While hanging out  in Berlin at the hotel site bar Riki Hayashi introduced me to Glen White, a UK judge and tournament organizer. Glen and I had communicated a few times on Facebook but it was nice to put a face to the name. Glen has created a Magic site to host the results of the UK edition of Champs (called States here in the former Colonies) and he has a handful of Top8s already live.

One thing I have noticed about the decklists is that they LOVE a Wilt Leaf Liege in the UK. Take that , Blightning Beatdown! There were a couple of exciting new cards on display in the Gravesend Top 8 including the debut of Stoic Angel — or The New Girl in deference to Mike’s win at States a few years back with Lightning Angel — in Ian Walters’ Bant creation.

New Girl
UK Champs - Gravesend
Ian Walters - Winner

3 Stoic Angel
3 Mulldrifter
4 Wilt-Leaf Liege
4 Rhox War Monk
4 Kitchen Finks
2 Chameleon Colossus
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Loxodon Warhammer
4 Cryptic Command
3 Negate
3 Bant Charm
4 Oblivion Ring
2 Flooded Grove
2 Wooded Bastion
2 Mystic Gate
2 Adarkar Wastes
4 Seaside Citadel
4 Yavimaya Coast
2 Brushland
2 Forest
2 Plains
2 Island

Sideboard:
3 Wispmare
2 vendilion Clique
1 Chameleon Colossus
1 Negate
2 Stillmoon Cavalier
3 Hindering Light
3 Runed Halo

One of the cards I have been really excited about for the new Standard is Realm Razor. There is nothing I enjoy more in draft than getting passed that guy third or fourth and going long on Steward of Valerons. Blow up all the land with two or three mana men/Obelisks in play and that is usually game over for slower to develop opponents. Which led me to think about playing Realm Razor against the slow to develop Reflecting Pool Control decks that have been so powerful in the current Standard. I thought it would make a nice sideboard card backed up by Mike’s fave hybrid spell, Guttural Response.

I am definitely going to be cobbling up something along the lines of this list which can play a turn three Razer off of a turn one Figure of Destiny, turn two Bloomtender, and turn three blow up the world. And should someone Blightning you, never fear, Wilt-Leaf Liege is on the case!

BloomRazer
UK Champs - Oxford
Mark Ratcliffe - Quarterfinalist

Main Deck:
1x Battlefield Forge
4x Brushland
2x Fire-lit Thicket
1x Forest
4x Jungle Shrine
4x Karplusan Forest
4x Reflecting Pool
1x Rugged Praire
2x Wooded Bastion
3x Gift of the Gargantuan
4x Naya Charm
4x Oblivion Ring
4x Birds of Paradise
4x Bloom Tendewr
2x Brion Stoutarm
4x Figure of DEstiny
4x Realm Razer
4x Wilt-Leaf Liege
4x Woolly Thoctar

Sideboard:
2x Ajani Vengeant
3x Firespout
4x Guttural Response
3x Oversoul of Dusk
3x Runed Halo

If you want to take a look at all the lists you can find them here. You will have to register to look at the forums but if you are looking for some new lists there should be some new lists every week.