I'm not sure how you can "go infinite" with Broodmaster, because 1) the tokens are Hydras, which Heritage Druid can't work its magic on, and 2) you can only go monstrous once, unless you bounce & recast it. Not to mention it, costs 3 mana for one token, 5 for two, 7 for three, so even if the tokens could be tapped for Druid you'll still be consuming more mana than you're producing.
Is there any other card that can function just like Cloudstone Curio? I need another of that combo piece for redundancy. Too many slaughter packs and surgicals in my meta
Is there any other card that can function just like Cloudstone Curio? I need another of that combo piece for redundancy. Too many slaughter packs and surgicals in my meta
There is nothing else like it. Beck is your other combo piece. You could also do an all/mostly aggro sideboard.
Thankfully there is an elf that can help vs both those cards, (i.e. Riftsweeper). I run one of him in my sideboard to get back cards that may go into exile. Also, good when it hits the random Lotus Bloom from an Ad Nauseam player.
Is there any other card that can function just like Cloudstone Curio? I need another of that combo piece for redundancy. Too many slaughter packs and surgicals in my meta
No other cards function enough like Cloudstone Curio, but I actually win somewhat often with Summoner's Pact into Craterhoof Behemoth (or just skipping the Pact entirely and hardcasting Hoof from hand).
I'm not sure how you can "go infinite" with Broodmaster, because 1) the tokens are Hydras, which Heritage Druid can't work its magic on, and 2) you can only go monstrous once, unless you bounce & recast it. Not to mention it, costs 3 mana for one token, 5 for two, 7 for three, so even if the tokens could be tapped for Druid you'll still be consuming more mana than you're producing.
I was not looking at Hydra Broodmaster as part of the combo per say, but I was looking at it as a potential finisher (i.e. Fireball, Ant Queen) once the deck gets to the point of producing infinite mana, which combo elves is capable of doing. I know some decks play Mass Hysteria in order to win on the combo turn, but I was thinking that this could be a decent finisher in combination with Cloudstone Curio because it essentially becomes a Gelatinous Genesis with a buyback cost of 4GG.
As a finisher it avoids blowouts from things like Pyroclasm and Anger of the Gods and it is repeatable in conjunction with Cloudstone Curio. The downside I guess is the situation where you can produce a lot of mana, but not infinite mana.
Hello all. I've been a long time viewer of this thread but have never actually found a relevant reason to post.
I've been a long time fan of Modern Combo Elves. It's been one of my favorite decks to play and mess around with since Beck was spoiled.
I just thought I should put my list out there for you guys to see, give feedback on, etc. I've been tweaking around with the numbers and seem to keep coming back to the same configuration.
3x Creeping Corrosion
3x Joraga Warcaller
1x Lead the Stampede
4x Path to Exile
2x Scavenging Ooze
1x Viridian Shaman
1x Viridian Zealot
I have been really enjoying the gilt-leaf archdruid at the moment. It helps to ensure the combo doesn't fizzle and can serve as an effective win condition.
Creeping Corrosion has been an allstar sideboard card for me. It is usually the only way that I can take down affinity in a fair match. The only other times where I can take them down is when I am able to combo out fully. Otherwise I put lethal damage on board, pass back to them, they untap and then swing for the win. Considering how prevalent Affinity is in my meta, I absolutely need 2-3
I've actually been noticing a decrease in the use of Pyroclasm and Anger of the gods in my area. It seems like people are getting less and less concerned about their zoo match ups and have been taking them out. Good news for us.
Is there any other card that can function just like Cloudstone Curio? I need another of that combo piece for redundancy. Too many slaughter packs and surgicals in my meta
Intruder Alarm is really the only other thing you can use as a combo piece, but it definitely works a bit differently.
Copperhorn Scout is great with chord of calling and ezuri. Swing, untap all your stuff (maybe multiple times) pump everyone with ezrui or chord for craterhoof
Not enough? Want to draw into your sideboard too? Add in Manamorphose + Research
Elves really have so many options for what they can do. Here are the goals and strategies for this deck.
