[Deck] RG Bramble Patch Beatz

[TheMightyQuinn]

Bramble Patch Beatz!

4 Taiga
4 Stomping Grounds
7 Forest
3 Karpulsan Forest

4 Root Maze
4 Thorn of Amethyst

4 Kird Ape
4 Tarmogoyf
2 Elvish Spirit Guide
3 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Magus of the Moon
4 Skyshroud Elite
3 Sulfur Elemental/Troll Ascetic/Veteran Brawlers (?)

4 Umezawa’s Jitte
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Pithing Needle

Sideboard

4 Tormod’s Crypt
3 Engineered Explosives
3 Krosan Grip
2 Pithing Needle
3 Red Elemental Blast

Basically, this is RG Beatz with a twist. Fetchlands are abandoned to run Root Maze, which is a card I have always wanted to utalize. The card that really prompted me to make this was Thorn of Amethyst. It fits so seemlessly into aggro and should help shore up the combo match. I have no way to test this now that I'm at school. MWS isn't even an option since I have a Mac. If anyone thinks this warrents a little attention, feel free to try it and tell me how it goes.

No fetches/Spirit guide manabase - As I already explained, this was done to support Root Maze.

7 Forests - I like it when Kird Ape is a 2/3. Who doesn't? This is to ensure that happens even with Magus of the Moon is on the table.

Magus of the Moon - A beater and mana hoser in one. I love this guy.

Sulfur Elemental/Troll Ascetic/Veteran Brawlers - I want more beaters, but I don't really know what I shoud use in this slot. Veteran Brawlers seem janky, but interesting nonetheless.

MD Pithing Needle - Needling tapped fetchlands is sexy, besides the fact that it is rarely dead.


Some other thoughts...

- I originally though about using Winter Orb, but cut it. Do you think it would be at all effective in conjuction with Maze/Thorn?

- I decided against Wasteland because of the massive tempo loss if Maze is out. Is this the right call?

- EE in the SB. I think the card is versatile enough to be run in aggro. At the very least it takes care of token hoards.

Thanks for looking.

[nastynate]

Sulfur Elemental/Troll Ascetic/Veteran Brawlers - I want more beaters, but I don't really know what I shoud use in this slot. Veteran Brawlers seem janky, but interesting nonetheless.

Have you considered Hidden Gibbons or Hidden Herd? Gibbons is larger, but would obviously have to be boarded out on occasion. Herd is a 3/3 for 1 mana that will almost always be effective, barring decks like belcher against which your beats are the least of your concerns.

Another option is rancor, which can transform your little guys into formidable clocks, or tip the goyf mirror in your favor (if need be).


MD Pithing Needle - Needling tapped fetchlands is sexy, besides the fact that it is rarely dead.

I agree. Turn one root maze, followed by turn two needle is nice (especially given that you get to see the fetch-land you need to name before it can actually untap and fetch). I'd even consider running 3-4 of them.


- I originally though about using Winter Orb, but cut it. Do you think it would be at all effective in conjunction with Maze/Thorn?

I wouldn't bother. Winter Orb is too symmetrical. Sure your mana curve is low, and you don't need to untap many lands each turn, but every other deck in the format is pretty much in the same boat. Choke in the SB seems potentially pretty strong though.


- I decided against Wasteland because of the massive tempo loss if Maze is out. Is this the right call?

NO!!! Your wastelands come into play tapped under root maze, but you can still waste fetched duals before they untap, or waste the fetches themselves if you drop your wasteland first. Root maze and wasteland is a great combo against any deck running multiple fetches (which last time I looked is almost every single deck in legacy).


- EE in the SB. I think the card is versatile enough to be run in aggro. At the very least it takes care of token hoards.

EE isn't too shabby. It's a worthy board sweeper that can hit 0-2 casting cost permanents. I'd say it's at least as good as pyroclasm, though susceptible to stifle and pithing needle. I can't see too many decks boarding either of these cards against you though (unless they have mad scouting skills).

[FakeSpam]

- I originally though about using Winter Orb, but cut it. Do you think it would be at all effective in conjuction with Maze/Thorn?


Winter Orb with maze is horrible. It comes into play tapped, meaning it won't come online until the turn after you play it.


Now, for the same reason I find Howling Mine interesting. The worst part about howing mine was that your opponent got the extra cards before you did. Of course, we don't need opponents getting any extra benifit from your cards. It's not a playable idea, just interesting.

[from Cairo]

Rancor seems like it would be good, but it eats it hard to Swords, so idk. I mean the last thing you want to be doing is trying to get an edge in a Tarmogoyf battle and jumping right into a 2 for 1, versus combo though its turns turn 1 Kird Apes into serious threats capable of going the distance.

[TheMightyQuinn]

Winter Orb with maze is horrible. It comes into play tapped, meaning it won't come online until the turn after you play it.


Now, for the same reason I find Howling Mine interesting. The worst part about howing mine was that your opponent got the extra cards before you did. Of course, we don't need opponents getting any extra benifit from your cards. It's not a playable idea, just interesting.

