Tree of Redemption can also make you really really hard to kill since you net life when it has counters on it. Currently playing with quite a few different cards in the list. Wild Beastmaster has been an all star,highly recommend it.
Oh wow, Tree of Redemption went right under my radar. It does proc Ezuri by having 0 power so thats cool. I definitely have had 40+ EXP counters on multiple occasions...
I was always a fan of the old Ezuri and had a great elfball deck so naturally I was greatly interested in the since corrupted Ezuri. This time he doesn't have his ex-fellow elf buddies to help him (due to some differences in philosophy) but rather has an army worthy of the phyrexian ways.
There are definitely many ways you could build around this guy. I thought elves, wizards, rogues, merfolk... all of which could be good. But I decided to not go any tribal rout in order to maybe discover some fun new interactions. So I landed on this current build, I have a few cards that I am looking to acquire such as Cloudstone Curio, Venser, Shaper Savant, Glen Elendra Archmage and maybe a Doubling Season but until then this is what I have...
After playtesting a bunch I came to learn that it was better to try and get the most EXP counters in one move than to have a bunch of cheap creatures. Mana dorks are all good and fine because getting ezuri out ASAP is important. But once he is out I was always better off casting Spontaneous Generation instead of Invisible Stalker or something. Also by having creatures like Hooded Hydra and Hangarback Walker(<< which can be fetched by Trinket Mage btw) I needed ways to kill them so Spawning Pit and Greater Good provide super synergy. Feed the Pack has simply been bonkers...
I also began to realize that since I wouldn't be getting mana value from Viridian Joiner, Gyre Sage, or Devoted Druid until my second main phase because of when Ezuri's ability triggers so Xantid Swarm has proven very useful.
Bobo is coming.... and he is mad. The key to this deck is to have Bobo out with as many lands in your hand as possible. Then throw a bunch of lands at your opponent's face. I still am surprised at how easy it is to have lands in your hand whenever you need them. Super fun.
This deck is designed to ramp ramp ramp and draw draw draw while storing lots of colorless mana to give you the means to cast anything you like 4 times over. It tends to work better in multiplayer situations due to the amount of upkeeps but it can still do well with 1v1. There is a good amount of synergy throughout and I am looking to increase that.
Nice list, someone should make an Ezuri Primer. I have been working on him for a few months, starting to come together, will hopefully post soon. Big difference is that I have left out the infinite mana combo pieces (argothian elder, cloudstone curio, concordant crossroads) in favor of more draw (lead the stampede, Regal Force, Hunter's Insight, Glimpse of nature). This is mostly to keep the hate to a minimum in my group, but seems to work well enough.
A few cards in your list I am curious about maybe including, care to share your experience?
Groundskeeper - Neat card, hadn't see that one. Is this a meta choice to do with your opponent's LD, or is there some interaction I am missing. - Oh, constant mists, now I see it. Love that card. Nettle Sentinel - Is this really worth running as a singleton? Only recently became fully aware of the power of Heritage Druid in this list and am wondering whether the interaction is enough to warrant Sentinel. What about Birchlore Rangers? Fauna Shaman - Not too slow for you? How often do you use the ability vs just the body? Champion of Lambholt - Left out originally because not an elf, but should probably reconsider. Viridian Corrupter - How often do you hate that this has infect? Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury - How is she working out for you. My list could really use a 5-drop or three, the other one that has been working well is Creeperhulk.
Any plans to put maze of ith in? Seems solid with the direction you are taking.
Thanks for taking a look! Ya Groundskeeper is just too good with Constant Mists, saved my ass many games long enough to become aggressive again.
I have actually been debating Nettle Sentinel because although it has been kind of useful in other situations, it really is only good with the combo with Heritage Druid. Birchlore Rangers would def be a good addition, even if only to bring more use to Nettle. Fauna Shaman has proved to be a little slow, i put it in here as a sort of 2nd Skyshroud Poacher but the discard part os kind of a set back. Considering removing for maybe Yisan, the Wanderer Bard.
Champion of Lambholt is amazing, amazing, and amazing. It has one me so many games because basically if it doesnt get removed youre just swinging unblockable while most likely pumping up your attackers.
Viridian Corrupter isnt hated really. It's always been useful for removal and it serves as a possible backup if i can't get an army going, all while being an elf.
Freyalise actually is pretty solid and i think she does best in a mono green deck. Youre ramping every turn while adding to your elf count and then you draw a bunch all while having a built in Naturalize. She also is not terrifying to most players so she tends to stick around.
Maze of Ith would be absolutely awesome but there are other $20 cards i'd like to get first.
I made some changes and put Shattergang Brothers at the helm in place of Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper, trying it out because having my leader with a built in sac outlet could be better.
Hey sorry i have been MIA for about a month. Thank yo all for your conversation!
As far as why i chose Azami over Arcanis, She combos with Mind Over Matter to draw your deck hit Beacon of Tomorrows and win the turn she is cast plus being able to synergize with all the wizards in the deck it works pretty well for me. She was also my mono blue commander before talrand and i may be biased on her, but none the less i prefer her over Arcanis.
Also guys I have recently retired this deck to build a deck with Kruphix as the commander, will upload soon. I am going to keep this decklist up for reference and further conversation as the deck worked well for me. The last deck this beat was a Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund deck, despite his fliers being bigger and badder, Talrand's little drakes came out on top.
Wouldn't Hidden Strings cipher ability resolve AFTER combat damage is done? Prowess and the ability to pay for double strike would then be triggering after you need it. At least I think that's what would happen.
One card that is great with Shu Yun is Stubborn Denial. It will always be "counter target spell" for U as long as Shu Yun (or any prowess creature with at least 3 power, or Jeskai Ascendancy) is out. You cast it, Prowess triggers pumping up Shu Yun to power 4, Stubborn Denial resolves and boom... ya countered a spell for one blue mana.
Oh wow, Tree of Redemption went right under my radar. It does proc Ezuri by having 0 power so thats cool. I definitely have had 40+ EXP counters on multiple occasions...
Thanks for the suggestion! I do have sage of hours on the side, i just don't currently run it in my meta.
There are definitely many ways you could build around this guy. I thought elves, wizards, rogues, merfolk... all of which could be good. But I decided to not go any tribal rout in order to maybe discover some fun new interactions. So I landed on this current build, I have a few cards that I am looking to acquire such as Cloudstone Curio, Venser, Shaper Savant, Glen Elendra Archmage and maybe a Doubling Season but until then this is what I have...
1 Ezuri, Claw of Progress
Creatures
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Xantid Swarm
1 Den Protector
1 Devoted Druid
1 Gyre Sage
1 Hangarback Walker
1 Hooded Hydra
1 Willbender
1 Champion of Lambholt
1 Chasm Skulker
1 Eternal Witness
1 Jace's Archivist
1 Kaseto, Orochi Archmage
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Sage of Fables
1 Spike Feeder
1 Trinket Mage
1 Trygon Predator
1 Viridian Joiner
1 Wood Elves
1 Fathom Mage
1 Forgotten Ancient
1 Lu Xun, Scholar General
1 Master Biomancer
1 Mystic Snake
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Profaner of the Dead
1 Temur Sabertooth
1 Viral Drake
1 Voidmage Husher
1 Whirler Rogue
1 Wolfbriar Elemental
1 Acidic Slime
1 Mulldrifter
1 Mycoloth
1 Prophet of Kruphix
1 Prime Speaker Zegana
1 Progenitor Mimic
1 Sun Quan, Lord of Wu
1 Triskelion
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Hornet Queen
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
1 Collected Company
Sorceries
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Genesis Wave
1 Beacon of Creation
1 Fungal Sprouting
1 Spontaneous Generation
1 Æther Mutation
1 Verdant Confluence
Enchantments
1 Night Soil
1 Equilibrium
1 Greater Good
1 Feed the Pack
Artifacts
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
1 Simic Signet
1 Spawning Pit
1 Strionic Resonator
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Simic Keyrune
1 Birthing Pod
Lands
1 Alchemist's Refuge
1 Breeding Pool
1 Command Beacon
1 Command Tower
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Faerie Conclave
10 Forest
1 High Market
1 Hinterland Harbor
9 Island
1 Khalni Garden
1 Lumbering Falls
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Temple of Mystery
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Yavimaya Coast
1 Zoetic Cavern
After playtesting a bunch I came to learn that it was better to try and get the most EXP counters in one move than to have a bunch of cheap creatures. Mana dorks are all good and fine because getting ezuri out ASAP is important. But once he is out I was always better off casting Spontaneous Generation instead of Invisible Stalker or something. Also by having creatures like Hooded Hydra and Hangarback Walker(<< which can be fetched by Trinket Mage btw) I needed ways to kill them so Spawning Pit and Greater Good provide super synergy. Feed the Pack has simply been bonkers...
