Over the past couple weeks, we’ve started to see Standard evolve with the presence of MTG Foundations. Red decks have added Burst Lightning and other useful tools to their arsenal. Meanwhile, Domain strategies get access to Authority of the Consuls as an excellent option to slow the assertive decks down.
Nonetheless, while MTG Foundations has helped shape the Standard metagame, it hasn’t given rise to too many brand-new archetypes. Red aggro, black midrange shells, and Domain still rule the format. As such, whenever a unique strategy does make an appearance, it’s worth taking a look at.
Well, one player took it upon themselves to try out a sweet Maze’s End shell, and the deck did not disappoint. Maze’s End is a very amusing alternate win condition but is rarely competitively viable since it takes so long to set up.
This time around, though, there are some neat synergies that give the build-around land some hope. If you’re looking for something unusual to grind the Arena ladder with, look no further.
Maze’s End and Hedge Shredder
- Mana Value: 2GG
- Rarity: Rare
- Stats: 5/5 (Vehicle)
- MTG Sets: Duskmourn
- Card Text: Whenever Hedge Shredder attacks, you may mill two cards. Whenever one or more land cards are put into your graveyard from your library, put them onto the battlefield tapped. Crew 1 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 1 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)
Maze’s End first appeared back in Dragon’s Maze and has been a fan favorite ever since. As a colorless tapped land, Maze’s End really only has appeal in a deck that can actually utilize it as a win condition. In order to do so, you need to reliably get 10 Gates on the battlefield, all with different names.
In Standard, there are only 11 Gates available: one of each dual-colored Guildgate and Thran Portal. Even with Maze’s End and some Gate tutors such as Circuitous Route, actually getting 10 different Gates into play and then activating Maze’s End’s ability isn’t easy. Fortunately, this deck is capable of generating a massive mana advantage with the presence of Hedge Shredder.
Hedge Shredder is a neat Vehicle from Duskmourn with an awesome static ability. Any lands you mill from the top of your deck you get to put directly into play. With enough self-mill, Hedge Shredder can help you build up your Gate count in no time.
No card helps more in that department than Jace, the Perfected Mind. With access to Hedge Shredder, you’ll typically want to cast Jace for four mana and immediately mill yourself for 15 cards. This deck plays 26 lands, so you’re bound to put a ton of lands into play.
Cache Grab is another self-mill card that works well with Hedge Shredder. Importantly, Cache Grab digs for Hedge Shredder and Jace in the early game to set up the “combo.”
What’s nice about using Maze’s End as your way to win is that it isn’t easy to interact with. You aren’t vulnerable to removal or anything of the sort. So long as you can keep your head above water, Maze’s End provides you with inevitability.
Supporting Cast
- Mana Value: 2G
- Rarity: Uncommon
- MTG Sets: The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
- Card Text: When Spelunking enters the battlefield, draw a card, then you may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield. If you put a Cave onto the battlefield this way, you gain 4 life. Lands you control enter the battlefield untapped.
From there, almost every other card in the deck is meant to either pull you ahead on mana or keep your opponent off-balance. In the mana ramp section of the deck, Spelunking is as good as they come.
Not only do you get to draw a card and put a land into play, but all of your Gates enter untapped for the foreseeable future. This is a huge deal, especially when you have Hedge Shredder out. If you cast Jace and mill a bunch of tapped lands, they’ll all enter untapped, and you get a big burst of mana on the same turn.
Llanowar Elves is another four-of that makes all your ramp pieces better. Getting to play Spelunking or Circuitous Route ahead of schedule is nice. There’s a good chance the opponent kills your Elf, but at least you force them to take the time and spend mana doing so rather than developing their board.
To ensure you don’t fall too far behind, board wipes like Day of Judgment are critical. I’m a bit surprised to not see more on the board wipe front. Temporary Lockdown could be a great catch-up mechanism versus mono-red, which looks incredibly difficult to beat.
Areas of Concern
- Mana Value: 1R
- Rarity: Rare
- Stats: 2/2
- MTG Set: Bloomburrow
- Card Text: Haste. Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) Valiant- Whenever Emberheart Challenger becomes the target of a spell or ability you control for the first time each turn, exile the top card of your library. Until end of turn, you may play that card.
Ultimately, as cool as this deck is, it’s undeniable that it has some vulnerabilities. First and foremost, this deck doesn’t do too much in the early game to stabilize the board. Even with board wipes in the mix, Haste threats like Emberheart Challenger threaten to close the game before you can get you engine rolling.
Beyond that, this deck is very reliant on sticking Hedge Shredder in the mid game. As such, artifact removal can pose a problem. Leyline Binding out of Domain, for instance, can be a real showstopper. Counterspells are also an issue as you might expect.
So, against some slower midrange decks, the Maze’s End plan may be a flashy and effective strategy, but this deck is far from perfect. Regardless, there’s room for exploration within the archetype, and for players that enjoy off-the-wall combo decks, this build provides a neat starting point.
