The Cheaper Alternative - Red/(x?)

Thragtusk is the defining creature of this format.

I've talked about how we need to back this creature up with, well, more creatures (Restoration Angel, Loxodon Smiter, Selesnya Charm, etc), though this is not the prevalent attitude these days.

The prevalent attitudes seem to be to play "Bant Control" or "UW" lists with little to no actual creatures in them.  Sure, they're playing Restoration Angel (sometimes!), and sure, they're playing Thragtusk (sometimes), but they tend to get far more excited about what happens to their plan when everything goes right (10 mana in play, still alive), than what might have to happen to get them to that point if their opponent does something that they can't interact with, with countermagic or sweepers.

Now, you'll note that these spells are hardly mentioned in my previous posts, because people are playing cards like Cavern of Souls, and Thragtusk, which neither of these cards are particularly good against.  One angle to approach people playing the format like this is what I've been describing, to actually attack them for damage while playing cards like Thragtusk, but another is to actually just go under or through them, which is phenominally less expensive than a playset of everything you'd need to build my Bant midrange list.

This kind of approach is so common, that it is becoming even more common to try to go "over the top", as we could see in Brad Nelson's Craterhoof Behemoth monstrosity. (that Martin Juza won GP Bochum with), or a frites based strategy, where you get back a Gristlebrand, or the like.

The more people try to go "over the top" against the Tusks, the better of an idea it becomes to go "under" them.

This is a card that is pretty easy to get excited about.  It is phenominally aggressive, it can kill your opponent without actually getting in for damage, and it plays well with other copies of itself.  It's a good top end, but there are some problems.

The main enemies of this card are threefold:
1) It has a creature type that is "not helpful"
2) It's casting cost is not an easy one to put together. (especially given 1)
3) People are playing cards like Centaur Healer, Thragtusk, and Restoration Angel, all of which are quite strong against this little devil.

So, if we are going this way, we need to have a solid plan for our opponent playing a creature and blocking (the temerity!)

There are several approaches to this.

1) Enchantment based removal.

I'd encourage you to play cards like this if you enjoy being blown out by Restoration Angel.  I'm sure a deck with literal Thragtusk and nothing else could be stopped by this approach, and it does have its advantages.

A) The creature does not "die", so it does not trigger the beast creation clause on Thragtusk, and is not available to be reanimated via Unburial Rites.

B) The mana saved is tremendous, especially for a deck that lives or dies based on the pressure/tempo it can create.

2a) Some kind of temporary can't block (creature based).

I like this option in general.

The opponent doesn't know we have them
They aren't dead against non-creatures
They let us get through for damage
They make leaving a creature back to block untenable
They develop our board while they are doing their job
They are immune to sorcery speed removal
They work with our overall strategy whatever our opponent is doing.

It does "walk into wraths" a bit, but at least one of the above options have haste, which is a good follow-up to a wrath effect.

Also, these work not at all against Restoration Angel.  (the Angel, and the creature it blinks can block)

2b) Some kind of temporary can't block (spell based)

These are powerful spells in a word where you're trying to win the game right now, the problem is that the more of this sort of thing you play, the more games you'll lose by drawing the wrong "mix".

You can cycle Inaction Injunctions, or use Nightbird's Clutches to get in, but you have to have a board presence for that to work, and if your hand has three of this type of effect, you might not have any creatures to get in in the first place.

Also, all cards of this type are severely hurt by Restoration Angel

2c) Making your guys unblockable

Finally, we have a way to kill our opponent that has a couple advantages:
A) It is not blown out by Restoration Angel (since it is not based on "target can't block" but rather "my guy is unblockable)
B) It gives a power boost
C) it has a good cost for a finisher, or it can be single-cast on a big threat like Hellrider.

3) We can also try just using unblockable creatures.

The problem with this is that they tend to be rather low-power.  We want Haste, to avoid wraths, and unblockability, to avoid blockers, but they just don't come together.   (We also want high power, which tends to not be all that common with either of these)

Latch Seeker is a candidate here, as is Pyreheart Wolf, though both of these strategies are beated by my "more creatures" (or playing some targetted removal) approach.

Overall, the problem of beating Restoration Angel, Thragtusk, and Centaur Healer is not an easy one for aggro decks these days.  I'd much rather be on the end of the Angel/Beast, than the Devil/Vampire.

I can definately see the appeal of people trying to double-strike and trample their way to victory with Smiters and Silverblade Paladins, but for whatever reason, that approach doesn't appeal to me. (dead to sweeper, vulnerable to instant speed removal (which is rarely played, to be fair))

Flinthoof Boar might see a comeback, once Stomping Ground hits play, and I do look forward to Thunderbolting some Angels at that time, but we aren't there until Gatecrash at least.

For now, I can't advocate not playing Thragtusk, and Angel, with some other creatures to back them up, and a sideboard plan ('Hoof) to go over the top.