[quote from="lugger »" url="/forums/the-game/standard-type-2/deck-creation-standard/804394-gruulggro?comment=82"]New Cards from War of the Spark:
This card is very similar to Dromoka's Command. It plays great on the play, allowing your 2 drops to push through damage and function very similar to Fleecemane Lion and co. of the past. So what's the draw back here? It's sorcery speed, meaning that you're getting set up to get blown out. You can't realistically play this card into open mana. We're already tight on removal spells and, in a lot of cases, Lava Coil will be just as good if not better.
Isnt threat//thrashing just better?
Still going to test Ilharg, I want him to be good.
I think with the explore and creature searching from planeswalkers 2 Ilharg would be right and 2 domri would be ok but for testing i'll over load first. Sneaking kraul harpooner into play with dudes in the grave isn't bad. It would be sweet to sneak a jadelight into play multiple times. Maybe -1 ghalta and Ilharg for +2 nullhide ferox or thrash//threat
Im confused by "Shaman being good against moment of craving" So you bring in shaman against esper and esper sides in or leaves craving in against this deck? How is the card good against wilderness reclamation, or is it just that it is good against the deck? Im pretty sure I get what your saying, just clarifying.
Immolation Shaman is good vs. Moment of Craving because it's an x/3. Esper will often board in Craving or leave them in, depending on their configuration.
It is also good against Wilderness Reclamation if they're trying to Nexus of Fate you. Generally, they have to stick a Search for Azcanta and flip it for a hard lock. That's hard to do without getting Shaman off the table. They have to find a Blink of an Eye to bounce it off the table or kill you with Hydras and looped Nexuses. Basically what you do with the card is make them jump through hoops to kill you. They have a moderately high fail rate when jumping through said hoops.
The Immolation Shaman dealing 1 damage when they activate Search for azcanta as a land is enough to hold it down? I guess my real question is, this only deals damage when activated abilities are used right? I feel like I've seen different wording on cards to mean the same thing, so I'm wondering if this is an oracle update or I'm remembering something improperly.
it can pump for a total of 4... seems ok. question is what do you take out.
Additionally, it's a 2cmc creature that's good against Shock, Fiery Cannonade, and Shivan Fire. I'll bring it in when the games gets removal heavy as it doesn't line up with cheap removal quite like a Kraul Harpooner or others do. It lets you keep your curve low when you're trying to board in attrition-ey cards against midrange removal decks. You don't want a lot 5-6 mana cards. It's good vs. Gruul Midrange with Goblin Chainwhirler since you don't want them gaining tempo advantage with shock.
Shaman won't blow you away. It's not an "I win button" like some people hope their SB cards to be. I just fills the curve when you're sideboarding out bad cards like Kraul Harpooner or Lightning Strike.
Ravager Wurm is good vs. Sultai and other removal midrange decks (I had an opponent really regret trying to Hostage Taker it last night, which was delightful). It's also good in the mirror. Ravenous Chupacabra is good against us so ipso facto. Don't board in expensive creatures against Search for Azcanta decks. They're traps. If the game is about playing to the board, you should bring in Wurm.
I maybe logged 18 hours getting to mythic. There were whole weeks this season where I didn't touch the game. Don't quote me on that though, since I don't log "time played".
Im confused by "Shaman being good against moment of craving" So you bring in shaman against esper and esper sides in or leaves craving in against this deck? How is the card good against wilderness reclamation, or is it just that it is good against the deck? Im pretty sure I get what your saying, just clarifying.
You don't like Rekindling Pheonix over the other 4 drops? Also do you really want 4 Rhythym of the wilds? Seems like you wouldn't want more then one per game usually. Taking 2 turns off of playing creatures isn't something we want to do. Seems like 3 mb would be better.
To be honest I havent played the deck enough to know how many I would want. I figure if I wanted it at all I want 4 to try and ensure I can play it T2/3.
I dont have rekindling Phoenix in paper so its easy not to include. I am really drawn to casting Ghalta with Rhythm in play. I am also attracted to playing Kraul Harpooner with rhythm in play as well, like post sweeper, like harpooner into Ghalta and swing for 20, that sounds so sexy.
If I were to play that style enough to decide that it totally sucks then I might try the Monsters build with PHX and dragon.
Spells - 10 3 Thrash // Threat - removal, answer to planeswalkers, creature 4 Rhythm of the Wild - reason to play red over other colors, hoses counter spells. 3 Vivien Reid - maybe 4 ferox instead of Sunder Shaman then +3 Beast Whisperer?
Sideboard 4 Nullhide Ferox - punish grixis/discard decks, take out spells from main, Vivien/thrash? 4 Deathgorge Scavenger - prevent sultai from recasting cards and PHXs from coming back. Bring in against Mono Red? 3 Fiery Cannonade - tokens, decks that go wide, white weenie 3 Find // Finality - get cards back that have been killed, could we splash black to use finality? 1 ?
So Pelt Collector or thorn Lieutenant? Im taking out Sunder Shaman for sure, but in its place, Steel leaf Champion or Nullhide Ferox? If Ferox do I take out Vivien for like Beast Whisperer?
I feel favored against certain midrange strategies like monoblue aggro and drakes. I feel even against Sultai.
Against gates, you just need to get out front.
I need help against Wu aggro. I usually just board in Lava Coil and Ghalta, Primal Hunger -- basically removal and good ways to close the game quickly.
Maybe I want a super efficient card to take down their threats like Mutiny? Shock won't kill their lords. Maybe I need Fiery Cannonade but I play so many x/2s. Alternatively, I can play something like Atzocan Archer. I don't know. I don't really like a card like that either. Mono-White is a bad MU because they will often play to the board faster and go wider. Maybe something as silly as Shake the Foundations.
if you play aGhalta and can land ghalta before they're first blaze, that should be good game.
not sure about carnyT because of no domri and the fact that you already have ghalta.
Looking at the SCG meta, didnt see to many 'wide' strategies: tokens, white weenie, so what is cannonade in there for?
your SB has 11 cards, what about the other 4?
I was looking at Carnage tyrant as a uncounterable hexproof threat.
Isnt threat//thrashing just better?
Still going to test Ilharg, I want him to be good.
4 llanowar elves
3 Paradise Druid
4 Kraul Harpooner
4 Wildgrowth Walker
4 Merfolk Branchwalker
4 Jadelight Ranger
4 Steel leaf Champion
2 Nullhide Ferox
3 Domri, Choas Bringer
3 Ilharg, the Raze-Boar
3 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
14 forest
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
3 Paradise Druid - help justify 22 land and provide more red sources. +3 2 drop for ghalta.
4 Kraul Harpooner
4 Wildgrowth Walker
4 Merfolk Branchwalker
4 Jadelight Ranger
4 Steelleaf Champion
3 Domri, choas bringer
2 Vivien Reid
3 Ilharg, Razeboar
3 Ghalta, Primal hunger
14 forest
4 stomping ground
4 rootbound crag
I think with the explore and creature searching from planeswalkers 2 Ilharg would be right and 2 domri would be ok but for testing i'll over load first. Sneaking kraul harpooner into play with dudes in the grave isn't bad. It would be sweet to sneak a jadelight into play multiple times. Maybe -1 ghalta and Ilharg for +2 nullhide ferox or thrash//threat
Then face it 3 turns later....
it can pump for a total of 4... seems ok. question is what do you take out.
talk to us about the Wurm and shaman
also how long did it take to get up there>?
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/1665244#paper
3 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
4 Kraul Harpooner
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nullhide Ferox
4 Pelt Collector
4 Steel Leaf Champion
4 Thrashing Brontodon
4 Adventurous Impulse
22 Forest
2 Carnage Tyrant
3 Crushing Canopy
4 Prey Upon
2 Sagittars' Volley
4 Shapers' Sanctuary
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/1666952#paper
3 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
4 Kraul Harpooner
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nullhide Ferox
4 Pelt Collector
4 Steel Leaf Champion
4 Thorn Lieutenant
4 Thrashing Brontodon
4 Adventurous Impulse
22 Forest
3 Crushing Canopy
3 Deathgorge Scavenger
2 End-Raze Forerunners
4 Prey Upon
3 Vivien Reid
Biogenic Ooze!!! that card can win games by itself! got to try it
To be honest I havent played the deck enough to know how many I would want. I figure if I wanted it at all I want 4 to try and ensure I can play it T2/3.
I dont have rekindling Phoenix in paper so its easy not to include. I am really drawn to casting Ghalta with Rhythm in play. I am also attracted to playing Kraul Harpooner with rhythm in play as well, like post sweeper, like harpooner into Ghalta and swing for 20, that sounds so sexy.
If I were to play that style enough to decide that it totally sucks then I might try the Monsters build with PHX and dragon.
4 Llanowar elves
4 Kraul Harpooner
4 Thorn Lieutenant - easier to cast than Zhur-Taa Goblin with Green base, or Pelt Collector?
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
4 Gruul Spellbreaker
4 Steel Leaf Champion
3 Ghalta, Primal Hunger - imagine the Haste!
3 Thrash // Threat - removal, answer to planeswalkers, creature
4 Rhythm of the Wild - reason to play red over other colors, hoses counter spells.
3 Vivien Reid - maybe 4 ferox instead of Sunder Shaman then +3 Beast Whisperer?
Lands - 23
12 Forest
3 Mountain
4 Stomping Ground
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Nullhide Ferox - punish grixis/discard decks, take out spells from main, Vivien/thrash?
4 Deathgorge Scavenger - prevent sultai from recasting cards and PHXs from coming back. Bring in against Mono Red?
3 Fiery Cannonade - tokens, decks that go wide, white weenie
3 Find // Finality - get cards back that have been killed, could we splash black to use finality?
1 ?
So Pelt Collector or thorn Lieutenant? Im taking out Sunder Shaman for sure, but in its place, Steel leaf Champion or Nullhide Ferox? If Ferox do I take out Vivien for like Beast Whisperer?
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/articles/much-abrew-gruul-aggro-standard-magic-arena
4 Growth-Chamber Guardian
4 Gruul Spellbreaker
4 Kraul Harpooner
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nullhide Ferox
4 Pelt Collector
4 Steel Leaf Champion
3 Thrash // Threat
4 Rhythm of the Wild
12 Forest
3 Mountain
4 Rootbound Crag
4 Stomping Ground
3 Banefire
4 Cindervines
1 Declare Dominance
4 Lava Coil
1 Prey Upon
1 Rabid Bite
if you play aGhalta and can land ghalta before they're first blaze, that should be good game.
so dont play any spells, sit there with your mana up and OP can continue playing spells and overwhelm you.
ok, got it, thanks! Also, any creature that gets a counter and is bigger with it than a pelt collector then the pelt collector grows, correct?
Here is a list using Goreclaw and Folly maindeck with no black cards, just for recursion.
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/1633421#paper
Looking at the SCG meta, didnt see to many 'wide' strategies: tokens, white weenie, so what is cannonade in there for?
your SB has 11 cards, what about the other 4?
I was looking at Carnage tyrant as a uncounterable hexproof threat.