This is one of my oldest decks that's still together and played. And it's one of the stronger of my decks, as it manages to start applying pressure to all opponents early usually maintains that pressure rather well.
I removed Sol Ring from any deck that had it for the reason that getting it early created a noticeable boost to rate-of-progress, but was otherwise not a useful card. My thinking is that I'd rather that slot be a more useful card and the deck's overall rate-of-progress be consistent rather than have that occasional bump from Sol Ring. And this deck ramps pretty well on lands, so I need to be more selective about manarocks.
For the moment this particular slot is still filled by a manarock. Gruul Signet was a consideration for colors, but I'm testing Honor-Worn Shaku. So far it hasn't been too hard to find a legendary permanent I can tap to get CC out of it (those times being Purphoros and a flipped Homura). It also provides a way to avoid attacking with Ruric Thar if they would be easily lost. As aggressive as the deck likes to be, there's probably room for Sword of the Animist to replace a ramp slot.
With the Legendary supertype being added to all planeswalkers soon, I hope the Shaku will become more popular.
Regarding other cards I was testing that I have thoughts on so far:
Mina and Denn, Wildborn - is in consideration for the commander slot with RT jumping into the 99.
Berserkers' Onslaught - It's alright, but I'm probably going to switch it to Rage Reflection or go back to Gratuitous Violence. Considering the number of creatures I have in here that do non-combat damage, it'll probably be the latter.
No cohesive thoughts yet on other cards from the 2017-01-28 change.
I decided to finally make a group of changes around lands, cards, and removal.
In lands, I'm going to try Ancient Tomb because it's active earlier than TofFG. I probably don't need more than one piece of LD, and I'd rather it be Strip Mine now instead of the nicerones. GQ can be handy against yourself in a landfall deck, but this isn't. I'm hoping Nykthos pulls its weight in ramp, and Deserted Temple is there to help it, possibly. Finally I went from 38 lands to 37, subbing one for Sword of Rampant Growth since this is an aggressive deck. If I used fetches and maybe Crucible I could possibly trim land count down a little further.
Putting Gratuitous Violence back in was an easy choice over Berserkers' Onslaught. I'd removed it before adding other cards that do noncombat damage to creatures and players and it's time to bring it back. Double strike would still be nice, though. Also decided to sub Shaku for Gruul Signet for the colors.
Outpost Siege's slot is still experimental. I've seen how it behaves with the deck, and now I want to see how Vizier of the Menagerie works. Asceticism tends to get blown up, so I'm subbing the more aggressive Xenagod.
Arlinn Kord didn't do enough and I usually only got a couple +1s out of Domri Rade. In the meantime I felt like I needed another piece of removal in Song of the Dryads, and hopefully Elemental Bond will be more productive than Domri.
I've got a Ruric deck and it is oddly competitive. Every nonland card is a creature so I don't Thar myself and in it's best game, between Clone, Phyrexian Metamorph, and Sculpting steel everyone had a RT! An allstar for me is Soul of New Phyrexia. It's expensive but makes board wipes less debilitating.
I've got a Ruric deck and it is oddly competitive. Every nonland card is a creature so I don't Thar myself and in it's best game, between Clone, Phyrexian Metamorph, and Sculpting steel everyone had a RT! An allstar for is Soul of New Phyrexia. It's expensive but makes board wipes less debilitating.
Good suggestion. My group doesn't run many board wipes, but if they start then that might be something I'd need to include (probably in Combustible Gearhulk's spot). It could also help in general for smashing face.
My main worry at the moment is edicteffects in someone's Meren deck, so I've also been somewhat considering finding a place for Tajuru Preserver, but hopefully the amount of removal I have and his habit of whittling opponents to death instead of closing out the game more promptly will help.
I'll be expanding the OP with my strategy and stuff, but I tend to cast Ruric Thar when I need them as disruption, so there are games where I just don't need them on the battlefield. I've done the nearly-all-creature style before and even tried running Primal Surge. I think having a more balanced mix of creatures vs non-creature support makes it run more smoothly, like a Gruul Good Stuff. The lifegain options help with RT's trigger and usually I don't mind taking 6-12 from them in a game if it's for something really important. So I might consider Heroic Intervention instead of Soul of New Phyrexia (though I really like that I can Pod Soul into something else and still have that effect at least once.
