No Gary, as he's much hated in my playgroup. If it wasn't for this, he would obviously be a 4-of here, end of story.
Vilis doubles the card draw from Arena, Dread Presence, Kothophed and Rankle.
The deck has many synergies going on, but my favourite thing to do is to play Cavalier of Night, get his first ability on the stack and immediately sac him to Ayara, triggering the second ability to get Plaguecrafter back to play, getting rid of 3+ creatures, draining and gaining life and drawing a card in the process. If Zulaport Cutthroat is also on the field, well... It's just icing on the cake.
Duel or MP? If MP, have you been using Chittering Witch? You're getting a scolding if you forget to include her in your MP Woodland Champion deck >:( ! Gluttonous Troll would also be acceptable if you have uses for food. Namely Wicked Wolf who is a disgusting combination of Flametongue Kavu and Progenitus. That card in INSANE lol. I play 4 of them in all of my food decks.
Could you please provide an exemple of a "food matters" decklist that puts Woodland Champion, Chittering Witch, Wicked Wolf and Gluttonous Troll to good use?
I have a Golgari token deck that is a blast to play. Uses things like Viscera Seer, Zulaport Cutthroat, Ophiomancer, Tendershoot Dryad and Dictate of Erebos... you get the idea. While it doesn't go full on death triggers, at least in my meta, it makes life a truly nightmare for creature-based decks.
So I tried to make an Abzan deck that runs mostly around powerful/useful death triggers, but it's somewhat flimsy. Sometimes it's capable of doing brilliant plays and outvalue other players, but most of the time it fails in doing relevant stuff.
My meta is, unfortunately, mostly 3-FFA games. Wraths are rarely if ever used. The deck needs to run some flying defense and enchantment removal (but not too many) because of meta requirements, so I don't automatically lose to a random giant Chandra's Spitfire or to a blinking Angel of Serenity.
I like to play with many different cards as possible, and that's might be the reason affecting the deck's consistency.
I’d say it’s pretty doable.
Won’t be the fastest deck due to the tapped into play or other mana fixing ‘costs’, but a super synergetic build can be a beast once it gets rolling.
I recently ran a 3x2 Teysa deck which was pretty brutal.
Anyway, just run (+1/+1) counters, death triggers, sacrifice effects of some worth and for example Skullclamp and you should be fine.
Yeah clamp would be the nuts here, pay 1 draw 4 is absolutely broken, but in my playgroup we use the Legacy B&R list.
On another topic, what would be a good use for Fauna Shaman? I've had a playset of her since forever and never got to use them in any deck whatosoever. My plan has always been to use it alongside Wonder. Any ideas involving a home for them?
I frequently play something close to this. Hope it helps :).
It's indeed a solid list, thanks!
Are there any budget alternatives for Trackers and Azusas?
Also, are karoo lands reasonable replacements for the fetches?
Warchief Giant's tokens won't provide any additional Grand Warlord Radha triggers. "When one or more creatures you control attack" is equivalent to "when one or more creatures you control are declared as attackers".
Quote from Gatherer rulings »
The amount of mana you’ll add is the number of creatures you attack with. Creatures that are put onto the battlefield attacking before Radha’s triggered ability resolves don’t count, and creatures that attacked but left combat before the triggered ability resolves do count.
Yes, I'm aware of that. I'm also aware that Myriad doesn't provide additional triggers from Najeela, unfortunately.
Warchief Giant is there because he's an efficient/aggressive beater, that synergizes very well with Edric, provides extra buff and evasion for the whole team when combined with Champion of Lambholt and plays around people running Ghostly Prison/Propaganda effects.
If your meta is plagued by creatures like mine, with that much removal provided by Scourge and Tempest, Dragonlord Kolaghan ensures your opponents either die by your dragons or by casting their creatures.
Getting Pridemate bigger is "free" and kind of a bonus, at least in my opinion.
