MTG Salvation

May not be competitive, but who cares. Curse you Tocatli Honor Guard and Lava Coil. Credit to picnic_bomber, DemonicFirelord and lugger for ideas stolen and added here.
Ramp:

• Llanowar Elves
  
• Thunderherd Migration
  

Beneficial creatures in main colors

• Sparring Construct
  
• Merfolk Branchwalker
  
• Kraul Harpooner
  
• Jadelight Ranger
  
• District Guide
  
• Elvish Rejuvenator
  
• Exclusion Mage
  
• Skittering Surveyer
  
• Golgari Raiders
  
• Biogenic Ooze
  
• Crested Herdcaller
  
• Kraul Foragers
  
• Riverwise Augur
  
• Dream Eater
  
• End-Raze Forerunners
  
• Pelakka Wurm
  

Simic synergy:

• Dive Down
  
• Frilled Mystic
  

Vannifar targets w/B splash:

• Stitcher's Supplier
  
• Dusk Legion Zealot
  
• Glowspore Shaman
  
• Midnight Reaper
  
• Plaguecrafter
  
• Hostage Taker
  
• Muldrotha, the Gravetide
  
• Molderhulk
  

Other synergy w/B splash:

• Lazav, the Multifarious
  
• Memorial to Folly
  

Vannifar targets w/BB:

• Golgari Findbroker
  
• Ravenous Chupacabra
  
• Vampire Sovereign
  
• Demonlord Belzenlok
  

Support w/BB:

• Golden Demise
  
• Ritual of Soot
  

Vannifar targets w/W splash:

• Deputy of Detention
  
• Knight of Autumn
  
• Militia Bugler
  
• Trostani Discordant
  

Vannifar targets w/WW:

• Conclave Cavalier
  
• Lyra Dawnbringer
  
• Izoni, Thousand-Eyed
  

Vannifar targets w/R splash:

• Protean Raider
  
• Regisaur Alpha
  
• Ravager Wurm
  

Synergy w/R:

• Captivating Crew
  

Vannifar targets w/RR:

• Squee, the Immortal
  
• Rekindling Phoenix
  
• Siege-Gang Commander
  
• Burning Sun's Avatar (RRR)
  

Multicolor targets:

• Nicol Bolas, the Ravager
  
• Rakdos, the Showstopper
  
• Zacama, Primal Calamity
  

Multicolor support:

• Deafening Clarion
  

Please help me fill in! Or suggest something better!! Particularly if you have a decklist in another color combination, please contribute.

Wouldn't a deck like this need sac outlets? Like aristocrats?

Prime Speaker Vannifar is your sack outlet. What it wants are ETB effects that it can use as a tool box plus Creatures that generate value when saced.

Nice! I hope you don't mind if I build on your list in the OP. I'm thinking to build on it to create a list of suggestions for splash colors.

*insert explore package*

Not an engine piece but Rhythm of the Savages might be very nice.

Well this can't beat a Tocatli Honor Guard huh.


This deck looks really cool and fun. I might tinker.

what's the hate toward Tocatli Honor Guard?

Sultai elves, now your talking, it may not have red's removal but it does get Poison-Tip Archer and black's removal. Though not sure if that creature fits the gameplan.

and there is plenty of single targeted removal for Tocatli Honor Guard

Saffron Olive has a combotastic take on Vannifar dinosaurs here. Marvelous!

Quote from hoser2 »

Saffron Olive has a combotastic take on Vannifar dinosaurs here. Marvelous!

I really like his list. It's janky but looks like a bunch of fun. I do think I'd try and find room for a few copies of Domri, Chaos Bringer. The deck needs a lot of pieces and Domri can find two of them with his -3, not to mention being able to help ramp into bigger dino's if combo isn't working out but beatdown is AND he can enable a hasty Vannifar to combo off right away. I think he's a slam dunk in this deck. I'd put two copies in and shave off 2 copies of Incubation // Incongruity

With what we have seen so far, here's the list I came up with. Thoughts?

I think I'd rather run Elvish Rejuvenator in the District Guide / Skittering Surveyor slot, as it gets and land and puts it directly into play, rather than just basics (not going to be alot to fetch in an 4-color deck) and into your hand. Also, putting cards on the bottom isn't that a big deal since if all goes to plan you are searching multiple times with Vannifar.

I like it! I had been thinking of Vampire Sovereign and have now added it to the OP. I like the focus on explore creatures. There is value to having 1 drops, in that a token can start the chain.

I love Elvish Rejuvenator, but when I whiff... I don't love it.

I have been magical Christmas dreaming of late game fetching Nicol Bolas, the Ravager and immediately activating him. So I will be working up a 4 color list including R.

Here is the start (26 land + 4 mana dorks + 4 District Guides seems excessive, so I need to tweak the manabase for sure):

Interesting! If we count Song as 4 R sources, I guess the mana works for Electodominance. It seems more reliable than Raff Capashen, which would also allow flashing in our favorite Elf Ooze Wizard.

My chain... +4 Rhythm of the Wild , +4 Incubation//Incongruity , +23 lands

I also like 4 Color lists, they can help the deck take on a solid toolbox. I'm going Temur with a Black splash for mine since most of the black cards I want only have one mana symbol. With druids and scouts and guides in the early game I'm not too worried about the mana and am gonna risk a basic 24 land deck to start. I really want to base the deck around Rhythm of the Wild as well, it can give Vannifar haste and just makes all the other already good creatures in the deck even better. I really wanted to find room for Electrodominance but decided that Incubation // Incongruity is just safer for now.

Seth Mansfield proposes a temur white list here.

My stab at this.

Seems like a fun thing to brew overall. You can actually have a giant mix of creatures -- just make sure your choices have ETB or dies effects for some extra juice, and make sure your more multiple creatures are helping the cause. I really think Militia Bugler is a huge bonus here (can filter up most of these creatures, including vannifar), although it might be good to cut down to 2-3 copies. And make sure whatever you take isn't impossible to cast.

Also feels like you could splash almost any colour for some fun effects

Nice! I like the Bugler and have added it to the OP.

I am curious about how your chains work going from 3 to 4. I see only Shalai and Vannifar at 4. I can easily see having Shalai in hand and not having anything to get with the Bugler once it's on board. And then, are you really going to want to sac your Shalai on board to tutor up a 5-drop?

Yeah, that's a good point. My 4 CMC count heavily included vannifar... Maybe I should slot in a couple Conclave Cavalier. I took it out because I thought it might an awkward hard cast if it ends up in your hand.

Riverwise Augur Might also be great just to fish for a good card, or even to place back a card you want to sac for.

Kumazemi got on the board with Temur Vannifar in the latest MTGO 5-0 deck dump! Seeing his list with the Oozes, I realized that the Ooze tribal benefit buffs Vannifar also!

I want there to be a thread for Vannifar in Deck Creation. With my local responsibilities and deck archetype promiscuity, I would love it if someone else would start it. I can support with content and advice, and even take over if someone moves on, but would rather not take it on myself. Any takers? I think the archetype will be quite varied and interesting.

After a few too many prereleases (4), I am now the proud owner of two Vannifar. My latest version (semi-budget as I may ultimately prefer 3 Vannifar) is below. I hope to get some testing in tomorrow.

Given the very low amount of noncreature spells, is Nullhide Ferox a worthy card for the 4 slot? It can provide a ton of pressure to some decks, and it seems like a good ramp to the 5 slot if it Lyra would be better on the field.

Quote from tulun »

Given the very low amount of noncreature spells, is Nullhide Ferox a worthy card for the 4 slot? It can provide a ton of pressure to some decks, and it seems like a good ramp to the 5 slot if it Lyra would be better on the field.

I like the card and I love it against Disinformation Campaign, but with no ETB benefits, I don't see it working that well. Cavalier seems good if the mana supports it. Augur seems okay. The four spot is a good reason to run B. Mansfield suggested Rekindling Phoenix, but that's a heavy R commitment.

Massacre Girl! Seems strong against tokens, particularly down the line, but doesn't really help in the current meta.

Rescuer Sphinx seems fun, but not that powerful.

Neoforming a Jadelight Ranger or Midnight Reaper to get Vannifar seems intriguing, although it's a 1 for 2. Don't let it get countered, though.

Neoform is certainly interesting but the deck's don't play a lot of non-creatures so slots are tight. Maybe if there was a dedicated "combo" even a janky one. I am interested in testing it anyway.

Speaking as a competitive former Standard Pod player.

Strong filtering is a must in silver-bullet-style decks. Incubation // Incongruity looks like a no-brainer 4-of. It even answers the Tocatli Honor Guard problem.

Another card that may serve as a backup plan is Vivien's Arkbow. A strong 2-of contender.

Other than that, GUB PSV is both slow to get going AND it's vulnerable to both countermagic and removal.
Rhythm of the Wild solves two of these problems. It's a complete game changer.

That Temur list looks good. Tons of mana and treasure dorks to ensure big T3 plays. PSV swaps them for real money later.