Yup, and it works. So far, better than any other shot at Doran my playgroup has made
I went almost as strictly tribal with this deck as I did the one-of-each elephant tribal EDH that's so popular locally (see signature). There are NO changelings, and even the spells have a forest/treefolk flair to them. Treefolk, as enchanted, almost puritanical forest dwellers, cannot craft or use artifacts of any kind, and usually spurn all artifice entirely. This caveat can work great in EDH, especially after a second Mirrodin block, with so many artifacts on the field. What you lose in mana generation, you can actually make up in life gain and creature durability very quickly in Dorans' colors. Treefolk are very, very hard to kill, and "grow" back very quickly
Pick someone, and beat on them until they die. Not terribly diplomatic, but you're a swarm of angry, animated trees, and this rather limits your choices.
Treefolk usually carry one of the same outstanding features that make Doran (and his ability) worth a strong look: Much higher toughness than power. This deck is designed to take advantage of that, wherever possible:
Wave of Reckoning is a one-sided wrath in almost every possible situation. It's utterly devastating and this card should follow Doran around like a hidden "Spellshaper" ability.
Congregation at Dawn/Sylvan Library + Lurking Predators/Leaf-Crowned Elder This is a blast; cheat any three creatures into play, either when your opponents cast things, or when your upkeep rolls around. This should never be overlooked, but it too often is. If you're gaining life as treefolk tend to do, you can afford to draw from the Syvlan Library. Handy.
Pestilence + Vigor Add in some black mana, and devastate their team while boosting your own. Win/Win!
Living Death,Twilight's Call, and Patriarch's Bidding are all here for the eventual and highly likely EDH boardwipe. Point your Bojuka Bog at anyone who stands to gain a lot of creatures, and then let these fly. It's VERY hard to keep trees down.
Obligatory Deck Pimping
Treefolk sleeves. Naturally.
*updated pictures incoming*
Acknowledgements:
This entire deck was built and foil'd to the hilt with little more than trade filler, all done here at MTGSalvation. When I first started trading, I wondered if it'd be possible to build a deck with nothing but the trade winnings, but also with a very narrow focus, and without directly chasing specific cards. Many of these were throw-ins or last minute toss-ins to balance minor trade values. It worked very well! Big thanks to the following traders for knowingly (or not!) playing along:
TheIceMan
captainahard
Broodstar 4 win
jlm02a3094 (twice!)
AerronMichael
Victorshade
Death Incarnate
Romanus Vir
Topper
Kev the Walker
goatrevolt
himtay
Aiken013
Tha Gunslinga
wjw013
pw709
dougyfresh
Death Incarnate
tides
ShadowFenril
Zytz
Archmage7
Malacoda (whose Doran deck is equally awesome)
Vigor? We only tolerate him when Pestilence comes over for tea. He's an Honorary Treefolk Elemental Yak Turtle... Thing.
Hope you got a kick out if it, and if not, consider this a reference thread for my signature and let it slip into obscurity. Comments are welcomed and encouraged, thanks for taking a look
Update 01/24/13: : It's been almost two years and I still haven't dissolved this deck to make something else. For tribal, it's been incredibly resilient, especially to wrath effects. Most changes have been updating cards that fit the tribal and fast-growing treefolk theme (like Descendants' Path, which has relevant art AND works great with all the deck stacking). I still play this deck every other gaming session or so, and my group and I are very much impressed with its' staying power against the influx of excellent new EDH cards and effects. It was also pretty inexpensive to build and foil, minus the dual lands, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants an active and fun tribal deck that synergizes with its general.
Love the idea, have been playing a Doran tribal treefolk for a long time now. I have been making the most competitive tribal-true treefolk deck for a little over a year now, thought I’d pass along a few cards and their role playing element in the deck…first I would recommend cutting all creatures with equal power and toughness…since trees draw true strength from within!
1) Shield of the Oversoul ensures Doran is here for good…gets +2/+2 and gets to be indestructible and a flier? Sign me up! In a pinch, can also ensure the Timber Protector can stick around and make the trees indestructible and stronger for good…Yes!
2) Pariah slap this on the Sapling of Colfenor to make a solid deposit of damage on an indestructible creature, that also follows the rp and story elements of the deck, since the Sapling undergoes many trials in her life. Also, you can make a card draw and life gainer a star of the deck!
3) Colfenor’s Urn yes…it is an artifact, but is does allow a quick rebound from a mass wipe and it makes your opponents think twice about sending a big tree to the yard…Colfenor is a major rp figure and has a lot of flavor to add…storing the ashes of a persist-ed Woodfall Primus for long enough can give you one explosive end of turn to blow up an opponent’s board
4) Might of Oaks makes a big tree a death blow, gruesome to drop right before a Overwhelming Stampede grab the m10 artwork to keep flavor at a premium! Can also be a sick drop on an unblocked Doran for the fatal general damage!
5) One with Nature can force mana acceleration early or late game and equalize lands in play to optimize your spell casting suite! Need a pesky plains? Swamp? Forest to make Dauntless Dourbark a force?
6) Ashes to Ashes insane edh black staple…get rid of key combo pieces or early gamechangers for 5 life, the trees can certainly sort out which ashes shall reach the river first!
