Deck Guide: GW Hardened Scales (Add Sideboard for each deck)

1.My history with GW Hardened Scales

I started to use GW Hardened Scales on MTGO after Grand Prix Houston.
I finished 5-2 at MOPTQ on 3/6 and 5-3 at OGW Standard Championship on 3/7 but I finished 2-4 at MOPTQ on 3/13 with same list.
I lost against 4C Rally at 4 times, Abzan Aggro at 2 times, and lose against each GW Hardened Scales, Mardu Green, Grixis Control at one time.
I could not win these events but I would use GW Hardened Scales again if MOPTQ would be held this weekend because this deck is good against many decks in metagame and there are few bad matchups.

2.Deck list

I used almost same list for two weeks as follows.

24 Creatures
4 Servant of the Scale
4 Abzan Falconer
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Endless One
4 Hangarback Walker
4 Managorger Hydra

13 Spells
4 Hardened Scales
4 Dromoka’s Command
4 Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
1 Oath of Nissa

23 Lands
2 Canopy Vista
2 Flooded Strand
9 Forest
2 Plains
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills

2 Evolutionary Leap
3 Hallowed Moonlight
2 High Sentinels of Arashin
1 Lantern Scout
1 Oath of Nissa
3 Silkwrap
3 Valorous Stance

This deck definitely needs 3rd lands but does not need 5th lands or more lands. Oath of Nissa is great card because this can be additional land or additional creature case by case.

3.Good and Bad matchups

VS Mardu Green
6.5:3.5
Mardu Green is good matchup for GW Hardened Scales.
They have lots of removal spells but most creatures cannot be removed by Fiery Impulse and rapidly grow out range of Roast. Hangarback Walker is best card against Mardu Green and Evolutionally Leap is also great card after sideboard. I played against Mardu Green 7 times and I lost only one time.

VS 4C Rally
Mainboard 4:6
After sideboard 5:5
4C Rally is very strong deck and this is tough matchup for GW Hardened Scales in mainboard. This matchup is often close damage race because 4C Rally has Reflector Mage, best card for GW Hardened Scales, and GW Hardened Scales has Abzan Falconer. But 4C Rally can end the game by Rally the Ancestors and GW Hardened Scales cannot counter Rally so I think that 4C Rally has advantage in mainboard game. After sideboard, Hallowed Moonlight can improve this matchup greatly and I think fifty-fifty matchup in the end.

VS G/R Ramp
6.5:3.5
In almost game, GW Hardened Scales can beat faster than Ramp deck can cast a finisher. In addition, Chandra cannot sweep the board, World Breaker cannot block giant Managorger Hydra, and Ugin cannot remove Endless One and Hangarback Walker.

VS Abzan Aggro
3:7
This is very tough matchup for GW Hardened Scales. Abzan Aggro has bigger creature than GW Hardened Scales has and faster on damage race. In addition, Dromoka’s Command is great card against GW Hardened Scales. GW Hardened Scales could win only if GW had very fast hands with Hardened Scales or opponent took double mulligan.

VS Mono Blue Eldrazi
7:3
This is very easy matchup. Mono Blue Eldrazi is slower deck and cannot remove our creatures so GW Hardened Scales can win just beat down with giant creatures.

VS Jeskai Black
6:4
This matchup is similar with against Mardu Green but Jeskai Black has Jace. GW Hardened Scales cannot remove turn 2 Jace so spell+Jace combination is harder to deal with than matchup against Mardu Green.

VS Bant Company
5.5:4.5
In case of this matchup, GW Hardened Scale has little advantage to Bant Company. Reflector Mage is great card against Hangarback Walker and Managorger Hydra, but GW Hardened Scales can complete beat down with giant creatures supported by Abzan Falconer because Bant Company has few removal spells.

VS Grixis Control
6:4
This matchup is very similar with Jeskai Black. Kalitas+removal combination is only worries about this matchup so keep Dromoka’s Command and Valorous Stance to remove Kalitas.

VS BR Dragons
5:5
I think this matchup is fifty-fifty. Speed is almost same and most important card of GW Hardened Scales is Avatar of Resolute and key card of BR Dragons is Murderous Cut.

VS Four-Color Company
4:6
This is also tough matchup. Early turn Mantis Rider and Savage Knuckleblade are hard to deal with. Moreover, Collected Company and Reflector Mage are great card against GW Hardened Scales.

VS UR Prowess
Mainboard 4:6
After Sideboard 5:5
In case of mainboard, UR Prowess is faster than GW Hardened Scales and GW has few removal spells so UR Prowess has advantage to GW. On the other hand, GW can add removal spells like Silkwrap after sideboard so improve this matchup.

VS Atarka Red
4:6
This is also tough matchup. Atarka Red is faster than GW and most creature’s toughness in GW is lower than two. Moreover, GW does not has mass removal spell after sideboard.

For these matchup analysis, GW Hardened Scales will be good choice if fast red deck and Abzan Aggro are few in metagame.

4.Sideboard for each deck

VS Mardu Green, VS Grixis Control
In: 2 Evolutionally Leap, 1 Oath of Nissa, 2 High Sentinels of Arashin, 3 Valorous Stance
Out: 4 Abzan Falconer, 4 Servant of Scale

VS 4C Rally
In: 3 Hallowed Moonlight, 3 Silkwrap, 1 Lantern Scout, 1 Oath of Nissa
Out: 4 Hangarback Walker, 4 Servant of Scale

VS G/R Ramp
No Change

VS Abzan Aggro
In: 3 Valorous Stance, 3 Silkwrap, 1 Oath of Nissa, 1 Lantern Scout
Out: 4 Servant of the Scale, 4 Hangarback Walker

VS Mono Blue Eldrazi
In: 1 Oath of Nissa, 2 High Sentinels of Arashin, 1 Valorous Stance
Out: 4 Servant of Scale

VS Jeskai Black
In: 2 Evolutionally Leap, 1 Oath of Nissa, 2 High Sentinels of Arashin, 3 silkwrap
Out: 4 Abzan Falconer, 4 Servant of Scale

VS Bant Company, VS Four-Color Company
In: 1 Oath of Nissa, 2 High Sentinels of Arashin, 3 silkwrap
Out: 4 Servant of Scale, 2 Hangarback Walker

VS BR Dragons
In: 3 Valorous Stance, 1 Oath of Nissa, 1 Lantern Scout, 2 High Sentinels of Arashin
Out: 4 Servant of Scale, 3 Hangarback Walker

VS UR Prowess, VS Atarka Red
In: 3 Silkwrap, 1 Lantern Scout
Out: 4 Servant of Scale