The deck comes with 2.5 win conditions pre-board:
1. Get mana and Ezuri for lots of Overrun goodness
2. Go infinite with Cloudstone Curio and grab savor the moment from the board.
2.5 Just get in some beats with Archdriud and some elves
2 x Abundant Growth + Cloudstone Curio => G: draw a card. Extremely powerful and doesn't even use any creatures. With Elves ability to get tons of mana you'll have so much draw you'll get to the combo before your opponent can stop you.
Root Maze. This card isn't good in multiples so isn't usually played, but it works so well in elves and especially vs opponents with Fetchlands. If you are on the play and your opponent has fetchlands they won't have any mana until turn 3 and the most mana they can have that turn is 2. With your mana coming from elves, you really don't care about lands having to come into play tapped and the extra turn this buys us is usually what you need to go off.
Root Maze + Abundant Growth + Cloudstone Curio => GG: draw a card. Not as good as the 2 Abundant growth scenario above, but definitely still good to have card draw available.
Weird Harvest. Our combo revolves around getting 3 creatures + an artifact. So here's where Weird Harvest shines. You can get all 3 of your creature combo pieces in one turn. If you aren't playing against twin, who cares if your opponent grabs 3 creatures when you will combo off next turn, or perhaps this same turn.
Weird Harvest. If you don't have the Curio yet, focus on getting Regal Force and Heritage Druid + Nettle Sentinel. This way you can generate enough mana for Regal Force and draw into the Curio. You can also go for Ezuri.
Research. This card let's you keep some win conditions and silver bullets in your sideboard ready to come out. If you combo off, but didn't have any unsick creatures, just grab the Savor the Moment. If there is an ensnaring bridge out, get the Viridian Shaman.
Beast Within + Eternal Witness: If you are combo-ing off, you are free to destroy any permanent that might be getting in your way of winning. For example an Ensnaring Bridge
Cloudstone Curio + Lands: Not often used, but can get rid of a nasty Spreading Seas that are making all those Merfolk unblockable.
Ethersworn Canonist or Rule of Law: These two are seeing more play to stop Storm. They obviously stop the Cloudstone Curio business so you want to either remove them or make the card work out better for you. If you WeirdHarvest for the combo and suspect they will get Canonist, be sure that one of the creatures you get is Viridian Shaman.
Also, use Yeva in these situations. This cards allows you to play more threats than your opponent who probably doesn't have flash creatures.
Pyroclasm: For any of the sorcery board wipes you want to go for combo. Bait out the board wipes with Arbor Elves and Archdruids. If they survive then the opponent probably doesn't have the wipe and it is safe to start playing combo pieces.
Pithing Needle: This shows up in sideboards, but isn't effective vs elves. It literally only stops one card in this list (i.e. Ezuri). Don't worry about this card. You'll more than likely not draw Ezuri and if you don't you've just gained card advantage vs your opponent.
Linvala, Keeper of Silence: Pray you have Plummet or Beast Within in your hand or are going to draw it soon. Unlike Pithing needle this wrecks all of the mass mana this deck relies on. If Linvala is out for any length of time the odds of winning plummet.
Torpor Orb: This will stop you from combo-ing, so focus on more of an aggro style. Use your Weird Harvests to get Archdruids + Ezuri.
Things to look into changing or updating:
The deck should be running Emrakul instead of Savor the moment. The main point of Savor the Moment is it is extra turns that can't be redirected by fringe cards you might see at FNM. Emrakul comes with the same ability, is also uncounterable, and is well... Emrakul. You'll only be casting Savor the Moment if you are comboing off, so Emrakul can be just as easily cast.
Dismember vs Plummet: I haven't tested with Dismember yet, but it is probably superior in all situations you'd want to use Plummet. Plummet was a last minute addition from cards I had on hand to deal with Linvala.
lrmo, how problematic have you found opponents searching for Snapcaster Mage and Izzet Staticaster from your Weird Harvest to be? (If you can't combo off that turn, things get really ugly with Melira Pod searching for its entire combo and starting with Murderous Redcap to nail your best guy, Twin Pod searching for Deceiver Exarch and Kiki-Jiki, Pod searching for Linvala and forcing you to play fair (one-card Weird Harvest), and Nykthos Green searching for Eternal Witness to recur problematic stuff or Craterhoof Behemoth to end the game in their favour.)
