vin666
08-10-2014, 05:30 AM
I have been a huge fan of playing :b::g: decks ever since I first picked up the game during Legions. When I started playing again more seriously right before the release of Zendikar, I wanted to play Jund minus the :r:. All my friends back then kept telling me to splash red, but I stuck to my colors. Now, years later, I am deeply involved with Legacy and it is easily my favorite format, there are a number of base G/B decks like Jund, Junk, BUG control, Shardless BUG, and BUG Delver. However, I am a stubborn purest and refuse to splash for a third color. But because of this, my deck has a few weaknesses that I believe I have tried my hardest to minimize.
Each third color added can greatly affect the outcome of certain matches depending on the metagame. For instance, :r: is great for Lightning Bolt on the main which can be used for the finishing blow, or to kill a turn 1 creature, or to cheaply kill a plainswalker. On the side, it gives Red Elemental Blast and it's cousin, to deal with JTMS and countering True-Name Nemesis. :w: adds Swords to Plowshares, mostly, while supplying some sideboard creatures who really hate combo. Knight of the Reliquary is pretty good, too, but she is just not my style. Lastly, :u: adds above all else, BRAINSTORM and counters. However, Brainstorm is not the end all be all of any match-up. I have won many matches where my opponent Brainstorms 3-4 times in each game and still cannot secure the win.
As I have searched the web for forums for a newer version of the Rock archetype, post-RTR, no one has given a pure Golgari colored deck a revision. So, I am hoping this will act as one, as well as a constructive criticism of my deck of choice.
I have toyed around with this deck since Scars of Mirrodin Block and it has gone through many editions. Now, through much experience in the Legacy format, I have what I believe to be the best 75 for this archetype in the modern world of Legacy. Forgive me in advance as I am unfamiliar with how to link a decklist, however, it's not like most of you don't have a google search bar at the top of your browser.
Creatures: 16
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Dark Confidant
4 Scavenging Ooze
Spells: 24
4 Thoughtseize
4 Abrupt Decay
4 Pernicious Deed
3 Disfigure
3 Living Wish
2 Liliana of the Veil
2 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Sylvan Library
Lands: 20
4 Bayou
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Marsh Flats
1 Windswept Heath
3 Wasteland
2 Swamp
1 Forest
1 Treetop Village
1 Woodland Cemetery
1 Volrath's Stronghold
Sideboard: 15
1 The Tabernacle at the Pendrell Vale
1 Karakas
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Ashen Rider
1 Darkheart Sliver (Master of the Wild Hunt)
1 Toxic Deluge
3 Krosan Grip
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Hymn to Tourachs
Deck Strategy:
The older Rock decks were a bit more controlling utilizing discard in the early game. Once the opponent rushed out as many threats as possible to prevent them from being discarded the Rock player then slams a Pernicious Deed and sweeps the board leaving the opponent with little cards in hand and very little board presence. This would be the optimal time to play the one or two creatures that take over the game. Discard is a very general way of handling many strategies. However, many decks have become more resilient to discard with each new set, especially Innistrad and RTR. Also in recent years, many new creatures and lands were printed to counter other abusive strategies. This deck utilizes some of those creatures and lands without diluting the sideboard with narrow answers to bad match-ups while giving a better chance to win game one against said bad match-ups.
This version of the Rock plays less control and more mid-range. It can get an early start with Deathrite Shaman if on the play and be proactive about fortifying the battlefield. It can also hang back and play very defensively until it deals with all the opponent's threats. The biggest advantage of this deck is that it is very willing to sacrifice resources to clear an enemy's board. Instead of an opponent overextending in fear of his threats being discarded, this deck aims to force an opponent to overextend while you only have a DRS and a Tarmogoyf on the field. With so many spot removal cards, the deck can 1-for-1 an opposing creature to deal early points of damage with any creature. The opponent plays more and more threats each turn in hopes that you run out of spot removal. Then it slams the Pernicious Deed, wipes the board, and plays another amazing creature next turn leaving your opponent at the mercy of his top-deck.