7) Predatory Focus finsher, can be made to ensure doom with Boseiju, usually good enough for a clean kill
8) Gaea’s Touch great early game mana acccel…poor person’s Exploration and our deck relies on a steady source of green mana, plenty of flavor
9) Safe Passage can save a game…the trees always take the safest passage…
10) Plummet prolly better than your flying hate and the flavor text from the m11 version is super awesome!
Hit me up with some feedback or thoughts, as this is my favorite general and tribal of all time…
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"Each year that passes rings you inwardly with memory and might. Wield your heart, and the world will tremble." Doran, the Siege Tower
Privileged Position can set your board up for endgame, imagine if you have a Pariah out and a Sterling Grove in play, or you can always sac the grove for this goody, with millenia of experience, the treefolk can almost always assume the privileged position!
also, no reason that the Krosan Grip can't fit here, gives us a great response to activated abilities...perhaps you may like a Slice in Twain to draw instead? both are very much in line with the rp element
I'd been considering the Urn for a while, but there's so much regeneration and recursion in the deck that I've not had to break the "No Artifacts" law yet
Do you have a decklist for your Doran Tribal? I've never seen another, and it'd be cool to get a look under the hood, so to speak
now, a few notes...
First, i run 2 commands, the white and green, i have considered the black one as well. The commands are part of the newest update i did on the deck in an attempt to make it more competitive and flexible in multiplayer. I am not totally sold on them yet
Hey, glad I just stumbled across your sig and remembered this thread. I figured you may be interested in a few ideas, assuming you are still keeping Doran employed these days.
First of all, Burgeoning is a very undervalued card. Not only is it straight up better than Gaea’s Touch but it can produce a mana surge early enough to put you far enough ahead to begin lockdown preparations. Not to mention the card has amazing flavor:
The plants said, "We will fight the stone with root and stem and seed. We are patient. We will win." -Skyshroud myth of the forest Root, Stem and Seed?!?!?! We will win! That’s Awesome.
Another, more iffy inclusion based on flavor-but a total upgrade based on function would be a Seedborn Muse also would speed up your resources but has limited flavor value.
Also think the new treefolk are worth a look, especially the Dungrove Elder. A creature who is hexproof and has power and toughness that grow as the game goes on, and can be large enough to be important for a mere three mana The gameday full art would make a fine edition to your foiled deck, I scooped one up a few weeks ago. I am hoping that the inclusion of new treefolk in 2012 and Innistrad is a sign of a future resurgence or at least a few more new ones. Sweet to see them strapped up with hexproof too. Speaking of hexproof, I totally agree with you on the Asceticism pick, has really made the deck play more aggressively and confidently, especially if you can get it while you have either Sterling Grove or Privileged Position on the field. I am tempted to try adding a Witchbane Orb to get completely shrouded up.
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"Each year that passes rings you inwardly with memory and might. Wield your heart, and the world will tremble." Doran, the Siege Tower
Cavern of Souls has really elevated this deck for me and has been a fabulous card to pair with Boseiju. Love having an answer to pesky counter-happy n00bs. Blue mages have been a weak spot for too long....
I've added several cards and made subsequent removals since the last decklist, anyone else still giving Doran, The Siege Tower some much deserved love?
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"Each year that passes rings you inwardly with memory and might. Wield your heart, and the world will tremble." Doran, the Siege Tower
I really like this tribal build. It seems like a lot of fun. :] I went predominantly tribal with my Doran build, but there were a few other creatures i just had to throw in, as well as a couple equipments. Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite is just a great creature, especially as (essentially) a 7/7 vigilance. Wakestone Gargoyle has won me games once i've gotten a Tree of Redemption out, as well as a Shield Sphere (0/6 for 0 mana? Great scott!). The only equipments i run are defense boosters. Slagwurm Armor makes dudes in this deck massive. The other day i had a Phyrexian Obliterator out with a slagwurm armor and a spidersilk net on it. Nobody wanted to block it because of the mass damage it was dealing. Belbe's Armor is nice because you load up your excess mana into it and do MASSIVE damage.
All that said, i think i might revamp my deck and turn it strictly tribal. Great post man!
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Currently Playing: EDH
:symw::symu::symg: rafiq of the many:symw::symu::symg:
:symw::symb::symu: Sharuum The hegemon :symw::symb::symu:
Eight and a Half Tails
:symw::symb::symg: Doran The Siege Tower:symw::symb::symg:
Seizan, The Perverter of Truth
:symw::symu::symb::symr::symg: Horde of Notions :symw::symu::symb::symr::symg:
azami, lady of scrolls Legacy
:symu:Merfolk:symu:
Lignify seems like a no-brainer here. It's brutal against enemy commanders, shutting them down completely but not letting them go back to the command zone to be recast. Did I mention you're turning them into a tree?
Lignify seems like a no-brainer here. It's brutal against enemy commanders, shutting them down completely but not letting them go back to the command zone to be recast. Did I mention you're turning them into a tree?
Lignify was in very early for its interaction with Leaf-Crowned Elder and Treefolk Harbinger, but ultimately removed because it made otherwise harmless generals into 4/4 beaters with Doran on the field. THIS usually ends with them swinging into Doran, or any other creature that'd kill it, recasting, and leaving me without a Lignify.
Looks like you have a thing against artifacts, which is too bad because Slagwurm Armor and Accorder's Shield both win games, especially when you're swinging in with an 11/11 general turn 4. They're a mainstay in my Doran deck.