I'll take the creatures one at a time. Weird Harvest definitely can be problematic with certain decks as it gives them access to creature searching that wasn't available to them before. And lets them play their creatures first if you tapped out to find cards.
Snapcaster: I haven't seen much of a problem from him. If they do grab the him I expect a bolt on one of the combo creatures. In that case I'm usually going for Archdruids + Visionary for buffs and card draw.
Izzet Staticaster: I have never had an opponent grab this creature. If they did hopefully you grabbed an Archdruid.
Redcap: Pod always seems to grab Linvala and not Redcap. Why kill my best creatures when they can stop almost everything I do with one 4 drop. Game 1 almost always has to be Aggro elves. I say almost because I did have one game where I was able to Research for Plummet and draw into it, but this is not expected.
Deceiver Exarch: Unless I am confident I can combo that turn, Weird Harvest is a dead card in my hand vs Twin unfortunately. You can try to play it after board if you have some removal or Vines of Vastwood in hand.
Linvala: See Redcap above.
Nykthos + Craterhoof: For this match up it is more of a race to combo. Root maze is definitely a star for this one. Nykthos has to wait a turn to come online and only 1 use per turn.
Bonus Creatures
Meddling Mage: This card can be a pain, if it is coming you won't be combo-ing.
Wurmcoil Engine: For the G(r) Tron decks out there, they'll get their only creature. This is good as they'll sink their mana into dropping the Wurmcoil and be less concerned with digging for Karn.
Master of the Pearl Trident + Lord of Atlantis: You will never see larger Merfolk than after you play Weird Harvest. Fortunately most will be sick and you should be combo-ing off on your next turn.
Leonin Arbiter: Not usually grabbed with Weird Harvest, but usually has a good interaction with the card on the side of Elves. Just wait until the opponent is tapped out. At this point they won't be searching for cards and weird harvest becomes one of the best card advantage spells in the game. x2GG: Search for X creature cards.
Aven Mindcensor: Again not usually grabbed with Weird Harvest, but has a strong interaction. If you suspect this card then only search for a small number of creatures. No more than 2. If it isn't played you usually only need 2 of the 3 creatures to finish the combo. If it is, you can usually find at least 1 creature in the first 4 cards.
Imposing Sovereign: You can still combo out through this creature. You just need to have a 3 Nettle Sentinels to generate infinite mana, instead of the usual 1. Nettle Sentinel does not care if it comes into the battlefield tapped.
Edit: Some, but probably not all, grammar updates.
Thank you for the feedback. If there is a spectrum from Aggro to Combo with Elves this deck would hug right against Combo line. It isn't quite all in, but you will win via combo more than you see an aggro beat down.
It runs Weird Harvest over Summoner's Pact for a few reasons. There usually is no 1 card need, but instead multiples so we like the X in the spell; this deck is not running Craterhoof Behemoth, which is one of the obvious creatures to get with Pact; and these are the lines of play we try to create with Harvest:
Use the last 2 mana to drop the 2 Nettle Sentenels. And tap all 3 for 3 mana.
Drop the Essence Warden and tap creating 5 mana in the pool.
Drop the Arbor Elf and tap for 7 mana in the pool.
Drop the Regal Force to draw 9 cards and still have 3 mana available from the Nettle Sentinels.
Manamorphose was added back when Beck was being tested. I slowly removed all the Becks as they just didn't seem to work as often, but always liked the Manamorphose. It creates essentially a 56 card deck with the trade off that sometimes it can prevent making informative mulligan decisions.
For this deck I've noticed it is worth the trade off, we are only running 15 lands so getting flooded or screwed doesn't happen too often. Remember this closer to an all in version, so I want to draw into the combo as quick as possible.