Individual card analysis:
Deathrite Shaman - The reason this deck works so well. Early game mana dork, mid-game life gain, late-game Grim Lavamancer. Sometime, against some decks, you want a turn 2 Deed or Maelstrom Pulse. Other times, it may eat a removal spell from the opponent's hand in fear of a turn 2 Liliana of the Veil. Which is fine because this usually means your Dark Confidant or Goyf will go on living longer. A fewer amount of time it will actually produce a turn 2 Liliana which goes on to destroy the opponent's dreams. Between Dark Confidants, fetch lands, and the occasional drawing extra cards off of Sylvan Library, the life gain actually matter. Against many decks in the meta of 2014, it's not about how fast you can win, but rather how long can you stay alive to achieve the win. DRS is one of the prime vehicles to victory in many decks, not much different here.
Tarmogoyf - The entire format is based around this creature. He is in the colors and is a very cheap and efficient beater or blocker. What else needs to be said of him. Oh, yeah, we play enchantments that make him bigger!
Dark Confidant - A bear that draws extra cards at the expense of life. All spells are 3 or less, so he never deals more than a lightning bolt's worth of damage, and when he does, it's worth it!
Scavenging Ooze - Once said to be the bane of Tarmogoyf's existence, or at least just a new Tarmogoyf all together, Scooze has proven his placement in this deck time and again! He has so many usages, mainly against graveyard based decks. He is the quintessential rock creature - kill a creature, eat it and make him more powerful, beat face! I have used him to weaken Knight of the Reliquaries, hose dredge decks, kill opposing Tarmogoyfs, gain precious life back against aggro and burn decks, the list goes on and on. Plus, he's the most ideal creature to play after deeding. I have loved playing him in this deck and he has never truly been a let-down.
Thoughtseize - The modern format of this deck came out about a year ago, but I've been playing this at my LGS since before that. I have cut, or never bothered with so many, one drops. There has to be a reason why I want to play a spell on turn one. DRS is definitely always the most optimal play. But when I don't have one, a targeted discard spell will do. So I use the best. Thoughtseize allows my to uncover what deck my opponent is playing and what my strategy will be from here on in, while also getting rid of a threat that I don't want to or can't deal with, like Mirran Crusader or True- Name Nemesis. Some people argue that due to the loss of life, that Inquisition of Kozelek is better. While most things in Legacy as CMC< 4, the real threats are at least 4 or much more. Here's a short list: JTMS, Natural Order, Sneak Attack, Griselbrand, Kozelek, Karn Liberated, and the almighty Kthulu himself, Emrakrul. Thoughtseize can get those on turn one, the loss of life is more than worth it. Again, this deck doesn't mind sacrificing small amounts of resources if it means winning in the long run.
Abrupt Decay - Kills almost all types of threats. Extremely versatile card. This deck strives for versatility, so this is a no-brainer. Also, Decaying a combo player's Lion's Eyed Diamond while another spell is on the stack is such a sweet victory.
Disfigure - This deck needs to deal with turn one creatures like Goblin Guide, Mother of Ruins, opposing DRS, Noble Hierarch, and such while being a cheap spell that kills most creatures in the format. You can trick an opponent to block your goyf with there's only to Disfigure it later in the turn. You can also target a Knight of the Reliquary before Wishing for a Bojuka Bog to empty the opponent's yard. This is usually the Lightning Bolt/STP slot for Jund/Junk, respectively. It's not as good as the other, I'll admit, but it serves it's purpose very well, in fact.
Pernicious Deed - ALL my friends tell me to stop playing this card or at least cut the number or move it to the side. Every time I listen to them, I do terribly. Deed really is the backbone of this deck. Some decks are faster than you, this deals with it. Others have more raw card advantage than you, this deals with it. While, still, others fill up the board with many different things it's difficult to know what to use your Abrupt Decay on, this alleviates the predicament and deals with everything at once. Sometimes, yes, you will have to sacrifice your whole board, but take notice what the opponent is left with and how many cards are in his hand. Notice the amount of dread and discouragement on his face. Meanwhile, you planned for this outcome, and it was well worth it.
Also consider the current metagame. D&T, merfolk, elves, goblins, all scoop to this card. Many control decks are using True-Name, but Deed can deal with it. D&T uses Mirran Crusader. Rock should auto scoop to that card, instead, good old deed deals with that guy and all the equipment and Aether Vials to boot. Despite what others have told me, Pernicious Deed is an amazing card and has it's usages in roughly 85% of the current meta, not to mention random rouge decks like Enchantress.
