[Primer] Elves!

[Julian23]

So go. For fun and practice. Don't worry about winning. I find that when I worry about that too much, I end up losing anyway. Just go and have fun and focus on playing as well as you can. Because you can lose when you're playing well and win when you're playing shitty. Just try to always play to the best of your ability. The rest will follow if luck is on your side.

A lesson not only applicable to Magic, so to speak.

[PaulJordan]

Hello - I'm Paul Jordan. I've been playing Magic for 20 years. I have a wife and 2 kids, so my playing time is much less than it was during college. I play limited almost exclusively these days, but have plans to attend GP New Jersey later this year and have started familiarizing myself with Legacy so I can enjoy the tournament more and perhaps even be competetive again.

I stumbled onto this site via Twitter recommendations (I'm @magicPJ on Twitter) and sweet-holy-grail-filled-with-ice-cold-diet-mountain-dew-glistening-in-the-sun-after-4-days-in-the-desert is it amazing. I mean, like, wow. These deck guides all collected in a single place are probably the most useful MTG resource I've used since the early days of the Dojo. But you guys know you're awesome so let's not dwell on that. I'll proceed with the purpose of my post and shower you with praise upon further help.

I've been playing online in the tournament practice room a couple of times a week now for 2 weeks. I've gotten 16 matches in so far (8-7-1 [incomplete match, if you're curious]) and am now at the point where I'm relatively comfortable with the basic mechanics of the deck. I definitely am a little slow still. It must be infuriating to play against me.

I've been reading through this forum (I've gotten through about 20 pages so far - it's a lot to take in and I've found more than a couple of pages in a sitting will leave me forgetting what I've read) and appreciate every post. Below is the list I'm currently using. It's mostly a stock list - I'm not at the point where I'm that comfortable messing with stuff.

4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Elvish Visionary
3 Heritage Druid
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Quirion Ranger
4 Wirewood Symbiote
2 Craterhoof Behemoth
1 Birchlore Rangers
1 Edric, Spymaster of Trest
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Natural Order
9 Saclands
4 Gaea's Cradle
2 Bayou
2 Dryad Arbor
2 Forest
1 Tropical Island

SB
1 Prowess Of The Fair
1 Thoughtseize
2 Cabal Therapy
1 Meekstone
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Progenitus
1 Wilt-Leaf Leige
1 Natural Order
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Pithing Needle
1 Swan Song
1 Worldspine Worm
1 Wren'S Run Packmaster

Edric in the main is the one thing I'm looking to try out. It has not really come up much and will likely not make the cut. This is my concession to my psyche's inexplicable Simicity. Note that the SB is really just a mess of things. This is on purpose. I'm bringing in a bunch of 1 of's in the hopes that I can see how more cards perform and understand which I like and which I don't.

One thing I've noticed so far is that it feels like the vast majority of matchups feature Progenitus in the 'side-in' column along with the 4th NO. So after siding it in a dozen times, I've gone for it none. Of course that's a small sample. I certainly grok its role in the deck, I just haven't gotten to execute that plan yet and it's a plan I'm almost thinking should have a spot in the MD. I'm curious what others think about this.

One thing I've found with this deck is that it's kind of easy to sit back and durdle around with the best friends team instead of going for the throat. It's something I'm certainly guilty of. Not sure what else to say about this except it likely takes a good amount of more games to get accustomed to reading the situation well enough.

That's all I have for now, really just wanted to introduce myself and say thanks. To those I've interacted with on Twitter, double thanks.

[danyul]

Don't forget to check out Julian's stream for some cutting edge Elves tech.

Edit:

I haven't tried Edric myself. But it's on my to-do list. I've heard good things.

NBD about the SB. You gotta test things somehow. That seems like a fine system.

I have actually cut the SB Progenitus entirely. I had the worst luck always drawing it in my openers and mulling myself out of the match. Also, the MD Wren's Run Packmaster serves a similar purpose. And most of the matches where we would want Progenitus (fair decks w/o counterspells) are already favorable. Of course, there are some removal heavy matches where Progenitus shines as well. But overall, I've found Scavenging Ooze and the Packmaster, along with some careful play, help mitigate that. I've also appreciated the extra sideboard space.

Yes, it is easy to durdle with the BFT. I guess the only rule there is to go for the kill when you draw one of your 11 spells. See if it resolves, make of it what you can, and then keep running the BFT card advantage engine if things don't work out.

[yaWgnorW]

Don't forget to check out Julian's stream for some cutting edge Elves tech.

Edit:

I haven't tried Edric myself. But it's on my to-do list. I've heard good things.

NBD about the SB. You gotta test things somehow. That seems like a fine system.

I have actually cut the SB Progenitus entirely. I had the worst luck always drawing it in my openers and mulling myself out of the match. Also, the MD Wren's Run Packmaster serves a similar purpose. And most of the matches where we would want Progenitus (fair decks w/o counterspells) are already favorable. Of course, there are some removal heavy matches where Progenitus shines as well. But overall, I've found Scavenging Ooze and the Packmaster, along with some careful play, help mitigate that. I've also appreciated the extra sideboard space.

Yes, it is easy to durdle with the BFT. I guess the only rule there is to go for the kill when you draw one of your 11 spells. See if it resolves, make of it what you can, and then keep running the BFT card advantage engine if things don't work out.

I too have the Progenitus drawing mystical powers of annoyingness. Enough so that on MODO I kept a tracker, and would tally it up at events. I never thought about discarding it entirely though. I just recently started with Packmaster so perhaps I may look into that.

[Zombie]

I too have the Progenitus drawing mystical powers of annoyingness. Enough so that on MODO I kept a tracker, and would tally it up at events. I never thought about discarding it entirely though. I just recently started with Packmaster so perhaps I may look into that.

Do you draw it more than you statistically should?

[yaWgnorW]

Do you draw it more than you statistically should?

Without a doubt. But who doesn't have that problem I suppose.

[Dice_Box]

Most fun is when you Mull to 5 and top deck Pro...

[D@N]

Was also thinking of cutting pro for runic thar, since my meta doesn't have that much storm and mding packmaster. it gives more slots for delver hate, how has everyone been finding it?

[Juice11]

Hello - I'm Paul Jordan. I've been playing Magic for 20 years. I have a wife and 2 kids, so my playing time is much less than it was during college. I play limited almost exclusively these days, but have plans to attend GP New Jersey later this year and have started familiarizing myself with Legacy so I can enjoy the tournament more and perhaps even be competetive again.


SB
1 Prowess Of The Fair
1 Thoughtseize
2 Cabal Therapy
1 Meekstone
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Progenitus
1 Wilt-Leaf Leige
1 Natural Order
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Pithing Needle
1 Swan Song
1 Worldspine Worm
1 Wren'S Run Packmaster
.

I'm interested in how prowess of the fair has worked out for you. It seems a bit slow, but I was curious what matchups you bring it in for?

Was also thinking of cutting pro for runic thar, since my meta doesn't have that much storm and mding packmaster. it gives more slots for delver hate, how has everyone been finding it?

I have cut Progenitus from my sideboard and couldn't be happier. He won me maybe 3 games in my time playing elves before cutting him. Not to mention getting raced by a lingering souls token with a batterskull. I have been stranded with him in my hand way more times than he has even entered the battlefield. Packmaster is pretty good in the same match ups that I bring progenitus in
and is actually castable when drawn.

[trevaftw]

I main deck Packmaster currently and he is amazing. Fills the curve quite nicely. 3 mana is sage or GSZ for visionary/ooze. 4 mana is natural order, packmaster, or gsz for sage. 5 mana is GSZ for Wren's Run. 6 mana is ruric that. 7 is gsz for thar. 8 mana is hoof. 9 is gsz for hoof. Edric has been very underwhelming for me in the main so far. Probably will cut him and the trop for a second basic and go back to 60 cards. Also well probably switch back to 4 therapy 3 MBT in board compared to 4 duress 3 swan song

[ESG]

Do you draw it more than you statistically should?

Without a doubt. But who doesn't have that problem I suppose.

Don't trust the hydra.

[PaulJordan]

I'm interested in how prowess of the fair has worked out for you. It seems a bit slow, but I was curious what matchups you bring it in for?

It was a card I found while passing time in Gatherer one day and wanted to try it against removal heavy decks. I've only drawn it once so far and that was while 'going off' so it was irrelevant. It likely won't have staying power but you never know. I'll keep it around for a while to give it a longer chance and report back any news (positive or negative).

[Julian23]

It was a card I found while passing time in Gatherer one day and wanted to try it against removal heavy decks. I've only drawn it once so far and that was while 'going off' so it was irrelevant. It likely won't have staying power but you never know. I'll keep it around for a while to give it a longer chance and report back any news (positive or negative).

Bouncing it with Wirewood Symbiote in response to Decay should be a lot of fun :P

[PaulJordan]

Bouncing it with Wirewood Symbiote in response to Decay should be a lot of fun :P

If they're targeting the Prowess instead of the Symbiote we're probably in good shape.

[Julian23]

Streaming the Legacy DE with #Elves! Join us at http://twitch.tv/itsJulian ! #NewOverlayHype

[Havoc]

Jullian your choice in music is awesome

[Togores]

My cousin asked me:

why the fuck are you hearing the spice girls?

used to rock, heavy metal and so, its quite strange XD

[D@N]

what was that mess you were playing with wall of foots sin collectors, etc.?????

also how was meeting my friend james hsu? heard you guys got your beer on.

[uncletiggy]

Im curious what matchups does progenitus come in that worldspine worm doesnt. What im trying to find out is how necessary is prog really anymore could that slot be better used. Im looking at empyriarcal angel and thinking it looks more appealing. Any thoughts?

[ESG]

Decks that play Swords to Plowshares but not Terminus. I don't run Progenitus anymore, but he traditionally comes in against decks that can't interact with a huge hydra with protection. Death and Taxes used to be the place where he shined the most, but he's not as good now that Council's Judgment exists.