Edit:
As far as RT's disruption, I did once have a game where a player with a primarily blue deck ended up taking 30 damage in one turn trying to dig for an answer. He ended up at less than 5 life, I think. It was both glorious and confusing.
where is this deck now? i was on a very long break from EDH but i am getting back in now. Ruric holds a soft spot for me because i played him in Legacy Nicfit. I detest control/combo decks. im starting with a basic 99 creatures and Primal Surge, but i know i will branch out. i tend to focus on a single deck for a format so this will be an all in ordeal.
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Thanks to Heroes of the Plane Studios for the amazing sig!
where is this deck now? i was on a very long break from EDH but i am getting back in now. Ruric holds a soft spot for me because i played him in Legacy Nicfit. I detest control/combo decks. im starting with a basic 99 creatures and Primal Surge, but i know i will branch out. i tend to focus on a single deck for a format so this will be an all in ordeal.
Sorry for the late reply. I've been on a break from EDH, too, after a playgroup fell apart. I've only been checking my notifications here occasionally, as Elite: Dangerous has quite a bit of my attention right now.
I tried the Primal Surge version before with 40-50 creatures and some other enchantments and artifacts. I didn't like how that played because I either didn't have answers or I'd hit Surge and start putting my deck on the battlefield and that would be the end of the game. That and other lessons in managing the psychology of a game led me directly away from blowout "wins" like that for the most part, and the Surge win didn't even feel good because I didn't get to actually use all of the stuff I was putting out on the battlefield.
List is still the same, technically, but it was on the bench for a while before my hiatus began in favor of trying out other decks. So I also haven't considered or tested new cards from the past few sets. I might eventually catch up, but my Chainer thread would probably get attention first.
First, you have more than one opponent, and each is starting with 40 life, so there is a very good chance that someone can afford to take the damage, especially since one of them will probably find a particular card threatening. This becomes even more true for the few answers you have in the deck--who wouldn't trade 2 life to prevent you from drawing a Hull Breach when they have a powerful artifact or enchantment on the battlefield?
Additionally, it means you draw no land for the rest of the game.
There are much better ways to draw cards in Gruul:
Birthing Pod works a charm in this deck when it comes out. One of my favorites is to Pod Homura, Human Ascendant into Giant Adephage or Molten Primordial.
6 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
Creature (35)
2 Fauna Shaman
2 Scavenging Ooze
2 Tunnel Ignus
2 Vexing Shusher
2 Zhur-Taa Druid
3 Burning-Tree Shaman
3 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
3 Sin Prodder
3 Wood Elves
4 Anger
4 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
4 Ogre Battledriver
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Purphoros, God of the Forge
4 Solemn Simulacrum
4 Vizier of the Menagerie
5 Acidic Slime
5 Genesis
5 Sage of Ancient Lore
5 Wolfir Silverheart
5 Xenagos, God of Revels
5 Zealous Conscripts
6 Bane of Progress
6 Combustible Gearhulk
6 Homura, Human Ascendant
6 Inferno Titan
6 Steel Hellkite
7 Balefire Dragon
7 Dragonlord Atarka
7 Giant Adephage
7 Gruul Ragebeast
7 Knollspine Dragon
7 Molten Primordial
8 Stonehoof Chieftain
8 Terastodon
1 Crop Rotation
2 Magmaquake
3 Beast Within
3 Krosan Grip
4 Momentous Fall
Sorcery (10)
2 Hull Breach
2 Nature's Lore
3 Cultivate
3 Fade into Antiquity
3 Kodama's Reach
4 Aftershock
4 Skyshroud Claim
6 Rishkar's Expertise
6 Seasons Past
6 See the Unwritten
Artifact (6)
1 Basilisk Collar
2 Gruul Signet
2 Lightning Greaves
2 Sword of the Animist
3 Loxodon Warhammer
4 Birthing Pod
Enchantment (6)
3 Elemental Bond
3 Snake Umbra
3 Song of the Dryads
4 Flameshadow Conjuring
4 Pattern of Rebirth
5 Gratuitous Violence
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Arcane Lighthouse
1 Blighted Woodland
1 Cinder Glade
1 Command Tower
1 Deserted Temple
1 Fire-Lit Thicket
1 Homeward Path
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Stomping Ground
1 Strip Mine
1 Temple of Abandon
Land - Basics (24)
14 Forest
10 Mountain
Suggestions are always welcome.