Living Wish - During one of my LGS weekly Legacy tourneys, I was talking to some one who had a slightly different idea of the same archetype. However, he was a non-purest who added white. He told me he used to run Living Wishes to play bigger creatures out of the side, but wouldn't be punished to harshly if revealed with Dark Confidant. I took this idea and ran with it. I thought, why use just big creatures? Why not have a tool box with hate cards that can come in game one against most of the unfair or unfavorable match-ups? Maverick and Bant decks use Green Sun Zenith main board to get one-ofs in post-sideboard games. My qualms with GSZ is that it takes up valuable card slots and is only good if you have the creature in the deck. But Wish lets me get a land if I missed a drop or one of my lands was destroyed by Wasteland. Sure, I may have to pay an additional 2 for Wish rather than just 1 for GSZ, but the fact that I can get whatever I need when I need it gives me a better chance game one which is more than worth it. I have tweaked with the tools for a while now and waited for Reclamation Sage to become legal. I believe I have the most optimal creatures and lands for the current meta.
Liliana of the Veil - The only other planeswalker good enough to be played in any format it is legal in. She is great for any kind of grindy, attrition deck like this one. She is all around great against many played strategies. Crushes control like Miracles and Stoneblade-esque decks. Gets rid of reanimated or show and tell creatures, or the hard to deal with creatures mentioned above. In many cases she acts as a 2-for-1 if not better.
Maelstrom Pulse - Because this deck lacks access to Bolt and Pyroblast, it needs a way to outright kill JTMS, as well, as other pesky things Decay can't touch. Hitting a Batterskull with it while the opponent is tapped out is rather awesome as well. These can also be used as Deed 5 and 6 against goblin tokens from combo players who are too afraid of discard and just want to combo out faster even if it means it will take longer to win. They can also destroy a 2 of a kind or more, which may be devastating to the opposition. Pulse is just a nice versatile card that hardly is unwelcome.
Sylvan Library - Sometimes playing this on turn 2 will just win the game. Also amazing after deeding and being able to mimic Sensei's Divining Top for free every turn is awesome. If you have extra life and just want to dominate your opponent, it let's you draw extra cards. Library + Confidant can easily spell defeat for whoever sits across from you.
The lands are pretty basic to what one would expect. I only play 20 because I don't use Brainstorm and I want to maximize my draws. Wasteland is more for special lands rather than just duals and attempting to color screw an opponent. That's why I only use 3 and in the 4th slot I use Volrath's Stronghold. Stronghold allows me to get back creatures after deeding them or being countered. I consider it a man land like Treetop Village because of this, but if it falls victim to wasteland, at least my opponent isn't destroying a dual land. I once played the same Scooze 3 times only for it to be countered each turn, once it resolved though, I won the game.
Sideboard:
The Tabernacle at the Pendrell Vale - This land is good against some strategies. Wishing for this after Empty the Warrens flood the board can win you the game on the spot. Tabernacle also slows down elf combo, just make sure you can wasteland the Gaea's Cradle. There are a few other strategies where this can be helpful like D&T and Goblins, but against those decks, the timing is key whether or not it helps or hurts.
Karakas - Bouncing legendary creatures can be helpful especially if they were cheated into play or reanimated. It can also be decent against D&T to bounce Thalia instead of paying 1 more for each non-creature spell, you only have to tap one land when you have multiple spells to play.
Bojuka Bog - This land can hose any graveyard importance to your opponent. Combine this with Scooze and DRS, dredge will learn to fear this deck, and that's a feat in and of itself.
Reclamation Sage - The better version of Viridian Shaman who can kill annoying equipment as well as annoying enchantments like Leyline of Sanctity and Sneak Attack. Auto-include for any tool box with access to green.
Ashen Rider - This and Karakas are the only non-pure Golgari cards in the deck, but they are absolutely necessary. Both of these are aimed at Show & Tell decks. I do think :g::b: creatures should have similar abilities to the Rider, just like how I believe Thalia should have been green and Spirit of the Labyrinth should have been black. But whatever... If your opponent goes turn 1 island, or island ponder/ preordain, he is most likely on the Show and Tell plan. It would not be wrong to play a wish on turn 2 and reveal the Rider. This means your opponent now has to keep digging until he finds duplicates of the combo pieces. You should be given enough time to apply board pressure and bring his life total down to a point where even if he does resolve 2 S&Ts it's worthless.
