One of the most iconic Standard cards of the last 15 years is undoubtedly Siege Rhino. Siege Rhino was a force to be reckoned with back in Khans of Tarkir Standard. It was tough to kill and provided a big tempo swing at a very efficient rate.
To pay homage, Tarkir: Dragonstorm brought us Skirmish Rhino, a cheaper but slightly less robust version of Siege Rhino. Unfortunately, Skirmish Rhino has hardly had the same impact in a world of power creep. There just hasn’t been a great home for the card.
Well, that is until recently. One player took a unique Abzan self-bounce shell boasting a multitude of Tarkir: Dragonstorm cards all the way to the finals of a 74-player Magic Online Standard Challenge. Skirmish Rhino plays a major role in the deck, so if you’ve been looking for the perfect Rhino archetype, this deck has you covered.
Potent Midrange Gameplan
This Abzan shell is constructed with tons of ways to generate value while simultaneously applying pressure. Most creatures in the deck are aggressively costed and have enters-the-battlefield triggers that allow you to pull ahead.
Skirmish Rhino is a great example. It’s a threat with strong stats. It dodges some popular removal spells, such as Nowhere to Run. If the opponent ends up using a premium removal spell on it, though, you’re perfectly fine with the exchange.
After all, you still got to drain the opponent for two when it entered. On top of that, if your opponent is focused on killing Skirmish Rhino, they may run out of answers for threats like Sheoldred, the Apocalypse that will end the game on their own. The pilot of the deck noted how weak most decks, especially Izzet Prowess, were to Sheoldred in the first place, so perhaps making room for more copies is worthwhile.
Skirmish Rhino becomes even more appealing when you factor in the presence of four copies of Yathan Roadwatcher. Yathan Roadwatcher excels in grindy matchups. Given this deck’s high density of creatures, chances are, you’ll be able to mill over a creature when Yathan Roadwatcher enters and resurrect it.
However, Yathan Roadwatcher isn’t restricted to just returning creatures that were milled over. If your opponent burns a removal spell on Skirmish Rhino, Yathan Roadwatcher can bring it right back. Now your opponent has the Skirmish Rhino and an additional 3/3 body to contend with.
In addition to Skirmish Rhino, Severance Priest is another strong Tarkir: Dragonstorm three-drop that demands removal and is a great option to reanimate with Yathan Roadwatcher. Getting to nab your opponent’s removal spell or board wipe helps set up Sheoldred, too.
Self-Bounce Support
Given this deck’s sheer volume of value-oriented creatures, it makes sense to see a small self-bounce theme present. Beyond the usual targets, such as Nowhere to Run, using Nurturing Pixie or Sunpearl Kirin to bounce Yathan Roadwatcher or Skirmish Rhino can be useful in a board stall.
Over time, the life loss from Skirmish Rhino repeatedly entering the battlefield will add up. The same is true for Hopeless Nightmare, which works perfectly alongside Nurturing Pixie and Sunpearl Kirin.
Additionally, a full playset of Spiteful Hexmage makes an appearance to keep the pressure on. Whether you’re putting the Cursed Role token on Nurturing Pixie (which already has base power and toughness 1/1) or you’re putting it on Spiteful Hexmage and then bouncing it, it’s easy to work around the downside of your one-mana 3/2.
It is worth mentioning, though, that Spiteful Hexmage doesn’t line up particularly well in a world of Burst Lightning and Cut Down. The deck’s pilot noted that they sideboarded out Spiteful Hexmage consistently. Perhaps using these slots on extra bounce-worthy targets like Grim Bauble or robust finishers like Sheoldred would prove more impactful.
A Nice Blend
This may be one of the first elite finishes for the Abzan self-bounce archetype, but there’s a good chance it won’t be the last. This deck features a balanced blend of cards that perform well in a wide variety of matchups and situations.
Versus red aggro, you can lean into the self-bounce portion of the deck. Playing Nowhere to Run a bunch of times is a tried-and-true formula. Back that up with burly blockers and the life gain from Skirmish Rhino, and you’re in decent shape.
All of your value generating permanents also line up exceptionally well versus Dimir midrange. So long as you can keep Kaito, Bane of Nightmares contained, Yathan Roadwatcher and company should help you cross the finish line.
What’s particularly noteworthy about this deck, though, is that it does a great job applying pressure versus control and combo decks without being vulnerable to Temporary Lockdown. Furthermore, Severance Priest buys you much-needed time versus Azorius Omniscience combo, while Skirmish Rhino outsizes Lightning Helix in the Jeskai control matchup.
Throw in some copies of Duress or Deep-Cavern Bat out of the sideboard, and you’ve got a real shot at beating these types of decks that may otherwise be a bit problematic. Abzan self-bounce’s well roundedness is extremely appealing, so definitely keep the archetype on your radar moving forward.