Gary Wise's Masters deck brought the Beasts deck to light as a metagame choice. The first incarnation of this deck was Angry Beasts, the R/G/w version that used Anger, and it was built to combat a field of MBC, Wake, Slide and U/G. The major problem with this deck now is that even though Psychatog has reared its toothy head again, the percentage of control decks in the environment can't justify running three Angers - or even Anger at all - just to gain haste. Gary Wise's Masters deck, which was designed by Brian Fox, was a G/W/r deck that really only ran red so it could activate the Contested Cliffs and utilized white for Glory and Exalted Angel (its chosen win method versus U/G). There has also been a Burning Wish variant that smashes Tog and Astroglide, but has major problems with U/G.

IKT is Carl Jarrell's Beasts variant that gives up maindecked Glories and Angels for burn. The major problem IKT has is that it wants to be a R/G aggro deck with better creatures, but its mana base makes it more like a fat-filled R/G deck that starts at sixteen life or less and doesn't have Grim Lavamancers to gain card advantage.

Many R/G decks are now sporting two to four Phantom Centaurs maindeck to help in the mirror match, and as the fat to help finish some off opponents. This strategy is good in the mirror because you can put Elephant Guide on it to have a relatively invincible creature - or without the Guide, you have a creature that costs a burn spell, a Lavamancer activation, and a dead creature.

In Beasts, though, Phantom Centaur is the wrong call.

Since the Beast deck has no easy methods of gaining card advantage like Lavamancer, it must play cards that give it the most card advantage while still having synergy with the deck. While the deck has little ways to deal effectively with an opposing Centaur, the only deck in which the Centaur actually has three lives is against R/G - where they burn it, ping it for two with the Lavamancer, and drop a creature to it. Hooray! Two-for-one card advantage - this is good, right? Yeah, it's good, but it's not as good as Beast Attack; since most of their creatures aren't as big as yours, your beast tokens can trade for elephant tokens and then be flashed back. In addition, the Attack's synergy with either a Ravenous Baloth or a Contested Cliffs out is amazing. The card can potentially trade for three-fifths of your opponent's cards and up to eight life. Also, Phantom Centaur isn't as good in any other match; U/G has Wonder and can fly over it if need be, Tog can counter it (since the earliest it's coming out is the third turn) or respond by Smothering a small guy and Blooding, and MBC will just use Chainer's Edict, Innocent Blood, or Mutilate. Against all of these decks, the Attack is flat-out better - not just because of its potential, but because it's guaranteed card advantage.

IKT runs Firebolt and Violent Eruption; both are good burn spells. Let's be serious here, though; IKT hard-casting the Eruption is going to be really difficult - and if it does hard-cast it, then it most probably is having major mana issues that one Violent Eruption can't solve. Also, half of its madness outlets require discarding two cards, not one - which is a big difference, considering that the deck has no real way to gain card advantage. These burn spells make it better against Goblin Sligh in some ways, but the cost is a worsened mana base and life, so it's not worth it in the end. Flat-out, Shock is better than Firebolt in IKT because it's an instant. Since U/G is using Aquamoeba, since R/G uses Elephant Guide and Blistering Firecat, the instant speed of Shock is better. Even Lava Dart is even a better choice than Firebolt for IKT (not that Lava Dart is bad),

Running more burn than three Volcanic Hammers is wrong. Still, though, three Reprisals are a better choice considering the creatures in the type 2 metagame. After playtesting extensively, White is the better secondary color - not just for consistency but also for options.

A look at the sideboards of most Beast decks reveals cards like these, though not necessarily all in the same sideboard (since this would be an illegal sideboard):

3x Compost
1x Contested Cliffs
1x Genesis
1x Glory
1x Goblin Sharpshooter
1x Intrepid Hero
1x Nantuko Vigilante
3x Ray of Revelation
3x Reprisal (if not maindecked, or 2/3x Worship)
1x Silklash Spider
1x Spellbane Centaur

Players tend to have the sideboard in flux, changing cards as determined by the local metagame. But with US Regionals only a day or so away, we need to judge what's going to be played and at what level. The Reprisal x3 needs to be maindecked right now because of U/G, R/G, Sligh, Beasts, Slide, Reanimator, and so on; although it's not phenomenal against Tog or MBC, it always ends up pulling off some surprising uses because those players don't expect it. Reprisal also tends to work extremely well with the Contested Cliffs; wait for the opponent to pump their creature and respond.

This deck also needs to be able to deal with Ensnaring Bridge, Circle of Protection: Green, Worship, or any other random enchantments of artifacts that might come up. Since beasts can utilize Wishes, it should; it also needs to be able to have a sideboard in addition to it's toolbox, but can't afford to have cards that will 'destroy only 1 decktype' if it can be helped. And any deck that ends up using a large toolbox for both pre- and post-sideboarding should run four Wishes, effectively making each one-of into four sideboard slots. For example, it should use multiple Spellbane Centaurs to combat Equilibriums, bounce, and Callous Oppressors - which can annoying.

It also cannot afford to run dead cards in the board; right now, three Composts are a dead choice. While it's good against MBC, it's not good against any other deck. Tog now plays four Smothers, four Innocent Bloods, and two or three Callous Oppressors in the sideboard, plus perhaps three Chainer's Edicts or Ghastly Demises. Viewed in that light, is it really worth it? Considering that Cunning Wish makes it better against R/G and most of its other not-so-great matchups, they are more likely to run Hibernation as a sideboard. In short, it's just not that practical - especially in a match you should already win.

So what should Beasts look like right now? Gary's Masters deck isn't that good right now. Here's my current build:

Creatures 24
4x Anurid Brushhopper
4x Birds of Paradise
3x Llanowar Elves
1x Exalted Angel
2x Genesis
2x Glory
4x Ravenous Baloth
4x Wild Mongrel

Spells 13
2x Beast Attack
4x Call of the Herd
4x Living Wish
3x Reprisal

Land 23
4x Brushland
2x Contested Cliffs
2x City of Brass
6x Forest
1x Mountain
2x Plains
2x Sungrass Prairie
4x Wooded Foothills

Sideboard 15
1x Beast Attack
1x Contested Cliffs
1x Genesis
1x Glory
1x Goblin Sharpshooter
1x Intrepid Hero
1x Nantuko Vigilante
1x Phantom Nishoba
3x Ray of Revelation
1x Silklash Spider
3x Spellbane Centaur

So why play with this build as opposed to another Beasts build - or another deck entirely?

First off, this deck has a favorable game 1 (read: over 50% win rate) against every other deck except for Slide (after sideboarding, you should wreck them) and after sideboarding your match win percentages only go up (MBC is the only exception to this).

Outright being able to win most matchups is good, but being able to do so for every matchup you'll see except for one is what you need for Regionals. Second, Genesis is better than Exalted Angel in almost all matchups except U/G. Against R/G, the Mirror, W/G, Tog, and MBC, Genesis is a good creature that they don't want to kill, but can't afford to chump block every turn. When you consider that both the R/G and the mirror match is ruled by card advantage, the Wish advantage (for Intrepid Hero, Glory, Phantom Nishoba, Genesis, Contested Cliffs) and who can get Glory in the graveyard first, losing two Exalted Angels just isn't as big a deal.

Since your matchup against U/G is already good and because they're maindecking Unsummon (which hurts but isn't game ending), the tempo loss of the Angel (usually ending up bounced after being morphed) makes it not worth playing as compared to Genesis.

Third, the deck is consistent but play changes to meet different decks. U/G and R/G always play the same; drop cheap guys and either discard Wonder (or play a Blistering Firecat or burn) for the win; every game is the same. With U/G, R/G, and Reanimator you get a good hand or you get a bad hand; there's no real middle ground. Then, after sideboarding, every matchup is the same: Either you draw the key cards or you don't. Beasts just has so many cards and so many different ways it can gain control that practically only time you ever mulligan is on mana issues.

In game 1 against R/G, try to fake Reprisal when you can and try to leave an active Cliffs open for as long as you can. Main Wish targets include Glory, Phantom Nishoba, Contested Cliffs, and Silklash Spider (read: a 2/7 wall).

There are two main creature threats this deck has against you: Wild Mongrel and Grim Lavamancer. Your key cards in this match are Genesis, Ravenous Baloth, Anurid Brushhopper, and Call of the Herd. Chances are that if you make it to turn 6 you're safe, but be aware of Blistering Firecats and Elephant Guides. Once you start to recur Baloths or Wish for and play Phantom Nishobas, you win; thus, the goal of this is to survive their early game and outlast them with better quality cards.

For games 2 and 3, they usually side out their Guides and/or Firecats for Ensnaring Bridges; you get to shuffle your sideboard into your deck, then pluck your sideboard out. If you want, you can switch the Nishoba for a Baloth, but I don't suggest it as your goal is to recur Baloths with Genesis. While doing that gives you seven Baloths and six Geneses and six Cliffs, you need to know which one you need or hope to draw the right cards; plus, raising your curve against R/G isn't a good idea. Once a Bridge hits play, don't kill it right away; just ride the Genesis/Baloth life advantage until you can Wish for Goblin Sharpshooter for the kill. Be sure to use the Cliffs to kill Lavamancers. Usually by the time they figure you what you're doing, you have an active Cliffs and they have no real way to win. If you have to, wish for the Nishoba and use the Cliffs to gain life.

The same idea goes for Sligh. You should win both of these matches about 65% in game 1 and exceed 75% in game two. If Sligh has the hyper land-destruction sideboard, you will probably lose, but on the upside they can't really afford to have eight land destruction cards in their board.

Against U/G, again, try to fake Reprisal when you can. The major difference between the R/G matchup and the U/G matchup is that U/G has Wonder and bigger creatures, so you want to Wish for Silklash Spider and then hopefully Intrepid Hero. Again, if you make it to turn 6 you can start to gather your forces for a deadly Glory attack or use the Cliffs so that you can force him to chump block with his creatures. Having four Living Wishes maindeck is key in this matchup.

For games 2 and 3, side in two Spellbane Centaurs for two Genesis. Granted, they get four to six good cards against you (Equilibrium and Callous Oppressor), but the Oppressor isn't that good against you because you can name"Beasts" and save most of your deck, and if it's necessary you can kill it with the Cliffs. For the most part after sideboarding, your first Wish target should be Spellbane Centaur if you see Equilibrium or the Oppressor - and even if you don't, it's usually a better choice to get it and wait for another wish than hope that they don't have Unsummon, Equilibrium or Callous Oppressor.

The other option is to switch two Spellbane Centaurs in the board for two Intrepid Heroes, and then you have a better ability to deal with their larger creatures - but not as many options to deal with Equilibrium or the Oppressor. While the Hero x3 configuration makes it better against dealing with U/G as long as they don't get any of their sideboard cards and for dealing with Reanimator in general, it's not as good overall, since you also end up needing the Centaur against Tog as well.

Against Psychatog, your main goal is to float GGG and two mana (or three if you can) in response to Upheaval and hopefully pitch two cards to a Brushhopper, then play Beast Attack in response to the Tog. If you can't do this, chump with a Bird of Paradise or Llanowar Elves and then Reprisal the next turn. Tog players never really see Reprisal played against them, and they usually have to discard their hand and remove their graveyard to get him lethal, so it's usually better than dropping a turn 2 Mongrel.

You actually have a lot of options against Tog, especially with two Genesis in the maindeck. They're probably going to Smother your Birds and Elves and Blood your bigger stuff, but that's only if they're actually tested this matchup a decent bit. Even so, you can keep a fast hand and try to force them to cast Upheaval early, or you can keep a slow hand with Genesis and Beast attack and at least 3 land. Call of the Herd is a nightmare for the Tog player in this matchup; can they afford to counter the first half, or can they afford to be beaten down by multiple 3/3s?

Your key cards for this matchup are Genesis, Call of the Herd, Ravenous Baloth, and Beast Attack. This time you side in three Spellbane Centaurs, Genesis, Contested Cliffs, and Beast Attack and take out the Living Wishes and Glories. This way you should be able to keep up on lands and threats. But if the Tog deck is using Wishes, instead side in two Centaurs, Contested Cliffs, and Beast Attack and pull both Glories, a Reprisal, and a Wish.

Against Slide, hope they either don't get any nonland cycling cards or that they don't get Astral Slide or Wrath of God in game 1. Maindeck Genesis helps again, but there's only so much you can do. Because their main win condition is Exalted Angel protected by Slide, side in three Ray of Revelations for a Glory two Beast Attacks. This is a rough matchup, but not one that you can't win. Because you have so much fat, if they don't get an early Slide or a timely Wrath you can force them into bad positions. After sideboarding, your fat should really make them hurt - especially since there's not anything they can particularly side in against you. If you want, you can have three Price of Glories in here since it can help against Tog, Slide, and Wake... But it's easier to deal with on the whole, especially with Wake on the rise.

Against Beasts, there are a bunch of key cards; an early Wish fetching Intrepid Hero can rule the day. On the other hand, Glory is the most important card in this matchup, but an early Exalted Angel can be devastating. Beware of Reprisal, since most of your creatures have four power or more. Genesis should give you the upper hand against the mirror, since most of your key cards can recur. Just like against R/G and Sligh, you can't really side anything in or out here; you can switch a Beast Attack in for the Angel, giving you a good evasive Wish target and card advantage, but the Nishoba really should fill that spot. It's up to you.

To be honest, the Beasts deck is only a good deck if you put the playtesting hours in to it to understand its ins and outs. Against many decks, you won't win if you haven't spent the appropriate time with the deck. Give it a spin - you might just like it.

On Beating Regionals
Regionals is coming up quickly - what are you doing to prepare for it? Almost everyone is probably playtesting more and reading online for the newest tech... But who is preparing to get themselves ready for not making mistakes?? Who is preparing to avoid mistakes that could easily prevented? And who is preparing to make sure that you realize if and when your opponent is cheating?

The first step in preparing for Regionals is learning the rules. I'm not talking about when you can attack or when you can cast spells, but rather knowing exactly how the stack works. Know why you can play Careful Study, discarding Arrogant Wurm and another card, then activate the madness trigger (removing it from the game) and lay a land to cast it via madness. Know why a player can't tap an attacking creature to remove it from combat. Know the proper steps to playing a spell. Know who has priority when. Know the phases (and their parts) and the order in which they proceed. The only way to know when your opponent is cheating as opposed to making a legal play is to know the rules yourself.

Granted, not every player has time to know the rules at an equivalent level as a Level 3 or Level 4 judge, but every player should invest the time in having the same understanding as a Level 1 judge.

In addition to knowing the rules, you have to be willing to call a judge even when you know you are right; when you feel that the judge makes an incorrect assessment or judgement, appeal it. I'm not saying to call a judge for every little thing - but if you think your opponent is making an illegal play, cheating, playing slowly, call the judge immediately... And if you're going to go home later that day saying,"Man, I got ripped," then appeal the decision.

The second key to playing well for Regionals is knowing your deck. When you go to your Regionals, be able to write out your deck and sideboard without looking at your deck. Playtest and know your key cards against each decktype in the format; know if it's better to cast Arrogant Wurm or Quiet Speculation on turn 3. Know if it's better to drop a certain land instead of another so as to give the illusion of being another deck. Know how to fake that you're playing cards that you aren't, or even cards that are in your deck but not in your hand right now.

When chess is played on higher levels, one of the players goals is not to win, but rather to deter the opponent from winning. Forcing your opponent to work with incorrect or largely incomplete information is to your advantage. In short, you should try to minimize the number of choices you make so that you will make fewer bad decisions and to maximize the number of choices your opponent makes so as to increase the chance of them making mistakes.

The third point to playing properly at Regionals is to be awake. I'm not just talking about getting enough sleep or not coming with a hangover, but more about being awake to what you should be doing. For example, when pairings are posted, don't just read what table you are supposed to go to; read your opponent's name and the table. Then, when you sit down at your table, greet your opponent by name so as to be sure that you aren't playing someone you aren't paired against. Before you shuffle up for game one, go through your deck and make sure that you don't have any cards from your sideboard in your maindeck and vice versa. When you shuffle, make sure that you have exactly as many cards as you should have (which should, in most circumstances, be exactly sixty).

