GWb Maverick Decklists

          

Introduction
GWb Maverick has been the most popular and best performing Maverick variant since 2013, primarily due to the addition of these three Black cards that shore up some weaknesses of the classic GW build:

• Deathrite Shaman provides a formidable arsenal of abilities on an efficient, Green Sun's Zenith-able body. Enables incidental graveyard interaction while affording reach, lifegain, and mana production/fixing. Having 2 toughness also allows Deathrite Shaman to block better than other mana creatures while decreasing your vulnerability to -x/-x effects.
• Thoughtseize enables cheap, early, stack-based interaction against combo decks. While Maverick has access to many hatebears, being able to pressure combo decks on two different axes is invaluable.
• Zealous Persecution fulfills the need for fair decks to have access to -1/-1 and sweeper effects to combat True-Name Nemesis, Elves, and Death & Taxes. Zealous Persecution is uniquely effective in this role due to its asymmetric effect.

Note on Deck Nomenclature
Maverick decks splashing Black used to sometimes be referred to as "Dark Maverick" to distinguish them from pure GW or Punishing Maverick decks. However, the Black splash has become so dominant that this term is now obsolete. "Maverick" now comes with the expectation of a Black splash, rendering the "Dark" qualifier unnecessary.


The Lists

Michael Antrim, 9th-16th @ Star City Games Open Indianapolis (2/1/2015, 582 players)
Thomas Herzog, 5th-8th @ Star City Games Open Indianapolis (9/28/2014, 260 players)
Thomas Herzog, 3rd-4th @ Star City Games Open Indianapolis (6/1/2014, 347 players)
Thomas Herzog, 5th-8th @ Star City Games Open Detroit (4/20/2014, 225 players)

This list has been jointly developed by Maverick veterans Michael Antrim and Thomas Herzog, who have experienced widespread competitive success with it. I believe their style of list, representing a return to Maverick's roots, is the gold standard and the best place to start. Many characteristics of their list have been adopted by other players:

• 2 Libraries and 3 Equips main (eschewing Batterskull) with a heavy emphasis on creatures (note the quantities of Qasali Pridemage) 
• This manabase is the most functional for GWb Maverick, with 3 basics, a very light Black splash, and Gaea's Cradle providing access to explosive plays with Equipment or powering Zeniths through your own Thalia. 
• Antrim had great showing against Elves in Indianapolis, a bad matchup, with an extra G Teeg (3 total) and an extra Jitte in the 75. The extra G. Teeg also does work against Miracles, another bad matchup.
• Note that a 61 card maindeck is not uncommon for an archetype like Maverick and is totally acceptable.

More Lists:

Josh Pestana, 9th-16th @ Star City Games Classic Charlotte (1/10/2016)

Chris Ferber, 5th-8th @ Star City Games Classic Las Vegas (12/13/2015, 94 players)

Raymod Cornely, 3rd-4th @ Star City Games Premier IQ Baltimore (3/1/2015, 230 players)

David McDarby, 1st @ Star City Games Open Portland (12/7/2014,  players)

Chris Scagnelli, 9th-16th @ Star City Games Open Syracuse (8/10/2014, 230 players)

Corey Armstrong, 5th-8th @ Star City Games Open Los Angeles (11/3/2013, 281 players)

Jacob Lindy, 6th @ Star City Games Open Philadelphia (9/2/2013, 280 players)

Jack Wang, 1st @ Star City Games Open (6/23/2013, 220 players)

David Doberne, 2nd @ Star City Games Open Seattle (4/21/2013, 261 players)



Click here to see the GWx Maverick Introductory Primer

Click here to see the Punishing Maverick Primer and decklists

Click here to see the Maverick Card Interactions & Rules Primer

DECK: Punishing Maverick, 6/1/15

I've decided to play some Maverick again after a nearly seven-month hiatus. When I first started Legacy I only played Maverick because it was all I had. Now that my collection has expanded to include other decks I spend less time with it. However, Punishing Maverick is my true "pet deck", and was the inspiration for starting this blog with the Punishing Maverick Primer. Despite that, I actually don't have a lot of practical experience with the deck and am still figuring out my own list. There are around four maindeck flex slots that I'm constantly shifting around. Here is the latest attempt:

Creature Spells

Noncreaure Spells

Lands

Sideboard

This maindeck is "retro" to say the least-its pretty similar to the one Max Tietze won an SCG Invitational with in early 2012. The Elspeth should probably be a Batterskull but I like her too much not to give her a shot. Courser is a recent addition that I've seen in some other lists that could be interesting. Its a good blocker and provides lifegain and card advantage. 

In the sideboard I'm playing Containment Priest, which looks like a great addition to Maverick at first glance, but with Omni-Tell making Sneak & Show almost obsolete I'm wondering if it deserves a spot anymore. Bonfire is another spicy one I'm trying in place of the lackluster Electrickery.

I honestly think Punishing Maverick may be better positioned that GWb Maverick right now. Red Blasts are a great tool to have against Omni-Tell and other Dig decks, and Punishing Fire, while slow, can decimate the URx Delver decks. 

I'm having delusions of bringing this deck to Eternal Weekend in a month, but first I have to settle on a list, and then I have to remember how to  play this deck again-its a lot harder than Jund!