Berserk Stompy
The Green Aggro - grow Based deck!
About the deck
Berserk Stompy is a variation of the old Stompy decks, that ran several green creatures along with a lot of Giant Growth-like effects (usually reffered to as pumps or growths) to try to win as fast as possible.
This variation of the deck focus on the double-damage card "Berserk" combined with pumps to deal a large amount of damage in no time.
Historical
Monogreen aggro decks were the first ones to be referenced as "Stompy", long ago, at T2 games. It have involved lots of creatures and growth effects to try and hit the opponent in severeal different variations. Though most of the variations had medium to little success, stompy is always trying to reach a good point in the top.
A long known version of Stompy is the N-land Stompy, which uses Quirion Ranger together with other techs to try to abuse a lowland build, drawing more business cards. However, this version never had much success, specially because of low land count and use of accelerations.
Berserk Stompy as it is today was first developed by César Fernández, and made it to a Top 1 finish in "Legacy Open PT Valencia", 2007:
Berserk Stompy by César Fernández (PT-valencia report):
//Lands
3 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
10 Forest
//Creatures
4 Jungle Lion
4 Skarrgan Pit-Skulk
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
4 Kavu Predator
4 Skyshroud Elite
2 Scryb Sprites
2 Tarmogoyf
//Spells
3 Seal of Strength
4 Invigorate
4 Rancor
4 Berserk
4 Might of Old Krosa
//Sideboard
SB: 4 Seeds of Innocence
SB: 3 Tormod's Crypt
SB: 1 Gaea's Blessing
SB: 3 Viridian Zealot
SB: 4 Rushwood Legate
There's also another version of the deck, a 3-color deck featuring a way different view. It's also called Berserk Stompy, but since only Etienne develops it and play, I thought it was worthy the Honorable mention, but let's focus on the green version.
Berserk Stompy by Etienne Villani:
//Lands
4 Savannah
2 Taiga
2 Forest
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Windswept Heath
//Accelerators
4 Lotus Petal
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
//Creatures
4 Kavu Predator
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Wild Nacatl
3 Qasali Pridemage
3 Skyshroud Cutter
//Spells
4 Berserk
4 Invigorate
4 Rancor
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Fling
//Sideboard
SB: 4 Vexing Shusher
SB: 1 Qasali Pridemage
SB: 3 Gaddock Teeg
SB: 3 Compost
SB: 2 Reverent Silence
SB: 2 Seeds of Innocence
Updated version
as of 2015-02-25
Here's a more up-to-date version I've recently tested:
//Maindeck
16 Forest
4 Dryad Militant
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Jungle Lion
3 Skarrgan pit-skulk
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
4 Berserk
4 Rancor
4 Invigorate
3 Giant Growth
4 Seal of Strength
4 Gitaxian Probe
2 Sylvan Library
//Sideboard
4 Faerie Macabre
3 Gleeful Sabotage
2 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sylvan Library
1 Choke
1 Compost
1 Slippery Bogle
1 Viridian Zealot
1 Might of Old Krosa
Card choice explanations
Creatures
Basic choices here - Skarrgan, Neetle and Lion are the 3 best creatures for 1cc, with a close cut for Tattermunge Maniac. They are fast, put pressure, and deal the early damage you need. They are the core of the deck.
Silhana Ledgewalker is the solution to a "safe combo". She can win the game via Rancor+Evasion+Hexproof, but at best she will receive a lot of pumps and just win. It's the "lategame" creature (like, turn 2-3 =P)
Viridan Zealot is here taking the recently cut place of Kavu Predator. Predator can be great against some decks not packing removal, but this is something rarer over time. Zealot can take you out of nasty situations for a win, against a lot of random Enchant/Artifact, and the 2/1 body can still put pressure. The close cuts here are many, and it won the spot for it's versatility. You can still use Kavu Predator since, in the end, the guys that win most games are going to be the 1cmc 2/x guys and Silhana.
Pumps
Berserk is the deck namesake, and the card that will be most related to your wins than any other.
Invigorate has four functions, going from just a +1 damage to a strong high damage for free under a Berserk, and is worth it even without Kavu around. It can also be hardcasted, and the last function is protecting from burn for free.
