[Primer] R/G Lands

[Sengir]

Again ran a pretty standard deck, karakas and bog in the main. 2 Pithing needles in the sb along with 3 trackers. Tracker's are rockstars :D

Well here we go ended up a little longer than I meant…

Round 1 David on RGB Delver. This was a brutal match as my opponent was new playing his first competitive tournament, and was unfamiliar with lands. I feel kinda bad about this match, but I wanted that bye…

Game 1: He opened with a delver and I opened with a fetch, mox, exploration, and wasteland to his land. His delver flipped , he played a land, pondered and attacked. I gambled for the second depths piece, cast loam, wasted his land and dropped thespians stage. My opponent drew, attacked, and then wasted my thespians stage, while I loamed up wasteland and stage back into play. He then missed a land drop, attacked again, and conceded when I made marit lage.

Game 2: I didn’t take good notes on this game but he got a delver and angler into play while firing off several ponder/brainstorms while I got a quick tabernacle waste lock going. He conceded with an empty board facing Marit.

1-0

Match 2 Josh on Hex Mage combo Depths. Talked with Josh about lands before the match quite a bit and then we were paired up next match.

Round 1: I won the roll played a fetch and a mox. He dropped a land and thoughtseized me for a crop rotation. I cast loam dropped a land and passed. He dropped lotus petal and abrupt decayed my mox. I put him on combo for some reason, dredged loam and dropped dark depths. On his turn he promptly dropped thespian’s stage and made a Marit Lage, which resulted in a crop rotation on my part for karakas to bounce it. I loamed up a wasteland and proceeded to waste him out of the game for a concede.

Round 2: He fetched a swamp and passed, while I dropped a mox discarded rishadan port into extirpate removing one from my hand as well… I fetched cast loam and passed. On his turn he extirpated loam and passed. I played a karakas and passed. He drew, played depths and hexmage. There were 2 uneventful turns as I got beat by hexmage, and then I drew and cast tracker followed by a fetchland. From here he drew nothing of note, while I dropped lands and another tracker and beat him down.

2-0

Round 3 Steve on DNT with a red splash for recruiter, magus of the moon, and pia/nalar. Notes for this matchup are rough.

Round 1: I knew he was on DNT so I played the slow control game and got blown out via aether vial into recruiter followed by vial into magus of the moon… I conceded with no real outs as he also had mom in play.

Round 2: Notes on this game are a little hazy. I know I stated up with exploration, maze, and tabernacle in hand, and he dropped in vial and stoneforge. I played a tabernacle and some other lands while he used recruiter to find magus. On my EOT he vialed in magus, and the following turn attacked into pfire to the magus and maze for the stoneforge wielding the sword fire/ice. I was able to get a grove into play and threaten marit for a concede shortly after.

Round 3: Again notes are a litte hazy, we went to time for a draw. I had quick start with exploration and loam and karakas while he started up with a vial and followed in with BOTH thalia’s. I got a tracker into play and we both did some karakas bouncing of thalias while I attacked and pumped tracker for a few turns. I then gripped his vial, and he cast absolute law… We went a few more turns of drawing with more karakas bouncing here and there while tracker got BIG and drew more cards. Eventually he also dropped sacred ground, and I gripped both it and absolute law and started pfiring his stuff. Ran out of time with two thalia’s on his side and pia/nalar and some thopters starting to eat up my life, and two trackers and the threat of Marit lage on my side… Was a pretty complicated board.

2-0-1

Match 4 John on Miracles

Round 1: This was a pretty typical miracles vs lands match. I managed to loam once and wasted a land and then he got a counterbalance into play using lots of cantrips but never found top. I was able to assemble depths combo and along with 3 ports was able to tap out his white mana and then kill him.

Round 2: I opened with a mox, land, and pithing needle on top. He played a land and pondered. Sphere of resistance came out into play on my second turn and a LONG grind began. At one point I tried to gamble for boseiju and he forced it, I cast it again, and he had counterbalance in play with no top saced a fetch and I cut him to surgical extraction which promptly removed my loams on his turn I got a second sphere into play, and tried a couple times to resolve tracker each time being Fow’d. I went the port in upkeep/draw approach and he was able to get two different snap caster’s into play however I was able to pfire them dead. Eventually he found a top and I found and sat on two krosan grips content to run the clock out if needs be having won g1. A blood moon came out and a krosan grip ate it, resulting in a judge call to confirm that wear//tear counted at 1 or 2 not as 3. As the game went to turns he finally cast a entreat the angels but only got 4 angels into play and was forced to attack into Marit lage with his white sources being ported prior to attack. This left him open to be hit by the 20/20, but he had no choice but to try as time was out and I had won the first game.

