Gro for a blind metagame?

[slaughtercult]

As Grand Prix Columbus is nearing I've been testing a deck long forgotten (so it seems) archetype and have pretty good results with.

UGw Gro

Creatures
4 Merfolk Looter
4 Lorescale Coatl
4 Quirion Dryad

Draw
4 Brainstorm
4 Preordain
2 Ponder
4 Accumulated Knowledge

Control
4 Force Of Will
4 Daze
2 Spell Pierce
4 Winter Orb
4 Swords To Plowshares

Lands
3 Flooded Strand
3 Misty Rainforest
2 Tropical Island
1 Tundra
1 Savannah
4 Island
1 Forest
1 Plains

Why i play gro over such popular choices as Landstill, Thresh, and Bant? It is different. The creatures, when left unanswered can easily out grow the biggest goyfs. It has plenty of control for most combo matchups and enough aggression too keep the opponent on their toes.

So far in testing I have had positive results against Reanimator, Belcher and Countertop. The Zoo matchup is a little rough but not impossible.

examples of builds that T8'ed small tournies recently.

http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=27516
http://www.deckcheck.net/deck.php?id=26987

As UGw is a great combination of colors to use, red is also a great splash color. Replacing Coatl With Grim Lavamancer and/or Wee Dragonauts can add a different element of control and aggression.

Any advise toward possibly making this deck better would be greatly appreciated as I plan on running this at said Grand Prix.

[Eddy Wally]

Sylvan library and the coatl go well together. I'd add rancor though.

[majikal]

-4 Accumulated Knowledge +4 Sylvan Library

-2 Spell Pierce +2 Misdirection

I'm not sure about Merfolk Looter either. Maybe it should be Noble Hierarch or Wasteland.

I'd run something like this

4x Noble Hierarch
4x Lorescale Coatl
4x Quirion Dryad
2x Qasali Pridemage/Trygon Predator

4x Brainstorm
4x Ponder
4x Preordain/Sylvan Library

4x Force of Will
2x Misdirection
4x Daze
4x Swords to Plowshares
4x Winter Orb

16 land

[slaughtercult]

The looter is great at growing the Lorescale and dumping useless cards to dig for answers. Also, in a pinch, can swing for 1.

the sylvan library suggestion seems good, I'll test it this weekend. thanks.

[Ozymandias]

If you are going to run Merfolk Looter, you are probably better off with Looter il-Kor, which can swing for 1 practically unblockably and cycle cards.

Consider Wasteland, which plays extremely well with WOrb.

[Jeff Kruchkow]

// Lands
4 [R] Tropical Island
4 [ON] Flooded Strand
3 [ON] Polluted Delta
4 [R] Tundra
1 [MM] Rishadan Port
1 [10E] Island (1)
1 [ST] Plains (4)
1 [US] Forest (3)
1 [DK] Maze of Ith*

// Creatures
4 [CFX] Noble Hierarch
4 [ARB] Lorescale Coatl
3 [CFX] Knight of the Reliquary
4 [FUT] Tarmogoyf

// Spells
4 [B] Winter Orb
2 [MM] Thwart*
4 [R] Swords to Plowshares
4 [AL] Force of Will
4 [NE] Daze
4 [MM] Brainstorm
3 [LRW] Ponder*

// Sideboard
SB: 3 [TE] Propaganda*
SB: 3 [DIS] Trygon Predator*
SB: 4 [ALA] Relic of Progenitus*
SB: 2 [TSP] Krosan Grip*
SB: 3 [NE] Submerge*

Pulled this from a report from a while back. Seemed good?

[Pastorofmuppets]

wasn't there a 1/1 with shadow that did a draw/discard whenever it dealt damage somewhere in Time Spiral?

[Zlatzman]

wasn't there a 1/1 with shadow that did a draw/discard whenever it dealt damage somewhere in Time Spiral?



If you are going to run Merfolk Looter, you are probably better off with Looter il-Kor, which can swing for 1 practically unblockably and cycle cards.


I haven't actually played the deck, but il-Kor does seem to be the stronger of the two on first glance, as it deals damage on it's own. With Lorescale in play however Merfolk Looter gains strength as it allows the Lorescale to be pumped before combat damage.

[Pastorofmuppets]

Looter Il-Kor would also carry Jitte like a champ.

