[Deck] Varolz, the Scar-Striped

[Finn]

There is this one card in Dragon's Maze that might just be better than it looks on the surface.


3 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
2 Silhana Ledgewalker
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
3 Death's Shadow
4 Dark Confidant
1 Scryb Ranger
1 Sylvan Safekeeper
4 Green Sun's Zenith

2 Living Wish
4 Thoughtseize
4 Aether Vial
4 Abrupt Decay

2 Dryad Arbor
4 Bayou
1 Overgrown Tomb
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Windswept Heath
1 Inkmoth Nexus
2 Forest
2 Swamp

sideboard
1 Death's Shadow
1 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
1 Karakas
1 Overgrown Tomb
...


Hey fellas, this is my first attempt at an idea that a guy over at Salvation floated. I am not a big fan of graveyard-dependent stuff, but this plan just has so many strong angles to it that I can't help but think it has real merit. Check out the excellent interactions.

--Very strong acceleration:
You can do cool things with Dryad Arbor, Green Sun's Zenith and Aether Vial in the same deck. Oh, and Deathrite Shaman. In case you are not a design-o-phile like myself, let me just tell you that you just never get all this together. There are too many other factors pulling a deck away from them all at once. We will see if this deck works out to keep them all.

--Cast a Dreadnought and sacrifice it to Varolz for free with its EtB trigger on the stack. Then pay :1: to get the +12/+12 bonus on any creature. Scavenge is a sorcery ability but Varolz is regenerated while you wait for the Dreadnought to hit the yard.

--Cast a Dreadnought. Then use Aether Vial to plop another down with the EtB trigger on the stack. Then you sacrifice the first to the second to keep it. No chance of FoW problems like with Stifle. You need two 'noughts, but this is purely a side benefit.

--Turn 1 Aether Vial. At end of opponent's turn, with zero counters, tap it and enjoy three lands and an Aether Vial@1 to start turn 2 care of Dryad Arbor. In case you aren't counting, that is Varolz and a fattie right there.

--Varolz is surprisingly good on his own as a top deck in this deck, often swinging for 14 or more right away.

--Unlike all other decks that vaguely resemble this one, there is no need to pack special cards to actually get your fatties in the graveyard. They can simply be hardcast for :1: if you wish. They either kill themselves or Varolz takes care of them.

--other random modest tricks to employ:
You can grab a Dryad Arbor via fetchland to regenerate Varolz
If you are low on life, Death's Shadow becomes pretty good on its own. Fetch an Overgrown Tomb for +3/+3 if you like.
Scavenge with the Inkmoth for instant death via poison.
Karakas can not prevent Varolz from granting the scavenge ability if you bin the fattie first.
Because exiling the creature is a cost of scavenge, Deathrite Shaman can be got around using proper timing as well.

[Megadeus]

Probably another Inkmoth Nexus in the board to Wish for.

Hell you maybe could also make a Hexdepths SB, or even possibly Torpor Orb and Illusionary Mask to turn into a Mask Nought deck... Just throwing ideas out there.

[DrewliusMaximus]

Looks cool.

Would it be worth it to add a third Wish and move the single Inkmoth Nexus to the SB? Also, how important do you think the second Ledgewalker is? Dryad Arbor seems amazing in this deck, and I wonder if -1 Nexus, -1 Ledgewalker and +1 Arbor, +1 Wish might work.

Maybe Volrath's Stronghold and Maze of Ith in the board too.

Edit - what about Gaddock Teeg?

[Megadeus]

Im not a huge fan of Aethervial here honestly...

[phazonmutant]

This is a sweet-looking deck! I have to agree with Megadeus though, I don't think Aether Vial is where the deck wants to be as great as it seems at first glance. One of the consistency issues is going to be that Dreadnaught is awful on its own without either another Dreadnought or Varolz. That makes me think that instead of the Aether Vials you might want to play a couple of Illusionary Masks. You're not all-in on it, but it does serve the major purpose of Aether Vial in the deck - making uncounterable men. With Deathrite Shaman the manacost shouldn't even be that bad.

Also, Death's Shadow isn't going to consistently be huge until later in the game, so again it's only good with Varolz, so I'm pretty sure I don't want to have more than like 2 in the main deck. That just makes me want to have the Living Wish-Hexmage-Depths combo more though. Hexmage should be pretty good on its own.

Finally, Varolz really plays nice with Tarmogoyf. I'm not sure what exactly to cut but it just seems very incorrect to not have at least a couple.

So maybe a list more like this?
4 Deathrite Shaman
2 Death's Shadow
3 Phyrexian Dreadnought
1 Silhana Ledgewalker
1 Scryb Ranger
2 Vampire Hexmage
4 Dark Confidant
4 Tarmogoyf
3 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
4 Abrupt Decay
2 Illusionary Mask
4 Living Wish
2 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Thoughtseize
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Dark Depths
4 Verdant Catacombs
1 Overgrown Tomb
4 Bayou
1 Forest
3 Swamp
2 Bloodstained Mire
1 Wooded Foothills
SB: 1 Death's Shadow
SB: 1 Phyrexian Dreadnought
SB: 1 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
SB: 1 Vampire Hexmage
SB: 1 Silhana Ledgewalker
SB: 1 Cavern of Souls
SB: 1 Dark Depths
SB: 1 Sylvan Safekeeper
SB: 1 Darkblast
SB: 1 Disfigure
SB: 1 Thoughtseize
SB: 2 Inquisition of Kozilek
SB: 2 Mindbreak Trap

Obviously untuned and I think the sideboard is too full of tutor targets, but it seems like it has better synergy. It seems a little land- and disruption-light and 2-drop heavy though.

[Megadeus]

Yeah agreed. For a GB deck it seems to be a bit weak in the disruption department. Maybe cabal therapy? You dont care too much about sacrificing your own dudes.

