Notes: Deck tops out at *5 mana. No X spells or anything 6+. If I reach 5 lands in play, I'm usually happy. I'll discard excess lands to Blood Tokens.
Round 1 vs Golgari, 2-1.
Game 1, I mulled to 4 and lost. Games 2 and 3 went fine.
Round 2 vs Rakdos, 2-1.
Opponent played Ill-Tempered Loner all 3 games! Games 1 and 3, I had immediate removal. Game 2, I was low on life when Ill-Tempered Loner held off my army.
Round 3 vs Mardu, 2-0.
His cardinal sin was running an even split of 3 basic land types. Call me superstitious but I'd never run a 6/6/6 land base. I also will not run 13 copies of any basic land (either 12/14 - it's my burden.)
Tested Faeries vs Vampires, 1-0.
Tested Giants vs Vampires, 0-1.
Round 1 vs Bant Spirits, 2-1.
SB: none
If I researched this format, I may have boarded +2 Llawan, Cephalid Empress, -2 Ponder, which I did later in Round 3.
Round 2 vs Gruul Werewolves, 2-0.
SB: none
I considered boarding Submerge but didn't since I never saw an actual Forest card from him. Afterwards he told me due to his 'budget duals,' I made the correct call.
Notes:
*I've once had a 1 Plains/1 Enlightened Tutor opening hand and had to ship it back b/c of no Vault of Whispers to fix my mana screw. When something bad happens, you never forget.
-If you win the die roll, ALWAYS choose to draw, instead of play. Reason being, discarding turn 1 (off 8 cards in hand), then turn 2 land + Reanimate, is the fastest way to get a Giant in play. It's also surprisingly reliable.
-As you'd expect, most opponents WILL choose to play first, given the choice. It feels good knowing you will get the turn 1 discard you want, no matter who wins the die roll!
(17) Land: 10 Swamp (My 2 color split is roughly even but I wanted more Swamps for Pestilence.) 7 Plains
Round 1, vs Grixis. 1-0 match, 2-0 games.
No SB.
He ran 60 cards. I helped him trim to 40 after our match. New land base was: 9 Island (Fathom Seer, Ghost Ship), 7 Swamp, 1 Mountain. He has a way to fetch the Mountain too...
Round 2, vs Gruul. 1-0 match, 1-0-1 games.
No SB.
Game 1, took a long time. Game 2, I survived the 5th extra turn.
Round 3, vs Boros. 1-0 match, 2-0 games.
No SB.
He had a clunky mana curve. I was all offense from the beginning.
Round 4, vs Abzan. 1-0 match, 2-0 games.
No SB.
The tide turned several times.
Conclusion: I only attended to test some Tribal (I didn't preregister.) Glad I stayed!
Notes: Every time I test Tribal, I give my partner the choice of Fish or Faeries. They always choose Fish. They always lose. The feedback I get is, "Fish lacks interaction." Hopefully someone here can 'deck clinic' this list!
Have you considered reworking it into a Golgari GB list?
You could pick up Masked Vandal and/or Guardian Gladewalker. Also maybe just go all in on the Mercs as well. Add back in 4 Cateran Brute and drop the Garys and Gurmags. Universal Automaton could fit in as well. Find something that buffs the whole team on attack and go more of an aggro route. Just a thought. If I find the time I might rework your list and post it up.
Conclusion: I witnessed 3 RDW (one undefeated, my round 2 opponent, my playtest opponent), 2 MBC (me and my round 1 opponent), 1 Green Infect (my round 3 opponent) and White Heroic. The rest IDK.
Deck is a dud. Traditional MBC might just be better.
Tourney Rules: The Tribal Wars event will use the following rules:
The banned list found here: https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Tribal_Wars
As well as any card currently banned in the modern format
Playtest 2 vs Gtron, 0-1.
-He informed me I could’ve used Assassin’s Trophy on his nonbasic lands, doh! He racked up good karma later on for informing me.
Round 3 vs UGsnow, 2-0.
-SB: none.
-I was very surprised at how good his creatures were. They were all about 1 turn too slow, tempo wise, but I respected them.
05/15/21 Standard Pauper
8-10 players, 3 rounds, 1st place.
I haven't played standard since 2019. Idk standard's meta or format defining cards. So I called my LGS today and asked Fox (LGS judge) if he could lend me a deck. He told me he had Elves and allowed me to modify it.
I felt pretty grateful to judge Fox and bought a deck box, sleeves and all the commons I used!
Round 1 vs Azorious, 2-0.
SB: none.
Round 2 vs MonoRed, 2-0.
SB: +4 Gnarled Sage. -3 Raven Wings, -1 Pridemalkin.
I don't need Raven Wings to close games. If I survive long enough, the fatties will out-attrition him.
Round 3 vs MonoRed, 2-0.
SB: +4 Gnarled Sage. -3 Raven Wings, -1 Pridemalkin.
I don't need Raven Wings to close games. If I survive long enough, the fatties will out-attrition him.
11/13/21, 30-ish players, 3 rounds.
3-0 matches, 6-2 games, 2nd place.
Gruul
1 Belligerent Guest
1 Blood Petal Celebrant
1 Blood Servitor
1 Cemetery Gatekeeper
1 Child of the Pack (Day/Night MVP)
1 Dawnhart Disciple
1 Fearful Villager
1 Frenzied Devils*
1 Oakshield Stalker
1 Sawblade Slinger
1 Sporeback Wolf
1 Toxic Scorpion
1 Ulvenwald Oddity
1 Voldaren Epicure
1 Weary Prisoner
1 Weaver of Blossoms
3 Abrade
2 Lacerate Flesh*
1 Sheltering Boughs
1 Wolf Strikes
(17) Lands:
8 Forest
8 Mountain
1 Evolving Wilds
Notes: Deck tops out at *5 mana. No X spells or anything 6+. If I reach 5 lands in play, I'm usually happy. I'll discard excess lands to Blood Tokens.
Round 1 vs Golgari, 2-1.
Game 1, I mulled to 4 and lost. Games 2 and 3 went fine.
Round 2 vs Rakdos, 2-1.
Opponent played Ill-Tempered Loner all 3 games! Games 1 and 3, I had immediate removal. Game 2, I was low on life when Ill-Tempered Loner held off my army.
Round 3 vs Mardu, 2-0.
His cardinal sin was running an even split of 3 basic land types. Call me superstitious but I'd never run a 6/6/6 land base. I also will not run 13 copies of any basic land (either 12/14 - it's my burden.)
Legacy ban list. Tribal ban list. No modern ban list.
X players, 3-0 matches, 6-1-0 games, 1st place.
Dimir Faeries:
4 Bitterblossom (#1 Faerie)
4 Brazen Borrower
4 Faerie Seer
4 Scion of Oona
4 Spellstutter Sprite
(20) Other:
4 Brainstorm
4 Fatal Push
4 Jace, Vryn’s Prodigy (flashback Witch's Vengeance)
4 Ponder
4 Witch’s Vengeance (Tribal MVP)
4 Darkslick Shores
4 Mutavault
4 Polluted Delta
4 Underground Sea
3 Island
1 Swamp
4 Leyline of the Void
4 Sea Sprite (Faerie)
4 Submerge
2 Llawan, Cephalid Empress
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
Tested Faeries vs Vampires, 1-0.
Tested Giants vs Vampires, 0-1.
Round 1 vs Bant Spirits, 2-1.
SB: none
If I researched this format, I may have boarded +2 Llawan, Cephalid Empress, -2 Ponder, which I did later in Round 3.
Round 2 vs Gruul Werewolves, 2-0.
SB: none
I considered boarding Submerge but didn't since I never saw an actual Forest card from him. Afterwards he told me due to his 'budget duals,' I made the correct call.
Round 3 vs Bant Spirits, 2-0.
SB: +2 Llawan, Cephalid Empress, -2 Ponder.
After he Force of Will, pitching Force of Will in game 1, I realized he was base blue, weak to Llawan, Cephalid Empress.
Conclusion: I halloween cosplayed as Perfect Cell (DBZ) tonight. Luckily, SS2 Gohan didn't foil my nefarious plans!
==================================================
Bonus List:
==================================================
Orhzov Giants:
4 Frost Titan
4 Grave Titan (#1 Giant)
4 Inferno Titan (vs mana elves)
4 Primeval Titan (Vault of the Archangel)
4 Sun Titan
(20) Other:
4 Animate Dead
4 Enlightened Tutor
4 Exhume
4 Reanimate
4 Zombie Infestation
4 Bojuka Bog
4 Concealed Courtyard
4 Marsh Flats
4 Scrubland
1 Plains
1 Swamp
1 Vault of the Archangel (Prime Time vs burn)
1 Vault of Whispers (banned in Modern)*
4 Burrenton Forge-Tender (Sun Titan)
4 Dread of Night
4 Faerie Macabre (Sun Titan)
2 Sorcerous Spyglass
1 Seal of Cleansing (Sun Titan)
Notes:
*I've once had a 1 Plains/1 Enlightened Tutor opening hand and had to ship it back b/c of no Vault of Whispers to fix my mana screw. When something bad happens, you never forget.
