After the release of HOD, I decided to brew something around Dreamstealer. It's the kind of card that jumps out at me. Had to be done.
Obviously any pump spell combined with menace is excellent, especially with the stealer. Currently any time you hear the words pump spell you usually hear the word Pummeler so I decided to combine the two.
Typical first few turns:
Turn 1 - Attune
Turn 2 - Servant or Siphoner (either of these will draw removal)
Turn 3 - Dreamstealer or Pummeler
Turn 4 - Pump spell to strip their hand or crush with Pummeler.
Either of the turn 4 plays is hard to compete with.
Played a 4 round tournament went 3-1 losing to a mono red deck, which was very close.
Sideboard is a work in progress, will update when I'm happy with it.
Played standard showdown and again finished with a 3-1 record losing to UR control and beating RG ramp, UR colossus & Ramunap Red. Made top 8 and lost to the RG ramp I'd earlier beaten after a mulligan to 5 and only seeing 3 lands in 8 turns.
Pretty pleased with deck, I'm not sure how to make it better. Had thoughts about splashing red to replace the larger than life with invigorated rampage, but not sure if making the mana tougher is worth it. It feels good as two colour.
I've been toying with B/G -1 counters but I really like the looks of this deck. I may have to sleeve this up for Game Day.
What are you looking at for sideboard options?
Put this together last night but went with a Jund build as I was missing several cards. If you go Jund take a look at Aether Chaser, 2/1 First strike for 2 mana should help against the red decks running around out there. If I pick up the rest of the cards I'm lacking I will switch it back to G/B.
I've been doing a slightly different version of this that I'm really enjoying. I'm minus the servant of the conduit because the deck is so low to the ground and instead have winding constrictors to help with energy production, plus it plays really well with the bristling hydra.
Constrictor also works really well as a lightning rod for their removal, making a turn 3 pummeler feel a lot safer in game 1.
Super fun to play. Lots of good synergy here and I've noticed pummeler in these colors really catches people off guard. Mostly still working on sideboard a bit. The deck can be slow if you draw too many pump spells in a row and they deal with the early threats.
Hey so I was very intrigued by the deck so I decided to reach out to the man who played it at the pro tour and I asked him on twitter if he would change anything, this was his response:
Thoughts going forward? I think the deck gets even BETTER after rotation, even though no Kalitas a lot of the red decks lose umph.
My list is doing very well for me. So far I've beat a r/g gods midrange that my buddy has been winning fmn's with. And a black white life drain rogue deck along with some more proven lists. I'll post my decklist in the next day or so. I will say doomfall has done a ton of work for me.
Couple of thoughts, my list is very rotation proof, I only have Drana in there. I would love to have a Kalitas or Lilly TLH but it's just not in my budget for only a month and a half of play. I've been thinking about adding a second Drana and removing the Rishkar, but I'm uncertain. But every time Drana shows up, she has ended games on her own. Doomfall has been the real deal. If I had grasp, I would probably use that instead, but this card is flexible and puts in work.
Ran over Ramunap yesterday. Game 1 was a perfect hand, t1-attune, t2-servant, t3-Pummeler, their t3, blossoming on pummeler to save it, t4, second attune, larger, win. Game 2 I assumed he was bringing in abrades, took the pummels, pushes and gear hulks out, brought in ghonti, dream stealers, doomfalls and more never. It was back and forth but I resolved drana t6, then t7 all out attack with drana, hydra, constrictor. He scooped when I blossomed Drana to save her from abrade. We played another match and I beat him another 2 games in a row. Other decks I pummeled (lol) were mardu vehicles, a more traditional g/b snake.
Really just loving this deck, I know it's very similar to the g/b snakes decks running around, but I really enjoy the way it comes together. I feel comfortable keeping almost every opening hand assuming there is a t2/3 play. The number of t4 wins the pummeler gives you is silly. And if it happens game 1, it makes every aggro player slow a bit, not as many all out attacks and gives time for a good board on your side. Added bonus is the deck performs really well even if pummeler never shows up. I had a game where a guy blew 6 mana late for an insult to injury, no attack, just to kill the pummeler.
Doomfall is worth playing IMO. It's a nice blend of removal and hand hate. I've been thinking about adding a couple to the main, but I don't know what I would move to the side for it. I like taking the fatal pushes out a lot for it, mainly because I have no built in way to trigger the revolt, so it's often dead in hand when people sideboard little threats out. But I love having it game 1. Gonna keep tweaking and playing it for a while, especially if it keeps putting up solid results like this.
Edit:sorry for really long post but wanted to mention not running the cub. He can get huge on his own, and I can see him being really good vs control. If more people I played against had control decks I'd maybe reconsider. Same with prowling serpopard.
