In general I really like what you've built and will be making a lot of adjustments to my own build. Thank you again! I hope some of my comments were also helpful.
Thanks a lot, Upkeep, and thanks for all the suggestions. Definitely some food for thought. And btw - do you still play your Tatyova, Benthic Druid deck?
I haven't played with Tatyova in a while! There are some really cool additions to the deck that have come up recently, so I will have to go back to it and make some changes. It's a really awesome deck!
One thing I forgot to mention: I always play a copy of Celestial Flare in all my White PDH decks. This is the only card that can get rid of a hexproof general in our colours, as far as I know. Ascended Lawmage and Nightveil Predator are going to be very powerful opposing decks that GW decks won't have many answers to.
I made a few changes to my list based on yours. I still really want to put in Gossamer Chains into the deck (Pauper Maze of Ith that draws cards? Yes.). Benefaction of Rhonas I will eventually find room for as well, but I'm less inclined to include it.
Thanks so much for taking the time to post your list! It's so nice to have someone to compare with and talk about choices.
I do have a few suggestions:
I see you aren't running Conviction. That card is such an engine when combined with our commander and is the reason we can draw so many cards over the course of the game. You are playing a few of the other cards like it, but Conviction also pumps power and especially tougness, making it invaluable, in my opinion. I think I would cut Sun Clasp for it, since Clasp bounces the creature which is much worse.
I don't think I would play Afterlife over another enchantment removal spell. It doesn't interact with your commander, is expensive and even leaves the opponent with a flyer. Destroying a Commander also means that they can just recast it again, instead of it sitting on the battlefield, potentially useless. Suppression Bonds is still well worth the 4 mana, in my opinion. The only advantage Afterlife gets is being instant speed.
You have an impressive suite of protection spells. That being said, I think I would play Emerge Unscathed over Ranger's Guile. Colour protection is usually more valuable than hexproof because it does pretty much the same stuff and more. Emerge lets you save your creature and then get in for an unblockable attack on your turn. Or just two turns of unblockable attacks. I think it's well worth the trade for +1/+1. Dawn Charm is also a card I'm very fond of now. It's a Fog, a Protection spell and counters things like Chainer's Edicts or a deadly Rolling Thunder. I think it's definitely worth a spot over something like Ajani's Presence.
In terms of Pump spells, we run pretty much the same gamut, but I see you're not playing Predatory Hunger or Moldervine Cloak. The former is great in multiplayer and lets the creature keep the counters even if the aura is bounced/destroyed. The latter is guarantees you a decently big pump spell (and incidentally card draw) if ever you end up stalled out.
Other than that, I think some of your cards might be better served as a handful of hexproof creatures. Something like Fists of Ironwood is generally inefficient with your game plan and could instead be a naturally evasive Silhana Ledgewalker. Sumala Woodshaper is severely outclassed by so many of your other digging spells that I feel it would be better served as a Primal Huntbeast, who's beefy body makes him resilient to mass removal to begin with and makes him an ideal target for stacking auras.
In general I really like what you've built and will be making a lot of adjustments to my own build. Thank you again! I hope some of my comments were also helpful.
Thanks for the input, rogerandover. I appreciated it a lot! Would you be so kind as to take the time to put up your own list here? I would really like to compare with what you came up with!
I originally wanted to build a lot like you with tons of auras, but as I did my research I found less and less worthwhile enchantments to play. This prompted me to switch into using hexproof creatures. I have yet to test it out and tell you how it goes. My missing cards are still in the mail!
Do you think that the auras you play are all worth their weight over something like Silhana Ledgewalker? Are there any offensive auras that I am missing that you would recommend I add? I am still unsure if I have too many hexproof creatures and should be running more auras instead.
I am running quite a few protection spells, but have found that the best ones are the ones you can play on turns 1 or 2 to allow you to play your commander on turn 3 with protection. Benevolent Bodyguard, Standard Bearer and Angelic Renewel are the key protection spells to have, I think.