[iamajellydonut]

The biggest problem this deck will face is "what happens when you don't have Varolz". In the first list, the answer very well seems like "lose". Probably the best bet with Varolz is a Rock deck that just naturally plays efficient creatures like Tarmogoyf rather than gimmick your way to victory with a Phyrexian Dreadnought. People don't see Stoneforge and say "WOW I GOTA GRAB ARGENTUM ARMOR WITH THIS" because it's a really foolish and utterly unnecessary plan. Instead, they just shove four of her into a deck, play it like normal, and feel good about their life. I don't expect Varolz to be any different in this regard.

[joretapo]

Entomb may be usefull

[HammafistRoob]

Blue splash for brainstorm and stifle? Or maybe Trinket Mage instead of stifle and play 1-2 Dreads.

[kingtk3]

I don't think you can scavenge dryad arbor because the card doesn't have a mana cost. Memnite could work because it's CC is :0:

[r3dd09]

I really want to see this deck work somehow. When I first saw Varolz, I crossed my fingers to see some brew with him. I'm not disappointed.

[phazonmutant]

For the record, I can't spell...Varolz...so I'm just going to call him V. from now on.


The biggest problem this deck will face is "what happens when you don't have Varolz". In the first list, the answer very well seems like "lose". Probably the best bet with Varolz is a Rock deck that just naturally plays efficient creatures like Tarmogoyf rather than gimmick your way to victory with a Phyrexian Dreadnought. People don't see Stoneforge and say "WOW I GOTA GRAB ARGENTUM ARMOR WITH THIS" because it's a really foolish and utterly unnecessary plan. Instead, they just shove four of her into a deck, play it like normal, and feel good about their life. I don't expect Varolz to be any different in this regard.

That's a good point. I think V. requires more work to be good than something that's just intrinsically powerful like Stoneforge, but the upside might be higher. Or at least sweeter. So based on that premise I think by far the easiest cuts are Silhana Ledgewalker and the Death's Shadows. I still think that Illusionary Mask is fine in 20-creatures.deck - heck yeah I'll pay 2 upfront to make every creature I draw for the rest of the game uncounterable and flash! - which really makes me want to play Dreadnought still.


Megadeus, good point. Cabal Therapy seems like a natural fit. Maybe that's what to put in place of the 3 spells I suggested cutting? Or perhaps 2 Therapies and another land.



I don't think you can scavenge dryad arbor because the card doesn't have a mana cost. Memnite could work because it's CC is :0:

You're right that you can't scavenge Dryad Arbor. On the other hand, it is an instant-speed creature to regenerate V. if you have a :g: fetch in play and turns GSZ into a 1-mana rampant growth, which I think is enough to justify its inclusion. Memnite just doesn't do anything on its own and doesn't really do much with V. either.

[Fatal]

BUG Shell would be much better:

Stifles / Noughty
Confidants
Brainstorms
GSZ
Shaman's
Decay's
Point Discard (Thoughtsieze/IofKozilek/Cabal Therapy)
Goyfs
Spell Pierces or Even Dispel's vs removal (most of time Vorolz would be important to protect)
Dazes
Wastelands/Nexus depends how fragile will be manabase


You also need a plan on Game 2/3 where you face:
1) More point removal
2) GY like rest in peace/Leyline

You can:
- fight with hate (Nature's Claim/Krosan Grips/More counters)
- have other strategy on sb - for example Hex/Depth's - with stifles vs opponents wasteland It could work or Plainswalkers like Liliana/Jaces and play like BUG Control.

If you would change to Vial - I recommend Standstill's like in Merfolks.

[ryO!]

why not playing it in a shell including lolteh troll & vengevine that seems pretty symetrical with varolz.
DS & PD can triggers VV for a cheap cost
lolteh can feeds the graveyard with useless DS & PD
i guess it would also require some madness creatures and as it s been said already Entombs
anyway that could be another way to "abuse" varolz

[kingtk3]

...
You're right that you can't scavenge Dryad Arbor. On the other hand, it is an instant-speed creature to regenerate V. if you have a :g: fetch in play and turns GSZ into a 1-mana rampant growth, which I think is enough to justify its inclusion. Memnite just doesn't do anything on its own and doesn't really do much with V. either.

I wasn't implying to play memnite nor to exclude dryad arbor (which is useful against sacrifice effects too), just pointing out that it doesn't work with scavenge ;)

[Sylphnir]

Wouldn't the good old Putrid Imp make a nice addition to a walrus (sorry I just always read him as such) based deck?
It's a cheap repeatable discard outlet that is also able to fly your counters to your opponent if necessary.
And you can use it with tech like Cabal Therapy to feed a goyf or something.

Fauna Shaman might also be an option to make you less delicate to not drawing walrus and/or friends.

[Kayradis]

why not playing it in a shell including lolteh troll & vengevine that seems pretty symetrical with varolz.
DS & PD can triggers VV for a cheap cost
lolteh can feeds the graveyard with useless DS & PD
i guess it would also require some madness creatures and as it s been said already Entombs
anyway that could be another way to "abuse" varolz

This whole thread I was wondering who was gonna pop that idea first!
I totally get behind that.
And I love those cards!

[cartoonist]

I almost want to say Vexing Devil could work here, as he could bolt for 4 and then get thrown on another creature. Or serve as a solid blocker while you set up.

[Poron]

good deck and good idea. if Swords to Plowshares wasn't one of the most common card in the format.

[kingtk3]

good deck and good idea. if Swords to Plowshares wasn't one of the most common card in the format.

sylvan safekeeper should help against StP though

[iamajellydonut]

sylvan safekeeper should help against StP though

When there's a will, there's a way. Counters, discard, sac effects, well timed targeted removal, Revokers, "don't give a fuck" combo/SnT... In a deck with only one threat, Varolz is a dead man.

[Poron]

overall with all the Enlightned Tutors around, 1x Cursed Totem SB and you're done
not to mention that you scoop to all the "Rest in Peace" decks etc..

fun and nice idea, but it should be a side win condition in a much more reliable strategy. I see that card being too fragile (not to mention that's a Legend overall.. can't even overflow the opponent with redundancy..)