-If you win the die roll, ALWAYS choose to draw, instead of play. Reason being, discarding turn 1 (off 8 cards in hand), then turn 2 land + Reanimate, is the fastest way to get a Giant in play. It's also surprisingly reliable.
-As you'd expect, most opponents WILL choose to play first, given the choice. It feels good knowing you will get the turn 1 discard you want, no matter who wins the die roll!
4 Oust
4 Path to Exile
4 Swords to Plowshares
(8) 2cc:
4 Gerrard’s Verdict (when judge Gerrard makes a ruling
4 Pack Rat (best card in limited!)
(16) 3cc:
16 Relentless Rats
4 Concealed Courtyard
4 Marsh Flats
4 Scrubland
4 Shambling Vent
4 Swarmyard
3 Swamp
1 Plains
4 Burrenton Forge-Tender
4 Containment Priest
4 Dread of Night
3 Disenchant
Notes: judge Fox built Rats so I tried it too... unsuccessfully.
10/23/21, X Players, 4 Rounds.
4-0 Matches/7-0-1 Games, 1st Place.
1 Bloodrite Invoker (legit finisher)
1 Celestial Crusader
1 Coalition Honor Guard
1 Disowned Ancestor
1 Festercreep
1 Fiend Hunter
1 Gonti, Lord of Luxury
1 Gwyllion Hedge-Mage
1 Recruiter of the Guard
1 Ruff, Underdog Champ
1 Ruin Rat
1 Tithe Drinker
1 Topan Freeblade
1 Voice of the Provinces
1 Xyru Specter
1 Certain Death
1 Decommission
1 Decree of Justice
1 Nameless Inversion
1 Pestilence
1 Rhonas's Monument (Ignore the "Green" part, fits every aggro build!)
1 Tragic Slip
1 Weight of the Underworld
10 Swamp (My 2 color split is roughly even but I wanted more Swamps for Pestilence.)
7 Plains
Round 1, vs Grixis. 1-0 match, 2-0 games.
No SB.
He ran 60 cards. I helped him trim to 40 after our match. New land base was: 9 Island (Fathom Seer, Ghost Ship), 7 Swamp, 1 Mountain. He has a way to fetch the Mountain too...
Round 2, vs Gruul. 1-0 match, 1-0-1 games.
No SB.
Game 1, took a long time. Game 2, I survived the 5th extra turn.
Round 3, vs Boros. 1-0 match, 2-0 games.
No SB.
He had a clunky mana curve. I was all offense from the beginning.
Round 4, vs Abzan. 1-0 match, 2-0 games.
No SB.
The tide turned several times.
Conclusion: I only attended to test some Tribal (I didn't preregister.) Glad I stayed!
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
4 Silvergil Adept
4 Tide Shaper
4 True-Name Nemesis
4 Force of Will
4 Ponder
4 Preordain
4 Tempest Djinn (100% basic Islands)
4 Vedalken Shackles (100% basic Islands)
20 Island
4 Mistcaller
4 Submerge
4 Tidebender Mage
3 Back to Basics (100% basic Islands)
Notes: Every time I test Tribal, I give my partner the choice of Fish or Faeries. They always choose Fish. They always lose. The feedback I get is, "Fish lacks interaction." Hopefully someone here can 'deck clinic' this list!
4 Serum Visions
4 Sleight of Hand
(8) 2cc
4 Spreading Seas
4 Wall of Omens
(8) 3cc
4 Aven Riftwatcher
4 Detention Sphere
(6) 4cc
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Supreme Verdict
2 Wrath of God
4 Venser, the Sojourner
(2) 6cc
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
(24) Land
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Flooded Strand
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Radiant Fountain
4 Seachrome Coast
3 Island
1 Plains
4 Rest In Peace
4 Spellskite
4 Stony Silence
3 Reality Acid (vs Planeswalkers only.)
Acid Trip is weak vs counterspells (counterspells are cheaper than my threats) and Death & Taxes (mana denial hurts.)
