I turned away from Squadron Hawk and Bonesplitter, and am instead using more removal (Sunlance) and Renegade Freighter. The plan is to go wide early, then let the 5/4 Trample Vehicles finish the job if and when the board gets clogged. I also can't quite seem to bring myself to play pure aggro, hence the removal heh. I'm not running Mana Tithe because a Daze that you have to telegraph with open mana is a little too easy to play around IMO, but most of the 5-0 lists on MTGO are running it so /shrug.
I can't seem to pass up the CA of Squadron and the extra damage from Bonesplitter. I might try pure Soldiers + Removals without the Hawks + Splitters build.
I also don't know what to take out for the Vehicle. How many are you running?
Btw, I'm playing this on paper. I plan to take it to tournaments if I get to complete the pieces immediately. What do you think is a good all-around sideboard? I have no idea of the meta in my LGS, so I don't know what cards to put on my sideboard.
from what I remember it was closer to your second option. of course vehicles weren't out at the time. I think you have enough 2 power creatures that you could run Renegade Freighter in place of Sky Skiff. that would give you a decent fatty. blue was definitely more of a splash option and really just there to facilitate the stormblade, then give you more options post board. I'll keep searching
Thanks for the suggestions man! I'm gonna test that build and see for myself if it's good.
Here's another build I came up with using U/W colors. I feel like it's just a worst cawblade tho. No Sideboard yet.
Sorry, I've never played it myself, I've kept meaning to get back to it and try it out, just haven't found the time. I can't remember if I got crushed by it or if I saw it on a stream and it was really good. It's been a long time.
From what I remember it was focused on the fliers so it had a lot of evasion and then used some blue magic to make some sweet tempo plays while it raced in the air.
Guess I will have to brew a u/b version myself. I saw a list called Zebra something tho. It has the Nightsky, Esper Stormblade and Edge package.
I just don't know what kind of playstyle if I am going for U/B. Should I go more blue splash and add things like Brainstorm, Spell Pierce, Mana Leak etc.? Or should I stay with black and just splash blue just for Esper Stormblade and add Bonesplitter to just push through more damage?
I really don't think you need the 2 Veteran Armorers. The 4 Armorsmiths should be good.You can probably cut those and go with a 3-3 split for Raise the Alarm and Loyal Cathar, or even a 2-4 split.
I also feel you are missing out on some good removal with Coordinated Barrage and Unified Strike. They are a bit more narrow than Journey to Nowhere, but Unified Strike exiles completely. Coordinated Barrage might be better than Sunlance. It's an Instant plus it can take out bigger threats like Gurmag Angler or Gray Merchant
As far as sideboard, I'd definitely go with more Prismatic Strands. COP: Red can be removed if you are already using some maindeck life gain. Life gain kills Burn. Patrician's Scorn and Celestial Flare are great against Bogles. Run at least 3 copies of each for sideboard. If you see a lot of other aggro decks then I would suggest Gempalm Avenger his cycling ability can really turn a clogged board state in your favor plus it draws you a card.
I haven't tried Thraben Inspector yet, but I agree that it's really good for CA.
The 4 life gain + synergy with Kor Skyfisher of Aven Riftwatcher is really game changing at times. The deck really blows during late game. It also has a big bottom for a flying creature.
I am also thinking of removing Raise the Alarm, but the combat trick is good often. I will be testing Loyal Cathar in its place.
I might remove the Armorers completely instead of reducing the Armorsmith. How many Bonesplitter should I put? 3 or 4?
Here's a list of Mono W Soldiers that I am looking to build. I know Squadron Hawk is not a soldier, but the card advantage is just so good to pass up. What else can I improve?
So I saw this deck on the Interwebz and tweaked it a little. But the number of x/1 creatures just doesn't cut out. Can you guys suggest cards or any play style when using the deck?
I really want to use the core between hybrid b/w creatures + Edge of the Divinity for the flavor.
Hi everyone. I have been wanting to play Elves since weeks ago, but I don't have the budget to build it with Caverns, CoCos, Chord etc. I came up with a budget list to start building with and upgrade it slowly from there. Opinions and advices are very much welcome.
