Mono Green Control

[Jak]

Yes, you read that right. I'll wait while you laugh. Now, this is my baby. It isn't competitive... yet, but I feel that green has some amazing CA and recursion going for it that it should be able to hold its own. Just playing today, I had someone from the Source laugh at it. 'roflroflrofl', he said. 'You can't run disk with ruins', he said. Well, I'm hear to prove him wrong. The deck is not bad at all at doing what a control deck wants to do. Get your lands into play and draw cards. The only problem is finding a decent win condition and controlling the board.

Now here is my list at the moment.

// Lands
15 [CS] Snow-Covered Forest
4 [CS] Mouth of Ronom
4 [CS] Scrying Sheets

// Creatures
4 [FUT] Tarmogoyf
1 [ON] Gigapede
4 [CHK] Sakura-Tribe Elder
4 [FD] Eternal Witness
4 [ON] Krosan Tusker
2 [FUT] Quagnoth

// Spells
3 [PLC] Harmonize
2 [TSP] Krosan Grip
1 [RAV] Life from the Loam
4 [CHK] Sensei's Divining Top
4 [B] Nevinyrral's Disk
4 [UD] Powder Keg

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [ON] Gigapede
SB: 4 [ON] Ravenous Baloth
SB: 4 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
SB: 4 [TE] Choke
SB: 2 [FUT] Quagnoth

The deck is a blast to play but it wins rather slow and something probably needs to be done to make it somewhat competitive. The removal is also lacking.

Card Choices

15 Snow-Covered Forest - The Snow Engine is amazing. IBA gave me the idea a while back when he was talking about how good they are. Uncounterable card draw is amazing.
4 Scrying Sheets - Read above.
4 Mouth of Ronom - They fit in with the Snow Engine while being removal that is desperately needed. The one of Life from the Loam is really here for this in the late game.

4 Tarmogoyf - Yes, yes, he does look out of place. However, with the lack of removal, I need something early that can be dropped. He is just a wall that can wind up attacking in the late game.
1 Gigapede - Late game finisher. The hardest creature to get rid of since he just keeps coming back.
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder - A little accel. He can fog a Goyf for a turn while accelerating you into a turn4 activation of Disk.
4 Eternal Witness - Teh balls. So amazing. It gets you back what you need while providing a body.
4 Krosan Tusker - Makes it so I don't miss a land drop and then draws me a card. Late game, he becomes the beast that he is supposed to be and can just attack for the win.

3 Harmonize - Card draw.
2 Krosan Grip - The just-in-case card.
1 Life from the Loam - Meh. I run it since it could be okay late game but it definitely won't stay if there is something better that I need to run.
4 Sensei's Divining Top - Teh Balls. Great with the snow engine, the shuffle effects from Tusker and STE and just keeps me in the game by drawing things I need.
4 Nevinyrral's Disk - Clunky as hell but it's necessary. I would love to run something else, but these handles a lot of my problems.
4 Powder Keg - Faster than Disk.

As you can see both of my "removal" slots are slow.

The SB is to beat aggro and control. Fuck combo. Might as well not even try.

Now, I don't have a lot of experience with this deck in actually Legacy games since I play it casually right now, but I actually want to make this better, which is the reason why I am posting it.

Now, I might as well say this, I wouldn't be against splashing black for Deed, Smother, Edict, maybe a little discard, but I love the Snow Engine too much to do this right now. I want to try and make Mono Green Control work. If, in the end, it doesn't, then it will probably turn into BGremoval.dec.

So, any thoughts or ideas?

[Rood]

Indrik Stomphowler. The card may not look like much but being a 4/4 Beatstick that kills any artifact or enchantment when he hits is pretty amazing.

[eq.firemind]

Wicherbough Elder >>> Indrik Stomphowler and can be nice in this deck.

How about soon-to-come Master of the Wild Hunt?

[Rood]

Wicherbough Elder >>> Indrik Stomphowler and can be nice in this deck.

How about soon-to-come Master of the Wild Hunt?

Oh my bad, yeah run Wicherbough definetally card is pretty savage beatings.

