Standard: Bant Terror - Deck Tech and Sideboard Guide

Tolarian Terror is quite well-known in the Magic: The Gathering community because of how popular it is in Pauper, but it didn't stand out as much in other formats. Alongside Eddymurk Crab, however, it became a pillar in Bant Tempo, a deck that focuses on accelerating these giant creatures and putting a lot of pressure on your opponent.

To do that, you'll have to use Cache Grab and Seed of Hope's self-mill mechanism. They'll feed your graveyard and let you get a permanent that you put there this way, which makes the entire deck more consistent. Sleight of Hand will be your main cantrip; it lets you manipulate the top of your deck.

Stormchaser's Talent increases your board, and its other abilities are very useful in longer matches. Up the Beanstalk also works really well in this list, considering how many cards it will draw for you.

Blue doesn't have many effective removals, so we'll use white and green: Bushwhack and Sheltered by Ghosts. The first card in particular can also fix your mana curve, and the second is excellent against aggro decks.

Into the Flood Maw and This Town Ain't Big Enough are this deck's bounces. They will open the way so you can deal lethal damage, but you can also target your own permanents with them to set up other strategies.

Mulligan and Game Style

We have just a few lands, but our cantrips let us start with hands that usually would be unplayable in other decks because you can reuse the lands in your graveyard. Prioritize hands that have a clear game plan, and that aren't too slow.

Each turn counts, so, try to keep up, or you won't be able to return to the game.

Vs. Dimir Midrange

Dimir is still one of the most popular decks in Standard, and its current version also focuses a lot more on flying creatures as well as flash. This deck plays many removals and can put creatures on the board quite fast; it also plays a few counters that can be quite problematic.

However, even Dimir might struggle to deal with the multiple creatures you'll use to attack every turn, and Stormchaser's Talent's tokens can become quite dangerous. Focus on your main game plan, and try to mow your opponent down with your creatures.

Side in

Side out

Vs. Gruul Aggro

This matchup is quite complicated. Gruul puts a lot of pressure really early on, and plays many creatures. Putting a 5/5 in play early on is one way you might be able to stabilize the game. Sheltered By Ghosts is by far your best shot at controlling the game because, besides removing a threat on the board, it will give you extra life and protect the creature you enchant with it.

Side in

Side out

Vs. Azorius Oculus

In this matchup, your opponent will play very much like Bant Terror, but Abhorrent Oculus is a lot more problematic than it seems. If it stays on the board for too long, it can easily destabilize the game and favor your opponent, who will be able to control everything and win, eventually. In this case, you need to be fast and grow your board, besides dealing with Oculus before it becomes a problem.

Side in

Side out

Vs. Golgari Midrange

This is perhaps one of the worst matchups for this deck. Golgari plays many removals and ways to get rid of creatures. It can also put a lot of pressure with its own creatures, which all create a lot of value. The best strategy is to try to be faster than they are and put pressure on them, all while you try to deal with their most problematic creatures.

Side in

Side out

Vs. Esper Self-Bounce

Self-Bounce seems to be dominating Standard recently, and has shown us it is a strong strategy. The best example of this is the Esper version, which often plays more like a midrange and can easily take control of the game. However, its creatures are way more fragile than Bant's 5/5s, and, if you're smart about it, you can win the game.

Be careful with their removals, and don't give them an opening!

Side in

Side out

Bant Terror is a very fun deck that has space for many interesting strategies, particularly bounce, as those cards let you set up a few insane plays. For instance, you can return two Up the Beanstalk to your hand with This Town Ain't Big Enough, or create extra tokens with Into the Flood Maw and Stormchaser's Talent. You might struggle against certain decks, particularly black ones, but even those matchups aren't impossible, and victory is always rewarding.

What did you think of this deck? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!