Is it seriously not broken in standard? I can't tell you how much it bugs me that there's nothing going on with this card.
Don't get me wrong. I know there's issues. The big problem is in most situations, it only 'cheats' creatures in 1 turn earlier than they would have been other wise. On a curve, getting a 4 drop on turn 3 isn't such a big deal. 4 drops just aren't that devastating. Waiting until the next turn and getting a 5 drop on turn 4 is just as yawn-worthy.
Now, I want to get somewhere with this card. So, I've got an idea. Not a deck, but I think it's a place to start. I'm not gonna say it's format breaking (it's not), but I think it's a step towards making Eldritch Evolution work. Possibly take some FNMs.
From the graveyard, both of those creatures can come into play on turn 3. That means turn 4 you can have a 7 drop ETB. That's huge. Likely game ending. Here's a shortlist from a very brief search of 6 and 7 cmc creatures that could be potential targets.
Something like Bane of Bala Ged could be devastating. He dodges a lot of removal in standard. I think Bruna is potentially the most devastating though. If you've also managed to mill/discard Gisela, the Broken Blade into the GY, then the opponent literally has 1 untap to respond.
Here's a list to illustrate the concept. It was HASTILY thrown together (so hastily, that until I started typing it, I forgot to have Eldritch Evolution in it). I look at it as a jumping off point, but I'd still like to see ideas others have for E.E. even if they go in a completely different direction.
There's also a version of the deck where you're able to get Stitchwing Skaab or Haunted Dead into the GY, revive them on turn 2 so you can EE on turn 3 and get a 6 drop, but it's a much lower probability version.
Edit - added a decklist to show the concept. Also added the blanket term "Gearhulks" to the list of creatures. I didn't forget about them, just forgot to write them down lol.
I agree with Trivmirate, in that I think in order for this deck to work you need to use evolution to search for a creature that can protect itself, otherwise you open yourself up to a huge tempo loss when you spend three or more cards and two turns to bring a big creature onto the battlefield only to have it hit with Murder, Declaration in stone, or even an Unsubstantiate.
Thought-Knot Seer could also be good here since it can look at your opponent's hand and then take their removal (that is if they don't have an instant speed response to its ETB trigger).
Ok, so here's what I have in mind. Bear in mind, I just threw this deck together right now (in all of 5 mins) just to give an idea of where I'm going. I'd still really like to see what other people have in mind as a way to make Eldritch Evolution work.
So this is what I'm thinking. You have some early self discard/mill that isn't just killing your hand but also improving your board state or hurting your opponent. You have cards like Prized Amalgams and Take Inventorys that are perfectly happy being put in the GY, because you'll still get value from there. Then your creatures/side board are a toolbox against your opponent. I started off with the hexproof creatures in the main. It's a safe bet to see what you're playing against. Then you can adjust game 2 and 3 based on what you saw.
In a deck like this, I don't feel like I'm giving up several turns just to cheat a creature into play only to see it axed. Cards like Cryptbreaker and Grim Flayer are cards that have to be answered. Collective Brutality serves double duty of protecting our pieces and putting cards in the GY for us.
What do you think of this as a starting point? I'll add it to the OP to facilitate discussion. I still want to see other ideas, even if they go in completely different directions though. There's gotta be enough creative people here to make something happen with this card.
In the last standard I tried to put together a deck that tried to cheat out Defiant Bloodlord and use Landfall with Retreat to Kazandu and Nissa's Renewal to drain out the opponent. It was a pretty janky list but the fastest way I found was:
It seemed to me that Madness was the best way to cheat on Eldritch Evolution value. Turn 4 7-drop was about the fastest I could work out but one person mentioned: "At that point you might as well play a Gx Ramp deck and get about the same value, but more permanently". I'm sure with Nissa's Pilgrimage and Explosive Vegetation leaving, things could possibly be a bit different now.
I mostly agree with the people above -- things could very well go south for you if you put all this effort into cheating out a big creature, only to have it quickly removed. Your payoff creature needs to make a large enough impact for Eldritch Evolution to really shine.
Another good EE target I haven't seen mentioned yet: World Breaker. He seems like he could make a comeback with all the artifacts running about in Kaladesh.
The problem with World Breaker and Bruna, the Fading Light in this kind of deck is that their abilities are on-cast triggers, not ETB triggers. Ulamog has the same problem, but I think he's much better here than Bruna and World Breaker since he presents a 2 to 3 turn clock and is indestructible which will protect him from "destroy" based removal spells.
Evolve two-drops (Zulaport Cutthroat, Primal Druid) into TKS. Evolve Matter Reshaper into Gearhulks/Reality Smasher. Early hand disruption (Harsh Scrutiny, Collective Brutality) to hedge against Spell Queller/blue. One Refurbish is in there to synergize with escalating Brutality and give the deck a chance for a turn 4 gear hulk. Backup win con is the Zulaport Cutthroat/Eldrazi Displace/Brood Monitor combo. Board might have some number of Filagree Familiars. Really rough version right now. Thoughts?
The problem is, a turn 4 gearhulk isn't all that hard to pull off. Any 2 or 3 cmc ramp will pull it off for you.... Granted, E.E. will tutor it, but something like a Deathcap Cultivator can attack.
I'm looking for something like Triumvirate said. I want to really cheat the curve. I mean, a 7 drop on turn 4 is pretty good to me, and can be very hard to deal with. I imagine 6 drops on turn 3 could be pretty awesome too.
Now that's interesting. Sort of an affinity then E.E. Maybe I'll look into that. There are some cards, like Ulamog, that are still a beating, even if they aren't cast.
The problem with World Breaker and Bruna, the Fading Light in this kind of deck is that their abilities are on-cast triggers, not ETB triggers. Ulamog has the same problem, but I think he's much better here than Bruna and World Breaker since he presents a 2 to 3 turn clock and is indestructible which will protect him from "destroy" based removal spells.
Unfortunately neither Goblin Dark-Dwellers nor the blue Gearhulk can recast Evolution to chain it into 7-8 drop, which is probably what stops this card from being truly broken.
The combo with Ghoulsteed-type cards is cute but seems like a vulnerable gameplan. You waste a few turns casting draw-discard to dump Ghoulsteed, then you have to discard cards from hand to get it on the battlefield for cheap, then then next turn you have to Evolution it into a value 7-drop (Bruna, with Gisela in the graveyard ideally). If opponent uses Reflector Mage on your Ghoulsteed or counters the Evolution, you end up WAY BEHIND on cards and tempo with no board position. It's very all-in. Even if the combo is pulled off successfully, opponent gets 1 untap and draw step to play any 4cc+ answer to your one creature.
I like the idea of a midrange grindy deck that just uses Evolution toolbox for value instead of an all-in combo.
This deck just tries to grind out value. Recruiter and Emissary dig to fill your hand with more creatures. Filigree, Emissary and Watcher make fodder for Evolution into 5-6 cc or emerging the Octopus. The toolbox creatures all give card advantage, helping grind out a win and make up for the tempo hit of having to sacrifice.
Unfortunately there aren't that many 5-6cc creatures with ETB effects in the format, but the Gearhulks add to your options. I really want to be black for Noxious Gearhulk and Baloth Null, but Bant colors may be better just because white opens up many useful ETB abilities.
The combo with Ghoulsteed-type cards is cute but seems like a vulnerable gameplan. You waste a few turns casting draw-discard to dump Ghoulsteed, then you have to discard cards from hand to get it on the battlefield for cheap, then then next turn you have to Evolution it into a value 7-drop (Bruna, with Gisela in the graveyard ideally). If opponent uses Reflector Mage on your Ghoulsteed or counters the Evolution, you end up WAY BEHIND on cards and tempo with no board position. It's very all-in. (...)
I like the idea of a midrange grindy deck that just uses Evolution toolbox for value instead of an all-in combo. (...)
Unfortunately there aren't that many 5-6cc creatures with ETB effects in the format, but the Gearhulks add to your options. I really want to be black for Noxious Gearhulk and Baloth Null, but Bant colors may be better just because white opens up many useful ETB abilities.