I would certainly like to play all the enchantment-digging spells, but had difficulty justifying them because of the lower number of enchantments I run, as you mentioned. Do you also play Vessel of Nascency? I suppose I could also play Commune with the Gods and Benefaction of Ronaswithout having to worry about wiffing. Are these cards that important that you would play them even on top of your commanders' card draw ability? I found that when playing Mesa Enchantress that my hand was quite full, though I did sandbag a lot of Pacifisms. I'm mostly wondering if it would be overkill.
Good point on Lignify. That will definitely make the cut over another Pacifism!
Vines is definitely something I want to run, but I also want to prioritize cards that give protection, as this also gives my creature unblockability. the pump might matter too, though. I'll see what I can do.
I'm not sure what I could cut for the snakes, though. I agree they're really good. Should I be cutting some of the more fringe Hexproof creatures, or maybe something else than a creature? Maybe Bramble Elemental is too cute.
So this is me trying to turn my Mesa Enchantress deck into a Selesnya version. The card quality should improve massively by adding green, and probably means that the game plan will be much more proactive rather than durdling with infinite Pacifism effects like before. Not to mention we get to include all the Hexproof creatures except Slippery Bogle into our deck.
I haven't played with Tatyova in a while! There are some really cool additions to the deck that have come up recently, so I will have to go back to it and make some changes. It's a really awesome deck!
One thing I forgot to mention: I always play a copy of Celestial Flare in all my White PDH decks. This is the only card that can get rid of a hexproof general in our colours, as far as I know. Ascended Lawmage and Nightveil Predator are going to be very powerful opposing decks that GW decks won't have many answers to.
I made a few changes to my list based on yours. I still really want to put in Gossamer Chains into the deck (Pauper Maze of Ith that draws cards? Yes.). Benefaction of Rhonas I will eventually find room for as well, but I'm less inclined to include it.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
I do have a few suggestions:
I see you aren't running Conviction. That card is such an engine when combined with our commander and is the reason we can draw so many cards over the course of the game. You are playing a few of the other cards like it, but Conviction also pumps power and especially tougness, making it invaluable, in my opinion. I think I would cut Sun Clasp for it, since Clasp bounces the creature which is much worse.
I don't think I would play Afterlife over another enchantment removal spell. It doesn't interact with your commander, is expensive and even leaves the opponent with a flyer. Destroying a Commander also means that they can just recast it again, instead of it sitting on the battlefield, potentially useless. Suppression Bonds is still well worth the 4 mana, in my opinion. The only advantage Afterlife gets is being instant speed.
You have an impressive suite of protection spells. That being said, I think I would play Emerge Unscathed over Ranger's Guile. Colour protection is usually more valuable than hexproof because it does pretty much the same stuff and more. Emerge lets you save your creature and then get in for an unblockable attack on your turn. Or just two turns of unblockable attacks. I think it's well worth the trade for +1/+1. Dawn Charm is also a card I'm very fond of now. It's a Fog, a Protection spell and counters things like Chainer's Edicts or a deadly Rolling Thunder. I think it's definitely worth a spot over something like Ajani's Presence.
In terms of Pump spells, we run pretty much the same gamut, but I see you're not playing Predatory Hunger or Moldervine Cloak. The former is great in multiplayer and lets the creature keep the counters even if the aura is bounced/destroyed. The latter is guarantees you a decently big pump spell (and incidentally card draw) if ever you end up stalled out.
Other than that, I think some of your cards might be better served as a handful of hexproof creatures. Something like Fists of Ironwood is generally inefficient with your game plan and could instead be a naturally evasive Silhana Ledgewalker. Sumala Woodshaper is severely outclassed by so many of your other digging spells that I feel it would be better served as a Primal Huntbeast, who's beefy body makes him resilient to mass removal to begin with and makes him an ideal target for stacking auras.
In general I really like what you've built and will be making a lot of adjustments to my own build. Thank you again! I hope some of my comments were also helpful.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
I originally wanted to build a lot like you with tons of auras, but as I did my research I found less and less worthwhile enchantments to play. This prompted me to switch into using hexproof creatures. I have yet to test it out and tell you how it goes. My missing cards are still in the mail!
Do you think that the auras you play are all worth their weight over something like Silhana Ledgewalker? Are there any offensive auras that I am missing that you would recommend I add? I am still unsure if I have too many hexproof creatures and should be running more auras instead.
