The Legacy format has something on offer for nearly every type of player. From combo to control to aggressive decks and archetype staples such as Delver, there’s a ton of strategy and choice on the table.
So with decades worth of cards and history up for grabs, why would anyone in 2024 go with a fair, green-white creature-based deck? Wait you’re telling me it doesn’t even have a combo??!
I’ve got a soft spot for anyone who sleeves up Maverick, especially for competitive events. The deck is coming up to a decade and a half old and still has one of the most dedicated and friendly player-bases of any archetype in the format.
It’s a challenge – that’s probably the answer I always come back to when players ask ‘why Maverick?’. No win is easy, no misplay won’t inevitably snowball. It takes format knowledge, patience, and a willingness to accept you’re deck just isn’t going to be kind sometimes…and honestly, I think it’s pretty underrated.
Maverick’s had some great performances over the years, and honestly in recent times has been going pretty well for itself in the hands of experienced pilots like Harry Hackett and Connery Knox.
So, why Maverick? I don’t think there was a better way in answering this question than reaching directly out to players via the Maverick Discord.
A huge thank you to those who responded to my questions – let’s start with the basics of Green-White Maverick.
Green-White Maverick
I’ve always found GW to be on of the most consistent builds of Maverick (an already consistent deck). With the slots open that are usually filled by other colours, you’re able to shore up your GSZ package and targets for Knight of the Reliquary. Stoneforge package? Saga package? You can get really creative with GW. I remember at the end of 2023 seeing a list from none other than Tom H that 5-0ed with 5 basic lands! (3 Forest, 2 Plains).
I sometimes feel a little naked with GW, but I think that comes from playing with splash versions so much. I often felt like I was missing out by not splashing, but the results of those who’ve stayed true to straight GW speak for themselves.
Karador
Let me count the reasons! Watching Tom Herzog crush on the SCG tour with GW Maverick was love at first sight and it’s what I take to most events these days, in spite of having all the cards needed to build Junk or Naya versions.
1. Stable mana. Maverick players are really good at gaslighting ourselves into thinking we have good mana; we don’t, it’s pretty dreadful. Due to us playing 8+ utility lands that don’t actually produce green mana (they’re either colorless or conditional i.e. Arbor, Cradle, etc), it’s actually very hard for a build that is more than two colors to have an adequate amount of colored sources without making sacrifices elsewhere, so you really need a good reason to add another color to the deck.
Additionally, I love the mental load that is taken off by removing having to fetch around a splash color. That can really add up during longer events.
Being able to play off basics (and play well off basics!) is huge in most Wasteland matchups. It makes popular matchups like Delver less of an uphill battle, even favored. Having unconditional access to all of our most impactful spells is very strong.
2. Splash colors are generally more fun than necessary. I would say the majority of the time, GW has all the tools it needs to tune for most matchups you want to prepare for. There aren’t really any “necessary” cards that price Maverick into a splash color right now imo. Grist is perhaps the biggest omission, and I’ve splashed a single Bayou for Grist in the past. If Physic Frog takes over the format (it probably will), Abrupt Decay stock may be increasing as well.
3. Old School Cool. Feels closer to Maverick as Luis Viciano intended. Watch your opponents raise their eyebrows in admiration as you fetch your 3rd or 4th Savannah.
I have played all splash colors at this point. During the Turbo Muxus meta Bant felt particularly nice with Hydroblasts in the board. If I had to play a splash right now, it would be Junk > Bant > Naya.
“My tip for GW Maverick is to add a single Bayou and a Grist. The mana will be fine especially if already running Bojuka Bog and a Birds of Paradise.”
– David Fisher
Abzan Maverick
Abzan is for sure the version of Maverick I’ve had the most reps with and enjoy playing the most. The additional removal and hand disruption I find really helps with the matchups you want more impact against. Early hand disruption not only slows down combo decks, it allows you to navigate your next few turns. Maverick is a deck that typically wants to proactively stop your opponent – getting Teeg on the board before your opponent can put Natural Order or Supreme Verdict on the stack.
Thoughtseize gives you knowledge you otherwise don’t have access too. Abrupt Decay, Grist, Snuff Out all have their pros and cons in Legacy and are very powerful removal spells. In terms of the black splash adding creatures into your playable pool, the closest (other than Grist) is most likely Leovold (mostly found accompanied by a Tropical Island).
Hammyslammy
I like black for Thoughtseize for combo and other matchups where it traditionally shines (Stoneblade, Control). Grist is a great addition as the 5th piece of removal andits ability to grind is very welcomed. As far as cards like Opposition Agent and other SB options, I think I would be fine with those as my super flex slots – think ‘spice of the weekend’ type cards.