Rancor increases the early damage, and can win the game by itself, on the back of a silhana of a first turn guy. It also helps "mana smoothing", since you can cast it a turn prior Berserk to stack.
Seal of Strength is an underrated card in this deck. Its function is to smooth mana at the same time it can be a sorcery Giant Growth. Its synergy with Berserk got the spot for it, and is really solid.
Giant Growth got the last spot fighting against Might of Old Krosa. The former is better on a little more complex combat situations, and can help you go through blockers or kill a big threat easier. The second is better under the utopic "open field". It's really worth the versatility GG gives over MoOK, but MoOK is a fair option as well.
Business
Sylvan Library - This card is unbelievable strong. I used dismiss it, and now I regreat -- It fetches for fuel and is a must counter for control decks. Play this card.
Usual sideboard Options
Gleeful Sabotage - The best "Disenchant" effect for this deck. Unlike Krosan Grip, it has 2cmc, fitting our manabase, and its copy isn't countered by Chalice of the Void and doesn't triggerCounterbalance. Also, it can be used against Stax/Enchantress/Affinity as a 2-for-1.
Seeds of Innocence - One of the most common sideboard options, it breaks many artifact-dependant decks, and also brings a giant kavu to the win. Easy add against Dragon Stompy and Stax-like decks. Also great against Affinity
Naturalize - Fast and versatile, it solves the problem, and since it's instant speed, you can wait to cast it with the right timing. Can be used against uncountable decks.
Vexing Shusher - Your protection against Combo breakers, this card is awesome against many decks, like Thresh, CB top, decks that involve Chalice of the void, and many others.
Krosan Grip - This boosted naturalize can deal with more extreme situations, but the extra required to cast it makes it slow sometimes. Besides that, a Shusher with a Naturalize can deal it's job most of the time (only thing they can't is destroing a Top)
Reverent Silence - Breaks decks with many enchantments. The bad part is that usualy decks run more artifacts than enchantments, but it's a good call against Enchantress and anything else. Plus, it grow your Kavu.
Tormod's Crypt - Simple drop it against LftL and see how afraid they get. This thing is supposed to get you enough time to combo against those decks that GY abuse to combo before you. Besides, it helps a lot against other decks as well.
Gaea's Blessing - A single copy of this in your sideboard, and you may get even a draw or a win against some random Painter and High Tide decks. Almost weigthless
Thorn of Amethyst - Against storm combos that can blow you up before you can do anything, this may help you out. Too bad it's a 2cc card, so, you may have no time to play them. It also slows you down a bit, but they'll be crushed.
Pithing Needle - Awesome overall card, it's hatefull effect can nerf pretty much almost every deck in the format. It may break Sensei's divining top, LED, Vial, Jitte, Mishra & Mutavault, and so many other cards in the format. This is almost an auto-include to a sideboard that lacks options.
Scryb Sprites (!) - This can be add in if you fell like there are too many creature-aggro decks in your meta, and want to fly over them to combo. It's an avarage card, but should be kept as a meta call.
Chalice of the Void - To be used @ 0 against combos - Don't be surprised, this really owns storm combos!
Rushwood Legate - Free creature against the hole bunch of decks that play blue, a good addition, and helps a lot against Landstill.
Hidden Herd - Considered a Sideboard against non-basic, but so should Skyshroud Elite be, in legacy this card is almost a 3/3 creature. Too bad it can be delayed forever when the opponent already have his lands.
Mindbreak Trap - Recently added against Tendrils of Agony combos, it breaks them apart, but are most likely to be discarded or disabled by Orim's Chant. Might help anyway, since it takes them a little time/mana to use their defenses, enabling you to rush them.
Faerie Macabre - Like tormods, less effective but harder to counter (stifle counters it). Seems great against reanimator.
Relic of Progenitus - Like Tormods, a lot more effective, but easier to counter (when fighting daze or chalice @1).
Compost - Helps against B decks, like The Gate, Rock, Deadguy, Junk, Pox. And is strong against dredge.
Umezawa's Jitte - Against aggro decks, held by a Silhana, can be devastating.
Close Cuts - Close cuts almost made into maindeck, but due to some lackluster were cut, can still see play.
