I haven't played at any game stores against people just in our group of 7 people, and this deck has won 9/10 times. Would love some input on how it would do against more competitive people. I don't go to the game stores and play because I don't have the time. Other priorities taking that up. In the meantime though i want to tweak the deck to make it competitive, so when i can make it it will be ok. I have trouble keeping up with the +1/+1 counters in this deck.
What is your goal and is there anything you are staying away from? Are you fin with a bunch of infinite combos or do you have a budget?
I think the biggest exclusion is Doubling Season. It works with a lot of cards you already have and works for basically every ability of your general. And, it plus Ashnod's Altar is "infinite". Phyrexian Altar would also let you go infinite and both work well with Altar of the Brood as a wincon.
You do seem to be very light on lands. And you have very little ramp (Cultivate, Fertilid, Awakening Zone, Chromatic Lantern, and Altar are all I see). 34 lands just seems like too little.
Impervious Greatwurm seems decent, but with no built in evasion, it seems like it would get chumped a lot. Have you thought of maybe adding Nylea, God of the Hunt? I see you already have Brawn so that helps. Filth is also good here too, especially with your Urborg. Maybe add in Crop Rotation to ensure you can get to your Urborg (or any other utility lands) when you need them. I like Ulvenwald Hydra for this as well, though it is higher on the curve.
I don't like Diabolic Revelation due to the high cost. Demonic Tutor would be better here and even Diabolic Intent could be reasonable since you should (hopefully) at least have 1 token to sac. Granted it won't get you more than 1 card but 2 mana compared to 6 for one card is a better deal. I actually like Increasing Ambition over Revelation since the initial cost for 1 card is cheaper and the cost for 2 is the same, but you get to cast it earlier to get a potentially important card first. Maybe you have a need to get 3 or more cards from your library?
Mindcrank seems like an odd inclusion. Is there a specific combo you have with this here that I didn't see? Incremental mill is unlikely to do a lot in most cases.
Mind Slash can be synergistic with your list, but I think Sadistic Hypnotist would be much better. You could run both of course, but if you want the effect, Hypnotist seems like a better deal.
Scouting Trek is a card I really don't like. It forces you to only draw lands for a given amount of time so it seems unlikely to give you a lot lands. Maybe it is necessary to make 34 lands work? And late game it is more likely to be a dead card since you are wanting to draw threats/answers over drawing more land. I would lean towards Abundance in this slot.
Overall, there might be a few more "questionable" cards but, for the most part, the rest seem like they can get the job done for what you are trying to accomplish.
Doubling season I actually left out for a reason. It sounds lazy but with this deck i literally do not have the knowledge to be able to keep up with the amount of tokens i make or +1/+1 counters. I have tried paper, I have all the dice in the world and other things but it gets out of control. I love the card though and still might think about putting it in there. Phyrexian altar i just need to buck up and buy it. It was a money thing but it is worth it.
Yes you are right the deck is light on lands. The matches that i have played oddly enough there hasn't been a problem with mana. So starting with the ones you listed Cultivate, Fertilid (his +1/+1 counters usually get high), Awakening zone, Chromatic lantern, Ashnod's altar besides that there is also, From beyond, Riftstone Portal (with the tutors i use it gets discarded), Growing rites of itlimoc, Nissa's PilGrimage, Cryptolithe rite, Im sure even i missed some. I'll also skip to the Scouting trek and where i was going with it, which there might be better i can understand why you don't like it. You are right about being forced to draw nothing but land. One last mention probably not the best though is Mycosynth Lattice its good and bad. Bad for other people since aura shards is in the deck ha Also thank you for mentioning Crop rotation may give that one some good thought. You are right
Scouting Trek + Animist's Awakening This is a combo that i usually tutor for which may or may not be a good idea, but it has seen gameplay. One idea is also having Huatli, Radiant Champion out or other draw cards so if the combo couldn't be pieced together then i could draw the lands out fast since i do have the ability to make a few tokens. Just the direction the deck goes whether it's good or not, well thats another question ha.
