Modern Five-Color Humans

Five-Color Humans, also just called Humans, is a tribal Modern deck. It uses a combination of aggressive and disruptive Human creatures, backed by tribal lords, to win through combat damage. After a breakout performance during a Star City Games Modern Open event in October 2017, Five-Color Humans has continued to see extensive play and is currently a top-tier competitive deck.

Strategy
Five-Color Humans has a relatively straightforward plan: play Human creatures, make them larger with Thalia’s Lieutenant and Mayor of Avabruck, and attack. Many Humans, such as Kitesail Freebooter and Reflector Mage, exist to interact with and disrupt the opponent's deck. Others, like Champion of the Parish, are simply there to attack. The only nonland, non-Human card in the deck is Aether Vial, which gives the deck a way to cheat on mana and to play its creatures at instant speed.

This deck's mana base, consisting of Cavern of Souls, Unclaimed Territory, Ancient Ziggurat</c>, and handful of dual lands and basic lands, allows it to play any Modern-legal Human regardless of color.

History
People have been experimenting with Human tribal synergies in Modern ever since Thalia’s Lieutenant was printed, but it wasn’t until Ixalan that a competitive build emerged. The printing of Unclaimed Territory</c> made a five-color deck viable without relying on Mana Confluence</c> or Gemstone Caverns</c>. Additionally, Kitesail Freebooter</c> allowed the deck to interact with noncreature spells, giving it another way to fight combo and control decks.

Collins Mullen used the following deck to place first in a Star City Games Modern Open event, after which Five-Color Humans has continued to see extensive Modern play.

<deck title="Five-Color Humans - Collins Mullen - SCG Modern Open Cincinnati 2017"> Creatures 4 Champion of the Parish 4 Kitesail Freebooter 3 Mayor of Avabruck 4 Meddling Mage 4 Noble Hierarch 4 Thalia’s Lieutenant 4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben 4 Mantis Rider 3 Reflector Mage 2 Thalia, Heretic Cathar

Spells 4 Aether Vial

Lands 4 Ancient Ziggurat 4 Cavern of Souls 1 Hallowed Fountain 2 Horizon Canopy 1 Plains 1 Temple Garden 4 Unclaimed Territory 3 Windswept Heath

Sideboard 1 Anafenza, the Foremost 2 Ethersworn Canonist 2 Fiend Hunter 2 Izzet Staticaster 1 Mirran Crusader 1 Reflector Mage 2 Tireless Tracker 2 Vithian Renegades 2 Xathrid Necromancer