[Deck] Elf Aggro

[technogeek5000]

I just saw the fauna shaman today and Im gonna try testing a few and see where it can be worked in... It seems like a really good candidate though at first glance :)

[Abizzle]

I've been cruising through these forums for a while hoping to find some help for my elf aggro. My meta is filled with gobos, reanimator, dragon stompy and ant. I've been playing this with my friends for a while but its all table legacy. I plan on attending a tourney soon and I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions, here's my current list. This is just my main deck btw. I like the NO package but sadly cant afford it atm so this is what I have for the moment.


4 llanowar elves
4 elves of deep shadow
3 jorga warcaller
4 priest of titania
4 wren's run vanquisher
4 viridian zealot
4 imperious perfect
4 elvish archdruid
4 sylvan messengers
2 wrens run packmaster

4 eyeblight's ending

4 verdant catacombs
2 bayou
13 forest

[technogeek5000]

I see what your trying to do with eyeblight's ending, but target removal in this deck sticks out like a sore thumb. If you must run spot removal, then i suggest a white splash for swords to plowshares because the only time eyeblight will be better in your hand than STP is when your boosting dumb amounts of mana, and the white splash allows you to run horizon canopy. For controling your opponent, cards like thorn of amethyst, root maze, elephant grass work more effectively (serve the same purpose but they are permanent and one sided in this deck)... especially when accompanied with wasteland in your mana base.

Edit: Also, elves of deep shadow should be Fyndhorn Elves and you should be running gaea's cradle.

[Abizzle]

Yo, thanks for the response. I see what you are saying about the white splash, but I love the synergy between eyeblight's ending and sylvan messenger. Being able to keep it when I play the messenger is pretty solid. I guess I'm trying to fully maximize his potential since he creates ridiculous card advantage. As far as the amount of mana that seems to be rarely a problem due to having 16 mana elves.

I found a build that is similar to mine on here http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27727

The strange thing about this deck is it uses vial, but that would help against my iona problem.

How has fauna shaman worked out for you technogeek5000?

[Sharpfang]

I'm wondering what people are playing in there SB

I'm trying
4 Mindbreak Trap
4 Krosan Grip
2 Caller of the Claw
5 Graveyard hate

[nexus blue]

My SB:

4 Krosan Grip
4 Root Maze
1 Elephant Grass
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Banefire
3 Birchlore Rangers

It's not the most optimized, but when I choose to play my Elves it works. I'm sure there is better instead oft he ability to switch to a more combo-ish approach, but it comes in handy and only takes up a few spots.

[technogeek5000]

I changed my list ever so slightly and I am testing a few other possible changes:

main:
-1 Root maze
+1 Llanowar Elves

Side:
-2 Tormod's Crypt
-2 Ravenous Trap
+4 Leyline or Relic (probably relic)

What this does for my list is make it slightly more consistent as I noticed that occasionally I would get hands where I would have big creatures and mana denial pieces but nothing to accelerate with. Also the change of the side is just to make my grave hate package more consistent rather then flexible but conditional. As of now I am testing the 8th mana elf in place of champion for the same reason previously stated and I am trying to fit in the 3rd wasteland without removing a green source.

@Sharp fang: For reference, here is my sideboard...

4 Chalice of the void
2 Krosan Grip
4 Relic of Progenitus
2 Elvish Archdruid
2 Wren's Run Vanquisher
1 Thorn of Amethyst

Chalice of the void stacks with the root mazes and thorns in my board against combo and comes in against Zoo. It is really the only card I would recommend every sideboard play 4 of in this deck. The relics are obviously my grave hate. The four creatures I run in my board are what I side in against aggro decks to make my deck threat dense... the grips are general outs and the 4th thorn in the board comes in against control and combo decks.

[czeluff]

Hey Techno, thx for the games on Workstation. This deck can be very tough to deal with, especially on the draw if you play the Root Maze.

Wanted to discuss the SB for a sec. I like Relic of Progenitus, but I think Wheel of Sun & Moon is worth looking into. The extra mana doesn't seem like it'd matter much. All of the decks that you're trying to stop by using Relic/Wheel/Tormod's etc run fetchlands, which you already slow down immensely using the Root Maze. Get Wheel out, and it's usually GG for them. People are smart enough to put Pithing Needles on Tormod's and Relics; that's why for Survival/Vengevine Madness I swapped over to Wheels. Now Dredge and Reanimator scoop when it drops. Work looking into.... you'd also be shutting down people who abuse Crucible / Life From the Loam.

[technogeek5000]

I've decided to take out elephant grass in light of the format (or atleast my meta) shifting away from aggro to control and add in viridian zealots in its place. Also, Ive replaced an archdruid with a krosan grip in the board to help with this shift and the archdruid was superflous anyways since its there only to make the deck denser in threats and there are only three thorns to side out.

Main:
-2 Elephant grass
+2 Viridian Zealot

Side:
-1 Elvish Archdruid
+1 Krosan Grip

[technogeek5000]

This deck just got stupid



This card fixes the decks major problems by itself. Protection against mass removal and target removal turns the matchup against control (the decks weakest matchup) around by itself. The pump ability is a perfect mana sink, allowing the deck to rush with a sub optimal board. Here is the list I am proposing Post Scars:

12 Forest
3 Horizon Canopy
2 Wasteland
2 Gaea's cradle
3 Root Maze
3 Thorn of Amethyst
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Elvish Champion
4 Imperious Perfect
4 Sylvan Messenger
4 Priest of Titania
4 Llanowar elves
3 Fyndhorn elves
3 Elvish Archdruid
3 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
2 Viridian Zealot

4 Chalice of the void
4 Relic of Progenitus
3 Krosan Grip
2 Wren's Run Vanquisher
1 Elvish Archdruid
1 Thorn of Amethyst

[Wakkarr]

This deck just got stupid



This card fixes the decks major problems by itself. Protection against mass removal and target removal turns the matchup against control (the decks weakest matchup) around by itself. The pump ability is a perfect mana sink, allowing the deck to rush with a sub optimal board. Here is the list I am proposing Post Scars:

You may have missed the part where is says 'another target Elf Creature'. i.e. It still dies to all the removal in the format, so while mass removal will be less effective, assuming you leave a bunch of green mana up, it certainly doesn't 'fix' the decks problems.

Being able to bash for 10 with this guy + another 2/2 if you have 5 mana seems decent, but I think the liability of having a Gray Ogre which doesn't really have the sort of generic benefit to your other creature you need will mean this guy is SB at best. i.e. Why play to beat MD Firespout when you can just board to beat it?

I am curious why you play only 3 MD Archdruid. It seems like having access to large amount of mana is the main reason to play Azuri. i.e. Archdruid makes it much easier to play this guy and still have mana open to regen/immediately overrun/double overrun next turn.

[technogeek5000]

You may have missed the part where is says 'another target Elf Creature'. i.e. It still dies to all the removal in the format, so while mass removal will be less effective, assuming you leave a bunch of green mana up, it certainly doesn't 'fix' the decks problems.

Being able to bash for 10 with this guy + another 2/2 if you have 5 mana seems decent, but I think the liability of having a Gray Ogre which doesn't really have the sort of generic benefit to your other creature you need will mean this guy is SB at best. i.e. Why play to beat MD Firespout when you can just board to beat it?

I am curious why you play only 3 MD Archdruid. It seems like having access to large amount of mana is the main reason to play Azuri. i.e. Archdruid makes it much easier to play this guy and still have mana open to regen/immediately overrun/double overrun next turn.

I did miss that... that makes him worse. I'll have to go test him then.