Impervious greatwurm... I just love the card period ha. I do have the mentioned cards for evasion but you are right he will get chump blocked a lot. I do have Blade of selves and helm of the host I wanted to combo with him to just clear the field. You may block one but when a few more make it to the party, It's like having a bunch of rednecks drunk destroying everything. It can be removed but the times i have used him he made somewhat of a difference, but never game ending. I do happen to have Nylea, God of the Hunt it is in my wurm deck atm. I could try swapping it. Some strategies also include tutoring for the pieces i need and tossing Brawn, and Filth in the graveyard. Most people don't notice i do that until the attack. That is why some of the tutors were chose instead of the more expensive but good ones. If that makes sense.
Diabolic Revelation definitely high cost i agree. If theres enough mana i tutor for it, throwing Brawn, Filth, Valor, or Riftstone portal in the graveyard then pay for the pieces needed. Which i'm guessing is not the best strategy it's still expensive like you said. I like it because it was a mana dump to me with an open amount.
Mindcrank yes it really is odd. The intention was to make tokens Altar of the brood activates, I attack tokens do damage Mindcrank activates, I then sac the ones that would die and do no damage Altar of Dementia activates.... Oh the dreams we dream
I hope that answers your question as to where the said cards were headed. As for where the deck is headed, well its like the people that confuse the hell out of you, but still manage to get the job done. I don't have a specific direction except make tokens. It's a token deck that wants to be a mill deck that wants to be a control deck, that wants to be a +1/+1 counter deck. That actually has done all the above and won games, probably because there is not an obvious pattern. I'd love to hear the other questionable cards, and your thoughts on the reasons for the cards above mentioned.
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I haven't played at any game stores against people just in our group of 7 people, and this deck has won 9/10 times. Would love some input on how it would do against more competitive people. I don't go to the game stores and play because I don't have the time. Other priorities taking that up. In the meantime though i want to tweak the deck to make it competitive, so when i can make it it will be ok. I have trouble keeping up with the +1/+1 counters in this deck.
Commander Ghave, Guru of Spores
1 Ghave, Guru of Spores
Creature
1 Fertilid
1 Mikaeus, the Lunarch
1 Kalonian Hydra
1 Filth
1 Valor
1 Creakwood Liege
1 Bloodspore Thrinax
1 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
1 Tendershoot Dryad
1 Brawn
1 Sporemound
1 Mycoloth
1 Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
1 Corpsejack Menace
1 Verdant Force
1 Impervious Greatwurm
Enchantment
1 Night Soil
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
1 Fecundity
1 Mind Slash
1 Life and Limb
1 Grave Pact
1 Beastmaster Ascension
1 Aura Shards
1 Parallel Lives
1 Awakening Zone
1 Grave Betrayal
1 Gift of Immortality
1 Dictate of Erebos
1 Evolutionary Leap
1 From Beyond
1 Vampiric Rites
1 Cryptolith Rite
1 Sandwurm Convergence
1 Growing Rites of Itlimoc
1 Cathars' Crusade
1 Divine Visitation
8 Swamp
9 Forest
1 Riftstone Portal
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Reliquary Tower
8 Plains
1 Gavony Township
1 Vault of the Archangel
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Cabal Stronghold
1 Temple Garden
Artifact
1 Altar of Dementia
1 Mycosynth Lattice
1 Skullclamp
1 Altar of the Brood
1 Blade of Selves
1 Eldrazi Monument
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Planar Bridge
1 Mindcrank
1 Helm of the Host
1 Chromatic Lantern
Instant
1 Chord of Calling
1 Eerie Interlude
1 Aura Mutation
1 Scouting Trek
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Parallel Evolution
1 Praetor's Grasp
1 Harmonize
1 Cultivate
1 Diabolic Revelation
1 Fungal Sprouting
1 Jarad's Orders
1 Nissa's Pilgrimage
1 Animist's Awakening
1 Regrowth
1 Final Parting
Planeswalker
1 Huatli, Radiant Champion
I think the biggest exclusion is Doubling Season. It works with a lot of cards you already have and works for basically every ability of your general. And, it plus Ashnod's Altar is "infinite". Phyrexian Altar would also let you go infinite and both work well with Altar of the Brood as a wincon.
You do seem to be very light on lands. And you have very little ramp (Cultivate, Fertilid, Awakening Zone, Chromatic Lantern, and Altar are all I see). 34 lands just seems like too little.
