Standard Geistblade

Geistblade is an aggro-control strategy centered around Geist of Saint Traft and various mythic swords, namely Sword of Feast and Famine and Sword of War and Peace. Geistblade uses a number of counterspells as well as removal to defend itself. Hero of Bladehold, Snapcaster Mage, and Thrun, the Last Troll are all very powerful and cost-effective creatures that are used alongside Geist of Saint Traft to apply a considerable amount of pressure in the early- mid game.

Most Geistblade lists are blue and white, but a number splash green for mana acceleration or black for additional removal and hand disruption. Subsequently, UWG lists are sometimes referred to as Bantblade, and UWB lists Esperblade. Although they were not initially as popular as Wolf-Run ramp decks, they gained momentum as Innistrad cards became more popular in the standard metagame.

Other variations of this deck include "Mageblade", which are focused more on Delver of Secrets and Snapcaster Mage in conjunction with more instants and sorceries. Mageblade often runs Runechanter's Pike to take advantage of all the non-permanents in the deck.

<d title="Bant Geistblade"> Lands 7 Forest 4 Hinterland Harbor 1 Moorland Haunt 4 Razorverge Thicket 4 Seachrome Coast 4 Sunpetal Grove

Creatures 4 Avacyn's Pilgrim 4 Birds of Paradise 4 Geist of Saint Traft 3 Hero of Bladehold 3 Invisible Stalker 4 Mirran Crusader 2 Thrun, the Last Troll

Instants 2 Mana Leak 2 Negate

Enchantments 3 Angelic Destiny 2 Oblivion Ring

Artifacts 3 Sword of War and Peace

Sideboard 1 Gideon Jura 2 Mental Misstep 2 Naturalize 1 Negate 2 Purify the Grave 2 Sword of Feast and Famine 1 Thrun, the Last Troll 4 Timely Reinforcements </d>

David Ochoa made top 8 at GP Orlando 2012 with this deck: <d title=Mageblade> Lands 4 Glacial Fortress 9 Island 3 Moorland Haunt 1 Plains 4 Seachrome Coast

Creatures 4 Delver of Secrets 3 Geist of Saint Traft 3 Invisible Stalker 2 Merfolk Looter 4 Snapcaster Mage

Instants 3 Gut Shot 4 Mana Leak 2 Midnight Haunting 3 Vapor Snag

Sorceries 3 Gitaxian Probe 4 Ponder

Artifacts 2 Runechanter's Pike 2 Sword of War and Peace

Sideboard 2 Dismember 2 Dissipate 2 Divine Offering 1 Mental Misstep 1 Negate 2 Oblivion Ring 2 Phantasmal Image 2 Timely Reinforcements 1 Vapor Snag </d>

Jon Finkle made Top 8 at Pro Tour Dark Ascension in 2012 with this deck:

<d title=Spirit Delver>

Creatures 4 Delver of Secrets 4 Drogskol Captain 2 Dungeon Geists 3 Phantasmal Image 4 Snapcaster Mage

Instants 1 Divine Offering 1 Gut Shot 2 Mana Leak 4 Vapor Snag

Sorceries 4 Gitaxian Probe 4 Lingering Souls 4 Ponder 1 Revoke Existence

Lands 4 Darkslick Shores 2 Evolving Wilds 3 Glacial Fortress 5 Island 2 Moorland Haunt 1 Plains 4 Seachrome Coast 1 Swamp

SIDEBOARD 1 Celestial Purge 1 Demystify 1 Dismember 1 Dissipate 1 Divine Offering 2 Dungeon Geists 2 Gut Shot 1 Mana Leak 1 Negate 1 Phantasmal Image 1 Revoke Existence 2 Surgical Extraction </d>