I fully agree with you. The plan with Ghoulsteed is amazing in a vacuum. But it feels like too many things have to get together to pull the combo off. Losing turn 1 and 2 to discard, and turn 3 to discard more, leaves you very vulnerable if anything goes wrong before you finally cast Eldritch Evolution. And even if you do, you have far less cards in your hand, and are condemned to use your tool box to get back your cards from your graveyard. That's far from a bomb, and more like damage control to me...
I, too, feel there is something to do with Eldritch Evolution. But it needs to be a bit more simple and straightforward. I agree with you that white offers more ETB opportunities to not lose value on the creatures we'll sacrifice, as well as some control on the battlefield (Reflector Mage). And that black is too useful with Noxious Gearhulk. Thus why I pulled together this Bant-Black Evolution deck :
I haven't worked out sideboard and there are no 1 drop creatures, but idea is that you get one of the 2 or 3 drops out early then use Eldritch Evolution on turn 4 or 5. The ideal is Lathnu Hellion on turn 3 swing, turn 4 swing, second mainphase eldritch evolution into Verdurous Gearhulk. Late game drawing a small creature becomes drawing a big creature.
The problem is, a turn 4 gearhulk isn't all that hard to pull off. Any 2 or 3 cmc ramp will pull it off for you.... Granted, E.E. will tutor it, but something like a Deathcap Cultivator can attack.
I'm looking for something like Triumvirate said. I want to really cheat the curve. I mean, a 7 drop on turn 4 is pretty good to me, and can be very hard to deal with. I imagine 6 drops on turn 3 could be pretty awesome too.
Then I'm thinking a deck that runs both Verdurous Gearhulk and Sphinx of the Final Word. Get your Gearhulk out put the counters on another creature (like the Hydra that can give itself hexproof) then Evolution the Gearhulk into the Sphinx.
Edit: The problem with wanting to ramp as fast as you do is that there aren't 1 drop mana dorks. So I don't see the way to get a 6 mana creature or even a 5 out on turn 3 using evolution. If you run 3 mana dorks you could hope for Servant or Cultivator turn 2, turn 3 Beastcaller followed by a 3 drop which means on turn 4 you could double evolution into a 7 but it isn't likely.
I haven't worked out sideboard and there are no 1 drop creatures, but idea is that you get one of the 2 or 3 drops out early then use Eldritch Evolution on turn 4 or 5. The ideal is Lathnu Hellion on turn 3 swing, turn 4 swing, second mainphase eldritch evolution into Verdurous Gearhulk. Late game drawing a small creature becomes drawing a big creature.
I've thought about RG as my first draft of the deck. Lathmu Hellion was part of the strategy, to sac it in Eldritch Evolution after it attacked the 2nd time. Seems nice and very aggressive. But Aggro shouldn't want to get card disadvantage from Evolution, and replace small creatures by bigger ones. Aggro wants to add to the board. Also, Aggro should want to get immediate value from Verdant Gearhulk, by putting the counters on creatures that will attack THIS turn (and not the other one).
Toolbox is the way to play Eldritch Evolution, to cope with the intrinsic card disadvantage that is in the card. Red has very little to offer to that end...
I get it, but I see this more as mid-range than Aggro. The Gearhulk would keep the counters in this situation, however sometimes once you have 6 or preferably 7 mana on the board with a blossoming defense you may want to evolution from a Hellion to the Gearhulk and put counters on Voltaic Brawler in first main phase. The Hellion recharges the Brawler you get 4 counters on it and then it attacks as an 8/7 trample. In this type deck the Evolutions are more for salvaging the Hellions after their use early on and for upgrading the Servant's and Hunter's and Hellions mid to late game when they aren't as useful while still being able to maintain 2 and 3 drop creature presence early.
However, I think blue may be better using a Sphinx of the Final Word Then you can evolution from the Gearhulk into the Sphinx then hopefully evolution another creature into a second Gearhulk and put the counters on the Sphinx. It also allows you to protect yourself with negate in main or sideboard.
Since that depends on the opponent, it can't be the main combo in the deck, but it is one nice side tool you can use. You can Evolution either a 2-drop or anything higher into Altered Ego to copy an enemy Eldrazi Titan or a Gearhulk. Could be a nice answer to the other fatty decks.
HOWEVER, don't count on it helping much with Emrakul. Since Evolution is "X or less", when opponent steals your turn they can Evolution your biggest creature into a 2-drop, both weakening your board and robbing you of the Evolution into Ego play.
If you already have a Sphinx of the Final Word or a Verdurous Gearhulk or anything else you run in deck out, you can copy that as well. I mean it wouldn't be bad to have Servant of the Conduit out on turn 4 and cast a Gearhulk, then on turn 5 instead of turning gearhulk into a Sphinx, turning the Servant into a second Gearhulk. edit: and seriously, if your opponent gets Emrakul out against any of the decks we have suggested it is pretty much game over, although this one might have a chance if you draw into Altered Ego on the turn after they take your turn (let's face it more than likely any creatures you had are more than likely dead so Evolution would be a dead draw). Then you get a bigger Emrakul and can run theirs into your bigger one.
Heir of Falkenrath is another possibility for helping to reach Delirium and works even better if you have some madness spells
Filigree Familiar is fotter for Ishkanah at 3 spot, but a couple Inexorable Bloband/or Kindly Stranger might fit well into the deck and it is almost worth using Bomat Courier in the deck and just attack with them every turn until someone kills it/them off for you or worst case EE one of them into a 3 drop.
What makes Eldritch Evolution a good card is it allows you to cheat the curve. The problem is, there aren't very good cards that allow you to cheat the curve in a lot in standard.
In Modern, for example, you can play a turn 1 mana dork, then get Allosaurus Rider's alternate cost on turn 2 and cast E.E and have a turn 2 up to 9 drop. That's really serious, and standard, obviously, can't make that happen.
Don't get me wrong. I know there's issues. The big problem is in most situations, it only 'cheats' creatures in 1 turn earlier than they would have been other wise. On a curve, getting a 4 drop on turn 3 isn't such a big deal. 4 drops just aren't that devastating. Waiting until the next turn and getting a 5 drop on turn 4 is just as yawn-worthy.
Now, I want to get somewhere with this card. So, I've got an idea. Not a deck, but I think it's a place to start. I'm not gonna say it's format breaking (it's not), but I think it's a step towards making Eldritch Evolution work. Possibly take some FNMs.
Something like Bane of Bala Ged could be devastating. He dodges a lot of removal in standard. I think Bruna is potentially the most devastating though. If you've also managed to mill/discard Gisela, the Broken Blade into the GY, then the opponent literally has 1 untap to respond.
Here's a list to illustrate the concept. It was HASTILY thrown together (so hastily, that until I started typing it, I forgot to have Eldritch Evolution in it). I look at it as a jumping off point, but I'd still like to see ideas others have for E.E. even if they go in a completely different direction.
4 Advanced Stitchwing
3 Cryptbreaker
2 Ghoulsteed
3 Grim Flayer
2 Noxious Gearhulk
1 Plated Crusher
3 Prized Amalgam
1 Sphinx of the Final Word
3 Collective Brutality
4 Take Inventory
4 Eldritch Evolution
Instants 6
2 Catalog
4 Murder
Lands 24
24 Lands
1 Demon of Dark Schemes
2 Bane of Bala Ged
1 Verdurous Gearhulk
3 Ever After
3 Gisela, the Broken Blade
1 Bruna, the Fading Light
2 Aethersquall Ancient
1 Voldaren Pariah
There's also a version of the deck where you're able to get Stitchwing Skaab or Haunted Dead into the GY, revive them on turn 2 so you can EE on turn 3 and get a 6 drop, but it's a much lower probability version.
Edit - added a decklist to show the concept. Also added the blanket term "Gearhulks" to the list of creatures. I didn't forget about them, just forgot to write them down lol.
I think cards you really should think about using to make this work are Reality Smasher, Plated Crusher, Sphinx of the final word and Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger. Other options are cards that net you card advantage when they ETB or die like Linvala, the Preserver, Angel of Invention, Ishkanah, Grafwidow, Baloth Null, Greenwarden of Murasa, Combustible Gearhulk and Demon of Dark Schemes to name a few.
Thought-Knot Seer could also be good here since it can look at your opponent's hand and then take their removal (that is if they don't have an instant speed response to its ETB trigger).
4 Advanced Stitchwing
3 Cryptbreaker
2 Ghoulsteed
3 Grim Flayer
2 Noxious Gearhulk
1 Plated Crusher
3 Prized Amalgam
1 Sphinx of the Final Word
3 Collective Brutality
4 Take Inventory
4 Eldritch Evolution
Instants 6
2 Catalog
4 Murder
Lands 24
24 Lands
1 Demon of Dark Schemes
2 Bane of Bala Ged
1 Verdurous Gearhulk
3 Ever After
3 Gisela, the Broken Blade
1 Bruna, the Fading Light
2 Aethersquall Ancient
1 Voldaren Pariah
So this is what I'm thinking. You have some early self discard/mill that isn't just killing your hand but also improving your board state or hurting your opponent. You have cards like Prized Amalgams and Take Inventorys that are perfectly happy being put in the GY, because you'll still get value from there. Then your creatures/side board are a toolbox against your opponent. I started off with the hexproof creatures in the main. It's a safe bet to see what you're playing against. Then you can adjust game 2 and 3 based on what you saw.
In a deck like this, I don't feel like I'm giving up several turns just to cheat a creature into play only to see it axed. Cards like Cryptbreaker and Grim Flayer are cards that have to be answered. Collective Brutality serves double duty of protecting our pieces and putting cards in the GY for us.
What do you think of this as a starting point? I'll add it to the OP to facilitate discussion. I still want to see other ideas, even if they go in completely different directions though. There's gotta be enough creative people here to make something happen with this card.
In the last standard I tried to put together a deck that tried to cheat out Defiant Bloodlord and use Landfall with Retreat to Kazandu and Nissa's Renewal to drain out the opponent. It was a pretty janky list but the fastest way I found was:
Turn 2: Noose Constrictor or Heir of Falkenrath
Turn 3: Land, Discard to Constrictor or Heir to Madness out Twins of Maurer Estate
Turn 4: Eldritch Evolution the Twins into Defiant Bloodlord
It seemed to me that Madness was the best way to cheat on Eldritch Evolution value. Turn 4 7-drop was about the fastest I could work out but one person mentioned: "At that point you might as well play a Gx Ramp deck and get about the same value, but more permanently". I'm sure with Nissa's Pilgrimage and Explosive Vegetation leaving, things could possibly be a bit different now.
I mostly agree with the people above -- things could very well go south for you if you put all this effort into cheating out a big creature, only to have it quickly removed. Your payoff creature needs to make a large enough impact for Eldritch Evolution to really shine.
Another good EE target I haven't seen mentioned yet: World Breaker. He seems like he could make a comeback with all the artifacts running about in Kaladesh.
Link on Deckstats: https://deckstats.net/decks/477/573389-abzan-evolution-standard
//LANDS
4 Aether Hub
4 Evolving Wilds
1 Wastes
1 Plains
1 Swamp
4 Blooming Marsh
3 Concealed Courtyard
2 Hissing Quagmire
3 Forest
//CREATURES
4 Primal Druid
3 Zulaport Cutthroat
4 Matter Reshaper
2 Eldrazi Displacer
4 Thought-Knot Seer
4 Reality Smasher
1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
1 Noxious Gearhulk
1 Cataclysmic Gearhulk
1 Brood Monitor
//INSTANTS and SORC.
4 Harsh Scrutiny
3 Collective Brutality
1 Refurbish
4 Eldritch Evolution
I'm looking for something like Triumvirate said. I want to really cheat the curve. I mean, a 7 drop on turn 4 is pretty good to me, and can be very hard to deal with. I imagine 6 drops on turn 3 could be pretty awesome too.
Holy cow, I can't believe I forgot it was on cast
Have a look at my Bant Evolution deck. I'm very proud of it, and I think it can be tier 1 material.
(I did my own thread, but you're all invited to join the discussion. I'll eventually make a Primer, and thus I wanted control of the thread. Just normal, considering I launched the discussion/idea on this deck prior to the current thread here : http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/standard-type-2/deck-creation-standard/757245-gx-evolution-turn-3-avacyn)
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
The combo with Ghoulsteed-type cards is cute but seems like a vulnerable gameplan. You waste a few turns casting draw-discard to dump Ghoulsteed, then you have to discard cards from hand to get it on the battlefield for cheap, then then next turn you have to Evolution it into a value 7-drop (Bruna, with Gisela in the graveyard ideally). If opponent uses Reflector Mage on your Ghoulsteed or counters the Evolution, you end up WAY BEHIND on cards and tempo with no board position. It's very all-in. Even if the combo is pulled off successfully, opponent gets 1 untap and draw step to play any 4cc+ answer to your one creature.
I like the idea of a midrange grindy deck that just uses Evolution toolbox for value instead of an all-in combo.
4 Beastcaller Savant
4 Duskwatch Recruiter
4 Filigree Familiar
4 Foul Emissary
3 Eyeless Watcher
1 Altered Ego
1 Gonti, Lord of Luxury
1 Somberwald Stag
1 The Gitrog Monster
1 Verdurous Gearhulk
2 Noxious Gearhulk
1 Baloth Null
4 Elder Deep-Fiend
4 Eldritch Evolution
//Lands: 25
25 lands
This deck just tries to grind out value. Recruiter and Emissary dig to fill your hand with more creatures. Filigree, Emissary and Watcher make fodder for Evolution into 5-6 cc or emerging the Octopus. The toolbox creatures all give card advantage, helping grind out a win and make up for the tempo hit of having to sacrifice.
Unfortunately there aren't that many 5-6cc creatures with ETB effects in the format, but the Gearhulks add to your options. I really want to be black for Noxious Gearhulk and Baloth Null, but Bant colors may be better just because white opens up many useful ETB abilities.
I fully agree with you. The plan with Ghoulsteed is amazing in a vacuum. But it feels like too many things have to get together to pull the combo off. Losing turn 1 and 2 to discard, and turn 3 to discard more, leaves you very vulnerable if anything goes wrong before you finally cast Eldritch Evolution. And even if you do, you have far less cards in your hand, and are condemned to use your tool box to get back your cards from your graveyard. That's far from a bomb, and more like damage control to me...
I, too, feel there is something to do with Eldritch Evolution. But it needs to be a bit more simple and straightforward. I agree with you that white offers more ETB opportunities to not lose value on the creatures we'll sacrifice, as well as some control on the battlefield (Reflector Mage). And that black is too useful with Noxious Gearhulk. Thus why I pulled together this Bant-Black Evolution deck :
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/standard-type-2/deck-creation-standard/757498-primer-bant-black-evolution
I wrote a Primer, and can't wait to test it out to post the results.
Please join the conversation!
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
4x Servant of the Conduit
4x Voltaic Brawler
4x Lathnu Hellion
2x Relentless Hunter
4x Bristling Hydra
2x Verdurous Gearhulk
2x Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2x Nissa, Vital Force
Sorceries (8)
4x Attune with Aether
4x Eldritch Evolution
Instants (6)
2x Blossoming Defense
4x Harnessed Lightning
4x Aether Hub
2x Cinder Glade
4x Game Trail
7x Forest
5x Mountain
I haven't worked out sideboard and there are no 1 drop creatures, but idea is that you get one of the 2 or 3 drops out early then use Eldritch Evolution on turn 4 or 5. The ideal is Lathnu Hellion on turn 3 swing, turn 4 swing, second mainphase eldritch evolution into Verdurous Gearhulk. Late game drawing a small creature becomes drawing a big creature.
Then I'm thinking a deck that runs both Verdurous Gearhulk and Sphinx of the Final Word. Get your Gearhulk out put the counters on another creature (like the Hydra that can give itself hexproof) then Evolution the Gearhulk into the Sphinx.
4x Beastcaller Savant
4x Servant of the Conduit
4x Filigree Familiar
4x Foul Emissary
2x Silverfur Partisan
3x Bristling Hydra
3x Verdurous Gearhulk
1x Sphinx of the Final Word
3x Negate
2x Blossoming Defense
Sorceries (8)
4x Attune with Aether
4x Eldritch Evolution
Plainswalkers (1)
1x Nissa, Vital Force
4x Aether Hub
4x Botanical Sanctum
8x Forest
6x Island
Edit: The problem with wanting to ramp as fast as you do is that there aren't 1 drop mana dorks. So I don't see the way to get a 6 mana creature or even a 5 out on turn 3 using evolution. If you run 3 mana dorks you could hope for Servant or Cultivator turn 2, turn 3 Beastcaller followed by a 3 drop which means on turn 4 you could double evolution into a 7 but it isn't likely.
I've thought about RG as my first draft of the deck. Lathmu Hellion was part of the strategy, to sac it in Eldritch Evolution after it attacked the 2nd time. Seems nice and very aggressive. But Aggro shouldn't want to get card disadvantage from Evolution, and replace small creatures by bigger ones. Aggro wants to add to the board. Also, Aggro should want to get immediate value from Verdant Gearhulk, by putting the counters on creatures that will attack THIS turn (and not the other one).
Toolbox is the way to play Eldritch Evolution, to cope with the intrinsic card disadvantage that is in the card. Red has very little to offer to that end...
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
However, I think blue may be better using a Sphinx of the Final Word Then you can evolution from the Gearhulk into the Sphinx then hopefully evolution another creature into a second Gearhulk and put the counters on the Sphinx. It also allows you to protect yourself with negate in main or sideboard.
it's awesome.
lol.
Evolving Distended Mindbender into a eldrazi titan, even if you lose the "on cast" effect is alright.
there are plenty of creatures with "dies" effect that go nicely with this, such as Primal Druid or Matter Reshaper
I'll admit though that I hoped this card would be a lot stronger than it actually is.
Since that depends on the opponent, it can't be the main combo in the deck, but it is one nice side tool you can use. You can Evolution either a 2-drop or anything higher into Altered Ego to copy an enemy Eldrazi Titan or a Gearhulk. Could be a nice answer to the other fatty decks.
HOWEVER, don't count on it helping much with Emrakul. Since Evolution is "X or less", when opponent steals your turn they can Evolution your biggest creature into a 2-drop, both weakening your board and robbing you of the Evolution into Ego play.
I think Evolving Wilds and/or Vessel of Nascency is a must in the deck, but that could be debatable.
15-20 creatures from below
Grim Flayer, Bearer of Silence, Duskwatch Recruiter, Servant of the Conduit, and Scrapheap Scrounger are potential creature choices at 2 drop spot.
Relentless Dead has potential, but BB makes it rough.
Heir of Falkenrath is another possibility for helping to reach Delirium and works even better if you have some madness spells
Filigree Familiar is fotter for Ishkanah at 3 spot, but a couple Inexorable Bloband/or Kindly Stranger might fit well into the deck and it is almost worth using Bomat Courier in the deck and just attack with them every turn until someone kills it/them off for you or worst case EE one of them into a 3 drop.
2-3 of Gonti and/or Kalitas or Mindwrack Demon or Seed Garden if feeding for EE at the 4 spot
1-2 of Ishkanah or Verdurous Gearhulk at the 5 spot
1-2 of the Demon of Dark Schemes or Noxious Gearhulk at 6
Then add 3-4 Eldritch Evolutions
Next add in your Plainswalkers, Sweepers, Hard Removal, and other Delerium enablers.
It should be easy peasy, but I'm having a devil of a time coming up with a competitive deck.
In Modern, for example, you can play a turn 1 mana dork, then get Allosaurus Rider's alternate cost on turn 2 and cast E.E and have a turn 2 up to 9 drop. That's really serious, and standard, obviously, can't make that happen.
There are some creatures out there that do let you get a decent cheat of the curve in standard, such as Ghoulsteed, Advanced Stitchwing, Incorrigible Youths and Twins of Maurer Estate, all of which can enter play on turn 3 and get you an up to 7 cmc for turn 4. (if you're lucky, you can get a Haunted Dead or Stitchwing Skaab on turn 2 which would net you a 6 cmc on turn 3).
Other than those, I can't think of other creatures that really let you cheat the curve.