[Schembo]

If you want stop proof creature try Phyrexian Crusader, its also bolt proof. When zoo was top deck i played crusader in my eva list in md.
Scavenge him with death's shadow and swing for kill :eek:

[Barook]

I would most definitely include 4 Goyfs. They're good on their own and decent scavenge fodder. GSZ also gives you additional consistency in that regard.

As for disruption, why not go for Thoughtseize (powers up your Shadow as plan C) + Therapy (+ Gitaxian Probe, although that might be more cute than useful)?

The lack of Liliana is also disturbing. She clears blockers, gets creatures into the yard for immediate scavenge shenanigans and is all around a great card. There's absolutely no reason to not run her, especially with GSZ + DRS accel around.

Edit:
I would probably go with something like this:

2 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
4 Tarmogoyf
1 Silhana Ledgewalker
4 Deathrite Shaman
3 Death's Shadow
4 Dark Confidant
1 Scryb Ranger
1 Sylvan Safekeeper

4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Thoughtseize
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Abrupt Decay
3 Liliana of the Veil

21 Lands

The numbers could use some tweaking, but that's just a rough draw. Less reliant on Varolz and thus less explosive, but imho also more solid.

[Zupponn]

I almost want to say Vexing Devil could work here, as he could bolt for 4 and then get thrown on another creature. Or serve as a solid blocker while you set up.

In a similar vein, both Keldon Marauders and Hellspark Elemental would be interesting too.

Other cards like Jotun Grunt and Barrow Ghoul that sac themselves after maybe a hit or 2 coukd be interesting as well.

[Finn]

So, some good info here. Amidst all the calls for "make it more comboish" and "make it less comboish", I agree that making the deck less dependent upon Varolz is certainly a good idea. Considering that all the hardest cards to circumvent can be handled with Qasali Pridemage, a white splash seems to be in order. Whether to include Tarmo or not might depend upon if Varolz ends up being good enough on his own to not need a true combo to support him.

[r3dd09]

why not playing it in a shell including lolteh troll & vengevine that seems pretty symetrical with varolz.
DS & PD can triggers VV for a cheap cost
lolteh can feeds the graveyard with useless DS & PD
i guess it would also require some madness creatures and as it s been said already Entombs
anyway that could be another way to "abuse" varolz

Having the biggest brain fart right now

DS and PD?

[KazinMtg]

Having the biggest brain fart right now

DS and PD?

Death's Shadow, Phyrexian Dreadnaught.

[Morte]

With a BUG Shell consider also Intuition: card advantage for 3 Phyrexian Dreadnought/Death's Shadow or tutor for Varolz (or other stuff) if needed.

EDIT: Another root could be adding Varolz to a Torpor Orb shell. The deck makes actual use of Phyrexian Dreadnought and Hunted Horror, gaining a side plan with Varolz. Maybe in a BUG tempo shell:

4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Dark Confidant
2 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
3 Hunted Horror
3 Torpor Orb
4 Stifle
4 Brainstorm
2 Ponder
4 Daze
4 Abrupt Decay
4 Thoughtseize

4 Wasteland
4 Underground Sea
3 Tropical Island
4 Verdant Catacombs
3 Polluted Delta

[ironclad8690]

This deck is so sick. I am going to jump on this bandwagon hardcore.

Anywho, what about thrun the last troll? Hexproof seems like a rad addition to this strategy

[HPB_Eggo]

Out of interest, is there a reason people aren't looking into, say, a GWB version that's akin to Maverick but runs DRS over Heirarch and Varolz over KotR?

Seems to me that the more solid plan is to build a mid-range deck that functions well without Varolz, make sure it has some acceleration, utility, and a bunch of creatures that your opponent can't allow to just sit there, and then when you're starting to run out of steam you plop down Varolz and everything they've removed is now more P/T for you.

In unrelated news, Unearth seems like an excellent card for this deck that no one has brought up yet. Also drags things out of the GY, but it's useful if you're binning things and don't have a Varolz around, since you can still get at them.

[Morte]

A GBW Maverick like shell was my first idea too: a deck good on its own, with GSZ for fetching Varolz and MoR to protect the scavenge targets. The point is that you need scavenge "bombs" like PD or DS for having Varolz make an impact, but PD and DS are totally dead draw without Varolz - the deck was too inconsistent. A two card combo is worth only if its pieces are intrinsically good, and this is not the case, or if the combo wins on the spot, and this is not the case either.

That's why I started thinking to a deck where scavenging bombs are good on their own, and Varolz is an obvious upgrade, without possibility of dead cards. ATM my best found is the Stiflenought + Hunted Horror + Torpor Orb I listed above. It's much faster than the other options I saw in the thread and well suited to disrupt the opponent and assemble its combos with the BUG shell.

[Finn]

Yeah, the best version looks like it will be midrange. Tarmos retain their size while not otb, so they might have to be included. I don't know about blue though.

[Morte]

What do you think of my version Finn?

[HPB_Eggo]

A GBW Maverick like shell was my first idea too: a deck good on its own, with GSZ for fetching Varolz and MoR to protect the scavenge target. The point is that you need scavenge "bombs" like PD or DS for having Varolz make an impact, but PD and DS are totally dead draw without Varolz: the deck was too inconsistent. A two card combo is worth only if its pieces are intrinsically good, and this is not the case, or if the combo wins on the spot, and this is not the case either.

I'm not sure why you think you have to be grabbing a ton of counters with Varolz to make him good.

Look at Maverick. It puts out good, if sometimes somewhat slow, pressure with lots of disruption. KotR and Ooze are the only big hitters, and neither of them starts out particularly large. Instead, they both add utility and slowly get bigger and bigger.

Varolz gets bigger faster but with essentially no utility.

If you can make up the lack of utility by changing around some other cards, I'd say you have a very similarly strong deck, probably with a better combo match-up because of targeted discard out of the SB and a weaker RUG match-up because of a weaker mana-base. Can't say a whole lot about others without testing.