All's not lost, though. Solidarity and Bar the Door both give you a ridiculous amount of destruction for a low, low price. And might I also suggest Oathsworn Giant?
Chorus of the Conclave is a guilty pleasure of mine, and she works great with your theme, being all tree friendly and whatnot. Plus you can't beat that she turns into an 8/8!
Even though you seem like you want your deck to be all about throwing in big ol' trees and beating face, which is exactly what I decided when I built my Doran EDH, keep in mind you have the advantage of having both black and white in your deck, which means board wipe for days. Board wipes are AMAZING with Doran decks, because he's so ridiculously cheap that you can destroy him all you want and just keep bringing him back for more. Plus, with your deck specifically, Colfenor's Urn plus boardwipe means you'll either win right there, or severely damage them (I know it's an artifact, BUT THINK ABOUT IT! If it helps, the picture is definitely a clay pot, no metal around!)
Doran was the second EDH I ever made, and he's been my favorite ever since. I call it my Back Asswards deck: Kicking your asses with my asses. Have fun!
Lifegain was always good for me too, and rhox faithmender and true conviction are amazing in spades. Conviction paints a target on your head, but people usually die when it comes down. Jaddi lifestrider is also very treelike and cost-effective.
I don't know if you have problems with wraths - because that was essentially what did the deck in for me. If a wrath comes down every 10 minutes creature aggro with no good backup plan is terrible. Avacyn, Angel of hope could help but the best trump card ever for tribal decks is patriarch's bidding. In one fell swoop you get all your trees back from the yard, and other non-tribal players get 1 or 2 creatures, at most. Rise of the Dark Realms has a similar effect (but better with no drawback), but costs 4 more mana, and turns the game into archenemy.
Not sure what the rules are for resurrecting a thread, so sorry if I violated them; but I have a quick question: how important is the Gaea's Cradle?
I am working on building this deck but I don't foresee having the funds to buy a Cradle anytime soon. I am thinking with the high mana cost of much of the deck that the Cradle is very important.
I too worry about thread necromancy as the previous poster, but I see this thread is running strong for about two years, so I don't worry too much.
I will soon be building my first EDH deck, with Doran as the Commander, so I definitely appreciate this frequently updated decklist, which includes various commentary. While some of the concepts are similar to ideas I have in mind, I also have some criticism and suggestions of my own. Do keep in mind the first sentence of this paragraph and approach my points with a grain of salt, please.
Yup, and it works. So far, better than any other shot at Doran my playgroup has made
This can't really be taken seriously. I've got nothing at all against the tribal theme, and even the fact that it's very strict. However, the point being made here offends my senses, and seems to suggest that adding Sol Ring, Birds of Paradise, and Demonic Tutor would make the deck worse, which must be false. Yet the only reason these cards are absent can only be the tribal theme. My understanding is the point that, in your experience, a Doran deck does the best when it takes advantage of the creature types of Doran (Treefolk, but also Shaman); I am definitely planning to exploit this in my own build, but I can't go so far as to drop some of the best cards ever printed for a format like this out of clan loyalty. I guess I'm just a sucker for power (or you know, any excuse to play Silklash Spider in multiplayer).
This leads well to my next question, which is why the Shaman theme is not played up at all? As examples of some interesting Shaman which are not Treefolk: Oracle of Mul Daya and Sachi, Daughter of Seshiro. Certainly the finite deck size is a good a reason as any, but I'm definitely going to experiment with those two guys, given how many of the good Treefolk, like Doran, are also Shamans.
Treefolk, as enchanted, almost puritanical forest dwellers, cannot craft or use artifacts of any kind, and usually spurn all artifice entirely. This caveat can work great in EDH, especially after a second Mirrodin block, with so many artifacts on the field. What you lose in mana generation, you can actually make up in life gain and creature durability very quickly in Dorans' colors.
I've definitely never followed much of the storyline or mythology of MtG, but I've got to ask where you came to this conclusion about artifacts. I certainly can't see any hint of that, for instance here. Now again, I'll not argue with "any reason to cut cards from the deck is a good reason," because that will always be true in large highlander decks. But if you a refusing to play all artifacts, including even things like Null Rod, I'd play up the theme more than just Titania's Song. Come on, where is Gaea's Avenger? He's got to be a house in multiplayer and has been changed to a Treefolk! Is Seal of Primordium really better than Aura Shards in a creature-heavy, multiplayer deck? Fracturing Gust is probably good when you don't play artifacts, too.
As to the Treefolk theme as it is, I've got to wonder where is Rootgrapple? It's potentially better than Vindicate in a deck like this (and much cheaper to get!). It's pretty hard to argue with deck-themed, instant speed, Planeswalker removal that cantrips...
Uh, what? I've been searching for specific rulings to get my left eye out of my right socket and vice versa, but I definitely cannot see how this could possibly work. Why would adding a +1/+1 counter remove a -1/-1 counter? I agree their effects would cancel out in practice, but that -1/-1 should still be there. Has your play group really allowed this rules exploitation for more than two years, or do I really just not understand what's going on here? If you can point me to the rulings that allow this to work, I'd definitely appreciate it.
Congregation at Dawn/Sylvan Library + Lurking Predators/Leaf-Crowned Elder This is a blast; cheat any three creatures into play, either when your opponents cast things, or when your upkeep rolls around. This should never be overlooked, but it too often is. If you're gaining life as treefolk tend to do, you can afford to draw from the Syvlan Library. Handy.