My sideboard is a mess. I do not know how to SB yet with this kind of deck. Is this a good deck to begin playing Elves with? Or is it just too cute and too far from being at least semi-competitive? Thanks!
Edit: Sorry if I posted in the wrong thread. My list is literally Coco-less Elves, but I can't seem to find another active thread discussing the performance of Elves in the current meta.
My personal preference is we need at least 10 playable cheap weenies (Kessig Prowler does not cut it). 10-12 two drops (Geist, Scooze, Avatar) and transition to at least 4 Leatherback and maybe 2 Dungrove. Our weenie package is simply too weak to utilize. 1-2 Treetop is best imo. 3 is too much. You can't have that many land coming into play tapped and it hinders the Dungroves too much. Dungrove is a great card.
I am actually thinking of just splashing white or red simply for the better sideboard options. Playing only basics is great for life but the current meta doesn't really care for the life loss. Burn is really bad right now.
Wouldn't splashing just result to a bad version of either RG Zoo or GW Hatebears?
I was goldfishing this list since yesterday, and I get mana screwed a lot. I was thinking that having 22 lands(with 2 manlands) is a safe number to succesfully hit our land drops until turn 4. I also took consideration that I was running 8 3-drops (Baloth, Ram-Gang and Scooze). Do I have a weird list? Or is it just my shuffling that gets me mana screwed?
1. I was thinking of a 10/10 split of 1-drop and 2-drop creatures. Adding 2 Nettle Sentinel in the place of 2 Kalonian Tusker. I have a feeling that a game without a 1-drop on first turn is very risky. What are your thoughts on this?
2. I have considered ForceKin's suggestion of having a Treetop Village as a pseudo 3-drop. Though I am planning to have a 19 Forest and 2 Treetop Village(like in the list of Mpritzolas) in the future depending on its performance.
4. I decided to have 3 Rancor as maximum in the deck, I can't seem to give up another Aspect of the Hydra for it because it is an instant that can be crucial in saving our creatures at times.
5. I removed Garruk Relentless from the sideboard and totally ditched the idea of having a 1-of Thrun, the Last Troll in the sideboard too. I may be wrong, but I think 4 cmc is too much for an aggro deck.
6. Have you guys considered card draw for this deck? Or some source of gas when we are out of threats?
Cards like these Courser of Kruphix Irresistible Prey Life's Legacy Momentous Fall this may be contradicting my statement about 4 cmcs, but it is an example.
I can't seem to pass up the CA of Squadron and the extra damage from Bonesplitter. I might try pure Soldiers + Removals without the Hawks + Splitters build.
I also don't know what to take out for the Vehicle. How many are you running?
Btw, I'm playing this on paper. I plan to take it to tournaments if I get to complete the pieces immediately. What do you think is a good all-around sideboard? I have no idea of the meta in my LGS, so I don't know what cards to put on my sideboard.
Thanks btw!
Thanks for the suggestions man! I'm gonna test that build and see for myself if it's good.
Here's another build I came up with using U/W colors. I feel like it's just a worst cawblade tho. No Sideboard yet.
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Tranquil Cove
4 Island
6 Plains
Creatures
2 Vault Skirge
2 Nip Gwyllion
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Nightsky Mimic
4 Mourning Thrull
4 Esper Stormblade
2 Beckon Apparition
4 Mana Leak
4 Brainstorm
Enchantments
4 Edge of the Divinity
2 Journey to Nowhere
2 Curse of Chains
3 Bonesplitter
1 Sky Skiff
Guess I will have to brew a u/b version myself. I saw a list called Zebra something tho. It has the Nightsky, Esper Stormblade and Edge package.
I just don't know what kind of playstyle if I am going for U/B. Should I go more blue splash and add things like Brainstorm, Spell Pierce, Mana Leak etc.? Or should I stay with black and just splash blue just for Esper Stormblade and add Bonesplitter to just push through more damage?
Here's a list a came up with earlier.
