4. You appear to have a large number (too many) pod enders. (That's things which don't give you value when the ETB or LTB)
5. Beast Within seems terrible for you without a way to get rid of the beast tokens. Why not tinker with something like Mortarpod / Nightshade Peddler, since that plays well with Glissa?
7. Your deck appears to be chronically lacking in removal. Currently you have.... Skinrender and 2 Beast Within? That does not seem like anywhere enough in the current meta. Given you have Glissa I think that you want 2 or more Ratchet Bombs MD.
I personally also run Oblivion Rings, Fiend Hunter and werewolves (for when they flip) as additional removal.
Vorapede and Massacre Wurm do not play well together due to their mana requirements, as tifo says.
And since the wurm is basically your only black card, why not just cut it (Wurmcoil is nearly as good an anti-aggro card) and make your manabase much better?
Just noticed that you have a 5 colour pod deck. My deck is the same, except for the black It's basically a GW shell splashing Phantasmal Image and Huntmaster in it.
Key differences from yours:
1. Better mana (particularly Razorverge Thicket)
2. Blade Splicer > Strangleroot Geist vs aggro decks. And now with the printing of Pillar of Flame, I think it's better vs control decks too.
3. 3 drops.
4. More removal. Fiend Hunter and Oblivion Ring are not exciting, but sometimes they are what you need to get the job done.
5. A much lower curve. You have 4 titans and six (!) five drops. That will result in lots of clunky hands. I have Gavnoy Township as a manasink when I have an 'all creatures' draw, which I find gives me much more game when I don't curve out perfectly (something to do when flipping werewolves too).
6. A better manabase. With 12 T1 green sources, and Rampant Growths, I think I will be much more likely to be able to hardcast my spells. I ran junk for a long time and the manabase was my biggest concern (that, and getting run over by aggro decks)
I hope this doesn't come across as flaming. It's intended as constructive criticism.
I hope this is the right place for my decklist, I can't post in the competetive section yet and don't want to create a new thread. I've been running Spiritpod for a few weeks now and have some mild success. Would like some help on fixing it up.
T1: Thicket, BoP
T2: Island, Pod
T3: Hinterland, Stangleroot (pod it out) for Captain, swing 4.
T4: Image (Captain), Pod out Bop for Image (Captain), swing 10.
Nimble, this is the right place. I like your list, although I would make some tweaks.
1. Midnight Haunting has synergy with Dragskol Captain and nothing else. I think it's a win-more card (since presumably you are winning if you have a captain down).
2. Dungeon Geists is Excellent. In a spirits deck I think I would run 4 of him.
3. Llanowar Elves seem better than Avacyn's Pilgrim to help support strangleroot geist.
4. The UW lands seem superfluous,particularly seachrome coast. You don't need early white of blue. You MUST have early green. I would make all of your manafixers produce G on one side.
5. I tried Tower Geists (admittedly in a non spirits build) and it was underwhelming.
6. More removal?
7. The 2nd Sun Titan seems worse than the first Wurmcoil or Frostie (who lets you play Jumanji).
8. I'm underwhelmed by Stormbound Geist, but you need more 3s you can pod out of. Maybe a 2nd copy?
this deck is all about getting a geralf's messenger out, killing him and blinking him without remorse. ideally one should play messenger(dealing 2 damage), pod him (dealing 2 damage), bring in restoration angel, which blinks messenger(dealing 2 damage), atacking (dealing 3-6 damage) and poding again (dealing 4 damage) and so on. sideboard pending, I'm thinking about filling it with bombs depending on the situation.
Thoughts? Critiques? I really want to make this playable and good
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Decks
Standard GRWsilly humaansGW
7-3-0
Commander REdjhoira of the ghittuBlUE
this deck is all about getting a geralf's messenger out, killing him and blinking him without remorse. ideally one should play messenger(dealing 2 damage), pod him (dealing 2 damage), bring in restoration angel, which blinks messenger(dealing 2 damage), atacking (dealing 3-6 damage) and poding again (dealing 4 damage) and so on. sideboard pending, I'm thinking about filling it with bombs depending on the situation.
Thoughts? Critiques? I really want to make this playable and good
pod deck has so few slots for cards, so Abundant Growth is not worth it, I would use rampant growth instead.
Terminus has negative synergy to your concept,even DoJ is better than this.
You also need check your curve again, your curve is a bit high, easily ended up nothing to do till turn 4 .Fill more 1~3 drops in would help building early denfense.(Don't expect cast BBB easily before turn 5, it will be hard.)
Ok, I made some tweaks since I was envisaging much more wolf-run, and my splicer build is really soft to Slagstorm. Plus I wanted to have more in the titan matchup.
I made these changes:
Out -> In
2 Avacyn's Pilgrim -> 2 Llanowar Elves
1 Phantasmal Image -> 1 Strangleroot Geist
1 Rampant Growth -> 1 Strangleroot Geist
1 Blade Splicer -> 1 Borderland Ranger (this is to offset the loss of Rampant Growth as a fixer)
1 Wing Splicer -> 1 Restoration Angel (basically since it survives slagstorm. Wing Splicer is a betterpod target)
SB 1 Mimic Vat -> 1 Sword of Feast and Famine (more likely to give value vs
SB 1 Mimic Vat -> 1 Frost Titan
Round 1 vs a new player
Who was playing a starter deck.
2-0.
Round 2 vs GR aggro
Gavony Township and Blade Splicer were the stuff vs him.
SB plan:
+ 1 Daybreak Ranger
+ 2 Celestial Purge
- 1 Zealous Conscripts
- 1 Birthing Pod
- 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
2-0
Round 3 vs Esper tokens
I mulled to 5 in both games I lost. The games weren't anything much, so I think that the key takeaway from this match was whether
a: It was a mistake to remove the third Rampant Growth from my list
b: Whether the four colour build is just too unstable
c: I shuffled my deck properly
d: Whether I should just chalk this one up to variance
I think that A and B can be discounted since the nature of the hands was me drawing only zero or one land in my seven and six card hands, eventually keeping 1 land, Bird hands in each case. He killed my bird each time and I was never in either game.
It IS possibly that I insufficiently randomised my deck. I think I need to get into the habit of riffle shuffling my deck multiple times before each game. That or it was just variance.
SB plan:
+ 3 Ratchet Bomb
+ 1 Corrosive Gale
+ 1 Daybreak Ranger
+ 1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
- 2 Blade Splicer
- 2 Strangleroot Geist
- 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
- 1 Green Sun's Zenith
1-2
Round 4 vs mono-B Infect
Nothing much to say, his deck wasn't any good. Blade Splicers and Acidic Slimes stopped his deck from doing anything.
