counterrebel - semi-casual

[bebe]

Okay ... so how crazy am I? Fish is in decline as is stax. We are seeing a lot more storm being played these days. So here I am advocating a deck that cleary
has not seen play in quite awhile. It uses what many consider an inferior search engine in rebels. And yet I've been testing this against Oath, Workshop, Ichorid and Fish and the results have not been bad at all. The creature base has solutions in whipcorder and kataki, the stps and counters are usual fish type mix. The sideboard is jsut an attempt to shore up the main deck's weaknesses. I put the deck together because I neweded a deck without any power or expensive cards as I've sold most of my cards and just want to play occasionally now ( although reanimator is always kind enough to puit a deck together for me).

CounterRebel

2 Island
2 Plains
4 Adarkar Wastes
4 Flooded Strand
4 Tundra
4 Mishra's Factory
3 Gaea's Cradle
1 Strip Mine
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt

4 Ramosian Sergeant
3 Kataki, War's Wage
2 Whipcorder
2 Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero
1 Ramosin Lieutenant
1 Defiant Vanguard

4 Brainstorm
4 Standstill

4 Force of Will
3 Swords to Plowshares
3 Daze
3 Arcane Lab

sb:
4 Meddling Mage
3 Annul
3 Tormod's crypt
3 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Arcane Lab
1 Sword's to Plowshares

So this is my somewhat competitive build - as per usual I will take an established build to a tournament anymore so suggestions are welcomed.

[Bongo]

A single Ramosian Lieutnant would be useful so that you can "chain up" from Ramosian Seargent to Lin Sivvi.

Arcane Lab maindeck is also worth a thought, since you rarely play more than a spell per turn.

[Harlequin]

Heartstone
Artifact - Stronghold Uncommon
Creatures’ activated abilities cost less to play. If this would make an ability cost 0 or less mana to play, it costs , plus any nonmana costs.

Definiately a gem in Merc / Rebel Decks.

Its likely too slow for the competativeness of this deck.  Just something for others to consider, if they come here looking for Rebel advice for a less competative casual deck.

[Godder]

If you have them spare, Gaea's Cradle is monstrous in any sort of Rebel deck. Defiant Vanguard is also a must for any sort of controlly-Rebel deck.

[bebe]

Geez, I don't know how I missed both those cards - edited list.

Heartstone seems a lot less useful than Cradles.

[Negator131]

I was looking at a deck similar to this a while ago for purely casual play, and sort of gave up once I realized that, at least with my build, it wouldn't even really come close to having enough blue cards for reliable Force of Wills. Not to deter you, but I think you've got a similar problem. Meddling Mages might help here.