4 Bayou Groff
4 Jaspera Sentinel
4 Llanowar Visionary
4 Owlbear
4 Ravenous Lindwurm
4 Sarulf’s Packmate
4 Sculptor of Winter
4 Trufflesnout (replaced Professor of Zoomancy)
4 Raven Wings
4 Struggle for Skemfar
(20) Land:
16 Snow-Covered Forest
4 Radiant Fountain
4 Masked Vandal
4 Return to Nature
4 Tangletrap
3 Professor of Zoomancy (-3 Raven Wings vs RDW)
Pauper - Legacy Elves
4 Bayou Groff
4 Elvish Mystic
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Llanowar Visionary
4 Owlbear
4 Ravenous Lindwurm
4 Sarulf’s Packmate
4 Trufflesnout
4 Raven Wings
4 Struggle for Skemfar
(20) Land:
16 Forest
4 Radiant Fountain
4 Feed the Clan
4 Relic of Progenitus
4 Reverent Silence
3 Gut Shot
Notes:
-Standard Elves: 4 Jaspera Sentinel, 4 Sculptor of Winter.
-Legacy Elves: 4 Elvish Mystic, 4 Llanowar Elves.
8 Island
4 Ash Barrens
4 Forest
4 Thornwood Falls
(28) U Spells:
4 Careful Study
4 Deep Analysis
4 Force of Will
4 Pongify
4 Quiet Speculation
4 Rapid Hybridization
4 Wonder
4 Roar of the Wurm
4 Werebear
4 Wild Mongrel
4 Compost
4 Feed the Clan
4 Submerge
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Nature’s Claim
1 Ray of Revelation
Notes: Too many uncommons for Peasant (5) but I wanted to brew. Bumped this Pauper thread out of convenience.
I'm trying to minimize the number of green spells in the deck to abuse Defile and Tendrils of Corruption.
I like your shapeshifter (mercenary) suggestions however!
3 rounds, 1-2 record.
4 Cateran Persuader
4 Changeling Outcast
4 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
4 Gurmag Angler
4 Rathi Intimidator
(20) Spells:
4 Defile
4 Night's Whisper
4 Sign in Blood
4 Tendrils of Corruption
4 Unmake
12 Swamp
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Nihil Spellbomb
4 Gut Shot
4 Reverent Silence
2 Pestilence
1 Forest
Playtest vs RDW, 2-1.
-SB: none.
Round 1 vs MBC, 1-2.
-SB: none.
Round 2 vs RDW (not playtest opponent), 1-2.
-SB: none.
Round 3 vs Green Infect, 2-1.
-SB: +4 Gut Shot, +2 Pestilence. -4 Tendrils of Corruption, -2 Rathi Intimidator.
-Notes: Lifegain doesn't matter and infect creatures are small so cumbersome Tendrils of Corruption gets replaced by Gut Shot. Pestilence can control the board if I have a Gray Merchant of Asphodel or Gurmag Angler. 2 Rathi Intimidator gets cut b/c it's the highest CCC w/1 toughness.
Conclusion: I witnessed 3 RDW (one undefeated, my round 2 opponent, my playtest opponent), 2 MBC (me and my round 1 opponent), 1 Green Infect (my round 3 opponent) and White Heroic. The rest IDK.
Deck is a dud. Traditional MBC might just be better.
Tourney Rules:
The Tribal Wars event will use the following rules:
The banned list found here: https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Tribal_Wars
As well as any card currently banned in the modern format
MonoBlueMerfolkTribe2:
4 Lord of Atlantis
4 Master of the Pearl Trident
4 Merfolk Trickster
4 Silvergill Adept
4 Tide Shaper (upgrade from Spreading Seas)
4 True-Name Nemesis
4 Aether Vial
4 Ancestral Vision
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner (Kira + TNN justify Vial on 3)
(20) Land:
16 Island
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Mistcaller
4 Submerge
3 Llawan, Cephalid Empress
3 Master of Waves
1 Force of Will
15 players, 3 rounds.
2-1 record, 8th place.
4 Dark Confidant
4 Doran, the Siege Tower
4 Gaddock Teeg
4 Ignoble Hierarch
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Obstinate Baloth
4 Siege Rhino
(12) Non-Creatures:
4 Assassin’s Trophy
4 Liliana of the Veil
4 Path to Exile
4 Blooming Marsh
4 Marsh Flats
4 Windswept Heath
2 Forest
2 Swamp
1 Godless Shrine
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Plains
1 Temple Garden
3 Chalice of the Void (cascade)
3 Rest in Peace (dredge)
3 Spellskite (infect/boggles)
3 Stony Silence (affinity/tron)
3 Witch’s Vengeance (tribal)
Notes:
-Replaced the “mana cost package” (Abrupt Decay/Fatal Push/Inquisition of Kozilek) w/a “ramp package” (Assassin’s Trophy/Gaddock Teeg/Path to Exile.)
-Replaced Birds of Paradise/Courser of Kruphix/Hissing Quagmire with Ignoble Hierarch/Noble Hierarch/Obstinate Baloth.
