Hi, I have a snake deck that used to work very well since I had 4 Gaea's Cradle in the deck. However, they were collector's edition, so not legal, and some members of my playgroup really doesnt like that so, after a while, I eventually realized that I never play the deck anymore.
Hoping to play it more often, I removed the Gaea's Cradle. However, the deck is now very weak and I realize that it was relying heavily on the Cradles to work. I would like suggestions on how to give this deck a second life:
Fecundity is my safety against Wrath of God, it allows me to draw cards when I sacrifice Sakura-Tribe Elder and my 1/1 snakes usually die when blocking or attacking without killing my opponent's creature, which allows me to draw but doesnt allow my opponent to draw.
When I had the 4 Gaea's Cradle in the deck, losing some snakes wasnt an issue since I would generate so much mana that these snakes would be easily replaced. Now, it is different..I have to find a way to accelerate things. Adding Growing Rites of Itlimoc could help...but your suggestion about Simic Growth Chamber gave me an idea....I think I will add 4 Burgeoning and 4 Simic Growth Chamber to generate mana faster. This should help a lot since I always have 2-4 opponents.
With 3 opponents, it would mean 3 extra lands per turn (assuming they all play a land). Sakura-Tribe Scout is limited to 1 land and is more vulnerable than Burgeoning.
I might try it anyway...since I have a spare playset of Burgeoning but I wanted to build a beast deck around it (4 Rampaging Baloths, 2 Steely Resolve, 4 Ravenous Baloth, that kind of deck...) and I dont want to go get another playset.
I am tempted by Kindred Discovery but I feel that I could kill myself by excess drawing with that card.
What is your thoughts on it ?
Very good in tribal decks, especially ones with cards like Sosuke's Summons. Scales wildly out of control as the game progresses. You should definitely be playing 1-2 copies in this style of deck.
It's equally important to stress that Burgeoning should change how you build your deck. The card is great but if you jam it on turn 1, put 2-3 lands into play and then never draw an extra card you're not maximizing its effectiveness. You want more burst/consistent draw spells and engines like Mystic Remora and Windfall to fuel it. After all, turn 1 Burgeoning turn 2 Windfall is bonkers because no one else had done more than play 1-2 lands (so the draw 7 is night useless) whereas you'll have 6-8 lands in play and a full grip of cards. Think of it like a Gaea's Cradle in that sense. Also, it should be obvious but Burgeoning + Windfalls + Sosuke's Summons is disgusting synergy since once you can bin 1-2 of them all of your creatures represent 5+ threats and you'll have the mana to cast everything.
Discovery is solid too but you don't really want 4 of them or anything. It doesn't play nearly as well with Burgeoning openers. 2ish is where you want to be.
Hoping to play it more often, I removed the Gaea's Cradle. However, the deck is now very weak and I realize that it was relying heavily on the Cradles to work. I would like suggestions on how to give this deck a second life:
4 Coiling Oracle
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
4 Patagia Viper
2 Seshiro, the Anointed
Artifacts (4)
1 Sol Ring
1 Eldrazi Monument
2 Coat of Arms
Enchantments (7)
1 Mystic Remora
2 Steely Resolve
4 Fecundity
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
Spells (13)
2 Gleeful Sabotage
3 Sosuke's Summons
2 Beast Within
1 Stroke of Genius
2 Rite of Replication
1 Time Spiral
1 Time Stretch
1 Expropriate
7 Forest
4 Island
4 Flooded Grove
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Yavimaya Hollow
Some cards were obviously there to abuse the mana given by the Cradles or in synergy with the cradles (Rite of Replication, Time Spiral (Card draw + Cradle untap), Stroke of Genius, Time Stretch, Expropriate, Garruk Wildspeaker (Cradle untap)) and probably need to be replaced.
Let me know if you have any suggestion.
Thanks,
Kain
Maybe drop those four and add four Simic Growth Chamber?
Time Stretch and Stroke of Genius can probably go.
In favor of early game threats or card draw?
I’d keep Garruk, he’s gas and ender.
You might drop Expro for Growing Rites of Itlimoc.
My meta: 3 or 4 player free for all, anything goes but boring games or broken decks cause a vote to end that game.
When I had the 4 Gaea's Cradle in the deck, losing some snakes wasnt an issue since I would generate so much mana that these snakes would be easily replaced. Now, it is different..I have to find a way to accelerate things. Adding Growing Rites of Itlimoc could help...but your suggestion about Simic Growth Chamber gave me an idea....I think I will add 4 Burgeoning and 4 Simic Growth Chamber to generate mana faster. This should help a lot since I always have 2-4 opponents.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold
I might try it anyway...since I have a spare playset of Burgeoning but I wanted to build a beast deck around it (4 Rampaging Baloths, 2 Steely Resolve, 4 Ravenous Baloth, that kind of deck...) and I dont want to go get another playset.
What is your thoughts on it ?
Very good in tribal decks, especially ones with cards like Sosuke's Summons. Scales wildly out of control as the game progresses. You should definitely be playing 1-2 copies in this style of deck.
It's equally important to stress that Burgeoning should change how you build your deck. The card is great but if you jam it on turn 1, put 2-3 lands into play and then never draw an extra card you're not maximizing its effectiveness. You want more burst/consistent draw spells and engines like Mystic Remora and Windfall to fuel it. After all, turn 1 Burgeoning turn 2 Windfall is bonkers because no one else had done more than play 1-2 lands (so the draw 7 is night useless) whereas you'll have 6-8 lands in play and a full grip of cards. Think of it like a Gaea's Cradle in that sense. Also, it should be obvious but Burgeoning + Windfalls + Sosuke's Summons is disgusting synergy since once you can bin 1-2 of them all of your creatures represent 5+ threats and you'll have the mana to cast everything.
Discovery is solid too but you don't really want 4 of them or anything. It doesn't play nearly as well with Burgeoning openers. 2ish is where you want to be.
Guilds of Ravnica - Commander 2018 - Core 2019 - Battlebond - Dominaria - Rivals of Ixalan - Ixalan - Commander 2017 - Hour of Devastation - Amonket - Aether Revolt - Commander 2016 - Kaladesh - Conspiracy 2 - Eldritch Moon - Shadows Over Innistrad - Oath of the Gatewatch - Commander 2015 - Battle for Zendikar - Magic Origins - Dragons of Tarkir
Green - Blue - Red - White - Gold