Cool write up, good to see it's going well for you. Thing I found with the longtusk cub is if an electrostatic pummeler doesn't show up the cub gives you that second big pay off for all the energy you've accumulated. I've not played the deck for a couple of weeks, trying out a mono white sunmare deck, still have it built though. It's a really fun deck.
So after playing a variety of other decks over the last few months, I've decided to dust off this deck and try it out again. I've updated the original list with the changes I've made for Ixalan (not too different, we didn't lose much after rotation).
Got a tournament tonight at my LGS so we'll see how it goes.
Went 3-1 in the local tournament yesterday, very close to 4-0. Lost the first match, game 3 got sultai energy to 1 life couldn't find a way to finish him off before 2x Hostage Taker got him the win.
Beat a Fraying Sanity mill deck. Nasty.
Then beat a New Perspectives Approach Cycling brew.
Finally took down Esper Approach Control.
The deck is great, multiple times the Dreamstealer took 3-5 cards from their hand.
Love the look of this deck. Do you have a list for the version you played? I stupidly traded my Pummelers when I went to Temur from RG Pummeler. I'm going to pick some up and give this a go
The current competitive pummel lists all run Blue/Green, but I used to do a combination of the Constrictor/ballista deck with the pummel combo before Ixalan rotation and it was awesome.
The only thing I'm worried about leaving black out is the lack of removal and snakes...
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5 Swamp
4 Blooming marsh
2 hashep oasis
4 Aether hub
4 Electrostatic pummeler
3 Dreamstealer
4 Servant of the conduit
4 Glint-sleeve siphoner
3 Longtusk cub
2 Bristling hydra
4 Larger than life
4 Blossoming defense
4 Attune with aether
4 fatal push
2 crash the ramparts
2 arguel's blood fast
2 vraska's contempt
2 lost legacy
2 Appetite for the unnatural
2 life goes on
3 duress
2 aethersphere harvester
Edit:Updated for Ixalan.
After the release of HOD, I decided to brew something around Dreamstealer. It's the kind of card that jumps out at me. Had to be done.
Obviously any pump spell combined with menace is excellent, especially with the stealer. Currently any time you hear the words pump spell you usually hear the word Pummeler so I decided to combine the two.
Typical first few turns:
Turn 1 - Attune
Turn 2 - Servant or Siphoner (either of these will draw removal)
Turn 3 - Dreamstealer or Pummeler
Turn 4 - Pump spell to strip their hand or crush with Pummeler.
Either of the turn 4 plays is hard to compete with.
Played a 4 round tournament went 3-1 losing to a mono red deck, which was very close.
Sideboard is a work in progress, will update when I'm happy with it.
Played standard showdown and again finished with a 3-1 record losing to UR control and beating RG ramp, UR colossus & Ramunap Red. Made top 8 and lost to the RG ramp I'd earlier beaten after a mulligan to 5 and only seeing 3 lands in 8 turns.
Pretty pleased with deck, I'm not sure how to make it better. Had thoughts about splashing red to replace the larger than life with invigorated rampage, but not sure if making the mana tougher is worth it. It feels good as two colour.
dreamstealer pumped up straight up scares people.
What are you looking at for sideboard options?
4 Blooming Marsh
3 Forest
4 Hashep Oasis
2 Hissing Quagmire
1 Ifnir Deadlands
2 Swamp
4 Greenbelt Rampager
4 Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
4 Longtusk Cub
2 Servant of the Conduit
2 Dreamstealer
4 Electrostatic Pummeler
4 Bristling Hydra
4 Blossoming Defense
2 Fatal Push
4 Larger Than Life
2 Aethersphere Harvester
1 Ifnir Deadlands
2 Fatal Push
1 Natural State
1 Grasp of Darkness
1 Transgress the Mind
1 Appetite for the Unnatural
2 Tireless Tracker
1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
2 Thought-Knot Seer
2 Yahenni's Expertise
1 Never // Return
Deck seems legit.
Also made a couple of changes dropped 1 dreamstealer 1 aethersphere harvester and 1 Forest. Added 2 Rhonas the indomitable and 1 more longtusk cub. Rhonas has great synergy with the pummeler.
Constrictor also works really well as a lightning rod for their removal, making a turn 3 pummeler feel a lot safer in game 1.
Super fun to play. Lots of good synergy here and I've noticed pummeler in these colors really catches people off guard. Mostly still working on sideboard a bit. The deck can be slow if you draw too many pump spells in a row and they deal with the early threats.
Thoughts going forward? I think the deck gets even BETTER after rotation, even though no Kalitas a lot of the red decks lose umph.
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Forest
4 Hashep Oasis
2 Ifnir Deadlands
3 Swamp
4 Winding Constrictor
4 Glint-Sleeve Siphoner
1 Rishkar Peema Renegade
1 Rhonas the Indomitable
1 Drana Liberator
3 Servant of the Conduit
2 Verdurous Gearhulk
4 Electrostatic Pummeler
3 Bristling Hydra
4 Blossoming Defense
3 Fatal Push
4 Larger Than Life
1 Never // Return
1 Verdurous Gearhulk
1 Fatal Push
3 Doomfall
2 Ghonti Lord of Luxury
2 Walking Ballista
4 Dreamstealer
2 Never // Return
Couple of thoughts, my list is very rotation proof, I only have Drana in there. I would love to have a Kalitas or Lilly TLH but it's just not in my budget for only a month and a half of play. I've been thinking about adding a second Drana and removing the Rishkar, but I'm uncertain. But every time Drana shows up, she has ended games on her own. Doomfall has been the real deal. If I had grasp, I would probably use that instead, but this card is flexible and puts in work.
Ran over Ramunap yesterday. Game 1 was a perfect hand, t1-attune, t2-servant, t3-Pummeler, their t3, blossoming on pummeler to save it, t4, second attune, larger, win. Game 2 I assumed he was bringing in abrades, took the pummels, pushes and gear hulks out, brought in ghonti, dream stealers, doomfalls and more never. It was back and forth but I resolved drana t6, then t7 all out attack with drana, hydra, constrictor. He scooped when I blossomed Drana to save her from abrade. We played another match and I beat him another 2 games in a row. Other decks I pummeled (lol) were mardu vehicles, a more traditional g/b snake.
Really just loving this deck, I know it's very similar to the g/b snakes decks running around, but I really enjoy the way it comes together. I feel comfortable keeping almost every opening hand assuming there is a t2/3 play. The number of t4 wins the pummeler gives you is silly. And if it happens game 1, it makes every aggro player slow a bit, not as many all out attacks and gives time for a good board on your side. Added bonus is the deck performs really well even if pummeler never shows up. I had a game where a guy blew 6 mana late for an insult to injury, no attack, just to kill the pummeler.
Doomfall is worth playing IMO. It's a nice blend of removal and hand hate. I've been thinking about adding a couple to the main, but I don't know what I would move to the side for it. I like taking the fatal pushes out a lot for it, mainly because I have no built in way to trigger the revolt, so it's often dead in hand when people sideboard little threats out. But I love having it game 1. Gonna keep tweaking and playing it for a while, especially if it keeps putting up solid results like this.
Edit:sorry for really long post but wanted to mention not running the cub. He can get huge on his own, and I can see him being really good vs control. If more people I played against had control decks I'd maybe reconsider. Same with prowling serpopard.
GB Electric Dreams BG Deal 20 in one shot, or discard their hand?
GWU Free Stuff Midrange UWG Slowly bury the opponent with more threats and answers than they can handle.
My greatest hits:
GURFate Reforged Temur Ascendancy COMBORUG
GUDragons of Tarkir Whisperwood Forever UG
Got a tournament tonight at my LGS so we'll see how it goes.
4 Kitesail Freebooter
4 Longtusk Cub
4 Servant of the Conduit
4 Electrostatic Pummeler
1 Rhonas the Indomitable
1 Trophy Mage
3 Bristling Hyra
Spells (18)
4 Attune with Aether
4 Blossoming Defense
4 Opt
4 Larger than Life
2 Nissa, Steward of Elements
4 Aether Hub
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Botanical Sanctum
1 Drowned Catacomb
2 Forest
4 Island
2 Swamp
2 Duress
3 Spell Pierce
1 Aethersphere Harvester
3 Cartouche of Ambition
3 Dreamstealer
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
2 Trophy Mage
GW ~ Angels ~ WG
Modern:
RBW ~ Shadowmancer ~ WBR
Legacy:
BUG ~ Shadow Delver ~ GUB
Beat a Fraying Sanity mill deck. Nasty.
Then beat a New Perspectives Approach Cycling brew.
Finally took down Esper Approach Control.
The deck is great, multiple times the Dreamstealer took 3-5 cards from their hand.
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.
UTron
4x Bristling Hydra
4x Electrostatic Pummeler
4x Longtusk Cub
4x Rogue Refiner
4x Servant of the Conduit
2x Trophy Mage
4x Attune with Aether
4x Larger Than Life
4x Blossoming Defense
2x Dive Down
4x Cartouche of Knowledge
4x Botanical Sanctum
6x Forest
4x Hashep Oasis
2x Island
4x Spell Pierce
3x Shaper's Sanctuary
2x Aethersphere Harvester
2x Lifecrafter's Bestiary
So far I really enjoy it, but I haven't played too many matches yet.
The current competitive pummel lists all run Blue/Green, but I used to do a combination of the Constrictor/ballista deck with the pummel combo before Ixalan rotation and it was awesome.
The only thing I'm worried about leaving black out is the lack of removal and snakes...