3-0-1

Top 8 Phill on ANT

Round 1: I played first. He mulled to 4 and I had a strong hand with exploration, wasteland, ports and loam. He never really did anything beyond duress a loam to the grave and I threatened marit quickly for a concede.

Round 2: He blew me off the board with a quick ad nauseum on turn 2 and I conceded when he flipped over the kill from the top of his deck.

Round 3: I mulled once, and got depths, port, chalice, sphere, sphere, mox on the play Booyah! . I Played port, then mox for depths, cast chalice on zero, and then cast sphere. We both went two turns of doing nothing while I ported, then I drew another land and cast the second sphere. From here on he occasionally cantriped during his upkeep/draw, as I ported and I drew into more ports, wasteland, loam and a crop rotation. We went a few turns of wastelanding and porting and then during his upkeep when I ported he tapped out and cast rain of filth. He saced his four lands mainphase and cast cabal ritual, to which I crop rotated for bojuka bog. This left him floating 3B with no remaining lands for a concede.

4-0-1

Top 4 Josh on Hex Mage Combo Depths again. Top wanted to split, I was the jerk that had to say no as I wanted the bye.

Round 1: I chose to play first. I was able to get exploration and wasteland into play along with loam and essentially locked him out by turn 3 for a concede.

Round 2: On turn 3 he was able to hexmage a depths, and I had no answers in hand or in play. I dredged loam on my turn found a maze and loamed it into play. He attacked, I mazed and was met with Not of this World. Ouch.

Round 3: He again got a quick hexmage into depths, but this time I had a crop rotatation for karakas to bounce him. From here I loamed and wasted his lands for 3-4 turns, and he cast a crucible which I gripped immediately and continued to wastelock him out for a salty concede.

5-0-1

One more match! This left me playing Steve again, and seeing as he didn’t care about the bye, we split and he conceded.

6-0-1 Took home the bye, trophy, playmat, and $300 in credit which I turned into staples to sell/trade as they didn't really have anything I wanted at a reasonable price.

[CovenantElite30]

Again ran a pretty standard deck, karakas and bog in the main. 2 Pithing needles in the sb along with 3 trackers. Tracker's are rockstars :D

You were lucky that I wasn't on my usual Lands deck that I have a lot more experience with than Turbo Depths. I wanted a break from thinking for the day.

Turbo Depths seems like a terrible match anyway but I think I just sideboarded incorrectly the first match we had as that was the first time I played that matchup.

Feel free to show up Friday nights at Flipside if you would like a re-match.

We tend to get between 12-16 players at a $10 buyin and 120% payout top 4 which is good EV.

[Sengir]

If I'm out there again I will stop in, though I was really out there for the bye. I will see you at EE5 though , I do enjoy playing the mirror matchup.

[The_Dingo]

I've been running a 3/2 PF/MV split since before the D&T spoilers, and It's been great.

If D&T becomes a problem then we can consider more drastic main deck or sideboard options. For nor, if you're worried about
Prelate, running a couple Molten Vorticies is a solid hedge with a minimal a deck building cost. Ditto for Barbarian Ring. But I wouldn't do anything crazy.

I play in what happens to be a very deathrite heavy metagame, and to try and make sure I have enough removal to beat all the turn 1 Drs I've been playing 4 P fire 1 molten vortex. The 1 copy has been spectacular when I open with it, and I have to agree with Crimhead that it's been generally great. In a DnT heavy metagame having a 2nd vortex could be very powerful.

My only concern about barbarian ring is that getting threshold in postboard games could be challenging since RiP is a popular SB option.

In the past I've played RG lands with explosives, a single tropical island, and academy ruins. I had moderate success with it, but mostly because RG lands is a great deck. I've found through quite a bit of tinkering that as long as you don't take away from the core components of stages, depths, loams, and tutors you can do almost whatever you want to the rest of the deck and it will remain pretty functional.

[chaosjace]

Dumb question
Could we get any value running deatrite shaman?
In strictly RG

[Sengir]

I'd have to ask how do you see shaman playing a role in this deck?

