on the change. Also, the name of the deck is 5-color Justice. Fuck this Toast bullshit.

Thanks for the additional info! You are right on all accounts sir! I'll start putting this beast together and test it.

Yeah fuck that toast bullshit, what a gay name. And jesse, you can play anything.

After playing a few games with the deck and taking into account Chapin's suggestions, I would play it as such:
1 Cascade Bluffs
3 Flooded Grove
3 Island
4 Mystic Gate
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Vivid Creek
4 Vivid Grove
4 Vivid Meadow

2 Archon of Justice
2 Cloudthresher
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Mulldrifter
2 Shriekmaw

2 Hallowed Burial
3 Broken Ambitions
4 Cryptic Command
4 Firespout
2 Makeshift Mannequin
2 Oona's Grace
2 Runed Halo

Sideboard
3 Chameleon Colossus
2 Cloudthresher
2 Plumeveil
2 Runed Halo
2 Shriekmaw
4 Wispmare

The weakness I see with Hallowed Burial is that it messes with your Mannequin's. Granted, you only play 2 MD so maybe that's okay. The deck is really good though and I look forward to playtesting it next week!

Yeah, you have 14 guys and 2 Mannequins, it's basically never a problem. I really like only playing 2-3 instead of 4 like Antonio Derosa was playing. They can be dead if you draw multiples early.

I could use some help with Runed Halo in regards to naming specific cards vs. specific decks.

vs Faeries: almost always Mistbind Clique

vs Monored: usually Demigod of Revenge then Flame Javelin

vs the mirror: usually Oona in the lategame

vs Kithkin: often Figure of Destiny or Mutavault (since it's immune to your sweepers)

It really depends though; it's fine to name any decent creature you don't have an immediate answer for. Against Kithkin or a green deck, if you don't know what to name you can just chill and play your normal control game until they draw something you can't or don't want to counter or kill. Just because you have an opening to drop it doesn't always mean you have to preemptively Halo something and hope they draw it, though that is a good idea against Faeries and Monored, and late in the mirror so they don't Oona you too hard. Chapin and Gerry probably do a better job of explaining this than I can (and know more), so see what they have to say.

Edit: Obviously fist pump one additional time for every additional copy of the card they draw past the first. Example: 4 Demigod+Runed Halo on Demigod=Triple fist pump, etc.

Seems easy enough and playtesting will solidify everything. Thanks!

Chapin suggested -1 Archon of Justice and +1 Oona Queen.

This deck isnt hard to play at all jesse, you got it.

I went 4-2-1 at the Jacksonville, AR PTQ, was in top 8 contention going into the final swiss round and played pretty badly throughout. With more play testing I would have made top 8 for sure. I'll write a report in a couple of days and give you guys the details. In the meantime, here is the version I ended up playing...

JLA

2 Archon of Justice (did not see much Fae so went with 2)
2 Cloudthresher
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Mulldrifter
2 Shriekmaw

3 Broken Ambitions
4 Cryptic Command
4 Firespout
2 Hallowed Burial
2 Makeshift Mannequin
2 Oona's Grace
2 Runed Halo

1 Cascade Bluffs
3 Flooded Grove
3 Island
4 Mystic Gate
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Vivid Creek
4 Vivid Grove
4 Vivid Meadows

SB:
3 Chameleon Colossus
1 Cloudthresher
2 Hallowed Burial
1 Oona, Queen of the Fae
1 Plumeveil
2 Runed Halow
1 Shriekmaw
4 Wispmare