I agree that adding any Birchlore without having the full playset of Heritage druid is incorrect - but having a full playset of Heritage, and supplementing it with a few birchlore is fine.
We'll I played in a small legacy tournament last Thursday. I did pretty we'll for my (2-1) first time in legacy I think.
Some points:
-Concordant Crossroads is always a dead card, cutting.
-Without Gaea's Cradle 16 lands is too many, dropping to 15.
-Elvish Visionary helps dig for combo pieces amazingly. Awesome with Wirewood Symbiote. Remember to return it on your opponents turn also!
-I didn't see many artifacts, But if I did I'd add one Viridian Shaman mainboard.
Here is the modified list that I'll play this week.
Why is Dryad Arbor and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn being used? I haven't followed Combo Elves since LSV's Grapeshot version but I want to update mine. I don't get how Emrakul can be used for the kill. Even with the second turn, it's attack is only 15. What makes it a preference over Grapeshot?
Edit: After some brief research, I noticed the combo of using a fetchland with Dryad Arbor. First turn 1 fetchland for forest, then Green Sun's Zenith for Dryad Arbor. But how is this be better than playing 1 fetchland for forest and 1 Llanowar elves?
Why is Dryad Arbor and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn being used? I haven't followed Combo Elves since LSV's Grapeshot version but I want to update mine. I don't get how Emrakul can be used for the kill. Even with the second turn, it's attack is only 15. What makes it a preference over Grapeshot?
Edit: After some brief research, I noticed the combo of using a fetchland with Dryad Arbor. First turn 1 fetchland for forest, then Green Sun's Zenith for Dryad Arbor. But how is this be better than playing 1 fetchland for forest and 1 Llanowar elves?
The one Dryad Arbor allows you to use Green Sun's Zenith as a one mana Rampant Growth, which comes up surprisingly often. It's definitely worth the slot for anyone running GSZ.
The Emrakul is used over Grapeshot because it doesn't require an off-color splash and usually wins the game just as well if you combo out (even though it "only" beats for 15, all the other random elves you have on board easily deal the remaining 5). It also hoses decks like Painter-Grindstone by its very inclusion. Finally, sometimes you randomly Archdruid into 15 mana without a combo, and having a nice "I Win" button when that happens isn't a bad idea.
The one Dryad Arbor allows you to use Green Sun's Zenith as a one mana Rampant Growth, which comes up surprisingly often. It's definitely worth the slot for anyone running GSZ.
So Turn 1, play fetchland or forest, use GSZ to get Dryad Arbor? But it is still a creature so you can't tap it for mana until second turn right? Sorry it's been a while since i've played and followed.
That what you do. It basically turns your GSZ's into 4 more turn 1 Mana dorks that have more utility later on.
Since you are tribal its often the right more to play a mana elf turn one over the GSZ plan if you have it as it combos out faster, but this just adds more to the odds that you will have a turn 1 dude.
So in my second Legacy tournament I again when 2-1.
-Ethersworn Canonist showed up often enough that I'm going to move one Viridian Shaman maindeck.
-The combo require both draw and mana. I've never had a problem with mana, but twice I fizzled on the draw after getting 10-12 guys out. I think adding a single Fierce Empath might help with this. He's a tutorable tutor for the win condition that isn't normally tutorable (Emrakul, the Aeons Torn).
Fierce Empath seems like an interesting choice, try it out and see if helps you. I honestly wouldn't know what to tell you. Anyways, the one question I have is why run the 4 fetchlands? You don't have library interactions like top or brainstorm, and your graveyard doesn't affect anything like tombstalker etc, and no duals are used or needed in your list.
Anyways, the one question I have is why run the 4 fetchlands? You don't have library interactions like top or brainstorm, and your graveyard doesn't affect anything like tombstalker etc, and no duals are used or needed in your list.
I can't say for sure, but I'm assuming the fetches are there as another way to get Dryad Arbor.
What do yall think about a singleton Intruder alarm? The one blue mana isn't much of an issue with Birchlore Rangers. I have tried using it and I kind of like in there.
Fierce Empath seems like an interesting choice, try it out and see if helps you. I honestly wouldn't know what to tell you. Anyways, the one question I have is why run the 4 fetchlands? You don't have library interactions like top or brainstorm, and your graveyard doesn't affect anything like tombstalker etc, and no duals are used or needed in your list.
