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