2-0
Thoughts about the deck:
1. Restoration Angel was not significantly better than Wing Splicer (in fact it was worse on the night since I podded away from it several times and got little value from it). I am on the fence for this one since I want to test it vs Wolf Run to see how it affects that matchup.
2. I feel like I would like another Acidic Slime in my SB, since it's good vs control AND vs half the aggro decks. Perhaps I should just run a 2nd MD instead of Zealous Conscripts?
3. Strangleroot Geist was not awesome for me (since I don't play to 'win now'). I think I want the 4th Blade Splicer more than the 3rd SRG.
I think that I will undo some of the changes for the next time, with these:
Out -> In
2 Llanowar Elves -> 2 Avacyn's Pilgrim
1 Strangleroot Geist -> 1 Blade Splicer
1 Strangleroot Geist -> 1 Rampant Growth
1 Zealous Conscripts -> 1 Acidic Slime
Restoration Angel remains in there as a potential trick and to survive slagstorm.
I've been trying something a little bit different recently. It's a Bant Pod list but it's a throw back to Olivier Ruel's list pre-rotation. I really liked how that and the RUG Pod decks flowed and they haven't felt that way since.. After being utterly disappointed in Restoration Angel I've been trying a more dig type of list. The only time I ever wanted Restoration Angel was when I wanted something to survive Slagstorm.. and if I was going for that I might as well play Indomitable Archangel or something. I probably should find room for a removal spell or 2 but I'm not sure if it's always needed if you play the board out. I definitely see stuff in the sideboard but I'm unsure if you really need to account for T2 Sword all the time. I haven't worked out a sideboard yet but basically this is the plan. I admit I've only been testing this list for the last 3-4 or so hours so it's pretty rough, but I'm starting to find what I like. I haven't really played pod since rotation, nor have I been keeping up with the threads and tech for it, so hopefully this isn't completely ridiculous. The Stonehorn Dignitary probably isn't good enough. It's been clutch in a lot of games I've been testing but then again maybe something else would be as well.
@Ryan
I like your list (it is very similar to my own). However, there are several factors I would comment on.
1. Your manabase is extremely sketchy. You only have 12 green sources from lands (compared to 17 in my list). So I think you might struggle go get enough green to play a mana bug consistently every game, let alone SRG. Cavern of Souls is not a card that I had considered for us, since we need lots of different colours and creature types (I guess you would name human). Cavern of Souls is very interesting tech. Please let me know how it turned out for you.
2. Abundant Growth vs Rampant Growth. The format is so fast that I think that you don't want the cantrip over the ramping spell. Plus with the manabase thing, I think I will be casting rampant growth more consistently.
3. Venser. I tried him, and he just seemed clunky, ala Unburial Rites. If I have 5 mana to waste, I want to spend it on Gavony Township. I am using Green Sun's Zenith in this slot, since I think it is much better (getting a bird on T2 if you need the mana/ramp, getting a huntmaster late vs aggro,and a slime vs control).
4. Stonehorn. I tried this guy and he was definitely ok. However, in the matchups where I wanted him (primarily tokens) I have drifted towards Ratchet Bomb as being my answer. Stonehorn might be the correct choice for the final 4 slot (that I have been trying out Dungeon Geists, Wing Splicer and Restoration Angel with). Food for thought.
5. Ponder seem so bad with just a single island in your deck to rawdog with. 4 colour decks struggle with consistency, so including cards (that act to make your deck more consistent) that you can only cast consistently if you have already solved your manabase needs seems like questionable logic.
6. I tried Tower Geist very briefly and was unimpressed. Solemn Simulacrum seems like it's a million times better.
@UndeadDiplomacy
No, that's a terrible idea. It's a possible SB card if you are on the trinket mage plan.
@Ryan
I like your list (it is very similar to my own). However, there are several factors I would comment on.
1. Your manabase is extremely sketchy. You only have 12 green sources from lands (compared to 17 in my list). So I think you might struggle go get enough green to play a mana bug consistently every game, let alone SRG. Cavern of Souls is not a card that I had considered for us, since we need lots of different colours and creature types (I guess you would name human). Cavern of Souls is very interesting tech. Please let me know how it turned out for you.
2. Abundant Growth vs Rampant Growth. The format is so fast that I think that you don't want the cantrip over the ramping spell. Plus with the manabase thing, I think I will be casting rampant growth more consistently.
3. Venser. I tried him, and he just seemed clunky, ala Unburial Rites. If I have 5 mana to waste, I want to spend it on Gavony Township. I am using Green Sun's Zenith in this slot, since I think it is much better (getting a bird on T2 if you need the mana/ramp, getting a huntmaster late vs aggro,and a slime vs control).
4. Stonehorn. I tried this guy and he was definitely ok. However, in the matchups where I wanted him (primarily tokens) I have drifted towards Ratchet Bomb as being my answer. Stonehorn might be the correct choice for the final 4 slot (that I have been trying out Dungeon Geists, Wing Splicer and Restoration Angel with). Food for thought.
5. Ponder seem so bad with just a single island in your deck to rawdog with. 4 colour decks struggle with consistency, so including cards (that act to make your deck more consistent) that you can only cast consistently if you have already solved your manabase needs seems like questionable logic.
6. I tried Tower Geist very briefly and was unimpressed. Solemn Simulacrum seems like it's a million times better.
I'm not surprised you mentioned the mana base..It's actually what led me back to pod. I had been working on green heavy greedy mana bases that I felt could benefit from Abundant Growth and Pod seemed like the poster boy as it both would benefit from the cantrip as the lack of intrinsic hand based CA has been in my opinion a shortcoming since rotation. I played this deck for Sea Gate Oracle back in the day.
I will address the non-mana issues first. Venser hasn't been great I agree.. Most of the time he's been overrun in my testing.. I usually gain value for a turn or 2, then -1 and win. I haven't ultimated him once and I used to fairly often so obviously things have changed. I think this is due to Strangleroot Geist/Blade Splicer though. The early aggression of the deck is considerably higher than the Sylvan Ranger, Wall of Omens, Sea Gate Oracle days where it was Vengevine at 4 where you really started getting the beats. That's fine though cause I find bouncing Blade Splicer and Gavony Township for a turn or 2.. is enough to pretty much make his -1 win through anything. I could just Gavony right away, but often all that would do is make me lose a couple Strangleroot Geists from upticking first. This lets you really control out on board without investing any more cards in hand. Abundant Growth bouncing is just a way to get more Value from him if needed.
