Sorry for the delay in updating on cards from recent sets, life has been kinda crazy last couple months. So a bit behind but the last three sets reviewed.
Battle for Zendikar
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar - seems like a really powerful planeswalker, much like Elspeth, Knight-Errant. He may beat her out for the slot since burning him to get a permanent Glorious Anthem seems stronger than the buff Elspeth gives with her second ability. Elspeth has a strong ultimate but without doubling season it just dosen't happen, although she is a useful magnet for removal for that same reason. For now he will be taking her spot.
Retreat to Emeria - this card doesn't seem bad, reminds me of an enchantment version of Emeria Angel in one mode but has the ability to do a field wide buff. I think it's to little of an effect for the cost but its not a bad card overall.
Emeria Shepherd - this card is really strong but at 7 mana I want to be playing finishers and this is more of a setup card. In the right deck she would be crazy but I don't think this deck has room for her.
Omnath, Locus of Rage - the tokens he makes are really strong and for 1 more he may be worth swapping Rampaging Baloths for. His tokens are bigger and have a nice effect when they die if he sticks around.
Hedron Archive - if I ran more rocks this may be worth it but at 4 it will ramp me to 7 the next turn which while nice isn't worth the turn. Soild rock but no room for it with the current curve.
Blighted Woodland - strong utility on land, I will find a land slot for it and test it out.
Canopy Vista and Cinder Glade - the new lands are interesting and I think I will try and make room for them but not sure which lands I'm cutting yet.
Magic Origins
Archangel of Tithes - A nice defense buff that also makes it even harder to block swarms of creatures. Might need to try and find a spot for her.
Gideon's Phalanx - an interesting effect but for 7 I feel like its to expensive.
Tragic Arrogance - seems worth it for a board wipe since I can leave my best stuff and rebuild quickly, seems like it may be meta dependent, I may try in place of Hour of Reckoning.
Evolutionary Leap - Seems interesting but I'm not sure what to pull out to test it, maybe Eladamri's Call since they both dig for creatures. While call gets me one I really want I can possible dig a few out with leap.
Dragons of Tarkir
Shaman of Forgotten Ways - His first effect is ok since I can use it to play Rith quicker and it curvers nicley, him turn 3 then her turn 4. Also with just him and Rith out I become able to use his second ability. So a mana dork that can help finish the game off. It's hard to judge as 11 mana is a really high cost but the effect seems strong.
Dragonlord Dromoka - the Grand Abolisher effect is nice and so is her power and toughness but it's not an effect I feel this deck really needs
Dragon Whisperer - if it did more by itself I'd say it would be worth it but it's just a 2/2 with fairly weak abilities if I can't turn it on. 6 mana for a 4/4 token is not bad but I don't think she is worth a slot.
Secure the Wastes - first card in a long time that I would say that is an auto include. Only though choice to make is weather I cut white sun zenith for it or run both.
Descent of the Dragons - a way to turn tiny tokens into huge threats, with a haste outlet this could easily be a game ender but it requires a good board state and to many times I think it would just wiff. I'll be passing on it but it is nice that you can use it to remove things your opponents have as well.
Impact Tremors - a light version of Purphoros, God of the Forge for half the cost. For a combo deck this would be great but the difference between 1 damage a creature and 2 is huge and Purphoros' pump abilty has closed out games
for me before.
I will be working on a list of what I am actually swapping out in the next few days and then I will post changes to the deck. Please let me know if you feel like I missed any of the cards from the last few sets that you think would work well here.
Thanks for the reply. Akroma's Memorial is a really solid buff to go in for the finish but I've found that Eldrazi Monument's buff and granting indestructible is more powerful and cheaper to cast. Tempt with Vengeance is a really solid token maker but at least in my meta there are quite a few decks that can abuse the tokens as well as I can and when i tested it I had a few people turn the fact I gave them tokens on me pretty hard. If your meta does not take the offer often or has decks that can't make great use of the tokens it can be a solid swap in for Secure the wastes or a backup of that effect. Primal Vigor is a solid backup to Doubling Season, but in the end Parallel Lives is cheaper and safer. While lives does not double the counters most of the time that effect of Primal Vigor and Doubling Season is not relevant. Grand Abolisher is a nice utility card but he dosen't seem to make a huge difference in most of my plays since most of what I use has immediate impact or would need to make it around the table anyway. Slate of Ancestry is a really good draw engine when you have a decent board but I found it way to dead of a draw after a wrath or when I was behind, for a heavy draw I would almost run Shamanic Revelation over Slate of Ancestry since it's only 5 mana to get card draw over 8. Birds of Paradise is a good mana dork but the current decks curve feels just about right and I don't feel like I need more ramp.
Commander 2015 Bloodspore Thrinax - This card is a little all in for my tastes but I can't deny the huge buff it can give all new tokens, not sure it will make the cut but seems worth testing. Ezuri's Predation - This is an insane card, a token spell that can remove chump and utility creatures seems insanely strong, even better with a token doubler out. I think this will definitely make the cut but I do need to find a place for it. Pathbreaker Ibex - This little creature is kinda crazy and reminds me of Thunderfoot Baloth better in someways but worse in others. Overall he can give a buff with or without Rith on the board and will normally buff for at least +3/+3 and with Rith out will normally buff for +6/+6 which blows Baloth out of the water. Downside is he has to attack for any buff at all and without a way to give him haste I can't drop him and have everything else that is out get a buff. Overall he seems stronger than Baloth but I will be testing to see if he deserves that spot.
Battle for Zendikar
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar - seems like a really powerful planeswalker, much like Elspeth, Knight-Errant. He may beat her out for the slot since burning him to get a permanent Glorious Anthem seems stronger than the buff Elspeth gives with her second ability. Elspeth has a strong ultimate but without doubling season it just dosen't happen, although she is a useful magnet for removal for that same reason. For now he will be taking her spot.
Retreat to Emeria - this card doesn't seem bad, reminds me of an enchantment version of Emeria Angel in one mode but has the ability to do a field wide buff. I think it's to little of an effect for the cost but its not a bad card overall.
Emeria Shepherd - this card is really strong but at 7 mana I want to be playing finishers and this is more of a setup card. In the right deck she would be crazy but I don't think this deck has room for her.
Omnath, Locus of Rage - the tokens he makes are really strong and for 1 more he may be worth swapping Rampaging Baloths for. His tokens are bigger and have a nice effect when they die if he sticks around.
Hedron Archive - if I ran more rocks this may be worth it but at 4 it will ramp me to 7 the next turn which while nice isn't worth the turn. Soild rock but no room for it with the current curve.
Blighted Woodland - strong utility on land, I will find a land slot for it and test it out.
Canopy Vista and Cinder Glade - the new lands are interesting and I think I will try and make room for them but not sure which lands I'm cutting yet.
Magic Origins
Archangel of Tithes - A nice defense buff that also makes it even harder to block swarms of creatures. Might need to try and find a spot for her.
Gideon's Phalanx - an interesting effect but for 7 I feel like its to expensive.
Tragic Arrogance - seems worth it for a board wipe since I can leave my best stuff and rebuild quickly, seems like it may be meta dependent, I may try in place of Hour of Reckoning.
Evolutionary Leap - Seems interesting but I'm not sure what to pull out to test it, maybe Eladamri's Call since they both dig for creatures. While call gets me one I really want I can possible dig a few out with leap.
Dragons of Tarkir
Shaman of Forgotten Ways - His first effect is ok since I can use it to play Rith quicker and it curvers nicley, him turn 3 then her turn 4. Also with just him and Rith out I become able to use his second ability. So a mana dork that can help finish the game off. It's hard to judge as 11 mana is a really high cost but the effect seems strong.
Dragonlord Dromoka - the Grand Abolisher effect is nice and so is her power and toughness but it's not an effect I feel this deck really needs
Haven of the Spirit Dragon - a decent land that can be any color for casting Rith or Dragon Broodmother and a nice way to recur them as well.
Dragon Whisperer - if it did more by itself I'd say it would be worth it but it's just a 2/2 with fairly weak abilities if I can't turn it on. 6 mana for a 4/4 token is not bad but I don't think she is worth a slot.
Secure the Wastes - first card in a long time that I would say that is an auto include. Only though choice to make is weather I cut white sun zenith for it or run both.
Descent of the Dragons - a way to turn tiny tokens into huge threats, with a haste outlet this could easily be a game ender but it requires a good board state and to many times I think it would just wiff. I'll be passing on it but it is nice that you can use it to remove things your opponents have as well.
Impact Tremors - a light version of Purphoros, God of the Forge for half the cost. For a combo deck this would be great but the difference between 1 damage a creature and 2 is huge and Purphoros' pump abilty has closed out games
for me before.
I will be working on a list of what I am actually swapping out in the next few days and then I will post changes to the deck. Please let me know if you feel like I missed any of the cards from the last few sets that you think would work well here.
RGW Rith, the Awakener
BRG Prossh, Skyraider of Kher
UBR Nicol Bolas
GWU Treva, the Renewer
RWU Numot, the Devastator
+Shaman of Forgotten ways - good ramp with a nice secondary effect
+Thunderfoot Baloth - gives evasion and pump to the entire board
+Secure the Wastes - cheap instant speed token generator
+Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury - makes tokens that ramps, acts as removal, and can draw cards
+Xenagos, the Reveler - makes decent tokens and gives tons of ramp
+Canopy Vista - fetchable dual
+Reflecting Pool - rainbow land
+Windswept Heath - finally added the last fetch I needed
+Savannah - added the last dual I needed
+Ancient Tomb - the life loss does not even come close to making this fair
+Haven of the Spirit Dragon - color fixing for my general as well as a way to get her back a bit cheaper late game
-Sundering Growth - less artifact and enchantment threats in my meta as of late
-Vandalblast - less heavy artifact threats in my meta as of late
-Selesnya Guildmage - not bad but a little on the slow side
-Garruk Wildspeaker - strong but only Stronger than Xenagos, the Reveler if Gaea's Cradle is out
-Plains - mana base tweaking
-Evolving Wilds - moving away from come into play tap lands
-Rith's Grove - the tempo loss isn't worth the color fixing
-Rupture Spire - moving away from come into play tap lands
-Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion - strong buff but to expensive
-Forest - mana base tweaking
-Jungle Shrine - moving away from come into play tap lands
Also I'm working on getting a copy of Omnath, Locus of Rage who is going to replace Rampaging Baloths. Also I'm going to see how Canopy Vista runs and if I like it I will be getting a copy of Cinder Glade and the RW tango land when they make it.
RGW Rith, the Awakener
BRG Prossh, Skyraider of Kher
UBR Nicol Bolas
GWU Treva, the Renewer
RWU Numot, the Devastator
Thanks for the reply.
Akroma's Memorial is a really solid buff to go in for the finish but I've found that Eldrazi Monument's buff and granting indestructible is more powerful and cheaper to cast.
Tempt with Vengeance is a really solid token maker but at least in my meta there are quite a few decks that can abuse the tokens as well as I can and when i tested it I had a few people turn the fact I gave them tokens on me pretty hard. If your meta does not take the offer often or has decks that can't make great use of the tokens it can be a solid swap in for Secure the wastes or a backup of that effect.
Primal Vigor is a solid backup to Doubling Season, but in the end Parallel Lives is cheaper and safer. While lives does not double the counters most of the time that effect of Primal Vigor and Doubling Season is not relevant.
Grand Abolisher is a nice utility card but he dosen't seem to make a huge difference in most of my plays since most of what I use has immediate impact or would need to make it around the table anyway.
Slate of Ancestry is a really good draw engine when you have a decent board but I found it way to dead of a draw after a wrath or when I was behind, for a heavy draw I would almost run Shamanic Revelation over Slate of Ancestry since it's only 5 mana to get card draw over 8.
Birds of Paradise is a good mana dork but the current decks curve feels just about right and I don't feel like I need more ramp.
Commander 2015
Bloodspore Thrinax - This card is a little all in for my tastes but I can't deny the huge buff it can give all new tokens, not sure it will make the cut but seems worth testing.
Ezuri's Predation - This is an insane card, a token spell that can remove chump and utility creatures seems insanely strong, even better with a token doubler out. I think this will definitely make the cut but I do need to find a place for it.
Pathbreaker Ibex - This little creature is kinda crazy and reminds me of Thunderfoot Baloth better in someways but worse in others. Overall he can give a buff with or without Rith on the board and will normally buff for at least +3/+3 and with Rith out will normally buff for +6/+6 which blows Baloth out of the water. Downside is he has to attack for any buff at all and without a way to give him haste I can't drop him and have everything else that is out get a buff. Overall he seems stronger than Baloth but I will be testing to see if he deserves that spot.
RGW Rith, the Awakener
BRG Prossh, Skyraider of Kher
UBR Nicol Bolas
GWU Treva, the Renewer
RWU Numot, the Devastator
Arachnogenesis
No Craterhoof behemoth? Seems like the best finisher you could ask for.
No Sylvan Library of Survival of the fittest? Staples in any green deck.
How do you feel about Dryad Arbor?
Strip Mine??
Flagstones of Trokair is just a better plains. Unless you play against a lot of Blood Moon like effects.
No Sensei's Divining Top or Worldly Tutor??
Titania, Protector of Argoth is solid value with the added bonus of mass land destruction protection. I throw her in all my green decks now. I'd highly recommend giving her a try.