Darkheart Sliver (Master of the Wild Hunt) - The Master is my favorite creature of all time. The quintessential green creature. He makes tokens and uses them to fight opposing threats. Very easy to win with him after deeding. However, mono red burn and :u::r: Delver are achieving many top spots at bigger events. So, I need more life gain and the sliver can net me a bolt and keep me alive one turn longer. I can eat it with Scooze for 4 life or with DRS for 5. Or I can return it with Stronghold to effectively counter a bolt every turn.
Toxic Deluge - Some like Golgari Charm more for the versatility, though, even with 3 modes, I think it is rather narrow. Deluge offers me the ability to kill everything if needed, or just my opponent's creatures. I can pay any amount of life and no matter how big the creatures are, I can get rid of them. Deluge serves as a functional 5th deed. I was once up against a Mirran Crusader with a loaded Jitte, I Deluged for all but 1 life just to get rid of it and I came back and won the game. Against some deck you need a 5th deed to stay ahead, among them D&T and tribal decks.
Krosan Grip - Personally I would prefer to run Nature's Claim for the one mana to easily kill a Batterskull or Leyline of Sanctity, but Miracles make it necessary to destroy its lock pieces with uncounterable spells. Grip + Decay gives it a hard time to stabilize while leaving Deed out ready to sacrifice for 0 to destroy the angel tokens can save your Pulses for JTMS.
Chalice of the Void - One point in time, I was splashing white for Thalia and Ethersworn Canonist, however, my mana-base became shaky, so I purged the white. However, I noticed how insane Thalia was against combo, so in her place I put in Thorn of Amethyst. This still proved great for slowing down all the combo decks, except elves. However, all those decks are seriously effected by Chalice of the Void on 1, as is Delver decks and burn. This has worked for me so well that I was thinking about squeezing in a 4th, but I decided against it.
Hymn to Tourach - I don't want to abandon the idea of discard all together as it still has its uses. Usually, I prefer Duress because I want more turn 1 discard against combo decks. Although, against those, I will be Chalicing for 1 and I don't want my cards to counteract themselves. So, by default, Hymn becomes the obvious choice.
Please let me know of any constructive criticism you may have or any questions regarding my card choicage.
Thanks!
Each third color added can greatly affect the outcome of certain matches depending on the metagame. For instance, :r: is great for Lightning Bolt on the main which can be used for the finishing blow, or to kill a turn 1 creature, or to cheaply kill a plainswalker. On the side, it gives Red Elemental Blast and it's cousin, to deal with JTMS and countering True-Name Nemesis. :w: adds Swords to Plowshares, mostly, while supplying some sideboard creatures who really hate combo. Knight of the Reliquary is pretty good, too, but she is just not my style. Lastly, :u: adds above all else, BRAINSTORM and counters. However, Brainstorm is not the end all be all of any match-up. I have won many matches where my opponent Brainstorms 3-4 times in each game and still cannot secure the win.
As I have searched the web for forums for a newer version of the Rock archetype, post-RTR, no one has given a pure Golgari colored deck a revision. So, I am hoping this will act as one, as well as a constructive criticism of my deck of choice.
I have toyed around with this deck since Scars of Mirrodin Block and it has gone through many editions. Now, through much experience in the Legacy format, I have what I believe to be the best 75 for this archetype in the modern world of Legacy. Forgive me in advance as I am unfamiliar with how to link a decklist, however, it's not like most of you don't have a google search bar at the top of your browser.
Creatures: 16
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Dark Confidant
4 Scavenging Ooze
Spells: 24
4 Thoughtseize
4 Abrupt Decay
4 Pernicious Deed
3 Disfigure
3 Living Wish
2 Liliana of the Veil
2 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Sylvan Library
Lands: 20
4 Bayou
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Marsh Flats
1 Windswept Heath
3 Wasteland
2 Swamp
1 Forest
1 Treetop Village
1 Woodland Cemetery
1 Volrath's Stronghold
Sideboard: 15
1 The Tabernacle at the Pendrell Vale
1 Karakas
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Ashen Rider
1 Darkheart Sliver (Master of the Wild Hunt)
1 Toxic Deluge
3 Krosan Grip
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Hymn to Tourachs
Deck Strategy:
The older Rock decks were a bit more controlling utilizing discard in the early game. Once the opponent rushed out as many threats as possible to prevent them from being discarded the Rock player then slams a Pernicious Deed and sweeps the board leaving the opponent with little cards in hand and very little board presence. This would be the optimal time to play the one or two creatures that take over the game. Discard is a very general way of handling many strategies. However, many decks have become more resilient to discard with each new set, especially Innistrad and RTR. Also in recent years, many new creatures and lands were printed to counter other abusive strategies. This deck utilizes some of those creatures and lands without diluting the sideboard with narrow answers to bad match-ups while giving a better chance to win game one against said bad match-ups.
This version of the Rock plays less control and more mid-range. It can get an early start with Deathrite Shaman if on the play and be proactive about fortifying the battlefield. It can also hang back and play very defensively until it deals with all the opponent's threats. The biggest advantage of this deck is that it is very willing to sacrifice resources to clear an enemy's board. Instead of an opponent overextending in fear of his threats being discarded, this deck aims to force an opponent to overextend while you only have a DRS and a Tarmogoyf on the field. With so many spot removal cards, the deck can 1-for-1 an opposing creature to deal early points of damage with any creature. The opponent plays more and more threats each turn in hopes that you run out of spot removal. Then it slams the Pernicious Deed, wipes the board, and plays another amazing creature next turn leaving your opponent at the mercy of his top-deck.
Individual card analysis:
Deathrite Shaman - The reason this deck works so well. Early game mana dork, mid-game life gain, late-game Grim Lavamancer. Sometime, against some decks, you want a turn 2 Deed or Maelstrom Pulse. Other times, it may eat a removal spell from the opponent's hand in fear of a turn 2 Liliana of the Veil. Which is fine because this usually means your Dark Confidant or Goyf will go on living longer. A fewer amount of time it will actually produce a turn 2 Liliana which goes on to destroy the opponent's dreams. Between Dark Confidants, fetch lands, and the occasional drawing extra cards off of Sylvan Library, the life gain actually matter. Against many decks in the meta of 2014, it's not about how fast you can win, but rather how long can you stay alive to achieve the win. DRS is one of the prime vehicles to victory in many decks, not much different here.
Tarmogoyf - The entire format is based around this creature. He is in the colors and is a very cheap and efficient beater or blocker. What else needs to be said of him. Oh, yeah, we play enchantments that make him bigger!
Dark Confidant - A bear that draws extra cards at the expense of life. All spells are 3 or less, so he never deals more than a lightning bolt's worth of damage, and when he does, it's worth it!
Scavenging Ooze - Once said to be the bane of Tarmogoyf's existence, or at least just a new Tarmogoyf all together, Scooze has proven his placement in this deck time and again! He has so many usages, mainly against graveyard based decks. He is the quintessential rock creature - kill a creature, eat it and make him more powerful, beat face! I have used him to weaken Knight of the Reliquaries, hose dredge decks, kill opposing Tarmogoyfs, gain precious life back against aggro and burn decks, the list goes on and on. Plus, he's the most ideal creature to play after deeding. I have loved playing him in this deck and he has never truly been a let-down.
Thoughtseize - The modern format of this deck came out about a year ago, but I've been playing this at my LGS since before that. I have cut, or never bothered with so many, one drops. There has to be a reason why I want to play a spell on turn one. DRS is definitely always the most optimal play. But when I don't have one, a targeted discard spell will do. So I use the best. Thoughtseize allows my to uncover what deck my opponent is playing and what my strategy will be from here on in, while also getting rid of a threat that I don't want to or can't deal with, like Mirran Crusader or True- Name Nemesis. Some people argue that due to the loss of life, that Inquisition of Kozelek is better. While most things in Legacy as CMC< 4, the real threats are at least 4 or much more. Here's a short list: JTMS, Natural Order, Sneak Attack, Griselbrand, Kozelek, Karn Liberated, and the almighty Kthulu himself, Emrakrul. Thoughtseize can get those on turn one, the loss of life is more than worth it. Again, this deck doesn't mind sacrificing small amounts of resources if it means winning in the long run.
