No SB at the moment, and cards like Perish can do a number when timed right. One thing I admire, especially in my meta, is the deck's ability to overcome removal with cards like Vines and the Ascetics.
I forgotten about tendrils! But most people in my area that run ANT also run Pact of Negation, so its probably countered. Could be useful against discard like Hymn, other than that, it still one for one.
I'll put this bluntly. If a really cool, unique guy went up to a normal girl, and is ugly, he's weird. if he goes up and is hot, then he's cool and unique.
Standard
It's like watching grass grow, except it's ridculously expensive.
Treefolk Harbinger is excellent at stabilizing manabase. Llanowar Augur is a Seal of Strength which also gives much needed trample. Rancor isn't as viable with Doran online.
Both serve as potential 3/3 beaters. Mother of Runes serves two rolls - a way to get past lingering defense and protection from spot removal.
Perhaps I don't run enough creatures, but the problem I have always found is that I did not have enough pump to win quickly (I don't always get pred + invigorate).
Perhaps I don't run enough creatures, but the problem I have always found is that I did not have enough pump to win quickly (I don't always get pred + invigorate).
First off, it's refreshing to see another mono-green build. One of the greatest things about going mono-colored is that it creates an incredibly consistent deck that generates virtual card advantage against any deck running wasteland. Although a lot of options in other colors look tempting (pridemage, swords, nacatl, loam lion, etc), I don't think they really add anything to the deck's main engine that green doesn't already do well enough. Its creatures are already big enough, and more over are specially chosen for their evasive abilities. Swords and other creature kill don't really matter when you just go around their creatures - I'd prefer to use that mana and card to kill my opponent faster. Swords would admittedly be nice to kill things like Bob, but I doubt it would resolve in most cases like that anyway.
However, you're definitely not running enough creatures. Here's what I've been running for a while now with some success - a couple of first places at ~20 man legacy tournaments (I won myself a Jace the Mind Sculptor last night) along with several 2nd and 3rd finishes. Not the most hardcore legacy crowd in the world, but a fair number of tier one decks always show up.
I'm probably gonna try out a 3/3 split of sprites and sentinels. Flying is very nice in match-ups with other aggro decks and when you see the occasional moat hit the board.
Anyway, all the pump in the world won't help you if you don't have creatures to use it on. Furthermore, it's absolutely essential to have a turn one drop. Even a swing for two damage on turn two, along with your opponent pinging himself for fetches and forces, can make a huge difference in the pump and berserk math later on. I've got 13 turn one creature drops, and sometimes that doesn't seem like enough. I'm pretty sure that the one drops I've listed up there are the best ones available for mono-green.
As for pump, Might is amazing and should never be less than a four of. Vines is incredible, because you can use it to save your guy from swords or other kill AND it can also be used as pump. Two mana makes it hard to use to combo out, but that's fine - just throw it on top of a 2/2 to hit your opponent for 6, making it much easier to kill with berserk later on. Alternatively, it's insurance for when you combo out with 3 or 4 mana available. Invigorate, as has already been discussed, is fantastic because of synergy with berserk and predator, and ability to hardcast it in slow games (and you will have plenty of slow games against control type decks). Seal is used over other available pump due to the ability to lay it down one turn and use it the next. Overall, I think these are the best pump spells. I still need to do some testing with the recent G +2/+2 pump with rebound (forget the name), but I don't think it's going to beat out Vines or Seal.
One of this deck's worst fears is Hymn. It simply can't afford the card disadvantage. This is also why I don't run Elvish Spirit Guide, Lotus Petal, or Vine Dryad. I'd much rather draw pump or a creature at pretty much any point in the game.
I have a favorable or even match-up with most of the major decks in my meta, such as Merfolk, Zoo, Elves, and Team America. Countertop is very tricky to play against, but fairly even after boarding in hexhunters and grips. Stompy decks that rely on tricks like chalice and trinisphere are murder game one, but fold to seeds of innocence after boarding. More testing is needed against Goblins, Stax, dredge, and other miscellaneous decks, but those matchups are at the very least winnable. Storm combo, on the other hand, is a very bad matchup, since it goes off so quickly.
But one card you run that I've thought about a bit is Sylvan Library. Intuitively it seems too slow to me, but I haven't yet obtained some for real testing. How has it been working out for you?
ps: This deck is worth playing simply for the joy of playing a Nettle Sentinel or something turn 1, having my opponent go "oh, so you're playing (bad) Elves?" and then running over his turn three Progenitus with a 20 power pit-skulk for the win.