I use fetchlands so that I can thin out 1-2 extra lands prior to going off. They aren't really needed - but they do help a little bit. Can also help in the fringe case of getting out the Dryad Arbor - but I've never had to do that.
We'll I'm very happy with the Viridian Shaman maindeck; but was quite underwhelmed by the Fierce Empath.
What do yall think about a singleton Intruder alarm? The one blue mana isn't much of an issue with Birchlore Rangers. I have tried using it and I kind of like in there.
my old elf deck that i am updating uses intruder alarm, im going to run it in my new deck to see how it work.
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Eternal Witness is a great card, it lets a tutor become a second Glimpse, and once there are two Glimpses in effect, the combo never peters out.
Two Regal Forces are a must. I'd say almost half the time I don't draw Glimpse of Nature, and instead ramp up to a turn 3 tutor for Regal Force, which draws 5 or 6 cards, and disturbingly often still doesn't draw a Glimpse, so I tutor for a second Force and then combo out.
In my testing, Concordant Crossroads / Elvish Archdruid is a better win than Emrakul. Emrakul is a crappy card to have in your opening hand, and it forces you to deal with Summoner's Pact payments (a potential forehead-slap way of losing). Concordant Crossroads can generate mana with Priest of Titanias. It doesn't happen often, but it doesn't ALWAYS have to be the last card you play. Plus you have to generate less mana to win, so there are fewer steps comboing out.
I might need more Archdruids for mana, but I don't feel like cutting anything else would be worth it.
This build combos by turn 3 about 50% of the time, by turn 4 almost always, and every once in a while on turn 2 with a blind-faith Glimpse. It's definitely the most consistent combo deck I've ever played. And since it puts men on the board, it's an inherent threat to control.
13 land + Cradle is plenty. This deck does just fine off of a mulligan hand. I've goldfished this thing about 200 times by now, and I consider anything later than a turn 4 combo a loss. More land makes the combo less consistant and the few times you mulligan into nothing aren't bad enough to merit that.
I just wish there WERE a competitive Legacy metagame where I play. It's kind of an obnoxious deck to bring to a casual game. I don't have enough Legacy experience to really propose a sideboard. I'm not even sure what I'd take out when sideboarding.
Keratacon, I think you are missing one of the best Elves for this deck Elvish Visionary. I would always play a full 4 of those.
It can generate massive card advantage in combination with Wirewood Symbiote and makes the combo just more stable. Because you draw an additional card of an Visionary it doesn't hurt that much to draw into land.
I also think you should play Emrakul, you underestimate it I think. It's also not bad to have a plan B.
As a one of you wan't draw into Emrakul that often. He wins immediately, can't be countered and almost not removed, gets over a Moat (!), and can protect you from getting your deck milled away.
Losing to your own Summoner's Pact after dropping Emrakul is also kinda impossible. If you still do, it is your own fault.
I would cut a mix of Llanowar, Fyndhorn, Priest of Titania and Quirion Ranger (1/1/2/2 maybe, but that comes more down to personal preferance) to add 4 Elvish Visionary, 1 Emrakul and 1 Forest (I just like 15 land better).
I've tested a lot of builds with this deck, including one with 4 Elvish Visionaries, and in my experience, they just don't add to the reliability of the deck. With 4 Glimpse of Nature, 2 Regal Forces, and 8 tutors for the Forces, drawing cards isn't the deck's problem. 2 mana for 1 card, and 1 spell for 1 card just aren't fantastic deals for this deck.
Often early in the combo I'm in a position where I have a Heritage Druid, one Nettle Sentinel, and one Llanowar Elf out with one Glimpse of Nature going. In this circumstance, I want to be seeing one mana guys. Also, I'm frequently relying on Priest of Titania and untappers for mana, I wouldn't want to cut them.
Generally my question on turn 2 or 3 is how to get enough mana to tutor for a Regal Force. Cutting 4 mana producers for 4 card advantage creatures doesn't fit in with the way the deck plays.
I hadn't considered Moat though. That does make an argument for Emrakul. Like I said, I don't have a Legacy metagame where I live, so my ability to test this has been limited. But vs. one or two targeted removal spells (generally, Lightning Bolt) or cheap counterspells, this build has been the most successful. If I were to cut creatures that help the combo, some sort of interactivity would be my top priority. But in my experience, the best answer to having a Heritage Druid killed or countered is another Heritage Druid.
If I were to cut something for Emrakul, it would be Crossroads. No real reason to have 2 win conditions when Eternal Witness can get them back. Perhaps cutting one mana elf or Quirion Ranger for a forest would be a good idea.