Also, I have to give credit to shmahogenfogen's deck for the original framework, particularly the curve for Pod.
3 Eternal Witness
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
4 Mondronen Shaman
4 Ondu Giant
6 Wurmcoil Engine
7 Tooth and Nail
4 Burning Earth
6 Garruk, Caller of Beasts
5 Gratuitous Violence
9 Blasphemous Act
4 Ghor-Clan Rampager
1 Reflecting Pool
6 Seasons Past
4 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
4 Purphoros, God of the Forge
4 Solemn Simulacrum
6 Combustible Gearhulk
6 See the Unwritten
4 Outpost Siege
6 Rishkar's Expertise
5 Berserkers' Onslaught
8 Stonehoof Chieftain
4 Pattern of Rebirth
1 Fire-Lit Thicket
Playing catchup on changes.
1 Sol Ring
1 Honor-Worn Shaku
0 Tectonic Edge
0 Temple of the False God
0 Ghost Quarter
0 Temple of Abandon
0 Karplusan Forest
5 Berserkers' Onslaught
3 Honor-Worn Shaku
4 Outpost Siege
5 Asceticism
4 Arlinn Kord
3 Domri Rade
4 Defense of the Heart
0 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
0 Ancient Tomb
0 Strip Mine
0 Deserted Temple
2 Sword of the Animist
5 Gratuitous Violence
2 Gruul Signet
4 Vizier of the Menagerie
5 Xenagos, God of Revels
3 Song of the Dryads
3 Elemental Bond
2 Scavenging Ooze
old thread
old thread
old thread
R Zada Arcane Storm
RBU Marchesa
GWU Estrid
GWR Samut?
URB Kess
(R/W)(U/B) Akiri & Silas
BWR Alesha
R Neheb Dragons
G Nylea Wurms
W Darien
U Tetsuko
1 Sol Ring
3 Honor-Worn Shaku
For the moment this particular slot is still filled by a manarock. Gruul Signet was a consideration for colors, but I'm testing Honor-Worn Shaku. So far it hasn't been too hard to find a legendary permanent I can tap to get CC out of it (those times being Purphoros and a flipped Homura). It also provides a way to avoid attacking with Ruric Thar if they would be easily lost. As aggressive as the deck likes to be, there's probably room for Sword of the Animist to replace a ramp slot.
With the Legendary supertype being added to all planeswalkers soon, I hope the Shaku will become more popular.
Regarding other cards I was testing that I have thoughts on so far:
old thread
old thread
old thread
R Zada Arcane Storm
RBU Marchesa
GWU Estrid
GWR Samut?
URB Kess
(R/W)(U/B) Akiri & Silas
BWR Alesha
R Neheb Dragons
G Nylea Wurms
W Darien
U Tetsuko
0 Tectonic Edge
0 Temple of the False God
0 Ghost Quarter
0 Temple of Abandon
0 Karplusan Forest
5 Berserkers' Onslaught
3 Honor-Worn Shaku
4 Outpost Siege
5 Asceticism
4 Arlinn Kord
3 Domri Rade
4 Defense of the Heart
0 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
0 Ancient Tomb
0 Strip Mine
0 Deserted Temple
2 Sword of the Animist
5 Gratuitous Violence
2 Gruul Signet
4 Vizier of the Menagerie
5 Xenagos, God of Revels
3 Song of the Dryads
3 Elemental Bond
2 Scavenging Ooze
In lands, I'm going to try Ancient Tomb because it's active earlier than TofFG. I probably don't need more than one piece of LD, and I'd rather it be Strip Mine now instead of the nicer ones. GQ can be handy against yourself in a landfall deck, but this isn't. I'm hoping Nykthos pulls its weight in ramp, and Deserted Temple is there to help it, possibly. Finally I went from 38 lands to 37, subbing one for Sword of Rampant Growth since this is an aggressive deck. If I used fetches and maybe Crucible I could possibly trim land count down a little further.
Putting Gratuitous Violence back in was an easy choice over Berserkers' Onslaught. I'd removed it before adding other cards that do noncombat damage to creatures and players and it's time to bring it back. Double strike would still be nice, though. Also decided to sub Shaku for Gruul Signet for the colors.
Outpost Siege's slot is still experimental. I've seen how it behaves with the deck, and now I want to see how Vizier of the Menagerie works. Asceticism tends to get blown up, so I'm subbing the more aggressive Xenagod.
Arlinn Kord didn't do enough and I usually only got a couple +1s out of Domri Rade. In the meantime I felt like I needed another piece of removal in Song of the Dryads, and hopefully Elemental Bond will be more productive than Domri.
Defense of the Heart works well (and is fun), usually, but I did need some graveyard removal in here, so Scavenging Ooze it is for now.
Under consideration for future testing: Akroma's Memorial, Nature's Claim or Decimate, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds. I may also have too many card draw pieces. While there are now no planeswalkers in the deck, I'll likely add one again sometime and it'll likely be Nissa, Vital Force.
old thread
old thread
old thread
R Zada Arcane Storm
RBU Marchesa
GWU Estrid
GWR Samut?
URB Kess
(R/W)(U/B) Akiri & Silas
BWR Alesha
R Neheb Dragons
G Nylea Wurms
W Darien
U Tetsuko
My main worry at the moment is edict effects in someone's Meren deck, so I've also been somewhat considering finding a place for Tajuru Preserver, but hopefully the amount of removal I have and his habit of whittling opponents to death instead of closing out the game more promptly will help.
I'll be expanding the OP with my strategy and stuff, but I tend to cast Ruric Thar when I need them as disruption, so there are games where I just don't need them on the battlefield. I've done the nearly-all-creature style before and even tried running Primal Surge. I think having a more balanced mix of creatures vs non-creature support makes it run more smoothly, like a Gruul Good Stuff. The lifegain options help with RT's trigger and usually I don't mind taking 6-12 from them in a game if it's for something really important. So I might consider Heroic Intervention instead of Soul of New Phyrexia (though I really like that I can Pod Soul into something else and still have that effect at least once.
Edit:
As far as RT's disruption, I did once have a game where a player with a primarily blue deck ended up taking 30 damage in one turn trying to dig for an answer. He ended up at less than 5 life, I think. It was both glorious and confusing.
old thread
old thread
old thread
R Zada Arcane Storm
RBU Marchesa
GWU Estrid
GWR Samut?
URB Kess
(R/W)(U/B) Akiri & Silas
BWR Alesha
R Neheb Dragons
G Nylea Wurms
W Darien
U Tetsuko
Thanks to Heroes of the Plane Studios for the amazing sig!
I tried the Primal Surge version before with 40-50 creatures and some other enchantments and artifacts. I didn't like how that played because I either didn't have answers or I'd hit Surge and start putting my deck on the battlefield and that would be the end of the game. That and other lessons in managing the psychology of a game led me directly away from blowout "wins" like that for the most part, and the Surge win didn't even feel good because I didn't get to actually use all of the stuff I was putting out on the battlefield.
List is still the same, technically, but it was on the bench for a while before my hiatus began in favor of trying out other decks. So I also haven't considered or tested new cards from the past few sets. I might eventually catch up, but my Chainer thread would probably get attention first.
old thread
old thread
old thread
R Zada Arcane Storm
RBU Marchesa
GWU Estrid
GWR Samut?
URB Kess
(R/W)(U/B) Akiri & Silas
BWR Alesha
R Neheb Dragons
G Nylea Wurms
W Darien
U Tetsuko
First, you have more than one opponent, and each is starting with 40 life, so there is a very good chance that someone can afford to take the damage, especially since one of them will probably find a particular card threatening. This becomes even more true for the few answers you have in the deck--who wouldn't trade 2 life to prevent you from drawing a Hull Breach when they have a powerful artifact or enchantment on the battlefield?
Additionally, it means you draw no land for the rest of the game.
There are much better ways to draw cards in Gruul:
- Soul of the Harvest
- Primordial Sage
- Garruk's Packleader
- Triumph of Ferocity
- Sylvan Library
- Abundance
- Cream of the Crop
- Harmonize
- Primitive Etchings
- Rowen
- Slate of Ancestry
+ several planeswalkers.