Abrupt Decay - Kills almost all types of threats. Extremely versatile card. This deck strives for versatility, so this is a no-brainer. Also, Decaying a combo player's Lion's Eyed Diamond while another spell is on the stack is such a sweet victory.
Disfigure - This deck needs to deal with turn one creatures like Goblin Guide, Mother of Ruins, opposing DRS, Noble Hierarch, and such while being a cheap spell that kills most creatures in the format. You can trick an opponent to block your goyf with there's only to Disfigure it later in the turn. You can also target a Knight of the Reliquary before Wishing for a Bojuka Bog to empty the opponent's yard. This is usually the Lightning Bolt/STP slot for Jund/Junk, respectively. It's not as good as the other, I'll admit, but it serves it's purpose very well, in fact.
Pernicious Deed - ALL my friends tell me to stop playing this card or at least cut the number or move it to the side. Every time I listen to them, I do terribly. Deed really is the backbone of this deck. Some decks are faster than you, this deals with it. Others have more raw card advantage than you, this deals with it. While, still, others fill up the board with many different things it's difficult to know what to use your Abrupt Decay on, this alleviates the predicament and deals with everything at once. Sometimes, yes, you will have to sacrifice your whole board, but take notice what the opponent is left with and how many cards are in his hand. Notice the amount of dread and discouragement on his face. Meanwhile, you planned for this outcome, and it was well worth it.
Also consider the current metagame. D&T, merfolk, elves, goblins, all scoop to this card. Many control decks are using True-Name, but Deed can deal with it. D&T uses Mirran Crusader. Rock should auto scoop to that card, instead, good old deed deals with that guy and all the equipment and Aether Vials to boot. Despite what others have told me, Pernicious Deed is an amazing card and has it's usages in roughly 85% of the current meta, not to mention random rouge decks like Enchantress.
Living Wish - During one of my LGS weekly Legacy tourneys, I was talking to some one who had a slightly different idea of the same archetype. However, he was a non-purest who added white. He told me he used to run Living Wishes to play bigger creatures out of the side, but wouldn't be punished to harshly if revealed with Dark Confidant. I took this idea and ran with it. I thought, why use just big creatures? Why not have a tool box with hate cards that can come in game one against most of the unfair or unfavorable match-ups? Maverick and Bant decks use Green Sun Zenith main board to get one-ofs in post-sideboard games. My qualms with GSZ is that it takes up valuable card slots and is only good if you have the creature in the deck. But Wish lets me get a land if I missed a drop or one of my lands was destroyed by Wasteland. Sure, I may have to pay an additional 2 for Wish rather than just 1 for GSZ, but the fact that I can get whatever I need when I need it gives me a better chance game one which is more than worth it. I have tweaked with the tools for a while now and waited for Reclamation Sage to become legal. I believe I have the most optimal creatures and lands for the current meta.
Liliana of the Veil - The only other planeswalker good enough to be played in any format it is legal in. She is great for any kind of grindy, attrition deck like this one. She is all around great against many played strategies. Crushes control like Miracles and Stoneblade-esque decks. Gets rid of reanimated or show and tell creatures, or the hard to deal with creatures mentioned above. In many cases she acts as a 2-for-1 if not better.
Maelstrom Pulse - Because this deck lacks access to Bolt and Pyroblast, it needs a way to outright kill JTMS, as well, as other pesky things Decay can't touch. Hitting a Batterskull with it while the opponent is tapped out is rather awesome as well. These can also be used as Deed 5 and 6 against goblin tokens from combo players who are too afraid of discard and just want to combo out faster even if it means it will take longer to win. They can also destroy a 2 of a kind or more, which may be devastating to the opposition. Pulse is just a nice versatile card that hardly is unwelcome.
Sylvan Library - Sometimes playing this on turn 2 will just win the game. Also amazing after deeding and being able to mimic Sensei's Divining Top for free every turn is awesome. If you have extra life and just want to dominate your opponent, it let's you draw extra cards. Library + Confidant can easily spell defeat for whoever sits across from you.
The lands are pretty basic to what one would expect. I only play 20 because I don't use Brainstorm and I want to maximize my draws. Wasteland is more for special lands rather than just duals and attempting to color screw an opponent. That's why I only use 3 and in the 4th slot I use Volrath's Stronghold. Stronghold allows me to get back creatures after deeding them or being countered. I consider it a man land like Treetop Village because of this, but if it falls victim to wasteland, at least my opponent isn't destroying a dual land. I once played the same Scooze 3 times only for it to be countered each turn, once it resolved though, I won the game.
Sideboard:
The Tabernacle at the Pendrell Vale - This land is good against some strategies. Wishing for this after Empty the Warrens flood the board can win you the game on the spot. Tabernacle also slows down elf combo, just make sure you can wasteland the Gaea's Cradle. There are a few other strategies where this can be helpful like D&T and Goblins, but against those decks, the timing is key whether or not it helps or hurts.
Karakas - Bouncing legendary creatures can be helpful especially if they were cheated into play or reanimated. It can also be decent against D&T to bounce Thalia instead of paying 1 more for each non-creature spell, you only have to tap one land when you have multiple spells to play.
Bojuka Bog - This land can hose any graveyard importance to your opponent. Combine this with Scooze and DRS, dredge will learn to fear this deck, and that's a feat in and of itself.
Reclamation Sage - The better version of Viridian Shaman who can kill annoying equipment as well as annoying enchantments like Leyline of Sanctity and Sneak Attack. Auto-include for any tool box with access to green.
Ashen Rider - This and Karakas are the only non-pure Golgari cards in the deck, but they are absolutely necessary. Both of these are aimed at Show & Tell decks. I do think :g::b: creatures should have similar abilities to the Rider, just like how I believe Thalia should have been green and Spirit of the Labyrinth should have been black. But whatever... If your opponent goes turn 1 island, or island ponder/ preordain, he is most likely on the Show and Tell plan. It would not be wrong to play a wish on turn 2 and reveal the Rider. This means your opponent now has to keep digging until he finds duplicates of the combo pieces. You should be given enough time to apply board pressure and bring his life total down to a point where even if he does resolve 2 S&Ts it's worthless.
Darkheart Sliver (Master of the Wild Hunt) - The Master is my favorite creature of all time. The quintessential green creature. He makes tokens and uses them to fight opposing threats. Very easy to win with him after deeding. However, mono red burn and :u::r: Delver are achieving many top spots at bigger events. So, I need more life gain and the sliver can net me a bolt and keep me alive one turn longer. I can eat it with Scooze for 4 life or with DRS for 5. Or I can return it with Stronghold to effectively counter a bolt every turn.
Toxic Deluge - Some like Golgari Charm more for the versatility, though, even with 3 modes, I think it is rather narrow. Deluge offers me the ability to kill everything if needed, or just my opponent's creatures. I can pay any amount of life and no matter how big the creatures are, I can get rid of them. Deluge serves as a functional 5th deed. I was once up against a Mirran Crusader with a loaded Jitte, I Deluged for all but 1 life just to get rid of it and I came back and won the game. Against some deck you need a 5th deed to stay ahead, among them D&T and tribal decks.
Krosan Grip - Personally I would prefer to run Nature's Claim for the one mana to easily kill a Batterskull or Leyline of Sanctity, but Miracles make it necessary to destroy its lock pieces with uncounterable spells. Grip + Decay gives it a hard time to stabilize while leaving Deed out ready to sacrifice for 0 to destroy the angel tokens can save your Pulses for JTMS.
Chalice of the Void - One point in time, I was splashing white for Thalia and Ethersworn Canonist, however, my mana-base became shaky, so I purged the white. However, I noticed how insane Thalia was against combo, so in her place I put in Thorn of Amethyst. This still proved great for slowing down all the combo decks, except elves. However, all those decks are seriously effected by Chalice of the Void on 1, as is Delver decks and burn. This has worked for me so well that I was thinking about squeezing in a 4th, but I decided against it.
Hymn to Tourach - I don't want to abandon the idea of discard all together as it still has its uses. Usually, I prefer Duress because I want more turn 1 discard against combo decks. Although, against those, I will be Chalicing for 1 and I don't want my cards to counteract themselves. So, by default, Hymn becomes the obvious choice.
Please let me know of any constructive criticism you may have or any questions regarding my card choicage.
Thanks!