[chaosjace]

I'd have to ask how do you see shaman playing a role in this deck?

I was typing my reasoning then it suddenly just seemed bad/too underpowered. Thanks for your help. :)

On that note after reading recent posts I am Definately going to pick up some trackers now.

[Chatto]

Trackers are awesome! I'm still debating how many is optimal: three or four.

[chaosjace]

My unbased opinion is that 4 might be good since we already cover so many angles of attack and defense.

[barcode]

Tireless Tracker is the kind of card that turns the game into a subgame: "Can you answer Tireless Tracker before you are buried in card advantage?" This is the kind of card you want to play four of.

[Chatto]

My unbased opinion is that 4 might be good since we already cover so many angles of attack and defense.

Tireless Tracker is the kind of card that turns the game into a subgame: "Can you answer Tireless Tracker before you are buried in card advantage?" This is the kind of card you want to play four of.

It is settled then! I will play four.

[Alexeezay]

Definitely 4 Tracker. It has been my best sideboard card in the last tournaments by far.
I also cut the 2 Boils for additional Storm hate so I would balance out the 4 slots that are occupied by Tracker nowadays. Chalice + Tracker/Marit isn't bad vs Miracles.
I would love to fit Bog main to have the slot, but I play Boseiju main and it made life easy in a bunch of Miracle matches. Always maindeck Karakas.
Might have to cut the Boseiju for Barbarian Ring.

4 Tracker
4 Sphere
3 Chalice
3 Grip
1 Bojuka Bog

Btw: Since the inclusion of Tireless Tracker, I don't think the full 4 Krosan Grips are necessary anymore.

[LuKe94]

Definitely 4 Tracker. It has been my best sideboard card in the last tournaments by far.
I also cut the 2 Boils for additional Storm hate so I would balance out the 4 slots that are occupied by Tracker nowadays. Chalice + Tracker/Marit isn't bad vs Miracles.
I would love to fit Bog main to have the slot, but I play Boseiju main and it made life easy in a bunch of Miracle matches. Always maindeck Karakas.
Might have to cut the Boseiju for Barbarian Ring.

4 Tracker
4 Sphere
3 Chalice
3 Grip
1 Bojuka Bog

Btw: Since the inclusion of Tireless Tracker, I don't think the full 4 Krosan Grips are necessary anymore.

Hi guys, I am writing from Italy, lover of RG LANDS deck.
I am currently running this sideboard, having pretty good success lately.

4x Sphere
4x Krosan Grip
2x Chalice of the Void
1x Boseiju
2x Boil
2x Tireless Tracker

I play both bojuka bog and karakas md, alongside with a single tireless tracker.
Main variation on main deck list are 2 maze of ith and 3 rishadan port instead of 3 and 4 respectively.

I feel like the uncounterable boil is a great plan against some decks.

[Dice_Box]

I am going to cut my Manabond for two Tracker in the main. I want to see what they do there and I find myself less and less drawn to Bond of late. It also gives me an extra sideboard slot since Karakas will have to move to the side again. I will use that to up my Chalice count. I think that Tracker is just too good not to run and I am trying to find space for a third. Maybe I will cut a Fire.

[Chatto]

Hi guys, I am writing from Italy, lover of RG LANDS deck.
I am currently running this sideboard, having pretty good success lately.

4x Sphere
4x Krosan Grip
2x Chalice of the Void
1x Boseiju
2x Boil
2x Tireless Tracker

I play both bojuka bog and karakas md, alongside with a single tireless tracker.
Main variation on main deck list are 2 maze of ith and 3 rishadan port instead of 3 and 4 respectively.

I feel like the uncounterable boil is a great plan against some decks.

I am going to cut my Manabond for two Tracker in the main. I want to see what they do there and I find myself less and less drawn to Bond of late. It also gives me an extra sideboard slot since Karakas will have to move to the side again. I will use that to up my Chalice count. I think that Tracker is just too good not to run and I am trying to find space for a third. Maybe I will cut a Fire.

I was thinking about MD all four, but that is perhaps too greedy. Anyway, I already made room for four in the SB.

[barcode]

I am going to cut my Manabond for two Tracker in the main. I want to see what they do there and I find myself less and less drawn to Bond of late. It also gives me an extra sideboard slot since Karakas will have to move to the side again. I will use that to up my Chalice count. I think that Tracker is just too good not to run and I am trying to find space for a third. Maybe I will cut a Fire.