[Aggro_zombies]

Ohran Viper seems better than Sakura Tribe-Elder here, especially post-M2010. Viper is a recurring source of card advantage that can be picked up by Scrying Sheets. The fact that it will almost always kill any creature it gets into combat with is a big bonus as well.

Troll Ascetic works well with Disk.

EDIT: Sadly, mono-green control is probably only viable as mono-green Stax with Garruk and a focus on land destruction (Argothian Wurm, Plow Under, the half-Plow Under from Mirage, etc.).

[Jak]

Wickerbough Elder does seem like a much better card for the deck than Grip. I could make it into some Mono Green Midgame deck with some heavy CA elements like I have now, some beefy, controlling creatures, and then some removal.

22 Lands (Snow Engine)

4 STE
4 Krosan Tusker
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Eternal Witness
3 Wickerbough Elder
2 Quagnoth
1 Gigapede

4 Top
3 Harmonize

so that leaves 9 slots for removal or maybe creatures like Ravenous Baloth, or something.

[Hopo]

If you're looking for a decent removal spell, Snakeform has been performing pretty well with tomb/city+mox-manabase. It's nice with cantrip and all but I wonder if it's too slow for this? Also, since you can't stack STE's damage anymore, it would most likely be less spectacular.

[Carabas]

Does the 2/2 Deathtouch with a Creeping Mold attached from M10 seem like a reasonable slot here? I would love to see monogreen control work.

[eq.firemind]

As Aggro Zombies said, try Orhan Viper. It's descent on its own and increases the number of snow cards in your deck for better Scrying Sheets.

I also recommend you to try Living Wish with some nice answers in sideboard:
The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale (for swarms),
Maze of Ith (for low-threat decks),
Viridian Zealot/Wickerbough Elder (for art/ench hate),
Kitchen Finks (nice with Disk)/Ravenous Baloth (for Lifegain)
and tons of another possible options.

Your list looks like it has enough creatures to support Natural Order => Progenitus as a finisher. You can also add 1 Woodfall Primus as Order target 'cause your deck is able to hardcast it in lategame, so it also acts like a slower finisher.

[MTG-Fan]

Yeah, Ohran Viper is like the green 'Phidian.

If you run Harmonize+Viper in your deck, it's almost like the green equivalent of Fact or Fiction+Phidian in a MUC deck. Sorta.

[Anusien]

Don't you need a tutor for Loam, or more than one of them?

[Jak]

Don't you need a tutor for Loam, or more than one of them?

I did run two to draw it more often but it was such a narrow card I dropped it down to one. The deck runs a ton of draw so it wasn't hard finding it. It was a meh card for a narrow application so I don't think I'll keep it in much longer unless I ditch the snow engine for a Loam engine.

Here is what I am thinking: since the control aspect isn't really viable without better sweepers, the Rock is a better direction. Now, I don't think it will be the bees knees but it will still be fun.

23 Lands (Snow Engine)

4 Noble Hierarch
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Eternal Witness
4 Ophran Viper
2 Wickerbough Elder
4 Acidic Slime
2 Quagnoth
1 Gigapede
4 Krosan Tusker

4 Sensei's Divining Top
3 Harmonize

Hmmm, I feel Garruk should be in here and probably Master of the Wild Hunt.

[Rizso]

What you do you think if the deck could ramp up land to play spells like Fallow Earth, Stunted Growth, Plow Under and Primal Command to gain time advantech.

[B is for Big Job]

would living wish be a consideration since it could fetch a snow land, SS, mouth of ronom (if you still run them) and kill a creature, wasteland, duskbowl. then also grabs a creature like a 4th witness, another quagnoth or another beater.

for the removal slot, could be more of a sb card, but hailstorm is pretty damn good, a fallout for 1 less if you will. destert twister works too :P

[heroicraptor]

Great Sable Stag 1GG
Creature - Elk
~ can't be countered.
~ has protection from blue and from black.
3/3

Seems like a sweet addition come M10, if only it weren't bolt-able.

[Aggro_zombies]

Seems like a sweet addition come M10, if only it weren't blockable by Tarmogoyf.
Fixed that for ya, broski.

