Bant Mass Polymorph: Scars of Mirrodin Standard

We all know how Valakut Ramp has turned into the new Jund deck. Valakut has posted very good results against a lot of the decks in the format and has such a strong ability to "go over the top" of other decks that it is the clear deck to beat. So, I was thinking if you could play a bigger threat at the same or similar speed as Valakut then you put pressure on them to finish you off as soon as possible. Essentially, if they don't get the perfect hand you will win. Aggro decks have tried to accomplish this by spamming creatures early game or using landfall effects to hit for massive damage. But Pyroclasm has been a real problem for these decks. Top players like Gerry T have started to run Pyroclasm main deck. Yes, you can play around Pyroclasm so that you constantly have threats. Doing so however, causes you to have play slower whereas Valakut's strategy is unchanged. They have kept the same inevitability while slowing you down. Any aggro player knows this is bad. This is not to say that aggro can't beat Valakut because it definitely can. Especially when B/R Vamps is packing Mark of Mutiny you can lose a game out of no where. But Valakut wins more consistently.

So, what do I have to contend against Valakut? Something you probably didn't see coming: Bant Mass Polymorph.

Here's the List:

Creatures: 3

1 Iona, Shield of Emeria

1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn

1 Ulamog, the Infinte Gyre

Spells: 31

3 Preordain

3 Oust

4 Explore

4 Mana Leak

4 Growth Spasm

3 Cultivate

4 See Beyond

3 Awakening Zone

4 Mass Polymorph

Lands: 26

4 Misty Rainforest

4 Khalni Garden

3 Terramorphic Expanse

2 Tectonic Edge

4 Plains

5 Islands

4 Forests

Sideboard:

3 Condem

2 Journey to Nowhere

2 Spell Pierce

2 Negate

3 Ratchet Bomb

3 Jace Beleren

My friend Ryan over at Casual MTG Creations also put up a Mass Polymorph deck (after I mentioned it to him) if you would like to check out his build. His mana base is more consistent, but his deck lacks removal and runs creatures that produce Eldrazi spawn like Nest Invader. I refained from doing this because I don't want to Polymorph into them. But, he also included Beastmaster Ascension to make up for this. I have not yet fully tested this deck and I am sure it will need changes. I just don't know what yet. It might be that the deck is still too slow to compete against Valakut and that mana base is too inconsistent. But I hope those things can be worked worked out.