[phazonmutant]

Morte - I like the look of that list. It has a real plan and it's not all-in on anything except maybe Torpor Orb. I think I would cut a Trop for a Bayou though.

[guybrush3]

to Morte's list:
nice deck phyrexian varolz is awesome. Congratz
i would exchange the horrors with Hunted Phantasm and the dazes with force of will.
hunted is very strong and u will play it who cares if he has the scaravenge cost 3 and gives "only" +4+4...
17 blue cards and there u go
edit: add 1 academy ruins

[lochlan]

Karakas can not prevent Varolz from granting the scavenge ability if you bin the fattie first.

How? I'm pretty sure dudes in the yard will only have Scavenge when Varolz is on the battlefield. Since you can Scavenge only as a sorcery you can't respond to the Karakas activation.


I still think that Illusionary Mask is fine in 20-creatures.deck - heck yeah I'll pay 2 upfront to make every creature I draw for the rest of the game uncounterable and flash!

That's not how Illusionary Mask (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=201199) (link to gatherer) works The creatures are counterable since you're still casting them, and Illusionary Mask does not give your creatures Flash. In fact, since you're casting the creature face down as a 2/2 I don't think you can even cast a creature that does have Flash at instant speed (not 100% sure about this last part).

[Tao]

After you play Varolz you have priority because it is your turn. You put Scavenge on the Stack and then pass priority.

[HPB_Eggo]

How? I'm pretty sure dudes in the yard will only have Scavenge when Varolz is on the battlefield. Since you can Scavenge only as a sorcery you can't respond to the Karakas activation.

Priority stuff. When he enters the battlefield you get the opportunity to do something before your opponent does. It's the same reason a Planeswalker can activate it's +1 the second it enters the battlefield to prevent it from being burnt out instantly.

In unrelated news, I've been doing a little research and there are a handful of creatures that could be good with Varolz in a mid-range deck that aren't great without him and might wander into some SBs...

Spike Feeder
Champion of Lambholt
Skullbriar
Twilight Drover
Kitchen Finks
Corpsejack Menace

Of those, Spike Feeder, Champion, and Skullbriar are probably the best.

Spike Feeder will 100% win games against Burn and some combo decks if you have Varolz out and a way to bin creatures, i.e. Lotleth Troll.

Champion of Lambholt gives evasion to all of your creatures if you can make it big enough, which is definitely a possibility with Varolz.

Skullbriar costs two, has haste, gets bigger when he hits people, and keeps all counters on himself if he hits the graveyard. Makes him an ideal target to GSZ for with Varolz out, as he swings the turn he comes into play and if they kill him in response you can still get the counters on a different creature the next turn.

Skullbriar is probably the only one that belongs in MD, while a one-of Spike Feeder in the SB seems good. No idea if Champion of Lambholt will play out or not, as its strength is really dependent on how big the other creatures in the deck are.

[guybrush3]

Priority stuff. When he enters the battlefield you get the opportunity to do something before your opponent does. It's the same reason a Planeswalker can activate it's +1 the second it enters the battlefield to prevent it from being burnt out instantly.
i think this is wrong.

[lochlan]

i think this is wrong.

No, that's correct. The active player will receive priority after Varolz has resolved.

I simply did not understand that the plan here was to have a creature in the yard, cast Varolz, and then activate the Scavenge ability (Finn didn't really elaborate on this, assuming that's what he meant).

[FTW]

I started another thread with Varolz in an Eva Green shell. This looks fun, but probably suffers from consistency issues if you can't stick a Varolz+protection, since you're then playing 7 1-mana fatties with awkward liabilities. You don't HAVE to scavenge 12-13 each time. Scavenging 4-5 off a Goyf is pretty nice too. Why not just play creatures that are good and then have the option to scavenge them later? Death's Shadow still works in the shell, especially if you run Snuff Out, so you can still get your 1-mana ultraboost. Dreadnought just seems like a liability though.

Or if you want to play Dreadnought too, why not:

4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Hunted Horror

4 Torpor Orb
3 Illusionary Mask

Plus Varolz, Goyfs, Bobs, Death's Shadow, Deathrite...
That way you'd have way more consistency and can just play Dreadnought as a legitimate threat, then scavenge afterwards for added explosiveness. Plus Torpor Orb randomly hoses things.

[Finn]

I think torpor orb decks and Eva are already being discussed elsewhere. I believe we are all on agreement now that Varolz is best as an asset and not the sole focus. I will alter the OP as soon as I can it something concrete that is not simply another deck with the same name.

[Megadeus]

A bit of a twist, what about playing VVives and Entombs? VVives play well with the idea of casting 1CC dudes by triggering, and entomb either fetches a VVive or fetches one of your giant guys to scavenge along with possibly getting Cabal Therapy?

[HPB_Eggo]

An assembly of some interesting things that work well in a GBw Varolz deck...

1) Corpsejack Menace and Ghave, Guru of Spores. They both do something good with Varolz and with one another, and only Corpsejack is actually useless on its own.

2) Kitchen Finks. Generally a pretty good card, only gets better when you can recur it a ton with Varolz.

3) Phyrexian Crusader. Protects itself from a lot of removal, and even a 3/3 Crusader requires either 6 power or evasion to get past. Also wins in a single swing with 10 power, assuming it connects. Often forces decks like Miracle Control to blow Terminus, even if it's your only creature.

Slot some of this into a modified Nic Fit shell and you get what seems like quite strong deck.

4 Veteran Explorer
4 Deathrite Shaman
3 Phyrexian Crusader
2 Varolz
1 KotR
1 Eternal Witness
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Corpsejack
1 Ghave
1 Scavenging Ooze


4 Cabal Therapy
2 Thoughtseize

3 GSZ
1 Diabolic Intent

3 Abrupt Decay
1 Malestrom Pulse
1 Vindicate

2 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sylvan Library

2 Liliana of the Veil

1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Dryad Arbor
18 Land

Only tested it a little bit against RuG and Miracles so far, but it did very well against both. Phyrexian Crusader with 1-2 extra P/T is basically game for RuG and sweep or game for Miracles. List is probably terrible, since its mostly just out of my head, but a lot of the interactions are very strong.