When you shuffle, make sure that you aren't revealing any cards to your opponent and letting him know what you are playing before you start, thus giving him an advantage. Shuffle well. When your opponent presents his deck, count it. Don't shuffle your opponent's deck at the same time he is shuffling his, so that both players can clearly see that no one is manipulating the other's deck or viewing cards from it. When shuffling your opponent's deck, look away from his deck and remove the deck from your view as much as possible so that if you accidentally drop a few of his cards face up you don't get charged with a game loss. When you get your deck back, cut it in order to prevent manipulation that you may not have seen or known about. Before you draw your hand, lay out the proper number of cards out in front of you clearly so that both you and your opponent can see how many cards you are drawing; ask the same of your opponent.

If your opponent loses either as a state-based effect or if he or she concedes the game, double check and make sure that they mark that you won. After every round before you sign the match slip, be sure that each person is properly accredited with the correct number of wins and then have the winner deposit it in the proper location. Also, after you finish the final game of a match, de-sideboard. When standings are posted, make sure that you have the number of match points that you are supposed to have.

The fourth part in competing at your best level is being clear and precise. It is to your advantage to announce every phase or part of phase. Announce each time you pass priority. Write both your and your opponent's life totals clearly down on paper; also record who chose to play or draw, who won, who mulliganed or any other pertinent information (such as cards seen by Duress). If your opponent isn't clear as to exactly when or how he or she is doing something, ask him or her. If they play Circular Logic and they have priority, ask if they are passing priority before you check the number of cards graveyard.

At the beginning of your first main phase:

• Check your graveyard
• Check your opponent's graveyard
• Check how many cards you have in hand
• Check how many cards your opponent has in hand
• Check the life totals
• Check what lands are in play on both sides
• Check which lands are untapped
• Finally, check what creatures are in play.

Take a second to consider what to play; try to figure out what they most likely have in hand. Play both according to what you feel is correct and what you know is correct from playtesting.

The fifth step to contending with your opponent is being mentally awake and in the game. This is really a part of the third step and fourth step combined, but it's important. When you're losing, every play should be carefully thought out (beware stalling, or appearing to do so); when you're winning, beware of what your opponent is trying to do. What he's trying to do is to get you to play thoughtlessly or make a mistake.

Be aware of anything your opponent is trying to use to throw you off your game, which may include joking, trash talking, or asking ratings questions. Ignore him if he is. Ideally, your games (and your opponents) will be respectful, polite, and pleasant; if they are not and they are exceptionally rude or offensive, politely ask them to stop. If they do not, call a judge and ask warn your opponent and to ask him or her to watch your game.

Don't eat or drink too much or too little; this will change your state of mind by making you tired or hungry, thus taking your mind off of your game.

The sixth important key to playing well is never conceding. You can see any tech they have against you maindeck; you can see how they play. You can observe them and how they arrange their hand; you can also give them false ideas as to how you arrange your hand and things as such. Most importantly, you aren't dead until you're dead. They don't know if you are playing Unsummon, Reprisal, or any other game-changing card; so, if you don't just up and shuffle for the next game, they may think that you have something you do not and let you live one more turn. The only exception to this is if you cannot win the game, time is running low, and you cannot afford to draw. (Or they have something like Haunting Echoes, which if you know it will kill you you should concede immediately to prevent them from thumbing through your deck - The Ferrett)

The last key to doing your best at Regionals is to take a break. Between rounds and at lunch breaks, it's good to go over the mistakes you made in your previous round - but in general, it's better to just have fun with friends. It is possible to have too much of something; just prevent yourself from being burned out before you end the day. Playing is mentally challenging and taxing; it is a test. No one takes a test for ten hours straight; in the same way, you shouldn't play whether for fun or for a match, whether mentally or physically for a similar time period without taking a break.

Good luck at Regionals,
Caleb Foth