01.25.02  - I'm trying to build a solid deck to go to a tournament with (I've been on a losing streak), but the deck doesn't look to good right now-so I need your help. The strategy is protection from a bunch of colors with a straight on assault while gaining life and putting out tokens.  (Aaron's Comments in Bold)

Lands:
2 Battlefield Forge  <---  The deck could really use more pain/tap lands
7 Forest
8 Plains
8 Mountain

Creatures:
2 Rith, the Awakener
2 Captain Sisay  <---- Ick, remove
4 Radiant Kavu  <---- While good, not really a "four-of" card, try three
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Skizzik
2 Dedicated Martyr

Spells:
4 Heroe's Reunion  <---- I had to look this card up, in otherwords it sucks!  =)
3 Rith's Charm   
4 Call of the herd
3 Refresh  <---  see my comments on Hero's Reunion
3 Urza's Rage
3 Molten Influence  <---  This card is too situational for a maindeck slot

Sideboard:
4 Reviving Dose
3 Rout
4 Kirtatar's Desire
4 Flame Burst

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I thought this week I'd be a little more direct and point out the cards I dislike.  Having done that, the remaining cards are all very playable.  By replacing those "sub-optimal" cards with more "buisness" cards... this deck should perform much more consistently.  What I'll do here is list a few cards I'd like to see used to fill in those newly empty slots:

FTK
Earthquake
Ghitu Fire
Shock/Firebolt

Yavimaya Barbarian
Shivan Wurm
Raging Kavu

Basking Rootwalla
Blurred Mongoose and Odyssey Mongoose
Wild Mongrel
Kavu Titan
Diligent Farmhand
Llanowar Elf
Thornscape Battlemage

Spectral Lynx
Llanowar Knight
Mysitic Enforcer
Goblin Legionaire

And if you INSIST on playing lifegain, accept no substitutes:

Armadillo Cloak!

Hope this helps... have fun!
Aaron Teare