Green control can probably exist in a Stax form. Something like this:

2-3 Garruk
X Gigapede/Argothian Wurm/Other big guy

4 Chalice
4 Smokestack
4 Tangle Wire
4 Trinisphere
4 Sylvan Library
3-4 Crucible
X Plow Under/Fallow Earth/etc.
X Ensnaring Bridge

Lands to taste, including Factory, City, Tomb, Wasteland, Forest, Tabernacle, and possibly Treetop Village.

Could be interesting.

[ykpon]

just some good green stuff i haven't seen in this thread, though i'm not sure it must have a place here:

Drop of Honey
Moment's Peace
a couple of Regrowths mb
Vexing Shusher
City of Solitude
Hail Storm
Seeds of Innocence/Fracturing Gus
Seedtime

[B is for Big Job]

hey aggro, i made this list up roughly last night, its almost like yours but a few differnt choices.

4x plow under
4x stunted grwoth
4x fallow earth
3x grip
4x harmonize

4x chalice
3x trini
4x smoke stack
3x crucible

4x goyf
2x garruk

4x wasteland
4x factory
3x treetop
10x forests


sb:
4x choke
1x grip
4x crypt
3x hailstorm
3x ?


this is just a rough form of what it could be, its pretty much like white stax but its plow under and crew instead of geddons

[beastman]

I definetely think the stax approach is the way to go on this. If you play garruk, he boosts your mana to create faster locks, keeps your mana up under said locks, and then proceeds to smash wish a steady stream of 3/3s. You might also want to look into a white splash for ghostly prison.

[Otter]

I definetely think the stax approach is the way to go on this. If you play garruk, he boosts your mana to create faster locks, keeps your mana up under said locks, and then proceeds to smash wish a steady stream of 3/3s. You might also want to look into a white splash for ghostly prison.

You could use Elephant Grass instead, though I don't know how prohibitive the cumulative upkeep would be.

[Mystical_Jackass]

I run a green deck that splashes white, run 6 fetches (I'm going sorta Thresh too), but anyways Ghostly prison is amazing. I also sideboard elephant grass, I think its a very much overlooked control card. I've used it in my enchantress deck but it also shuts down decks like goblins and ichorid that just bum rush you, it'll buy you at least 3 turns and as soon as you're done with it don't pay the upkeep and reset the board or so.

[B is for Big Job]

i wasnt sure if a splash would be good considering how good white stax works single colors, not relying on a 2nd color and dodging wastelands (not counting other wastelands or factories).

if i did add white, ghosty prison is tits and then also oring could be a possibility for more "removal". then we get swords, path, wog, warmth/ cop red, reprisal. canoist is always a good option and the possibility of e tutor or ajani for dual plansewalkers.

but my thought on a splash would be black. thoughtsieze in the board, possibility of playing sinkhole and adding removal with maelstrom pulse. if top is added, bob would be another consideration for more card advantage. eplague, snuffout, smother, damnation, black solves our lack of removal problems as well.


personally, i do like both, but i would have to say that white would be probably the best splash just because the removal is better and has better prevention.

[Jak]

4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
3 Mishra's Factory
3 Wasteland
10 Forest
4 Mox Diamond

4 Chalice of the Void
4 Trinisphere
4 Smokestack
4 Plow Under
4 Fallow Earth

4 Harmonize
3 Crucible of Worlds

3 Garruk
2 Gigapede

SB
4 Choke
4 Krosan Grip
7 Anti-Aggro Cards

Could be decent.

[eq.firemind]

How about Sylvan Library + Words of Wilding? Both are usefull on their own and awesome together.

Some more nice cards:
Mvonvuli Acid-Moss - card advantage and, um, shuffle effect for Library.
Horizon Canopy - CA engine with Crucible.

Also Living Wish can be nice for searching both lands (Maze of Ith, Tabernacle, Mishra's/Treetop) and creatures.

[DukeDemonKn1ght]

4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
3 Mishra's Factory
3 Wasteland
10 Forest
4 Mox Diamond

4 Chalice of the Void
4 Trinisphere
4 Smokestack
4 Plow Under
4 Fallow Earth

4 Harmonize
3 Crucible of Worlds

3 Garruk
2 Gigapede

SB
4 Choke
4 Krosan Grip
7 Anti-Aggro Cards

Could be decent.