[Mr. Safety]

Has anybody considered that Natural Order is just a more compact, efficient package than a Varolz 'fair' beatdown deck? Of all the options, I think BUG has the best potential, if only because you can go 'oops, Stifle-Dreadnought' and play Force of Will/permission to protect Varolz.

[jhhdk]

If Kitchen Finks works with Varolz, the Scar-Striped, what about Murderous Redcap?

[zulander]

If Kitchen Finks works with Varolz, the Scar-Striped, what about Murderous Redcap?

It does, but it's not an infinite combo. It dies, get's a -1/-1 and then can't do it again. Seems a bit lackluster.



Also playing this in a reanimator shell seems awesome. Cast Varolz, the Scar-Striped play buried alive, get Phyrexian Dreadnought, Phyrexian Dreadnought, anger, win.

Or

Varolz, the Scar-Striped + Murderous Redcap + Melira, Sylvok Outcast = win

[HPB_Eggo]

It does, but it's not an infinite combo. It dies, get's a -1/-1 and then can't do it again. Seems a bit lackluster.

The important bit with Varolz is using a small creature to remove the -1/-1 counter on, say, Finks so you can recur it again. Allows for a lot of stall against, say, RUG with a flipped Delver, and you can add any number of other cards to make it sillier if you really wish to do so.

[zulander]

The important bit with Varolz is using a small creature to remove the -1/-1 counter on, say, Finks so you can recur it again. Allows for a lot of stall against, say, RUG with a flipped Delver, and you can add any number of other cards to make it sillier if you really wish to do so.

How are you removing counters from Kitchen Finks once it comes back into play?

[HPB_Eggo]

How are you removing counters from Kitchen Finks once it comes back into play?

Scavenge. State-based effects and whatnot remove -1/-1 or +1/+1 counters equal to the minimum of the two if both are present. Basically...

1) Veteran Explorer in graveyard, Varolz and Kitchen Finks (no counters) in play.
2) Kitchen Finks dies. Returns to play with a -1/-1 counter.
3) Scavenge Veteran Explorer onto Kitchen Finks. Removes the -1/-1 counter so it can be recurred again.

There are spots in there where the opponent can react to interrupt you, but assuming they don't have anything this should work.

(Stressing should, because I haven't had use for this rule in a few years and there's a possibility it has changed or been removed since then.)

[Zupponn]

Molten Hydra?

[HPB_Eggo]

Molten Hydra?

After thinking about it, not a bad idea. With Varolz, basically turns into a Lavamancer that can also straight-up win the game if you have enough power in your graveyard.

Real problem is what else in Red you would run to do well with Varolz. Guess it's time to wander back to Gatherer and see what else can be turned up...

[Zupponn]

After thinking about it, not a bad idea. With Varolz, basically turns into a Lavamancer that can also straight-up win the game if you have enough power in your graveyard.

Real problem is what else in Red you would run to do well with Varolz. Guess it's time to wander back to Gatherer and see what else can be turned up...

Well, there's always Vexing Devil.

[Barook]

After thinking about it, not a bad idea. With Varolz, basically turns into a Lavamancer that can also straight-up win the game if you have enough power in your graveyard.

Real problem is what else in Red you would run to do well with Varolz. Guess it's time to wander back to Gatherer and see what else can be turned up...
Red has lots of cheap high-power Ball Lightning-type of creatures. Although I doubt that goes along very well with the Varolz plan which takes a bit longer.

Hydra is still a nice find, though.

[metronome2charisma]

so i have had a version of the deck together and tested against esper stoneblade, 4color control, reanimated, dead guy ale, doomsday, and storm..this is my list and my findings.

4 Drs.
3 dark confidant
3 dreadnoughts
3 deaths shadow
2 varolz
2 tarmogoyf
1 snap caster
18

4 brainstorm
4 stifle
4 thoughtseize
3 daze
2 abrupt decay
2 sylvan library
1 Liliana
1 green sun zenith
21

2 underground seas
2 bayou
1 tropical island
1 breeding pool( no its not supposed to be trop)
1 watery grave( no its not supposed to be u.s.)
4 wasteland
2 creeping tarpit
4 verd catacombs
3 misty
1 dryad arbor
21

s.b.
1 malstrom pulse
1 life from the loam
1 abrupt decay
2 e plagues
4 force of will
2 fluster-storm
1 spell pierce adds so much
2 jtms
1 other card i cant think of ...

soooooo... the deck is really fun and really good.the numbers need tweeking but its good.. .varolz makes a lot of choices for them super hard and also sometimes you just win with a stifled dreadnought...try thinking of this as almost a necro style deck that trys to stay ahead but between tar pits,lily,library and varolz it has a ton of late game reach...i'm thinking of testing another library, another dreadnought and maybe torper orb,and unearth seems almost broken in this list (i think post mortum lunge also has a TON of potential) but this list is two weeks old tested around 30 games and to be honest its NOT 100 percent but i am confidant that this IS a real deck and varolz IS legacy playable even as a value creature in a dark maverick deck(which i'm sure would be good as a one or two of...my list has a rough time with fast combo decks which i'm sure can be solved...against anything remotely far this deck wins more than 50-50 pre board (most test games were preboard ) i will be playing this deck at the next few scg events..the opinion of the people i test/play with is a barometer to me when i try anything spicy and the response to this brew(i'm always brewing) has been awesome...opinions and suggestions are welcome from anyone that puts the deck together and tests it.

[TsumiBand]

Is Experiment One worth considering at all? Dreadnaught auto-buffs it whether or not Varolz is in play, Goyf should as well. If things get poopy Death's Shadow might even give it p/t, and failing all else it has synergy with having lots of counters on it that might matter under certain circumstances (remove two counters: regenerate).

[jhhdk]

Since we're talking about evolve creatures. What about Fathom Mage? Win More?

[Finn]

These are all cool ideas, but keep this in mind:

Varolz is not fast enough to kill as a combo. This means he and his components should be an occasional finisher that also masquerades as a strong card when you don't have the goods. These things you guys are mentioning are very interesting. But they belong in a version of this deck that I do not think can ever be competitive past tier 2.

[TsumiBand]

These are all cool ideas, but keep this in mind:

Varolz is not fast enough to kill as a combo. This means he and his components should be an occasional finisher that also masquerades as a strong card when you don't have the goods. These things you guys are mentioning are very interesting. But they belong in a version of this deck that I do not think can ever be competitive past tier 2.

It was actually the recent article on Naya/Gruul Beats in Legacy that prompted my suggestion of Experiment One, as I realized that it would have synergy with every higher-power creature in the deck and could even grow to midsize-Tarmo strength relatively quickly, without even drawing the 'combo'. I think it would improve the overall decentralization of the deck, in that it's already rocking an 'occasional finisher' so drawing things which interact with your Naughts and Shadows entering play and quickly dying would be worth considering. Of course as with all comments on the Source, I say this with absolutely no testing and flippant, brash conjecture :)

[danbuster35]

Actually, you can scavenge Dryad Arbor...converted mana cost for any land is zero.


For the record, I can't spell...Varolz...so I'm just going to call him V. from now on.



That's a good point. I think V. requires more work to be good than something that's just intrinsically powerful like Stoneforge, but the upside might be higher. Or at least sweeter. So based on that premise I think by far the easiest cuts are Silhana Ledgewalker and the Death's Shadows. I still think that Illusionary Mask is fine in 20-creatures.deck - heck yeah I'll pay 2 upfront to make every creature I draw for the rest of the game uncounterable and flash! - which really makes me want to play Dreadnought still.


Megadeus, good point. Cabal Therapy seems like a natural fit. Maybe that's what to put in place of the 3 spells I suggested cutting? Or perhaps 2 Therapies and another land.




You're right that you can't scavenge Dryad Arbor. On the other hand, it is an instant-speed creature to regenerate V. if you have a :g: fetch in play and turns GSZ into a 1-mana rampant growth, which I think is enough to justify its inclusion. Memnite just doesn't do anything on its own and doesn't really do much with V. either.

[FTW]

On the note of red (Vexing Devil, Molten Hydra) Varolz Jund...

4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Vexing Devils
4 Goblin Guide
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Dark Confidant
3 Death's Shadow
1 Scavenging Ooze
2 Varolz, the Scar-Striped

4 Thoughtseize
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Green Sun's Zenith

Dryad Arbor
Jund lands

On second thought, might as well play that in Modern

Or try to do combo cuteness with Buried Alive into Death's Shadow + Death's Shadow/Vexing Devils + Anger and then Scavenge for the win (or scavenge Molten Hydra for the evasive win), with a couple Unearths to do silly things like recur Vexing Devils or Bobs or creatures buried alive. You can then Buried Alive for Death's Shadow + Molten Hydra + Anger and then Unearth Molten Hydra, scavenge, snipe FTW. But these are all like 3 card combos and fragile and slow. So I think the "good stuff" version is better.

[phazonmutant]

Actually, you can scavenge Dryad Arbor...converted mana cost for any land is zero.

Varolz, the Scar-Striped says the scavenge cost is equal to its mana cost, not converted mana cost. Lands don't have mana costs because there's nothing in their top-right corner (just like Ancestral Vision). No mana cost is equivalent to an unpayable mana cost.

[Finn]

Right about the mana cost, phaz. I made that mistake too. It was a lot of work to track down the difference.

Also, Buried Alive is a terrible card in Legacy.

[danbuster35]

You are correct that lands don't have a "converted" mana cost but I believe you can still scavenge Dryad Arbor. Tolaria West works similarly in a Lands deck where you pay the transmute cost and look for a card with "zero" mana cost and you search for lands. Please correct me if I am wrong.


Varolz, the Scar-Striped says the scavenge cost is equal to its mana cost, not converted mana cost. Lands don't have mana costs because there's nothing in their top-right corner (just like Ancestral Vision). No mana cost is equivalent to an unpayable mana cost.

[Namida]

You are correct that lands don't have a "converted" mana cost but I believe you can still scavenge Dryad Arbor. Tolaria West works similarly in a Lands deck where you pay the transmute cost and look for a card with "zero" mana cost and you search for lands. Please correct me if I am wrong.


117.6. Some mana costs contain no mana symbols. This represents an unpayable cost. An ability can also have an unpayable cost if its cost is based on the mana cost of an object with no mana cost. Attempting to cast a spell or activate an ability that has an unpayable cost is a legal action. However, attempting to pay an unpayable cost is an illegal action.

The rule is worded in a very confusing way in order to explain how you're able to cast cards like Ancestral Vision through the use of "Without paying its mana cost" effects, while preventing you from trying to cast them from your hand by paying an unpayable cost. Dryad Arbor has scavenge, but it is illegal to try to pay the scavenge cost because that cost is unpayable.

[danbuster35]

Thanks for clarifying.


The rule is worded in a very confusing way in order to explain how you're able to cast cards like Ancestral Vision through the use of "Without paying its mana cost" effects, while preventing you from trying to cast them from your hand by paying an unpayable cost. Dryad Arbor has scavenge, but it is illegal to try to pay the scavenge cost because that cost is unpayable.

[yaWgnorW]

Just accidentally hit X on the tab...lovely.

Anyway, so I am with those that think this deck needs more of a plan than just Varolz. I think a BUG shell could be great, but I am with the GBW supporters (just my style). The reason I think this combination could be superior is...well think of Maverick, or the newer Dark Maverick. Take out KOTR and place in Varolz. Now what?

We need a core.

3? Varolz - I say 3, with a 4th in board (at least) GSZ makes this easier to get too.
4 Mother of Runes - Protects everything
4 Tarmagoyf - Good on the board and in the yard for this deck

4 Thoughtseize
3-4? Abrubt Decay
4 Swords to Plowshares
1 Sylvan Library
4 Green Sun Zenith - with 4 GSZ, we should use more green creatures for utility

Ok, so now that's the basics of it. Now we need an engine. Dark Confidant has been discussed, and is quite relevant, but what about Life from the Loam? I don't think both should be used, but LFTL can get things done. Dark Confidant may be stronger, because at least once its in the yard it can be used again with scavenge. I do like the LFTL idea better though.

Then there's Kitchen Finks, which has great synergy with the deck, but regardless, is 3cc to play. Keep that in mind before placing 3-4 of.

Other notable greens that should be 1-2 of,
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Scryb Ranger
? Gaddock Teeg (SB)
1 Dryad Arbor

2 Deaths Shadow - goyf can't do it alone, regardless of where he is
Deathrite Shaman - obvious choice for the deck

Something on Stoneforge, 2 copies is at least 2 copies of equipment, which may not really help the deck at all. Not sure on this one.

Any suggestions, considerations toward Life from the Loam idea?

[_Fortune_]

Do you think there's any merit to porting Brad Nelson's Junk Aristocrats deck to legacy? It seems like the deck would love to have access to Cabal Therapy

For reference, his winning list is as follows:



Creatures (24)

4 Blood Artist
4 Cartel Aristocrat
4 Doomed Traveler
3 Skirsdag High Priest
4 Voice of Resurgence
2 Young Wolf
3 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
Planeswalkers (3)

3 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
Lands (25)

1 Swamp
2 Gavony Township
4 Godless Shrine
4 Isolated Chapel
4 Overgrown Tomb
2 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
4 Woodland Cemetery
Spells (8)

4 Tragic Slip
4 Lingering Souls
Sideboard

4 Deathrite Shaman
3 Sin Collector
3 Unflinching Courage
2 Abrupt Decay
2 Garruk Relentless
1 Appetite for Brains

[danbuster35]

I play Skullbriar, the Walking Grave with Goryo's Vengeance
and it has worked pretty well for me.


Just accidentally hit X on the tab...lovely.

Anyway, so I am with those that think this deck needs more of a plan than just Varolz. I think a BUG shell could be great, but I am with the GBW supporters (just my style). The reason I think this combination could be superior is...well think of Maverick, or the newer Dark Maverick. Take out KOTR and place in Varolz. Now what?

We need a core.

3? Varolz - I say 3, with a 4th in board (at least) GSZ makes this easier to get too.
4 Mother of Runes - Protects everything
4 Tarmagoyf - Good on the board and in the yard for this deck

4 Thoughtseize
3-4? Abrubt Decay
4 Swords to Plowshares
1 Sylvan Library
4 Green Sun Zenith - with 4 GSZ, we should use more green creatures for utility

Ok, so now that's the basics of it. Now we need an engine. Dark Confidant has been discussed, and is quite relevant, but what about Life from the Loam? I don't think both should be used, but LFTL can get things done. Dark Confidant may be stronger, because at least once its in the yard it can be used again with scavenge. I do like the LFTL idea better though.

Then there's Kitchen Finks, which has great synergy with the deck, but regardless, is 3cc to play. Keep that in mind before placing 3-4 of.

Other notable greens that should be 1-2 of,
2 Qasali Pridemage
1 Scryb Ranger
? Gaddock Teeg (SB)
1 Dryad Arbor

2 Deaths Shadow - goyf can't do it alone, regardless of where he is
Deathrite Shaman - obvious choice for the deck

Something on Stoneforge, 2 copies is at least 2 copies of equipment, which may not really help the deck at all. Not sure on this one.

Any suggestions, considerations toward Life from the Loam idea?

[ManyCookies]

http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=56521

Here's a list that did well this Open, just missed the Top 8 on breakers.

[Raistlin Majere]

Here is a rough draft of a list I came up with. It would be easily converted to a modern deck too.

4x deathrite shaman
4x goyf
3x lol troll
3x deaths shadow
3x bob
3x Varolz

3x abrupt decay
3x green suns zenith
4x swords to plowshares
3x lingering souls
1x liliana of the veil
3x thoughtseize
1x inquisition

1x dryad arbor
Other lands

[[SLAYER]chaos]

This is the list I'm going to be building and testing sometime this week. It's similar to the list that got 9th at scg with the major changes being cut deathrite shaman for BoP and cut goyf completely to move more into the dreadnought plan.
Creatures (20)

4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Dark Confidant
4 Death's Shadow
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Varolz, the Scar-Striped

Lands (19)

4 Misty Rainforest
4 Polluted Delta
4 Wasteland
1 Bayou
1 Breeding Pool
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Tropical Island
1 Underground Sea
1 Watery Grave
1 Creeping Tar Pit

Spells (21)

1 Trickbind
2 Abrupt Decay
4 Brainstorm
4 Daze
4 Stifle
2 Spell Pierce
4 Thoughtseize

Sideboard
2 Engineered Explosives
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Abrupt Decay
1 Surgical Extraction
2 Dismember
2 Liliana of the Veil
3 Duress
1 Life from the Loam

[metronome2charisma]

why birds over drs? seems really bad...i'll post the list im playing at scg this weekend.
also i've ben wanting to test baleful strix, cuz that card is the real deal and flying seems huge.

[xinque]

why birds over drs?

I'm guessing the flying becomes relevant once you have Varolz in play. List doesn't run a lot of removal either so ground could get gunked up quick. Worth testing imo, or at least some sorta split between DRS and Birds.

[metronome2charisma]

So this is just an idea i was toying with..