Stonehorn Dignitary was a card I cut from my old Bant lists as I hated the lock with Vensor.. so durdle with people playing Dismember to take out Deciever Exarch. It's a bit better now but it still dies to a lot. What I like it for is sometimes it gives me the hail mary.. pod into it.. to save yourself for a turn to stabilize on board.. Podding into Zealous Conscript usually is anti-synergistic (since they have all their blockers out) but if I can survive their attack now it usually gives me the opening for Zealous Conscript. It's a bit like a fetchable fog. Of course they don't get all tapped, but it leaves more room to maneuver. I'm not sure it's good enough truthfully. I would like a 4 that survives Slagstorm. I think I'd take Obstinate Baloth over Huntmaster if I could have him. The Morbid guy at 5 is at the wrong point in the curve.
Tower Geist, is a throw back to Sea Gate if not as good. He does get in for more damage and blocks 1/1 fliers. I was debating Solemn, and maybe I should replace 1 of these with a 4 that survives Slagstorm but I find at that point in the game where I want a 4 it's typically not to ramp 5-6.. it's to find specific things. It might be to find a land admittedly, but after a certain point I find these decks always flood out (since they don't need mana to play a lot of their spells). This is the reason they tend to be greedier on mana. The velocity I think is worth more than the pure value Solemn brings. Solemn sees just as many cards and you get both of them, but Tower Geist is more immediate and gives you the option of not grabbing the land immediately. If you notice I don't even play a basic Plains in my deck. Playing Rampant Growth, and Solemn would force me into playing the off color basics. I have an Island but that is for a specific reason.
Ponder is the weakest inclusion with only 5 T1 Blue sources (1 Island + 4 Seachrome Coast). I haven't effectly figured out how make this more other than state that Ponder isn't a T1 play often in this deck since you want GGWU typically manawise in that order. I would like 10 T1 Blue sources, but it can't happen. This is something I have to deal with.
However, I have no problem with my green sources really, other than I think perhaps those Avacyn's Pilgrims perhaps should be Llanowar Elves, but more on that in a second. The thing is T1 Green matters when it comes to playing dorks, and I think 12 is sufficient.. for the 17 G sources you play 12 them are T1. So having the mana for Dorks is even here. If you count Cavern naming Human I have the potential for 14 T1 G where Pilgrim is concerned. That is a small matter. Having GG is still tough I agree without the bird surviving. That makes Llanowar seem better. Cavern naming Spirit isn't bad in the deck mind you since I have the Tower Geist in Blue as well.. so that brings my base land blue/green to 7 and 14 in the right scenarios. I do name Humans more often with Cavern mind you to get sufficient red for Zealous Conscript and Huntmaster but I have other ways to get them in play and of course Abundant Growth.
Which is the reason I have been looking at this at all really.. If you consider those 4 basically give me 1 of any color and the cantrip the sources look a lot better. If my land base without Cavern is 12G, 8W, and 5 Blue... and with Cavern on Human/Spirit 14G, 10W, 7U, 2R potentially Abundant Growth makes these numbers 18G, 14W, 11U, 6R. Which is respectable. Add birds/pilgrim to the mix as half sources and you get in the world where they survive (not against Delver, Zombies or Wolf Run) 20G, 18W, 13U, 8R..
Unfortunately the one thing Abundant Growth doesn't give me is GG on T2(neither does Rampant, but that is sort of beside the point I suppose).. It can give me WW, or even UU but not GG.. Since playing Forest, Abundant Growth T1, still means I need a 2nd green source. Which is why I think Llanowar is the way to go and I will be testing that today even if that lowers my Human count. I'm not really comparing it to Rampant Growth though. Since that would force me into more basics.. Perhaps I can cut a Gavony to 2 and add a Hinterland Harbor.. But the only reason I'm running an Island is for Borderland Ranger. Since my blue is lower than I want. Abundant Growth however is great with Pod mid game as you can cast it on an untapped land, draw a card and cast it. Where Rampant Growth loses value as the deck floods out..Your cut to 23 lands must recognize this fact given the curve. I might still just draw a land admittedly but at a certain point in the game it's pretty much the same thing. If I just wanted to always play the straight aggro game I would play a list like my Naya one, or GR.. but to justify the inclusion of this value game I figure velocity is better.. But I might just be lacking the cards (and blue mana to make this possible)..
Been working on a G/W/B pod list, and wanted to get some feedback. There's a similar list on the previous page, but my choices are sufficiently different that I wanted to make a new post.
Like that list, one of my ideal pod chains is Geist -> Messenger -> Restoration Angel to bounce the Messenger. I'm realistic about not being able to hardcast the Messengers before turn 4 or 5, so I'm only running two. Otherwise, I'm running what I feel like is pretty standard pod stuff in those colors, with a slight focus on the lower parts of the curve to keep the deck aggressive and maximize the value of that repeated damage from the Messengers.
I'd appreciate any feedback from people who have experience with similar lists, including feedback on the mana base, which seems okay but could probably be improved. I also haven't done a sideboard yet - I'm thinking that I'd want to be able to sideboard into a slower more control-ish gameplan with more Solemns, Blade Splicers, and some mass removal, but any advice on this is also helpful.
I've built an B/G undying-themed deck that uses the Birthing Pod for acceleration and some direct damage. The general strategy is to utilize the undying mechanic for card avantage, draw, and the Birthing Pod tutor, eventually finishing my opponent off with the Demonlord of Ashmouth and the Champion of Lambholt.
My desired Birthing Pod chain would be Strangleroot Geist -> Geralf's Messenger (x2) -> Demonlord of Ashmouth, using the second Geralf's Messenger as the sac outlet for the Demonlord, then using the Hex Parasite to clear the Messengers and do it again. Ideally that would be a 13 damage minimum in a two-turn span, assuming the Demonlord makes it through. When combined with the Champion of Lambholt charging up every time I play a creature or sac/return my undying, I should be able to ensure that my attackers go unblocked.
I went through several iterations of this deck until Avacyn Restored came out--I was having tons of mana issues and couldn't finish anybody off. The deck finally came together with the addition of the Abundant Growth and the Demonlord of Ashmouth, giving me the last bit of mana-fixing and a finishing threat. The recent inclusion Champion of Lambholt has also improved my ability to keep all my threats relevant through the mid- and late-games.
The manabase is pretty much set--20 lands and 8 fixers has served me well so far, but critiques on other aspects would be greatly appreciated. It still feels a bit slow at times.
@Signaltonoise: Please sort your creature base by CMC, not by colour (since that's what's relevant in a pod deck). Is Demonlord of Ashmouth really the most powerful thing you want to be doing? Glissa, the Traitor or Grave Titan / Massacre Wurm / Sheoldred seem more compelling.
I'd appreciate any feedback from people who have experience with similar lists, including feedback on the mana base, which seems okay but could probably be improved.
I ran Jank for quite a while. In the end it got hoofed for not being good enoguh vs the aggro decks, plus, the unstable mana. The way to break the manabase down is to categorise your mana needs as:
T1 Green Sources - you need AT least 10 green sources, ideally something like 14
Green Sources
White Sources
Black Sources
Where if the most colour intensive card in a colour costs C,then you need 10 sources. CC means you must have 14 sources, and CCC means you need 18 sources.
I'd count Evolving Wilds,Viridian Emissary, Solemn Simulacram etc as 0.5 of a source, and BoP, GSZ,Pilgrim, Razorverge Thicket etc as a full source of each colour they could fix.
I would run a minimum number of basics as the coloured mana for the spells in the colour (e.g. 2 plains for Elesh Norn,3 Swamps for Massacre Wurm etc). There is nothing worse than having your only two swamps in play, Massacre Wurm in your hand and being able to pod up Solemn, but not having a third swamp.
I also haven't done a sideboard yet - I'm thinking that I'd want to be able to sideboard into a slower more control-ish gameplan with more Solemns, Blade Splicers, and some mass removal, but any advice on this is also helpful.
Actually, I think you want the Blade Splicers MD. They are the nutter butters vs aggro but are only middling vs control.
Feedback on your deck:
1. I really love Gavony Township, as an extra mana sink. That lets me avoid having too bloated a top end, while having something to do with the mana when the games go long (of course, with township, they don't go too long).
2. Tragic Slip is good, but I like Green Sun's Zenith in that slot. It gives you more birds early, and more slimes late.
3. I have not been a big fan of Restoration Angel. She is merely 'ok' in my book. Not good enough to run two copies of.
4. Geist Honored Monk is better than either Archon or the 2nd slime.
5. Geralf's Messenger seems terrible in this deck. Other than the geists (which you will be very lucky to be able to play on T2 with your manabase) you are a durdly midrange deck. I think that the card does not fit what you are trying to do with the deck. I would want 4 Blade Splicer and 1 Fiend Hunter and a Glissa before casting around for more 3s. Plus it's a very awkward card to draw naturally.
6. 4 Razorverge Thicket is correct. Accept no substitutes.
7. One thing I like to do is make sure that I have one decent option vs aggro and vs control and vs utility at each option.
for example, vs control I can go Blade Splicer -> Solemn -> Slime, Phantasmal Image (copy Slime) -> Sun Titan (return PI, copy Sun Titan, return something else)
vs Aggro I can go Blade Splicer -> Huntmaster - Geist Honored Monk -> Wurmcoil Engine
I see that you have decent alternatives at the titan range (since Grave Titan is a decent finisher vs control). Would you care to map out your default paths for the aggro/control matchups?
I've been working on a BUG list, still requires a bit of testing. I know the color scheme is probably just inferior to naya or RUG, but I prefer not to play what is currently top tier.
I don't really how to give feedback for a deck that is actively trying not to be 'top tier'.
What does your deck do? What are the unfair interactions that make it a better choice than aggro, control, or a different midrange deck? Why are you running an artifact shell, but not including Grand Architect? Why are you running blue, but not running the best blue card (Phantasmal Image)? What do you feel are your good matchups? What matchups need more help?
Played RUG pod in game day. We had about 15 or so people.
Only lost to naya pod in finals (beat this person during round 2). It just came down to what we drew I guess lol.
Didn't get to Navi blink like I wanted to, but Captain was awesome multiple chains untapping pod. Any feedback welcomed...
Played RUG pod in game day. We had about 15 or so people.
Only lost to naya pod in finals (beat this person during round 2). It just came down to what we drew I guess lol.
Didn't get to Navi blink like I wanted to, but Captain was awesome multiple chains untapping pod. Any feedback welcomed...
How was leak&captain?I really worried the mana might be to tight to tap/untap...
I also went to GD with RUG pod for some fun,kinda tired with naya pod.
I won some matches against delver/RG , lost to ramp.
Overall this build is worse against delver& ramp,and probably boros...but vs other archetypes ,RUG is slightly better imo.
Btw I indeed enjoyed navigator trick ......1 of best game is I recovered from opponent's T4 Elesh, then lock his threat with navigator & frost titan....
"Overall this build is worse against delver& ramp"
Those are the two main decks in the format, no? I mean, them, plus GR aggro and Tokens are the decks to beat.
Well , I think some tweak will be needed for ramp & delver.
Against ramp, it lack some replacement for huntmaster,no hero really hurts...but G1 is actually better than naya imo...
Against delver, G1 was bad for me ......but after SB it became better ...
Just brewed this up, please tell me what you guys think.
e.g.
4 Birds of Paradise
2. If you run blue, you should have Phantasmal Image in there. That card is the entire reason to run blue.
3. I think that Massacre Wurm and Grave Titan are better than Primeval Titan in your deck
4. You appear to have a large number (too many) pod enders. (That's things which don't give you value when the ETB or LTB)
5. Beast Within seems terrible for you without a way to get rid of the beast tokens. Why not tinker with something like Mortarpod / Nightshade Peddler, since that plays well with Glissa?
6. You seem to be very soft to decks with lots of flyers (aka lingering souls / moorland haunt)
7. Your deck appears to be chronically lacking in removal. Currently you have.... Skinrender and 2 Beast Within? That does not seem like anywhere enough in the current meta. Given you have Glissa I think that you want 2 or more Ratchet Bombs MD.
I personally also run Oblivion Rings, Fiend Hunter and werewolves (for when they flip) as additional removal.
No 3 drops,yay for built-in broken chain.
Besides,manabase is very poor.
Without pod in play,this can't survive any popular archtype.
And since the wurm is basically your only black card, why not just cut it (Wurmcoil is nearly as good an anti-aggro card) and make your manabase much better?
Just noticed that you have a 5 colour pod deck. My deck is the same, except for the black It's basically a GW shell splashing Phantasmal Image and Huntmaster in it.
2 Avacyn's Pilgrim
3 Phantasmal Image
1 Strangleroot Geist
4 Blade Splicer
1 Daybreak Ranger
1 Fiend Hunter
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Wing Splicer
1 Acidic Slime
1 Zealous Conscripts
1 Geist-Honored Monk
1 Sun Titan
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
2 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Oblivion Ring
3 Rampant Growth
2 Gavony Township
8 Forest
4 Razorverge Thicket
2 Sunpetal Grove
3 Hinterland Harbor
2 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Island
1 Acidic Slime
1 Sylviok Replica
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Celestial Purge
3 Ratchet Bomb
2 Mimic Vat
1 Karn Liberated
1 Corrosive Gale
1 Daybreak Ranger
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Key differences from yours:
1. Better mana (particularly Razorverge Thicket)
2. Blade Splicer > Strangleroot Geist vs aggro decks. And now with the printing of Pillar of Flame, I think it's better vs control decks too.
3. 3 drops.
4. More removal. Fiend Hunter and Oblivion Ring are not exciting, but sometimes they are what you need to get the job done.
5. A much lower curve. You have 4 titans and six (!) five drops. That will result in lots of clunky hands. I have Gavnoy Township as a manasink when I have an 'all creatures' draw, which I find gives me much more game when I don't curve out perfectly (something to do when flipping werewolves too).
6. A better manabase. With 12 T1 green sources, and Rampant Growths, I think I will be much more likely to be able to hardcast my spells. I ran junk for a long time and the manabase was my biggest concern (that, and getting run over by aggro decks)
I hope this doesn't come across as flaming. It's intended as constructive criticism.
2 Avacyn's Pilgrim
4 Strangleroot Geist
3 Phantasmal Image
4 Drogskul Captain
1 Stormbound Geist
2 Dungeon Geist
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Tower Geist
2 Acidic Slime
1 Geist Honored Monk
2 Sun Titan
1 Elesh Norn
4 Midnight Haunting
1 Creeping Renaissance
4 Razorverge Thicket
3 Seachrome Coast
2 Glacial Fortress
4 Hinterland Harbor
2 Sunpetal Grove
4 Forest
2 Island
1 Plains
2 Moorland Haunt
1 Gavony Township
Had this line of play the other night
T1: Thicket, BoP
T2: Island, Pod
T3: Hinterland, Stangleroot (pod it out) for Captain, swing 4.
T4: Image (Captain), Pod out Bop for Image (Captain), swing 10.
Some games it just doesn't flow though
1. Midnight Haunting has synergy with Dragskol Captain and nothing else. I think it's a win-more card (since presumably you are winning if you have a captain down).
2. Dungeon Geists is Excellent. In a spirits deck I think I would run 4 of him.
3. Llanowar Elves seem better than Avacyn's Pilgrim to help support strangleroot geist.
4. The UW lands seem superfluous,particularly seachrome coast. You don't need early white of blue. You MUST have early green. I would make all of your manafixers produce G on one side.
5. I tried Tower Geists (admittedly in a non spirits build) and it was underwhelming.
6. More removal?
7. The 2nd Sun Titan seems worse than the first Wurmcoil or Frostie (who lets you play Jumanji).
8. I'm underwhelmed by Stormbound Geist, but you need more 3s you can pod out of. Maybe a 2nd copy?
this deck is all about getting a geralf's messenger out, killing him and blinking him without remorse. ideally one should play messenger(dealing 2 damage), pod him (dealing 2 damage), bring in restoration angel, which blinks messenger(dealing 2 damage), atacking (dealing 3-6 damage) and poding again (dealing 4 damage) and so on. sideboard pending, I'm thinking about filling it with bombs depending on the situation.
Thoughts? Critiques? I really want to make this playable and good
Standard
GRWsilly humaansGW
7-3-0
Commander
REdjhoira of the ghittuBlUE
pod deck has so few slots for cards, so Abundant Growth is not worth it, I would use rampant growth instead.
Terminus has negative synergy to your concept,even DoJ is better than this.
You also need check your curve again, your curve is a bit high, easily ended up nothing to do till turn 4 .Fill more 1~3 drops in would help building early denfense.(Don't expect cast BBB easily before turn 5, it will be hard.)
What do people think we should to to improve the matchup?
I'm thinking I should move back more towards Strangleroot Geist, and maybe a 2nd Acidic Slime...
I made these changes:
Out -> In
2 Avacyn's Pilgrim -> 2 Llanowar Elves
1 Phantasmal Image -> 1 Strangleroot Geist
1 Rampant Growth -> 1 Strangleroot Geist
1 Blade Splicer -> 1 Borderland Ranger (this is to offset the loss of Rampant Growth as a fixer)
1 Wing Splicer -> 1 Restoration Angel (basically since it survives slagstorm. Wing Splicer is a betterpod target)
SB 1 Mimic Vat -> 1 Sword of Feast and Famine (more likely to give value vs
SB 1 Mimic Vat -> 1 Frost Titan
2 Llanowar Elves
2 Phantasmal Image
3 Strangleroot Geist
3 Blade Splicer
1 Daybreak Ranger
1 Fiend Hunter
1 Borderland Ranger
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Restoration Angel
1 Acidic Slime
1 Zealous Conscripts
1 Geist-Honored Monk
1 Sun Titan
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
2 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rampant Growth
2 Gavony Township
8 Forest
4 Razorverge Thicket
2 Sunpetal Grove
3 Hinterland Harbor
2 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Island
1 Acidic Slime
1 Sylviok Replica
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Celestial Purge
3 Ratchet Bomb
1 Frost Titan
1 Karn Liberated
1 Corrosive Gale
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Daybreak Ranger
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Round 1 vs a new player
Who was playing a starter deck.
2-0.
Round 2 vs GR aggro
Gavony Township and Blade Splicer were the stuff vs him.
SB plan:
+ 1 Daybreak Ranger
+ 2 Celestial Purge
- 1 Zealous Conscripts
- 1 Birthing Pod
- 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
2-0
Round 3 vs Esper tokens
I mulled to 5 in both games I lost. The games weren't anything much, so I think that the key takeaway from this match was whether
a: It was a mistake to remove the third Rampant Growth from my list
b: Whether the four colour build is just too unstable
c: I shuffled my deck properly
d: Whether I should just chalk this one up to variance
I think that A and B can be discounted since the nature of the hands was me drawing only zero or one land in my seven and six card hands, eventually keeping 1 land, Bird hands in each case. He killed my bird each time and I was never in either game.
It IS possibly that I insufficiently randomised my deck. I think I need to get into the habit of riffle shuffling my deck multiple times before each game. That or it was just variance.
SB plan:
+ 3 Ratchet Bomb
+ 1 Corrosive Gale
+ 1 Daybreak Ranger
+ 1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
- 2 Blade Splicer
- 2 Strangleroot Geist
- 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
- 1 Green Sun's Zenith
1-2
Round 4 vs mono-B Infect
Nothing much to say, his deck wasn't any good. Blade Splicers and Acidic Slimes stopped his deck from doing anything.
2-0
Thoughts about the deck:
1. Restoration Angel was not significantly better than Wing Splicer (in fact it was worse on the night since I podded away from it several times and got little value from it). I am on the fence for this one since I want to test it vs Wolf Run to see how it affects that matchup.
2. I feel like I would like another Acidic Slime in my SB, since it's good vs control AND vs half the aggro decks. Perhaps I should just run a 2nd MD instead of Zealous Conscripts?
3. Strangleroot Geist was not awesome for me (since I don't play to 'win now'). I think I want the 4th Blade Splicer more than the 3rd SRG.
I think that I will undo some of the changes for the next time, with these:
Out -> In
2 Llanowar Elves -> 2 Avacyn's Pilgrim
1 Strangleroot Geist -> 1 Blade Splicer
1 Strangleroot Geist -> 1 Rampant Growth
1 Zealous Conscripts -> 1 Acidic Slime
Restoration Angel remains in there as a potential trick and to survive slagstorm.
2 Avacyn's Pilgrim
2 Phantasmal Image
1 Strangleroot Geist
4 Blade Splicer
1 Daybreak Ranger
1 Fiend Hunter
1 Borderland Ranger
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Restoration Angel
2 Acidic Slime
1 Geist-Honored Monk
1 Sun Titan
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
4 Birthing Pod
2 Green Sun's Zenith
2 Oblivion Ring
3 Rampant Growth
8 Forest
4 Razorverge Thicket
2 Sunpetal Grove
3 Hinterland Harbor
2 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Island
vs tokens
3 Ratchet Bomb
2 Celestial Purge
2 Ancient Grudge
1 Sylviok Replica
1 Acidic Slime
1 Frost Titan
1 Karn Liberated
1 Corrosive Gale
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Daybreak Ranger
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Does anybody have any thoughts on the proposed deck (or anything else relating to this post?)
4 Razorverge Thicket
4 Seachrome Coast
8 Forest
1 Island
2 Cavern of Souls
3 Gavony Township
Spells(12):
4 Abundant Growth
2 Ponder
4 Birthing Pod
2 Venser, the Sojourner
4 Birds of Paradise
2 Avacyn's Pilgrim
3 Strangleroot Geist
2 Phantasmal Image
3 Blade Splicer
1 Fiend Hunter
1 Borderland Ranger
2 Tower Geist
1 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Stonehorn Dignitary
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Acidic Slime
1 Zealous Conscript
1 Sun Titan
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
GWU Knightfall Modern
UW Tempo Legacy
UGR Burning Wish Cobra Vintage
I like your list (it is very similar to my own). However, there are several factors I would comment on.
1. Your manabase is extremely sketchy. You only have 12 green sources from lands (compared to 17 in my list). So I think you might struggle go get enough green to play a mana bug consistently every game, let alone SRG. Cavern of Souls is not a card that I had considered for us, since we need lots of different colours and creature types (I guess you would name human). Cavern of Souls is very interesting tech. Please let me know how it turned out for you.
2. Abundant Growth vs Rampant Growth. The format is so fast that I think that you don't want the cantrip over the ramping spell. Plus with the manabase thing, I think I will be casting rampant growth more consistently.
3. Venser. I tried him, and he just seemed clunky, ala Unburial Rites. If I have 5 mana to waste, I want to spend it on Gavony Township. I am using Green Sun's Zenith in this slot, since I think it is much better (getting a bird on T2 if you need the mana/ramp, getting a huntmaster late vs aggro,and a slime vs control).
4. Stonehorn. I tried this guy and he was definitely ok. However, in the matchups where I wanted him (primarily tokens) I have drifted towards Ratchet Bomb as being my answer. Stonehorn might be the correct choice for the final 4 slot (that I have been trying out Dungeon Geists, Wing Splicer and Restoration Angel with). Food for thought.
5. Ponder seem so bad with just a single island in your deck to rawdog with. 4 colour decks struggle with consistency, so including cards (that act to make your deck more consistent) that you can only cast consistently if you have already solved your manabase needs seems like questionable logic.
6. I tried Tower Geist very briefly and was unimpressed. Solemn Simulacrum seems like it's a million times better.
@UndeadDiplomacy
No, that's a terrible idea. It's a possible SB card if you are on the trinket mage plan.
I'm not surprised you mentioned the mana base..It's actually what led me back to pod. I had been working on green heavy greedy mana bases that I felt could benefit from Abundant Growth and Pod seemed like the poster boy as it both would benefit from the cantrip as the lack of intrinsic hand based CA has been in my opinion a shortcoming since rotation. I played this deck for Sea Gate Oracle back in the day.
I will address the non-mana issues first. Venser hasn't been great I agree.. Most of the time he's been overrun in my testing.. I usually gain value for a turn or 2, then -1 and win. I haven't ultimated him once and I used to fairly often so obviously things have changed. I think this is due to Strangleroot Geist/Blade Splicer though. The early aggression of the deck is considerably higher than the Sylvan Ranger, Wall of Omens, Sea Gate Oracle days where it was Vengevine at 4 where you really started getting the beats. That's fine though cause I find bouncing Blade Splicer and Gavony Township for a turn or 2.. is enough to pretty much make his -1 win through anything. I could just Gavony right away, but often all that would do is make me lose a couple Strangleroot Geists from upticking first. This lets you really control out on board without investing any more cards in hand. Abundant Growth bouncing is just a way to get more Value from him if needed.
Stonehorn Dignitary was a card I cut from my old Bant lists as I hated the lock with Vensor.. so durdle with people playing Dismember to take out Deciever Exarch. It's a bit better now but it still dies to a lot. What I like it for is sometimes it gives me the hail mary.. pod into it.. to save yourself for a turn to stabilize on board.. Podding into Zealous Conscript usually is anti-synergistic (since they have all their blockers out) but if I can survive their attack now it usually gives me the opening for Zealous Conscript. It's a bit like a fetchable fog. Of course they don't get all tapped, but it leaves more room to maneuver. I'm not sure it's good enough truthfully. I would like a 4 that survives Slagstorm. I think I'd take Obstinate Baloth over Huntmaster if I could have him. The Morbid guy at 5 is at the wrong point in the curve.
Tower Geist, is a throw back to Sea Gate if not as good. He does get in for more damage and blocks 1/1 fliers. I was debating Solemn, and maybe I should replace 1 of these with a 4 that survives Slagstorm but I find at that point in the game where I want a 4 it's typically not to ramp 5-6.. it's to find specific things. It might be to find a land admittedly, but after a certain point I find these decks always flood out (since they don't need mana to play a lot of their spells). This is the reason they tend to be greedier on mana. The velocity I think is worth more than the pure value Solemn brings. Solemn sees just as many cards and you get both of them, but Tower Geist is more immediate and gives you the option of not grabbing the land immediately. If you notice I don't even play a basic Plains in my deck. Playing Rampant Growth, and Solemn would force me into playing the off color basics. I have an Island but that is for a specific reason.
Ponder is the weakest inclusion with only 5 T1 Blue sources (1 Island + 4 Seachrome Coast). I haven't effectly figured out how make this more other than state that Ponder isn't a T1 play often in this deck since you want GGWU typically manawise in that order. I would like 10 T1 Blue sources, but it can't happen. This is something I have to deal with.
However, I have no problem with my green sources really, other than I think perhaps those Avacyn's Pilgrims perhaps should be Llanowar Elves, but more on that in a second. The thing is T1 Green matters when it comes to playing dorks, and I think 12 is sufficient.. for the 17 G sources you play 12 them are T1. So having the mana for Dorks is even here. If you count Cavern naming Human I have the potential for 14 T1 G where Pilgrim is concerned. That is a small matter. Having GG is still tough I agree without the bird surviving. That makes Llanowar seem better. Cavern naming Spirit isn't bad in the deck mind you since I have the Tower Geist in Blue as well.. so that brings my base land blue/green to 7 and 14 in the right scenarios. I do name Humans more often with Cavern mind you to get sufficient red for Zealous Conscript and Huntmaster but I have other ways to get them in play and of course Abundant Growth.
Which is the reason I have been looking at this at all really.. If you consider those 4 basically give me 1 of any color and the cantrip the sources look a lot better. If my land base without Cavern is 12G, 8W, and 5 Blue... and with Cavern on Human/Spirit 14G, 10W, 7U, 2R potentially Abundant Growth makes these numbers 18G, 14W, 11U, 6R. Which is respectable. Add birds/pilgrim to the mix as half sources and you get in the world where they survive (not against Delver, Zombies or Wolf Run) 20G, 18W, 13U, 8R..
Unfortunately the one thing Abundant Growth doesn't give me is GG on T2(neither does Rampant, but that is sort of beside the point I suppose).. It can give me WW, or even UU but not GG.. Since playing Forest, Abundant Growth T1, still means I need a 2nd green source. Which is why I think Llanowar is the way to go and I will be testing that today even if that lowers my Human count. I'm not really comparing it to Rampant Growth though. Since that would force me into more basics.. Perhaps I can cut a Gavony to 2 and add a Hinterland Harbor.. But the only reason I'm running an Island is for Borderland Ranger. Since my blue is lower than I want. Abundant Growth however is great with Pod mid game as you can cast it on an untapped land, draw a card and cast it. Where Rampant Growth loses value as the deck floods out..Your cut to 23 lands must recognize this fact given the curve. I might still just draw a land admittedly but at a certain point in the game it's pretty much the same thing. If I just wanted to always play the straight aggro game I would play a list like my Naya one, or GR.. but to justify the inclusion of this value game I figure velocity is better.. But I might just be lacking the cards (and blue mana to make this possible)..
GWU Knightfall Modern
UW Tempo Legacy
UGR Burning Wish Cobra Vintage
Like that list, one of my ideal pod chains is Geist -> Messenger -> Restoration Angel to bounce the Messenger. I'm realistic about not being able to hardcast the Messengers before turn 4 or 5, so I'm only running two. Otherwise, I'm running what I feel like is pretty standard pod stuff in those colors, with a slight focus on the lower parts of the curve to keep the deck aggressive and maximize the value of that repeated damage from the Messengers.
I'd appreciate any feedback from people who have experience with similar lists, including feedback on the mana base, which seems okay but could probably be improved. I also haven't done a sideboard yet - I'm thinking that I'd want to be able to sideboard into a slower more control-ish gameplan with more Solemns, Blade Splicers, and some mass removal, but any advice on this is also helpful.
4 Woodland Cemetery
3 Sunpetal Grove
3 Evolving Wilds
4 Forest
3 Swamp
2 Plains
3 Razorverge Thicket
CMC 1: 6(Mana dorks)
4 Birds of Paradise
2 Llanowar Elves
4 Strangleroot Geist
2 Viridian Emissary
CMC 3: 3
2 Geralf's Messenger
1 Blade Splicer
CMC 4: 5
2 Restoration Angel
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Skinrender
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
CMC 5: 3
2 Acidic Slime
1 Archon of Justice
1 Grave Titan
1 Massacre Wurm
1 Sun Titan
CMC 7: 1
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
4 Birthing Pod
3 Tragic Slip
2 Oblivion Ring
My desired Birthing Pod chain would be Strangleroot Geist -> Geralf's Messenger (x2) -> Demonlord of Ashmouth, using the second Geralf's Messenger as the sac outlet for the Demonlord, then using the Hex Parasite to clear the Messengers and do it again. Ideally that would be a 13 damage minimum in a two-turn span, assuming the Demonlord makes it through. When combined with the Champion of Lambholt charging up every time I play a creature or sac/return my undying, I should be able to ensure that my attackers go unblocked.
I went through several iterations of this deck until Avacyn Restored came out--I was having tons of mana issues and couldn't finish anybody off. The deck finally came together with the addition of the Abundant Growth and the Demonlord of Ashmouth, giving me the last bit of mana-fixing and a finishing threat. The recent inclusion Champion of Lambholt has also improved my ability to keep all my threats relevant through the mid- and late-games.
The manabase is pretty much set--20 lands and 8 fixers has served me well so far, but critiques on other aspects would be greatly appreciated. It still feels a bit slow at times.
8 Forest
8 Swamp
4 Woodland Cemetary
Mana-Fixing/Draw
4 Abundant Growth
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Altar's Reap
Creatures
3 Young Wolf
4 Strangleroot Geist
3 Champion of Lambholt
3 Geralf's Messenger
2 Demonlord of Ashmouth
3 Hex Parasite
4 Birthing Pod
Removal
4 Bonesplinters
2 Go for the Throat
4 Naturalize
3 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Hex Parasite
1 Geralf's Messenger
1 Demonlord of Ashmouth
2 Ratchet Bomb
I ran Jank for quite a while. In the end it got hoofed for not being good enoguh vs the aggro decks, plus, the unstable mana. The way to break the manabase down is to categorise your mana needs as:
T1 Green Sources - you need AT least 10 green sources, ideally something like 14
Green Sources
White Sources
Black Sources
Where if the most colour intensive card in a colour costs C,then you need 10 sources. CC means you must have 14 sources, and CCC means you need 18 sources.
I'd count Evolving Wilds,Viridian Emissary, Solemn Simulacram etc as 0.5 of a source, and BoP, GSZ,Pilgrim, Razorverge Thicket etc as a full source of each colour they could fix.
I would run a minimum number of basics as the coloured mana for the spells in the colour (e.g. 2 plains for Elesh Norn,3 Swamps for Massacre Wurm etc). There is nothing worse than having your only two swamps in play, Massacre Wurm in your hand and being able to pod up Solemn, but not having a third swamp.
Then 'solve' your manabase.
Actually, I think you want the Blade Splicers MD. They are the nutter butters vs aggro but are only middling vs control.
Feedback on your deck:
1. I really love Gavony Township, as an extra mana sink. That lets me avoid having too bloated a top end, while having something to do with the mana when the games go long (of course, with township, they don't go too long).
2. Tragic Slip is good, but I like Green Sun's Zenith in that slot. It gives you more birds early, and more slimes late.
3. I have not been a big fan of Restoration Angel. She is merely 'ok' in my book. Not good enough to run two copies of.
4. Geist Honored Monk is better than either Archon or the 2nd slime.
5. Geralf's Messenger seems terrible in this deck. Other than the geists (which you will be very lucky to be able to play on T2 with your manabase) you are a durdly midrange deck. I think that the card does not fit what you are trying to do with the deck. I would want 4 Blade Splicer and 1 Fiend Hunter and a Glissa before casting around for more 3s. Plus it's a very awkward card to draw naturally.
6. 4 Razorverge Thicket is correct. Accept no substitutes.
7. One thing I like to do is make sure that I have one decent option vs aggro and vs control and vs utility at each option.
for example, vs control I can go Blade Splicer -> Solemn -> Slime, Phantasmal Image (copy Slime) -> Sun Titan (return PI, copy Sun Titan, return something else)
vs Aggro I can go Blade Splicer -> Huntmaster - Geist Honored Monk -> Wurmcoil Engine
I see that you have decent alternatives at the titan range (since Grave Titan is a decent finisher vs control). Would you care to map out your default paths for the aggro/control matchups?
Creatures(29)
Birds of Paradise x4
Llanowar Elves x3
Viridian Emissary x2
Perilous Myr x1
Myr Superion x1
Spellskite x1
Strangleroot Geist x1
Somberwald Sage x1
Skaab Ruinator x1
Sylvok Replica x1
Glissa, the Traitor x1
Geralf's Messenger x1
Phyrexian Metamorph x2
Solemn Simulacrum x1
Skinrender x1
Tree of Redemption x1(debating huntmaster for this spot)
Acidic Slime x2
Precursor Golem x1
Massacre Wurm x1
Wurmcoil Engine x1
Myr Battlesphere x1
NON CR(8)
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas x3
Birthing Pod x4
Mimic Vat x1
LAND (23)
Darkslick Shores x2
Cavern of Souls x2
Alchemist's Refuge x1
Hinterland Harbor x2
Woodland Cemetery x3
Forest x7
Swamp x4
Island x2
SIDEBOARD
Entomber Exarch x1
Brutalizer Exarch x1
Ratchet Bomb x2
Tragic Slip x2
Viridian Corrupter x1
Mikaeus the Unhallowed x1
Surgical Extraction x2
Thrun, the Last Troll x1
Sheoldred, Whispering One x1
Glissa, the Traitor x1
Phantasmal Image x2
I'm still testing and would enjoy any feedback. I'm also considering upping the number of Tez's to 4, simply because he is a beast.
I don't really how to give feedback for a deck that is actively trying not to be 'top tier'.
What does your deck do? What are the unfair interactions that make it a better choice than aggro, control, or a different midrange deck? Why are you running an artifact shell, but not including Grand Architect? Why are you running blue, but not running the best blue card (Phantasmal Image)? What do you feel are your good matchups? What matchups need more help?
Only lost to naya pod in finals (beat this person during round 2). It just came down to what we drew I guess lol.
Didn't get to Navi blink like I wanted to, but Captain was awesome multiple chains untapping pod. Any feedback welcomed...
4 Copperline Gorge
4 Hinterland Harbor
2 Rootbound Crag
2 Sulfur Falls
5 Forest
3 Islands
2 Mountains
1 Kessig Wolf Run
1 Alchemist's Refuge
Spells:
3 Birthing Pod
1 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Mana Leak
1 Bonfire of the Damned
Creatures:
4 Birds of Paradise
2 Llanawar Elves
4 Strangleroot Geist
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Daybreak Ranger
1 Somberwald Sage
1 Captain of the Mists
2 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Dungeon Geist
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Acidic Slime
1 Wolfir Silverheart
1 Vorapede
1 Primeval Titan
1 Frost Titan
1 Inferno Titan
1 Deadeye Navigator
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 Act of Aggression
2 Flash Freeze
2 Negate
2 Autumn's Veil
1 Beast Within
How was leak&captain?I really worried the mana might be to tight to tap/untap...
I also went to GD with RUG pod for some fun,kinda tired with naya pod.
I won some matches against delver/RG , lost to ramp.
4 Copperline Gorge
4 Hinterland Harbor
1 Sulfur Falls
8 Forest
4 Islands
1 Mountains
1 Kessig Wolf Run
Spells:7
4 Birthing Pod
3 Ponder
Creatures:30
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Llanawar Elves
3 Strangleroot Geist
2 Phantasmal Image
1 Viridian Emissary
1 Aether adapt
2 Deceiver exarch
3 Huntmaster of the Fells
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Mist Raven
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Acidic Slime
1 Zealous Conscripts
1 Frost Titan
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Deadeye Navigator
Overall this build is worse against delver& ramp,and probably boros...but vs other archetypes ,RUG is slightly better imo.
Btw I indeed enjoyed navigator trick ......1 of best game is I recovered from opponent's T4 Elesh, then lock his threat with navigator & frost titan....
If I am going RUG again, my MD change would be
-1 deceiver exarch
+1 daybreak ranger
-1 Mist Raven
+1 Metamorph or Wing Splicer
-1 acidic slime
+1 wolfir silverheart
-1 wurmcoil engine
+1 deadeye navigator or inferno titan
Those are the two main decks in the format, no? I mean, them, plus GR aggro and Tokens are the decks to beat.
Well , I think some tweak will be needed for ramp & delver.
Against ramp, it lack some replacement for huntmaster,no hero really hurts...but G1 is actually better than naya imo...
Against delver, G1 was bad for me ......but after SB it became better ...
4 Birthing Pod
Creatures
4 Blood Artist
4 Diregraf Ghoul
1 Falkenrath Aristocrat
2 Fume Spitter
4 Geralf's Messenger
4 Gloom Surgeon
4 Gravecrawler
1 Perilous Myr
3 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Zealous Conscripts
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
3 Cavern of Souls
3 Dragonskull Summit
10 Swamp
3 Woodland Cemetary
1 Ratchet Bomb
4 Crypt Keeper
2 Manic Vandal
3 Phyrexian Obliterator
1 Zealous Conscripts
2 Sorin's Thirst
2 Liliana of the Veil
Thoughts? Has trouble with Wild Defiance Infect decks
Fires :symr:f Salvation