[slaughtercult]

I haven't actually played the deck, but il-Kor does seem to be the stronger of the two on first glance, as it deals damage on it's own. With Lorescale in play however Merfolk Looter gains strength as it allows the Lorescale to be pumped before combat damage.


My thoughts exactly. Also, adding things like Jitte can mud up what this deck is supposed to do. Same with Noble Heirarch. It is green and it doesn't draw cards. Therefore it doesn't really help the 'grow' creatures in the long run. The more non-green cards the better for Dryad, and the more card draw, the better for Coatl. Merfolk Looter and/or Thought Courier fill that spot nicely. They can also be pitched to force in a pinch. Thats just my opinion...

[ddt15]

Great Idea; Put this deck together (Winter Orb :laugh:);


4 Lorescale Coatl
4 Quirion Dryad
4 Merfolk Looter

4 Daze
4 Force of Will
2 Misdirection
4 Swords to Plowshares

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Serum Visions

4 Winter Orb

4 Flooded Strand
2 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Tropical Island
2 Tundra


Played some games against RB Goblins and Monoblack control (the SCG t8 list). Seems like you would want to run some Engineered Explosives or QPM as it takes out both AEther Vial and Chalice of the Void, two very problematic cards if they get it in play. Not sure about the Misdirects although Misdirecting a Plow or Hymn (or a Reanimate lolz) is quite nasty. Winter Orb is still a very powerful card against many decks and makes Daze really shine. I like the Looters more than the shadow creature since you can choose when to use the ability instead of having to wait for the attack. Hierarch doesn't really fit the strategy imo.

Merfolk with both Vials and islandwalkers seems like a tough matchup, although you can consider running red for Bolts, REBs and Pyroclasm.

[slaughtercult]

Great Idea; Put this deck together (Winter Orb :laugh:);


4 Lorescale Coatl
4 Quirion Dryad
4 Merfolk Looter

4 Daze
4 Force of Will
2 Misdirection
4 Swords to Plowshares

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Accumulated Knowledge
2 Serum Visions

4 Winter Orb

4 Flooded Strand
2 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Tropical Island
2 Tundra


Played some games against RB Goblins and Monoblack control (the SCG t8 list). Seems like you would want to run some Engineered Explosives or QPM as it takes out both AEther Vial and Chalice of the Void, two very problematic cards if they get it in play. Not sure about the Misdirects although Misdirecting a Plow or Hymn (or a Reanimate lolz) is quite nasty. Winter Orb is still a very powerful card against many decks and makes Daze really shine. I like the Looters more than the shadow creature since you can choose when to use the ability instead of having to wait for the attack. Hierarch doesn't really fit the strategy imo.

Merfolk with both Vials and islandwalkers seems like a tough matchup, although you can consider running red for Bolts, REBs and Pyroclasm.

One suggestion with your list is to test replacing serum visions with preordain. Being able to see what you draw before you do is a powerful thing. Pridemages are really fighting for sideboard space with krosan grips. I'm not sure which to run. one instance tells me to run PM as it can swing, has exalted and builds my dryads. But, the grips are essentially uncounterable. Maybe a 2/2 split?

As it stands my board looks like this...

3 Relic Of Progenitus
2 Pithing Needle
2 Ravenous Trap
3 Krosan Grip
2 Null Rod (thopter combo is popular here)
3 Echoing Truth (may replace with Submerge)

[nedleeds]

Cold-Eyed Selkie is worlds better than Looter. Don't you kind of have to run Spell Snare? If somebody resolves Counterbalance you lose bad.

[slaughtercult]

Cold-Eyed Selkie is worlds better than Looter. Don't you kind of have to run Spell Snare? If somebody resolves Counterbalance you lose bad.

Looter is better for situations where not being aggressive is key. it can also be used under Moat and the like. Selkie needs to be aggressive to be effective. this deck doesn't really work that way. I have answers in my sideboard for counterbalance and the like.

i've recently updated my list above by adding 2 Qasali Pridemages to the main in place of 2 of the looters. I am expecting a lot of countertop related builds as well as enchantress at GP Columbus.

[slaughtercult]

I decided to run this list at the GP in Columbus.