I'd find some way to add in the fourth Garruk. Fallow Earth is a cool find... I had a thread devoted to trying to build a Green Stax deck a while ago, let me give you the link in case it gives you any ideas:
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12398&highlight=green+stax

I think Troll Ascetic might be a better option than Gigapede... Granted, it hits for less and doesn't recur, but I've found that Gigapede usually takes a fair amount of time and recursion to get through. Basically, my logic is that it's ultimately cheaper to regenerate Ascetic than it is to recur Gigapede, although it's somewhat more restrictive to how you have to play.

[GreenOne]

I tried this some times, and here's my considerations:

- If you go for the land denial route, then you might want to splash blue for Temporal Spring and Crystal Shards. You can ssemble a 7 mana lock of Witness+Temporal Spring+Shards. The opponent will never draw a card anymore. Shards are good on their own with mana denial against opposing critters too. If you don't want to play blue then you might want Erratic Portal + Command or Plow Under. EDIT: works with stampeding serow too + Command + witness too. And command can actuall find the other 2 combo pieces.

- Rofellos can accelerate your deck. Staff of Domination is a good card in a deck that can accelerate that much. Rofellos + Staff of domination + 5 Forests win you the game. Might work as a finisher, but I'm not so sure about it in a deck with 8 non-forests.

- Ancient of Yavimaya might be better than krosan tusker. Chumpblocks in the early game while providing you 2 lands AND a card. Seems better.

- Ohran Viper surely belongs the deck, with it being awesome on its own, and being a snow creature too.

Here's the manadenial list I'm running, just for reference:
// Lands
3 [R] Island (3)
18 [OD] Forest (3)

// Creatures
3 [UD] Yavimaya Elder
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
4 [CHK] Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 [EVE] Wickerbough Elder
4 [FD] Eternal Witness

// Spells
3 [EX] Erratic Portal
3 [MR] Crystal Shard
4 [AP] Temporal Spring
2 [EVG] Harmonize
4 [UD] Plow Under
4 [LRW] Primal Command
4 [TSP] Search for Tomorrow

[hyperchord24]

I've always liked lignify in mono green control. There's also utopia vow as well and muldovi acid-moss.

[Mystical_Jackass]

How about Sylvan Library + Words of Wilding? Both are usefull on their own and awesome together.

Some more nice cards:
Mvonvuli Acid-Moss - card advantage and, um, shuffle effect for Library.
Horizon Canopy - CA engine with Crucible.

Also Living Wish can be nice for searching both lands (Maze of Ith, Tabernacle, Mishra's/Treetop) and creatures.

Living wish is cool, don't no how important that'd be. Meh


I tried words of wilding with sensei's in my green deck at first.. I didn't really like words, it was just too slow. Well, for one its sorta crappy without sylvan, mirri's, divining top, etc. and I realized usually I'd only end up drawing at most 3 cards anyways, harmonize was just hella better 'cause its just an instant effect... cast, draw cards.. and you're almost guaranteed your land drop if you missed it that draw. I dunno.. better, quicker, yea :laugh:

[michaelq]

What do you guys think about this deck? http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/legacy/17905_Practical_Legacy_AggroComboControl.html
I've been playtesting it and it's strong in a variety of matchups. Here's the list:

9 Forest
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
3 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Progenitus
4 Trinisphere
3 Cold-Eyed Selkie
2 Wickerbough Elder
1 Dryad Arbor
4 Tarmogoyf
2 Pendelhaven
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Ancient Tomb
4 Wasteland
4 Natural Order
4 River Boa

Sideboard
3 Tormod's Crypt
2 Sword of Fire and Ice
3 Snakeform
4 Choke
3 Krosan Grip

I haven't had much luck with the snakeforms, and Cold-eyed Selkie may belong in the board. I usually just go for a turn one chalice and eventually win with beats or natural order into Progenitus or Chameleon Collossus (which I swapped out for one of the Wickerbough Elders as a second NO target).

