So Waker of the Wilds is a card that hasn't been getting much attention. Essentially, it has the Awaken mechanic refurbished and tweaked for Ixalan. Wizards is known reusing mechanics they think are fun and interesting, even though Awaken never really caught on/became popular this past Standard season. IMO, this is mostly due to the Awaken CMC's on spells being too expensive to make them competitive. But I'm drawn to Waker because it's activated ability to awaken lands costs half the cost of BFZ cards with Awaken attached to them. I started to get the idea to build around Waker because of the unique lands the AKH offers to us, primarily lands that can be sacrificed (deserts), a manland (Hostile Desert), an indestructible land (Cascading Cataracts), and a way to recur these lands bringing them back to the battlefield (Ramunap Excavator). A deck began forming:
This what I have so far. Essentially we are a ramp deck, but we play very few big creatures. Instead we get most of our damage in via Awakening our lands and attacking for big damage with them. The strength of the deck is that we can recur lands from the graveyard via Ramunap Excavator and Nissa, Vital Force. Our planeswalkers act as team players, mostly to control/advance our board. I could've gone the E route playing Attune with Aether, Aether Hub, and Servant of the Conduit. But I wanted more card draw, and the land selection in this deck is VERY important:
Scavenger Grounds: Helps us deal with graveyard shenanigans. Hostile Desert: Can become an even bigger manland with the +1/+1 counters provided by Waker. Cascading Cataracts: This land becomes an indestructible beater once awakened. Evolving Wilds: Can be recured and used again and again to fetch Forests. Can also be tapped for mana once enchanted by Unbridled Growth. Desert of the Indomitable: Taps for G and can be cycled to draw a card. Forest: Um, we need them!
I'm honestly hoping they reprint Farseek or Explore this set/block, but I'm not holding my breath. But then again, we did just get Lightning Strike reprint.
2 Scavenger Grounds
4 Hostile Desert
4 Cascading Cataracts
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Desert of the Indomitable
6 Forest
CREATURES 13
4 Channeler Initiate
4 Drover of the Mighty
4 Ramunap Excavator
1 Razaketh, the Foulblooded
2 Samut, the Tested
1 Nissa, Vital Force
2 Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh
ENCHANTMENTS 10
2 Shapers' Sanctuary
4 Unbridled Growth
4 Growing Rites of Itlimoc
ARTIFACTS 8
2 Animation Module
4 Treasure Map
2 Conqueror's Galleon
4 Heroic Intervention
This what I have so far. Essentially we are a ramp deck, but we play very few big creatures. Instead we get most of our damage in via Awakening our lands and attacking for big damage with them. The strength of the deck is that we can recur lands from the graveyard via Ramunap Excavator and Nissa, Vital Force. Our planeswalkers act as team players, mostly to control/advance our board. I could've gone the E route playing Attune with Aether, Aether Hub, and Servant of the Conduit. But I wanted more card draw, and the land selection in this deck is VERY important:
Scavenger Grounds: Helps us deal with graveyard shenanigans.
Hostile Desert: Can become an even bigger manland with the +1/+1 counters provided by Waker.
Cascading Cataracts: This land becomes an indestructible beater once awakened.
Evolving Wilds: Can be recured and used again and again to fetch Forests. Can also be tapped for mana once enchanted by Unbridled Growth.
Desert of the Indomitable: Taps for G and can be cycled to draw a card.
Forest: Um, we need them!
I'm honestly hoping they reprint Farseek or Explore this set/block, but I'm not holding my breath. But then again, we did just get Lightning Strike reprint.
Herald of secret Streams
Waker of the Wilds
Nissa, Steward of Elements
verdurous gearhulk
Cascading Cataracts
+ RAMP