Elvish Visionary is only really useful with Wirewood Symbiote. They dig dig dig for the combo pieces.
Every single Elf that that was place in a legacy tournament in the past year has been some sort of combo, and every single one has had 3+ Wirewood Symbiote, Elvish Vissionary, nettle, heritage, llanowar, fyndhorn. That that as you will.
I don’t think that the builds currently placing are optimal. I think this has the potential to become a top tier deck, but the right mix hasn’t been found yet (not at all suggesting that I’ve found that mix) I’ve had good luck cutting Visionary. With 8 tutors, 4 Glimpses, and 2 tutorable Regal Forces which are essentially draw-7s, I don’t frequently find myself in positions where I’m wanting a Visionary. I’d suggest that people working on variants of elf combo try it out.
In general I prefer decks with as many 4-ofs as possible. When you run only 1 or 2 of a card, you’re not going to see it in most games. In my opinion, you’re better off with more consistency. A turn 1 mana elf is pretty much required for a turn 3 combo. I wouldn’t want to cut any of them. Wirewood symbiote is way too useful to cut. Quirion Ranger is the one piece that I could see being reduced in number, and on you all’s advice, I’ll give that a shot, but I’m still skeptical.
loads of good info in this thread. I am returning to MtG after a few years break, and i wanted to revamp my older Intruder Elves deck, so im gong to run with this:
3 krosan grip
2 autumn veil
1 viridian shaman
1 viridian zealot
2 caller of the claw
2 relic of progentius
2 tormonds crypt
2 thorn of ameythyst
when i made this deck i have killed with stroke of genius, but i was informed that the tactic is no longer sound. i really dig intruder alarm so i want to keep that in the mix.
thoughts?
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Not sure about legacy viability, but I have been working on Modern Combo Elves with Intruder and Impervious Perfect is really something with it. I also have Gilt-Leaf Archdruis as a pretty awesome win-con. Just about every manadork is a Druid, so it is surprisingly powerful. I would look at:
assuming a "standard" combo elf deck, what are some solid first few turns looking like? i need to focus my deck a little more and want to see what the combo looks like in a vacuum.
thanks
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Elvish visionary is a ridiculously powerful card. It is glimpse 5-8 in here and when coupled with wirewood symbiote is a complete house. I would NEVER cut that card from elf combo, it's the straight nuts and at a bare minimum it cantrips and provides a body.
My opinion on intruder alarm. I think cloudstone curio is just plain better; you don't need to splash for blue and cloudstone curio is just plain nuts sometimes.
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"Yawgmoth," Freyalise whispered as she set the bomb, "now you will pay for your treachery."
I've enjoyed the deck a lot. It doesn't really fizzle out because it has so much versatility in zeniths and wishes. It can find Regal Forces and reload. It can assemble Symbiote/Visionary engines. It can grab ezuri for awkward games where you have 3-5 elves and no great way to start going off or drawing cards. Joraga is a great mana sink. And these are just game plans for when I don't throw down Emrakul ftw.
I've enjoyed the deck a lot. It doesn't really fizzle out because it has so much versatility in zeniths and wishes. It can find Regal Forces and reload. It can assemble Symbiote/Visionary engines. It can grab ezuri for awkward games where you have 3-5 elves and no great way to start going off or drawing cards. Joraga is a great mana sink. And these are just game plans for when I don't throw down Emrakul ftw.
What do yall think of my deck
Wish is nice, but you don't make really good use of it. If you play Wish, in a combo deck, you normally want to get a combo part or an anti-hate card. You don't do any of those two. From those cards in you board you would get Cradle or Emrakul most of the time I think.
So to make Wish more effective you would want to move Nettle Sentinels and Heritage Druids to your board.
But know what? Even that would make Wish really good in this deck.
Play Summoner's Pact instead of Wish. You can search your combo parts and it doesn't cost you mana (until your next upkeep) so you can assemble your combo faster. And if you are already in the middle of your combo it is also better than Wish, because it costs no mana.
Pact is also good if you run a bit toolbox like siedboard, because with all the draw, Zenith and Pact you can find singleton hate cards very easy.
And it is more likely that you have the mana to cast those cards in the same turn you played Pact than that you have the mana left over after a Wish.
With Wish you could play some hate cards game one, but that's it's best use, otherwise it is just a 2-mana tax to your combo pieces/wincons.
So I would say get rid of Wishes and play Summoner's Pact instead. Play Emrakul, second Regal Force and Cradle main.
I would also cut Warcaller and Ezuri, Emrakul as a single win con is normally enough and also almost impossible to handle and wins immediatley, while with Warcaller or Ezuri you have to wait a turn. I would also up Elvish Visionary to a 4-of, they are just so incredible, they draw through your deck, to find combo pieces with Wirewood Symbiote and your combo is less likely to fizzle cause of the extra draw they provide.
Also cut Masticore and Faerie Macabre from your board, Mortar Pod is easier to cast than Masticore and Scavenging Ooze is far superior to the fae. Also Beast Within is a nice sideboard card.
I have been told that I am taking away from the Combo by putting Natural Order and Progenitus but I have had good success with the deck.
I was 15th out of 54 in a Legacy Tournament just recently, went 4-2. Beat 2 Merfolk, 1 Zoo and 1 Mono White. Lost to 1 Merfolk and 1 Reanimator.
Progenitus won me 3-4 out of my 9 games and I know a couple games I put both Progenitus and Emrakul on the board in the same turn.
My reasoning for the 2x Natural Order and Progenitus was to have another win condition. There was 3 other Elf decks at the tournament, 2 Combo and 1 NO Aggro Elves. From what I could tell I was the only Elf deck with a winning record. I know the NO Aggro Elves was 2-4 because I know him and the other 2 Elf Combo decks were at the back tables near the end of the day which would mean they did not have a very good record.
I tested this against my friend who played black white discard stoneforge. One game he emptied my hand on his turn 2. On my turn 3 I played a forest, then he played a stoneforge and went to get a jitte. My turn 4 I tapped my 3 forest, returned one with my only creature Quiron Ranger and laid it and tapped for a 4th and played Natural Order for Progenitus. He scoped cause he knew he didn't have an answer. I just find that I have a second way to win if something goes wrong. Plus it is kind of a surprise when I start playing and they misstep all my beginning guys then I Natural Order.
Some points:
-Concordant Crossroads is always a dead card, cutting.
-Without Gaea's Cradle 16 lands is too many, dropping to 15.
-Elvish Visionary helps dig for combo pieces amazingly. Awesome with Wirewood Symbiote. Remember to return it on your opponents turn also!
-I didn't see many artifacts, But if I did I'd add one Viridian Shaman mainboard.
Here is the modified list that I'll play this week.
2 Birchlore Rangers
4 Elvish Visionary
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
3 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Heritage Druid
1 Joraga Warcaller
3 Llanowar Elves
4 Nettle Sentinel
2 Priest of Titania
2 Quirion Ranger
1 Regal Force
1 Viridian Zealot
4 Wirewood Symbiote
4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Summoner's Pact
Lands
1 Dryad Arbor
9 Forest
4 Windswept Heath
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Dauntless Escort
3 Krosan Grip
3 Relic of Progenitus
2 Thorn of Amethyst
2 Tormod's Crypt
2 Viridian Shaman
1 Viridian Zealot
Currently playing in Modern:
BBB8Rack
Currently Playing in Legacy:
Foil BELCHER
"Never interrupt your opponent while he's making a mistake"
Edit: After some brief research, I noticed the combo of using a fetchland with Dryad Arbor. First turn 1 fetchland for forest, then Green Sun's Zenith for Dryad Arbor. But how is this be better than playing 1 fetchland for forest and 1 Llanowar elves?
The one Dryad Arbor allows you to use Green Sun's Zenith as a one mana Rampant Growth, which comes up surprisingly often. It's definitely worth the slot for anyone running GSZ.
The Emrakul is used over Grapeshot because it doesn't require an off-color splash and usually wins the game just as well if you combo out (even though it "only" beats for 15, all the other random elves you have on board easily deal the remaining 5). It also hoses decks like Painter-Grindstone by its very inclusion. Finally, sometimes you randomly Archdruid into 15 mana without a combo, and having a nice "I Win" button when that happens isn't a bad idea.
So Turn 1, play fetchland or forest, use GSZ to get Dryad Arbor? But it is still a creature so you can't tap it for mana until second turn right? Sorry it's been a while since i've played and followed.
Since you are tribal its often the right more to play a mana elf turn one over the GSZ plan if you have it as it combos out faster, but this just adds more to the odds that you will have a turn 1 dude.