Have any of you taken something like this to a tournament?

[DukeDemonKn1ght]

What do you guys think about this deck? http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/legacy/17905_Practical_Legacy_AggroComboControl.html
I've been playtesting it and it's strong in a variety of matchups. Here's the list:

9 Forest
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
3 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Progenitus
4 Trinisphere
3 Cold-Eyed Selkie
2 Wickerbough Elder
1 Dryad Arbor
4 Tarmogoyf
2 Pendelhaven
3 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Ancient Tomb
4 Wasteland
4 Natural Order
4 River Boa

Sideboard
3 Tormod's Crypt
2 Sword of Fire and Ice
3 Snakeform
4 Choke
3 Krosan Grip

I haven't had much luck with the snakeforms, and Cold-eyed Selkie may belong in the board. I usually just go for a turn one chalice and eventually win with beats or natural order into Progenitus or Chameleon Collossus (which I swapped out for one of the Wickerbough Elders as a second NO target).

Have any of you taken something like this to a tournament?

I really don't understand peoples' insistence to run Cold-Eyed Selkie instead of Ohran Viper in this deck... How is the viper not better in every way? Fatter ass, more up-side. I mean, how often do you actually live the dream and draw extra cards from pumping Selkie with Pendelhaven or Jitte? And, isn't it kind of sad that that's pretty much the "best-case scenario" with Selkie? Doesn't the islandwalk seem a little redundant, seeing as this deck already runs a full set of River Boa?

Also, by cutting Selkie, you could also give yourself an excuse to cut Pendelhaven, which just seems like a sub-par card choice. Wouldn't you rather have a duo of Mishra's Factory (seeing as they're pretty nuts with Garruk), or just more Forests?

Viper has deathtouch and a fatter ass (not to mention better illustration). And in a deck with zero effective removal spells, isn't deathtouch actually pretty juicy?? ...Or am I missing something? (I do admit to having a personal stake against Selkie, since I play Merfolk and I'm convinced it's about the most fugly card someone could possibly try to run in that particular deck...)

[Michael Keller]

I really don't understand peoples' insistence to run Cold-Eyed Selkie instead of Ohran Viper in this deck... How is the viper not better in every way? Fatter ass, more up-side. I mean, how often do you actually live the dream and draw extra cards from pumping Selkie with Pendelhaven or Jitte? And, isn't it kind of sad that that's pretty much the "best-case scenario" with Selkie? Doesn't the islandwalk seem a little redundant, seeing as this deck already runs a full set of River Boa?

Also, by cutting Selkie, you could also give yourself an excuse to cut Pendelhaven, which just seems like a sub-par card choice. Wouldn't you rather have a duo of Mishra's Factory (seeing as they're pretty nuts with Garruk), or just more Forests?

Viper has deathtouch and a fatter ass (not to mention better illustration). And in a deck with zero effective removal spells, isn't deathtouch actually pretty juicy?? ...Or am I missing something? (I do admit to having a personal stake against Selkie, since I play Merfolk and I'm convinced it's about the most fugly card someone could possibly try to run in that particular deck...)

Ohran Viper is more effective than Selkie. Only reason I ran him in my original list was because he can net you more cards when he deals damage (effectively turning Pendelhaven into a pseudo-Library of Alexandria), and making your equipment that much more relevant. My meta was heavy blue and I insisted on punishing Merfolk because of that. It was a "one-trick pony", so to speak, but I would agree in the long-haul Viper is better.

[MGC_player]

I'm having fun with this particular archetype in my casual playgroup as well.

Land: 23
23 Forest

Creatures: 21
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
4 Yavimaya Dryad
4 Carven Caryatid
3 Stampeding Wildebeests
2 Eternal Witness
2 Acidic Slime
2 Silklash Spider

Stuff: 16
4 Lignify
4 Nature's Lore
3 Gauntlet of Power
3 Desert Twister
1 Centaur Glade
1 Helix Pinnacle

It does well my essentially pulling all your lands out of your library as well as reusing several comes into play abilities.

