MTG Skirata

This deck uses the undervalued power of the Exalted mechanic, as well as using the best the shard of Bant has to offer.  It plays similar to an aggro deck, using lots of creatures, but only attacking with one creature at a time, to take advantage of cards like Rafiq of the Many and Battlegrace Angel.  This deck is capable of Turn 4 wins, using multiple Noble Hierarchs to accelerate into cards like Jenara, Asura of War.

This deck hardly lacks defense, capable of gaining massive amounts of life with Battlegrace Angel and Behemoth Sledge, plus Dauntless Escort keeps any board-sweepers from hurting your team.  Infest packs a slight wallop, killing off your Hierarchs, Pridemages, and Paladins, but your bigger creatures can soldier on and keep hitting your opponent.

In terms of costs (in cash) for this deck, it's a little on the pricey side.  It'll be easier to make if you have a lot of Shards of Alara block cards lying around.  Most people will trade cards like Dauntless Escort and Jenara, Asura of War for a reasonably good deal. 

Overall, this deck is definitely worth playing if you can afford it.  If you can't get the pricier cards, substitute them with Seaside Citadels (for the lands), Knotvine Paladins (only $3-4 each), Steward of Valerons, and other good G/W cards. 

I've gotten some rap from people I've played about not running Baneslayer Angel.  One of the main reasons is it's way too expensive.  But it just doesn't fit as well in the deck as Jenara or Battlegrace Angel.  Plus it's just a removal magnet, with situations often occuring when you tap out for a Baneslayer, only for it to be Terminated or Path'ed.

Jund is still a big player in Standard.  The amazing card advantage of Jund decks make it a very appealing option to play.  This deck really doesn't have much of a problem with Jund decks.  Between lifegain, Exalted, and a very strong mana base, Jund will have a hard time catching you and stopping a fast start from a Noble Hierarch.  Between Celestial Purge, Great Sable Stag, and Enlisted Wurm, you shouldn't have all that much trouble.

Turbo-Mill is a slight problem.  They can mill you out faster than you would expect, and they have a lot to deal with aggro decks (such as this one).  However, this deck can usually beat them out with Bant Charms to counter Fog-effects, Dauntless Escort to deal with Day of Judgement and Martial Coup, and Qasali Pridemage destroying their Howling Mines and Font of Mythos.

Bushwhacker and White Weenie are faster, but so long as you don't stumble, and get some early lifegain, you should be fine.

Crypts of Agadeem is not a problem.  Your lifegain will put you out of range of a kill, plus your Pridemages can kill Immortal Coils they side in to block lifegain.  There's still the possibility of them beating you by milling with Extractor Demon, but if you can exile them early, you should be able to win.

Cruel Control and UWR Control are not fast enough to beat you.  Put out some early pressure from Sigiled Paladin and Qasali Pridemage and the game is over.

Mirror Matches are long, drawn out, and just a pain.  Lifegain become very relevant, and it really comes down to whoever draws more removal. The only real bright side to this is that you'll almost never see a mirror match.