Sure, this works well. You should definitely be playing Mirri's Guile, not only just because you're playing green, and not playing Top, but because it works well with these kinds of tricks, too. Sweet with Sapling of Colfenor as well. I do have to wonder if these tricks manage to justify using Congregation over Worldly Tutor and Eladamri's Call, though.
This is a nice segue for me to ask you about your mana base. Where are the fetchlands here?! They'll shuffle you right into three new cards with Sylvan or Guile, besides modestly thinning your deck and getting you exactly the color(s) you need. With the Duals, Arbor, and Bosk, there's just no reason not to play a few fetches. Some anti-fetchland hate in Bind is good in most metagames, too. I'm glad someone cued in on Dryad Arbor, but what about Sapseep Forest? I hate CIPT lands as much as the next person, but did you really need that 10th basic forest anyway? The Dryad Arbor is really begging the question someone else already asked, which is where is Green Sun's Zenith in this deck? (Natural Order is probably good, too, but doesn't get a forest for 1 mana.) The lack of search for land types is actually really perplexing me. Is Explosive Vegetation actually better than Skyshroud Claim which, for the same mana, puts two duals into play untapped? And if you don't mind two basics into play tapped, I guess Hunting Wilds is better than that, too. Nature's Lore and Three Visits and Tithe all just seem a lot better than some of this basic land search here. My only guess to really explain the twenty basic lands is a lot of non-basic hate in your metagame, perhaps. Personally, I'm planning to start totally highlander, including the basics (with an added Snow-Covered basic to get me to six, naturally) so I can exploit Tainted Pact to the fullest. Anyway, the fact of the matter is, you've wasted your money on dual lands if you aren't playing all these ways to get them out every game. If you won't play artifacts for acceleration, or Birds of Paradise for your theme, as someone else mentioned, can't you justify a plant like Utopia Tree or even better Wall of Roots which gets you mana the same turn it comes into play? This basic land search acceleration is just not convincing me whatsoever to choose over some of the cards I'm mentioning here.
If you want to really keep so many basic lands, shouldn't you be taking advantage of this with something like Primal Order? If not, you're missing plenty of other non-basic gems like Volrath's Stronghold (which, by the way, works really well with some other cards above for a creature on top of your library, hint hint). And Forbidding Watchtower for sure made my list before Stirring Wildwood.
Pestilence + Vigor Add in some black mana, and devastate their team while boosting your own. Win/Win!
I'm gonna be honest, this little combo seems pretty quaint to break your theme over. Now, if you played Nature's Revolt or Natural Affinity along with your Spidersilk Armor (and other similar friends in white such a Parapet and Lumithread Field and the host of creatures with similar abilities), then I'd say Pestilence is amazing. Of course, you wouldn't have friends anymore, but who cares? With all the lands and land fetch, at least you should be killing people with Rude Awakening I'd say.
And some closing points I couldn't fit in anywhere else. Where's Swords to Plowshares or Necrologia or any Planeswalker at all?
If you're looking for something to cut, start with Moment's Peace. I say that having played it often, but in decks that have milling engines. Constant Mists is probably better, but you're usually going to be better off without the effect entirely.
Not sure what the rules are for resurrecting a thread, so sorry if I violated them; but I have a quick question: how important is the Gaea's Cradle?
And to answer someone else's question, I'm going to say not very important and I'm planning to skip it initially in my build as well. I'm sure it's a great addition, but there is a serious lack of cheap creatures in this build to make it an early acceleration engine of doom. And no Crop Rotation or Sylvan Scrying or Reap and Sow to haul it out frequently, either. If one makes a build like I'm planning, with Birds, Wall of Roots, Elves of Deep Shadow, and some other early game drops (Quirion Ranger to protect duals and, I dunno, untap Fendeep Summoner), Cradle probably becomes a lot more potent.
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Doran, Treefolk Tribal EDH
1 Doran, the Siege Tower (foil)
// Treefolk:
1 Battlewand Oak (foil)
1 Black Poplar Shaman (foil)
1 Bosk Banneret (foil)
1 Cloudcrown Oak (foil)
1 Dauntless Dourbark (foil)
1 Deadwood Treefolk (foil)
1 Everbark Shaman (foil)
1 Fendeep Summoner (foil)
1 Guardian of Cloverdell (foil)
1 Heartwood Storyteller (foil)
1 Indomitable Ancients (foil)
1 Leaf-Crowned Elder (foil)
1 Lumberknot (foil)
1 Magnigoth Treefolk (foil)
1 Oaken Brawler (foil)
1 Oakgnarl Warrior (foil)
1 Orchard Warden (foil)
1 Sapling of Colfenor (foil)
1 Seedguide Ash (foil)
1 Sentry Oak (foil)
1 Tilling Treefolk (foil)
1 Timber Protector (foil)
1 Treefolk Harbinger (foil)
1 Unstoppable Ash (foil)
1 Verdeloth the Ancient (Timeshifted foil)
1 Weed-Pruner Poplar (foil)
1 Wickerbough Elder (foil)
1 Woodfall Primus (foil)
1 Vigor
// Permanents:
1 Descendants' Path (foil)
1 Gravity Well (foil)
1 Lurking Predators (foil)
1 Pestilence
1 Privileged Position (foil)
1 Seal of Primordium (foil)
1 Shield of the Oversoul (Japanese foil)
1 Spidersilk Armor (foil)
1 Sterling Grove
1 Sylvan Library
1 Titania's Song
// Spells:
1 Ashes to Ashes (The Dark)
1 Chord of Calling (foil)
1 Congregation at Dawn (foil)
1 Cultivate (FNM foil)
1 Explosive Vegetation
1 Harrow (full art)
1 Harsh Mercy (foil)
1 Idyllic Tutor
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Living Death
1 Momentous Fall (foil)
1 Moment's Peace (foil)
1 Patriarch's Bidding
1 Putrefy
1 Reach of Branches (foil)
1 Ready \\ Willing
1 Regrowth (Beta)
1 Twilight's Call
1 Squall Line (foil)
1 Wave of Reckoning (foil)
1 Bayou
1 Bojuka Bog (foil)
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All (FTV:Lands foil)
1 Command Tower
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Gaea's Cradle
1 Godless Shrine
1 Krosan Verge
1 Llanowar Reborn
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
1 Murmuring Bosk
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Savannah
1 Scrubland
1 Stirring Wildwood (foil)
1 Temple Garden
1 Twilight Mire
1 Woodland Cemetary (foil)
1 Yavimaya Hollow (foil)
5 Plains (Lorwyn/Shadowmoor foil)
10 Forest (Lorwyn/Shadowmoor foil)
5 Swamp (Lorwyn/Shadowmoor foil)
Tribal? In MY EDH?!
Yup, and it works. So far, better than any other shot at Doran my playgroup has made
I went almost as strictly tribal with this deck as I did the one-of-each elephant tribal EDH that's so popular locally (see signature). There are NO changelings, and even the spells have a forest/treefolk flair to them. Treefolk, as enchanted, almost puritanical forest dwellers, cannot craft or use artifacts of any kind, and usually spurn all artifice entirely. This caveat can work great in EDH, especially after a second Mirrodin block, with so many artifacts on the field. What you lose in mana generation, you can actually make up in life gain and creature durability very quickly in Dorans' colors. Treefolk are very, very hard to kill, and "grow" back very quickly
Update 09/24/11: It was pointed out to me that, purely by coincidence, all the forests in the lore of M:TG that have been printed are in the deck. Argoth (Gaea's Cradle), Yavimaya (Yavimaya Hollow), Krosa (Krosan Verge), Llanowar Reborn, Morningtides' Murmuring Bosk, and Zendikars Oran-Rief, the Vastwood. Awesome.
Pick someone, and beat on them until they die. Not terribly diplomatic, but you're a swarm of angry, animated trees, and this rather limits your choices.
Treefolk usually carry one of the same outstanding features that make Doran (and his ability) worth a strong look: Much higher toughness than power. This deck is designed to take advantage of that, wherever possible:
Woodfall Primus + Llanowar Reborn/Oran-Rief, the Vastwood Perpetually persisting? Sure, I'll take that!
Wave of Reckoning is a one-sided wrath in almost every possible situation. It's utterly devastating and this card should follow Doran around like a hidden "Spellshaper" ability.
Congregation at Dawn/Sylvan Library + Lurking Predators/Leaf-Crowned Elder This is a blast; cheat any three creatures into play, either when your opponents cast things, or when your upkeep rolls around. This should never be overlooked, but it too often is. If you're gaining life as treefolk tend to do, you can afford to draw from the Syvlan Library. Handy.
Pestilence + Vigor Add in some black mana, and devastate their team while boosting your own. Win/Win!
Living Death,Twilight's Call, and Patriarch's Bidding are all here for the eventual and highly likely EDH boardwipe. Point your Bojuka Bog at anyone who stands to gain a lot of creatures, and then let these fly. It's VERY hard to keep trees down.
Treefolk sleeves. Naturally.
*updated pictures incoming*
This entire deck was built and foil'd to the hilt with little more than trade filler, all done here at MTGSalvation. When I first started trading, I wondered if it'd be possible to build a deck with nothing but the trade winnings, but also with a very narrow focus, and without directly chasing specific cards. Many of these were throw-ins or last minute toss-ins to balance minor trade values. It worked very well! Big thanks to the following traders for knowingly (or not!) playing along:
TheIceMan
captainahard
Broodstar 4 win
jlm02a3094 (twice!)
AerronMichael
Victorshade
Death Incarnate
Romanus Vir
Topper
Kev the Walker
goatrevolt
himtay
Aiken013
Tha Gunslinga
wjw013
pw709
dougyfresh
Death Incarnate
tides
ShadowFenril
Zytz
Archmage7
Malacoda (whose Doran deck is equally awesome)
Vigor? We only tolerate him when Pestilence comes over for tea. He's an Honorary Treefolk Elemental Yak Turtle... Thing.
Hope you got a kick out if it, and if not, consider this a reference thread for my signature and let it slip into obscurity. Comments are welcomed and encouraged, thanks for taking a look
Update 01/24/13: : It's been almost two years and I still haven't dissolved this deck to make something else. For tribal, it's been incredibly resilient, especially to wrath effects. Most changes have been updating cards that fit the tribal and fast-growing treefolk theme (like Descendants' Path, which has relevant art AND works great with all the deck stacking). I still play this deck every other gaming session or so, and my group and I are very much impressed with its' staying power against the influx of excellent new EDH cards and effects. It was also pretty inexpensive to build and foil, minus the dual lands, and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants an active and fun tribal deck that synergizes with its general.
:symr::symg: 99 Permanents, But... :symr::symg:
:symw::symg: Every Elephant :symg::symw: Support your local game stores!
Wasteland Gaming | Tower Games
Also I love the combos/synergies you've got in this deck.
Since you dont run any artifact, maybe a Titania's Song would be fun to play?
Hakim, Loreweaver
Autumn Willow
Yomiji, Who Bars the Way
Hanna, Ship's Navigator
Chromium
Skyfire Kirin
1) Shield of the Oversoul ensures Doran is here for good…gets +2/+2 and gets to be indestructible and a flier? Sign me up! In a pinch, can also ensure the Timber Protector can stick around and make the trees indestructible and stronger for good…Yes!
2) Pariah slap this on the Sapling of Colfenor to make a solid deposit of damage on an indestructible creature, that also follows the rp and story elements of the deck, since the Sapling undergoes many trials in her life. Also, you can make a card draw and life gainer a star of the deck!
3) Colfenor’s Urn yes…it is an artifact, but is does allow a quick rebound from a mass wipe and it makes your opponents think twice about sending a big tree to the yard…Colfenor is a major rp figure and has a lot of flavor to add…storing the ashes of a persist-ed Woodfall Primus for long enough can give you one explosive end of turn to blow up an opponent’s board
4) Might of Oaks makes a big tree a death blow, gruesome to drop right before a Overwhelming Stampede grab the m10 artwork to keep flavor at a premium! Can also be a sick drop on an unblocked Doran for the fatal general damage!
5) One with Nature can force mana acceleration early or late game and equalize lands in play to optimize your spell casting suite! Need a pesky plains? Swamp? Forest to make Dauntless Dourbark a force?
6) Ashes to Ashes insane edh black staple…get rid of key combo pieces or early gamechangers for 5 life, the trees can certainly sort out which ashes shall reach the river first!
7) Predatory Focus finsher, can be made to ensure doom with Boseiju, usually good enough for a clean kill
8) Gaea’s Touch great early game mana acccel…poor person’s Exploration and our deck relies on a steady source of green mana, plenty of flavor
9) Safe Passage can save a game…the trees always take the safest passage…
10) Plummet prolly better than your flying hate and the flavor text from the m11 version is super awesome!
Hit me up with some feedback or thoughts, as this is my favorite general and tribal of all time…
Doran, the Siege Tower
Privileged Position can set your board up for endgame, imagine if you have a Pariah out and a Sterling Grove in play, or you can always sac the grove for this goody, with millenia of experience, the treefolk can almost always assume the privileged position!
also, no reason that the Krosan Grip can't fit here, gives us a great response to activated abilities...perhaps you may like a Slice in Twain to draw instead? both are very much in line with the rp element
i am also considering adding a Steely Resolve or a Cover of Night let me know of your thoughts!
Doran, the Siege Tower
I would suggest Asceticism over Steely Resolve, as trollshroud always trumps flat-out shroud, especially with Cankerous Thirst, Might of Oaks, or Shield of the Oversoul.
I'd been considering the Urn for a while, but there's so much regeneration and recursion in the deck that I've not had to break the "No Artifacts" law yet
Do you have a decklist for your Doran Tribal? I've never seen another, and it'd be cool to get a look under the hood, so to speak
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Wasteland Gaming | Tower Games
now, a few notes...
First, i run 2 commands, the white and green, i have considered the black one as well. The commands are part of the newest update i did on the deck in an attempt to make it more competitive and flexible in multiplayer. I am not totally sold on them yet
Second, I am sold on on Beast Within and Ashes to Ashes as solid, top shelf removal.
Third, I am always looking for feedback, both thematic and functional!
Doran, the Siege Tower
First of all, Burgeoning is a very undervalued card. Not only is it straight up better than Gaea’s Touch but it can produce a mana surge early enough to put you far enough ahead to begin lockdown preparations. Not to mention the card has amazing flavor:
Another, more iffy inclusion based on flavor-but a total upgrade based on function would be a Seedborn Muse also would speed up your resources but has limited flavor value.
Also think the new treefolk are worth a look, especially the Dungrove Elder. A creature who is hexproof and has power and toughness that grow as the game goes on, and can be large enough to be important for a mere three mana The gameday full art would make a fine edition to your foiled deck, I scooped one up a few weeks ago. I am hoping that the inclusion of new treefolk in 2012 and Innistrad is a sign of a future resurgence or at least a few more new ones. Sweet to see them strapped up with hexproof too. Speaking of hexproof, I totally agree with you on the Asceticism pick, has really made the deck play more aggressively and confidently, especially if you can get it while you have either Sterling Grove or Privileged Position on the field. I am tempted to try adding a Witchbane Orb to get completely shrouded up.
Doran, the Siege Tower
BTW: Needs moar dryad arbor
Signature by Rivenor
I've added several cards and made subsequent removals since the last decklist, anyone else still giving Doran, The Siege Tower some much deserved love?
Doran, the Siege Tower
WINNAR! I've been using one for a while, excellent suggestion
Doran, the Siege Tower
All that said, i think i might revamp my deck and turn it strictly tribal. Great post man!
EDH
:symw::symu::symg: rafiq of the many:symw::symu::symg:
:symw::symb::symu: Sharuum The hegemon :symw::symb::symu:
Eight and a Half Tails
:symw::symb::symg: Doran The Siege Tower:symw::symb::symg:
Seizan, The Perverter of Truth
:symw::symu::symb::symr::symg: Horde of Notions :symw::symu::symb::symr::symg:
azami, lady of scrolls
Legacy
:symu:Merfolk:symu:
UBRThraximundar, Tribal ZombiesUBR
WURZedruu's Great TradesWUR
Fixed! Good catch; I understand why change logs are so popular now...
Lignify was in very early for its interaction with Leaf-Crowned Elder and Treefolk Harbinger, but ultimately removed because it made otherwise harmless generals into 4/4 beaters with Doran on the field. THIS usually ends with them swinging into Doran, or any other creature that'd kill it, recasting, and leaving me without a Lignify.
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Wasteland Gaming | Tower Games
BSRKaalia 4-6 Player Multiplayer EDH Deck
USRRuhan 4-6 Multiplayer EDH Giant Deck
USBZur the Enchanter 4-6 Player Multiplayer EDH Deck
GSBDoran Tree Tribal 4-6 Multiplayer EDH Deck
Many thanks to DNC at Heroes of the Plane Studios
Missed a swamp, thanks for catching it!
Minor changes since the last update:
-1 Autumn's Veil
-1 Leyline of Vitality
+1 Ready \\ Willing
+1 Titania's Song
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Wasteland Gaming | Tower Games
All's not lost, though. Solidarity and Bar the Door both give you a ridiculous amount of destruction for a low, low price. And might I also suggest Oathsworn Giant?
Chorus of the Conclave is a guilty pleasure of mine, and she works great with your theme, being all tree friendly and whatnot. Plus you can't beat that she turns into an 8/8!
Even though you seem like you want your deck to be all about throwing in big ol' trees and beating face, which is exactly what I decided when I built my Doran EDH, keep in mind you have the advantage of having both black and white in your deck, which means board wipe for days. Board wipes are AMAZING with Doran decks, because he's so ridiculously cheap that you can destroy him all you want and just keep bringing him back for more. Plus, with your deck specifically, Colfenor's Urn plus boardwipe means you'll either win right there, or severely damage them (I know it's an artifact, BUT THINK ABOUT IT! If it helps, the picture is definitely a clay pot, no metal around!)
Austere Command, Day of Judgement, Black Sun's Zenith, Planar Cleansing, Life's Finale, Phyrexian Rebirth (personal favorite), Wrath of God. They're all in my deck, and they've saved me many many many times.
And if precision's more your thing, black's where all the precision kill spells reside, and white's got you covered for all your exile needs.
AND IN GOD'S NAME WHERE IS YOUR Demonic Tutor and Green Sun's Zenith??? EDH must haves if you have the colors for them!
Doran was the second EDH I ever made, and he's been my favorite ever since. I call it my Back Asswards deck: Kicking your asses with my asses. Have fun!
Anyway, I'm going to second what some people said, but what I've found is:
You need some buffing outside of trees, because cheap aggro doesn't cut it in EDH (at least my meta). Oathsworn giant is like elesh norn here. Builder's blessing combos well with it. I saw you took out leyline of vitality but I really liked it.
Lifegain was always good for me too, and rhox faithmender and true conviction are amazing in spades. Conviction paints a target on your head, but people usually die when it comes down. Jaddi lifestrider is also very treelike and cost-effective.
If doran gets tucked you are essentially screwed, and green sun's zenith and chord of calling will help you find him if that happens.
I don't know if you have problems with wraths - because that was essentially what did the deck in for me. If a wrath comes down every 10 minutes creature aggro with no good backup plan is terrible. Avacyn, Angel of hope could help but the best trump card ever for tribal decks is patriarch's bidding. In one fell swoop you get all your trees back from the yard, and other non-tribal players get 1 or 2 creatures, at most. Rise of the Dark Realms has a similar effect (but better with no drawback), but costs 4 more mana, and turns the game into archenemy.
PS - can't imagine playing a tribal deck without door of destinies or coat of arms, or konda's something.
Don't know if any of these work for you, but I hope they help.
:symr::symu::symb:Nicol Bolas Control: symr::symu::symb:
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I am working on building this deck but I don't foresee having the funds to buy a Cradle anytime soon. I am thinking with the high mana cost of much of the deck that the Cradle is very important.
I will soon be building my first EDH deck, with Doran as the Commander, so I definitely appreciate this frequently updated decklist, which includes various commentary. While some of the concepts are similar to ideas I have in mind, I also have some criticism and suggestions of my own. Do keep in mind the first sentence of this paragraph and approach my points with a grain of salt, please.
This can't really be taken seriously. I've got nothing at all against the tribal theme, and even the fact that it's very strict. However, the point being made here offends my senses, and seems to suggest that adding Sol Ring, Birds of Paradise, and Demonic Tutor would make the deck worse, which must be false. Yet the only reason these cards are absent can only be the tribal theme. My understanding is the point that, in your experience, a Doran deck does the best when it takes advantage of the creature types of Doran (Treefolk, but also Shaman); I am definitely planning to exploit this in my own build, but I can't go so far as to drop some of the best cards ever printed for a format like this out of clan loyalty. I guess I'm just a sucker for power (or you know, any excuse to play Silklash Spider in multiplayer).
This leads well to my next question, which is why the Shaman theme is not played up at all? As examples of some interesting Shaman which are not Treefolk: Oracle of Mul Daya and Sachi, Daughter of Seshiro. Certainly the finite deck size is a good a reason as any, but I'm definitely going to experiment with those two guys, given how many of the good Treefolk, like Doran, are also Shamans.
I've definitely never followed much of the storyline or mythology of MtG, but I've got to ask where you came to this conclusion about artifacts. I certainly can't see any hint of that, for instance here. Now again, I'll not argue with "any reason to cut cards from the deck is a good reason," because that will always be true in large highlander decks. But if you a refusing to play all artifacts, including even things like Null Rod, I'd play up the theme more than just Titania's Song. Come on, where is Gaea's Avenger? He's got to be a house in multiplayer and has been changed to a Treefolk! Is Seal of Primordium really better than Aura Shards in a creature-heavy, multiplayer deck? Fracturing Gust is probably good when you don't play artifacts, too.
As to the Treefolk theme as it is, I've got to wonder where is Rootgrapple? It's potentially better than Vindicate in a deck like this (and much cheaper to get!). It's pretty hard to argue with deck-themed, instant speed, Planeswalker removal that cantrips...
Uh, what? I've been searching for specific rulings to get my left eye out of my right socket and vice versa, but I definitely cannot see how this could possibly work. Why would adding a +1/+1 counter remove a -1/-1 counter? I agree their effects would cancel out in practice, but that -1/-1 should still be there. Has your play group really allowed this rules exploitation for more than two years, or do I really just not understand what's going on here? If you can point me to the rulings that allow this to work, I'd definitely appreciate it.
Sure, this works well. You should definitely be playing Mirri's Guile, not only just because you're playing green, and not playing Top, but because it works well with these kinds of tricks, too. Sweet with Sapling of Colfenor as well. I do have to wonder if these tricks manage to justify using Congregation over Worldly Tutor and Eladamri's Call, though.
This is a nice segue for me to ask you about your mana base. Where are the fetchlands here?! They'll shuffle you right into three new cards with Sylvan or Guile, besides modestly thinning your deck and getting you exactly the color(s) you need. With the Duals, Arbor, and Bosk, there's just no reason not to play a few fetches. Some anti-fetchland hate in Bind is good in most metagames, too. I'm glad someone cued in on Dryad Arbor, but what about Sapseep Forest? I hate CIPT lands as much as the next person, but did you really need that 10th basic forest anyway? The Dryad Arbor is really begging the question someone else already asked, which is where is Green Sun's Zenith in this deck? (Natural Order is probably good, too, but doesn't get a forest for 1 mana.) The lack of search for land types is actually really perplexing me. Is Explosive Vegetation actually better than Skyshroud Claim which, for the same mana, puts two duals into play untapped? And if you don't mind two basics into play tapped, I guess Hunting Wilds is better than that, too. Nature's Lore and Three Visits and Tithe all just seem a lot better than some of this basic land search here. My only guess to really explain the twenty basic lands is a lot of non-basic hate in your metagame, perhaps. Personally, I'm planning to start totally highlander, including the basics (with an added Snow-Covered basic to get me to six, naturally) so I can exploit Tainted Pact to the fullest. Anyway, the fact of the matter is, you've wasted your money on dual lands if you aren't playing all these ways to get them out every game. If you won't play artifacts for acceleration, or Birds of Paradise for your theme, as someone else mentioned, can't you justify a plant like Utopia Tree or even better Wall of Roots which gets you mana the same turn it comes into play? This basic land search acceleration is just not convincing me whatsoever to choose over some of the cards I'm mentioning here.
If you want to really keep so many basic lands, shouldn't you be taking advantage of this with something like Primal Order? If not, you're missing plenty of other non-basic gems like Volrath's Stronghold (which, by the way, works really well with some other cards above for a creature on top of your library, hint hint). And Forbidding Watchtower for sure made my list before Stirring Wildwood.
I'm gonna be honest, this little combo seems pretty quaint to break your theme over. Now, if you played Nature's Revolt or Natural Affinity along with your Spidersilk Armor (and other similar friends in white such a Parapet and Lumithread Field and the host of creatures with similar abilities), then I'd say Pestilence is amazing. Of course, you wouldn't have friends anymore, but who cares? With all the lands and land fetch, at least you should be killing people with Rude Awakening I'd say.
And some closing points I couldn't fit in anywhere else. Where's Swords to Plowshares or Necrologia or any Planeswalker at all?
If you're looking for something to cut, start with Moment's Peace. I say that having played it often, but in decks that have milling engines. Constant Mists is probably better, but you're usually going to be better off without the effect entirely.
And to answer someone else's question, I'm going to say not very important and I'm planning to skip it initially in my build as well. I'm sure it's a great addition, but there is a serious lack of cheap creatures in this build to make it an early acceleration engine of doom. And no Crop Rotation or Sylvan Scrying or Reap and Sow to haul it out frequently, either. If one makes a build like I'm planning, with Birds, Wall of Roots, Elves of Deep Shadow, and some other early game drops (Quirion Ranger to protect duals and, I dunno, untap Fendeep Summoner), Cradle probably becomes a lot more potent.