The deck would need some modifications to survive competitions since it seriously lacks 1 drops and many of the choices made during its design was more for a for fun with friends kinda thing. I definitely would make room for Garruk, the NO/Progenitus combo, and more 1 drops. I'd also probably modify the manabase to snow so that I can use Scrying Sheets and integrate Ohran Viper as well. As for which ones to cut I'm not sure yet as I would have to test a modified list in the field first.

[michaelq]

Ohran Viper is more effective than Selkie. Only reason I ran him in my original list was because he can net you more cards when he deals damage (effectively turning Pendelhaven into a pseudo-Library of Alexandria), and making your equipment that much more relevant. My meta was heavy blue and I insisted on punishing Merfolk because of that. It was a "one-trick pony", so to speak, but I would agree in the long-haul Viper is better.


I'm a big fan of Ohran Viper and I hadn't thought to put him in there. I agree that the Pendelhavens are sub-par and occasionally I get stuck with two, or they get wasted.

On that note, I absolutely hate seeing Dryad Arbor in my opening hand, and he's also a Wasteland/Mogg Fanatic target. In pretty much every NO build I've seen, they include Dryad Arbor in the combo package. How necessary is he?

[baghdadbob]

Have you tried out elephant grass?

[DukeDemonKn1ght]

I'm a big fan of Ohran Viper and I hadn't thought to put him in there. I agree that the Pendelhavens are sub-par and occasionally I get stuck with two, or they get wasted.

On that note, I absolutely hate seeing Dryad Arbor in my opening hand, and he's also a Wasteland/Mogg Fanatic target. In pretty much every NO build I've seen, they include Dryad Arbor in the combo package. How necessary is he?

Dryad Arbor is good with fetch-lands, but seeing as this deck doesn't run fetches, I'm not so sure the Arbor is necessary. Basically, he's good because he allows you to go "Fetch -> Dryad Arbor -> Natural Order -> Progenitus," theoretically all on the same turn.

Without this possibility though, I don't really see the need.

Anyhow though, I think this deck is pretty cool, I'm glad to see people tweaking around with it.

[Darkenslight]

I'm having fun with this particular archetype in my casual playgroup as well.

Land: 23
23 Forest

Creatures: 21
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
4 Yavimaya Dryad
4 Carven Caryatid
3 Stampeding Wildebeests
2 Eternal Witness
2 Acidic Slime
2 Silklash Spider

Stuff: 16
4 Lignify
4 Nature's Lore
3 Gauntlet of Power
3 Desert Twister
1 Centaur Glade
1 Helix Pinnacle

It does well my essentially pulling all your lands out of your library as well as reusing several comes into play abilities.

The deck would need some modifications to survive competitions since it seriously lacks 1 drops and many of the choices made during its design was more for a for fun with friends kinda thing. I definitely would make room for Garruk, the NO/Progenitus combo, and more 1 drops. I'd also probably modify the manabase to snow so that I can use Scrying Sheets and integrate Ohran Viper as well. As for which ones to cut I'm not sure yet as I would have to test a modified list in the field first.

Where's the land denial? You have a number of ways to fetch your own lands out, but no reall way to stall the game; I would recommend Wasteland for a start, as most other decks play nonbasics.

Then I would look at Primal Command/Plow Under/Uproot and other land 'removal'.

[ReverentChastity]

I've goofed around casually with Mono Green Control, I had the most success and fun with the acceleration into Plow Under, Stunted Growth, Desert Twister, with Panoptic Mirror.

[MGC_player]

Where's the land denial? You have a number of ways to fetch your own lands out, but no reall way to stall the game; I would recommend Wasteland for a start, as most other decks play nonbasics.

Then I would look at Primal Command/Plow Under/Uproot and other land 'removal'.

This version did not rely as much on land denial as much as clogging up the board with stuff. There is more than one way to play green control other than land denial (though that is probably the most competitive of the variants). Pulling your lands out is also what ensured that this deck only drew gas with the Wildebeests ensuring that I can reuse all the comes into play abilities of the creatures. Like the post said it was meant more for a casual playgroup than anything else. I do have a list that is loaded with manadenial and a prison like list for actual competition, but I would only rarely use those in a casual environment.