Impervious Greatwurm seems decent, but with no built in evasion, it seems like it would get chumped a lot. Have you thought of maybe adding Nylea, God of the Hunt? I see you already have Brawn so that helps. Filth is also good here too, especially with your Urborg. Maybe add in Crop Rotation to ensure you can get to your Urborg (or any other utility lands) when you need them. I like Ulvenwald Hydra for this as well, though it is higher on the curve.
I don't like Diabolic Revelation due to the high cost. Demonic Tutor would be better here and even Diabolic Intent could be reasonable since you should (hopefully) at least have 1 token to sac. Granted it won't get you more than 1 card but 2 mana compared to 6 for one card is a better deal. I actually like Increasing Ambition over Revelation since the initial cost for 1 card is cheaper and the cost for 2 is the same, but you get to cast it earlier to get a potentially important card first. Maybe you have a need to get 3 or more cards from your library?
Mindcrank seems like an odd inclusion. Is there a specific combo you have with this here that I didn't see? Incremental mill is unlikely to do a lot in most cases.
Mind Slash can be synergistic with your list, but I think Sadistic Hypnotist would be much better. You could run both of course, but if you want the effect, Hypnotist seems like a better deal.
Scouting Trek is a card I really don't like. It forces you to only draw lands for a given amount of time so it seems unlikely to give you a lot lands. Maybe it is necessary to make 34 lands work? And late game it is more likely to be a dead card since you are wanting to draw threats/answers over drawing more land. I would lean towards Abundance in this slot.
Overall, there might be a few more "questionable" cards but, for the most part, the rest seem like they can get the job done for what you are trying to accomplish.
Yes you are right the deck is light on lands. The matches that i have played oddly enough there hasn't been a problem with mana. So starting with the ones you listed Cultivate, Fertilid (his +1/+1 counters usually get high), Awakening zone, Chromatic lantern, Ashnod's altar besides that there is also, From beyond, Riftstone Portal (with the tutors i use it gets discarded), Growing rites of itlimoc, Nissa's PilGrimage, Cryptolithe rite, Im sure even i missed some. I'll also skip to the Scouting trek and where i was going with it, which there might be better i can understand why you don't like it. You are right about being forced to draw nothing but land. One last mention probably not the best though is Mycosynth Lattice its good and bad. Bad for other people since aura shards is in the deck ha Also thank you for mentioning Crop rotation may give that one some good thought. You are right
Scouting Trek + Animist's Awakening This is a combo that i usually tutor for which may or may not be a good idea, but it has seen gameplay. One idea is also having Huatli, Radiant Champion out or other draw cards so if the combo couldn't be pieced together then i could draw the lands out fast since i do have the ability to make a few tokens. Just the direction the deck goes whether it's good or not, well thats another question ha.
Impervious greatwurm... I just love the card period ha. I do have the mentioned cards for evasion but you are right he will get chump blocked a lot. I do have Blade of selves and helm of the host I wanted to combo with him to just clear the field. You may block one but when a few more make it to the party, It's like having a bunch of rednecks drunk destroying everything. It can be removed but the times i have used him he made somewhat of a difference, but never game ending. I do happen to have Nylea, God of the Hunt it is in my wurm deck atm. I could try swapping it. Some strategies also include tutoring for the pieces i need and tossing Brawn, and Filth in the graveyard. Most people don't notice i do that until the attack. That is why some of the tutors were chose instead of the more expensive but good ones. If that makes sense.
Diabolic Revelation definitely high cost i agree. If theres enough mana i tutor for it, throwing Brawn, Filth, Valor, or Riftstone portal in the graveyard then pay for the pieces needed. Which i'm guessing is not the best strategy it's still expensive like you said. I like it because it was a mana dump to me with an open amount.
Mindcrank yes it really is odd. The intention was to make tokens Altar of the brood activates, I attack tokens do damage Mindcrank activates, I then sac the ones that would die and do no damage Altar of Dementia activates.... Oh the dreams we dream
Mind Slash I agree Sadistic Hypnotist does look more interesting. Instant not just sorcery speed and two cards.
I hope that answers your question as to where the said cards were headed. As for where the deck is headed, well its like the people that confuse the hell out of you, but still manage to get the job done. I don't have a specific direction except make tokens. It's a token deck that wants to be a mill deck that wants to be a control deck, that wants to be a +1/+1 counter deck. That actually has done all the above and won games, probably because there is not an obvious pattern. I'd love to hear the other questionable cards, and your thoughts on the reasons for the cards above mentioned.