As for the Abundant Growths, it does not affect the board state, but only costs 1 mana and mana is something Elves have in abundance. So it digs us faster. And as mentioned above, if you have 2 of them and a Cloudstone Curio out, all of your extra green mana now turns into card draw.
If you are running the Curio version I suggest testing with 4 of the Abundant Growths. You won't be disappointed in the cantrip affect and you'll love the multiple card draw.
Switched the Archdruids for Mystics (the deck is a lot faster now), added 2 promenade and don't regret it at all and added a warcaller in the board for creature pump against red.
Works great
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11:15, restate my assumptions: 1. Mathematics is the language of nature. 2. Everything around us can be represented and understood through numbers. 3. If you graph these numbers, patterns emerge. Therefore: There are patterns everywhere in nature. - Maximillian Cohen.
Not enough? Want to draw into your sideboard too? Add in Manamorphose + Research
Sorry but I'm new to this game and don't really get the combo. Would I be correct in assuming that you need the Curio, Druid, Sentinel, a 1 Drop in play and another 1 drop in hand to pull of the combo?
Yes except you need two Sentinels to pull off infinite mana, or one Sentinel and a Visionary for infinite draw to get the second Sentinel, at which point you have infinite mana and draw.
I'll paste this from my budget thread... There might be one mistake in it.
With GG in pool and Heritage Druid, Nettle Sentinel, and Cloudstone Curio on the field, drop a Visionary, no
mana in pool
Visionary and Curio triggers go on stack
Draw a card
Tap the three elves for GGG, GGG in pool
Return Heritage to hand
Replay Heritage, GG in pool, Curio and Sentinel triggers go on stack
Sentinel untaps
Return Visionary
Repeat steps 1-8 until you draw another Sentinel, still GG in pool (at this point you can explain to your
opponent you are going to loop these steps and shortcut through them, with their permission)
Play second Sentinel, G in pool, Curio trigger goes on stack
Tap Sentinels and Heritage, GGGG in pool
Play Visionary, GG in pool, Curio, Sentinel, and Visionary triggers go on stack
Sentinels untap
Draw
Return Heritage
Replay Heritage, G in pool, Curio trigger goes on stack
Tap Heritage and Sentinels, GGGG in pool
Return Visionary
Repeat steps 12-18, netting G and drawing one card each time (at this point you can explain to your opponent
you are going to loop these steps and shortcut through them, with their permission).
Do this until you draw a Summoner's Pact or Craterhoof (whichever comes first) and have at least GGGGGGGG in
pool. If you have lethal damage by immediately playing the Craterhoof, do that and attack. Typically, if you
played at least one Sentinel before this turn, you will. If not, you probably won't. In which case...
Fill up your hand by repeating steps 12-18 if it's not already filled up, play enough elves to make
Craterhoof alone lethal damage, then play Craterhoof and swing.
Sorry but I'm new to this game and don't really get the combo. Would I be correct in assuming that you need the Curio, Druid, Sentinel, a 1 Drop in play and another 1 drop in hand to pull of the combo?
Accpi, Hope you've been having fun with magic so far =).
You almost have it right. You do need a creature to start off the combo, but it works even if it is the one-drop, Heritage Druid, or Nettle Sentinel.
I'll use -> to represent triggers that go on the stack. and T for tapped permanents
Battlefield: Cloudstone Curio, Heritage druid, Nettle Sentinel
Stack: Empty
Hand: One-drop
Mana Pool: G
You are now at the same board state as the first iteration, but with one extra G in your pool. Repeat as many times as you like.
Same goes for the Elvish Visionary except the extra 1 in the Visionaries casting cost uses the extra G gained from the loop. It is ok, though because you are are drawing a card each time, and can eventually replace the Visionary with a one drop to get infinite mana. Infinite card draw + infinite mana.
Yes except you need two Sentinels to pull off infinite mana, or one Sentinel and a Visionary for infinite draw to get the second Sentinel, at which point you have infinite mana and draw.
You actually only need one Nettle Sentinel. As long as you are bouncing the Heritage Druid and the one drop you'll net G each iteration.
The deck can be really fun if it matches your play style and I believe is still sub $100 to create the main board (I haven't checked prices in a while). But it is also not tier 1 even if I still think it is.
That isn't to say it isn't competitive. I've yet to walk out of an FNM or small local tournament without a positive win ratio. I'd wager this deck is very high on the list if you measured "Number of Wins"/"Price to create." It works out well at my LGS that doesn't have one large price for 1st-?th place, but just pays out based on Match wins.
Your biggest advantage with Combo Elves right now is, most people haven't tested or played against it. They won't know what card to take with Thoughtseize, or which creature to bolt. As with all decks, you'll get better with it if you play it more.
Pros:
Cheap to build
Fun for someone that likes a combo win, but has the option to just beat down
Opponents aren't prepared to play against Elves
The deck is competitive
Cons:
Isn't yet tier 1
Is vulnerable to creature removal, which shows up a lot in Modern
Might not fight your play style
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Big Johnny.
There is nothing else like it. Beck is your other combo piece. You could also do an all/mostly aggro sideboard.
No other cards function enough like Cloudstone Curio, but I actually win somewhat often with Summoner's Pact into Craterhoof Behemoth (or just skipping the Pact entirely and hardcasting Hoof from hand).
I was not looking at Hydra Broodmaster as part of the combo per say, but I was looking at it as a potential finisher (i.e. Fireball, Ant Queen) once the deck gets to the point of producing infinite mana, which combo elves is capable of doing. I know some decks play Mass Hysteria in order to win on the combo turn, but I was thinking that this could be a decent finisher in combination with Cloudstone Curio because it essentially becomes a Gelatinous Genesis with a buyback cost of 4GG.
As a finisher it avoids blowouts from things like Pyroclasm and Anger of the Gods and it is repeatable in conjunction with Cloudstone Curio. The downside I guess is the situation where you can produce a lot of mana, but not infinite mana.
Right now I think Curio is rather slow though. I favor 4 Pact, 4 Lead the Stampede and everything else creatures or lands.
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Big Johnny.
I've been a long time fan of Modern Combo Elves. It's been one of my favorite decks to play and mess around with since Beck was spoiled.
I just thought I should put my list out there for you guys to see, give feedback on, etc. I've been tweaking around with the numbers and seem to keep coming back to the same configuration.
4x Beck/Call
2x Lead the Stampede
4x Summoner's Pact
4x Arbor Elf
4x Elvish Archdruid
4x Elvish Mystic
4x Elvish Visionary
4x Heritage Druid
4x Llanowar Elves
4x Nettle Sentinel
1x Scryb Ranger
1x Craterhoof Behemoth
1x Ezuri, Renegade Leader
1x Gilt-Leaf Archdruid
1x Regal Force
Lands: 17
3x Breeding Pool
1x Temple Garden
1x Pendelhaven
4x Misty Rainforest
4x Verdant Catacombs
4x Forest
Sideboard:
3x Creeping Corrosion
3x Joraga Warcaller
1x Lead the Stampede
4x Path to Exile
2x Scavenging Ooze
1x Viridian Shaman
1x Viridian Zealot
I have been really enjoying the gilt-leaf archdruid at the moment. It helps to ensure the combo doesn't fizzle and can serve as an effective win condition.
Creeping Corrosion has been an allstar sideboard card for me. It is usually the only way that I can take down affinity in a fair match. The only other times where I can take them down is when I am able to combo out fully. Otherwise I put lethal damage on board, pass back to them, they untap and then swing for the win. Considering how prevalent Affinity is in my meta, I absolutely need 2-3
I've actually been noticing a decrease in the use of Pyroclasm and Anger of the gods in my area. It seems like people are getting less and less concerned about their zoo match ups and have been taking them out. Good news for us.
Intruder Alarm is really the only other thing you can use as a combo piece, but it definitely works a bit differently.