I also began to realize that since I wouldn't be getting mana value from Viridian Joiner, Gyre Sage, or Devoted Druid until my second main phase because of when Ezuri's ability triggers so Xantid Swarm has proven very useful.
Questions and suggestions are encouraged.
1 Borborygmos Enraged
Creatures
1 Groundskeeper
1 Quirion Ranger
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Sylvan Ranger
1 Tilling Treefolk
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Acidic Slime
1 Titania, Protector of Argoth
1 Rampaging Baloths
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Knollspine Dragon
1 Krosan Tusker
1 Omnath, Locus of Rage
1 Archetype of Endurance
1 Terastodon
Artifacts
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Glaring Spotlight
1 Illusionist's Bracers
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Horn of Greed
1 Neko-Te
1 Erratic Portal
1 Mind's Eye
1 Storm Cauldron
Enchantments
1 Exploration
1 Keen Sense
1 Snake Umbra
1 Asceticism
1 Xenagos, God of Revels
1 Crop Rotation
1 Constant Mists
1 Beast Within
1 Chaos Warp
1 Krosan Grip
1 Realms Uncharted
1 Sprouting Vines
1 Green Sun's Zenith
Sorceries
1 Explore
1 Life from the Loam
1 Mulch
1 Nature's Lore
1 Regrowth
1 Restore
1 Rites of Spring
1 Sylvan Scrying
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Decimate
1 Peregrination
1 Reap and Sow
1 Seek the Horizon
1 Creeping Renaissance
1 Primal Command
1 Reforge the Soul
1 Nissa's Renewal
1 Praetor's Council
Planeswalker
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
1 Arcane Lighthouse
1 Blighted Woodland
1 Buried Ruin
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Forgotten Cave
1 Ghost Town
1 Gruul Guildgate
1 Gruul Turf
1 Homeward Path
1 Jungle Basin
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Scorched Ruins
1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
1 Slippery Karst
1 Smoldering Crater
1 Stomping Ground
1 Temple of Abandon
1 Temple of the False God
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Thespian's Stage
1 Tranquil Thicket
1 Treetop Village
10 Forest
9 Mountain
1 Kruphix, God of Horizons
Creatures
1 Sakura-Tribe Scout
1 Etherium Sculptor
1 Jushi Apprentice
1 Kiora's Follower
1 Drift of Phantasms
1 Grand Architect
1 Jace's Archivist
1 Ohran Viper
1 Archaeomancer
1 Archivist
1 Argothian Elder
1 Clever Impersonator
1 Fatestitcher
1 Lu Xun, Scholar General
1 Sakura-Tribe Springcaller
1 Azami, Lady of Scrolls
1 Prophet of Kruphix
1 Psychosis Crawler
1 Sphinx's Disciple
1 Brutalizer Exarch
1 Terastodon
1 Darksteel Colossus
Enchantments
1 Burgeoning
1 Soothsaying
1 Freed from the Real
1 Pemmin's Aura
1 Rhystic Study
1 Bear Umbra
1 Frontier Siege
1 Future Sight
1 Mind Over Matter
1 Paradise Mantle
1 Expedition Map
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Voltaic Key
1 Doubling Cube
1 Vedalken Shackles
1 Teferi's Puzzle Box
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Tower of Fortunes
1 Vedalken Orrery
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Venser's Journal
1 Caged Sun
Instants
1 High Tide
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Muddle the Mixture
1 Capsize
1 Forbid
1 Hinder
1 Stroke of Genius
1 Plasm Capture
Sorceries
1 Curse of the Swine
1 Reshape
1 Cultivate
1 Fabricate
1 Skyshroud Claim
1 Ancestral Memories
1 Bribery
1 Restock
1 Time Reversal
1 Biomantic Mastery
1 Beacon of Tomorrows
1 Academy Ruins
1 Alchemist's Refuge
1 Evolving Wilds
11 Forest
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Hinterland Harbor
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Seat of the Synod
13 Snow-Covered Island
1 Temple of Mystery
1 Temple of the False God
Some win cons:
-Psychosis Crawler is very effective with all the drawing you can do with cards like Jace's Archivist, Teferi's Puzzle Box. Also in combination with Azami, Lady of Scrolls/Archivist + Mind Over Matter
or Future Sight + Etherium Sculptor + Top
or Pemmin's Aura/Freed from the Real + Paradise Mantle + Sphinx's Disciple.
Beacon of Tomorrows/Darksteel Colossus ensures that you can keep drawing forever (infinite turns=infinite draw).
-dump all colorless stored with Kruphix into cards like Stroke of Genius or Capsize.
-Pemmin's Aura/Freed from the Real + Paradise Mantle will give you infinite mana when attached to Argothian Elder
-Biovisionary
with either Rite of Replication or Polymorphous Rush, which are great utility cards on their own.
-Tainted Peak
-Evolutionary Leap
-Dark Petition
Out
-Foster
-Insidious Dreams
-Mountain
Thanks for taking a look! Ya Groundskeeper is just too good with Constant Mists, saved my ass many games long enough to become aggressive again.
I have actually been debating Nettle Sentinel because although it has been kind of useful in other situations, it really is only good with the combo with Heritage Druid. Birchlore Rangers would def be a good addition, even if only to bring more use to Nettle.
Fauna Shaman has proved to be a little slow, i put it in here as a sort of 2nd Skyshroud Poacher but the discard part os kind of a set back. Considering removing for maybe Yisan, the Wanderer Bard.
Champion of Lambholt is amazing, amazing, and amazing. It has one me so many games because basically if it doesnt get removed youre just swinging unblockable while most likely pumping up your attackers.
Viridian Corrupter isnt hated really. It's always been useful for removal and it serves as a possible backup if i can't get an army going, all while being an elf.
Freyalise actually is pretty solid and i think she does best in a mono green deck. Youre ramping every turn while adding to your elf count and then you draw a bunch all while having a built in Naturalize. She also is not terrifying to most players so she tends to stick around.
Maze of Ith would be absolutely awesome but there are other $20 cards i'd like to get first.
As far as why i chose Azami over Arcanis, She combos with Mind Over Matter to draw your deck hit Beacon of Tomorrows and win the turn she is cast plus being able to synergize with all the wizards in the deck it works pretty well for me. She was also my mono blue commander before talrand and i may be biased on her, but none the less i prefer her over Arcanis.
Also guys I have recently retired this deck to build a deck with Kruphix as the commander, will upload soon. I am going to keep this decklist up for reference and further conversation as the deck worked well for me. The last deck this beat was a Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund deck, despite his fliers being bigger and badder, Talrand's little drakes came out on top.
One card that is great with Shu Yun is Stubborn Denial. It will always be "counter target spell" for U as long as Shu Yun (or any prowess creature with at least 3 power, or Jeskai Ascendancy) is out. You cast it, Prowess triggers pumping up Shu Yun to power 4, Stubborn Denial resolves and boom... ya countered a spell for one blue mana.