Hey guys and gals, this is my Ghave deck I have been playing for quite some time now. The deck originally started as a Stax deck based on Galspanic's version, but eventually got overhauled to the current build. I'm still looking to improve it and would like to know what you guys think. The main wincondition is just constantly flooding the board with tokens and using both combat damage and life drain with Falkenrath Noble and Blood Artist.
Suture Priest might be ok, but I don't know if the life gain effect is that strong. I'll try to figure out if I need any lifegain.
Kalonian Hydra seems pretty strong, but it is rather expensive right now, so I don't think I'll get one anytime soon. Primordial Hydra is a bit too slow/mana intensive, I think.
You could definitely stand to add Wood Elves to that ramp package. I also love Yavimaya Dryad, it's won me a couple of games via throwing a forest onto my opponent's field and getting huge with Cathers' Crusade and Juniper Order Ranger. Garruk, Primal Hunter has been a star for me as well as Elspeth, Knight-Errant. I haven't gotten an Elspeth, Sun's Champion yet, but when I do, she makes the cut. Things I'd cut would be Sigil Captain, since there are a lot of cases where he won't give counters, and Butcher of Malakir, since he's seven mana and fragile.
Okay, back from work now. Some other things I'd definitely add are Corpsejack Menace, since he's another doubler for Ghave, and some mana-free sacrifice outlets. My favorites are Sadistic Hypnotist, Ashnod's Altar, Phyrexian Altar, and Viscera Seer. I've also drawn a ton of cards from Fecundity, but your results may vary with that card depending on your meta.
Thanks for your suggestions! I counted the cards and realized I only listed 98 cards: I missed Wood Elves and Wooded Bastion. A lot of my tokens are 1/1, so I think Sigil Captain is ok, but I agree he isn't the best of the bunch. Butcher of Malakir has such a strong effect that I really like to have more than one card with this effect.
As to Garruk and Espeth, I would like to try them out once I get my hands on them.
I dunno, the Captain is a non-bo with things like Mirari's Wake and Creakwood Liege. I hate cards that clash with each other, myself.. he also won't affect Grave Titan's zombies. Basically he only is good with Ghave, which is something, I suppose, but I don't think it's nearly enough to include him over Corpsejack Menace. If you are totally focused on the Grave Pact type effects, you'll often want to use them the turn they come down, so having those zero-mana sac outlets is pretty key. Oh, by the way, other things I love with Ghave are Illusionist's Bracers and Blade of the Bloodchief. I've even won with the Blade equipped to Falkenrath Noble before. Hey, it happens. Constant Mists is great, if your meta has a ton of voltron generals.. mine doesn't really, so I use Spike Weaver instead, he does lots of neat little things. I like your interactions with Crucible and Life from the Loam though.
I've actually added a ton of what you suggested by now and I feel it's working quite well. I also lowered the average CMC of the deck and added a little more draw. The latest addition is Deathreap Ritual. I haven't gotten a chance to see it in action yet, but I feel it might work really well With this card, Fecundity and Skull Clamp I've got a few permanents that can draw me a boatload of cards...
You are completely right. I've got a Sharuum deck in my meta and flying creatures are underrepresented. However, I feel that yhat might change now I revamped my Kaalia deck..
5 Ghave, Guru of Spores
Tutors (7):
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Demonic Tutor
2 Eldamri's Call
2 Sterling Grove
3 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Academy Rector
Recursion (3):
2 Life from the Loam
3 Crucible of Worlds
3 Eternal Witness
Draw/Filter (7):
1 Skullclamp
3 Fecundity
3 Phyrexian Arena
4 Deathreap Ritual
4 Graveborn Muse
4 Reaper of the Wilds
5 Bloodgift Demon
Ramp/Mana (10):
1 Sol Ring
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
3 Farhaven Elf
3 Wood Elves
3 Yavimaya Dryad
3 Yavimaya Granger
4 Solemn Simulacrum
4 Skyshroud Claim
5 Mirrari's Wake
5 Seedborn Muse
Removal (13):
3 Aura of Silence
3 Aura Shards
3 Beast Within
3 Pernicious Deed
3 Putrefy
3 Krosan Grip
4 Creeping Corrosion
4 Return to Dust
5 Acidic Slime
5 Vraska the Unseen
6 Austere Command
7 Martial Coup
8 Woodfall Primus
2 Bitterblossom
2 Necrogenesis
3 Awakening Zone
4 Parallel Lives
4 Creakwood Liege
4 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
4 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
5 Elspeth Tirel
5 Doubling Season
Countercrazy (4):
1 Blade of the Bloodchief
4 Corpsejack Menace
5 Cathars' Crusade
5 Juniper Order Ranger
Sacrifice profiteers (6):
2 Blood Artist
4 Falkenrath Noble
4 Gravepact
5 Dictate of Erebos
6 Martyr's Bond
7 Butcher of Malakir
Misc (3):
2 Constant Mists
4 Helm of Possession
4 Spike Weaver
Lands (37):
6 Forest
4 Plains
5 Swamp
1 Barren Moor
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Brushland
1 Caves of Koilos
1 Command Tower
1 Fetid Heath
1 Godless Shrine
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Marsh Flats
1 Murmuring Bosk
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Secluded Steppe
1 Stirring Wildwood
1 Strip Mine
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Temple Garden
1 Tranquil Thicket
1 Twilight Mire
1 Vault of the Archangel
1 Wooded Bastion
1 Woodland Cemetery
Options:
More token boosting to get through, such as Eldrazi Monument. Currently looking for that one.
Sadly, Gaea's Cradle costs too much for me. Let me know what you think the deck is missing or could use.
BRGWTana and TymnaBRGW
RTeneb, the EternalR
UBRNekusar, Mind RazerUBR
Rakdos, Lord of Riots
BGWGhave, Guru of SporesBGW
Aurelia, the Warleader
BDrana, Kalastria BloodchiefB
WBROros, the AvengerWBR
Suture Priest might be ok, but I don't know if the life gain effect is that strong. I'll try to figure out if I need any lifegain.
Kalonian Hydra seems pretty strong, but it is rather expensive right now, so I don't think I'll get one anytime soon. Primordial Hydra is a bit too slow/mana intensive, I think.
Mistcutter Hydra: no trample seems no good...
BRGWTana and TymnaBRGW
RTeneb, the EternalR
UBRNekusar, Mind RazerUBR
Rakdos, Lord of Riots
BGWGhave, Guru of SporesBGW
Aurelia, the Warleader
BDrana, Kalastria BloodchiefB
WBROros, the AvengerWBR
- Gissa, the Traitor
- Sylvan Primordial
+ Elspeth Tirel
+ Doubling Season
What more do you guys think it needs?
BRGWTana and TymnaBRGW
RTeneb, the EternalR
UBRNekusar, Mind RazerUBR
Rakdos, Lord of Riots
BGWGhave, Guru of SporesBGW
Aurelia, the Warleader
BDrana, Kalastria BloodchiefB
WBROros, the AvengerWBR
Okay, back from work now. Some other things I'd definitely add are Corpsejack Menace, since he's another doubler for Ghave, and some mana-free sacrifice outlets. My favorites are Sadistic Hypnotist, Ashnod's Altar, Phyrexian Altar, and Viscera Seer. I've also drawn a ton of cards from Fecundity, but your results may vary with that card depending on your meta.
As to Garruk and Espeth, I would like to try them out once I get my hands on them.
BRGWTana and TymnaBRGW
RTeneb, the EternalR
UBRNekusar, Mind RazerUBR
Rakdos, Lord of Riots
BGWGhave, Guru of SporesBGW
Aurelia, the Warleader
BDrana, Kalastria BloodchiefB
WBROros, the AvengerWBR
I think Blade of Bloodchief might be more cost-effective than illusionist's Beacers, so I guess I will try that one first.
BRGWTana and TymnaBRGW
RTeneb, the EternalR
UBRNekusar, Mind RazerUBR
Rakdos, Lord of Riots
BGWGhave, Guru of SporesBGW
Aurelia, the Warleader
BDrana, Kalastria BloodchiefB
WBROros, the AvengerWBR
BRGWTana and TymnaBRGW
RTeneb, the EternalR
UBRNekusar, Mind RazerUBR
Rakdos, Lord of Riots
BGWGhave, Guru of SporesBGW
Aurelia, the Warleader
BDrana, Kalastria BloodchiefB
WBROros, the AvengerWBR
Animar (Combo >Eldrazi)
Drana (Vamp tribal + big mana)
Vorel (WiP)
Arcanis (Stealy/Combo)
Toshiro (removal.Dek)
Thada (Stealy/ramp/control)
Derevi (WiP)
Kaalia (Fatty)
Teysa (Combo)
Karador (ETB/LTB Reanimate)
Mirko Vosk (Land grind/mill)
Geth (Discard/Gravecasting)
Rhada (Pro blue homebrew)
Oloro (Pillow fort mp)
And about 10 more...
BRGWTana and TymnaBRGW
RTeneb, the EternalR
UBRNekusar, Mind RazerUBR
Rakdos, Lord of Riots
BGWGhave, Guru of SporesBGW
Aurelia, the Warleader
BDrana, Kalastria BloodchiefB
WBROros, the AvengerWBR