Copperhorn Scout is great with chord of calling and ezuri. Swing, untap all your stuff (maybe multiple times) pump everyone with ezrui or chord for craterhoof
Mimeoplasm Midrange, CHAINER CHAINER HIGH VOLTAGE
Rafiq of the Astral Slide, 67land.dec Child of Alara, Gisela <3 Sunforger
TRADE!?WUBRGMy Pauper Cube
Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper, Phage the Uncastable, Azusa Lost but Stompy, Crosis Combo Breaker, All-In-Skullbriar, Rafiq/Jenara ETB army, Hazezon Swarm, Glissa Voltron!, Jarad Zombie Tribal, Zedruu Pillowfort, Reaper King Artifact Shenanagains
15 Forest
Creatures
4 Arbor Elf
1 Llanowar Elves
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Heritage Druid
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Elvish Visionary
1 Tajuru Preserver
1 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
1 Essence Warden
1 Regal Force
Enchantments
4 Abundant Growth
3 Root Maze
4 Manamorphose
1 Research // Development
Artifacts
4 Cloudstone Curio
Sorceries
4 Weird Harvest
2 Beast Within
3 Plummet
1 Eternal Witness
1 Viridian Shaman
2 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Yeva, Nature's Herald
1 Riftsweeper
1 Savor the Moment
Want boatloads of mana? Elvish Archdruid + lots of elves
Not enough? Want infinite mana? Cloudstone Curio + Heritage Druid + Nettle Sentinel + Any one drop
Want to draw your deck? Cloudstone Curio + Heritage Druid + Nettle Sentinel + Elvish Visionary
Not enough? Want to draw into your sideboard too? Add in Manamorphose + Research
Elves really have so many options for what they can do. Here are the goals and strategies for this deck.
The deck comes with 2.5 win conditions pre-board:
1. Get mana and Ezuri for lots of Overrun goodness
2. Go infinite with Cloudstone Curio and grab savor the moment from the board.
2.5 Just get in some beats with Archdriud and some elves
2 x Abundant Growth + Cloudstone Curio => G: draw a card. Extremely powerful and doesn't even use any creatures. With Elves ability to get tons of mana you'll have so much draw you'll get to the combo before your opponent can stop you.
Root Maze. This card isn't good in multiples so isn't usually played, but it works so well in elves and especially vs opponents with Fetchlands. If you are on the play and your opponent has fetchlands they won't have any mana until turn 3 and the most mana they can have that turn is 2. With your mana coming from elves, you really don't care about lands having to come into play tapped and the extra turn this buys us is usually what you need to go off.
Root Maze + Abundant Growth + Cloudstone Curio => GG: draw a card. Not as good as the 2 Abundant growth scenario above, but definitely still good to have card draw available.
Weird Harvest. Our combo revolves around getting 3 creatures + an artifact. So here's where Weird Harvest shines. You can get all 3 of your creature combo pieces in one turn. If you aren't playing against twin, who cares if your opponent grabs 3 creatures when you will combo off next turn, or perhaps this same turn.
Weird Harvest. If you don't have the Curio yet, focus on getting Regal Force and Heritage Druid + Nettle Sentinel. This way you can generate enough mana for Regal Force and draw into the Curio. You can also go for Ezuri.
Research. This card let's you keep some win conditions and silver bullets in your sideboard ready to come out. If you combo off, but didn't have any unsick creatures, just grab the Savor the Moment. If there is an ensnaring bridge out, get the Viridian Shaman.
Beast Within + Eternal Witness: If you are combo-ing off, you are free to destroy any permanent that might be getting in your way of winning. For example an Ensnaring Bridge
Cloudstone Curio + Lands: Not often used, but can get rid of a nasty Spreading Seas that are making all those Merfolk unblockable.
Ethersworn Canonist or Rule of Law: These two are seeing more play to stop Storm. They obviously stop the Cloudstone Curio business so you want to either remove them or make the card work out better for you. If you WeirdHarvest for the combo and suspect they will get Canonist, be sure that one of the creatures you get is Viridian Shaman.
Also, use Yeva in these situations. This cards allows you to play more threats than your opponent who probably doesn't have flash creatures.
Pyroclasm: For any of the sorcery board wipes you want to go for combo. Bait out the board wipes with Arbor Elves and Archdruids. If they survive then the opponent probably doesn't have the wipe and it is safe to start playing combo pieces.
Pithing Needle: This shows up in sideboards, but isn't effective vs elves. It literally only stops one card in this list (i.e. Ezuri). Don't worry about this card. You'll more than likely not draw Ezuri and if you don't you've just gained card advantage vs your opponent.
Linvala, Keeper of Silence: Pray you have Plummet or Beast Within in your hand or are going to draw it soon. Unlike Pithing needle this wrecks all of the mass mana this deck relies on. If Linvala is out for any length of time the odds of winning plummet.
Torpor Orb: This will stop you from combo-ing, so focus on more of an aggro style. Use your Weird Harvests to get Archdruids + Ezuri.
The deck should be running Emrakul instead of Savor the moment. The main point of Savor the Moment is it is extra turns that can't be redirected by fringe cards you might see at FNM. Emrakul comes with the same ability, is also uncounterable, and is well... Emrakul. You'll only be casting Savor the Moment if you are comboing off, so Emrakul can be just as easily cast.
Dismember vs Plummet: I haven't tested with Dismember yet, but it is probably superior in all situations you'd want to use Plummet. Plummet was a last minute addition from cards I had on hand to deal with Linvala.
I'll take the creatures one at a time. Weird Harvest definitely can be problematic with certain decks as it gives them access to creature searching that wasn't available to them before. And lets them play their creatures first if you tapped out to find cards.
Snapcaster: I haven't seen much of a problem from him. If they do grab the him I expect a bolt on one of the combo creatures. In that case I'm usually going for Archdruids + Visionary for buffs and card draw.
Izzet Staticaster: I have never had an opponent grab this creature. If they did hopefully you grabbed an Archdruid.
Redcap: Pod always seems to grab Linvala and not Redcap. Why kill my best creatures when they can stop almost everything I do with one 4 drop. Game 1 almost always has to be Aggro elves. I say almost because I did have one game where I was able to Research for Plummet and draw into it, but this is not expected.
Deceiver Exarch: Unless I am confident I can combo that turn, Weird Harvest is a dead card in my hand vs Twin unfortunately. You can try to play it after board if you have some removal or Vines of Vastwood in hand.
Linvala: See Redcap above.
Nykthos + Craterhoof: For this match up it is more of a race to combo. Root maze is definitely a star for this one. Nykthos has to wait a turn to come online and only 1 use per turn.
Bonus Creatures
Meddling Mage: This card can be a pain, if it is coming you won't be combo-ing.
Wurmcoil Engine: For the G(r) Tron decks out there, they'll get their only creature. This is good as they'll sink their mana into dropping the Wurmcoil and be less concerned with digging for Karn.
Master of the Pearl Trident + Lord of Atlantis: You will never see larger Merfolk than after you play Weird Harvest. Fortunately most will be sick and you should be combo-ing off on your next turn.
Leonin Arbiter: Not usually grabbed with Weird Harvest, but usually has a good interaction with the card on the side of Elves. Just wait until the opponent is tapped out. At this point they won't be searching for cards and weird harvest becomes one of the best card advantage spells in the game. x2GG: Search for X creature cards.
Aven Mindcensor: Again not usually grabbed with Weird Harvest, but has a strong interaction. If you suspect this card then only search for a small number of creatures. No more than 2. If it isn't played you usually only need 2 of the 3 creatures to finish the combo. If it is, you can usually find at least 1 creature in the first 4 cards.
Imposing Sovereign: You can still combo out through this creature. You just need to have a 3 Nettle Sentinels to generate infinite mana, instead of the usual 1. Nettle Sentinel does not care if it comes into the battlefield tapped.
Edit: Some, but probably not all, grammar updates.
