The aim of this topic is to discuss a very specific variant, NO Elves. Because Elves is a popular tribe, many people try their own variant on the deck. What I'd like to present is a decklist and philosphy that has been tried and tested to work well in the Legacy environment.
Survival Elves is another archetype, as is Combo Elves. Each have their own strategy and usually prefer to win with a combo win. These decks should be discussed in other dedicated topics.
Decks that fall in this category are tribal Elves deck that utilize the mana production of Elves to create tempo differences and also play Natural Order with Progenitus.
The deck has been in development since September 2008.
The deck has been made with the intention to create a Tribal Elves deck fit for a regular Legacy meta.
Result 2/18 Naz (2nd place)
Result Quarter Finals, SGC LA copenhagen1221
Result 3-0-1 leeties (shared 1st)
Result4-0-2 Mihailo (GP Paris side event)
Result24th/151 Tru3z3rox (SGC San Jose)
Result1st/2nd out of 51 Lukas Maurer (O_o_O_o-O_o)
ResultT16 out of 208 Naz (Dutch National Championships)
Result1st/? Sengir Paladin
Result3rd/16 Naz (undefeated in the swiss)
Result4th/43 Tru3z3rox
Result3rd/144 Lukas Maurer (GP Lyon side-event)
Result 2nd/25 Lukas Maurer Report
Result 4th/35 Johannes Hauer
Result 1st/10 Naz
Result 2nd place bodul
Result 4th/35 Naz
Result 1st/18 Lukas Maurer
Result 4-2 AnotherDay
Result 4th/17 Magico
Result 2nd/22 Tru3z3rox
The Core
// Lands
14 Forest
4 Wasteland
1 Gaea's Cradle
// Elves
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Priest of Titania
4 Elvish Champion
4 Imperious Perfect
4 Sylvan Messenger
// Other
3 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Natural Order
1 Progenitus
The core of this deck consists of 55 cards, that's a lot! That doesn't mean there's a lot of freedom to choose from here, but there's several options out there.
Deck explanation
These are the necessary components in a NO Elves deck.
Tempo
The deck utilizes mana production creatures that allow you to create tempo differences. Llanowar Elves/Fyndhorn Elves together with Quirion Ranger are responsible for this. Couple this together with Wasteland and you put yourself in a very favorable position compared to your opponent.
Card Advantage
There are a few cards available for Elves that allow you to gain card advantage over your opponent. Imperious Perfect, Wolf-Skull Shaman, [CARD]Elvish Visionary[/CARD] and Sylvan Messenger. If any of them resolve and stick you'll be capable of creating a lot of CA in the course of the game. An aggro deck without card advantage should play Zoo or Sligh instead.
Mana Production
The card advantage engine wouldn't have been all that effective isn't wasn't for Elves's ability to create a lot of mana in a short time. The deck contains 10 cards that allow you to create an unfair amount of mana. Priest of Titania, Elvish Archdruid and Gaea's Cradle.
The Aggro Component
Part of Elves is that the above engines can quickly be turned into strong aggro components. Elves decks Utilize at least 12 Lords; Elvish Champion - which gives you a huge advantage against any green deck, Imperious Perfect - which also creates CA, and Elvish Archdruid - which also doubles as mana production. Often, also Tribal Forcemage or Joraga Warcaller is used as a singleton, both are cards that are amazing at delivering a finishing blow. New Mirrodin brought us [CARD]Ezuri, Renegade Leader[/CARD] which has several powerful applications.
The Natural Order package
Natural Order is a card that has proven itself in the legacy scene eversince Progenitus has been printed. If one of the above components fails you will always have NO as a backup plan. Natural Order also allows you sideboard flexibility by having access to cards like [card]Terastodon[/card] and [card]Empyrial Archangel[/card]. If you want more options mainboard, Deranged Hermit is also an option as a NO target.
New tech; Green Sun's Zenith
Mirrodin Besieged brought us a new toy to play with: GSZ. This card is a tutor for every card in your deck. In all scenario's it gives you something that fits the gamestate. The only downside it has is that it lowers the Elf count for Sylvan Messenger. GSZ is accompanied by a singleton [CARD]Dryad Arbor[/CARD] to automatically turn it into a turn 1 Llanowar Elf if needed.
The Sideboard
In order to create a sideboard for the deck you need to identify the weaknesses of the deck.
Problem enchantments and artifacts
Mainboard cards like Humility, Moat, Ensnaring Bridge and Solitary Confinement can give NO Elves players problems. There's also a secondary tier of cards that aren't quite as problematic, but still are convenient to remove like Survival of the Fittest, Umezawa's Jitte, Seismic Assault, Isochron's Scepter, Painter's Servant with Grindstone, Counterbalance, Engineered Plague and Smokestack. In order to deal with this, the following package of sideboard cards is recommended:
[deck]4 Krosan Grip
4 Nature's Claim
1 Terastodon
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre[/deck]
With 4 Krosan Grips and 1 Terastodon you're running 9 Disenchant effects postboard. Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre also comes in against Painter decks and non interactive decks like Enchantress, where 11 mana is feasible and realistic to reach. A 1 off Viridian Zealot mainboard or sideboard can also be used as a tutor target.
Mass removal
Elves is a deck that typically deploys a lot of creatures and because of that has a weakness in mass removal. The main way to deal is simple: play smarter. The deck already deploys card advantage and Natural Order to deal with a majority of the mass removal. [card]Nature's Resurgence[/card] is another nice card against decks that pack a lot of mass removal. There's also Caller of the Claw which, if used correctly, can be a potent threat against mass removal. Another card that is worth looking into is Eldrazi Monument, it's a very hard card to deal with for many decks in the format.
Burn and Sligh decks
These decks are not weak matchups by any means. They are more or less 50/50 depending on who starts. However, to make this MU more failsafe a singleton Empyrial Archangel as a Natural Order target makes the difference between a winnable and unwinnable matchup for the two decks.
Graveyard based decks
The graveyard is a common resource in Legacy. There are two types of graveyard decks. The ones where you need GY hate, because otherwise you have a lot of trouble. And the ones where GY hate is convenient but not neccesary.
In the first category fall Dredge, and Reanimator. These two decks are made to combat hate postboard and as such, need a diverse hate. There are many cards to use in this scenario: Tormod's Crypt, Relic of the Progenitus, Faerie Macabre, Ravenous Trap. If you prepare for these decks, make sure you have a varied hate package.
The second category include Aggro Loam, Lands, Intuition Loam, New Horizons, Tempo ********. Against these decks, I wouldn't go full out with GY hate, even when you have the possibility. Board about 3 cards in, usually 1-2 Crypt and 1-2 Relic.
Green Sun's Zenith toolbox
If you're playing GSZ you usually have pretty strong enchantment removal mainboard already. Usually in the form of Terastodon and Viridian Zealot; this implicates you usually got more space in your sideboard. Gaddock Teeg is a good card against many decks in the format that can be fetched up by GSZ, especially the application against combo is amazing. Dauntless Escort is good against mass removal.
Combo decks
In the construction of your sideboard you need to make the choice if you drop the combo matchup. Against ANT, NLS, TES and Solidarity it is very unlikely you will win without brining 6+ cards in from the board. This means you need to drop the Dredge and Reanimator matchup. If you do, bring a combination of the following cards: Chalice of the Void, Null Rod, Mindbreak Trap, Thorn of the Amethyst and also 2 Tormod's Crypt+ Terastodon. Board out Progenitus, the Messengers and the Wolves because they're not any good in this matchup.
Suggested sideboard
There are two matchups against which Elves will always have trouble. Combo and Graveyard combo, when you want to hate out these decks, don't hate thin; go all out. If you board in 4 cards and lost because you didn't board enough cards you basically wasted sideboard space. Also; and this is important: Diversify you hate; quoting myself on another forum:
Core:Quote:
There's way more to it then that. You need to diversify your hate. The answer to Thorn is going off fast, the answer to Mindbreak Trap is searching for a Duress or using silence before you go off. As such, the approaches to both cards for a combo player are very different. If you win game 2 with mindbreak trap you can be sure they will chant you before going off, rendering Mindbreak Trap ineffective. As such, diversify your hate.
[decks]2 Krosan Grip
2 Nature's Claim
[/decks]
Combo Heavy:
[decks]1 Chalice of the void
4 Mindbreak Trap
1 Null Rod
1 Thorn of the Amethyst[/decks]
Control and GY decks
[decks]1 Relic of Progenitus
2 Faerie Macabre
2 Tormod's Crypt
2 Ravenous Trap
1 Wheel of Sun and Moon[/decks]
More sideboard variations are entirely possible. If you have suggestions about sideboards that cover the weaknesses post them in this topic and I'll gladly put them in. Remember that you always have [decks]Gaddock Teeg[/decks] as additional hate.
Matchups
Positive Matchups
Merfolk
Merfolk is a tribal deck with a relatively weak tribal component compared to Elves. We shoot way too much stuff at them for them to compete. Builds which include Coralhelm Commander are slightly harder but not significantly. Games against Merfolk are either even, or a total blowout.
Board in - nothing
Board out - nothing
UWg Threshold
Threshold is a great deck, and Counter/Top can give you a hard time when established. But it's still a deck we prey on and have a positive matchup against. Much like Merfolk, it's either even or a total blowout.
Board in - 3-4 Krosan Grips
Board out - 1 Quirion Ranger, 2 Wolf-Skull Shaman
Bant Survival
This is slightly harder then the UWg ******** version of bant, but still not undoable. If they resolve an Iona you're in trouble, but if you resolve a Progenitus they are just as dead. Forestwalk helps here as well.
Board in - 3 Krosan Grip
Board out - 3 Wolf-Skull Shaman
Goblins
This matchup is very dependent on who starts but still a matchup you want to have. Modern Goblins don't run Mogg Fanatic nor Sharpshooter anymore. In the aggro race you should win, you usually create more CA faster. A resolved NO usually means GG.
Board in - Nothing
Board out - Nothing
New Horizons
A tempo deck that preys on weak manabases is not a deck that wants to play against you. They can get big but are hurt by both NO, your CA and forestwalk. As well as their inability to seriously disrupt your gameplan.
Board in - 3 Krosan Grip
Board out - 3 Wolf-Skull Shaman
Eva Green
This deck tries to do something similar to New Horizons that just doesn't work that well against you - disrupt your manabase. Game 1 should almost always result in a win. It gets interesting game 2 and 3 where you are forced to not overextend because of Perish.
Board in - 2 Nature's Resurgence
Board out - 1 Tribal Forcemage, 1 WSS
Bant Aggro with NO Prog
You both have the Progenitus package, but Elves plays way more creatures and generates more CA.
Board in - Nothing
Board out - Nothing
White Stax - any stax
Stax effects are another thing that just don't work that well against you. Tabernacle? Sure, Priest of Titania/Elvish Archdruid. If you have a turn 1 Llanowar Elf and two lands in hand it usually is really hard to lose this.
Board in - 3 Krosan Grip
Board out - 3 Wolf-Skull Shaman
Even matchups and mediocre matchups
[B}U/b Saito Merfolk[/b]
I wrote up a bit about this match-up here
Preboard this is the same winnable matchup, postboard you're in for some really hard games.
Zoo
Zoo is a deck that can blow you out, but if the game lasts long enough you'll always get the upperhand. Take damage early game and try to stabilize somewhere around 10 life. Once you get either enough lords or a Progenitus in play you can start winning.
Board in - 1 Empyrial Archangel
Board out - 1 Tribal Forcemage
Supreme Blue
Supreme blue is like UWg Threshold except that it also runs Firespout. Which means you either need to get lords into play quickly or resolve NO or not overextend. CA engines are important in this matchup.