4 Dismal Backwater
2 Dimir Guildgate
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Island
4 Swamp
Creatures
4 Vault Skirge
4 Mourning Thrull
4 Nightsky Mimic
4 Esper Stormblade
1 Sky Skiff
2 Nip Gwyllion
4 Beckon Apparition
4 Brainstorm
2 Spell Pierce
2 Disfigure
2 Mana Leak
2 Diabolic Edict
Enchantments
4 Edge of the Divinity
Artifact
3 Bonesplitter
4 Duress
2 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Diabolic Edict
2 Annul
2 Dispel
2 Echoing Decay
1 Shrivel
I still feel the deck needs a fat creature for late game closing. I am also not sure about the Land base and Sideboard since it's just a rough draft.
Thanks! Coordinated Barrage and Unified Strike are very good options for removal. I just hope I can find them in paper.
What do you think about Squadron Hawk? Should I keep it? or replace it with Thraben Inspector?
I will test atleast 2 Gempalm Avenger. I'm just wondering if I will ever get a chance to cast him at that cmc other than cycling him.
I'm thinking of having a 2-4 split of Patrician's Scorn and Celestial Flare, respectively since Celestial is also good against infect.
Btw, what's your take on Mana Tithe and Oblivion Ring? Are they worth a sideboard slot?
Thanks for the suggestions!
I haven't tried Thraben Inspector yet, but I agree that it's really good for CA.
The 4 life gain + synergy with Kor Skyfisher of Aven Riftwatcher is really game changing at times. The deck really blows during late game. It also has a big bottom for a flying creature.
I am also thinking of removing Raise the Alarm, but the combat trick is good often. I will be testing Loyal Cathar in its place.
I might remove the Armorers completely instead of reducing the Armorsmith. How many Bonesplitter should I put? 3 or 4?
Also, are Mana Tithe and Sunlance a must have for the deck?
Do you have links for the UB/ Esper Stomblade version of the deck?
4 Secluded Steppe
Creatures
4 Elite Vanguard
4 Icatian Javelineers
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Kor Skyfisher
4 Aven Riftwatcher
2 Veteran Armorer
4 Veteran Armorsmith
4 Veteran Weaponsmith
4 Raise the Alarm
Enchantments
4 Journey to Nowhere
Artifacts
2 Bonesplitter
1 Cenn's Enlistment
1 Prismatic Sands
1 Circle of Protection: Red
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Oppressive Rays
1 Celestial Flare
1 Sunlance
1 Disenchant
1 Gaze of Justice
1 Holy Day
1 Holy Light
1 Unmake
1 Standard Bearer
1 Dust to dust
1 Leave no Trace
1 Patrician's Scorn
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Dawn Charm
The sideboard is just a list of possible sideboard cards. I don't know what cards are good and not as sb cards for Mono white. Thanks.
I really want to use the core between hybrid b/w creatures + Edge of the Divinity for the flavor.
This is the BW version of the deck
4 Scoured Barrens
4 Orzhov Church
7 Swamp
5 Plains
Creatures
4 Nip Gwyllion
4 Mourning Thrull
4 Nightsky Mimic
4 Tithe Drinker
4 Beckon Apparition
4 Disfigure
2 Unmake
Sorceries
4 Castigate
4 Night's Whisper
Enchantments
4 Edge of the Divinity
2 Journey to Nowhere
3 Nihil Spellbomb
4 Duress
4 Diabolic Edict
2 Shrivel
1 Echoing Decay
1 Death Denied
While here is a Mono Black Version with the Nightsky+Edge Shell
3 Barren Moor
1 Bojuka Bog
16 Swamp
Creatures
4 Nip Gwyllion
4 Mourning Thrull
4 Nightsky Mimic
2 Liliana's Specter
2 Harvest Gwyllion
2 Gurmag Angler
4 Beckon Apparition
4 Disfigure
2 Victim of Night
2 Unmake
Sorceries
4 Sign in Blood
Enchantments
4 Edge of the Divinity
Artifacts
2 Bonesplitter
4 Duress
4 Diabolic Edict
3 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Shrivel
1 Echoing Decay
1 Death Denied
Any suggestions are welcome. I just feel like the deck needs a little punch, but I don't know how to improve it any further.
