This is my Surrak Dragonclaw build. Surrak adds much needed evasion to many of my RUG monsters and the counter protection I've found to be quite valuable from a peace of mind perspective. He is a great beater himself and low profile enough to not get hated out like other picks in these colours.
The main theme is a heavy creature focused list that generates a tonne of card advantage. The list is very wrath resistant since I'm almost always able to keep my hand full and continue dropping threats.
The sub-theme is to keep turning creatures sideways so creatures that generate value by attacking are also emphasized.
Despite being called a All Star list, I'm deliberately not running Consecrated Sphinx, Prophet of Kruphix, and Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker (don't shoot me). I know these would be easy ways to power up the list, but for reasons, I just wish to avoid them. A optimal competitive list would 100% include these cards.
Below I have a list of card I'd like to fit in and I'm looking for any opinions of what might be considered weaker choices in the current list to cut.
The major weakness I have is a lack of board resets. Testing will tell me if I need to put back in Oblivion Stone and/or Perilous Vault, but I prefer creature based solutions first.
The other debate I am having is putting in Lurking Predators and Flameshadow Conjuring. I have Birthing Pod in mostly because it saves my bacon so many times in tough to crack situations. I could cut for a equally versatile creature tutor to stay more on theme (same with any other non-creature card really).
I already said I wouldn't run Consecrated Sphinx and I can't see any reason to run the remaining three. Malignus is a dumb beater (a good one, but not on theme), Palinchron is a combo piece (not interested, I'd run Consecrated first), and why Rancor? More evasion I guess? I'm ok on evasion IMO.
With running the god, Rancor would help you swing for 16 trample commander and most of the time it ends up back in your hand waiting to go back in for 1 green
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This is my Surrak Dragonclaw build. Surrak adds much needed evasion to many of my RUG monsters and the counter protection I've found to be quite valuable from a peace of mind perspective. He is a great beater himself and low profile enough to not get hated out like other picks in these colours.
The main theme is a heavy creature focused list that generates a tonne of card advantage. The list is very wrath resistant since I'm almost always able to keep my hand full and continue dropping threats.
The sub-theme is to keep turning creatures sideways so creatures that generate value by attacking are also emphasized.
Despite being called a All Star list, I'm deliberately not running Consecrated Sphinx, Prophet of Kruphix, and Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker (don't shoot me). I know these would be easy ways to power up the list, but for reasons, I just wish to avoid them. A optimal competitive list would 100% include these cards.
Below I have a list of card I'd like to fit in and I'm looking for any opinions of what might be considered weaker choices in the current list to cut.
The major weakness I have is a lack of board resets. Testing will tell me if I need to put back in Oblivion Stone and/or Perilous Vault, but I prefer creature based solutions first.
1 Surrak Dragonclaw
Removal:
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Loaming Shaman
1 Silumgar Sorcerer
1 Dualcaster Mage
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Trygon Predator
1 Flametongue Kavu
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Wickerbough Elder
1 Mystic Snake
1 Ixidron
1 Acidic Slime
1 Conclave Naturalists
1 Duplicant
1 Crater Hellion
1 Bane of Progress
1 Steel Hellkite
1 Draining Whelk
1 Phyrexian Ingester
1 Gruul Ragebeast
1 Balefire Dragon
1 Terastodon
1 Kederekt Leviathan
1 Greater Gargadon
Buffs:
1 Xenagos, God of Revels
1 Homura, Human Ascendant
1 Archetype of Imagination
Draw & Card Advantage:
1 Temur Ascendancy
1 Eternal Witness
1 Den Protector
1 Slithermuse
1 Shaman of the Great Hunt
1 Temur Sabertooth
1 Species Gorger
1 Sturmgeist
1 Genesis
1 Flamerush Rider
1 Soul of the Harvest
1 Sphinx of Magosi
1 Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
1 Prime Speaker Zegana
1 Greenwarden of Murasa
1 Sphinx of Uthuun
1 Dack's Duplicate
1 Clever Impersonator
1 Progenitor Mimic
Tutors:
1 Sylvan Scrying
1 Imperial Recruiter
1 Birthing Pod
1 Realm Seekers
1 Woodland Bellower
Land Ramp:
1 Farhaven Elf
1 Wood Elves
1 Yavimaya Dryad
1 Burnished Hart
1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Seedguide Ash
1 Silverglade Elemental
Lands:
1 Command Tower
1 Taiga
1 Tropical Island
1 Volcanic Island
1 Breeding Pool
1 Steam Vents
1 Stomping Ground
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Cinder Glade
1 Hinterland Harbor
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Cascade Bluffs
1 Fire-Lit Thicket
1 Flooded Grove
1 Gruul Turf
1 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Simic Growth Chamber
1 Flamekin Village
1 Tolaria West
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Alchemist's Refuge
1 Arcane Lighthouse
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Strip Mine
1 High Market
1 Homeward Path
1 Hall of the Bandit Lord
5 Forest
2 Mountain
2 Island
Cards I am considering:
Profaner of the Dead - semi board wipe, sac outlet for Homura, Genesis and Seedguide Ash.
Fierce Empath - Decent creature tutor.
Mulldrifter - Good value.
Hoard-Smelter Dragon - Repeated removal, good rock eater, less severe then Hellkite Tyrant
Woodfall Primus - I like tones of removal.
Indrik Stomphowler - see above
Molder Slug - see above, nasty card in a low artifact list.
Diluvian Primordial - should be in.
Teferi, Mage of Zhafir - probably should be in.
The other debate I am having is putting in Lurking Predators and Flameshadow Conjuring. I have Birthing Pod in mostly because it saves my bacon so many times in tough to crack situations. I could cut for a equally versatile creature tutor to stay more on theme (same with any other non-creature card really).
I'm also eyeing Time of Need and putting a mini legendary creature theme. I'd want to include Ruric Thar, the Unbowed and possibly Myojin of Life's Web. Primal Command is just more versatile though except mana cost.
RW Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas
RW Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas
Elemental Bond is Temur Ascendancy Jr, so it could be useful.
Phyrexian Metamorph should probably be in here too.
Malignus is generally a pretty gigantic beatstick, and it can randomly one-shot people if Xenagos is on the board.
Also, Prophet of Kruphix?
RW Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas
Palinchron
Rancor
Malignus
I already said I wouldn't run Consecrated Sphinx and I can't see any reason to run the remaining three. Malignus is a dumb beater (a good one, but not on theme), Palinchron is a combo piece (not interested, I'd run Consecrated first), and why Rancor? More evasion I guess? I'm ok on evasion IMO.
RW Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas