MTG Salvation

So my first (semi-serious) tribal deck is with my 3rd, or I suppose by now probably 2nd favorite Necra general - Doran, the Siege Tower.

Now, onto the deck.


Commander: (1)
Doran, the Siege Tower

Artifacts: (9)
Slagwurm Armor
Staff of Nin
Kiteshield
Sensei's Divining Top
Konda's Banner
Lightning Greaves
Swiftfoot Boots
Coat of Arms
Door of Destinies

Spot Removal: (8)
Mortify
Putrefy
Bramblecrush
Doom Blade
Terror
Beast Within
Swords to Plowshares
Krosan Grip

Non-Tree Creatures: (5)
Rhox Faithmender
Jaddi Lifestrider
Veteran Armorer
Blessed Orator
Oathsworn Giant

Enchantments: (8)
Builder's Blessing
Leyline of Vitality
Serra's Blessing
Lumithread Field
Spidersilk Armor
True Conviction
Asceticism
Primal Rage

Doran's Trees: (22)
Old Ghastbark
Sapling of Colfenor
Indomitable Ancients
Bosk Banneret
Treefolk Harbinger
Battlewand Oak
Unstoppable Ash
Dauntless Dourbark
Leaf-Crowned Elder
Cloudcrown Oak
Seedguide Ash
Everbark Shaman
Timber Protector
Deadwood Treefolk
Orchard Warden
Verdeloth, the Ancient
Oakgnarl Warrior
Woodfall Primus
Black Poplar Shaman
Dungrove Elder
Ghoultree
Thorntooth Witch

Ramp: (7)
Cultivate
Kodama's Reach
Rampant Growth
Farseek
Yavimaya Elder
Solemn Simulacrum
Oracle of Mul Daya

Lands: (36)
Murmuring Bosk
Godless Shrine
Overgrown Tomb
Temple Garden
Isolated Chapel
Woodland Cemetary
Sunpetal Grove
Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
Cave of Koilos
Llanowar Wastes
Brushland
Horizon Canopy
Wooded Bastion
Twilight Mire
Fetid Heath
Bojuka Bog
Rogue's Passage
Boseiju, Who Shelters All
Cavern of Souls
9 Forest
4 Plains
4 Swamp

So while it started out as just kind of a fun and cheap tribal deck (except for the mana base, which I stole from Karador), I made a few changes for lifegain and added a few enchantments, and the deck is actually pretty competitive. It comes out of the gates fast and hard and the treefolk, with Doran out, are pretty aggressively costed, and almost every single one has a relevant ability. You might notice I have no board wipes, and this is the first deck in which I don't. I didn't put them in because this is the first aggro-type deck I've made. If someone comes out faster than I do (like say Godo) or something I'll target him and wall him off while building off, and my board presence continues to grow throughout the game. If someone does have a beefier board then me, it's usually game over anyway, because I have 0 recursion.
Most of the choices are pretty self explanatory, I think, but if I need to explain any of them, I can.


Edit - Sorry I don't have it in deck tags, but it takes away all the card tags. If someone can enlighten me to why that would be great - thanks.

Dorian altered as the Lorax. Voice altercation surgery so you sound like Danny Devito.

Mirari's Wake is nice. Pumps your creatures and gives you double mana.

You forgot Wickerbough Elder and Ebony Treefolk!

I actually took out Wickerbough Elder for Battlewand Oak because he wasn't doing enough for me. He is a 4/4 which is nich but not too huge. He is pretty much naturalize on a stick though, so I'll have to think about putting him back in.

What treefolk would you cut for him? Or card in general?

I missed some of the older treefolk, but Ebony treefolk seems not super-awesome.

Mirari's Wake is totally awesome, though, and would so be in the deck, but I only have one copy and Karador is using it. But I agree that it is a total house and should probably be in every Selesnya deck.

Primal Rage and Rogue's Passage would be good for helping you push through. Do you have to worry about tuck much in your meta? Because if so, Green Sun's Zenith and/or Eladrmi's Call are vital to getting Doran back. My experience with him has always been to have a back up plan for when he's not on the field.

Perhaps take out Venser's Journal? ^^

Green Sun's Zenith and Chord of Calling, as well as Wickerbough Elder, in for Venser's Journal, Vanguard's Shield, and Behemoth Sledge.

Also Rogue's Passage in for a swamp.

Also, primal rage or brawn? I'm a little worries about going too enchantment heavy. But trample is important.

Thanks for the suggestions. And no, stuff like hinder and spin into myth aren't a huge problem where I play, mostly because of the lack of Uril (to be honest I myself run the most tucks in Treva). But you are right in that if Doran goes, my gameplan goes with him. Luckily I had a few tutoresqe cards sitting around.

So primal rage goes in. I tried it out, drew into it 2nd turn, and it worked. Really well. I will take out naturalize for it. My other removal covers artifacts/enchantments pretty well.

Also, totally forgot about Cavern of Souls. It is so a bomb in tribal decks. Eat it control! And while I'm here, I might as well put in Boseiju, who Shelters All, to make my removal count. Plus, it fits with the tree theme we've got going.

I'm looking to get some more card draw. Between phyrexian arena and slyvan library, where should I go? Also looking at regal force. Do you think he is worth it here?

They don't really compare. Arena is a constant extra card per turn at the price of one life, and Library doesn't actually draw you a card unless you pony up four life per card. It is nice for manipulating the top of the library and drawing in a pinch, but if you're looking to draw an extra card a turn, I'd go with Arena. Now, if lifelink is going to be a big part of your game, then you might not care about the damage and Library would be better in that instance. You've got some decent shuffling to make Library better, but you've also got Top which has a Library effect. It's up to you, but I'd probably go with Arena.

for deck tags to work, you need a number in front of each card, like this

Thanks. I slotted in phyrexian arena for rampant growth, as I am finding myself with too much ramp, if such a thing is possible. Plus, the average CMC of the deck (at least the creatures) is pretty low, at least compared to other decks I play/other decks in the meta.

Editing the origional list now.

Ok. Thanks - I didn't see your post until now because you posted before me by one minute - but thanks - that helps.

You don't speak for me, lol. probably not worth it but worldslayer with timber protector and Sapling is pretty cool.

Reach of Branches is an awesome card, to be sure, but I tried i out and often have better thigs to do then a 5/5 for 5. The big reason I stopped running him though is all the pernicious deed gaze of granite and maelstrom pulse running around in my meta because of infinite token decks that destroy this card. It's also why I don't play Fendeep Summoner.

Some people are hardcore about tribal decks, and I get that, but each one brings a lot to to the deck (like, a lot a lot) and tell me Jaddi Lifestrider doesn't look like a tree?

Trees - Yeah - worldslayer would be really cool, as would any wrath with Timber protecter out. But folks around here like their lands - nuking everythng is generally frowned on. But I've been thnking about throwing in austere command to nuke everything but my stuff wth him out, or position it so it doesn't hit me hard (lotta cheap trees).

Quote from Sunblast_Angel

I used to have a Doran tribal. It was good fun.

This being said I am not much of a fan of non-tribal creatures in tribal decks. Also: no Reach of Branches?

See, I'm the exact opposite. I couldn't build a strait tribal deck, because I have a serious problem running something like Old Ghastbark just because it's a tree. There are so many better cards to be ran.

Disclaimer: I actually did run Ghastbark in a Doran deck, but it was a theme deck where power was the least concern.