I can't wait to be throwing some "Infect" creatures from Scars of Mirrodin in here this fall... hopefully! Does anyone else think this could be an amazing idea? (obviously with no spoilers yet, it's hard to guage, but if they make the infect creatures good like Mark Rosewater says they're going to, I think we'll be Berserking for poison counters very soon!)
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"Life is wonderful... but why??" Legacy:
Burn
:symr:(:symgb:) Goblins
:symu:(:symw:) Merfolk
:symg::symw::symr: Enchantress
:symg::symw::symr:(:symb:) Zoo
:symg::symw::symu: New Horizons
:symg::symw: Berserk Stompy
:symg::symb:(:symw:) Eva Green
:symg::symb: The Cure
Control
Infect is certainly temping. Even a 1/1 Infect for G would open up the window for turn two kills with a single Might/Invigorate and a single Berserk, which would happen a lot more frequently than our current turn two kill options.
The problem with Infect is that the creatures deal NO regular damage to a player. Instead, they deal damage directly in the form of poison counters. Hit a player with a 2/2 Infect creature when they are at 20 life and they get 2 poison counters, but remain at 20 life. Thus, Infect creatures lack synergy with our main victory condition - smashing our opponent down to zero life as quickly as possible.
To even be considered, an Infect creature would need to be low casting cast (1cc, possibly 2cc) and have evasion of some kind. Two power is also highly desirable, as that allows a kill with any two card combination of Berserk, Invigorate, and Might (except for two Berserks). And I just can't see that happening. Poison counters and evasion is too powerful of a combination for a low CC creature in a Standard environment with plenty of pump available.
Basically, since an Infect creature does not synergize with our other dudes, it needs to win the game by itself if it hits the table. A 2/x with Infect and Flying (or Ledgewalker fake flying) for GG might warrant testing. Anything less and I doubt I would even bother.
In other news, I've begun testing Mirri's Guile in the list I posted above. Results so far are inconclusive, but it's feeling good. It doesn't slow us down as much as Sylvan Library, which is good in the aggro matchup (where we probably can't afford the life cost for drawing anyway). A turn one Guile has been consistently strong, and a Guile in the opening hand makes almost any one land opening hand keepable on the play. I'll probably run it in the next local tournament and see what happens.
Infect is certainly temping. Even a 1/1 Infect for G would open up the window for turn two kills with a single Might/Invigorate and a single Berserk, which would happen a lot more frequently than our current turn two kill options.
The problem with Infect is that the creatures deal NO regular damage to a player. Instead, they deal damage directly in the form of poison counters. Hit a player with a 2/2 Infect creature when they are at 20 life and they get 2 poison counters, but remain at 20 life. Thus, Infect creatures lack synergy with our main victory condition - smashing our opponent down to zero life as quickly as possible.
To even be considered, an Infect creature would need to be low casting cast (1cc, possibly 2cc) and have evasion of some kind. Two power is also highly desirable, as that allows a kill with any two card combination of Berserk, Invigorate, and Might (except for two Berserks). And I just can't see that happening. Poison counters and evasion is too powerful of a combination for a low CC creature in a Standard environment with plenty of pump available.
Basically, since an Infect creature does not synergize with our other dudes, it needs to win the game by itself if it hits the table. A 2/x with Infect and Flying (or Ledgewalker fake flying) for GG might warrant testing. Anything less and I doubt I would even bother.
You make good points. I was hoping there would be enough cheap infect creatures to make an entire creaturebase out of them, but then that would cease to be "predator" stompy and become a deck on its own. Invigorate seems made for infect creatures (preferably a hasty infect creature)! Of course with no actual spoilers or anything we should probably wait to see what comes out of SoM... I kinda jumped the gun, I'm just more than a little intrigued at the prospect of an infected berserk deck, I'll probably test it once the set comes out.
"Life is wonderful... but why??" Legacy:
Burn
:symr:(:symgb:) Goblins
:symu:(:symw:) Merfolk
:symg::symw::symr: Enchantress
:symg::symw::symr:(:symb:) Zoo
:symg::symw::symu: New Horizons
:symg::symw: Berserk Stompy
:symg::symb:(:symw:) Eva Green
:symg::symb: The Cure
Control
You make good points. I was hoping there would be enough cheap infect creatures to make an entire creaturebase out of them, but then that would cease to be "predator" stompy and become a deck on its own. Invigorate seems made for infect creatures (preferably a hasty infect creature)! Of course with no actual spoilers or anything we should probably wait to see what comes out of SoM... I kinda jumped the gun, I'm just more than a little intrigued at the prospect of an infected berserk deck, I'll probably test it once the set comes out.
