[Deck] Elephant Stompy (formerly Elf Stompy)

[Hopo]

Ja, Spawnwrithe is the card that could make Elephant Stompy competitive, and now you must know why we opt for Briarhorn.

Totally forgot about the Briarhorn. That is sweet indeed. Might of oaks is more brutal, though and I try to make a few copies work out.

Tarmogoyfs seems like an auto-include, but it clashes with the best chalice setting, two. I'm propably not willing to play 2cc cards besides jitte as with spirit guides, chalice for 2 is most likely going to happen on turns 1 or 2.

HAve you already tried Gathan Raiders here?

[Spectör]

HAve you already tried Gathan Raiders here?

No. Why should we? It would be the only card in the deck opting for hellbent and that's rather counterproductive with Harmonize and SoFaI. It doesn't even produce green mana when imprinted in a mox...

Here's my list as I'm testing it now:

// Lands
4 [EX] City of Traitors
4 [TE] Ancient Tomb
10 [UNH] Forest

// Creatures
4 [AL] Elvish Spirit Guide
3 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
4 [SHM] Spawnwrithe
3 [FS] Tarmogoyf
3 [LRW] Briarhorn

// Spells
4 [MR] Chalice of the Void
2 [DS] Sword of Fire and Ice
4 [MR] Chrome Mox
4 [OD] Call of the Herd
3 [DS] Trinisphere
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
3 [BOK] Umezawa's Jitte
2 [PC] Harmonize

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [DS] Trinisphere
SB: 3 [DK] Tormod's Crypt
SB: 4 [TS] Krosan Grip
SB: 4 [TE] Choke
SB: 3 [SOK] Pithing Needle

I don't think I'll ever cut Trinisphere from the mainboard. It's so good against everything relying on cheap threats like Goyf Sligh, B/x, and NQG and it's always at least a Rule of Law.
I have to admit that Spawnwrithe is indeed too good not to play it and I'm a fool ;)
Briarhorn has also done very well for me, and is definitely bette then any Might of Oaks-shenenigans, because it brings a 3/3 body with it.

For the name thing: I'll just go on calling this DBFA-Stompy =D

[tsabo_tavoc]

I don't think I'll ever cut Trinisphere from the mainboard. It's so good against everything relying on cheap threats like Goyf Sligh, B/x, and NQG and it's always at least a Rule of Law.

The issue about 3sphere is its poor interaction with Chrome Mox. The same argument applies to SoFI and I like the 2/2 split with Harmonize.

Besides, I would like to try 4*Garruk: One can hardly find one in hand as redundancy and it can Grandeur on a Mox. I could see it at least replace a CotH.

[Kuma]

Might of Oaks and Stonewood Invocation are bad. When you're surprise blocking a 4/5 'goyf, does it usually matter whether you're a 6/6 or a 10/10? Briarhorn sticks around to beat the opponent, while Might of Oaks sits in the graveyard and requires you to already have a creature to be good. Same deal with Stonewood Invocation.

Tarmogoyf is amazing, even in Elephant Stompy where we don't make much use of the graveyard. Who cares if it clashes with the odd Chalice at two if it's nuts every other time. Don't run less than four.

Gathan Raiders doesn't work so well with Harmonize and SoFI, and like Spector said, it doesn't make green mana on a Chrome Mox. I almost never get Hellbent with this deck, making Gathan Raiders undesirable.

Trinisphere is a sideboard card unless your metagame is made up of Thresh, Storm Combo, Dreadstill, Affinity, and Enchantress. Otherwise, it's usually only good turn one on the play. Topdecking a Trinisphere is almost always bad.

I think -1 CotH, +1 Garruk could be good. I've toyed with the idea of four Garruk before.

[Illissius]

I think I'd rather go -1 Colossus (if you have 4) or -1 "open slot" for +1 Garruk in that case. CotH is one of your best cards, there's no reason to cut one of your best cards for more of another of your best cards when you can cut from a more arguable slot instead.

Is there a particular reason why I see everyone running only 3 Briarhorn?

[Kuma]

In my experience, multiple copies of CotH are often redundant due to not having enough mana to take full advantage of them. That's why cutting one seems fine. As for Briarhorn, I dunno, I never really thought about what to cut for a fourth one. There's a guy I don't mind showing up in multiples.

That new Treefolk that tsabo_tavoc suggested a few posts back looks like it could really help with all the Deeds, Shackles, etc. that give Elephant Stompy fits. I could definitely see running 2-3 in the maindeck depending on your meta.

to Kuma: How does Harmonize work for you? Is it worth the inclusion with SoFI?

I'm kind of on the fence about Harmonize right now. Drawing extra cards vs. board control isn't very good if you don't have something to draw into that deals with their problem permanents.

SoFI is amazing and shouldn't be cut. It wins so many games, and I rarely wish it was a creature when I draw it.

[insertnamehere]

Any suggestions for replacements for Tarmogoyf? Also, I was looking to find spots for Troll Ascetic and Ohran Viper, and suggestions for that?

[Swing4Five]

1 is a horrible casting cost for this deck, we've already lamented the inability to play these two dudes.

[Watcher487]

Is there a particular reason why I see everyone running only 3 Briarhorn?

I personally run 3 for 2 main reasons.
1. I surprise blocks Goyf and usually survives
2. I run 2 Sword of Light and Shadow

I'm actually debating about dropping Jitte in favor or more Swords (I currently run 2 of each Jitte, SoLaS and SoFaI)

[Hopo]

Might of Oaks and Stonewood Invocation are bad. When you're surprise blocking a 4/5 'goyf, does it usually matter whether you're a 6/6 or a 10/10? Briarhorn sticks around to beat the opponent, while Might of Oaks sits in the graveyard and requires you to already have a creature to be good. Same deal with Stonewood Invocation.

Tarmogoyf is amazing, even in Elephant Stompy where we don't make much use of the graveyard. Who cares if it clashes with the odd Chalice at two if it's nuts every other time. Don't run less than four.

Gathan Raiders doesn't work so well with Harmonize and SoFI, and like Spector said, it doesn't make green mana on a Chrome Mox. I almost never get Hellbent with this deck, making Gathan Raiders undesirable.

True, hellbent doesn't matter for this deck at all so it propably just sucks.
After testing, I also agree to the Tarmogoyf matter. It's just too good of a win condition.

I was thinking of Might of Oaks/Stonewood invocation more as an offensive tool with the tramplers or colossus to fasten the clock than a trick for blocking goyfs but Briarhorn still pretty much obsoletes them. Good reasons given.

[Kuma]

So I tested Genesis and to be blunt, it sucks. It's basically an overcosted beater since you have no way to get it into the graveyard. Granted, I didn't test it against anything with Pernicious Deed in it, but Genesis seems to suck versus just about anything else. Maybe if we could fit two or three in the sideboard for the board control matches. Maybe SoLS is just better...

What about running Tsunami over Choke? Lots of decks are prepared to deal with Choke (at least in my metagame) by running a few non-island lands. A Krosan Grip or a Deed will stop a Choke, but both are powerless against Tsunami. It's not like 3G is hard for Elephant Stompy to make. What do you guys think?

I really want Wicker-bough Elder; he seems good enough to maindeck and he should really help with Landstill/ITF.

[ThatGuyThere]

Hey; hopefully this doesn't count as a (complete) Necro, because I have something to add. Longtime format-watcher; recent change in financial situation means I'm turning into a participant.

I recently acquired my first two Berserks, *and* a City of Traitors, so I figured I'd give this beast a whirl. I've had a lot of success in testing; I find I really enjoy the deck, and it can get pretty explosive. Spawnwrithe is just disgusting.

But I had a creature suggestion - I've had fantastic success with Avenging Druid (go ahead, look it up - Exodus common, you haven't used him in years). He gets you land, fills the 'yard for Goyf, and if equipped with a Sword of Light and Shadow, gets those creatures back from the yard to beat again. Just like Spawnwrithe is "deal with this - fast - or die", so is the Avenging Druid (well, in this deck, at least).

[Kuma]

I dunno, dude. He's a 1/3 without equipment and you can't rely on having equipment to make your creatures good. He does cute things with SoLS, but that just what this is -- the proverbial Danger of Cute Things®. A one power creature isn't "deal with this - fast - or die". Even with equipment on him, he's only got three power.

If you want to post some testing results or game logs in which he was awesome, maybe it would help your case.

[Alfred]

Hunting Cheetah could be better. I mean, the ability isn't as good, but the power isn't drastically below the curve.

[Phantom]

These would be decent suggestions if we at all needed a bunch of forests. However, we need 1-2 forests to pull off our gameplan, so let's refocus on beatdown and not worry about slightly thinning our deck.

[Alfred]

These would be decent suggestions if we at all needed a bunch of forests. However, we need 1-2 forests to pull off our gameplan, so let's refocus on beatdown and not worry about slightly thinning our deck.

I mean, it lets you hit a land drop every turn it connects. That lets you play your hand out more quickly. It's also not drastically undersized for a turn 1/2 threat.

[Kuma]

For those of you who want Avenging Druid in the deck, name a card we currently run that it is better than.

[Alfred]

First of all, I didn't say anything about including Avenging Druid. I actually brought up Hunting Cheetah in response to you mentioning that Avenging Druid's power wasn't up to snuff. It has a similar effect, and packs more of a punch.

As for your list, if you were asking me what I would cut in order to test this card, perhaps you could start by trimming some of the equipment/collossi. Or you could proxy them into the spots occupied by Spawnwrithe to see if they are worth it.

[Wallace]

Two cards to throw into the mix here: Talara's Battalion an Wren's Run Vanquisher. They are both to cast and at 4/3 and 3/3 aren't bad. If you run Manamorphose you could drop a turn 1 Battalion. Also with the low mana cost of all of the cards in this deck, have you ever thought of running Llanowar Elves over Chrome mox? They both come down turn 1 and while the elves can't tap for a on the first turn, they are another dude and a good source of green mana...

[Watcher487]

Two cards to throw into the mix here: Talara's Battalion an Wren's Run Vanquisher. They are both to cast and at 4/3 and 3/3 aren't bad. If you run Manamorphose you could drop a turn 1 Battalion. Also with the low mana cost of all of the cards in this deck, have you ever thought of running Llanowar Elves over Chrome mox? They both come down turn 1 and while the elves can't tap for a on the first turn, they are another dude and a good source of green mana...

Vanquisher has been something I've considered alot for this deck, but the chances of having another elf in hand with this deck is so poor. And officially I hate Battalion cause it requires you to run a cantrip in a deck that WANTS TO PLAY TRINI OR CHALICE FOR 2 in the first few turns.