Fiend Artisan is playable in non-black builds so I won’t mention it as a reason to sleeve up Abzan. Orchish Bowmasters is decent value for the bodies or removal, and it feels even better with Renegade Rallier.
Abzan just takes me back to the 2012/13 feelings when I built Maverick back then.
“90% of the reason I enjoy Abzan is that Thoughtseize is still the best combo/control/grindy sideboard card.” – Achillies27
Kyle_the_Clem
I play Abzan Mav because it hits all my favourite aspects of magic. A sweet toolbox that can nullify a gameplan or classic openings like turn 1 Birds of Paradise is so nostalgic. In my builds I love having access to Natural Order or Dark Depths win-cons, and push to win cards like Knight / Wight of the Reliquary & Artisan.
Right now being able to punish additional draws with Bowmasters really has me enjoying my version of the deck. Turning creatures sideways is how I prefer to win.
Lord Thunder
I prefer the black splash because sometimes you just gotta throw some Abrupt Decays, Leovold, Kambal or Opposition Agent at your opponents. I find the black splash is really nice for combo.
Sly Joker
I like the versatility the black splash offers. It’s like having silver bullets on the green side, removal and taxes on the white side and then the niche spots filled with black cards.
Wzm
I play black as it feels like the color that impacts the aspects of Mav that can feel lacking otherwise. Enabling hard cast Grist, having access to a wider removal suite and better SB opportunities with Thoughtseize, Decay, and less lifeloss with Dismember. It also grinds extremely well especially with the addition of Wight of the Reliquary.
I play Abzan because I had the opportunity to buy a Bayou and Scrubland at a fair cost when I played GW Maverick, and since I play online to test for IRL I only play Abzan, I don’t have the duals for other splashes and they are extremely expensive right now.
I just wanted to give SaitoSan a shout out for his engineering and pioneering of Legacy Maverick over the years. This player has put up very good results with builds no one else has taken to the field. Oath of Ghouls was a really great meta-call at the time, along with his 2 power or less build with maindeck Duck / Dawn to take out bigger threats. We’re very fortunate to have a player like Saito in our community who’s always pushing what Maverick means.
Ben Kvellish
You can do a ton of unique things in Abzan, too. Naya tends to be pretty linear in choices with Minsc, Mawloc, Punishing Fire, and blast effects. Abzan gives Smog combo, Artisan, Oppo Agent, Plague Engineer, Grist, Wight, Bowmasters, Thoughtseize, Abrupt Decay…the list goes on.
Subwayrats
Abzan feels more in my wheel house . We get the bullets and removal of GW but also get the deck a little more juice, Abrupt Decay or Fatal Push if needed, Thoughtseize if you like hand disruption. But more importantly the printing of Grist which in my opinion is one of the best 3 if not the 2nd best walker in the format. Bowmaster, Plague Engineer (when needed) are just thinks GW don’t offer. 4 color has mana issues, Bant is boring, red is okay but black just does what red does but better (imo).
Punishing Maverick
I think I should play more Punishing Maverick to understand where it’s currently positioned. It’s had some super powerful printings over recent years in Mawloc and Minsc and Pyroblast’s relevance has recently surged back into the format. I sometimes find the mana a little awkward and I’m never too sure why.
Punishing Fire is one of those cards that drop in and out of ‘playability’ in the format, but I’ve found it’s been generally pretty decent across the different metagames. Recurring removal is fantastic and a huge advantage in the right metagame – one that might be coming if Grief leaves the format?
StrassDaddy
Reasons to play Naya since MH3:
1) power, flexibility and efficiency of Pyroblast/Reb: Frog, Murktide, Delver, Force of Will, Nadu (best answer to Nadu imo), Harbinger of the Seas, etc. Some nerds will say they want all their spells to be proactive and not reactive in Maverick so they can tap out each turn, but Pyroblast is an exception for me, especially in the Saga builds.
2) Mawloc off GSZ is a great answer to small creatures. Mawloc is also good against Eldrazi (but not too good against the Frog or Murktide).
3) Punishing Fire is pretty good against Eldrazi’s smaller creatures. Having the ability to save your Plows for big creatures is nice. Punishing Fire also is great against many decks Maverick can struggle against (DnT, Depths, and Elves) but also helps sure up matches like Painter/soul cauldron decks. Fiery Justice is a great inclusion to help against creature decks as well.
4) Minsc and Boo, Forth Eorlingas, Party Thrasher, Fable, Fury, are great options in Legacy, but not too strong in a tempo/reanimate meta. If tempo/reanimate fades from the meta, these cards are great choices as well.