I'm right with you on Manabond. I was playing two for part of last year and then went to one for Champs (top 32 finish) and now I'm on 0 Manabond since before GP SEATAC and I only miss it in the mirror.

What's your list look like with the Tireless Trackers in the maindeck? I'm curious which numbers you're shaving. I have a hard time finding room for all the cards I want to put in the starting 60.

[Dice_Box]

From memory:

4 Wasteland
4 Port
4 Grove
4 Stage
3 Maze
3 Fetch
3 Taiga
3 Depths
2 Thicket
1 Tabernacle
1 Forest
1 Bog
1 Chasm

4 Mox
4 Loam
4 Fire
4 Gamble
4 Rotation
4 Exploration
2 Tracker

---

4 Grip
4 Sphere
3 Chalice
2 Tracker
1 Karakas
1 Boseiju

Edit:
Thinking I will cut a Fire for another Tracker main. If I do I will likely look into cutting the Boseiju for a pair of Vortex.

[Chatto]

I would like your opinion on the following build I have in mind:

Creatures (4)
4 Tireless Tracker

Spells (14)
3 Crop Rotation
3 Punishing Fire
4 Life from the Loam
4 Gamble

Other Spells (8)
4 Exploration
4 Mox Diamond

Lands (34)
1 Forest
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Glacial Chasm
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Windswept Heath
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
2 Tranquil Thicket
2 Taiga
3 Maze of Ith
4 Dark Depths
4 Rishadan Port
4 Wasteland
4 Thespian's Stage
4 Grove of the Burnwillows

Sideboard (15)
1 Karakas
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
2 Chalice of the Void
3 Kozilek's Return
4 Krosan Grip
4 Sphere of Resistance

So, the reasoning behind TT main is it gives an second angle of attack, next to cardadvantage. It opens slots in the SB, which I used for Kozilek's Return as a sweeper against various creature-decks (Grixis, Mentor Miracles, Elves, DnT).

Maybe I'm overreacting, but what do you guys think?

[jarvisyu]

I would like your opinion on the following build I have in mind:

Creatures (4)
4 Tireless Tracker

Spells (14)
3 Crop Rotation
3 Punishing Fire
4 Life from the Loam
4 Gamble

Other Spells (8)
4 Exploration
4 Mox Diamond

Lands (34)
1 Forest
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Glacial Chasm
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Windswept Heath
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
2 Tranquil Thicket
2 Taiga
3 Maze of Ith
4 Dark Depths
4 Rishadan Port
4 Wasteland
4 Thespian's Stage
4 Grove of the Burnwillows

Sideboard (15)
1 Karakas
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
2 Chalice of the Void
3 Kozilek's Return
4 Krosan Grip
4 Sphere of Resistance

So, the reasoning behind TT main is it gives an second angle of attack, next to cardadvantage. It opens slots in the SB, which I used for Kozilek's Return as a sweeper against various creature-decks (Grixis, Mentor Miracles, Elves, DnT).

Maybe I'm overreacting, but what do you guys think?

If you play Tracker main, you should have Riftstone Portal main. The two go very well together. I would guess 3 Returns is too many.

[djxstream]

I would like your opinion on the following build I have in mind:

Creatures (4)
4 Tireless Tracker

Spells (14)
3 Crop Rotation
3 Punishing Fire
4 Life from the Loam
4 Gamble

Other Spells (8)
4 Exploration
4 Mox Diamond

Lands (34)
1 Forest
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Glacial Chasm
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Windswept Heath
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
2 Tranquil Thicket
2 Taiga
3 Maze of Ith
4 Dark Depths
4 Rishadan Port
4 Wasteland
4 Thespian's Stage
4 Grove of the Burnwillows

Sideboard (15)
1 Karakas
1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
2 Chalice of the Void
3 Kozilek's Return
4 Krosan Grip
4 Sphere of Resistance

So, the reasoning behind TT main is it gives an second angle of attack, next to cardadvantage. It opens slots in the SB, which I used for Kozilek's Return as a sweeper against various creature-decks (Grixis, Mentor Miracles, Elves, DnT).

Maybe I'm overreacting, but what do you guys think?

If you're going 4 Trackers. maybe you dont need 4 depths? bring back that crop rotation for it?