I built an ultra-budget deck recently as a loaner for any new people in our play group (if they like it, they can keep it.) It's a simple Arbor Elf ramp package deck with a heavy emphasis on the recently-printed Rishkar's Expertise. Basically this:
Beats 18 Thragtusk (your favorite 5cmc green permanents)
I tried playing it myself last week and it was a real blast. With the ramp I was able to play something like Outland Colossus on turn 3 and could then cast Rishkar's Expertise to keep the pressure coming. Being able to empty your hand and then refill it with a free cast really gives the deck some gas. After a few turns I overcame my opponents' removal and finished them off with beaters made evasive thanks to Bellowing Tanglewurm.
I figured that I should share the experience here in case any of you would like to try it yourselves. It's not the "optimal" ramp strategy where you Genesis Wave your entire deck, but I found it to be very fun and competitive for something that costs less than $10 to build.
Here are some of the 5-cmc creatures that I used. I'd be interested to hear if others have tried playing similar decks and what they used. It seems like someGarruks might be a good fit if you're wanting to spend a little more.
Other than that, personally I've never cared for Arbor Elf and friends, since they're so fragile. I'd opt for Nature's Lore, Sakura-Tribe Elder, and Skyshroud Claim, but again, that does increase your price point. Your ramp package does have the advantage of being able to cast multiple threats, so it really comes down to a matter of preference, but depending on how many sweepers your group plays, a land ramp package that fetches lands may work better.
I like it too. The only real weakness I see is that 5 CMC creatures lack punch compared to 6-7 CMC ones, especially in Green. Do you really need the full 18 "hits" for Rishkar's Expertise when it's drawing you 5-12 cards a cast? Maybe a few slots could be dedicated to some really big hitters.
Do you really need the full 18 "hits" for Rishkar's Expertise when it's drawing you 5-12 cards a cast?
Oh definitely not. In fact I like Ifloopthepig's suggestion of using Greenwarden of Murasa to re-buy Rishkar's Expertise. I'm sure there's an optimal number of 5cmc creatures to run in order to reliably get the free cast. I just don't know what the number is so I decided to play it safe.
Funny, I really want to make a Chandra's Ignition deck, too. If you can make this work, let me know. Cauldron of Souls would be a way to protect your creatures from removal, is free after an Expertise, and is reusable since the counters cancel each other out.
Obviously this is a super rough sketch, but I'm interested to hear your input.
I think you might be limiting yourself by listing only creatures and only in green. It would be completely acceptable to look at other colors and non creature spells.
As for the "correct" number to run, going first, by turn five, we'll have drawn 11 cards, roughly twenty percent of our deck. Twenty percent of sixty is 12, but we also want utility cards and ramp. I think between 8-12 "Expertise cards" is a good start.
Has anyone done any theorycrafting on what this deck would look like not adhering to a strict budget? I really want to try it, but before I pull the trigger I'd like to have a solid base. What would you guys think about a GW deck that abuses recurring Expertise with cards like Eternal Witness/Greenwarden of Murasa. May be the card advantage/tempo a mid-range deck needs to survive longer. Not to mention that GW creatures are generally bigger than average.
Funny, I really want to make a Chandra's Ignition deck, too. If you can make this work, let me know. Cauldron of Souls would be a way to protect your creatures from removal, is free after an Expertise, and is reusable since the counters cancel each other out.
Obviously this is a super rough sketch, but I'm interested to hear your input.
I think you might be limiting yourself by listing only creatures and only in green. It would be completely acceptable to look at other colors and non creature spells.
As for the "correct" number to run, going first, by turn five, we'll have drawn 11 cards, roughly twenty percent of our deck. Twenty percent of sixty is 12, but we also want utility cards and ramp. I think between 8-12 "Expertise cards" is a good start.
I feel like this deck likes Heart-Piercer Manticore, too. Or is that just a little too... cute? It's more expensive than Fling, but it drops a relevant body and you get a second go if you chuck it (or even if you just pitch it EOT after discarding down from Rishkar's).
I'm going to build a variant on this. Good suggestions.
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4 Arbor Elf
4 Wild Growth
4 Voyaging Satyr
4 Overgrowth
22 Forest
Refill Your Hand
4 Rishkar's Expertise
18 Thragtusk (your favorite 5cmc green permanents)
I tried playing it myself last week and it was a real blast. With the ramp I was able to play something like Outland Colossus on turn 3 and could then cast Rishkar's Expertise to keep the pressure coming. Being able to empty your hand and then refill it with a free cast really gives the deck some gas. After a few turns I overcame my opponents' removal and finished them off with beaters made evasive thanks to Bellowing Tanglewurm.
I figured that I should share the experience here in case any of you would like to try it yourselves. It's not the "optimal" ramp strategy where you Genesis Wave your entire deck, but I found it to be very fun and competitive for something that costs less than $10 to build.
Here are some of the 5-cmc creatures that I used. I'd be interested to hear if others have tried playing similar decks and what they used. It seems like some Garruks might be a good fit if you're wanting to spend a little more.
Other than that, personally I've never cared for Arbor Elf and friends, since they're so fragile. I'd opt for Nature's Lore, Sakura-Tribe Elder, and Skyshroud Claim, but again, that does increase your price point. Your ramp package does have the advantage of being able to cast multiple threats, so it really comes down to a matter of preference, but depending on how many sweepers your group plays, a land ramp package that fetches lands may work better.
Deck looks fun!
Oh definitely not. In fact I like Ifloopthepig's suggestion of using Greenwarden of Murasa to re-buy Rishkar's Expertise. I'm sure there's an optimal number of 5cmc creatures to run in order to reliably get the free cast. I just don't know what the number is so I decided to play it safe.
Funny, I really want to make a Chandra's Ignition deck, too. If you can make this work, let me know. Cauldron of Souls would be a way to protect your creatures from removal, is free after an Expertise, and is reusable since the counters cancel each other out.
Maybe something like this:
2x Wild Growth
3x Managorger Hydra
3x Taurean Mauler
2x Eternal Witness
3x Firespout
2x Spike Weaver
2x Corpsejack Menace
3x Forgotten Ancient
3x Thragtusk
3x Chandra's Ignition
2x Cauldron of Souls
3x Rishkar's Expertise
2x Bane of Progress
23x Lands
Obviously this is a super rough sketch, but I'm interested to hear your input.
I think you might be limiting yourself by listing only creatures and only in green. It would be completely acceptable to look at other colors and non creature spells.
As for the "correct" number to run, going first, by turn five, we'll have drawn 11 cards, roughly twenty percent of our deck. Twenty percent of sixty is 12, but we also want utility cards and ramp. I think between 8-12 "Expertise cards" is a good start.
I like the idea of using Eternal Witness effects to rebuy Expertise and keep digging you into more gas.
Or Hour of Summoning fetching 2x Cloudpost. Nothing quite beats drawing 5 cards and ramping 4 lands on the same turn :).
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I feel like this deck likes Heart-Piercer Manticore, too. Or is that just a little too... cute? It's more expensive than Fling, but it drops a relevant body and you get a second go if you chuck it (or even if you just pitch it EOT after discarding down from Rishkar's).
I'm going to build a variant on this. Good suggestions.