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Elvish Mystic
4 Heritage Druid
3 Nettle Sentinel
2 Joraga Warcaller
4 Elvish Visionary
4 Dwynen's Elite
4 Elvish Archdruid
2 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
1 Imperious Perfect
4 Sylvan Messenger
4 Lead the Stampede
2 Eldritch Evolution
Lands
1 Westvale Abbey
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
16 Forest
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Wilt-Leaf Liege
2 Scavenging Ooze
2 Dismember
1 Creeping Corrosion
1 Back to Nature
2 Reclamation Sage
2 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Elvish Champion
2 Wrap in Vigor
My sideboard is a mess. I do not know how to SB yet with this kind of deck. Is this a good deck to begin playing Elves with? Or is it just too cute and too far from being at least semi-competitive? Thanks!
Edit: Sorry if I posted in the wrong thread. My list is literally Coco-less Elves, but I can't seem to find another active thread discussing the performance of Elves in the current meta.
Wouldn't splashing just result to a bad version of either RG Zoo or GW Hatebears?
Btw, for anyone using Eldritch Evolution, how was it? Does it work well for the deck? Or CoCo still does it better?
I am also wondering what cards/upgrades does the deck need to make it more competitive?
Scenario: I have a Wilt-Leaf Liege, a 4/4 Experiment One(pump from Liege already included) and 4 Forests in play. I then cast Dungrove Elder.
Question: Will the Dungrove Elder enter the battlefield as a 5/5(with pump from Liege) and evolve Experiment One?
Thanks in advance.
2 Treetop Village
4 Experiment One
4 Dryad Militant
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Avatar of the Resolute
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Boggart Ram-Gang
3 Aspect of the Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Prey Upon
2 Dungrove Elder
2 Pithing Needle
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Feed the Clan
3 Natural State
1 Unravel the Aether
1 Pulse of Murasa
I was goldfishing this list since yesterday, and I get mana screwed a lot. I was thinking that having 22 lands(with 2 manlands) is a safe number to succesfully hit our land drops until turn 4. I also took consideration that I was running 8 3-drops (Baloth, Ram-Gang and Scooze). Do I have a weird list? Or is it just my shuffling that gets me mana screwed?
This is my current list, and I still haven't tested it.
20 Forest
1 Treetop Village
Creatures
4 Experiment One
4 Dryad Militant
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Avatar of the Resolute
2 Kalonian Tusker
2 Scavenging Ooze
3 Leatherback Baloth
1 Dungrove Elder
1 Boggart Ram-Gang
4 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Rancor
3 Dismember
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Pithing Needle
2 Prey Upon
3 Natural State
1 Unravel the Aether
2 Feed the Clan
1 Pulse of Murasa
2 Witchstalker
A few points I need to say
1. I was thinking of a 10/10 split of 1-drop and 2-drop creatures. Adding 2 Nettle Sentinel in the place of 2 Kalonian Tusker. I have a feeling that a game without a 1-drop on first turn is very risky. What are your thoughts on this?
2. I have considered ForceKin's suggestion of having a Treetop Village as a pseudo 3-drop. Though I am planning to have a 19 Forest and 2 Treetop Village(like in the list of Mpritzolas) in the future depending on its performance.
3. I still am not sure about my 3-drops until now. It should be 3 Leatherback Baloth and 2 Dungrove Elder split. Until I find another Dungrove Elder, Boggart Ram-Gang will be in its place.
4. I decided to have 3 Rancor as maximum in the deck, I can't seem to give up another Aspect of the Hydra for it because it is an instant that can be crucial in saving our creatures at times.
5. I removed Garruk Relentless from the sideboard and totally ditched the idea of having a 1-of Thrun, the Last Troll in the sideboard too. I may be wrong, but I think 4 cmc is too much for an aggro deck.
Changes in the sideboard
-2 Garruk Relentless
-2 Skylasher
-1 Tormod's Crypt
+2 Witchstalker
+2 Pithing Needle
+1 Relic of Progenitus
These are other sideboard options I am willing to consider, though I don't know what to take out.
Guttural Response (for blue decks running Cryptics)
Gut Shot (Undying enabler?)
Act of Aggression
Wheel of Sun and Moon (Storm? Mill?)
Bow of Nylea
Hail Storm
6. Have you guys considered card draw for this deck? Or some source of gas when we are out of threats?
Cards like these
Courser of Kruphix
Irresistible Prey
Life's Legacy
Momentous Fall this may be contradicting my statement about 4 cmcs, but it is an example.