Kavu Predator - this one is not really a close cut, it can go maindeck instead of Viridian if no artifacts/enchantments are expect. I still prefer the useful Viridian, tho.
Slippery Bogle
Tattermunge Maniac
Nettle Sentinel
Tarmogoyf
Elvish Spirit Guide
Scryb Sprites
Might of Old Krosa
Vines of Vastwood
Gameplay
Zerk is a basic deck, but I've seen people doing several gamebreaker mistakes all the years I've been playing with it. Some of them are easier to figure, some harder, but here is my experience playing the deck. Feel free to discuss.
Mulligan right
You should mulligan your bad hands. Some of them are obvious (6 forests, 6 pumps) but some of them are less obvious, and these are the ones you should look at.
First, 1-forest hand is not always keepable, and as you will find out, it is more often than not a mulligan. If the hand is not a godly hand, you should try a 2 lander, because then you can stack pumps and cast 2cc dudes, and library, properly.
A godly 1cc hand depend on the matchup. For example, against Ad Nauseam, a good 1cc hand has a 2/x guy for and a growth, so that you can deal some early damage.
A generally good hand with 1-lander must be able to do strong things and give you play. A land with several Invigorates and a Berserk, or Seal and Zerk, or a hand with 1cc guys and Rancor are good electable hands for 1-land.
If it has silhanas, libraries, and low pump count, forget it, it's too slow.
On the other side, most 2 and 3 land hands are good enough to go, unless clogged with boring slow resources, like a 3 forest 4 Silhanas hand. Sure, you might draw a rancor and win on the back of it, but you could face a tarmogoyf clock and lose without even trying.
17 is the magic number of lands here exactly because of this - it's the best number to get 2 or 3 land hands without drawing too much of them later, and it mulls fine.
Hold your pumps
This is a rule with exceptions, but grosso modo, don't use your pumps. Any +3 power you spend now could have been +6 or +12 later. You can use your pumps as a way to kill a tempo deck with light threat density, but usually it's not worthy not to hold your pumps.
Play Sylvan Library
Sylvan Library is too good not to be played. Analising when it was good when it came into play, it was always good. Against Control decks, it's gamebreaker, and against Aggro it fetches for your combo-win. Against combo, it isn't that great because it costs 2, but if you T1 nettle and T2 Sylvan, T3 is much more likely a kill than without the sylvan.
Do not overextend
Sometimes it surprises me that people don't know what this is. Don't play all of your creatures, and sandbag Forests in hand if you don't need them. Wrath of God, Armaggedon, Engineered Explosives, Pernicious Deed, and so on... Also, holding lands sometimes baits a stupid Duress and then you draw some pump and can hold it.
Decide your role fast
It's common to have a lot of 2/x creatures in hand, and elect to play one and make it stand alone. If you want to berserk the opponent, playing a Sylvan Library, a Silhana, or a Rancor or Seal can be more gamebreaking than playing a lot of weennies.
Against a pileofcounters.dec, don't keep a hand with only 1 creature, they will handle it, and you will lose. This is simple when you know what you are doing, either going "combo" (strong vs aggro) or "aggro" (strong vs control)
Do your math
Seriously, you are playing magic. You should be able to sum natural numbers and then multiply them for 2, and in the end subtract some other natural numbers. Don't ever lose a game due to bad math - Only zerk when you are 100% sure you will win. Don't forget to count multiple blockers, don't forget to count invigorate +3 life, don't forget to double the power from the creature too.
Play a lot of 2/x creatures for
It's a mistake to play Slippery Bogle instead of Nettle Sentinel and the likes. Nettle will stack crucial early damage for us, while bogle will sit. Bogle can be better midgame, but silhana is the best girl there, and Sylvan is a house there too. If you are already playing 12~14 2/x creatures for , you can afford Scryb Sprites and Slippery Bogle, but not before this much. You always want to open a 2/x for
Play all 4 Invigorate (even without Kavu) and all 4 Seal of Strength
Cheap pumps are what make hands with one land good, and are what makes Berserk better. Also, cheap pumps are good in most game situations, and Invigorate can be hardcasted (I do this a lot, how can people forget?). Leaving home without all 16 fixed pumps is a mistake: Berserk, Rancor, Seal, Invigorate
Don't forget pseudo-evasion, and Giant Growth is good
If you can sustain 2 creatures against one even if one of them die and get replaced, you have a "pseudo-evasion".
Example: 2x Nettle vs Tarmogoyf -> One nettle hits.
This is enough to break some games some times.
If you pseudo-evade, Giant Growth is better than Might of Old Krosa. If you decide to kill the blocker, GG is better as well. MoOK is only better if you have a Silhana or "the open field".
That's all I got, hope it helps. GL & HAVE LOTS OF FUN =)
Last edited by Gui; 02-25-2015 at 12:46 PM. Reason: keeping up-to-date
Moved to Established. Surprising that there isn't a thread for this deck already.
YOU'RE GIVING ME A TIME MACHINE IN ORDER TO TREAT MY SLEEP DISORDER.
Ok! Done! Thanks!
Let the fun begin!
Ok, first of, The card, at the moment, that is planning to tweak the deck
----------------------
Vines of Vastwood
Instant
Kicker -
Target creature can't be the target of spells of abilities your opponents control until end of turn. If Vines of Vastwood was kicked, that creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.
----------------------
Think it'll will deserve a slot in the deck easly ^^
If you fail to explain the reason behind your choice, technically, it's the wrong choice.
Zerk Thread -- Really, fun deck! ^^
The awesome thing about VoVW is, that the kicker is the pump and the normal effect is the pseudo-Shroud. This way it offers protection and you can use abundant mana for extrapump.
It should be an automatic 4 of IMO.
Janky and horrible as it sounds, one of my friends plays this deck in a form, and the single most dangerous threat he runs in the deck is Slippery Bogle. He runs all threats and pump in the deck, and being able to sellout pump the Bogle without fear of X-for-1 removal has caused me more than a few nightmares.
I think that's one of the great things about Berserk Stompy - it's friggin janky, but it works.
Too bad Berserk costs about 100 bucks/each.
If you fail to explain the reason behind your choice, technically, it's the wrong choice.
Zerk Thread -- Really, fun deck! ^^
Cesar has a Spanish blog and recently has made some testing with Berserk Stompy again:
http://launiversidaddelasartesludica...-la-lista.html
His most recent list:
Berserk Stompy, por César Fernández
Maindeck:
3 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
10 Forest
3 Seal of Strength
4 Invigorate
4 Rancor
4 Berserk
4 Might of Old Krosa
4 Slippery Boggle
4 Tattermunge Maniac
4 Skarrgan Pit-Skulk
4 Skyshroud Elite
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
4 Kavu Predator
Sideboard:
4 Seeds of Innocence
3 Tormod's Crypt
4 Vexing Shusher
4 Naturalize
Don't Forget to read the Bonus Track. I translated the spanish part and you can read in English in his blog:
During the penultimate round of the event, my opponent came a minute late, and get a Game Loss. He sits down, shuffle quickly and starts his game with a double Careful Study. In my turn and I put a forest and cast a Skarrgan Pit-skulk. In his turn returns two Ichorids and dredge a lot. At end of turn I am at 14 and have an army in front of more than 10 Zombies 2/2 and the following conversation occurs while counting the total zombies.Durante la penúltima ronda del evento, mi rival llegó como un minuto tarde, y le pusieron un Game Loss. Empezaba rapidito ganando, aunque fuese en los despachos. Se sienta, barajamos rápido y empieza su partida con un doble Careful Study bastante tochos. En mi turno pongo un Bosque y bajo un Skarrgan Pit-skulk. En su turno pone Ichorids y draga hasta la vida. Total que al final del turno yo estoy a 14 vidas y tengo enfrente una armada de más de 10 Zombies 2/2 y se da la siguiente conversación mientras contaba el total zombies.
http://launiversidaddelasartesludica...-la-lista.html
That "bonus track" link made me although I had to dig a bit to find it... Wouldn't a copy/paste be easier??
I have a real question though: why do people run Seeds of Innocence in the sideboard of this deck? I've even playtested with a similar list on MWS a while ago, and I never understood what match-up it's for. Is it just because of our huge problem with Chalice and Trinisphere?
And I've also never really liked Kavu Predator, I think Tarmogoyf might be better in his slot, much as I fucking cringe at suggesting people to put Tarmogoyf in their decks... I mean, this deck pretty reliably is going to get a land, an instant, and probably also a creature into the graveyard. Is the trample on Predator really that important? Because the mini-combo is a little too cute, I agree with people who've been saying that.
One more thing, I think the Sylvan Library suggestion is actually pretty good. It seems like if you decided to up the amount of fetch-lands to like 10 or so, and run 3-4 Sylvan Library, you could almost run the deck like a weird Green variant of suicide black, which actually sounds pretty appealing to me. I mean, I can't help but think that having a way to help dig out Berzerk would be pretty clutch, and you can ignore your life total to a certain extent in exchange for a few extra cards from Library...
I realize it sounds pretty strange, since I'm literally suggesting that people run more fetch-lands than basics, but I think once you settled on the right number of fetch-lands and the right number of Sylvan Libraries to run, it might actually play pretty smoothly. Has anyone tried this?
Bless your heart, we must consider Blue/White Tempo's strategy and win percentages in an entirely different deck thread. -4eak
finally, a Thread for this deck ^^
Yeah, I played this deck for 2 years now, and now I got Berserks and play Berserk Stompy...
about the Seeds:
I was very sceptical about them,too and asked César about them, he answered me the following:
- It auto-wins Affinity (While pumping Kavu sometimes)
- It completely destroys White Stax and Dragon Stompy (While pumping Kavu sometimes)
. It's good versus decks sideboarding Jitte (While pumping Kavu sometimes)
- It's very good against Welder Reanimator or Welder Survival, killing Sphynx, Platinum, etc... (While pumping Kavu sometimes)
the thing is that it is very good against one of the worst matchups, why not packing it?
...about César's newest list I have to say that he haven't the time to test Nettle Sentinels but we think that he is better than Tattermunge Maniac (I mailed a lot with him)...
my problem with his list is, that I really really really like ESGs in this deck, (you can play first turn Kavu, or 2 Creatures, or suprise pump, which puts a lot of pressure on the opponent, but nobody mentioned her in this Thread... why???
I am not a fan of the Fetchlands, because the thinning-effect is not relevant, and it makes you vulnerable to Stifle...
Land Grant is a bad card, because you don't want to lose against random Force, Thoughtseize, Duress, etc.
and BotH is not needed with choces like "Berserk, Rancor, MooK, Invigorate" and this new thing out there...
Imo we need to find the optimal Manabase for this deck, because we know all other slots...
The good pump (see above) and the good Creatures (in this order imo)
Ledgewalker
Bogle
Kavu
Pit Skulk
Nettle
Elite
YawG
Hm. I totally forgot about ESG. She definitely needs to fit in there.
Don't cut Kavu. Just don't. He may be a bad card on his own, but his interaction with Invigorate and some of your SB cards make him awesome.
Might as well post the version I'm currently testing:
//Lands
16 Forests
//Dudes
4 Skyshroud Elite
4 Skarrgan Pit Skulk
4 Slippery Boggle
4 Jungle Lion
4 Kavu Predator
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
//Pump
4 Rancor
4 Might of Old Krosa
4 Invigorate
4 Berserk
4 Vines of the Vastwood
//SB
4 Seeds of Innocence
4 Tormod's Crypt
4 Vexing Shusher
3 Reverent Silence
No risky stuff like fetches or Land Grant. Nice and simple, sticking to the basic plan of "drop green dudes and bash." This isn't to say that I'm not considering solid guys like Vine Dryad, but I've decided that for the sake of testing I want to start over at the very beginning. So for the moment I'm using the easiest creatures and no card-disadvantage other than the pump. Nettle Sentinel is looking pretty sexy though, probably going to be trying him over either the Elite or the Lions.
what do you guys think about the new card from worldwake "Leatherback Baloth"
here is a link to it: http://mtgsalvation.com/worldwake-spoiler.html
Too expensive to be playable, no evasion/protection.
Taken care of.what do you guys think about the new card from worldwake "Leatherback Baloth"
here is a link to it: http://mtgsalvation.com/worldwake-spoiler.html
The only place in legacy I saw it fitting was possibly in Berserk Stompy. Likely it will just recieve criticism as an overcosted goyf. I figured I would mention it anyway.
MY BAD. Wow missed that the first time.I know Rangers generate mana, that's why I said they're in there to help cast Troll
I don't actually like Land Grant either, I'm perfectly willing to consider something like a 16 land, 4 Ranger build with no Land Grant. It's probably what I'll end up doing to be safe, but I think it's best to start with testing Grant just to be sure that I don't want it, then to cut it later. However, I think you're underestimating Bounty quite a bit. It provides a way to dump horrific chaff spells like ESG or multiple Rangers, which you still really want to play because T1 Ranger or T2 Troll is amazing. It looks worse on paper than it tends to play ingame.
Well maybe run 4 quirion ranger and 15 forests instead so you hit 2 mana more often and then 3 mana for troll/ascetic/selkie. I think ranger is better than running llanowar elves or something just because you can avoid sinkhole, and give creatures viglance all without even tapping your dude while you already run a low amount of lands. Has it been tested? Ideally dudes like this that untap would be tight if you could take advantage of some tap abilities, but I can't think of any that are legit outside of a white splash for mother of runes. White gives you pridemage, teeg, swords, Mom, and not too much else.
Well Selkie can refill your hand if he gets there, but he needs a serious power boost to be effective (or have your opponent have islands). He becomes another target for fire//ice or mogg fanatic, when he comes down you can likely only protect him with invigorate due to mana issues. I think viper's minor plus side is he is harder to kill. He could find a place in the main board as like a 2-of. I like how he suits multiple situations. I'll test him on MWS and let you know how it goes in Berserk Stompy. I have been playing him in this to good effect:Is he better than Cold-Eye Selkie, who's still pretty slow? He's far less evasive against the format and draws fewer cards, but killing Goyf is pretty sick. It's worth testing, but I suspect he's kind of on the slow side.
Power Rangers
Land: (18)
4 Windswept Heath
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Wasteland
3 Savannah
2 Tropical Island
1 Tundra
Creatures: (30)
4 Noble Hierarch
3 Birds of Paradise
4 Quirion Ranger
3 Scryb Ranger
4 Mother of Runes
3 Weathered Wayfarer
2 Qasali Pridemage
4 Ohran Viper
3 Knight of the Reliquary
Spells: (12)
4 Brainstorm
4 Stifle
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Sensei's Diving Top
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
SB:
4 Trinisphere
4 Stasis
2 Rhox War Monk
2 Choke
2 Krosan Grip
1 Forsaken City
Obviously the deck is completely different, but Mom protects him well and makes him a house against aggro, drawing cards, and blocking on defense at the same time via rangers.
EDIT:
Again I will ask..
Has Scent of Ivy been tested? It looks good if you draw it early, and could be nice if you are building a hand for berserk.
Tested it once, usually works like krosa, mostly +3/+3, and doesn't help much when going to a more aggro strategy... I like having the aggro option as backup agains all sorts of control, so, I don't try it anymore, since it's not a good draw mid-range... but if you test it, please let us know.
Also, I think it should be played with VoV, Bogle and Silhana, since if goes far more Combo-ish.
If you fail to explain the reason behind your choice, technically, it's the wrong choice.
Zerk Thread -- Really, fun deck! ^^
This is what I'm going to play this weekend (~20 players)
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
6 Forest
7 Snow-covered Forest
2 Fetch
3 Scryb Ranger
4 Scryb Sprites
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
4 Skarrgan Pit-Skulk
4 Slippery Bogle
1 Treetop Scout
4 Berserk
2 Giant Growth
4 Invigorate
4 Might of old Krosa
4 Rancor
1 Seal of Strength
2 Vines of Vastwood
Sideboard:
2 Forest
2 Gaea's Blessing
4 Krosan Grip
3 Mindbreak Trap
4 Relic of Progenitus
Some additional words:
I think seven 2-drop creatures are okay - and I really like my Scouts!
I do possess only one Seal, otherwise I'd swap Giant Growths for them.
As you can see, I prefer evasion and/or troll-shroud over higher power - for a simple reason:
With one Berserk (which I take as an average case) a 2-power-creature (like Nettle Sentinel) deals exactly 2 more damage than a 1-power creature (say: Scryb Sprites). But Nettle will "only" have trample by that time so a 2-toughness-blocker (not exactly an uncommon encounter) completely negates that advantage. Sprites are much harder to block and therefore more likely to push through their whole damage, which makes up for the low power.
the sideboard:
I do expect a lot of mana denial, which is one reason I play only 2 fetches main and 2 additional forests in the side. I also expect some High Tide combo decks, so I thought Blessing to be a good idea.
The rest goes against the usual suspects: Grip for CounterTop and CotVs, trap for combo and Relic for Lhurgoyfs, Horrors and Loam shenanigans.
comments appreciated!
Last edited by AlterEgo; 12-18-2009 at 04:35 PM. Reason: decklist change
And what about Martyr of Spores? The same, but on the foot = more flexible.
Very similar deck can be built in monored:
16 Mountain
4 Simian Spirit Guide
4 Mogg Raider
4 Mogg Fanatic
4 Stream Hopper
4 Boros Recruit
4 Dwarven Berserker
4 Inner-Flame Acolyte
4 Reckless Charge
4 Brute Force
4 Double Cleave
4 Bonesplitter
(See, it is all-common.)
And monoblack version:
16 Swamp
4 Crystal Vein
4 Dark Ritual
4 Sarcomancy
4 Carnophage
4 Beckon Apparition
4 Inkfathom Infiltrator
4 Dauthi Horror
4 Hatred
4 Unholy Strength
4 Bonesplitter
4 Cabal Therapy
That is the influence of Tarmogoyf working in UGx post-threshold decks: all other weenie creatures look like shit. For 1 mana you can get 1/1 with little ability, 1/2 vanilla, 2/x with little disadvantage or very situational 3/x (Rogue Elephant). For 2 mana, 2/x vanilla or with little ability (depending on toughtness) is normal, not terrible. Nettle is extremely powerful for its cost measures and Scryb Sprites is OK. Troll is OK, but it costs 3, so you need something to speed it up and make your manabase more consistent, less vulnerable to manascrew, e.g. Llanowar Elf or Wild Growth. Going this way you will end up with Big Bad Aggro deck running big creatures, which is nice on paper and fun to play, but rather unplayable in general meta.While I'm skeptical about Ancient, I'm also very supportive of any effort to find more usable creatures. I'm currently trying my Troll Ascetic version since he's actually a very Berserkable creature that doesn't suck on his own. I mean really, our current creature base is fucking terrible. Kavu Predator is absolute shit, Tarmogoyf is too small in this deck, Boggle/Sprite/Ranger/Ledgewalker are all 1-power creatures for 1-2 mana when we're playing beatdown, Nettle and Elite fight it out for whether 2/2 vigilance is better than conditional 2/3 (spoiler: both suck). Really just about the only creature in the deck that's seriously awesome is Pit-Skulk. Any chance at finding better ones is important to take.
OK, so here are some ideas:
cc1
Llanowar Elf - can take place if you wanna include manacost 3 and higher
Stampede Driver - cool abitity against bad topdeck draws, synergy with Quirion/Scryb Ranger
Martyr of Spores - Scent of Ivy on the foot, situational hoser of Bridges
Llanowar Augur - free pump for Berserk turn
Treefolk Harbinger - solid blocker and mana fixer, can make 1 Sheltering Ancient playable
Hidden Gibbons - 4/4 body in almost every meta
Hidden Herd - 3/3, very similar as above
Hidden Predators - SB option vs Goyf
Vitality Charm - flexible spell
Chatter of the Squirrel - 2 creatures in 1 card, backup vs Wrath
Tukatongue Thallid - backup vs Wrath, stops Lackey
cc2
Wild Mongrel
Werebear
Spectral Bears
Thornweald Archer
Elvish Archers
Wolf-Skull Shaman
Albino Troll
Vinelasher Kudzu
Viridian Zealot
Whirling Dervish
Talara's Battalion
Boreal Centaur
Safehold Elite
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