Why Vampires Are Making a Comeback in Standard Format

MTG Standard format is possibly one of the most difficult formats to play, due to the fact that the cards are constantly rotating out. Though with the Newest set, Rivals of Ixalan, and its predecessor, Ixalan, vampires came out with a lot of powerful synergies. Though the dinosaurs have as well, they are just too high cost. The recent bans with MTG standard removed a few cards from the Kaledesh block that saw a lot of play and combo out to win turn 4-7. This clears a path for the newer cards of Ixalan and even some of the Amonkhet block to make their appearance on the battlefield. Vampires, specifically. The appearance of Maverin Fein, Dusk Apostle, and Elenda, the Dusk Rose allows for vampire token plays to become more prominent. When combined with cards like vicious conquistador and other low-cost vampires you can easily run a vampire deck that can combat the popular Beckett brass deck with chump blockers or the Naya-saur Dino deck due to the high cost of Dinos not being on the battlefield fast enough. Though fairly weak on their own, these synergistic vampires will allow for a new era of standard tournaments. My recommendations for success are to run a black white vampire token deck with cities blessing mechanics in order to annihilate the opponent with sheer overwhelming power. The other side of vampires, though, is not just power, but time. these decks should be thinking longer term than two or three turns. No, you need enchantments. The enchantments in standard rotate out so often that I lose track, but the best approach is to have enchantments with bolstering effects and buff your 1/1 vampires.

With that being said, just as they are coming back in standard, the same can be said for Mer-folk. So the final word of warning is to be wary of blue and green; the blue removal and green brute strength can be a deadly combo when unattended. So, be sure to have plenty of removal.

Now for a deck build that is fairly simple.

Creatures (25)

• 4 Duskborne Skymarcher w 0.08
• 3 Vicious Conquistador b 0.06
• 2 Adanto Vanguard 1w 0.08
• 2 Bloodcrazed Paladin 1b 0.02
• 4 Gifted Aetherborn bb 3.56
• 2 Mavren Fein, Dusk Apostle 2w 0.20
• 3 Skymarch Bloodletter 2b 0.03
• 1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan 2b 1.66
• 4 Sanctum Seeker 2bb 0.64

Planeswalkers

• 1 Gideon of the Trials 1ww 6.69

Spells (6)

• 2 Duress b 0.02
• 2 Walk the Plank bb 0.06
• 2 Call to the Feast 2wb 0.02

Artifacts (3)

• 1 Throne of the God-Pharaoh 2 0.01
• 2 Aethersphere Harvester 3 11.84

Enchantments (3)

• 2 Legion's Landing w 6.10
• 1 Cast Out 3w 0.18

Lands (22)

• 3 Aether Hub 0.12
• 4 Concealed Courtyard 28.36
• 3 Plains 0.00
• 9 Swamp 0.00
• 3 Unclaimed Territory 0.66

Sideboard (15)

• 1 Scavenger Grounds 2.49
• 2 Duress b 0.02
• 2 Fatal Push b 1.54
• 1 Vicious Conquistador b 0.02
• 1 Throne of the God-Pharaoh 2 0.01
• 1 Walk the Plank bb 0.03
• 4 Legion Conquistador 2w 0.04
• 1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan 2b 1.66
• 1 Cast Out 3w 0.18
• 1 Gideon's Intervention 2ww 0.01

75 Cards Total

The total price of the deck is 114.14, so it is not necessarily the cheapest deck. But it is an amazingly reliable deck that utilizes all the current standard sets.

It plays very well and can pull a turn two win if played right.

Go on and try it out at your local Friday Night Magic, or table top with your friends.

Just don't be that one guy who is overconfident and a sore loser.

Good luck!