I really doubt there will be enough Legacy viable Infect weenies printed in Scars to support a full Legacy poison berserk deck, but I suppose it's possible. I'm pretty sure that if it does happen it will require branching into multiple colors, which opens up weaknesses. Also, Berserk isn't that great here, since +4 power pump will be better in almost every case when you only need to reach 10 power. In fact, Invigorate would be much better, since it would be literally free. Thus, this deck idea would be Legacy Infect Pump, which doesn't sound nearly as cool :<
I'm more interested in seeing if SoM brings any new aggressively costed evasion weenies to play with, aggressive pump, or new sideboard tech.
I think it is quite possible though. WotC usually prints 1-2 viable cards for legacy in the slew of standard cards. I don't know what I'd want more though...an infect creature with troll shroud or one with evasion... With 4 rancors and 4 berserks I'd probably say troll shroud. Or is both too much to ask for?
I think it is quite possible though. WotC usually prints 1-2 viable cards for legacy in the slew of standard cards. I don't know what I'd want more though...an infect creature with troll shroud or one with evasion... With 4 rancors and 4 berserks I'd probably say troll shroud. Or is both too much to ask for?
Definitely troll shroud... in my opinion it's very possible they could print a troll shrouded infect creature to considering Troll Ascetic was first printed in the original Mirrodin, perhaps he's contracted an "infection" in the time that's passed...:)
Here's hoping.
EDIT: Ichorclaw Myr was just spoiled... maybe it could fit? may-beeeeeeee??? eh, it's a 1/1 for 2 that self-pumps when blocked... it's certianly worth some testing maybe. especially in a deck with Lotus Petal and/or Elvish Spirit Guide.
I'll keep watching the spoilers, I'm still giddy for Infect and I think SoM is gonna be the best set evar!
"Life is wonderful... but why??" Legacy:
Burn
:symr:(:symgb:) Goblins
:symu:(:symw:) Merfolk
:symg::symw::symr: Enchantress
:symg::symw::symr:(:symb:) Zoo
:symg::symw::symu: New Horizons
:symg::symw: Berserk Stompy
:symg::symb:(:symw:) Eva Green
:symg::symb: The Cure
Control
I think infect will be good for the deck. It'll give an alternate way of winning. I hate the fact that it doesn't deal actual damage, but hey...only dealing 10 instead of dealing 20 is undeniably good?
Infect seems viable but I wouldn't bank on it all the way. I think you should keep Predators and other green powerhouses like Goyf. Using 4 Vector Asp gives the deck more angles of attack but going all in on Infected creatures seems a bit weak in my opinion.
I would splash black for giving the Asp Infect (giving you explosive draws that could put the opponent away on turn 2!) and you could play cards like Snuff Out to remove any annoying blockers while still having mana up to drop threats or pump your creatures for pressure. You should be able to outmuscle other aggro decks to make the drawback of paying 4 life acceptable and against control it's even more fine. With Snuff Out and Berserk we potentially have 8 creature-removal spells! Also, black gives the possibility of playing hand disruption to wreck combo decks or clearing the way for a Berserk kill. The GB decks also have a strategical advantage having access to removal that hits just about every card/zone in the format including creatures, enchantments, artifacts, lands, cards in hand, cards in the library and cards in the graveyard. This opens up powerful sideboarding options so we could start thinking about including cards like Maelstrom Pulse, Extirpate, Krosan Grip and Thoughtseize. This makes the mid-game a lot better and gives us a better post sideboard game against decks that will bring in cards that attack our gameplan A.
I think tempo is an important aspect of the game we're trying to play with this deck and the threat of Berserk gives the Stompy player some strategical advantage vs. removal spells. It will be risky to remove your creatures to gain tempo because you have the constant threat of ''going off'' with Berserk.
Thus, you will be playing the tempo game with the constant threat of winning on the spot. You don't need to pump your guys until you start to lose board presence and/or pressure. But by that time you should have your opponent in the danger zone where any combination of pumpspells gives you the win.
Green should have enough strong critters to build a solid army. This renders Wastelands useless. Catacombs gives the possibility to fetch a Swamp and Bayou can be found against decks that do not utilize Wastelands. I don't like it when my opponent gets to destroy a Plateau to make my Nacatl pathetic, making the trade almost a 2-for-1. This deck doesn't work with card advantage and so these types of trades hurt us too much. We also operate fine under Blood Moon effects because we should manage to get the Swamp (if needed) out before the Moon hits play and otherwise we will just kill the guy with our green guys/spells. Snuff Out is free so this doesn't even really count as a black card and will destroy a Magus if they manage to catch us off guard.
This is all written on a theoretical basis so testing would have to prove if I'm right or wrong. My friend is working a 4 Beta Berserk deal so he'll be building this deck and will be adding this to our gauntlet =D I'll be sure to keep an eye on this topic and post our findings.
The infect list is actually very strong, aggressive, and fast. The problem with the list is that it is more vulnerable, requiring 4 Vines of Vastwood main deck. The best part is it doesn't require berserk! It makes every pump in the deck extremely scary!
I've had huge success with it and people really don't expect it. It is a fun deck to play as well.
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4 Savannah
2 Forest
1 Plains
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Wild Nacatl
4 Troll Ascetic
4 Kavu Predator
4 Vexing Husher
1 Gaddock Teeg
4 Invigorate
4 Rancor
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Vines of Vastwood
2 Double Cleave
No SB at the moment, and cards like Perish can do a number when timed right. One thing I admire, especially in my meta, is the deck's ability to overcome removal with cards like Vines and the Ascetics.
I too have changed over from false cure to a more stompy approach.
Here is my list and I've been liking it:
12 Forests
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Polluted Delta
Artifacts:
2 Lotus Petal
Enchantments:
3 Sylvan Library
4 Seal of Strength
4 Rancor
4 Berserk
2 Vines of Vastwood
3 Might of Old Krosa
4 Invigorate
Creatures:
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Skarrgan Pit-Skulk
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
4 Kavu Predator
Perhaps I don't run enough creatures, but the problem I have always found is that I did not have enough pump to win quickly (I don't always get pred + invigorate).
First off, it's refreshing to see another mono-green build. One of the greatest things about going mono-colored is that it creates an incredibly consistent deck that generates virtual card advantage against any deck running wasteland. Although a lot of options in other colors look tempting (pridemage, swords, nacatl, loam lion, etc), I don't think they really add anything to the deck's main engine that green doesn't already do well enough. Its creatures are already big enough, and more over are specially chosen for their evasive abilities. Swords and other creature kill don't really matter when you just go around their creatures - I'd prefer to use that mana and card to kill my opponent faster. Swords would admittedly be nice to kill things like Bob, but I doubt it would resolve in most cases like that anyway.
However, you're definitely not running enough creatures. Here's what I've been running for a while now with some success - a couple of first places at ~20 man legacy tournaments (I won myself a Jace the Mind Sculptor last night) along with several 2nd and 3rd finishes. Not the most hardcore legacy crowd in the world, but a fair number of tier one decks always show up.
10 Forests
4 Verdant Catacombs
3 Misty Rainforest
Enchantments:
3 Seal of Strength
4 Rancor
4 Berserk
3 Vines of Vastwood
4 Might of Old Krosa
4 Invigorate
Creatures:
4 Nettle Sentinel
2 Scryb Sprites
3 Skarrgan Pit-Skulk
4 Skyshroud Elite
4 Silhana Ledgewalker
4 Kavu Predator
The board changes around a bit, but it's always a combination of Seeds of Innocence, Relic of Progenitus, Wheel of Sun and Moon, Elvish Hexhunter, Krosan Grip, Rushwood Legate, and Autumn's Veil. Recently I've removed the Legates entirely, they don't do enough to actually help in the match-ups where they come out. They were replaced with the Veils, which have been very nice so far in my admittedly limited testing. I also need to look into squeezing in some Reverent Silence, though I need to test that out too.
I'm probably gonna try out a 3/3 split of sprites and sentinels. Flying is very nice in match-ups with other aggro decks and when you see the occasional moat hit the board.
Anyway, all the pump in the world won't help you if you don't have creatures to use it on. Furthermore, it's absolutely essential to have a turn one drop. Even a swing for two damage on turn two, along with your opponent pinging himself for fetches and forces, can make a huge difference in the pump and berserk math later on. I've got 13 turn one creature drops, and sometimes that doesn't seem like enough. I'm pretty sure that the one drops I've listed up there are the best ones available for mono-green.
As for pump, Might is amazing and should never be less than a four of. Vines is incredible, because you can use it to save your guy from swords or other kill AND it can also be used as pump. Two mana makes it hard to use to combo out, but that's fine - just throw it on top of a 2/2 to hit your opponent for 6, making it much easier to kill with berserk later on. Alternatively, it's insurance for when you combo out with 3 or 4 mana available. Invigorate, as has already been discussed, is fantastic because of synergy with berserk and predator, and ability to hardcast it in slow games (and you will have plenty of slow games against control type decks). Seal is used over other available pump due to the ability to lay it down one turn and use it the next. Overall, I think these are the best pump spells. I still need to do some testing with the recent G +2/+2 pump with rebound (forget the name), but I don't think it's going to beat out Vines or Seal.
One of this deck's worst fears is Hymn. It simply can't afford the card disadvantage. This is also why I don't run Elvish Spirit Guide, Lotus Petal, or Vine Dryad. I'd much rather draw pump or a creature at pretty much any point in the game.
I have a favorable or even match-up with most of the major decks in my meta, such as Merfolk, Zoo, Elves, and Team America. Countertop is very tricky to play against, but fairly even after boarding in hexhunters and grips. Stompy decks that rely on tricks like chalice and trinisphere are murder game one, but fold to seeds of innocence after boarding. More testing is needed against Goblins, Stax, dredge, and other miscellaneous decks, but those matchups are at the very least winnable. Storm combo, on the other hand, is a very bad matchup, since it goes off so quickly.
But one card you run that I've thought about a bit is Sylvan Library. Intuitively it seems too slow to me, but I haven't yet obtained some for real testing. How has it been working out for you?
ps: This deck is worth playing simply for the joy of playing a Nettle Sentinel or something turn 1, having my opponent go "oh, so you're playing (bad) Elves?" and then running over his turn three Progenitus with a 20 power pit-skulk for the win.
Legacy:
Burn
:symr:(:symgb:) Goblins
:symu:(:symw:) Merfolk
:symg::symw::symr: Enchantress
:symg::symw::symr:(:symb:) Zoo
:symg::symw::symu: New Horizons
:symg::symw: Berserk Stompy
:symg::symb:(:symw:) Eva Green
:symg::symb: The Cure
Control
The problem with Infect is that the creatures deal NO regular damage to a player. Instead, they deal damage directly in the form of poison counters. Hit a player with a 2/2 Infect creature when they are at 20 life and they get 2 poison counters, but remain at 20 life. Thus, Infect creatures lack synergy with our main victory condition - smashing our opponent down to zero life as quickly as possible.
To even be considered, an Infect creature would need to be low casting cast (1cc, possibly 2cc) and have evasion of some kind. Two power is also highly desirable, as that allows a kill with any two card combination of Berserk, Invigorate, and Might (except for two Berserks). And I just can't see that happening. Poison counters and evasion is too powerful of a combination for a low CC creature in a Standard environment with plenty of pump available.
Basically, since an Infect creature does not synergize with our other dudes, it needs to win the game by itself if it hits the table. A 2/x with Infect and Flying (or Ledgewalker fake flying) for GG might warrant testing. Anything less and I doubt I would even bother.
In other news, I've begun testing Mirri's Guile in the list I posted above. Results so far are inconclusive, but it's feeling good. It doesn't slow us down as much as Sylvan Library, which is good in the aggro matchup (where we probably can't afford the life cost for drawing anyway). A turn one Guile has been consistently strong, and a Guile in the opening hand makes almost any one land opening hand keepable on the play. I'll probably run it in the next local tournament and see what happens.
You make good points. I was hoping there would be enough cheap infect creatures to make an entire creaturebase out of them, but then that would cease to be "predator" stompy and become a deck on its own. Invigorate seems made for infect creatures (preferably a hasty infect creature)! Of course with no actual spoilers or anything we should probably wait to see what comes out of SoM... I kinda jumped the gun, I'm just more than a little intrigued at the prospect of an infected berserk deck, I'll probably test it once the set comes out.
Legacy:
Burn
:symr:(:symgb:) Goblins
:symu:(:symw:) Merfolk
:symg::symw::symr: Enchantress
:symg::symw::symr:(:symb:) Zoo
:symg::symw::symu: New Horizons
:symg::symw: Berserk Stompy
:symg::symb:(:symw:) Eva Green
:symg::symb: The Cure
Control
I really doubt there will be enough Legacy viable Infect weenies printed in Scars to support a full Legacy poison berserk deck, but I suppose it's possible. I'm pretty sure that if it does happen it will require branching into multiple colors, which opens up weaknesses. Also, Berserk isn't that great here, since +4 power pump will be better in almost every case when you only need to reach 10 power. In fact, Invigorate would be much better, since it would be literally free. Thus, this deck idea would be Legacy Infect Pump, which doesn't sound nearly as cool :<
I'm more interested in seeing if SoM brings any new aggressively costed evasion weenies to play with, aggressive pump, or new sideboard tech.
Definitely troll shroud... in my opinion it's very possible they could print a troll shrouded infect creature to considering Troll Ascetic was first printed in the original Mirrodin, perhaps he's contracted an "infection" in the time that's passed...:)
Here's hoping.
EDIT: Ichorclaw Myr was just spoiled... maybe it could fit? may-beeeeeeee??? eh, it's a 1/1 for 2 that self-pumps when blocked... it's certianly worth some testing maybe. especially in a deck with Lotus Petal and/or Elvish Spirit Guide.
I'll keep watching the spoilers, I'm still giddy for Infect and I think SoM is gonna be the best set evar!
Legacy:
Burn
:symr:(:symgb:) Goblins
:symu:(:symw:) Merfolk
:symg::symw::symr: Enchantress
:symg::symw::symr:(:symb:) Zoo
:symg::symw::symu: New Horizons
:symg::symw: Berserk Stompy
:symg::symb:(:symw:) Eva Green
:symg::symb: The Cure
Control
2 mana for a 1/1 with regenerate and infect? Sounds pretty good to me, but it is lacking evasion which could be a problem...
I say no, but that is just me not wanted to be color screwed (I used to play the cure and hated it).
IF I did splash red it'd be for kiln fiend and not for goblin guide...
4 Plague Stinger
4 Ichorclaw Myr
4 Necropede
4 Vector Asp
Pump
4 Invigorate
4 Might of Old Krosa
4 Groundswell
4 Vines of Vastwood
4 Seal of Strength
4 Berserk
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Land Grant
4 Bayou
1 Swamp
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Forest
4 Verdant Catacombs
Maybe land grant is unnecessary? Also I'd run rancor over groundswell. Groundswell is a very weak card.
I would splash black for giving the Asp Infect (giving you explosive draws that could put the opponent away on turn 2!) and you could play cards like Snuff Out to remove any annoying blockers while still having mana up to drop threats or pump your creatures for pressure. You should be able to outmuscle other aggro decks to make the drawback of paying 4 life acceptable and against control it's even more fine. With Snuff Out and Berserk we potentially have 8 creature-removal spells! Also, black gives the possibility of playing hand disruption to wreck combo decks or clearing the way for a Berserk kill. The GB decks also have a strategical advantage having access to removal that hits just about every card/zone in the format including creatures, enchantments, artifacts, lands, cards in hand, cards in the library and cards in the graveyard. This opens up powerful sideboarding options so we could start thinking about including cards like Maelstrom Pulse, Extirpate, Krosan Grip and Thoughtseize. This makes the mid-game a lot better and gives us a better post sideboard game against decks that will bring in cards that attack our gameplan A.
I think tempo is an important aspect of the game we're trying to play with this deck and the threat of Berserk gives the Stompy player some strategical advantage vs. removal spells. It will be risky to remove your creatures to gain tempo because you have the constant threat of ''going off'' with Berserk.
Thus, you will be playing the tempo game with the constant threat of winning on the spot. You don't need to pump your guys until you start to lose board presence and/or pressure. But by that time you should have your opponent in the danger zone where any combination of pumpspells gives you the win.
Green should have enough strong critters to build a solid army. This renders Wastelands useless. Catacombs gives the possibility to fetch a Swamp and Bayou can be found against decks that do not utilize Wastelands. I don't like it when my opponent gets to destroy a Plateau to make my Nacatl pathetic, making the trade almost a 2-for-1. This deck doesn't work with card advantage and so these types of trades hurt us too much. We also operate fine under Blood Moon effects because we should manage to get the Swamp (if needed) out before the Moon hits play and otherwise we will just kill the guy with our green guys/spells. Snuff Out is free so this doesn't even really count as a black card and will destroy a Magus if they manage to catch us off guard.
This is all written on a theoretical basis so testing would have to prove if I'm right or wrong. My friend is working a 4 Beta Berserk deal so he'll be building this deck and will be adding this to our gauntlet =D I'll be sure to keep an eye on this topic and post our findings.
I've had huge success with it and people really don't expect it. It is a fun deck to play as well.