I started playing Magic during Onslaught block, so morph has always had a special place in my heart: it was the first complicated deck, and the first semi-control deck I ever built! I've been trying to put together a commander deck that succeeds on the back of morph, but it's been rough going. Thus, here I am.
The direction I was trying to go with the deck was to get down some mysterious morph creatures and start building up Animar early, then use morph creatures for some surprise control or utility, until I can get to one of the above combos to get ahead for the game. I would like it to run as a sort of toolbox, but I don't know which tutors I should be using...I want creatures going to my hand, not play most of the time, so things like Chord of Calling felt out of place here, although they can grab me some of the important non-morph dudes (Seedborn Muse, Soul of the Harvest, Primordial Sage, Ixidor, Reality Sculptor, Trophy Mage (to then tutor up a combo piece), or I guess Vesuvan Shapeshifter (he'll turn down next upkeep anyway). On the whole, the deck has been too slow, and spends too much time doing nothing, particularly after a board wipe. It's also [i]very[i] mana-hungry until Seedborn comes out (really wish Prophet of Kruphix wasn't banned)
As such, I could use some feedback on ways to improve the deck's speed and/or resiliency.
...tried following the directions in the "Cardtag Explanation" thread, but was getting a blank list. Finally realized I had to add line breaks, but still can't seem to get card type headers for each group (creature, land, etc...)
In a recent game, I made some observations:
Group Hug card draw is a poor return, since everyone else has better card value--Rites of Flourishing definitely helped everyone more than me.
Need more basic lands, fewer nonbasics Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir is better than Vedalken Orrery in this deck
Weird Harvest won me the game! Had the Soggy Pickles combo and Ainok Survivalist in the graveyard; Tangleroot and Animar in play with 5 counters on it, but turned into an island with Imprisoned in the Moon. Harvested for 5=Seedborn Muse, Den Protector, Voidmage Apprentice, Weaver of Lies (to reset everything back on my next turn), Nantuko Vigilante. Played Vigilante facedown for 3, turned up to turn Animar back into a creature, then played Protector morphed for free, turned up to return Vesuvan Shapeshifter, played that morphed for free, turned up to copy the Protector to return Brine Elemental, played that facedown, and used my one remaining Forest and the floating G I had from Tangleroot to play Seedborn Muse. Beginning of the next player's upkeep, flipped Brine (he got his upkeep, but I had counter magic w/ Voidmage for anything really dangerous).
Considering Earthcraft or Cryptolith Rite since my creatures don't generally care if they're tapped or not. Obviously, the former would probably be stronger in the deck, since I can play a creature for free, then tap it to net a mana, whereas the Rite requires my guys to wait around a turn, or pushes me to include ways of giving my team haste, but it has a pretty hefty price tag.
Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger is also a consideration, since mana doublers help this deck a lot, and he also helps slow down opponents, but he's expensive to cast if I don't have a built-up Animar on board already.
I was considering adding some Group Hug land fetchers like Collective Voyage, Magus of the Vineyard, New Frontiers, or Tempt with Discovery. Maybe Mind's Aglow as well--the deck needs more cheap, big card draw. Also thinking about Burgeoning, but can't decide if it would be better or worse than Exploration for me. I feel like it runs the risk of not doing anything if no one else is playing lands, plus it doesn't help me play spells on my turn.
Also, think I need to drop most of the nonbasic, non-utility lands for basics. I'm just wondering how much it will hurt my chances of getting Animar down early.
I agree about Oracle of Mul Daya, try Vizier of the Menagerie instead, it would probably work a lot better if you are concerned about others knowing what you draw. Plus, you can morph them right from the top of your deck with the Vizier!
I started playing Magic during Onslaught block, so morph has always had a special place in my heart: it was the first complicated deck, and the first semi-control deck I ever built! I've been trying to put together a commander deck that succeeds on the back of morph, but it's been rough going. Thus, here I am.
The direction I was trying to go with the deck was to get down some mysterious morph creatures and start building up Animar early, then use morph creatures for some surprise control or utility, until I can get to one of the above combos to get ahead for the game. I would like it to run as a sort of toolbox, but I don't know which tutors I should be using...I want creatures going to my hand, not play most of the time, so things like Chord of Calling felt out of place here, although they can grab me some of the important non-morph dudes (Seedborn Muse, Soul of the Harvest, Primordial Sage, Ixidor, Reality Sculptor, Trophy Mage (to then tutor up a combo piece), or I guess Vesuvan Shapeshifter (he'll turn down next upkeep anyway). On the whole, the deck has been too slow, and spends too much time doing nothing, particularly after a board wipe. It's also [i]very[i] mana-hungry until Seedborn comes out (really wish Prophet of Kruphix wasn't banned)
As such, I could use some feedback on ways to improve the deck's speed and/or resiliency.
I was considering adding some Group Hug land fetchers like Collective Voyage, Magus of the Vineyard, or Tempt with Discovery.
1 Tomb of the Spirit Dragon (the life gain has been relevant)
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Wooded Foothill
1 Grand Coliseum
1 Zoetic Cavern
1 Alchemist's Refuge (may cut; has been useful only rarely, and the rest of the time its a colorless nonbasic)
1 Opal Palace
1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
1 Stomping Ground
1 Breeding Pool
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Temple of Abandon
1 Temple of Mystery
1 Command Tower
1 Frontier Bivouac
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Blighted Woodland
4 Mountain
8 Forest
5 Island
1 Chromeshell Crab
1 Temur War Shaman (haven't gotten to actually play him)
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Sylvan Caryatid
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Master of the Veil
1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
1 Willbender
1 Thousand Winds
1 Deathmist Raptor
1 Ixidor, Reality Sculptor
1 Icefeather Aven
1 Bonethorn Valesk (has been useful on occasion to remove some utility creatures)
1 Dwarven Blastminer (won me one game where he came down early and only other relevant player had nothing but nonbasics to start)
1 Echo Tracer
1 Trophy Mage (tutors for some combo pieces)
1 Ixidron (reset my guys, turn off EVERYONE ELSE'S CREATURES! All-Star)
1 Eternal Witness
1 Primordial Sage
1 Akroma, Angel of Fury (ehhh)
1 Skirk Alarmist
1 Mischievous Quanar
1 Jeering Instigator
1 Oracle of Mul Daya (not sure I want to be revealing my cards this much)
1 Mistfire Weaver
1 Rattleclaw Mystic
1 Soul of the Harvest
1 Den Protector
1 Weaver of Lies
1 Nantuko Vigilante
1 Brine Elemental
1 Voidmage Apprentice
1 Seedborn Muse
1 Ainok Survivalist
1 Kheru Spellsnatcher
1 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
1 Cloudstone Curio
1 Sword of Fire and Ice (Animar ends up with protection from everything but green and colorless)
1 Tangleroot (a lot of value when playing creatures for 0)
1 Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1 Zendikar Resurgent
1 Equilibrium
1 Rites of Flourishing (probably going to drop)
1 Opposition
1 Secret Plans
1 Exploration
1 Trail of Mystery (this has been super-good for me)
1 Heroic Intervention
1 Worldly Tutor
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Beast Within
1 Curse of the Swine
1 Rampant Growth
1 Search for Tomorrow
1 Farseek
1 Hull Breach
1 Cultivate
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Glimpse of Nature
1 Time Reversal (graveyard reset, draw some gas, and can be used after a Weird Harvest to get rid of everything everyone else drew once I've played out my hand)
1 Weird Harvest
Combos
Tangleroot + Lifecrafter's Bestiary : Play a creature, draw a card
Tangleroot + Equilibrium : Play a creature, bounce a creature
Animar w/3+ counters + Cloudstone Curio + 2 morph creatures: infinitely big Animar
Combine the above w/ 1 of: Glimpse of Nature, Zendikar Resurgent, Soul of the Harvest,or Primordial Sage to draw your deck
Add Purphuros, God of the Forge to kill the table
Soggy Pickles: Brine Elemental + Vesuvan Shapeshifter : opponents never get another untap step again for 1U on each of your turns
In a recent game, I made some observations:
Group Hug card draw is a poor return, since everyone else has better card value--Rites of Flourishing definitely helped everyone more than me.
Need more basic lands, fewer nonbasics
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir is better than Vedalken Orrery in this deck
Weird Harvest won me the game! Had the Soggy Pickles combo and Ainok Survivalist in the graveyard; Tangleroot and Animar in play with 5 counters on it, but turned into an island with Imprisoned in the Moon. Harvested for 5=Seedborn Muse, Den Protector, Voidmage Apprentice, Weaver of Lies (to reset everything back on my next turn), Nantuko Vigilante. Played Vigilante facedown for 3, turned up to turn Animar back into a creature, then played Protector morphed for free, turned up to return Vesuvan Shapeshifter, played that morphed for free, turned up to copy the Protector to return Brine Elemental, played that facedown, and used my one remaining Forest and the floating G I had from Tangleroot to play Seedborn Muse. Beginning of the next player's upkeep, flipped Brine (he got his upkeep, but I had counter magic w/ Voidmage for anything really dangerous).
Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger is also a consideration, since mana doublers help this deck a lot, and he also helps slow down opponents, but he's expensive to cast if I don't have a built-up Animar on board already.
I was considering adding some Group Hug land fetchers like Collective Voyage, Magus of the Vineyard, New Frontiers, or Tempt with Discovery. Maybe Mind's Aglow as well--the deck needs more cheap, big card draw. Also thinking about Burgeoning, but can't decide if it would be better or worse than Exploration for me. I feel like it runs the risk of not doing anything if no one else is playing lands, plus it doesn't help me play spells on my turn.
I agree about Oracle of Mul Daya, try Vizier of the Menagerie instead, it would probably work a lot better if you are concerned about others knowing what you draw. Plus, you can morph them right from the top of your deck with the Vizier!
I would run Earthcraft instead of Opposition.
Harvest Season, Traverse the Outlands, Verdant Confluence, and Boundless Realms can help with the ramp. Of the group hug ones I'd only run Tempt with Discovery.
That's what I'd recommend for a more casual Animar morph deck. He's a whole different story if you want to tune him higher. Hope this helps!