MTG Salvation

Hello all, recently I have created a Gruul deck based on Livonya Silone
This is a deck I want to make competitive yet simple to pilot and understand.
So pretty much a smashy, blow things up kinda deck Gruul loves to do.
Now here is the kicker.
Since its going to be a loaner deck for people with little experience with the format I am not including any form of tutoring except basic land.
Also I didn't want to create any complex stack interactions; like Gitrog or Marchesa, my other decks.
Simple, fun and competitive that highlights the EDH format.
Sounds easy right??
Since this might take a while, we will start with card draw.
This is what I have got so far in Gruul.
Deck is split 35 creatures, 37 lands, 27 other spells including draw and ramp.
So here is what I have in card draw:

• Shamanic Revelation
  
• Elemental Bond
  
• Life's Legacy
  
• Momentous Fall
  
• Lifeblood Hydra
  
• Evolutionary Leap
  
• Harmonize
  
• Eternal Witness
  
• Greenwarden of Murasa
  

Ramp:

• Sol Ring
  
• Nature's Lore
  
• Wall of Roots
  
• Cultivate
  
• Kodama's Reach
  
• Somberwald Sage
  
• Seedguide Ash
  
• Savage Ventmaw
  

Removal:

• Gorgon's Head
  
• Ambush Viper
  
• Thornweald Archer
  
• Beast Within
  
• Viashino Heretic
  
• Spitebellows
  
• Hornet Nest
  
• Song of the Dryads
  
• Reclamation Sage
  
• Flametongue Kavu
  
• Voracious Cobra
  
• Decimate
  
• Vandalblast
  
• Acidic Slime
  
• Conclave Naturalists
  
• Inferno Titan
  
• Destructor Dragon
  
• Bane of Progress
  
• Dragonlord Atarka
  
• Balefire Dragon
  
• Terastodon
  

Other Non-creature:

• O-Naginata
  
• Inquisitor's Flail
  
• Dragon Breath
  
• Champion's Helm
  
• Tenza, Godo's Maul
  
• Arachnogenesis
  
• Loxodon Warhammer
  
• Fires of Yavimaya
  
• Fervor
  
• Flameshadow Conjuring
  
• Sight of the Scalelords
  
• Mass Mutiny
  
• Asceticism
  

Rest of the Creatures:

• Pelakka Wurm
  
• Worldspine Wurm
  
• Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
  
• Gaea's Revenge
  
• Thunderfoot Baloth
  
• Realm Seekers
  
• Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
  
• Xenagos, God of Revels
  
• Hydra Omnivore
  
• Ogre Battledriver
  
• Hunted Troll
  
• Managorger Hydra
  

:phew:
Ok, critique, thoughts, ideas, questions?
I am not a spike by nature, and have a hard time making things "evil"

I'd have the Aggravated Assault combo in the deck. The sword, dragon, Nature's Will, and the other dragon will help a new player learn the importance of attacking and cement the different steps/phases.

My biggest critique would be the commander. If this was a deck for you only to express yourself then no worries but as a deck to loan im not so sure. EDH is all about the amazing creatures that dont get to play in standard/modern, they should be big and have crazy abilities. I would swap the commander for Xenagod and also swap Ruric Thar for Atarka, World Render as its abit more splashy and requires less build around to make it effective.

i'd like to echo that sentiment, Livonya Silone just seems bleh. if you dont like running gods as generals, what about Radha, Heir to Keld? & i think Basilisk Collar would be a better card choice then the Gorgon's Head. No Nissa's Pilgrimage? Rampant Growth? Three Visits? i personally like the spell rampant over the creature rampant in most edh decks. Woodfall Primus? i also noticed no planeswalkers in the deck, was that intentional? b/c Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury, Garruk Wildspeaker or Garruk, Primal Hunter would be good choices; & i personally like Nissa, Vastwood Seer

Most of your creatures are big stompy things or deathtouchers. One card that imo is fun, big and impactful is Gruul Ragebeast

Yet another voice for Xenagos, God of Revels. With the package you have, that still seems appropriate. Yes, you have the added "complication" of him not always being a creature, but it adds an extra bookkeeping mini game for the player (the devotion count) to help ensure that he or she is paying attention to the board state.

Quote from un_diplomatic »

My biggest critique would be the commander. If this was a deck for you only to express yourself then no worries but as a deck to loan im not so sure. EDH is all about the amazing creatures that dont get to play in standard/modern, they should be big and have crazy abilities. I would swap the commander for Xenagod and also swap Ruric Thar for Atarka, World Render as its abit more splashy and requires less build around to make it effective.

I was also going to suggest switching the Commander to Xenagos, God of Revels.

Hmm fair enough.
Switched out Livonya for Xenagod
Took out Ruic Thar for Atarka, World Render
Took out Spitebellows
Added, Freyalise and Domri Rade, don't normally like PW in multiplayer but Nissa/Freyalise seem like good fits.
I would like a Nissa, Vastwood Seer but dont own one yet, Freyalise does everything I want (Ramp, Blow Up Stuff, Draw) Good call.
Cutting things out of here is tough while still trying to keep up the creature count!