UGw Gro

Creatures
2 Merfolk Looter
2 Qasali Pridemage
4 Lorescale Coatl
4 Quirion Dryad

Draw
4 Brainstorm
4 Preordain
2 Ponder
4 Accumulated Knowledge

Control
4 Force Of Will
4 Daze
2 Spell Pierce
4 Winter Orb
4 Swords To Plowshares

Lands
3 Flooded Strand
3 Misty Rainforest
2 Tropical Island
1 Tundra
1 Savannah
4 Island
1 Forest
1 Plains

Sideboard
3 Tormod's Crypt
2 Pithing Needle
2 Hydroblast
3 Krosan Grip
2 Null Rod
3 Echoing Truth

In the trials I faced Belcher round one. Game one I countered his ramp and he didn't combo out efficiently. I grew some dudes and swung to victory. I sided in the hydroblasts and echoing truth for warrens tokens. also pithing needles for belcher. He comboed off with a warrens to make 10 tokens and passes. I ripped the luckiest Echoing truths ever and clear the field. Won a little while later.

Next I faced what i believe to be Eva Green. It went back and forth. I kept board control game one and out grew a Nantuko Shade. He drew no removal...Next game he had Innocent Blood and Tombstalker/goyf killed me. Game Three I outgrew his tombstalker and pounded face. Good deal.

Third round i played Thopter Countertop. Game one was very controlling on his part. He had a Swords every time he needed it. Game two I managed a winter orb lock but was still too controlled for the win to happen.

Saturday I got killed by Zoo first round.

Second round was a Draw against Countertop Thopter as we went to 5 Min on the clock for the round and didnt want to play it out. We both won one game a piece.

Third round was another Thopter match. It too went back and forth. I lost game one, i believe. Game two, my sideboard hate did the trick and exalted triggers from Pridemage helped out a lot. Game 3 I had to sit behind an Ensnaring Bridge with an ever growing Coatl on the board. We went to time and just as we started our 3rd turn after time was called, i topdecked a grip for the bridge and swung for the win.

Forth round I was destroyed by a pimped out Goblins deck. I decided to drop as i was hard pressed for time and needed to eat.

Over all, I was very happy with my results and will continue to mod this deck.

For further questions i have heard all weekend, I didn't run Jace because under the Orb it was too mana intensive. Merfolk Looter was a house. It fixed my hand when i needed it, grew Coatl super fast and helped me dig for answers. I will be leaving him in there.

[sa17dk]

How did you like the AKs?

And have you tried testing a black splash instead of the white splash for Snuff Out? (they've been great for me as free removal under an orb)

[SageOwl]

If you are going to run Merfolk Looter, you are probably better off with Looter il-Kor, which can swing for 1 practically unblockably and cycle cards.

Consider Wasteland, which plays extremely well with WOrb.

the argument that merfolk looter is better because it pumps cotal befor damage is stupid.

5/5 swings in and gets pumped to a 6/6 so they take 6
5/5 swings in with a unblockable 1/1 and gets pumped after combat, so they take 6....

so as far as damage goes its the same unless your worried about getting blocked by a tarmo....and if they are blocking with tarmo you are winning.

the ability to run a jitte into there face unblock-ably is just huge.

[slaughtercult]

How did you like the AKs?

And have you tried testing a black splash instead of the white splash for Snuff Out? (they've been great for me as free removal under an orb)

The AKs were great, especially mid and late game. They drew answers like no tomorrow and, like brainstorm, giant growthed my Coalts. I've always thought of it as one of the best draw spells. The only other splash color I will be testing will be red for things like Grim Lavamancer, Fire/Ice and sb Firespout against Zoo and Goblins since those matchups are horrible. Black, in my opinion wouldn't be as good as the Swords. Swords RFGing is way too good to pass up against anything that could potentially reanimate.

The looter argument seems pointless to me as well. As a personal preference, i chose to play Merfolk looter over other things. I was expecting a lot of merfolk and having one in my deck was good against opposing lord of atlantis . Also, I could use it defensively as a chump blocker and still get a card draw out of it before death, one thing you can't do with the Il-Kor.

[sa17dk]

I've tried the AK's but I just absolutely hate casting the first AK. I usually try to pitch the first AK to one of my looters and cast AK's #2-4.

Since I'm running the black version anyways I think I might try Night's Whisper because I've found that I run out of gas too soon. If I do go with the NW plan, I'll probably have to cut the Snuff Out for Ghastly Demise.