Disagree. A 2 mana 2/2 isn't a real card in multiplayer. Heck, it's barely a real card in most draft formats. I would much rather slam a Pearl Medallion or Mind Stone or something along those lines. I also suspect that you'll be activating Fleecy more than you think (not that I like either card mind you). That being said your deck isn't lacking power so I'd focus on mana rather than anemic dorks.
Man, I've been feeling guilty about not playing with Selesnya Signet, but Mind Stone seems perfect here, since it provides ramp and card draw, the two things the deck lacks, I guess. Thanks for reminding me of the card! But should I play it as a 3-of, only replacing the Pridemates, or should I play the full 4-of, cutting a Bestiary, the Well or Aura Shards, maybe?
You're absolutely right. The lifegain "sub-theme" was never meant to be strong, but it's only there to keep me alive and because some Cats happen to have lifelink.
Pridemate is there only for early game drop purposes, but I also considered Fleecemane Lion. I opted for Pridemate because I don't know if I'll ever have 5 spare mana to put a counter on a single creature or actually make him monstrous instead of casting a Regal Caracal, for example. Getting Pridemate bigger is "free" and kind of a bonus, at least in my opinion.
I also considered Phantom Nishoba as a finisher, but mainly for nostalgic reasons (Nishoba and Thorn Elemental were my Timmy finishers of choice back when I started playing in 2002). Do you think it is gonna be better than Sun Titan or Felidar Sovereign here?
Alms Collector and Leonin Arbiter are very good cards, but also very meta dependant in my eyes. They'll surely not work properly in mine, unfortunately.
I know that Cats could be better used in a traditional Soul Sisters shell, but I think the tribe has enough good pieces to build a decent, fair and fun deck. The deck idea is pretty simple as you guys see (value cats + cat tokens + beat).
The obvious missing card is Brimaz, King of Oreskos, but is a very unfriendly budget card. I don't know if it's indispensable enough to bring more consistence and better performance to the deck overall, but it can be acquired in the next months, if that's the case.
I tried the best I could to get decent card draw, since the tribe unfortunately doesn't have "on theme" draw like Goblin Ringleader , but I don't know if there are better options than the ones already in the deck. My playgroup is very, very light on mass removal (I'm the only player who plays it), so I guess that card draw, although important, shouldn't be top priority here.
Critiques to card choices, numbers and the deck viability overall?
Thanks!
Black really received so much love in the recent sets that I also thought it was a good idea to run a pure monoblack list.
Here's the list I've been toying with:
4x Yarok's Fenlurker
2x Priest of Forgotten Gods
4x Zulaport Cutthoat
3x Plaguecrafter
3x Ayara, First of Locthwain
3x Dread Presence
2x Sangromancer
1x Rankle, Master of Pranks
3x Shriekmaw
1x Cavalier of Night
1x Syr Konrad, the Grim
1x Kothophed, Soul Hoarder
1x Meteor Golem
1x Vilis, Broker of Blood
1x Oversold Cemetary
4x Phyrexian Arena
1x Recurring Nightmare
Lands (24)
18x Swamp
2x Cabal Stronghold
2x Witch's Cottage
1x Castle Locthwain
1x Bojuka Bog
No Gary, as he's much hated in my playgroup. If it wasn't for this, he would obviously be a 4-of here, end of story.
Vilis doubles the card draw from Arena, Dread Presence, Kothophed and Rankle.
The deck has many synergies going on, but my favourite thing to do is to play Cavalier of Night, get his first ability on the stack and immediately sac him to Ayara, triggering the second ability to get Plaguecrafter back to play, getting rid of 3+ creatures, draining and gaining life and drawing a card in the process. If Zulaport Cutthroat is also on the field, well... It's just icing on the cake.
Greater Gargadon, Molten Primordial and Sepulchral Primordial are alternatives for game finishers.
And, of course, Deadeye Navigator is bonkers with Sower of Temptation, Agent of Treachery, Primordials and Gonti.
Could you please provide an exemple of a "food matters" decklist that puts Woodland Champion, Chittering Witch, Wicked Wolf and Gluttonous Troll to good use?
I have a Golgari token deck that is a blast to play. Uses things like Viscera Seer, Zulaport Cutthroat, Ophiomancer, Tendershoot Dryad and Dictate of Erebos... you get the idea. While it doesn't go full on death triggers, at least in my meta, it makes life a truly nightmare for creature-based decks.
So I tried to make an Abzan deck that runs mostly around powerful/useful death triggers, but it's somewhat flimsy. Sometimes it's capable of doing brilliant plays and outvalue other players, but most of the time it fails in doing relevant stuff.
My meta is, unfortunately, mostly 3-FFA games. Wraths are rarely if ever used. The deck needs to run some flying defense and enchantment removal (but not too many) because of meta requirements, so I don't automatically lose to a random giant Chandra's Spitfire or to a blinking Angel of Serenity.
I like to play with many different cards as possible, and that's might be the reason affecting the deck's consistency.
Anyway, here's the decklist at the moment:
1x Spore Frog
4x Zulaport Cutthroat
3x Viridian Emissary
1x Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim
2x Grismold, the Dreadsower
2x Midnight Reaper
1x Pawn of Ulamog
1x Dutiful Attendant
1x Yahenni, Undying Partisan
2x Treasure Keeper
2x Teysa Karlov
1x Whisper, Blood Liturgist
1x Solemn Simulacrum
1x Pitiless Plunderer
2x Archon of Justice
1x Cavalier of Night
1x Sadistic Hypnotist
1x God-Eternal Bontu
1x Reveillark
1x Kokusho, the Evening Star
1x Magister of Worth
1x Requiem Angel
1x Protean Hulk
2x Evolutionary Leap
1x Recurring Nightmare
1x Bolas's Citadel
Lands (23)
6x Swamp
4x Sandsteppe Citadel
4x Tainted Field
3x Woodland Cemetery
1x Forest
1x Plains
1x Caves of Koilos
1x Llanowar Wastes
1x Memorial to Folly
1x High Market
Would Priest of Forgotten Gods find a home here? Journey to Eternity? Tips in general?
Many thanks!
Nothing special, I just thought it would be fun to proliferate four times per turn, assuming you have a sac outlet.
Yeah clamp would be the nuts here, pay 1 draw 4 is absolutely broken, but in my playgroup we use the Legacy B&R list.
So, disregarding all possible mana problems, considering a budget manabase, would it be possible to build a consistent deck using Marchesa, the Black Rose, Roalesk, Apex Hybrid and Teysa Karlov together as the main stars, maybe using things like Carrion Feeder and Evolutionary Leap in the process? Or is it an idea prone to miserably fail?
On another topic, what would be a good use for Fauna Shaman? I've had a playset of her since forever and never got to use them in any deck whatosoever. My plan has always been to use it alongside Wonder. Any ideas involving a home for them?
Thanks in advance for any input!
It's indeed a solid list, thanks!
Are there any budget alternatives for Trackers and Azusas?
Also, are karoo lands reasonable replacements for the fetches?
I've been trying to make a deck that uses bothTatyova, Benthic Druid and The Gitrog Monster, but with little success. There is a great interaction between the two cards, but i've never found the right focus for the deck to work properly.
I don't want to make it a degenerate dredge deck that abuses Life from the Loam and Dakmor Salvage, but to be a powerful yet fun enough deck to play with and against, that doesn't make the rest of the table groan... much.
I've already tried self millers like Stitcher's Supplier and Satyr Wayfinder, free discard outlets like Putrid Imp and Noose Constrictor, and Fauna Shaman as looter, but can't seem to find the right split between them.
Other ones i've already used are Wonder, Titania, Protector of Argoth, Izoni, Thousand-Eyed, Molderhulk, Multani, Yavimaya's Avatar, Ramunap Excavator, Muldrotha, the Gravetide and Worm Harvest.
