I sit here writing this article on Purim, and I am struck by how appropriate the article topic is for the occasion. For those who do not know of the Jewish festival Purim, it is a commemoration of the Jewish people's miraculous escape from a decree of extermination during the Persian Empire - a reversal of fortune so extreme, the Jews actually turned on their erstwhile oppressors and did the slaughtering for a change.

When I saw the Ferrett's article challenge for this week, about stunning reversals, during the Purim festival. I knew it was the perfect opportunity to write this article.

So, without further ado, I present...

V'nahafochu!
3 Honden of Life's Web
3 Honden of Infinite Rage
4 Kodama's Reach
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
2 Journeyer's Kite
3 First Volley
4 Yamabushi's Flame
4 Glacial Ray
4 Lava Spike
8 Mountain
7 Plains
1 Swamp
8 Forest

Now I know what you're thinking. Why all the mana acceleration? Where are the win conditions - not even a scrubby Myojin? Why is there white mana in the deck - and nary a Final Judgement or Honden Of Cleansing Fire to back it up? And for the more assiduous among you, Why are there only 56 cards in the deck? And there's the answer. Let me introduce you to the cornerstone of the deck.

4 Reverse the Sands.

The beauty (and April-fools/Purimness) of this decklist is in its seeming innocuousness; it does nothing, then suddenly jumps out and kills the opponent in one fell swoop. Let me give you an example.

Opponent: Lava Spike, swing with Soilshaped Land and Kodama. What's that, eleven damage? You're at two. (Looking at my board of nine lands.) Concede?

Me: Wait a second. Reverse the Sands, Lava Spike. You lose.

Essentially, this deck's plan is to sit there and let the opponent kick it in the teeth until you cast Reverse the Sands, switching life totals and burning your opponent out with one of your fifteen burn spells. You have your burn and chump blockers to slow the rate of life loss until you can actually caste Reverse the Sands.

Yes I know that "getting your ass kicked" isn't exactly the most stable game plan - especially when Cranial Extraction is a constant threat. But bear with me. This deck isn't exactly defenseless. Eleven burn spells + three Honden can kill creatures, not to mention the chump blocking that the Honden of Life's Reach makes possible. In fact, some games you won't even need to cast Reverse the Sands to win. Your Elder/Reach/Kite land-searching package enables you to get a Reverse the Sands (and the commensurate double-white mana) fairly early and easily.

But, you say, What about games two and three? First, your opponent can just save enough creature beats to kill you in one fell swoop. Then there's always the Cranial Extraction. Then what?

Ah, That's what a sideboard's for.

3 Honden Of Cleansing Fire
4 Twist Allegiance
2 Honden of Night's Reach
2 Honden of Seeing Winds
1 Island
3 Cranial Extraction (Or anything you like, and that's good for your metagame.. I just pulled a Cranial a couple days ago, so I'm pretty happy.)

I'll be the first to admit that Twist Allegiance perhaps isn't the most reliable sideboarding strategy, but this article isn't really about uber leet tech. This is a casual April Fools' article - and what's more April-Foolsy than two transitional sideboards, one of which is Reins of Power? The fact that the deck is Block-legal is just sauce for the newer players out there who don't even own a Fallen Empires card (like me).

(And you're lucky, too - The Ferrett, who believes that Fallen Empires is the second-worst expansion ever.)

Some notes about playing versus the projected Big Two of KBC:

Vs. MBC
The plan of Reverse The Sands isn't very useful here, but this matchup is still winnable. Your main object is to drop your Hondens and try to burn them out. Remember, Yamabushi's Flame makes nasty Dragon Spirits cry.

Sideboarding:
-4 Reverse the Sands
-1 Plains
-3 Lava Spike
-3 First Volley
+3 Honden of Cleansing Fire
+2 Honden of Night's Reach
+2 Honden of Seeing Winds
+3 Cranial Extraction
+1 Island

Games 2 and 3, Cranial their win conditions and drop as many Honden as possible.

Vs. Spiritcraft
Game one, your plan is to Reverse the Sands and burn your opponent out - remember, you don't have to win the same turn you cast Reverse the Sands, if you won't die that turn. Don't be afraid to burn a few creatures - you walk a fine line between going burn-crazy and rolling with the punches.

Sideboarding for Game 2:
-4 Reverse the Sands
-3 Lava Spike
+4 Twist Allegiance
+3 Honden of Cleansing Fire

Game 2, drop a Honden or two, control the board with burn and eventually Twist Allegiance to win the game.

Game 3, Drop the Twists and replace the Sands. If it looks like your opponent's bringing in the Cleanfalls/Wear Aways, drop the Hondens instead.

There are other decks out there - but the format's still nebulous, and any sideboarding plans I might give are shaky at best. Anyway, hope you liked this article/deck, and if you'd like to discuss this deck with me at calebneufeldNOFREAKINGSPAM@gmail.com, feel free to. (And if you think you can do better with the concept, post your deck in the forums - T.F.)

Until next time, may all your reversals be Blessed (Har dee har har. He has to end his article with a bad pun, and copy that MaRo style. Wonder what Grydehoj wrote today...)

Okay, you win. Happy Purim, and enjoy you block season.

P.S.: V'nahafochu is Hebrew for "and they were reversed" - a clear reference to the life totals of ancient Persia.