The official release of MTG Avatar is just around the corner, and soon enough, players will be able to start utilizing their favorite goodies in Constructed on all platforms. This set is chock full of powerful threats like Wan Shi Tong, Librarian that look poised to make an impact in multiple formats.
For Standard play, one group of cards that has gotten a lot of hype is all of the Allies. It’s been a little while since we’ve had a good typal deck in Standard, so this isn’t too surprising. Unfortunately, I don’t think Ally typal has what it takes to burst onto the scene and make a lasting impression. The creature type has a multitude of limitations, and while it’s still early, my speculation is that these issues will significantly hold the archetype back.
Lack of Payoffs
In order for any strategy to be successful, there has to be a strong incentive play the archetype in the first place. Without a major typal reward, you’re essentially restricting yourself in deckbuilding for no benefit. While MTG Avatar does feature a few Ally payoffs, most of them don’t give you enough bang for your buck.
Things start out very promising with the printing of Earth King’s Lieutenant, since it gets significantly better the more Allies you play. The problem is that there’s a big drop off in payoff quality afterwards. The only other “Lord” effect costs three mana, and unlike Lieutenant, leaves no value behind if it itself gets killed.
While there are some other Allies that are capable of generating some value for you, they either suffer from being vulnerable to removal or being clunky. South Pole Voyager, for example, present a lot of upside if they stick around long-term. The problem is that simple pieces of interaction like Stab and Burst Lightning put an end to that game plan quickly, while simultaneously trading up on mana.
These issues persist when you look at the three-drop and four-drop options, such as Katara, the Fearless and Hakoda, Selfless Commander. Relying on your typal value engines to stick around long-term in a field with Shoot the Sheriff and Get Lost running rampant isn’t ideal. There’s a chance Roaming Throne could work its way into the equation since Ward makes it harder to kill, yet even in that case, the bar for four-mana plays to see play in Standard is very high. Considering how little Roaming Throne does on its own, we’re skeptical.
Notably, even with these weaknesses in mind, there would still be hope for Allies if the right support elements were present. With some go-wide elements, elite disruption, or other ways to rebuild in the face of removal and sweepers, typal shells that don’t utilize a ton of payoffs can still put up a fight. Allies unfortunately falls short on these fronts as well.
Caught in a Bad Spot
As a whole, Allies suffers from some fatal flaws when it comes to both applying pressure and disrupting the opponent. First and foremost, Earthen Ally is the only one-drop that can consistently attack for two damage. Earth Kingdom Protector is sometimes a decent predecessor to one of your two-drops, but it’s weak on its own and doesn’t even protect your follow-ups from cards like Nowhere to Run.
On top of that, there aren’t any potent sources of disruption that advance your game plan outside of Aang, Swift Savior, which isn’t the most efficient option. An effect like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben that Allies just doesn’t have access to would go a long way in improving the deck’s position against midrange and control decks.
Given the deck’s lack of elite aggressive and disruptive plays, the natural place to turn would be towards value engines that could help you rebuild and win attrition battles. Prior to rotation, Azorius Soldiers did a great job taking this approach, perfectly abusing the power Knight-Errant of Eos. Once again, though, no alternative comes close to being that strong in current Standard. Hakoda, Selfless Commander is the closest option, but unlike Knight-Errant, it doesn’t actually help you refuel if it itself gets killed right away. With all of these issues combined, many of the top archetypes in Standard line up quite well against what Allies has going on.
Potential Matchup Concerns
Naturally, since the recent bans that nerfed Mono-Red Aggro and dismantled Izzet Cauldron Combo, many players have turned towards other well-established archetypes, including Dimir Midrange and Orzhov Self-Bounce. While we can’t predict the future and the release of MTG Avatar could obviously bring some shakeups, we think there’s a good chance these strategies will still be quite prevalent, and they have a lot of tools to fight the Allies matchup.
Beyond just the wealth of removal options that Dimir brings to the table, cards like Tishana’s Tidebinder can completely shut down some of your Ally synergies. Once South Pole Voyagers or Lieutenant lose the value from their triggered abilties, you’re just left with a mediocre body.
Plus, the lack of proactive removal options for the Ally deck makes Preacher of the Schism and other big threats out of Dimir that much more problematic. The same can be said for Cosmogrand Zenith out of Orzhov Self-Bounce, which will run away with the game if left unchecked. Sure, Earth Kingdom Jailer provides temporary reprieve, yet once again, these decks have ample ways to get the three-drop off the board.
Two Small Positives
For as many faults as Ally typal may appear to have moving forward, there are a couple things going in its favor that persistent players can lean on. The mana available for the Ally archetype is a major plus in its favor. Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop, Cavern of Souls, and Secluded Courtyard make it easier to manage a multicolor manabase. Being able to reliably play Katara, the Fearless and Wartime Protesters in the same deck isn’t out of the question.
The other strong suit Allies has in its favor is access to solid tempo plays. Invasion Reinforcements, Aang, Swift Savior, and Appa, Steadfast Guardian all have Flash, so perhaps leaning into that theme could help give the archetype more of a chance against Azorius Control. There are also other off-theme options like Sheltered by Ghosts that might make the creature matchups easier, though the fact that Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop, Cavern of Souls, and Secluded Courtyard don’t help cast them is a major letdown.
There is also the possibility that Allies could end up being a strange tempo-based infinite combo deck, which would make it far different from a typical typal strategy. This doesn’t take away from the fact that the deck won’t succeed as a traditional typal one, however.
All in all, it would be nice to see Allies make a statement in MTG Avatar Standard. Still, the odds are heavily stacked against it and we are skeptical that it would make a push. Only time will tell how things play out.
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