My playgroup plays 3-4 FFA and nobody uses mass removal, except for me.
Can you guys please give me a light? Thanks!
For finishers, there's plenty in Golgari like Demon of Dark Schemes, Sepulchral Primordial, Sylvan Primordial,
Sheoldred, Whispering One, Void Winnower etc.
Yes, I'm aware of that. I'm also aware that Myriad doesn't provide additional triggers from Najeela, unfortunately.
Warchief Giant is there because he's an efficient/aggressive beater, that synergizes very well with Edric, provides extra buff and evasion for the whole team when combined with Champion of Lambholt and plays around people running Ghostly Prison/Propaganda effects.
If you keep the Beast theme, I guess you should be playing Contested Cliffs, Woodland Bellower, Caller of the Pack, Ezuri's Predation and a playset of Wirewood Savage. Worth noting that Bellower can get the Savage, Caller + Ravenous Baloth + Savage gets you 2 cards and 8 life per turn you play for free, assuming a 4-FFA game.
Ezuri's Predation in a meta that's heavy on creatures is pretty much game over.
If your meta is plagued by creatures like mine, with that much removal provided by Scourge and Tempest, Dragonlord Kolaghan ensures your opponents either die by your dragons or by casting their creatures.
Man, I've been feeling guilty about not playing with Selesnya Signet, but Mind Stone seems perfect here, since it provides ramp and card draw, the two things the deck lacks, I guess. Thanks for reminding me of the card! But should I play it as a 3-of, only replacing the Pridemates, or should I play the full 4-of, cutting a Bestiary, the Well or Aura Shards, maybe?
I guess an answer can't be more clear than this lol
Pridemate is there only for early game drop purposes, but I also considered Fleecemane Lion. I opted for Pridemate because I don't know if I'll ever have 5 spare mana to put a counter on a single creature or actually make him monstrous instead of casting a Regal Caracal, for example. Getting Pridemate bigger is "free" and kind of a bonus, at least in my opinion.
I also considered Phantom Nishoba as a finisher, but mainly for nostalgic reasons (Nishoba and Thorn Elemental were my Timmy finishers of choice back when I started playing in 2002). Do you think it is gonna be better than Sun Titan or Felidar Sovereign here?
Alms Collector and Leonin Arbiter are very good cards, but also very meta dependant in my eyes. They'll surely not work properly in mine, unfortunately.
Thanks for the input!
4x Oreskos Explorer
3x Ajani's Pridemate
1x Qasali Pridemage
3x Pride Sovereign
2x Skullwinder
1x Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist
2x Leonin Warleader
1x Jazal Goldmane
1x Temur Sabertooth
1x Felidar Guardian
1x Healer of the Pride
4x Regal Caracal
1x Qasali Slingers
1x Arahbo, Roar of the World
1x Felidar Sovereign
1x Jedit Ojanen of Efrava
1x Sun Titan
3x Swords to Plowshares
2x Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1x Aura Shards
1x Well of Lost Dreams
1x Shamanic Revelation
Lands (23)
9x Plains
2x Forest
4x Canopy Vista
4x Blossoming Sands
4x Krosan Verge
I know that Cats could be better used in a traditional Soul Sisters shell, but I think the tribe has enough good pieces to build a decent, fair and fun deck. The deck idea is pretty simple as you guys see (value cats + cat tokens + beat).
The obvious missing card is Brimaz, King of Oreskos, but is a very unfriendly budget card. I don't know if it's indispensable enough to bring more consistence and better performance to the deck overall, but it can be acquired in the next months, if that's the case.
I tried the best I could to get decent card draw, since the tribe unfortunately doesn't have "on theme" draw like Goblin Ringleader , but I don't know if there are better options than the ones already in the deck. My playgroup is very, very light on mass removal (I'm the only player who plays it), so I guess that card draw, although important, shouldn't be top priority here.
Critiques to card choices, numbers and the deck viability overall?
Thanks!