I am running quite a few protection spells, but have found that the best ones are the ones you can play on turns 1 or 2 to allow you to play your commander on turn 3 with protection. Benevolent Bodyguard, Standard Bearer and Angelic Renewel are the key protection spells to have, I think.
I would certainly like to play all the enchantment-digging spells, but had difficulty justifying them because of the lower number of enchantments I run, as you mentioned. Do you also play Vessel of Nascency? I suppose I could also play Commune with the Gods and Benefaction of Ronaswithout having to worry about wiffing. Are these cards that important that you would play them even on top of your commanders' card draw ability? I found that when playing Mesa Enchantress that my hand was quite full, though I did sandbag a lot of Pacifisms. I'm mostly wondering if it would be overkill.
Good point on Lignify. That will definitely make the cut over another Pacifism!
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
I forgot to include Primal Huntbeast! Thanks for that catch. The card is definitely on my radar and was a simple omission on my part.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
How good is Humbler of Mortals? 6 seems like a lot to pay.
Lotus-Eye Mystics can take the place of one of my other three cards that do the same thing. This guy's got a bigger body and Prowess.
Yavimaya Enchantress will be perfect in this deck as another Aura Gnarlid-type creature.
Broken Fall is some sweet tech. It will definitely take the place of Gossamer Chains.
Vines is definitely something I want to run, but I also want to prioritize cards that give protection, as this also gives my creature unblockability. the pump might matter too, though. I'll see what I can do.
Qasali Pridemage seems like a great upgrade to Kor Sanctifiers.
I'm not sure what I could cut for the snakes, though. I agree they're really good. Should I be cutting some of the more fringe Hexproof creatures, or maybe something else than a creature? Maybe Bramble Elemental is too cute.
EDIT: I don't really need Thought Vessel anymore. I'll swap it out for River Boa.
EDIT2: Derp! I forgot I left off at 98 cards! I have room for everything.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
1 Satyr Enchanter
Creatures (12)
1 Gladecover Scout
1 Silhana Ledgewalker
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Mire Boa
1 Sacred Wolf
1 Aura Gnarlid
1 Yavimaya Enchantress
1 Primal Huntbeast
1 Conifer Strider
1 Jade Guardian
1 Cenn's Enlistment
1 Rubbleback Rhino
Card Advantage/ Tutors/ Recursion (7)
1 Vessel of Nascency
1 Heliod's Pilgrim
1 Monk Idealist
1 Ironclad Slayer
1 Lotus-Eye Mystics
1 Custodi Squire
1 Totem-Guide Hartebeest
Ramp (6)
1 Abundant Growth
1 Utopia Sprawl
1 Wild Growth
1 Arbor Elf
1 Avacyn's Pilgrim
1 New Horizons
1 Temporal Isolation
1 Lignify
1 Pacifism
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Celestial Flare
1 Seal of Cleansing
1 Seal of Primordium
1 Arrest
1 Cage of Hands
1 Recumbent Bliss
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Faith's Fetters
1 Suppression Bonds
Pump (15)
1 Hyena Umbra
1 Spider Umbra
1 Rancor
1 Predatory Hunger
1 Ethereal Armor
1 Conviction
1 Moldervine Cloak
1 Elephant Guide
1 Cartouche of Strength
1 Shield of the Oversoul
1 Armadillo Cloak
1 Empyrial Armor
1 Ancestral Mask
1 Snake Umbra
Protection (11)
1 Emerge Unscathed
1 Vines of Vastwood
1 Benevolent Bodyguard
1 Standard Bearer
1 Apostle's Blessing
1 Dawn Charm
1 Cho-Manno's Blessing
1 Ward of Lights
1 Angelic Renewal
1 Broken Fall
1 Pentarch Ward
Lands (36)
1 Blossoming Sands
1 Selesnya Guildgate
1 Selesnya Sanctuary
1 Tranquil Expanse
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Ash Barrens
1 Command Tower
1 Opal Palace
9 Plains
1 Secluded Steppe
1 Drifting Meadow
14 Forest
1 Tranquil Thicket
1 Slippery Karst
Other cards to consider: Gossamer Chains, Commune With the Gods, Benefaction of Rhonas.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio