[Primer] Elves!

[Julian23]

Recorded a Legacy League with Elves this Sunday. Check it out on:

http://itsjulian.com/legacy-league-with-elves-1/

[Doneval]

Recorded a Legacy League with Elves this Sunday. Check it out on:

http://itsjulian.com/legacy-league-with-elves-1/

I just finished watching them. Great stuff as always. I love watching your games and hearing your thought process.

And lol at the Ulamog attack :-)

[Jayaballard182]

Legacy:
Sensei’s Divining Top is banned.

Some people got stoked, some hyped, some mad and some others just sad. But everyone was shocked.
The ban will bring a lot of changes to the entire format. There are professionals for reading a format and predicting (sorry for that) what will come. I am not any kind of professional but I do how to play a certain deck. Definetly not the most known, but maybe the most succesfull paper-magic-player in europe who hoofed with elves in 2016. So there are my thoughts about the changes who effect the deck:
​
1# TNN decks will rise.
With this, it´s also possible that Leovold will show up in more lists. People will consider Umezawas Jitte as a better card than it is now, because of 2# and 3#.

2# Elves will rise.
People will consider elves as a better deck than before, because Terminus is not played anymore and 3#.

3# Creature based decks will rise.
People will consider elves as a better deck than before, because Terminus is not played anymore and they love to play fatties. They want to test the old zoo decks, Maverick...... when your opponent plays a creature, maybe you should just play a bigger one.

4# Spell based combodecks (like ANT, TES, Doomsday (not ;-)) and SneakShow and Omniscience) and Lands will profit too. The MU versus Creature based decks is really good. There is one less heavy-counter MU. People using their SB slots for 5#, because of 1#, 2# and 3#.

5# Massremoval will rise.
Because it´s necessary now (1#, 2#, 3#)

In one week there is probaply the biggest Legacy tournament in europe this year. After 448 players in Paris, they expect up to 500 participants in Frankfurt. The changes are real. We all have to think about our decks. Especially the sideboards will change. My Sidebaord will change like this:

Sideboard Eternal Weekend 20017:
1 Gaddock Teeg
4 Abrupt Decay (I will cut one, because Iusually don´t like the 4th copy against most of the decks)
3 Cabal Therapy
1 Nissa, Vital Force (I will cut Nissa to make place a big guy called Progenitus)
1 Scavenging Ooze
3 Thoughtseize
2 Surgical Extraction
​
Sideboard after Sensei´s ban:
3 Abrupt Decay 1 Scavenging Ooze
4 Cabal Therapy (best discard against spell-based combo. Sometimes killing it. twice)
3 Thoughtseize
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Progenitus
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Pithing Needle or Meek Stone

I can also imagine chainging my mainboard. So:
A 4th Natural Order might be good call and then just going straight. No silverbullets. Just 4 offs + 1 Reclamation Sage. Another thought was to try the new Vizier of the Menagerie. If Matches getting grindy, Vizier of the Menagerie could be a badass-grinding-station. Let´s try it.
​
Cavern of Souls is also going to watchlist:
1 or 2 or nothing? I tend to kick them since the only reason to still play them might be Chalice of the void. But casting the Visionary or Behemoth safe is a huge deal in a lot of games. It will probably decline but I will hold on it for a while.
My overall conclusion is to play it straight forward with a lot of high impact cards against Combo in the Sideboard and a Progenitus against the fair ones. I pumped this thoughts out of my mind so sorry if you build your deck after this article and then loosing to Death and Taxes next week.
​
What I learned in the last pretournament report from a guy who wrote:
„Don´t play elves (in Paris) unless you are Julian Knab“ – you can´t be right. there are always 2 other guys who top8 it anyway ;-)
​
Tell me what you think about my thoughts and don´t bother to proof me wrong.
​
Jan Lenger

http://janohneeis.wixsite.com/elves

[blind]

„Don´t play elves (in Paris) unless you are Julian Knab“

lolilol


Fauna VV comeback is a real possibility.

[Prdgychild]

[QUOTE=Jayaballard182;1003405]Legacy:

​


I can also imagine chainging my mainboard. So:
A 4th Natural Order might be good call and then just going straight. No silverbullets. Just 4 offs + 1 Reclamation Sage. Another thought was to try the new Vizier of the Menagerie. If Matches getting grindy, Vizier of the Menagerie could be a badass-grinding-station. Let´s try it.
​


Jan, big fan and thank you for your thoughtful insight. Been testing Vizer agaisnt bug midrange lists and been loving it as a tutor. one instance gave insight as to whether to cast visionary or gsz. the fact you dont reveal like oracale of muldaya is interesting. again, thank you for your thoughts!

[Shagstaman]

is it strange that my 75 likely won't change? the md/sb config might though...I was going to run md decays in vegas.. but now! ;)

a terminus ban would've been even better for us...because counterbalance would've taken out the combo decks and we can fight through that much easier than terminus. The top ban tho...gotta be honest, didn't see it coming.. I feel genuinely bad for my several friends who had sick pimped out miracles decks and were fully invested in it (time and money).

[cheerios]

Is Progenitus way better than Nissa in the BUG midrange, DNT, and Delver matchups? I just added Nissas to my SB last weekend and haven't gotten to try her out yet. I'm late to the party, but super glad terminus is gone.

[Prdgychild]

Is Progenitus way better than Nissa in the BUG midrange, DNT, and Delver matchups? I just added Nissas to my SB last weekend and haven't gotten to try her out yet. I'm late to the party, but super glad terminus is gone.

I have about 200 games with Nissa and only maybe 75 with Progen. That said Nissa isnt horrid agaisnt the midrange decks but Progen I imagine is way better if you get it out.

[abombdiggity]

is it strange that my 75 likely won't change? the md/sb config might though...I was going to run md decays in vegas.. but now! ;)

I'm testing a little bit of spice here and there, but if Vegas were this weekend if probably switch a Progenitus in for Nissa and just run it back- maybe a 2nd Reclamation Sage over the fourth decay, just because of how good it is to draw sage in the matchups where we want it. While we were running a lot of cards that were effective VS miracles, most of our sideboard slots were effective against multiple decks- at most I think I had one distinct miracles slot in Nissa, but that still came in for the 2nd hoof when NO came out.

I feel you- I'm pretty curious to see where the dedicated Miracles grinders end up- I'm still expecting them to be casting brainstorm in fair tempo/midrange shells, which is great news for us. I will probably test Wren's Run Packmaster again as a hedge against all of the 2-3 mana damage/toughness based sweepers.

[Shagstaman]

so most recently I had md 2 decay, 3 NO, no scooze... but now I'll probably be maining my scooze again as well as a 4th NO (it was a liability vs miracles but the best finisher in the deck vs almost everything else) but siding my decays fully.

To answer the progenitus question: it's apples and oranges, but yes...very much yes. Bg/x decks, DnT, and delver decks are generally cold to a NO for progenitus-- and if they do have an out it's usually a 1-of (deluge, councils judgement, or some random edict). Delver used to run Curfew back in the day...... lol glad that's not a thing anymore ;)

[AznSeal]

I like what I'm seeing. Progenitus is great. The next question is for the anti-combo creature. So guys, Leovold or Gaddock Teeg? And would you run that MD or SB?

I can see a good SB being:
3 Abrupt decay
4 Cabal therapy
3 Thoughtseize
2 Surgical extraction
1 Progenitus
1 Scooze
1 Gaddock Teeg

With 4 NO and Sage in the main.

Opinions?

[toletole]

Maybe now shaman of the pack is a real threat? Im thinking of moving 1 main.
Also Ive been toying around with caller of the claw in the side as I expect tons of mass removal for us in the future.

[Shagstaman]

if you want to play Leo, he should be MD imo.. and is teeg just to help with storm and friends?

shaman of the pack was great vs miracles...not sure if he's even needed now, unless ensnaring bridge or moat decks start popping up (who knows lol!)

edit: my foil caller of the claw is ready for action, should the need arise. But then again, I could say that about my 10 or so other niche sb tech cards (bounty of the hunt and spore frog say hi).

[danyul]

my foil caller of the claw is ready for action, should the need arise. But then again, I could say that about my 10 or so other niche sb tech cards (bounty of the hunt and spore frog say hi).

Lol dude I have a foil Realm Razer sleeved up. And I own 2x foil Setessian Tactics for some reason. We acquire some weird shit over time huh?

[AznSeal]

if you want to play Leo, he should be MD imo.. and is teeg just to help with storm and friends?

shaman of the pack was great vs miracles...not sure if he's even needed now, unless ensnaring bridge or moat decks start popping up (who knows lol!)

edit: my foil caller of the claw is ready for action, should the need arise. But then again, I could say that about my 10 or so other niche sb tech cards (bounty of the hunt and spore frog say hi).

I like Teeg against combo, but I realize leovold is just as good. The issue is Teeg can potentially be GSZ'd out on turn 2 much easier than leovold.

[toletole]

teeg just for storm seems bad. You are locking yourself out of a quick kill and a bunch of 2/2 and 1/1 sre not fast enough imo

[cheerios]

I might play the following list this weekend:

2 Dryad Arbor
1 Birchlore Rangers
1 Llanowar Elf
2 Craterhoof Behemoth
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Elvish Visionary
3 Heritage Druid
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Quirion Ranger
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Wren run's packmaster
4 Wirewood Symbiote
4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Natural Order
2 Bayou
2 Forest
2 cavern of souls
1 pendelhaven
4 Gaea's Cradle
3 Windswept Heath
1 Verdant Catacombs
3 Wooded Foothills

Sideboard
3 Abrupt Decay
3 Cabal Therapy
3 surgical extraction
2 Nissa, Vital Force
1 Scavenging Ooze
3 Thoughtseize

*might remove the 2 Nissas for NO+Prog. I like my experience with Wren Run against delver and midrange decks, So I'm putting him back.

[danyul]

I'm trying 1 Leovold, 1 Scooze, 1 WRP main.

IRT combo: I'd rather lean on discard + Surgical than bother with something like Teeg since that gives you action on turns 0-1.

[toletole]

I'm thinking something like this. I have some doubts now the meta has changed so much... is it worth running 2 Dryad Arbor? What about swapping 1 for an additional fetch?. Also the side, do we need 3/4 Decays or we can make some room for more midrange cards?

2 Dryad Arbor
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Wirewood Symbiote
3 Nettle Sentinel
3 Heritage Druid
3 Quirion Ranger
2 Birchlore Rangers
1 Llanowar Elves
4 Elvish Visionary
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Leovold, Emissary of Trest
2 Craterhoof Behemoth

4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Natural Order

4 Gaea's Cradle
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Windswept Heath
2 Bayou
2 Forest
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Pendelhaven

Side:
3 Cabal Therapy
3 Thoughtseize
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Abrupt Decay
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Wren's Run Packmaster
1 Umezawa's Jitte

My meta is very diverse. Stoneblade, Shardless, BUG midrange, ANT, Infect, Reanimator BR and UB, D&T, Elves, Stax (Braids/Monored), Delver in all flavors. I would appreciate some input because I'm feeling a little lost now :P Thanks in advance

[supachai]

I'm thinking something like this. I have some doubts now the meta has changed so much... is it worth running 2 Dryad Arbor? What about swapping 1 for an additional fetch?. Also the side, do we need 3/4 Decays or we can make some room for more midrange cards?

2 Dryad Arbor
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Wirewood Symbiote
3 Nettle Sentinel
3 Heritage Druid
3 Quirion Ranger
2 Birchlore Rangers
1 Llanowar Elves
4 Elvish Visionary
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Leovold, Emissary of Trest
2 Craterhoof Behemoth

4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Natural Order

4 Gaea's Cradle
4 Wooded Foothills
3 Windswept Heath
2 Bayou
2 Forest
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Pendelhaven

Side:
3 Cabal Therapy
3 Thoughtseize
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Abrupt Decay
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Wren's Run Packmaster
1 Umezawa's Jitte

My meta is very diverse. Stoneblade, Shardless, BUG midrange, ANT, Infect, Reanimator BR and UB, D&T, Elves, Stax (Braids/Monored), Delver in all flavors. I would appreciate some input because I'm feeling a little lost now :P Thanks in advance

I would cut a Cavern over an Arbor for a fetch. Having Arbor accessible via fetch or GSZ is often pretty clutch. Cavern isn't as needed now that Miracles is gone.

I think 3 Abrupt Decay is probably fine for now. Not a huge fan of Umezawa's Jitte in the SB. No way to fetch it, and we rarely need it to break stalled boards. I haven't played Packmaster but it seems good against Midrangey Uxx decks, which will probably be coming back. I'm not sure if a planeswalker (Garruk Relentless or Nissa) isn't just better though.

Sounds like there is a consensus on running Progenitus in the board. Does that warrant the 4th NO?