4 deaths shadow
4 dreadnought
3 varolz
2 confidant
13

4 stifle
4 dark ritual
4 lotus petal
4 spoils of the vault
4 daze
4 brainstorm
3 torper orb
3 force of will

1 creeping tar pit
4 verdant catacombs
4 misty
2 wasteland
1 underground sea
1 bayou
1 trop
2 gemstone mine.
its just something i thought up and i dont know if its good but also tainted strike or berserk would probably fit in somewhere. lmk what y'all
think.

[CaptainTwiddle]

The problem I've been having brewing a Varolz deck is that I feel like the lists end up without enough disruption to compete against the unfair decks. Dreadnought and Death's Shadow require additional cards to be serious threats, so a lot of room gets dedicated to making those cards playable. I've brewed lists that include Delver of Secrets, but they just seem weaker than traditional Delver decks, and I've tried more rock style builds, but fitting in enough disruption is proving difficult. I'd really like to play Force of Will, but it's hard to keep the blue count high enough, which is what lead me to trying Delver, then the cycle just started to repeat itself. Here's a BUGnought list I've been brewing.

BUGnought
CREATURES
4 Dark Confidant
3 Death's Shadow
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
3 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
SPELLS
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Brainstorm
1 Dismember (Death's Shadow loves Phyrexian mana.)
2 Gitaxian Probe (" ")
4 Ponder
2 Spell Pierce
4 Stifle
1 Sylvan Library (Can help save you from your own Confidants and can allow you to make Death's Shadow very real, very quickly.)
4 Thoughtseize (Disruption that helps Death's Shadow)
1 Vision Charm (a 5th "Stifle" for Dreadnought. Maybe not worth the slot, but who doesn't love phasing?)
LAND
1 Bayou
1 Island (I always like to run as many basics as possible. In this case, an Island allows you to still play Dreadnought + Stifle under a Blood Moon.)
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Polluted Delta
3 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea
4 Wasteland

Some additional notes/thoughts:

It feels like the list needs more (some) Tarmogoyf.

I'm not sure what the correct split is on Death's Shadow and Dreadnought. I kind of think 4 of each is too much. Dreadnought seems capable of being relevant sooner, while DS seems better in terms of inevitability.

No Deathrite Shaman in the list because the deck only ever needs to hit 3 mana and you'd rather just Thoughtseize on turn one.

The mana base could possibly include a Shockland or two to facilitate Death's Shadow.

Regarding the sideboard, I haven't included one yet, because I think it's kind of pointless until the maindeck is determined. However, I do think a Life from the Loam will be among the 15, as it helps fight against Wasteland, lets you possibly Wasteland lock someone, and dredging is just fine with Varolz.

[apple713]

The problem I've been having brewing a Varolz deck is that I feel like the lists end up without enough disruption to compete against the unfair decks. Dreadnought and Death's Shadow require additional cards to be serious threats, so a lot of room gets dedicated to making those cards playable. I've brewed lists that include Delver of Secrets, but they just seem weaker than traditional Delver decks, and I've tried more rock style builds, but fitting in enough disruption is proving difficult. I'd really like to play Force of Will, but it's hard to keep the blue count high enough, which is what lead me to trying Delver, then the cycle just started to repeat itself. Here's a BUGnought list I've been brewing.

BUGnought
CREATURES
4 Dark Confidant
3 Death's Shadow
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
3 Varolz, the Scar-Striped
SPELLS
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Brainstorm
1 Dismember (Death's Shadow loves Phyrexian mana.)
2 Gitaxian Probe (" ")
4 Ponder
2 Spell Pierce
4 Stifle
1 Sylvan Library (Can help save you from your own Confidants and can allow you to make Death's Shadow very real, very quickly.)
4 Thoughtseize (Disruption that helps Death's Shadow)
1 Vision Charm (a 5th "Stifle" for Dreadnought. Maybe not worth the slot, but who doesn't love phasing?)
LAND
1 Bayou
1 Island (I always like to run as many basics as possible. In this case, an Island allows you to still play Dreadnought + Stifle under a Blood Moon.)
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Polluted Delta
3 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea
4 Wasteland

Some additional notes/thoughts:

It feels like the list needs more (some) Tarmogoyf.

I'm not sure what the correct split is on Death's Shadow and Dreadnought. I kind of think 4 of each is too much. Dreadnought seems capable of being relevant sooner, while DS seems better in terms of inevitability.

No Deathrite Shaman in the list because the deck only ever needs to hit 3 mana and you'd rather just Thoughtseize on turn one.

The mana base could possibly include a Shockland or two to facilitate Death's Shadow.

Regarding the sideboard, I haven't included one yet, because I think it's kind of pointless until the maindeck is determined. However, I do think a Life from the Loam will be among the 15, as it helps fight against Wasteland, lets you possibly Wasteland lock someone, and dredging is just fine with Varolz.

you may consider cutting blue as it doesnt do much for getting you closer to the goal of the deck. Brainstorming and pondering are great if you are searching for combo pieces but you might be btter servered by something like grisly salvage. lets u find valoz and ditch the shadows and dreadnoughts. cutting blue improved your mana base.

If you're worried about not enough disruption, add more black card disruption.

[CaptainTwiddle]

you may consider cutting blue as it doesnt do much for getting you closer to the goal of the deck. Brainstorming and pondering are great if you are searching for combo pieces but you might be btter servered by something like grisly salvage. lets u find valoz and ditch the shadows and dreadnoughts. cutting blue improved your mana base.

If you're worried about not enough disruption, add more black card disruption.

I'm not sure if you mean I should cut blue altogether or just cut back on the cantrips. Obviously, the main draw to blue is Stifle. If you cut it completely, then I think Dreadnought isn't worth running, which maybe makes Varolz undesirable, which makes this deck...not a deck. So, I'm assuming the intent was to suggest cutting some of the cantrips. Maybe the Ponders could become Goyfs. I like Gitaxian probe if I can squeeze Cabal Therapy in there somewhere. Brainstorm just seems too good to cut though.