[Primer] Elves!

[jarvisyu]

Alright, let's clear things up. Progenitus is a replacement effect, not a trigger like Emrakul. RiP doesn't do anything against it. You just choose to shuffle Progenitus in instead of exiling it.

If he activates Grindstone with 1 Progenitus in your deck, Progenitus will be the last card in your deck and Grindstone will stop.

So you should board it in. It gives you one more turn to kill him.

ok interesting, I obviously did not realize that.

However, the other reason I didn't board it in for the second match was I didn't want a dead card in the combo mirror. I figured I could just kill him faster (esp with the assistance of 7 spot discard spells).

[Dice_Box]

I love playing painter, I hate playing against it. Really the deck is not that fast if you do not start with Grindstone in your hand. If you face the deck just fetch basics and race it. About 70% of the time your going to be faster than the deck and it not interact with you until after Painter comes down onto the table.

[jarvisyu]

I love playing painter, I hate playing against it. Really the deck is not that fast if you do not start with Grindstone in your hand. If you face the deck just fetch basics and race it. About 70% of the time your going to be faster than the deck and it not interact with you until after Painter comes down onto the table.

yeah, I agree with that assessment, which is a major reason I didn't bring in Progenitus for the rematch.

especially vs the blue-white variant I was playing against, he didn't seem very fast, and i knew he was diluting his deck with cards like ensnaring bridge and RiP based on what I saw from the previous match.

[Dice_Box]

Ok against the U/W you need to go FAST. Do not worry about moon, its not going to happen but in the U/W version they have 8 ways to fetch any of the combo cards. If done right they are a turn 3/4 without a lock. The Red version is a Prison combo deck. The Blue one is a Temp combo deck.

I do not know why you would bring in Bridge against Elves tho. You are just going to get swamped by 1/1's. Wait why I am saying that to an elf thread... Ok taking my leave now...

[Lord_of_Rivendell]

I'm taking the rest of September off Elves.
Ideas what else I could play?
Heading towards TES or a degenerate combo deck

I like Zombardment as a fun alternative.

[Kayradis]

TES is built but I kept Elves near in case I change my mind based on the meta tonight.
Running the same list I ran at the last tournament (3rd place) with the -1 Regal Force +1 Cratherhoof change

[Julian23]

with the -1 Regal Force +1 Cratherhoof rectification

FTFY ;-) I guess Regal Force is a card of the past for now...

[Kayradis]

I included it in my last list, but I never found a use for it in 7 rounds (including Top8/4) and I believe I could have used another hoof if available. I'm still 100% behind MD Ruric Thar. The guy is NUTS. In the worst case scenario (Swords To Plowshares) he creates a 12 life total difference. In the best case, they scoop.

[Lemnear]

I included it in my last list, but I never found a use for it in 7 rounds (including Top8/4) and I believe I could have used another hoof if available. I'm still 100% behind MD Ruric Thar. The guy is NUTS. In the worst case scenario (Swords To Plowshares) he creates a 12 life total difference. In the best case, they scoop.

Worst case Scenario is an opponent controlling Karakas, right Daniel? ;D

[Kayradis]

I dont think I'd NO for him if they have a Karakas on the board. Would probably be boarded out for Progenitus in that specific case.

[danyul]

worst case scenario is an opponent controlling karakas, right daniel? ;d

Noooooooooooooooooo. Ruric thar you coward!!!!!!

[Kayradis]

Ruric Thar is the shit.

Danyul, I might eventually put your foily Elves! deck to shame (thanks to Lemnear!!!).

Pictures to come once the package cross the pond.

[danyul]

I've been making some upgrades as well.

I welcome the challenge.

[Kayradis]

This is gonna be interesting!

[MD.Ghost]

I also created a new build:

Mainboard
4 Gaea's Cradle
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Windswept Heath
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Verdant Catacombs
2 Forest
2 Bayou
1 Taiga
1 Dryad Arbor

2 Birchlore Rangers
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Elvish Visionary
4 Heritage Druid
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Quirion Ranger
4 Wirewood Symbiote
1 Craterhoof Behemoth
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Elvish Archdruid
1 Viridian Shaman
1 Llanowar Elves

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

Sideboard
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Cabal Therapy
2 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Scavenging Ooze
2 Duress
1 Natural Order
1 Progenitus
1 Harmonic Sliver

After the discussed 4 Bircholore Speed Build, i am back to a more traditional list with 1 Llanowar and 4 Quirion Ranger. I also tried many alternativ winconditions compared to the 4th Natural Order and decided that 1 Elvish Archdruid is flexible (adds mana, adds additional pump damage, adds an answer against plage and charm etc.) and cheap enough - basically another must answer for most decks.

Sideboard has many established cards, but it is the first time i kicked gaddock teeg and add 2 additional discard effects for aggressive turn 1 disruption. Without Teeg you can also board in the 4th Natural Order against Combo, because you only need an resolved Ruric Thar (your opponent needs chain of vapor in hand to answer this). Harmonic Sliver is the only white Spell in my current 75 cards, so i decided to kick the Savannah for the common 8th Fetchland.

[Dice_Box]

I like Thar main as well. I am thinking that he is of less use in the side when you need him most in that first game. Second game they board in hate too and while still effective, he is hated out a lot.

[Kayradis]

@MD.Ghost : Ezuri > Archdruid. Same cost and has more usefull application. Pyroclasm? Overrun! Bolt? OVERRUN! Swords? Overrun! (I GAIN 5!)

alright.

he overruns.

[Lemnear]

I also created a new build:

Mainboard
4 Gaea's Cradle
4 Wooded Foothills
2 Windswept Heath
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Verdant Catacombs
2 Forest
2 Bayou
1 Taiga
1 Dryad Arbor

2 Birchlore Rangers
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Elvish Visionary
4 Heritage Druid
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Quirion Ranger
4 Wirewood Symbiote
1 Craterhoof Behemoth
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Elvish Archdruid
1 Viridian Shaman
1 Llanowar Elves

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

Sideboard
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Cabal Therapy
2 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Scavenging Ooze
2 Duress
1 Natural Order
1 Progenitus
1 Harmonic Sliver

After the discussed 4 Bircholore Speed Build, i am back to a more traditional list with 1 Llanowar and 4 Quirion Ranger. I also tried many alternativ winconditions compared to the 4th Natural Order and decided that 1 Elvish Archdruid is flexible (adds mana, adds additional pump damage, adds an answer against plage and charm etc.) and cheap enough - basically another must answer for most decks.

Sideboard has many established cards, but it is the first time i kicked gaddock teeg and add 2 additional discard effects for aggressive turn 1 disruption. Without Teeg you can also board in the 4th Natural Order against Combo, because you only need an resolved Ruric Thar (your opponent needs chain of vapor in hand to answer this). Harmonic Sliver is the only white Spell in my current 75 cards, so i decided to kick the Savannah for the common 8th Fetchland.

Dood, you won't need the additional discard against combo ... I'm not attending this saturday ;D Greetings to Kai, Eike and Casten!

I dunno if an Archdruid is SUCH a must-counter compared to NO :/

Ruric Thar is the shit.

Danyul, I might eventually put your foily Elves! deck to shame (thanks to Lemnear!!!).

Pictures to come once the package cross the pond.

Yeah! Lemnear, your #1 source for german foils!

#TheSource'sNotAdFree XD

[Kayradis]

Did we just found a loophole?

[nudon]

@kayradis: Isn't running 3 fatties (2 hoof + 1 thar) main deck a bit excessive? You greatly increase the risk of drawing one in your opening 7.

@people running the 4 birchlore speed build or elven mages who want to chime in: During my 8 rounds and eventual top 4 split a few weeks back, I generally didn't miss llanowar except when keeping a 1-lander with several visionaries in hand. Maybe it doesn't matter since I was able to grind out the match anyway but was just curious how often the following scenarios come up for you guys with turn 1 birchlore.

- 1 land and visionaries stuck in hand
- 2 lands and unable to gsz for visionary t2
- 2 lands and unable to gsz for gaddock teeg t2