Bant Bestow

This list was inspired by the Selesnya Bestow deck some clanmates like FabioS (Besta Ou !) have been testing. But i felt like more options were needed to give it an efficient go in the meta and decided to splash blue. Why? I hope you will find out while reading this. The list does well vs most other archetypes in the format, including Mill, RDW and even MBC. It's still under testing but it's definitly fun to play with. So if you want to give it a try, here it is !

BANT BESTOW

Creatures (28)
4 Observant Alseid
4 Keening Apparition
4 Centaur Healer

Enchant, enchant, enchant !

4 Nimbus Naiad
4 Auramancer
4 Leafcrown Dryad
4 Hopeful Eidolon

Other spells (11)
4 Ethereal Armor
2 Wildwood Rebirth
2 Commune with the Gods
3 Pacifism

Lands (22)
5 Plains
5 Forest
3 Azorius Guildgate
4 Selesnya Guildgate
1 Unknown Shores
2 Island
2 Simic Guildgate

Sideboard
1 Feral Invocation
3 Ranger's Guile
3 Dispel
3 Celestial Flare
1 Pacifism
2 Annul
2 Aqueous Form

Card Choices / Creatures
28 creatures put the list in the aggro field. They are all 3cc except for their Bestow option. From 2/2's to 3/3's, keeping them safe from Shrivel or Electrickery.

4 Observant Alseid
Vigilance is so good in the format. Turn 3 beater / blocker or turn 5 Bestow for a vigilance Tron. Vigilance+Flying+Ethereal Armor : big clock.

4 Keening Apparition
Yes, maindeck !! Turn 2 aggressor and enchantment hate ready. Considering the manabase, it can also be a turn 2 play even if your starting hand has too many gates. Also maindecked to prevent opponent's pacifisms from muting your Tron.

4 Centaur Healer
Not much to say. One of the best creatures in the format and in the meta. Quickly turns into a 5/5 vigilance, reach, flying or 4/4 lifegain. I suggest playing the bestow creatures first though unless you are facing a mill deck.

4 Nimbus Naiad
One of the main reasons for splashing Blue into this archetype is evasion. Flying. Once you have 5 manas, you can bestow it and go for the winged swing. That's why he'll be the favorite target of your opponent's spells.

4 Auramancer
Really so good in this archetype. Allows enchantment recursion from graveyard, can become a threat when targeted by your bestow, we would like 12 in the deck !!

4 Leafcrown Dryad
Another turn 2 play on the early aggro way. Turn 4 bestow on any previous beater if needed to pass through 4 toughness blockers.

4 Hopeful Eidolon
Lifelink ! Added to the lifegain from Centaur Healers, this card will help a lot vs RDW and will drive your strategic choices depending on what is on the battlefield. Sometimes a turn 1 play followed by Etheral Armor on it, though it's a bit risky when facing red or Black, because that occurs quite often in the meta.
More often a mid-game option when bestowed.

Card choices / other spells
Only 11 cards, but well sorted.

4 Etheral Armor
Wins out of nowhere, tightens the clock fast, turns blockers into dead meat, this card gives your opponents shivers everytime you tap a white producing land on your turn. He really wants to get rid of it !!

2 Wildwood rebirth
Possibly 2 more Auramancers for ench recursion, but also some reach on graveyard when you are looking for a way to finish the game when it's stalled. Brings back Evasion (flying Nimbus), lifelink, reach, Etheral Armor or a centaur depending on what you need all the way.

2 Commune with the Gods
Very versatile card during game. Can help you sort and find what you need depending on the situation, fills in your graveyard with targets for Auramancers or Wildwood rebirth. Needless to mention, side them out VS Mill. I like playing that card when 5 manas are available, so anything you choose can be played same turn or the turn after.

3 Pacifisms
They keep efficient blockers out of the way and boost your Etheral Armor wearers. Also prevents early invasion and massive damage.


MANABASE
3 colors can be a problem. This is mostly Selesnya with a blue splash for evasion and better sideboard options vs the actual field.
Needs a bit of work but it's OK most of the time. Suggestions? Ideas?


Sideboard Cards

1 Feral Invocation
Surprise ! Mostly there for combat tricks or in response to burn trying to remove your 2/2's or 4/4's. Tried a single but may increase them as they are so good with Etheral armor.

3 Ranger's Guile
Not much to say. They ruin straight removal, can be useful for combat tricks, safe shelter vs anything, spell or ability that would target your win conditions. I like to keep them in hand for mid game, even late game, when you have board advantage.

3 Dispel
Ruins instant removal suite from Mill decks, negates summon counters so you can safely play creatures, very useful card often sided in game 2.

3 Celestial Flare
Trying to race your opponent? Removes a big lone attacker or a lone blocker, preventing your best threat from hitting the graveyard. May lower them to 2 samples. Still not sure.

1 Pacifism
The fourth copy is needed vs aggro or when you're on for the enchantment war.

2 Annul
More Enchantment hate, on the counter side this time, maybe increasing the number if that archetype spreads and we have to play the mirror matchup.

2 Aqueous Form
In case the board is locked and your flying evasion is not enough. Scry also helps keeping decent draws and getting rid of those land draws mid game and late game.

Of course the list is still subject to many evolutions, and i'll let you experience it to see how it goes versus other archetypes. But it has a really good matchup vs Mill and vs other Aggro lists, so it may have a slot on the top of the hill. Ready for some playtesting?

Have fun !!

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