Also with Edric it's not really about ramping into playing something big as it is being able to play several spells a turn and still have Counterspell backup.
I'm currently brewing and playtesting an Edric, Spymaster of Trest build, and the last two didn't make the cut. Priest of Titania can't grant you an early commander drop and Birds of Paradise (usually) can't connect for cards - which is your game plan.
While the other 3 (and Arbor Elf) are fine, the real champs are Elvish Pioneer, Sakura-Tribe Scout and Skyshroud Ranger. The later 2 allow you to drop all the lands you will draw into once you get going and Elvish Pioneer is about the best turn 1 drop you can wish for.
Play a Forest, cast Elvish Pioneer, drop an Island. On your second turn drop a land, cast your commander and start drawing cards. Very elegant!
Nope. No mana dorks in my build. The closest I come is Druids' Repository, which turns attacks into mana. And I guess, Aluren, which obviates the need to ramp into stuff.
My problem with mana dorks is that they're not evasive - they become dead cards rather quickly. If I were running big stuff like Craterhoof Behemoth, then sure. But I'm not. My only bigger mana finishers are Biomass Mutation and Notorious Throng, neither one of which wants creatures tapping for mana on the sidelines or being chump blocked.
The three Llanowar elves are good - they can get you a T2 Edric, and having done so, can get some attacks in if opponents are open. Arbor Elf is less good unless you can afford a Tropical Island and full fetchland package - most of the good 1 drop creatures are blue, so your basic landbase will likely be oriented towards islands and you're probably running plenty of non-basics meaning Arbor Elf often whiffs. Birds of Paradise can't draw you cards so is bad Priest of Titania can often tap for a lot of mana, but doesn't help you get Edric out quicker. How good it is therefore will likely depend on how many more expensive cards you run Elvish Pioneer is another good one, you can get a T2 Edric and swing on the same turn, but it's less consistent - there are times while either you won't have a spare basic, or by playing it you miss your land drop next turn so don't really speed up things much.
The best ramp spell for Edric is probably either Mox Diamond or Gemstone Caverns - don't cost mana, get you a T2 Edric, taps for any colour, and it's nice to have something that doesn't die to the first Pyroclasm, and the card disadvantage isn't that important as, well, you're Edric. Chrome Mox is similarly good but only taps for 1 colour.
Birds is seen as bad since it has no power and thus can't translate to netting cards from Edric that easily. The other mana dorks depends more on the kind of game plan you are. If you go the anthem route with Beastmaster Ascension then you won't need them as much, though being able to cast cards you draw is always nice. The mana dorks become probably more relevant when you rely on taking turns, as they tend to be higher on your curve.
The three Llanowar elves are good - they can get you a T2 Edric, and having done so, can get some attacks in if opponents are open. Arbor Elf is less good unless you can afford a Tropical Island and full fetchland package - most of the good 1 drop creatures are blue, so your basic landbase will likely be oriented towards islands and you're probably running plenty of non-basics meaning Arbor Elf often whiffs.
Arbor Elf isn't that bad. It still puts you ahead G unless you get 'geddoned. (Also, there's also Breeding Pool.) It's not as good as it is in three-color, where you have five or in the case of Naya and Abzan six forests that tap for other colors.
I sorta have to disagree here. It's useful for getting Edric out, but after that, you need something like Gaea's Anthem or Favorable Winds to get any benefit out of it. (Or just equipment, but I prefer to give my swords to actual "can't be blocked" critters.)
Birds is overrated af, though. You don't need that much mana fixing in a two-color deck.
Priest of Titania can often tap for a lot of mana, but doesn't help you get Edric out quicker. How good it is therefore will likely depend on how many more expensive cards you run
True. Even then, it's tribal, and I'm pretty sure there aren't that many U elves. There also aren't that many elves with evasion abilities.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I currently have Llanowar Elves, Fyndhorn Elves, Elvish Mystic, Priest of Titania and Birds of Paradise in my Edric deck. But lately I have been questioning the wisdom in doing so.
Pros
Creating a 'wider' base of mana to 'vomit' out more creatures
Cons
What am I ramping into? 1 CMC evasive creatures? Doesn't make sense.
What do you do?
Salt is part of the game. Deal with it.
While the other 3 (and Arbor Elf) are fine, the real champs are Elvish Pioneer, Sakura-Tribe Scout and Skyshroud Ranger. The later 2 allow you to drop all the lands you will draw into once you get going and Elvish Pioneer is about the best turn 1 drop you can wish for.
Play a Forest, cast Elvish Pioneer, drop an Island. On your second turn drop a land, cast your commander and start drawing cards. Very elegant!
My problem with mana dorks is that they're not evasive - they become dead cards rather quickly. If I were running big stuff like Craterhoof Behemoth, then sure. But I'm not. My only bigger mana finishers are Biomass Mutation and Notorious Throng, neither one of which wants creatures tapping for mana on the sidelines or being chump blocked.
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Arbor Elf is less good unless you can afford a Tropical Island and full fetchland package - most of the good 1 drop creatures are blue, so your basic landbase will likely be oriented towards islands and you're probably running plenty of non-basics meaning Arbor Elf often whiffs.
Birds of Paradise can't draw you cards so is bad
Priest of Titania can often tap for a lot of mana, but doesn't help you get Edric out quicker. How good it is therefore will likely depend on how many more expensive cards you run
Elvish Pioneer is another good one, you can get a T2 Edric and swing on the same turn, but it's less consistent - there are times while either you won't have a spare basic, or by playing it you miss your land drop next turn so don't really speed up things much.
The best ramp spell for Edric is probably either Mox Diamond or Gemstone Caverns - don't cost mana, get you a T2 Edric, taps for any colour, and it's nice to have something that doesn't die to the first Pyroclasm, and the card disadvantage isn't that important as, well, you're Edric. Chrome Mox is similarly good but only taps for 1 colour.
Arbor Elf isn't that bad. It still puts you ahead G unless you get 'geddoned. (Also, there's also Breeding Pool.) It's not as good as it is in three-color, where you have five or in the case of Naya and Abzan six forests that tap for other colors.
I sorta have to disagree here. It's useful for getting Edric out, but after that, you need something like Gaea's Anthem or Favorable Winds to get any benefit out of it. (Or just equipment, but I prefer to give my swords to actual "can't be blocked" critters.)
Birds is overrated af, though. You don't need that much mana fixing in a two-color deck.
True. Even then, it's tribal, and I'm pretty sure there aren't that many U elves. There also aren't that many elves with evasion abilities.
On phasing: