I am testing this pack since a couple of days, and I wonder if Scrapheap Scrounger is better than Deathgorge Scavenger SB, for 2 reasons : UB control and ramunap.
Cartouche is good later in the game but early is just setting you up for a 2-1. Never would I play this early in a game vs red. UB control:
You get some recursive crea which can come back after essence scatter attack and empty your graveyard.
that seems good when The Scarab God is in
Ramunap
the second reason is that Deathgorge Scavengeris not so good vs monored.
I prefer Cartouche of Ambitioncoz it kills a crea, weaks hazoret the fervent , and seems fantastic on walking ballista, or any other creat with 3 basis thougness
by playing this deck, I got feeling the challenge is to deal with f*****g glorybringer , coz don't have any removal, or maybe just 2 Vraska's ContemptSB...
but the more I play this deck, the more I think you don't really have bad matchup, but don't have good either.. all are close and that's the reason why your side tech should be perfect.
While the scrounged is good vs UB control, the scavenger is good too. Hits all split targets, vizer, champion of witts, and all gearhulk targets.
Vs rumunap, the scavenger is one of the best cards atm. I’m not sure what could possibly lead you to thinking it’s not good. Gains life, can block great, and can get in for dmg afterwards. Wayyyyyy better than scrapheap. Heap can’t block, it’s worthless vs red.
I like the land dino sometimes. Others it's just a vanilla card. The scavenger can really help against gate decks and control (torrential targets). I think it's really good.
Is ammit eternal good enough for us now? I think he is good enough for the non-energy version
I have an energy version that is similar to everyone else's I can post. As well as a b/g snek that I can post similar to the mtgo version
The mana seems solid at requiring 12 Blue, 18 Green, 18 Black, and getting 13 Blue, 20 Green, and 18 Black. Could maybe use Foul Orchard, Fetid Pools, or Evolving Wilds to tighten it up a bit but I'm fairly certain I don't need Servant of the Conduit. I haven't liked Servant for a long time either so that pleases me. Not sure if 21 lands and 4 Attunes are right either, but it's served me well for the curve in the past. The only question is Vraska's Contempt being rather mana hungry.
The instant speed suite of cards comes in at a Blossoming Defense to keep my opponents on guard, 4 Fatal Push for any Aggro, and Vraska's Contempt to deal with much of what anyone can throw at us. It's got 4-7 cards dead against various Control, but that's always been the case. I'm not sure how well Control will survive though with Shapers' Sanctuary and Carnage Tyrant around. Main things I'm looking to deal with are Runamap Red, Temur Black Energy, God-Pharaoh's Gift, and some flavor of Dinos.
The creature core is based on the 4 of Winding Constrictor, Longtusk Cub, Walking Ballista, and Glint-Sleeve Siphoner. They've been a part of this deck since the inception and I don't think I'm ready to cut any of it. 4 Rogue Refiner coming with the deck once it's gone blue feels mandatory as well. This core alone is plenty capable of winning games via all the interactions and card advantage I can accrue. Now come the one of cards I'm just not certain of and need more than the 15 or so games of testing I've already done to decide whether I'm keeping them that way. The deck feels un-optimized with them there, but I'm not sure which way I want to proceed. Rishkar, Peema Renegade provides more +1/+1 counter support and can dump the deck into the field more effective with the mana ramp, Ripjaw Raptor feels like it has a place here with it's body and Enrage shenanigans, and Bristling Hydra has always been one of the more difficult to deal with cards in any Green based energy deck often ending games on the spot against Control. Hostage Taker is a great 1 for 1 or 3 for 1 when it works right. It either forces an answer or goes to the skies in card advantage. Also a funny way to deal with an artifact in the main board. Verdurous Gearhulk will end games if Constrictor is out or even it if isn't can spread out a bunch of power into play so it's definitely the primary 5 drop. Of course The Scarab God will flat out win games on his own against any other grindy deck that can't deal with him. This card is the reason you can beat dinos in a ground stall.
My sideboard feels horrible. It's got anti-graveyard, anti-control, anti-combo, anti-creature, anti-artifact, and anti-enchantment but it doesn't feel like it fits with what I'd side out yet. I've been super impressed with Shapers' Sanctuary though. The rest I think needs tweaking up or down, but without really knowing the meta and without enough experience yet I'm unsure which direction.
This is the list I've been trying as well. I found out I had to have rhonas for the trample or I just couldn't win against a lot of decks. They would stall me out and I could push thru. The refiner is less than optimal. He doesn't do much imo. Less of him is always better imo.
I have been playing the white combo version but it is very clunky. The glorybound inniate isn't where we wanna be. Also been trying a jund version which either gets blown out or does the stomping
I feel like there are two different decks here. The classic Miacle Gro Quiron Dryad style deck and the all in tribal deck.
Deeproot champion seems amazing in more of a ~20 land, possibly playing red for burn, maybe with Enigma drake kind of deck. It would not have Verdurous Gearhulk, and likely very little above 2 mana. It would rely on blossoming defense and spell pierce and possibly unsummons to get teh job done. I like the branchwalker there to cut lands, and possibly bomat and or soulscar mage. These really help with the spell plan and chart the course. Jace may work in this deck or the enchantment that turns into a 3/3 flyer.
The other deck is going full tribal. 4 metallic mimic, 4 branchwalkers, 3 Kopala etc. Once again I do not like the Gearhulk. 5 mana spells are not what you want especially if you are holding up spell pierce/blossoming defense. I am almost tempted to splash winding constrictor and make River' herald's boon awesome but that is probably a third deck.
I agree with this. Although, the gear hulk is the only card in the deck than can win after turn 4. Him with the river sneak is the only chance you have against any decks out there. The deck is easily stalled and has no recovery. Using the merfolk as a base is just wrong. They aren't evasive and def not resilient.
Looking at something like this too. The blue versions just aren't worth tuning blue. B/g is still better than BUG.
I'll try some BGW today and let you guys know. Also I wanna try a jund build
Genuinely curious: what about blue makes it worse than white or red?
It can't be the mana base, cause I'd expect you're going to run into issues no matter what 3 colours you want to run. Have you found that blue doesn't have enough of an impact to make it worthwhile? If that's the case, what do white or red bring to the table that is better?
I'm currently looking to test a G/bu list (a few posts up) but if I've missed better cards in other colours I'd be interested in knowing.
Thanks!
Misunderstanding. I didn't mean red or white is better. I mean just sticking to black/green is better.
The Enrage Dinos seem to line up well against Red as well given their high toughness and probably against Temur's thopter chumping. Ripjaw Raptor also doesn't die to Glorybringer and Chandra, Torch of Defiance.
I noticed that recent GB Constrictor decks haven't been running the full playset of Verdurous Gearhulk. Is there a specific reason for this? Would it be better to switch out a couple for something like Nissa, Vital Force or Liliana, Death's Majesty?
Looking at something like this too. The blue versions just aren't worth tuning blue. B/g is still better than BUG.
I'll try some BGW today and let you guys know. Also I wanna try a jund build
Champion wins games dude. He is the only contender to dinosaurs. You will see. He is the best Merfolk next to Kopala. Together alone they can win games. I can take Kopala to 3 and Verdurous Gearhulk up to 3. I am not adding Branchwalker or Metallic Mimic because my build doesn't go wide. It stays 2-3 creatures walking the deeproot champion to victory. Often deeproot gets to be like an 8/8 and they can't touch him.
Hey, it's your build, do whatever you like. After a lot of testing, I see no value in a vanilla 1/1 on turn two that will always die before it has any real merit.
The branhwalker is definitely the strongest green common and one of the strongest green cards in xln.
The mimic actually feeds the unblockable guys ability.
No one is gonna spot remove these guys, making the lord not good
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ do whatever you like
Don't get me wrong, it's a good tabletop deck but can't beat any of the top teir decks
This is fun. River Herald's Boon is siiiiiiiick with all the merfs especially Deeproot buffing it +3/+3. We have this inability to keep up with some heavy hits so Life Goes On is actually a really slick way of surviving. Deeproot can get huge... Making any of these people unblockable is amazing. Kopala is a huge asset because he makes your people super hard to target and makes Spell Pierce...Fierce.
I like this one better than OPs. Although, four of the legendary creature is to many. He will be a dead draw sometimes. -2 of him and +2 of the skyship
Also, the lifegain spell is real bad imo.
And the branchwalker is one of the strongest cards in merfolk, need to play him too. The champion isn't all that great.
Metallic mimic should be in here somewhere.
My work blocked mtgsalvation so I'm using my mobile.
Mono black may be better. The blue for masterpiece isn't needed. The flying is nice but usually just comes out to block a flyer and die. Oddmyth keeps trying to pump some board cantrips...the deck doesn't work like that. The cards aren't that good. You aren't going to get a lil engine going in any competitive games that you haven't already won outright...
Prized almagan is just plain bad. 3/3 for 3 is bad now. The creation is nice cause of his ability to get thru for damage in the late game. As a one of maybe.
The red version does exactly the same thing as the blue. Pound in zombies...hope to avoid board wipe and out mass them.
I think white or green would both be better alternatives to blue or red...
Gonna try the green version since dusk is going white.
Don't focus on the recursion... It's not gonna happen very often. Maybe the dead will cycle each other but that's it. Need some
Ench/art/walker support for this to push thru. To many midrange decks that can handle the onslaught then stablize. Liliana still is the bread and butter. So three drops are solid. Kalitas is a great card but had no board impact and Dies to easy. Your zombies won't eat targeted remove so they WILL have it for him. Mind wrack demon might fit better and he avoids languish and grasp & firecraft.
I went ahead and made a red version of this also. Instead of catalog, i'm just using alter reap. Added Kolaghan's command and fiery impulse. Also was thinking of thunderbreak. not sure tho. the U/B tends to play exactly like the R/B so....may try green also. A rock zombie might work with things that recur grave and feed it.
That being said....I'm trouncing people with this deck. F' vampires; the zombies are way stronger. Shambling Goblin is a darn all star. He hoses red and humans pretty well. More targeted removal would be good tho. Tireless tracker can become an issue.
I've been playing this deck. The issue i see is the ability to throw tokens and chump blockers in front to easily deter us and then drop a bomb we can't get around. The recursion isn't as good as you may think and the prized almagan is just lousy. compelling deterrence may be a good fit. Fleshbag marauder and lily will always be the go to cards along with the shambling gobby. are there any equipment cards that would fit in this? something to let us go wide a lil
Also, I feel Catalog is a much better fit than Alter's reap I can toss executioner or algaman or under the floor or masterpiece and still have value that alters reap doesn't. The only beneficial card in the deck that is worth tossing to reap is relentless dead. A card that WILL find an exile or 4.
Own a forum that is similar in size and costs NO WHERE near 5 digits. That i can assure you. Unless they renting the domain and whoever owns it wants more money, then they aren't paying anywhere close to that.
While the scrounged is good vs UB control, the scavenger is good too. Hits all split targets, vizer, champion of witts, and all gearhulk targets.
Vs rumunap, the scavenger is one of the best cards atm. I’m not sure what could possibly lead you to thinking it’s not good. Gains life, can block great, and can get in for dmg afterwards. Wayyyyyy better than scrapheap. Heap can’t block, it’s worthless vs red.
Is ammit eternal good enough for us now? I think he is good enough for the non-energy version
I have an energy version that is similar to everyone else's I can post. As well as a b/g snek that I can post similar to the mtgo version
This is the list I've been trying as well. I found out I had to have rhonas for the trample or I just couldn't win against a lot of decks. They would stall me out and I could push thru. The refiner is less than optimal. He doesn't do much imo. Less of him is always better imo.
I have been playing the white combo version but it is very clunky. The glorybound inniate isn't where we wanna be. Also been trying a jund version which either gets blown out or does the stomping
I agree with this. Although, the gear hulk is the only card in the deck than can win after turn 4. Him with the river sneak is the only chance you have against any decks out there. The deck is easily stalled and has no recovery. Using the merfolk as a base is just wrong. They aren't evasive and def not resilient.
Misunderstanding. I didn't mean red or white is better. I mean just sticking to black/green is better.
Looking at something like this too. The blue versions just aren't worth tuning blue. B/g is still better than BUG.
I'll try some BGW today and let you guys know. Also I wanna try a jund build
This build looks interesting. Gonna play with it today and see what shakes out
Hey, it's your build, do whatever you like. After a lot of testing, I see no value in a vanilla 1/1 on turn two that will always die before it has any real merit.
The branhwalker is definitely the strongest green common and one of the strongest green cards in xln.
The mimic actually feeds the unblockable guys ability.
No one is gonna spot remove these guys, making the lord not good
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ do whatever you like
Don't get me wrong, it's a good tabletop deck but can't beat any of the top teir decks
I like this one better than OPs. Although, four of the legendary creature is to many. He will be a dead draw sometimes. -2 of him and +2 of the skyship
Also, the lifegain spell is real bad imo.
And the branchwalker is one of the strongest cards in merfolk, need to play him too. The champion isn't all that great.
Metallic mimic should be in here somewhere.
Mono black may be better. The blue for masterpiece isn't needed. The flying is nice but usually just comes out to block a flyer and die. Oddmyth keeps trying to pump some board cantrips...the deck doesn't work like that. The cards aren't that good. You aren't going to get a lil engine going in any competitive games that you haven't already won outright...
Prized almagan is just plain bad. 3/3 for 3 is bad now. The creation is nice cause of his ability to get thru for damage in the late game. As a one of maybe.
The red version does exactly the same thing as the blue. Pound in zombies...hope to avoid board wipe and out mass them.
I think white or green would both be better alternatives to blue or red...
Gonna try the green version since dusk is going white.
Don't focus on the recursion... It's not gonna happen very often. Maybe the dead will cycle each other but that's it. Need some
Ench/art/walker support for this to push thru. To many midrange decks that can handle the onslaught then stablize. Liliana still is the bread and butter. So three drops are solid. Kalitas is a great card but had no board impact and Dies to easy. Your zombies won't eat targeted remove so they WILL have it for him. Mind wrack demon might fit better and he avoids languish and grasp & firecraft.
I went ahead and made a red version of this also. Instead of catalog, i'm just using alter reap. Added Kolaghan's command and fiery impulse. Also was thinking of thunderbreak. not sure tho. the U/B tends to play exactly like the R/B so....may try green also. A rock zombie might work with things that recur grave and feed it.
That being said....I'm trouncing people with this deck. F' vampires; the zombies are way stronger. Shambling Goblin is a darn all star. He hoses red and humans pretty well. More targeted removal would be good tho. Tireless tracker can become an issue.
Also, I feel Catalog is a much better fit than Alter's reap I can toss executioner or algaman or under the floor or masterpiece and still have value that alters reap doesn't. The only beneficial card in the deck that is worth tossing to reap is relentless dead. A card that WILL find an exile or 4.