Thank you for the feedback. If there is a spectrum from Aggro to Combo with Elves this deck would hug right against Combo line. It isn't quite all in, but you will win via combo more than you see an aggro beat down.
It runs Weird Harvest over Summoner's Pact for a few reasons. There usually is no 1 card need, but instead multiples so we like the X in the spell; this deck is not running Craterhoof Behemoth, which is one of the obvious creatures to get with Pact; and these are the lines of play we try to create with Harvest:Manamorphose was added back when Beck was being tested. I slowly removed all the Becks as they just didn't seem to work as often, but always liked the Manamorphose. It creates essentially a 56 card deck with the trade off that sometimes it can prevent making informative mulligan decisions.
For this deck I've noticed it is worth the trade off, we are only running 15 lands so getting flooded or screwed doesn't happen too often. Remember this closer to an all in version, so I want to draw into the combo as quick as possible.
As for the Abundant Growths, it does not affect the board state, but only costs 1 mana and mana is something Elves have in abundance. So it digs us faster. And as mentioned above, if you have 2 of them and a Cloudstone Curio out, all of your extra green mana now turns into card draw.
If you are running the Curio version I suggest testing with 4 of the Abundant Growths. You won't be disappointed in the cantrip affect and you'll love the multiple card draw.
4x Llanowar Elves
4x Arbor Elf
4x Elvish Mystic
4x Elvish Visionary
4x Nettle Sentinel
4x Heritage Druid
2x Scryb Ranger
1x Ezuri, Renegade Leader
1x Regal Force
1x Craterhoof Behemoth
4x Summoner's Pact
4x Beack//Call
4x Lead the Stampede
2x Elvish Promenade
Lands: 17
4x Verdant Catacombs
4x Misty Rainforest
4x Forest
3x Breeding Pool
1x Temple Garden
1x Dryad Arbor
4x Leyline of Sanctity
3x Path to Exile
3x Creeping Corrosion
3x Nature's Claim
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Joraga Warcaller
Switched the Archdruids for Mystics (the deck is a lot faster now), added 2 promenade and don't regret it at all and added a warcaller in the board for creature pump against red.
Works great
Standard: XDon't play.X
Legacy: BUReanimatorUB
Vintage: URBWGDBRU
Sorry but I'm new to this game and don't really get the combo. Would I be correct in assuming that you need the Curio, Druid, Sentinel, a 1 Drop in play and another 1 drop in hand to pull of the combo?
I'll paste this from my budget thread... There might be one mistake in it.
played at least one Sentinel before this turn, you will. If not, you probably won't. In which case...
You almost have it right. You do need a creature to start off the combo, but it works even if it is the one-drop, Heritage Druid, or Nettle Sentinel.
I'll use -> to represent triggers that go on the stack. and T for tapped permanents Cast the one-drop -> Nettle Sentinel triggers The Nettle Sentinel trigger resolves untapping the already untaped creature One-drop resolves -> Curio triggers In response to the Curio Trigger activate the Heritage Druid and gain GGG Curio trigger resolves and bounce the Heritage Druid Cast the Heritage Druid -> Nettle Sentinel triggers Untap the Nettle Sentinel Heritage Druid resolves -> Curio triggers Curio trigger resolves and bounces the one-drop You are now at the same board state as the first iteration, but with one extra G in your pool. Repeat as many times as you like.
You can look at my spoiler above for the loop.
The deck can be really fun if it matches your play style and I believe is still sub $100 to create the main board (I haven't checked prices in a while). But it is also not tier 1 even if I still think it is.
That isn't to say it isn't competitive. I've yet to walk out of an FNM or small local tournament without a positive win ratio. I'd wager this deck is very high on the list if you measured "Number of Wins"/"Price to create." It works out well at my LGS that doesn't have one large price for 1st-?th place, but just pays out based on Match wins.
Your biggest advantage with Combo Elves right now is, most people haven't tested or played against it. They won't know what card to take with Thoughtseize, or which creature to bolt. As with all decks, you'll get better with it if you play it more.
Pros:
Cons: