Not at all, unless m20 brings changes to the comprehensive rules with it. Heritage Druid’s ability does not meet the CR definition of tapping a permanent for mana.
"CR 106.12. To “tap [a permanent] for mana” is to activate a mana ability of that permanent that includes the {T} symbol in its activation cost."
So I've been doing a lot of testing this last week for Dominaria standard, with a focus on being prepared for the upcoming GP Birmingham. Originally I intended to be playing a UR wizards deck, UR control, Artifacts or some other crazy deck, but then I saw the Saproling spoilers in the full release and decided to give a BG tokens deck a test and see what happens.
So the sideboard isn't complete, which needs a little work after further testing but despite this the testing has been mostly positive. I'm actually surprised how well the deck is doing, absolutely curb stomping mono red decks, and standing competitive against most other decks we've tested it against. However, the biggest problem to deal with is UW control decks, which I imagine should see plenty of play at Birmingham thanks Seal away and Teferi.
Even games 2 and 3 end up being a struggle despite the sideboard options.
Current ideas on how to change the deck currently are moving vicious offering to sideboard for against more aggressive decks (it kills hazoret) and replacing it with 3 doomfall. Giving me a mainboard way to deal with control.
Other cards to consider are sylvan awakening (seems interesting) or more likely Fungal plots, a card I've mostly ignored but could see play since it helps lower lifegain from fumigate (which can be a killer).
Some of the best cards so far have to be Fungal Infection a card which has single handedly won many games against any deck with x/1's and Song of Freyalise a card I only realized wasn't rare when writing this post it was so good. Driven/Despair has also been an mvp on several occasions, drawing 4 and forcing them to discard 4 on turn 4 is pretty sweet.
So, what do you guys and gals think? And do you have any suggestions to changes to make.
so... been testing for GP Birmingham, since I don't own a modern deck, and while I know shadow is only 7% of the metagame, losing to fatal push/path which seems to be everywhere else is just so disheartening...
Personally love the idea of playing a UW control deck moving more away from gearhulk and more towards glyph keeper as a wincon. Not to say run 0 gearhulk, since it's a huge value engine. But with a large amount of enchantment based removal, gearhulk gets worse. And glyph keeper is not only more resilant a threat, it's also evasive.
So... I love tezzeret enabling fatal push, but actually loving the combo of lili and baan both +1 on same creature that I'm not sure if to swap baan tezzy ratio's around.
Obviously needs a lot more testing, and probably needs a lot of tweaking. The mana base is a little clumsy atm. That said I do love the more planeswalker orientated deck.
Edit: heart of Kiran is something that could be cut or moved to sideboard. But I thought it prudent because it helps protect our walkers and kill opposing gideons/saheeli
Remember, this set is meant for drafting. One of the reasons those cards are mythic (goyf and bob) is how bad they are in draft or sealed. Snapcaster is a lot more interesting for limited and I think should show up more.
For all those control decks: how would you play out vs both "midgame" archangel avacyn, and delerium emrakul, the promised end lategame? Especially delerium seems like impossible to counter (unless we make the deck completely counter emrakul).
I'm always wondering this: is control even thinkable in a meta where about 1 in 4 decks plays delerium?
Yes, you have counters that exile the threats, so you can counter emrakul. Meanwhile a lot of your stuff costs a lot of mana, meaning they can't do much on your turn.
Personally think fatal push is a very useful 3-4 of. Not only does it being 1 mana makes it easier on our mana base (no need for double black turn 2 for example) it gives us the ability to hold both removal and counter spells up on turn 4 onward. I also think it's good against the new saheeli combo deck.
"You can't make a good set with only evergreen words."
"Hold my beer"
Good to know, still seems nuts in modern elves.
So I've been doing a lot of testing this last week for Dominaria standard, with a focus on being prepared for the upcoming GP Birmingham. Originally I intended to be playing a UR wizards deck, UR control, Artifacts or some other crazy deck, but then I saw the Saproling spoilers in the full release and decided to give a BG tokens deck a test and see what happens.
Currently my deck looks like:
Main Deck:
3 Slimefoot, the Stowaway
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Sporecrown Thallid
2 Josu Vess, Lich Knight
2 Yavimaya Sapherd
3 Tendershoot Dryad
4 Fungal Infection
3 Vicious Offering
3 Song of Freyalise
1 Liliana, Death's Mastery
2 Driven/Despair
4 Saproling Migration
3 Spore Swarm
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Wooded Cemetery
1 Evolving Wilds
6 Swamp
7 Forest
4 Duress
2 Arguel's Blood Fast
2 Vraska, relic seeker
3 Golden Demise
So the sideboard isn't complete, which needs a little work after further testing but despite this the testing has been mostly positive. I'm actually surprised how well the deck is doing, absolutely curb stomping mono red decks, and standing competitive against most other decks we've tested it against. However, the biggest problem to deal with is UW control decks, which I imagine should see plenty of play at Birmingham thanks Seal away and Teferi.
Even games 2 and 3 end up being a struggle despite the sideboard options.
Current ideas on how to change the deck currently are moving vicious offering to sideboard for against more aggressive decks (it kills hazoret) and replacing it with 3 doomfall. Giving me a mainboard way to deal with control.
Other cards to consider are sylvan awakening (seems interesting) or more likely Fungal plots, a card I've mostly ignored but could see play since it helps lower lifegain from fumigate (which can be a killer).
Some of the best cards so far have to be Fungal Infection a card which has single handedly won many games against any deck with x/1's and Song of Freyalise a card I only realized wasn't rare when writing this post it was so good. Driven/Despair has also been an mvp on several occasions, drawing 4 and forcing them to discard 4 on turn 4 is pretty sweet.
So, what do you guys and gals think? And do you have any suggestions to changes to make.
4 Shambling Vent
4 Prairie stream
4 Evolving Wild
4 Sunken Hollow
4 Swamp
3 Island
1 Plains
2 Aether Hub
3 Tezzeret, the Schemer
3 Liliana, the last hope
2 Dovan Baan
1 Sorin, Grim Nemesis
Rest:
4 Glimmer of Genius
4 Fatal Push
2 murder
2 Anguished unmaking
3 void Shatter
3 Anticipate
2 Yahenni's Expertise
3 Heart of Kiran
Obviously needs a lot more testing, and probably needs a lot of tweaking. The mana base is a little clumsy atm. That said I do love the more planeswalker orientated deck.
Edit: heart of Kiran is something that could be cut or moved to sideboard. But I thought it prudent because it helps protect our walkers and kill opposing gideons/saheeli
3 Heart of Kiran
3 Liliana the last hope
3 Tezzeret the schemer
1 Sorin, grim nemesis
4 Fatal push
1 Anguished unmaking
With the rest being developed from testing
Yes, you have counters that exile the threats, so you can counter emrakul. Meanwhile a lot of your stuff costs a lot of mana, meaning they can't do much on your turn.