Board in - 2 Nature's Resurgence
Board out - 1 Tribal Forcemage, 1 Quirion Ranger
Landstill
This one actually edges out to more negative, but it doesn't have to be. Your hand determines this game. Either set yourself up for the long game and play conservative or play all out aggro and win before they reach 4 mana. Both are possibilities.
Board in - 4 Krosan Grip, 2 Nature's Resurgence on the draw
4 Krosan Grip on the play
Board out - 4 Elvish Champion 1 Quirion Ranger 1 Sylvan Messenger on the draw
4 Sylvan Messengers on the play
Enchantress
Game one you have no other chance then racing them. Which on occasion can work. The deck can win by turn 3. Postboard you bring out 10 Disenchant effects.
Board in - 2 Krosan Grip, 2 Nature's Claim 1 Terastodon, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Board out - 4 Sylvan Messenger
Lands
Save your wastelands, preferably keep them in your hand. Establish a board pressence that allows your to finish them off (forestwalk!). Occasionally you can race them. Board in graveyard hate to prevent locks.
Board in - 2 Tormod's Crypt, 1 Relic of Progenitus, 2 Ravenous Trap 1 Terastodon
Board out - 4 Sylvan Messenger, 2 WSS
Aggro Loam
Two options again, a fast attack, which extremely dangerous against this deck. Or a slow game where you play conservative. Quirion Ranger is extremely important here. Stay on a low land count so a DD won't kill your entire land base. NO Prog can only be dealt with by BWish into Perish for aggro loam so that's a strong play.
Board in - 2 GY hate or sweepers hate on the draw
Board out - Don't board out any card advantage or NO's
UW Tempo - NoGoyf
This isn't always an even matchup. I've played many times against UWT players where the match was a total blowout. Only when you play against a good player this becomes an even matchup. Serra Avenger with a Jitte is a big problem. They board in Ethersworn Cannonist which is annoying, but not impossible to deal with. You probably do not want this game to last long.
Board in - 2-3 Krosan Grip on the draw
Board out - 2-3 Elvish Champion on the draw
Death and Taxes
A very similar matchup as the above. But more dependent on the build as well. If the player uses Catalysm you're in trouble. Otherwise, they don't have any counters so just throw eveything out.
Board in - Usually nothing
Board out - Usually nothing
Canadian Threshold
The "outdated" version of New Horizons, but much stronger against Elves then NH. They got Fire, Bolts and often Pyroclasm in the board. Still, since the adoption of 4 extra lords and Proggy this matchup isn't too bad. Attack their GY with Crypts and Relics.
Board in - 2 Tormod's Crypt 1 Relic of Progenitus - or nothing
Board out - Worst 3 cards, depends
Bad matchups
Storm Combo - NLS, ANT, TES, DDANT, Solidarity
This is a bad matchup by definition. The mainboard isn't made to fight this at all. If you expect a lot of combo you can tune your sideboard to fight it, but you require 6+ spots.
Board in - All combo hate you have + Terastodon + Tormod's Crypt for IGG
Board out - 4 Sylvan Messenger
Belcher
Belcher is actually less of a bad matchup the Storm Combo is. I've faced 10 Goblins turn 1 on the play before and you can usually pump out creatures fast enough to overcome the little green man. The Belcher kill can be dealt with by Grips - if you're fast enough
Board in - 4 Krosan Grips + relevant combo hate
Board out - 4 Sylvan Messenger
Dredge
Dredge is a deck known to win their game one. Against Elves this won't be any different. Game 1 you can only win if you get a turn 2 Progenitus (Llanowar Elves, Quirion Ranger, Gaea's Cradle, Natural Order and Forest) or a really fast aggro start.
Game two is all about the hate you bring in. In a regular sideboard, this should be a lot. Attack their mana base as it severely hinders their progress.
Board in - All relevant GY hate
Board out - Messengers, WSS