Gary Fox
I’d say about the same, Punishing is the pseudo-mirror breaker (no pun intended!) vs small creature stuff like taxes or the Maverick mirror as well as planeswalkers with the Punishing Fire itself.
Unfortunately in the scam era I don’t think Mawloc is very good from hand as it is quite unfortunate if it’s reanimated against you.
Then there’s blast, fantastic right now and will probably continue to be fantastic vs Psychic Frog and Nadu.
Finally fable of the mirror breaker is an absurd amount of value that is synergistic with the card Punishing Fire and excellent against so many things. Blood Moon, blue control, the token through a hierarch is likely to survive combat and get you mana towards a big Mawloc or something else. This card unanswered is worth as many as 4 cards in a single “jund” spell.
Thinking about it yeah, Punishing Fire will probably be solid vs Eldrazi as it takes out the Glaring Fleshraker, the scariest enabler and accidental finisher in the new version.
BANT Maverick
BANT has always been the ugly sister within the Maverick family. There’s never been a great reason to run blue over the other splashes BUT Nadu might have changed that. Harry1232 has recently been tuning and doing very well with a BANT Maverick list running copies of Nadu alongside Green Sun’s Zenith.
You have some other cards like Lavinia, Azorius Renegade, Flusterstorm and Blue blast effects which can help vs combo and control decks. Uro on paper seems like it should fit in, but most of the time you’re shrinking your Knights of hitting targets for Ooze – that might not sound like much but you also don’t have that many ways to put cards into the bin.
One thing I do like about BANT is how easy it is to splash thanks to Noble Hierarch. The deck also naturally has many ways to search your deck so Brainstorm sometimes enters the conversation. To be fair, Maverick typically hates on Brainstorm decks BUT also has the issue of drawing the wrong side of the deck – something Brainstorm is fantastic at solving.
Nadu is busted. Just adding one or two copies as well as a Shuko or Greaves alongside a SFM package is relatively free and gives the deck a pseudo combo kill (Eventually you’ll hit Depths and Stage off Nadu triggers and then equip Lage with Greaves!).
Kvellish
I find the splash is super minimal for some great synergies. With just 1 Tropical and a Hedge Maze you’re already there thanks to Hierarchs already on color. My list is very close to Harry’s – I play 2 Nadu as my only blue cards.
Karador
Brainstorm is a really good card and more or less replaces OuaT for me in Bant. Maverick sometimes has a problem of drawing the wrong half of the deck in the wrong matchup, and Brainstorm lets you fix that. Also, Uro is amazing as well as Lavinia. Lastly, Daze is pretty good with mana dorks but does necessitate greedy mana.
“To point out a downside of the blue splash, it’s worth mentioning that you don’t get to Choke opposing blue players.” – Targt
Conclusions
When it comes to choice, Maverick is currently full of options. With BANT having Nadu as a viable reason to sleeve up Tropical Island, all archetypes have never been more appealing.
Pyroblast is only getting more appealing with Physic Frog entering the format – Thoughtseize and Bowmasters are always going to be relevant – Who doesn’t love being able to drop basic after basic against Delver?
Some of the newer tech I’ve been seeing includes;
- Adding a copy of Dark Depths and Thespian’s Stage to the deck to give you an on the spot win in many cases
- A move towards the full playset of Elvish Reclaimer as a low-to-the-ground Knight affect
- Springheart Nantuko is great with Nadu, but even without the bird it fits very well into Maverick’s plan
- Nadu slotting into BANT Maverick quite nicely as a deck that already wants to tutor up green cards. What’s better than 4 Nadu? 8 copies of Nadu.
- Vexing Bauble is a maindeck-able hate piece that only has some small impact on our plan (it counters our own Endurance when pitched if we don’t have access to 1 to sac the Bauble – same for Force of Vigor in post-board games)
- Assimilation Aegis and Cryptic Coat are other tools you get access to in a BANT Stoneblade shell of Maverick
- Keen-Eyed Curator could be an ‘upgrade’ on Scavenging Ooze
The most important reason though? Piloting Maverick is fun. Sure that’s subjective to say, but when I say it’s a rewarding deck to navigate I mean it. If you’re a fan of creature-based strategies then I highly recommend trying to borrow Maverick from another player or sleeve up a proxy version to play against friends.
If you’re someone who isn’t too keen on such a fair deck, then try out a version with a copy of Thespian’s Stage and Dark Depths as an ‘I-Win’ button.
Thank you to all the players above who gave their thoughts on why they currently enjoy the deck and I hope it only convinces more players to become a Maverick.
Take care, play fair
Douges