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-Ethersworn Canonist showed up often enough that I'm going to move one Viridian Shaman maindeck.
-The combo require both draw and mana. I've never had a problem with mana, but twice I fizzled on the draw after getting 10-12 guys out. I think adding a single Fierce Empath might help with this. He's a tutorable tutor for the win condition that isn't normally tutorable (Emrakul, the Aeons Torn).
I'm fairly certain of the Viridian Shaman Maindeck, but not 100% convinced about the Fierce Empath. Thoughts?
1 Birchlore Rangers
4 Elvish Visionary
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
1 Fierce Empath
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Heritage Druid
1 Joraga Warcaller
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Nettle Sentinel
2 Priest of Titania
1 Quirion Ranger
1 Regal Force
1 Viridian Shaman
1 Viridian Zealot
4 Wirewood Symbiote
4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Summoner's Pact
Lands
1 Dryad Arbor
10 Forest
4 Windswept Heath
1 Gaddock Teeg
1 Dauntless Escort
3 Krosan Grip
3 Relic of Progenitus
2 Thorn of Amethyst
2 Tormod's Crypt
2 Viridian Shaman
1 Viridian Zealot
Only good deck.
I can't say for sure, but I'm assuming the fetches are there as another way to get Dryad Arbor.
I use fetchlands so that I can thin out 1-2 extra lands prior to going off. They aren't really needed - but they do help a little bit. Can also help in the fringe case of getting out the Dryad Arbor - but I've never had to do that.
We'll I'm very happy with the Viridian Shaman maindeck; but was quite underwhelmed by the Fierce Empath.
I'm kinda at a loss for that last slot however. Maybe another Birchlore Rangers/Joraga Warcaller/Quirion Ranger - or maybe just add the 4th Summoning Pact.
my old elf deck that i am updating uses intruder alarm, im going to run it in my new deck to see how it work.
Thanks to Heroes of the Plane Studios for the amazing sig!
12 Forest
1 Dryad Arbor
1 Gaea's Cradle
Draw & Tutor:
4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Summoner's Pact
2 Regal Force
1 Eternal Witness
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Quirion Ranger
4 Wirewood Symbiote
4 Heritage Druid
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Priest of Titania
1 Elvish Archdruid
1 Viridian Zealot
1 Concordant Crossroads
I need to consider using fetchlands.
Eternal Witness is a great card, it lets a tutor become a second Glimpse, and once there are two Glimpses in effect, the combo never peters out.
Two Regal Forces are a must. I'd say almost half the time I don't draw Glimpse of Nature, and instead ramp up to a turn 3 tutor for Regal Force, which draws 5 or 6 cards, and disturbingly often still doesn't draw a Glimpse, so I tutor for a second Force and then combo out.
In my testing, Concordant Crossroads / Elvish Archdruid is a better win than Emrakul. Emrakul is a crappy card to have in your opening hand, and it forces you to deal with Summoner's Pact payments (a potential forehead-slap way of losing). Concordant Crossroads can generate mana with Priest of Titanias. It doesn't happen often, but it doesn't ALWAYS have to be the last card you play. Plus you have to generate less mana to win, so there are fewer steps comboing out.
I might need more Archdruids for mana, but I don't feel like cutting anything else would be worth it.
This build combos by turn 3 about 50% of the time, by turn 4 almost always, and every once in a while on turn 2 with a blind-faith Glimpse. It's definitely the most consistent combo deck I've ever played. And since it puts men on the board, it's an inherent threat to control.
13 land + Cradle is plenty. This deck does just fine off of a mulligan hand. I've goldfished this thing about 200 times by now, and I consider anything later than a turn 4 combo a loss. More land makes the combo less consistant and the few times you mulligan into nothing aren't bad enough to merit that.
I just wish there WERE a competitive Legacy metagame where I play. It's kind of an obnoxious deck to bring to a casual game. I don't have enough Legacy experience to really propose a sideboard. I'm not even sure what I'd take out when sideboarding.
Keratacon, I think you are missing one of the best Elves for this deck Elvish Visionary. I would always play a full 4 of those.
It can generate massive card advantage in combination with Wirewood Symbiote and makes the combo just more stable. Because you draw an additional card of an Visionary it doesn't hurt that much to draw into land.
I also think you should play Emrakul, you underestimate it I think. It's also not bad to have a plan B.
As a one of you wan't draw into Emrakul that often. He wins immediately, can't be countered and almost not removed, gets over a Moat (!), and can protect you from getting your deck milled away.
Losing to your own Summoner's Pact after dropping Emrakul is also kinda impossible. If you still do, it is your own fault.
I would cut a mix of Llanowar, Fyndhorn, Priest of Titania and Quirion Ranger (1/1/2/2 maybe, but that comes more down to personal preferance) to add 4 Elvish Visionary, 1 Emrakul and 1 Forest (I just like 15 land better).
Often early in the combo I'm in a position where I have a Heritage Druid, one Nettle Sentinel, and one Llanowar Elf out with one Glimpse of Nature going. In this circumstance, I want to be seeing one mana guys. Also, I'm frequently relying on Priest of Titania and untappers for mana, I wouldn't want to cut them.
Generally my question on turn 2 or 3 is how to get enough mana to tutor for a Regal Force. Cutting 4 mana producers for 4 card advantage creatures doesn't fit in with the way the deck plays.
I hadn't considered Moat though. That does make an argument for Emrakul. Like I said, I don't have a Legacy metagame where I live, so my ability to test this has been limited. But vs. one or two targeted removal spells (generally, Lightning Bolt) or cheap counterspells, this build has been the most successful. If I were to cut creatures that help the combo, some sort of interactivity would be my top priority. But in my experience, the best answer to having a Heritage Druid killed or countered is another Heritage Druid.
If I were to cut something for Emrakul, it would be Crossroads. No real reason to have 2 win conditions when Eternal Witness can get them back. Perhaps cutting one mana elf or Quirion Ranger for a forest would be a good idea.
Every single Elf that that was place in a legacy tournament in the past year has been some sort of combo, and every single one has had 3+ Wirewood Symbiote, Elvish Vissionary, nettle, heritage, llanowar, fyndhorn. That that as you will.
In general I prefer decks with as many 4-ofs as possible. When you run only 1 or 2 of a card, you’re not going to see it in most games. In my opinion, you’re better off with more consistency. A turn 1 mana elf is pretty much required for a turn 3 combo. I wouldn’t want to cut any of them. Wirewood symbiote is way too useful to cut. Quirion Ranger is the one piece that I could see being reduced in number, and on you all’s advice, I’ll give that a shot, but I’m still skeptical.
All just my opinions, of course.
4 priests of titania
4 wirewood symbiote
4 llanowar elves
4 fyndhorn elves
4 birchlore rangers
2 quirion elves
1 regal force
1 emrakul
1 ezuri
1 jorga warcaller
4 glimpse of nature
4 green suns zenith
4 intruder alarm
2 concordant crossroads
2 grapeshot
1 stroke of genius
1 cradle*
1 rootbound crag
11 forest
2 misty rainforest
2 verdant catacombs
side:
3 krosan grip
2 autumn veil
1 viridian shaman
1 viridian zealot
2 caller of the claw
2 relic of progentius
2 tormonds crypt
2 thorn of ameythyst
when i made this deck i have killed with stroke of genius, but i was informed that the tactic is no longer sound. i really dig intruder alarm so i want to keep that in the mix.
thoughts?
Thanks to Heroes of the Plane Studios for the amazing sig!
4 Arbor Elf
3 Heritage Druid
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Wirewood Symbiote
2 Quirion Ranger
4 Priestess of Titania
3 Elvish Archdruid
1 Impervious Perfect
2 Gilt-Leaf Druid
3 Regal Force
1 Emrakul
4 Green Sun's Zenith
3 Intruder Alarm
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Verdent Catacombs
4 Tropical Island
4 Forest
2 Cradle
Level 1 Judge
Currently Playing:
W Death and Taxes
BGR ScapeWish Nic Fit
BGR Punishing Nic Fit
thanks
Thanks to Heroes of the Plane Studios for the amazing sig!
Elvish visionary is a ridiculously powerful card. It is glimpse 5-8 in here and when coupled with wirewood symbiote is a complete house. I would NEVER cut that card from elf combo, it's the straight nuts and at a bare minimum it cantrips and provides a body.
My opinion on intruder alarm. I think cloudstone curio is just plain better; you don't need to splash for blue and cloudstone curio is just plain nuts sometimes.
Currently Playing:
Retired
4 Wirewood Symbiote
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Heritage Druid
4 Nettle Sentinel
4 Quirion Ranger
3 Birchlore Rangers
3 Elvish Visionary
1 Regal Force
1 Joraga Warcaller
1 Ezuri
1 Priest of Titania
4 Zenith
3 Wish
4 Leyline of lifeforce
3 Choke
3 Grip
1 Cradle
1 Regal Force
1 Faerie Macabre
1 Masticore
1 Emrakul
I've enjoyed the deck a lot. It doesn't really fizzle out because it has so much versatility in zeniths and wishes. It can find Regal Forces and reload. It can assemble Symbiote/Visionary engines. It can grab ezuri for awkward games where you have 3-5 elves and no great way to start going off or drawing cards. Joraga is a great mana sink. And these are just game plans for when I don't throw down Emrakul ftw.
What do yall think of my deck
Wish is nice, but you don't make really good use of it. If you play Wish, in a combo deck, you normally want to get a combo part or an anti-hate card. You don't do any of those two. From those cards in you board you would get Cradle or Emrakul most of the time I think.
So to make Wish more effective you would want to move Nettle Sentinels and Heritage Druids to your board.
But know what? Even that would make Wish really good in this deck.
Play Summoner's Pact instead of Wish. You can search your combo parts and it doesn't cost you mana (until your next upkeep) so you can assemble your combo faster. And if you are already in the middle of your combo it is also better than Wish, because it costs no mana.
Pact is also good if you run a bit toolbox like siedboard, because with all the draw, Zenith and Pact you can find singleton hate cards very easy.
And it is more likely that you have the mana to cast those cards in the same turn you played Pact than that you have the mana left over after a Wish.
With Wish you could play some hate cards game one, but that's it's best use, otherwise it is just a 2-mana tax to your combo pieces/wincons.
So I would say get rid of Wishes and play Summoner's Pact instead. Play Emrakul, second Regal Force and Cradle main.
I would also cut Warcaller and Ezuri, Emrakul as a single win con is normally enough and also almost impossible to handle and wins immediatley, while with Warcaller or Ezuri you have to wait a turn. I would also up Elvish Visionary to a 4-of, they are just so incredible, they draw through your deck, to find combo pieces with Wirewood Symbiote and your combo is less likely to fizzle cause of the extra draw they provide.
Also cut Masticore and Faerie Macabre from your board, Mortar Pod is easier to cast than Masticore and Scavenging Ooze is far superior to the fae. Also Beast Within is a nice sideboard card.
Here is the deck list I used :
3x Elvish Archdruid
2x Elvish Spirit Guide
4x Elvish Visionary
1x Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
4x Heritage Druid
4x Llanowar Elves
4x Nettle Sentinel
4x Priest of Titania
1x Progenitus
3x Quirion Ranger
1x Regal Force
1x Viridian Zealot
4x Wirewood Symbiote
4x Glimpse of Nature
2x Green Sun's Zenith
2x Natural Order
Land (12)
10x Forest
1x Dryad Arbor
1x Gaea's Cradle
Instant (4)
4x Summoner's Pact
1x Creeping Corrosion
1x Eladamri, Lord of Leaves
2x Krosan Grip
3x Leyline of Lifeforce
3x Leyline of the Void
2x Mindbreak Trap
1x Terastodon
2x Thorn of Amethyst
I have been told that I am taking away from the Combo by putting Natural Order and Progenitus but I have had good success with the deck.
I was 15th out of 54 in a Legacy Tournament just recently, went 4-2. Beat 2 Merfolk, 1 Zoo and 1 Mono White. Lost to 1 Merfolk and 1 Reanimator.
Progenitus won me 3-4 out of my 9 games and I know a couple games I put both Progenitus and Emrakul on the board in the same turn.
My reasoning for the 2x Natural Order and Progenitus was to have another win condition. There was 3 other Elf decks at the tournament, 2 Combo and 1 NO Aggro Elves. From what I could tell I was the only Elf deck with a winning record. I know the NO Aggro Elves was 2-4 because I know him and the other 2 Elf Combo decks were at the back tables near the end of the day which would mean they did not have a very good record.
I tested this against my friend who played black white discard stoneforge. One game he emptied my hand on his turn 2. On my turn 3 I played a forest, then he played a stoneforge and went to get a jitte. My turn 4 I tapped my 3 forest, returned one with my only creature Quiron Ranger and laid it and tapped for a 4th and played Natural Order for Progenitus. He scoped cause he knew he didn't have an answer. I just find that I have a second way to win if something goes wrong. Plus it is kind of a surprise when I start playing and they misstep all my beginning guys then I Natural Order.
Just thought I would put it out there...