The WOrb/Maze interaction didn't occur to me. I'm glad I didn't include it. Howling Mine would be cute with Maze, but I don't think its worth it.

Should I replace Jitte with Rancor, or run some sort of split? Remember, I don't want too many noncreature spells in the deck. Another janky card that seem interesting but I probably won't use: Fallow Earth. Yet another tempo killer along with Maze.

[Barook]

With your lack of activated abilities, why not running Burning-Tree Shaman? It's a decent-sized beater for its cost and hates even more against fetchlands, etc.

But I really have to ask how good Tarmogoyf should be here? :confused:
You run exactly 4 Instants and nothing else (not even fetchlands) which goes directly into the graveyard. Plus, your disruption is supposed to prevent your opponent to play spells/use fetches.
How exactly do you want to fill some graveyard with cards? Hoping that your opponent has to discard with a hand bigger than 7?

[TheMightyQuinn]

Burning Tree Shaman is a good idea, but is it superior to Troll Ascetic?

I was considering Wild Mongrel as a compliment to Tarmogoyf. However, he will be fed by the opponents, since my disruption doesn't stop them from playing spells and cracking fetches altogether. It is just meant to slow them down significantly.

[Nihil Credo]

Just brainstorming a few ideas for the last spot, which IMO should probably be a 2cc card because of your 18 lands (despite the Guides)...

Thornweald Archer would be great when the opponent has a Tarmogoyf and you don't, but it's probably too defensive.

Scab-Clan Mauler is very viable here, what with eight one-drops plus bolts.

Albino Troll is Mauler's conservative cousin, and seems an inferior option.

Slith Firewalker is sexy, but gets somewhat ruined by Root Maze.

Radha, Heir to Keld... this chick is insane with enough burn in the deck. But as the deck is now, it'll be a red/green Llanowar Dead. Not impressive.

Skyshroud War Beast... what will this guy be on average? At 3/3 it would already be great, so I'd strongly consider it, especially since you don't run Wasteland.

[Happy Gilmore]

This deck reminds me alot of vaka beats. In my quests to bring Thorn of Amythyst to Legacy I considered something similar. Or alteast it is red and green with the same stratgy.

4 Giant Sulifuge (not sure about this one)
4 Blistering Firecat
4 Burning Tree Shaman
4 Sulfur Elemental
4 Magus of the Moon
4 ESG
3 SSG

4 Trinisphere
4 Thorn of Amythyst
4 Chalice of the Void

4 Wooded Foothills
4 Taiga
3 Forest
3 Mountain
4 Ancient Tomb
3 City of Traitors

SB:
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Krosan Grip
4 Tormod's Crypt
3 ?

In order to fit everything in I cut the equipment spells from the main and added threats with some real umph. Firecat and Sulifuge come out of nowhere and deal tons of damage. The morph cost makes Cat fairly easy to cast and if you have 5 mana it can easly be cast for colorless and flipped for :r: :r: . When Magus hits the board it does double dutty, producing red mana sources and crushing opposing mana bases.

[boris13]

You should take out the Giant Solifuges and put in the tarmogofy. Why side board him? He should be in all main decks of decks that play green.

[Happy Gilmore]

You should take out the Giant Solifuges and put in the tarmogofy. Why side board him? He should be in all main decks of decks that play green.

Boarding Tarmogoyf is to answer decks that run him and have more varied spells to make him good. Solifuge can turn the game around quickly and is excellent against any form of control. Realistically this deck can only get him to be about 2/3 on its own. Relying on your opponents is not a good strategy considering the purpose of your disruption is to stop your opponent from playing spells. The other SB option is to run Threaten instead.

On a side note:
Pyroclasm from UGR can be an issue, but setting Chalice to 2 is your best strategy against them since it stops Ancient Grudge/Tarmogoyf/ and Clasm.

[outsideangel]

If the mana base could deal with it, Rishadan Port could be an interesting addition. It supplements the mana-denial strategy, as well as being good against Landstill and a decent 2-drop.

[SuckerPunch]

This deck reminds me alot of vaka beats.

Yeah, the deck is very similar to vaka beats but with thorn of amethyst.

And as such, I really think this deck should be playing Rancor as well. Kird Ape, Elite, Goyf, and BTS if you play him, are all creatures that really could use trample.

Plus Rancor wins Goyf stalemates! Suddenly, your goyf beats their goyf. There's really isn't a good reason not to run Rancor.

[raharu]

I'm thinking that AEther Vial would be a good inclusion, since Root Maze really won't hurt it and your creature curve is really compact. Also, in the current metagame, would 1 or 2 basic mountains really hurt all that bad?

[AngryTroll]

If Pithing Needle is in the deck mainly for Fetchlands, I don't think that it is an effective use of slots. They won't get an untapped land from a fetchland for a full two untap phases. Is it worth cutting off a land forever instead of just for two turns, or should the slots be burn or creatures?

[zulander]

Call of the herd seems nice here, he costs 3 and gets you two dudes for one.