Playtest vs URprowess (05/08/21 opponent), 1-0.
-Replacing my previous Abrupt Decay/Fatal Push w/today’s Assassin’s Trophy/Path to Exile gave him no outs to my removal (not even Stormwing Entity.)
Playtest 2 vs Gtron, 0-1.
-He informed me I could’ve used Assassin’s Trophy on his nonbasic lands, doh! He racked up good karma later on for informing me.
Round 1 vs RG Valakut, 2-1.
-SB: none.
-One game, I cast 2 Assassin’s Trophy on 2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle and he Scapeshift me for 15 (2 life left.) He ran out of Mountain and I attack for lethal before he can top deck Lightning Bolt.
Round 2 vs Gtron (Playtest2 opponent), 1-2.
SB: +3 Stony Silence, -3 Obstinate Baloth.
-One game, he assembled Tron and cast Wurmcoil Engine. The following turn, he attacks w/Wurmcoil Engine so I Assassin’s Trophy his Urza's Tower during his attack step...
-(Most ppl play sorcery speed spells after attacking. If he casted a sorcery speed spell prior to attacks, I can Assassin’s Trophy that threat instead.)
-Turns out he was holding Sylvan Scrying, casts it and fetches another Urza’s Tower and casts another Wurmcoil Engine. Good game for a good guy.
Round 3 vs UGsnow, 2-0.
-SB: none.
-I was very surprised at how good his creatures were. They were all about 1 turn too slow, tempo wise, but I respected them.
Conclusion: My Abzan experiment is over.
8-10 players, 3 rounds, 1st place.
I haven't played standard since 2019. Idk standard's meta or format defining cards. So I called my LGS today and asked Fox (LGS judge) if he could lend me a deck. He told me he had Elves and allowed me to modify it.
"Elves"
4 Bayou Groff (fatty, sac 1/1's)
4 Guardian Gladewalker (sac to Bayou Groff, elf)
4 Jaspera Sentinel (ramp, elf)
4 Llanowar Visionary (ramp, elf)
4 Professor of Zoomancy (fatty, sac to Bayou Groff)
4 Ravenous Lindwurm (fatty, lifegain)
3 Pridemalkin (trample for fatties)
4 Mammoth Growth (foretell bluff)
4 Struggle for Skemfar (foretell bluff)
3 Raven Wings (flying for fatties)
(22) Lands:
18 Forest
4 Radiant Fountain (underrated lifegain)
4 Gnarled Sage (additional fatty)
4 Masked Vandal (vs aggro + equip/aura, like Boros)
4 Tangletrap (artifact + flying hate seemed practical)
2 Broken Wings (versatile)
1 Raven Wings (4th copy if opponent has artifact hate)
I felt pretty grateful to judge Fox and bought a deck box, sleeves and all the commons I used!
Round 1 vs Azorious, 2-0.
SB: none.
Round 2 vs MonoRed, 2-0.
SB: +4 Gnarled Sage. -3 Raven Wings, -1 Pridemalkin.
I don't need Raven Wings to close games. If I survive long enough, the fatties will out-attrition him.
Round 3 vs MonoRed, 2-0.
SB: +4 Gnarled Sage. -3 Raven Wings, -1 Pridemalkin.
I don't need Raven Wings to close games. If I survive long enough, the fatties will out-attrition him.
Conclusion: Idk if Gnarled Sage is the optimal SB fatty but I ain't complaining!
I saw Alex (limited guru) rocking Sarulf's Packmate. 05/22/21 - I'd cut 3 Pridemalkin and 1 Mammoth Growth for space.
“Elves2”
4 Bayou Groff
4 Gnarled Sage*
4 Jaspera Sentinel (elf)
4 Llanowar Visionary (elf)
4 Professor of Zoomancy
4 Ravenous Lindwurm
4 Sanrulf’s Packmate (foretell)
4 Sculptor of Winter (elf)
4 Raven Wings
4 Struggle for Skemfar (foretell)
(20) Land:
16 Snow-Covered Forest**
4 Radiant Fountain
4 Mammoth Growth (foretell)
4 Masked Vandal (elf)
4 Return to Nature
3 Broken Wings
*Gnarled Sage bonus off Llanowar Visionary/Sanrulf’s Packmate.
**Snow-Covered Forest to enable Sculptor of Winter is a MASSIVE upgrade!
07/03/21 Test: vs RW Dinos, 2-0.
-No SB.
“Elves2.1”
+4 Owlbear
-4 Gnarled Sage