=======UPDATE #2=======
For my current list I'll be taking to a local FNM...see post #20.
========/UPDATE========
==============UPDATE==============
Okay...so I REALLY splurged and ended up going all out on this deck. My updated list can be found on post #6 of this thread.
I'm enjoying the deck enough that I decided I'm willing to go all in on it. It's not perfect by any means...but do remember I do only play casual right now.
I also have a lot of cards I can use in my future for other decks once I've grown tired of this one lol.
Gah...I almost forgot how exciting it is to get new cards! lol...it's been so many years since I've got to crack a fetch land in paper magic!
==============/UPDATE==============
So I'm just getting back into paper magic after years of not playing (have played mtgo on and off) and ended up picking up a green/black event deck at my local game shop...I just wanted something quick.
It ran a couple of birthing pods, and I very quickly fell in love with the idea of the deck.
So over the course of the last 2 weeks I've been rebuilding the deck...and I got it at a pretty decent build atm I think. It's not super competative...though I think with a few tweaks to my mana base, I could take it to an FNM without being too embarrassed.
The group of people I play with are all super casual...and I play a lot of 4 or 5 person free-for-all multi-player games. This deck is crushing vs. most of my friend's decks in 1 vs. 1...but most of their decks are pretty junky to be honest (and none of them have anything near tier 1 decks for modern)...and I also hold up well in multi-player...so I'm quite happy with how it's all turned out.
First time I've ever played green/black, and I'm loving it!
--I know Tainted Wood is not modern legal...but I'm only playing casual games with friends right now, and they're all aware and okay with it.
--I'm running 2x Loaming Shaman because one of my friends plays mill, and I find this card to obviously just crush his deck. Most the time my deck is too fast for his though and loaming isn't necessary...so he is something I can cut from the deck.
--I'm running 12 elves in this build...so Gilt-Leaf Palace at 2x has been good. I'm not confident with running 4x though.
--I'm not running any 6 or 7 drops. I think I should be...but I'm not sure. Seems to be running okay without them.
--The mana base is a wreck...I realize that, but I am on a budget right now and this is what I've got for now. Green black lands are pricey! Even the g/b pain lands /sigh. This being said...it runs pretty smoothly. I've rarely had to take a mulligan due to not having the lands I need, and I haven't had too much of an issue getting the colors I've need early game. The only time I struggle is when I need BB for Nether Traitor on turn 2.
--My next upgrade is going to be making room for 2x Maelstrom Pulse. My friends all play planeswalkers and a couple of them run token based decks. I want to be at 4x Putrefy and 2x Maelstrom Pulse. Planeswalkers aren't usually too big of an issue...they seem to drop quickly enough in multiplayer...but it'd be nice if I had a hard kill for them in my deck outside of having to attack them with my creatures. Being able to wipe my friend's boards clean of flying 1/1 spirits...is just icing on the cake!
Anyhow, that's the deck for now. After getting my 2 maelstroms, I'd like to work a bit on my creatures...and then after that if I'm still loving the deck...I'll dig into working on better lands.
I'm quite pleased with how it's turning out...been a very fun deck to work on!
Any suggestions?
I have a deck list built in my mind with all my ideal cards I'd like to eventually run...but I've gotta go so don't have time to post it just now. I'll be back later to post the list.
=======EDIT=======
Okay, here's how I'd like the deck to look like eventually...this is with proper lands and (I think) a better creature line up:
...
On paper this deck list looks great to me...in fact maybe a little too great...might just wind up frustrating my friends lol.
The lands are expensive...but it is something I'm willing to work on collecting for the deck.
What do you guys think about this list? Anything I'm missing? Anything I should replace?
I've got the above deck list in my possession and I'm having a blast with it...but over the course of the next month or 2 I'd like to continue buffing it up...I'm here seeking any advice, tips and suggestions!
Thanks guys!
p.s.
Gawd I wish I could afford 4x tarmogoyfs haha. I can't even begin to imagine how much more powerful this deck would be if I replaced them with my geists. /sigh...a guy can dream...right?
Birthing Pod decks are among the most powerful in the format at the time being, so you're on the right track - in case you're not aware, here's what a competitive Pod deck looks like now-a-days:
While purchasing the above list outright would be pretty pricey, the great thing about Pod is that you can just pick up single cards here and there that will incrementally improve your deck. You'll also note that the addition of white as opposed to straight G/B opens a lot of doors for you, giving you access to things like Linvala, Keeper of Silence , Voice of Resurgence , Sin Collector, Reveillark, Restoration Angel, Knight of the Reliquary... it does require that you have a pretty steady manabase to back it up, however as I mentioned above this is something that can be done incrementally.
This is really a toolbox deck, with the idea being that Birthing Pod and/or Chord of Calling can help you find the answer for any problem that you might face.
If you're not interested in adding white, I would still suggest the addition of Melira, Sylvok Outcast , as well as Kitchen Finks, Murderous Redcap, and a Viscera Seer. Melira enables an infinite combo with the persist mechanic that can allow you to win instantly, so long as you have a way to sacrifice a creature... which is the reason for the seer.
Whichever direction you take, i recommend you start here With the Melira Pod primer. There's over a hundred pages full of great information on deck building decisions as well as tips on playing the deck. As a fellow pod player, good luck, and feel free to PM if you have any questions!
I am well aware of the melira pod deck...but am trying to avoid the combo. At least for now. At least while I'm just playing with my friends.
It is something I've got in the back of my mind for the future though. If I start getting more serious with paper magic and start going to FNM's on a regular basis, it's the direction I'd very likely take this deck.
For now though...I'm trying to avoid building any deck that uses anything too super powerful like the melira combo. It's not that I don't want to...it's that I don't want to anger any of my friends haha.
I think I want to stick with straight black/green for now too. Again, I only play casual...and I've never played a green black deck in the many years I've played magic...and I'm just loving it atm :p.
Running white sure is tempting though. It's something I'll hold open for the future for sure.
Just updating my current list here for my own reference
...going to the dark side and going to play the melira combo.
I'm making a compromise of sorts...only going to run a single Viscera Seer and only 2 Chord Of Calling that I can use to fetch it.
I'd like the combo to be there...yet I don't want to rely on it to win...at least while I'm still just playing kitchen table magic with my friends.
Okay...well I decided to go all in on this deck. Fixed up my horrid land base, and added some birds. I think this is the end for this deck...I don't plan on really changing anything with it from here unless necessary.
I know the deck is far less than perfect...there's a lot of improvements that could be made yet...but I think for now I'm very happy with the build. Pretty proud to have made this list and to own these cards. It's been so many years since I've had a competitive paper deck.
Remember...I am only playing casual kitchen table magic atm. I may start going to FNM's eventually...but not quite yet. I'd be happy to take my current build to an FNM.
Another thing I like about this build...and about playing casual games...is there's a lot of room for me to swap cards. If I'm running against my friend who plays his mill deck, I can add a couple of my Loaming Shamans, or if I'm going against a deck with lots of artifact hate, I can throw my Glissa, The Traitor back in...or if I'm going against an artifact or enchantment heavy deck...I can throw my Reclamation Sages back in there. My point is, is there's a lot of ways I can transform my deck to make it more competitive vs. my friend's specific decks...and that's just awesome to me.
Anyhow...here's my current list. I'm so excited about this deck lol...
Tomorrow will be the first time I get to try this deck out with the Melira combo, so I'm excited about that...but unfortanently I wont have my upgraded lands, or my birds of paradises until next week.
I'm looking for a solid 4 drop beater which is why I've got thrun in there...but I don't go against an insane amount of spot removal nor do I play against any counter magic...so thrun is pretty iffy.
Thrun is admittedly way better in my sideboard to bring out only when needed.
I REALLY liked my desecration demons...they were big fat fliers on the cheap and they really punished my friends for not playing well. It was not only a fun card to put on the table...but it was very difficult for my friends to figure out how to play against.
But...obliterator. My goodness what a nasty card!
He does so much of what I'm looking for. He's easily podded for, he's a big fat 5/5 beatstick with trample, he's insanely difficult to block, and he can potentially provide some removal for me. If not dealt with right away, he can just completely take over the game for me.
He too punishes the heck out of my friends for not playing well...which I just love lol /evilgrin.
Obviously his big huge drawback for me is his casting cost. BBBB...EEEK!
He'd be a singleton though, so hopefully I wouldn't be drawing into him often. Most of the time I'd be attempting to pod into him.
I could try adding in an additional Urborg as well to support him. Though that's pretty iffy. It's not like I'm running 4x obliterators, and it's not as if I don't have ways of getting obliterator into play without paying his mana cost.
haha I'm SUPER tempted to pick this card up and give it a try. It does so freaking much!
My deck is turning more into a b/g rock deck :D.
Updating my list yet again. I think I'm going to make the purchase of the obliterator. If it doesn't pan out...well at least I tried!
---EDIT---
I'm going to try the 2 urborgs. Might be super dumb of me...I'm not sure. I can always take the second out later if it isn't working out for me or if I find it's just not needed.
...anyhow, I made the purchase.
I so can't wait for all my cards to come in...haha next weekend is going to be so much fun for me when I get together with my friends with this highly updated deck. I can't wait to start playtesting it so I can see first hand what works and what doesn't.
you should get a Grave Titan an additional 6 drop so you have a better chance to pod Sheoldred, Whispering One. It also produces 2 additional bodies other then it's own when it comes into play and another 2 when it attacks so it can help against people trying to swarming the board. Varolz, the Scar-Striped seems counter productive to your Sheoldred, Whispering One so i would replace it with Reclamation sage to deal with artifacts or enchantments that pop up in in most decks as a better alternative. Consider getting either Shriekmaw or Nekrataal for a doom blade/go for the throat effect when it enters. Out of curiosity what kinda decks do you normally play against other then mill and the occasional artifact hate??
On a side note this build looks really fun to play.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Standard: No Time
Modern: Jund Midrange BRG
Legacy: Shardless Bug BUG
Awesome, thanks for the reply and the suggestions moon :D.
Yeah...I'm not liking Varolz much lately either. My initial reason for having him, was to have a second sac outlet besides my single viscera for my combo.
Well I've been playing this deck (not yet completed. it's actually the list in post #5. Gah waiting for cards to come in the mail is agonizing! lol) a TON with just a single copy of viscera...and to my surprise...my deck's been running just fine with just 1 and no other sac outlets.
Most the time in single player my deck's winning by just putting out a consistent supply of hard to handle creatures and beating down.
In multiplayer it's all about taking things a bit more slowly...usually trying to put my combo together...then pulling the trigger and going all in after my opponents have knocked each other down quite a bit.
I've won several games with my combo which is a lot of fun. Both infinite life gain and infinite damage. It's dang satisfying getting it to go off haha.
But most the time it's all about beatdown with my deck. Something I really love about this deck. It's a midrange beatdown deck that just happens to have a couple combos in it and can also be a bit of a control deck on top of everything.
It really has been a lot of fun to pilot this weekend.
Loving Grave Titan. Thinking -1 Varolz, +1 Titan.
I'm already running a shriekmaw (I'll post my updated list here in a sec)...and I don't go against enough enchantments to warrant a reclamation sage. I do have 2 in my sideboard if I do go against anything crazy...but all I ever see is an occasional banishing light or some creature enchantments...and with that I'd just rather kill the creature.
For artifacts I'm running 4x putrefy and 2x maelstrom (which can also hit enchantments)...I've had no problems handling artifacts this weekend.
However...and this is really sad...I do need to run 1 copy of Loaming Shaman. Frustrates me to no end that I've got to waste a spot in my deck on him...but dang. My friend plays a really crappy mill deck that does literally nothing to my deck 1 on 1, but is a pain in my neck in multiplayer free for all where he's got a better chance to set up. And he always guns for me with everything he's got. It's dam annoying.
I play against a HUGE range of mediocre at best decks. Couple of my friends each have 20+ badly built decks. It's not so much that they're badly built...it's just that they all use sub-par cards. For example one of them has an infect/poison deck...but instead of using efficient 1 or 2 drop infect creatures...he uses lots of big 4 or 5 mana cost creatures which makes his deck slow and clunky and MUCH easier to deal with because in turn he's giving his opponents plenty of time to find answers and removal.
I also play a lot of pretty horrible burn decks. I'm talking decks that run 4 copies of Lava Axe bad. They're just way too slow and clunky and don't apply near enough pressure to hold any serious chance.
A deck I do consistently have to play against is a horrible mill deck. It's 80+ cards and does almost nothing till turn 5. I'm not kidding. It's just horrible. And the thing that annoys me the most I think...is my friend is actually convinced it's a really cool deck. /facepalm. He didn't win a single game this weekend. My badly built deck I have till my cards come in the mail this week slaughters him before he's even played 2 or 3 spells in 1 on 1 games...and he thinks it's good? wow.
I hate the level of decks I have to play against. I LOVE a good challenge.
I don't get that.
Feels like I'm suppose to go buy a $10 starter deck, make zero changes to it...then just play that deck. At least then I'd have some challenge.
.......
Anyhow...here's my current decklist I'm running just as soon as I get my cards in this week.
I do like your grave titan idea. I thought of running him at one point...not sure why I took him out of my list.
Also note I'm running 2x deathrite shaman and a single copy of vampiric tutor (wish I had 4! haha). It's all very casual games and most of my friends themselves are playing non-modern legal cards. I think I'd be an idiot not to run a couple of shamans in this deck if given the chance to. Only running 2 instead of 4 because none of my friends play fetch lands themselves...so I don't think he'll be quite as consistent for me for mana accel as birds will.
I asked my friends if I could play these cards and they're all completely okay with it...so I'm going to. Mine as well right?
Ideally if I didn't have to play against my friend's dam mill deck in multi-player games, I'd run -1 Loaming Shaman, and +1 Chord Of Calling.
Sorry for the long post.
I've put a lot of thought into this deck though this weekend and I don't have anyone to discuss this deck with in the 3d world. My friends are just waaaaay too casual for my liking.
You should run Abrupt Decay instead of Putrefy. You're also playing Pod; so Finks and Geist are your best targets - you really should run at least 3 of each imho. Also vampiric tutor is not legal in modern (or most anywhere for that matter). You might also want 2 of the BG filter land...forgot what it is called atm. Oh yeah and Deathrite Shaman is not legal either.
You should run Abrupt Decay instead of Putrefy. You're also playing Pod; so Finks and Geist are your best targets - you really should run at least 3 of each imho. Also vampiric tutor is not legal in modern (or most anywhere for that matter). You might also want 2 of the BG filter land...forgot what it is called atm. Oh yeah and Deathrite Shaman is not legal either.
He pointed out a few post ago there all just casual players and they don't mind him playing Deathrite Shaman since it's casual he may as well. He would also like to keep it strictly B/G so Geist is out of the option since it's out of the color's he wants. I'm not overly fond of Vampiric Tutor though we have enough of those tutor effects with pods and cords in our deck as is so we don't really need to run them. I love Abrupt Decay an amazing card, but i don't recommend it for casual play. On the other hand you have a point about Twilight Mire he should replace Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth with them as it allows him to hard cast Obliterator that much easier.
@ twitch77: maybe you should try cockatrice if you would like to try a more competitive place. If you do that though i would take 100% of the advice from Aegraen. Though i don't recommend multiples of Geist since i hate drawing one when i had one on the field it's a horrible top deck
You should run Abrupt Decay instead of Putrefy. You're also playing Pod; so Finks and Geist are your best targets - you really should run at least 3 of each imho. Also vampiric tutor is not legal in modern (or most anywhere for that matter). You might also want 2 of the BG filter land...forgot what it is called atm. Oh yeah and Deathrite Shaman is not legal either.
I love abrupt decay...I know it's a better card then putrefy...but I'm reluctant to make a purchase of a playset. I play against some VERY casual decks and there's all sorts of 4+ cc creatures I play against. Decay is tempting because it does hit so many things for me...but I'm afraid there's just too many times that I'd have a couple decays sitting in my hand while I'm grimacing and frustrated cause my friend has a Macar or something out.
Putrefy + maelstrom have been a great removal package for me so far against my friends.
If I ever start going to fnm's...I'd for sure pick up a playset of decays. I really wish my friends played more competitively and decay was a better card vs. them.
And I understand deathrite and tutor are illegal in modern. I thought about not even listing my decklist that includes them here on these forums so I wouldn't confuse anyone...but dang it I like having a list of my current build on these forums cause it makes things much easier for me to visualize and to try and adjust.
My friends are more then happy to let me play deathrite. Same with my tutor. I'm aware they're not legal and I'd have to take them out at fnm's or anything like that...but at the kitchen table it's all good.
And man...I LOOOOVE my tutor. Last night early on in a game I got to tutor for a combo piece, play my witness the next turn, and tutor again. It was one of the stupidest and most broken things I've ever done in any card game I've ever played. And it felt AMAZING! lol...what a stupid card! And at instant speed? Come on! >.<'
...if the group of guys are okay with me using such a broken card...there's no way I'm not going to use it! I wont go out of my way to purchase more...but since I have one, I'm absolutely going to continue to abuse it!
And finally Twilight Mire.
Gah! lol...I was SO hoping to be able to live without mires in my deck. Love the card...but hate that it's yet another $30+ land.
Now it's going to drive me crazy though haha. Now I feel like my deck HAS to have them! xP
For now I'm going to have to live without them. With all the expensive cards I've already purchased for my deck this month...I've finally hit my wall on what I'm willing to drop on this deck. I'm not prepared to spend another $70 for the mires this month...or next probably.
I don't know though...it's going to drive me nuts not having them now lmao. But not today.
I'd LOVE to be at 3x Strangleroots though. I made up some proxies of the cards I'm waiting for in the mail last night (got a bunch of them today! :D) and the deck is just much clunkier with only 2 geists.
Any advice on how I can find room for 1 more?
2x Finks however has played out perfectly well. I think he's fine as a 2 of and don't feel any real need to find room for any more of him.
Loaming is in there cause of my friend's mill deck. I NEED some way to combat his dang deck or it just wrecks me and my combo...but more times then not I don't need my entire graveyard shuffled back into my deck...I just need a specific critter in my yard.
So I'm going to give exarch a try. He's an additional 4 drop for me, which I need, and will hopefully be just enough against my friend's mill deck. And...he's not a dead draw/pod target like loaming often is.
Going to update my decklist above reflecting this.
.......
The 1 thing I'd like to figure out at this point...is a way to put in 1 more strangleroot geist. I'm just not liking him as a 2 of at all! I think I REALLY need him to be a 3 of...or ideally a 4 of in this deck.
But dang man...lol it's dang tough to find room.
At an FNM I think I'd go straight -2 Deathrites for +2 Strangleroots.
And I'm already at 23 lands...I refuse to go any lower then that (even with my 6 mana dorks).
I mean...I guess I COULD -1 Vampiric Tutor...but man...lol...that card is just freaking insane >.<'.
Any advice on this?
Anyhow...thanks a lot guys! And thanks for putting up with my HUGE rambling posts haha. I'm just very excited about this deck...funnest deck I've played in magic so far. And it's frustrating cause my friends are all way too casual when it comes to deck building, so I don't get to talk to them much about putting this deck together.
Slows me down some. But would give me more of my geists which I'm SO desperate for atm.
My deck just is not running well with only 2 geists.
-------edit-------
Okay, yeah...I'm going to try this out. See how it goes. Might slow me down too much, but we'll see (deathrite shaman isn't nearly as broken for me as he is in a tournament scene either...none of my friends play fetchlands, so he often isn't a turn 2 mana accel for me. /sad
Against my friend's decks though...often times a turn 2 geist, into a turn 3 or 4 pod is good enough to get there. I LOVE playing pod turn 2...but it's just not needed most the time (especially in multiplayer) against my friends.
*I know I'm running 3 cards in this list not legal in modern (deathrites and vamiric tutor) but I play strictly kitchen table casual atm and my friends are all okay with it.
Okay I've been toying around on cockatrice all night haha...I feel so dumb for not joining in on the cockatrice fun sooner! Tonight's the first time I've ever tried it.
This deck is VERY little about it's combo as it turns out for me (might be because I'm so very inexperienced in playing it). It's all about beatdown it seems...and I'm loving it!
It's insane how quickly this deck can build a huge board presence in the mid game too. I can go from nothing but some lands and a pod...to a couple of very nasty creatures almost out of thin air! lol
Also...Obliterator...OMG! He's not just good...he's freaking AMAZING! He's every bit as good as I had hoped he'd be! His BBBB has only been an issue for me in 1 game (and that's cause he destroyed my urborg haha!)...and even then it was no big deal. I just had to cast him a turn later then I had hoped...but in the end it didn't matter...lol I had him and a grave titan in play and by the time my opponent found an answer for my 2 fatties...he still had a swarm of zombies coming directly at him. Obliterator comes down and unless they have an answer immediately for him...he just takes over the rest of the game. It's dang nice to have him out too, cause my opponents are forced to put all their attention on dealing with him, leaving me the oppurtunity to try and piece together my combo, or giving me a chance to over extend a bit and dump out a bunch of other smaller creatures to finish the game off.
Also I'm liking putrefy. I thought I'd go ahead and give it a try on cockatrice for now, since it's what I'm playing in the real world...so I could get a sense of how the deck runs with them.
And they've worked well.
There has been a couple games where I'd wished my putrefy in hand had been a decay...but for the most part putrefy has served me just fine.
And that brings me to the next thing I've been enjoying. The answers this deck has! I'm loving all the destruction I can produce. It's not an insane amount, but it's been just enough...just have to be patient and be very careful on what I choose to destroy.
I LOVE shriekmaw. I can't believe at one point I decided I wasn't going to play him. Being able to pod my redcaps into a creature removal has been just awesome. Then being able to follow that up with either a grave titan for pressure, or massacre for a board wipe of small critters has not only felt amazing to pull off...but has been tremendously effective.
And yeah...that grave titan has put in a TON of work for me! I can't thank you enough for the suggestion Moon! My deck definitely needs him!
Also, I'll likely never choose to go down below 4 geists again. Just as I thought...he's a must as a 4 of in this deck. He just does way too much for me. He's early pressure, he's hard to kill, he's amazing pod food, he pods into a finks if I need another small beater, or if I need some life to bring me back into a game...or else he pods into an eternal witness to bring whatever is needed at the time back from my graveyard.
And he's almost never a dead draw. Him having haste means SO much for this deck that's so easily able to amass a scary board of mean creatures out of nowhere.
1 issue I am having...is trying to figure out when I should be trying to build for my combo, and when I shouldn't.
I also have a heck of a hard time figuring out how I should be playing my chord of callings correctly. I'll often times have 1 chord in hand, and no combo pieces (in hand, or on board, or no way to pod into them)...so I don't know if I should chord for a viscera or a melira...and I'm always so scared that if I do chord for either, they'll get killed by something...so I kept keeping my chords in my hand, hoping I'd draw into other combo pieces and could build my combo within a turn or 2.
But that never happened. I'd wait too long, and before I knew it...either I had lost, or I had won. Either way I'd be at the end of the game with my chord still in hand >.<'.
I just need practice. There's a LOT going on with this deck. A lot I have to keep track of. It's going to take me some time to get it figured out. I'm sure before long I'll be playing my chords with MUCH more confidence! lol
And I'm sure I'll start to figure out when I should be trying for the combo, and when I shouldn't be...that's just going to come down to playing the deck vs. a lot of other decks and learning how my deck works and how other decks work as well.
...
Anyhow...I freaking love my deck! lol...it's a very fun deck. I love all the searching it does, I love how much of a beatdown deck it can be, I love how I can come back into the game and apply a tremendous amount of pressure mid game out of nowhere, and I love how it's got some control going on...plus it feels like a very reactive deck...I've always gotta be paying attention to what my opponent's doing and decide what I need to do based off of what they're doing (lol I'm use to playing decks on mtgo that all but ignore what my opponents are doing...so this is a completely different play style for me!).
Fun stuff! And now I'm dam hooked to cockatrice >.<'...what an amazing tool for playtesting!
I know I'm pretty much just talking to myself at this point haha...but I very slightly made a couple of changes to my deck.
Just as was suggested...I ended up taking my vampiric tutor out (I know, I know! It's not legal in modern anyhow!). It really wasn't needed and I just kept drawing into it when I'd rather have drawn a chord.
-------EDIT-------
Actually I'm going to test 1 vampiric out again for a bit.
lol I'm convinced it's GOTTA be good...especially with a deck so full of 1 of's.
I just can't make up my mind!!! haha
-------/EDIT-------
Also... Dryad Arbor.
He's actually proving to be insanely useful for me! Being able to fetch him out of my deck with any of the 6 fetchlands I have has proven over and over to be just a tremendous thing for me. It's usually so I can Pod him away for a Viscera...but occasionally I'll go get a deathrite with him as well.
He's not a concrete card in my deck quite yet...I'm still testing him out...but so far I've been pretty dang impressed with him.
...also 2 more things.
I wish I had an easy way to put +1/+1 counters on my finks/redcaps...or a way to remove their -1/-1's (outside of melira). Adding white to this deck has a HUGE advantage that way with gavony township, thune and restoration angel.
There is Llanowar Reborn or better yet...Oran-Rief, the Vastwood available in my colors...but gah! They both come into play tapped. And neither (on their own) provide B which is awkward when I'm running an Obliterator. Even just adding 2 Vastwoods I'm afraid would slow my deck down considerably. I'm already running 3 tappedlands (I'm counting Arbor here)...and 4 woodlands if I get unlucky with my opening hand (almost never happens).
I guess I could take out my 2 treetop villages (or 1 treetop and 1 arbor) for 2 Vastwoods and give it a try...but my treetops really provide excellent beats, and they too can be used to help me fetch my Viscera or any other 1 drop with my Pod.
I'm not sure Vastwood would be a better card than my villages at this point.
Plus the fact that Vastwood only hits my finks...but not my redcaps.
Another option I do have is Varolz. He's super slow and clunky though...but he DOES give me yet another sac outlet so I can go off with my meliracombo.
But he doesn't play well with my Deathrites or my scavenging...and he takes up a slot, which means I'd have to cut a creature (or spell) somewhere for him...and that's not an easy thing to do! lol
So yeah...I'm not sure where to go with this. I might try a few things out, or I may just leave it as is.
-------EDIT------- DERP!
I forgot all about Spike Feeder!
Though this card just loses so much of it's awesomeness without the white (where I'd have ways to add or reset the counters on it itself). Plus the fact that with white...it makes an infinite life combo with Thune.
/sigh...this deck is so much worse without white! haha >.<'
I'm sticking with it though!
Another card I remembered is Hex Parasite.
Now I realize in any sort of even slightly competitive environment...this card is just a horribly slow card...
But at the kitchen table casual games I play with my friends...he could actually work! I was actually running a single copy of him when I very first started playing pod, and he actually did some serious work for me. Almost every deck I play against plays planeswalkers...and one of my friend plays a super clunky (/horrible) r/w deck that uses quite a few lands that he can tap to add storage counters to. He just keeps adding the counters and eventually he'll pop the land and play some ridiculously over costed spell lol. It was a lot of fun playing the parasite vs this deck.
And on top of everything, he can potentially reset my finks and redcaps for me?
So...I think I'm going to try him as a 1 of. Against my friends I think he just might be good enough.
Yet another card I'd take out for fnm's.
-1 Strangleroot Geist (will test this out. I don't like going below 4 strangles, so we'll see)
Though I'll probably play around with it a bit and try Varolz out as well (in place of my hex). I do like the thought of having an easier to pod for sac outlet. Plus he regens so he can survive most removal my friends play and he can become quite large (or make any of my other critters bigger) with his scavenging.
I'd imagine he'd be a pretty bad choice to main deck if I were playing anything serious...he's just too slow and clunky and doesn't evade things like path to exile.
But vs. my friends...especially in multiplayer...slow and clunky can actually play out just fine. And on any of the games that are long lasting, this card can really give me the upper hand.
Also 1 more good point in Varolz's corner...is one of my friends plays a mill deck. Varolz just gives me 1 more card to take advantage of that fact main deck.
I don't know...at least against my friends, he's worth a try.
I REALLY need to take my deck to some FNM's soon though so I can see how it performs against some better decks.
Drives me nuts that my friends don't have anything more serious for me to play against.
-------/END EDIT-------
1 last thing...I'm searching for a better 5 drop then my Thragtusk. I'm not finding it! lol...he does just so much for this deck! He gains me a significant amount of life...which is important cause this deck is capable of really doing a lot of self inflicted damage (with all the fetches and shocklands and my pods themselves) early on as I'm setting up.
He's also just a big fatty beat stick...and he's hard to kill cause he leaves behind a 3/3 token (which...yet again can be podded away for a 1 drop).
Plus he's just such an easy creature to pod away. I never feel bad for having to pod him away so I can fetch up a massacre or titan. He's just a perfect pod target for me.
But I don't know...I just wish I had something a little bit meaner haha. I don't know that a better 5 drop exists for my deck though.
Any thoughts?
*I know both Deathrite Shaman and Vampiric Tutor are banned in Modern...but I play strictly kitchen table casual atm and my friends are all okay with it.
This is a list I play vs. My friends. If I were taking this list to an FNM or something I'd make these changes:
Gah I'm over thinking this deck again dam it! haha
Now I'm wondering why the heck I'm not running a spellskite!
Maybe I should just forget about resetting my finks and redcaps and stick a skite in there instead.
The big concern I have though...is the life loss. This deck already takes a TON of self inflicted damage as it is. And I play against some burn sometimes, and I play in a lot of free for all multiplayer games.
It's not like some B/G/W lists that are running Thunes and 4x Kitchen Finks and Spike Feeder either...I mean I do have some nice life gain in my deck, but I'm not sure I'm running enough to warrant the inclusion of skite.
The B/G/W versions of this deck also run 7 mana dorks that can pay for the U...while I'm only playing 4.
Well I had another night to play the heck out of this deck vs. my friends.
It makes me feel like such an arse.
First game I had both my infinite combos live by turn 4 (infinite life gain and infinite damage)...I announced it, asked if anyone had an answer...and then passed my turn cause I didn't want the game to be over with. I wanted to continue playing the game out.
And even so...even without gaining a point of life or dealing a point of damage with the combos...I felt just unstoppable. It's like once the ball starts rolling and the deck starts to gain momentum, things just feel so inevitable.
The ONLY game I played where I had trouble (and didn't win)...was a 4 player free for all multiplayer game, and my friend decided to play his mill deck...and he decided to pour all of his attention into milling me out.
It's dam effective vs. this deck...I have a hard time putting together much of anything when all my dang 1 of's are in the graveyard. Makes podding difficult, and makes combo'ing off just about impossible once melira and viscera are both in my graveyard.
I was hoping that a single entomber exarch (plus my 2 eternal witnesses) would be good enough to get me there vs. his mill deck.
It's not.
I SO desperately needed a way to shuffle my graveyard back into my deck. There was 2 key points in the game where I could've podded into a 3 drop while I still had 1 eternal witness in my deck.
I SO wished I would've been running at least 1 Loaming Shaman during those 2 points in the game. Loam being able to shuffle my grave back would've given me all the steam I would've needed to take over that game.
But I was testing the deck without the loams...and I lost. Lesson learned.
I don't know what I'm taking out yet...but I HAVE to run Loaming Shaman vs this guy's mill deck. I HATE having to...but I just have to. Preferably 2 loaming shamans. He just wrecks me way too bad with his dam mill.
We played a 2 headed giant game...and my team mate was stuck on 2 lands, while one of my opponents was building up an insane board filled with huge elves. I mean while had an insane opening hand with 2 lands, a viscera seer, a melira and a chord of calling. I couldn't believe it! lol...What's more, I was knew I was playing against 2 decks with almost no direct creature removal in them...so I just felt great!
Played my viscera turn 1, melira turn 2, drew a 3rd land and played it turn 3...and then I was stuck for about 3 turns. Just 1 land (or small creature) away from being able to chord of calling for a 3 drop (a kitchen finks so I could go off with infinite life).
Mean while my 2 opponents were I think pretty clueless to exactly what I was sitting on with my viscera and melira sitting there on the table. At that point one of them was producing 3 or 4 elf tokens each turn, and then doubling each of his tokens every turn...and he had just played a coat of arms.
He dropped me and my team mate down to just a few life...and my team mate was done. He was frustrated and was ready to quit and move on to the next game.
My next turn came, I pulled a land...played it...chorded a finks out...asked my 2 opponents if they had a way to kill my viscera or melira...neither did...so I explained to them that me and my team mate now had infinite life.
I could feel the frustration in my opponents.
It almost felt like cheating. Like what kind of game am I playing where I can be SO insanely far behind why my opponents have such a crazy board state full of just insane nasties out...and just out of seemingly no where I pull off this ridiculous combo.
I don't know...it just felt completely broken to me.
But my opponents were SO far ahead board wise that they wanted to play it out. The one guy attacked us with 8 elf tokens who were each 20/20 creatures. I told him I'd take it with no blocks. Again...I just felt bad. He was playing a deck he had obviously put a lot of effort into making and it was FINALLY working as he had dreamed it would...only it wasn't anywhere enough.
I then explained at the end of his turn that I also had infinite scry 1, so I scryed to a murderous redcap, drew it, played it...and then explained to them how I now had infinite damage.
It just felt broken. It felt dirty. It felt mean. It felt vicious.
I'm not going to lie...it felt pretty damn good too...it was awesome to win that game for me and my friend like that when things had looked so absolutely impossible just 2 turns earlier.
But...it's just almost too good of a deck for them...and for that reason I almost feel like I'm cheating. I feel a bit ashamed to bring such a power house of a deck to such casual games.
And I'm afraid it's only ever going to feed my ego and make me believe the deck is better then in actually is.
I really think I'm going to head to an FNM this friday to play it out...I'm bound to run into more competitive decks...decks that should probably thrash this deck up quite a bit.
But dang I crave that! I crave that level of challenge.
I feel frustrated with my friends for playing such badly put together casual decks...
But now that I'm thinking about it...it's me. I'm a very disruptive player in their group. They've been playing together for years...and now all the sudden I come in and start just dominating...and I can't imagine how frustrating that is for them. How annoying it must be to have all these decks you've built and are really proud of...only to watch them all fall apart to this new person's over powered deck.
It's gotta be a bit crushing.
...I'm not sure what I'm going to do.
I still have hope. There is one guy I went to college with I think I'm going to give a call this week. I know he's pretty good at the game...steps above my friends. And last time I talked to him, he had a pretty vicious and ruthless U/W/x counter/miracles deck...he won quite a few local tournaments with the deck and I've heard he's just very ruthless to play against, and no one likes playing against him cause he runs so much counter magic.
This excites me. I very much so want to play him...and his deck. I love ruthless. It excites me. Some people are all about kicking back and being casual and enjoying the game at a slower, more relaxed pace.
Me? I crave winning...at almost any cost. That's what gets me pumped with magic...being ruthless and making tough decisions...
I'm convinced I come across as a jerk to my friends cause they are all far more casual then me...they've even started to make comments under their breaths about how ruthless I am.
Hopefully this guy I knew in college has more of the same attitude that I have. Where the excitement from the game comes from winning. That he'll be as willing to crush me in defeat as I am to him lol.
Also going to start going to FNM's this month I'm hoping. I know they hold modern FNM's at least 2 times a month at my LGS...and I think he actually runs modern every week if I'm not mistaken.
There I really hope to get some serious competition.
At any rate...I need more then I'm getting from my friends. It's only going to leave everyone bitter in the end.
I'm still going to keep playing them with this deck. It's the only deck I own right now...and I've got far too much invested in it now to tare it apart already. Plus it's one of the funnest decks I've ever played in magic...I'm no where near sick of playing it yet.
...
Anyhow...this deck is just sick. I'm so in love with it. We played 5 or 6 games tonight and I only lost 1 game...and that's due to being milled out of existence while I kept my mill hate (loaming shaman) in my sideboard. I wont be making that mistake again I assure you.
I've still no clue how competitive of a deck it is vs. anything even slightly serious...but vs. my friends this deck is just a monster. It combos out fairly easily, and it's also just such a great mid-range beat down deck. Also loving my removal package...so many of the games just felt so unevenly in my favor that it's almost not funny.
It's extremely enjoyable to play...and yet at the same time, it kept making me feel quite guilty and almost ashamed.
.......
Also...Hex Parasite. What a boss!
He's one of the first cards I'd rip out of my deck if I were heading to an FNM...but against my friends, hex is just a beast! I had him out 3 games and all 3 games he was worth his weight in gold. He was taring loyalty from walkers, and making one of my friend's oulast decks look like an absolute joke (which honestly...it really kinda was. Outlast...in modern? /sigh).
He was just tremendous! Perfect hate vs so many of my friends cards. I really loved running him tonight...and even when he was just sitting in my hand doing nothing, I loved the security of just knowing I had him at the ready.
This deck is all about momentum leading to inevitability. I love that. It feels awesome when you just know you've got the win many turns ahead of when your opponent comes to the same conclusion.
Hex Parasite was just yet another small push out of all the many, many small pushes I get with this deck to get my momentum rolling.
I LOOOVE this deck guys! lol
...
My friend also gave me a polluted delta to hold on to for a bit...so I threw that in my deck for awhile too.
-1 Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
+1 Polluted Delta
He's also go 1 more Windswept Heath I'm pretty sure he'd let me borrow (or work out some kind of reasonable trade).
I'm thinking it just might not be a bad deal to run 8 fetch lands in the deck. 4x Verdant, 3x Windswept and 1x Polluted.
I mean...I am running deathrite shaman and all. Plus of the friends I play, I'm the only one that plays fetch lands...it wouldn't hurt to run a couple more in my deck, just so I have more chances of having a deathrite useable as a mana dork on turn 2.
Also...life...it wasn't nearly as big of an issue as I thought it might be.
I sure do suicide myself with this deck a lot. It's common for me to inflict 3 damage to myself on my first turn (to play a fetch land into an untapped shock land) so I can play a birds or deathrite turn 1 and then an additional 2 on turn 2 so I can play a birthing pod.
In several of the games I was at 12-15 life (all self inflicted) by turn 3.
And yet...it wasn't a problem at all. It's amazing to me how much life I can gain with this deck. Between deathrite, kitchen finks, thragtusk and scavenging ooze...I can VERY quickly bright my life back up and out of reach for my opponents. It's just another thing that makes me deck feel so dam broken and mean. It's just so dam sick lol. So many levels higher in power then what I'm facing currently.
It's a dam powerhouse.
lol it's so much fun when your playing a 4 player free for all, and you're just suiciding the heck out of your life...and late game comes around and you find yourself facing off vs just 1 last person. You're at 3 or 4 life and you can see on your opponent's face that he clearly thinks he has the upper hand. And then he goes in for an attack and in response you play a chord of calling to bring a scavenging ooze out...tap a few spare lands for some green mana, pump your ooze, gain some much needed life, block their creature destroying it...and then untapping with a TON of green mana to produce and a TON of creatures to be removed in graveyards.
And then that whole inevitability feeling washes over you and you know you've got this.
lol just so much fun!
......
I really don't know why I keep on posting.
yeah I do. I'm just excited I guess.
It's been so dang long since I've played paper magic. And it's been years since I've really been in the mood for magic at all. Haven't even touched magic online much in the past 2 years.
And now that I'm back into it...I've become super obsessed with this b/g birthing pod deck...and though it's not like I'm the first person in the world to discover how amazing and how fun pod decks are...it still feels great to be piecing this deck together on my own (with some awesome advice from some of you guys!)...without net decking the heck out of it. It's like it's my baby haha...and I'm super proud of it and super excited about it.
I'm just having a blast (and feeling a lot of frustration with the lack of competition I'm getting) and I'm having a hard time containing myself xP. I have to get all this energy and excitement out somewhere...I'm not getting to do so with my friends...so I keep coming back to this thread to unleashed the excitement and everything haha.
And you know what? It might not be helping anyone else...but all these ramblings have helped me a lot to fine tune my deck. It helps me to get this stuff out of my head...it just widens my perspective and makes things more clear to me.
...
Sorry if I'm annoying anyone xP...my posts are long, drawn out, and just filled with a bunch of nonsense ramblings haha.
But dang I'm loving this game. It's been far too long since I've felt this way for a tcg! Way too long!
Okay so I'm going to try and take this to an FNM this Friday...Think I'm going to make a couple of changes. Nothing drastic.
Of course I have to take my 2 deathrites out (/cry)...as well as my vampiric tutor.
I'm also taking my hex parasite out...he's only in there vs. my friends cause it seems to be such a beast vs a lot of the stuff they play.
Think I'm going to move my entomber exarch to my side board...bring him in against other combo decks or decks that have a lot of creature hate.
And finally going to take out my Dryad Arbor. Again...this card is probably only good against my friends, but not good vs. anything more competitive (it's just too risky if I have to play it in the early game!).
...I'm not sure about running 8 fetch lands. It may be too much for this deck. I think 8 is a good number to run when I'm running Deathrite Shaman, but without the Shaman I'm not sure I really need 8.
But I'm going to go with it for now.
Also, I've decided against going with a Spellskite for now. I may really regret it.
Anyhow...here's the pile I plan to take with me this Friday:
...I really don't have a sideboard for this deck. I mean I guess I kinda do...but it's not pretty. I don't have much of a collection of cards outside of this deck (only got into paper magic again about a month ago). Besides...I have NO clue what kinds of decks are ran at my local modern FNM's.
Just working with what I've got in my small collection of cards (and going in to the FNM blind).
--Reclamation Sage is self explanatory
--Thrun for counter heavy decks, or creature removal heavy decks
--Entomber for control, combo or decks with lots of creature removal
--Desecration demons vs slower mid-range decks that run only a few creatures, or slow control decks.
--Acidic slime for another enchantment/artifact destroyer...can also bring in vs. any decks that might run problematic lands (looking at you celestial colonnade!)
--Duress for combo, control...and anything with a lot of creature or artifact hate.
--Autumn's Veil vs counter heavy decks or black creature removal heavy decks.
--Doom blade vs. decks that run scary...non black...critters.
--Dismember...just a very solid removal spell..wish I had 2 for my board.
The only real thing I can think of that this deck could really use an update on is -2 Woodland Cemetery, +2 Twilight Mire...I just don't like the idea of spending the $70 on those 2 lands right now.
But honestly...I can't think of any other updates this deck could use at this point. I mean...yeah it could start to be upgrading into a different deck (the more competitive pod deck that runs white, or a BUG control deck or ROCK).
I'm at a point where I don't think this deck can be further upgraded though. I feel like this is the best list I can personally come up with for a black/green birthing pod deck.
Man I wish more people would take interest in this thread and give me advice haha...I could very well be missing something completely obvious that someone else could point out to me.
This has truly developed into an absolute dream deck for me. I'm super proud of it. The only problem I have with it, is it's light years ahead of all my friend's decks in competitiveness. But I can remedy this by hopefully finding stiffer competition at my local game shop.
For my current list I'll be taking to a local FNM...see post #20.
========/UPDATE========
==============UPDATE==============
Okay...so I REALLY splurged and ended up going all out on this deck. My updated list can be found on post #6 of this thread.
I'm enjoying the deck enough that I decided I'm willing to go all in on it. It's not perfect by any means...but do remember I do only play casual right now.
I also have a lot of cards I can use in my future for other decks once I've grown tired of this one lol.
Gah...I almost forgot how exciting it is to get new cards! lol...it's been so many years since I've got to crack a fetch land in paper magic!
==============/UPDATE==============
So I'm just getting back into paper magic after years of not playing (have played mtgo on and off) and ended up picking up a green/black event deck at my local game shop...I just wanted something quick.
It ran a couple of birthing pods, and I very quickly fell in love with the idea of the deck.
So over the course of the last 2 weeks I've been rebuilding the deck...and I got it at a pretty decent build atm I think. It's not super competative...though I think with a few tweaks to my mana base, I could take it to an FNM without being too embarrassed.
The group of people I play with are all super casual...and I play a lot of 4 or 5 person free-for-all multi-player games. This deck is crushing vs. most of my friend's decks in 1 vs. 1...but most of their decks are pretty junky to be honest (and none of them have anything near tier 1 decks for modern)...and I also hold up well in multi-player...so I'm quite happy with how it's all turned out.
First time I've ever played green/black, and I'm loving it!
So here's my current deck:
//1 Drops:
4x Elvish Mystic
2x Llanowar Elves
//2 Drops:
4x Strangleroot Geist
2x Sylvan Ranger
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Nether Traitor
//3 Drops:
2x Eternal Witness
2x Reclamation Sage
2x Loaming Shaman
1x Glissa, The Traitor
2x Desecration Demon
1x Savra, Queen Of The Golgari
1x Solemn Simulacrum
//5 Drops:
1x Thornling
1x Thragtusk
1x Anowon, The Ruin Sage
//ARTIFACTS (4):
4x Birthing Pod
//INSTANTS & SORCERIES (4):
4x Putrefy
4x Tainted Wood
4x Jungle Hollow
2x Gilt-Leaf Palace
2x Grim Backwoods
6x Forest
6x Swamp
A few notes:
--I know Tainted Wood is not modern legal...but I'm only playing casual games with friends right now, and they're all aware and okay with it.
--I'm running 2x Loaming Shaman because one of my friends plays mill, and I find this card to obviously just crush his deck. Most the time my deck is too fast for his though and loaming isn't necessary...so he is something I can cut from the deck.
--I'm running 12 elves in this build...so Gilt-Leaf Palace at 2x has been good. I'm not confident with running 4x though.
--I'm not running any 6 or 7 drops. I think I should be...but I'm not sure. Seems to be running okay without them.
--The mana base is a wreck...I realize that, but I am on a budget right now and this is what I've got for now. Green black lands are pricey! Even the g/b pain lands /sigh. This being said...it runs pretty smoothly. I've rarely had to take a mulligan due to not having the lands I need, and I haven't had too much of an issue getting the colors I've need early game. The only time I struggle is when I need BB for Nether Traitor on turn 2.
--My next upgrade is going to be making room for 2x Maelstrom Pulse. My friends all play planeswalkers and a couple of them run token based decks. I want to be at 4x Putrefy and 2x Maelstrom Pulse. Planeswalkers aren't usually too big of an issue...they seem to drop quickly enough in multiplayer...but it'd be nice if I had a hard kill for them in my deck outside of having to attack them with my creatures. Being able to wipe my friend's boards clean of flying 1/1 spirits...is just icing on the cake!
Anyhow, that's the deck for now. After getting my 2 maelstroms, I'd like to work a bit on my creatures...and then after that if I'm still loving the deck...I'll dig into working on better lands.
I'm quite pleased with how it's turning out...been a very fun deck to work on!
Any suggestions?
I have a deck list built in my mind with all my ideal cards I'd like to eventually run...but I've gotta go so don't have time to post it just now. I'll be back later to post the list.
=======EDIT=======
Okay, here's how I'd like the deck to look like eventually...this is with proper lands and (I think) a better creature line up:
//1 Drops:
4x Elvish Mystic
2x Llanowar Elves
//2 Drops:
4x Strangleroot Geist
2x Sylvan Ranger
1x Nether Traitor
1x Scavenging Ooze
//3 Drops:
2x Eternal Witness
2x Reclamation Sage
1x Desecration Demon
1x Thrun, The Last Troll
1x Savra, Queen Of The Golgari
1x Solemn Simulacrum
//5 Drops:
1x Vorapede
1x Deity Of Scars
//6 Drops:
1x Grave Titan
1x Massacre Wurm
4x Birthing Pod
INSTANTS & SORCERIES (6):
4x Putrefy
2x Maelstrom Pulse
LANDS (24):
4x Verdant Catacombs
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Llanowar Wastes
2x Twilight Mire
6x Forest
4x Swamp
...
On paper this deck list looks great to me...in fact maybe a little too great...might just wind up frustrating my friends lol.
The lands are expensive...but it is something I'm willing to work on collecting for the deck.
What do you guys think about this list? Anything I'm missing? Anything I should replace?
I've got the above deck list in my possession and I'm having a blast with it...but over the course of the next month or 2 I'd like to continue buffing it up...I'm here seeking any advice, tips and suggestions!
Thanks guys!
p.s.
Gawd I wish I could afford 4x tarmogoyfs haha. I can't even begin to imagine how much more powerful this deck would be if I replaced them with my geists. /sigh...a guy can dream...right?
I'm not so sure I want to invest $200+ on 6 lands at this time.
This isn't meant for anything too serious. Maybe an FNM here and there...but mainly just for kitchen table magic.
4x Woodland Cemetery
2x Gilt-Leaf Palace (I'm still running 11 elves)
?
Should I be running Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth?
Also...should I be running Woodland Cemetery over Llanowar Wastes?
3 Razorverge Thicket
1 Woodland Cemetery
3 Gavony Township
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Overgrown Tomb
1 Temple Garden
1 Godless Shrine
3 Forest
1 Swamp
Creatures
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Noble Hierarch
2 Wall of Roots
1 Viscera Seer
1 Melira, Sylvok Outcast
4 Kitchen Finks
2 Murderous Redcap
1 Ranger of Eos
1 Eternal Witness
1 Reveillark
2 Voice of Resurgence
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Qasali Pridemage
1 Spellskite
1 Orzhov Pontiff
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Shriekmaw
4 Birthing Pod
3 Chord of Calling
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Entomber Exarch
1 Harmonic Sliver
1 Kataki, War's Wage
1 Obstinate Baloth
2 Path to Exile
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Sin Collector
2 Slaughter Pact
4 Thoughtseize
1 Voice of Resurgence
While purchasing the above list outright would be pretty pricey, the great thing about Pod is that you can just pick up single cards here and there that will incrementally improve your deck. You'll also note that the addition of white as opposed to straight G/B opens a lot of doors for you, giving you access to things like Linvala, Keeper of Silence , Voice of Resurgence , Sin Collector, Reveillark, Restoration Angel, Knight of the Reliquary... it does require that you have a pretty steady manabase to back it up, however as I mentioned above this is something that can be done incrementally.
This is really a toolbox deck, with the idea being that Birthing Pod and/or Chord of Calling can help you find the answer for any problem that you might face.
If you're not interested in adding white, I would still suggest the addition of Melira, Sylvok Outcast , as well as Kitchen Finks, Murderous Redcap, and a Viscera Seer. Melira enables an infinite combo with the persist mechanic that can allow you to win instantly, so long as you have a way to sacrifice a creature... which is the reason for the seer.
Whichever direction you take, i recommend you start here With the Melira Pod primer. There's over a hundred pages full of great information on deck building decisions as well as tips on playing the deck. As a fellow pod player, good luck, and feel free to PM if you have any questions!
I am well aware of the melira pod deck...but am trying to avoid the combo. At least for now. At least while I'm just playing with my friends.
It is something I've got in the back of my mind for the future though. If I start getting more serious with paper magic and start going to FNM's on a regular basis, it's the direction I'd very likely take this deck.
For now though...I'm trying to avoid building any deck that uses anything too super powerful like the melira combo. It's not that I don't want to...it's that I don't want to anger any of my friends haha.
I think I want to stick with straight black/green for now too. Again, I only play casual...and I've never played a green black deck in the many years I've played magic...and I'm just loving it atm :p.
Running white sure is tempting though. It's something I'll hold open for the future for sure.
.......
Any other suggestions guys?
...going to the dark side and going to play the melira combo.
I'm making a compromise of sorts...only going to run a single Viscera Seer and only 2 Chord Of Calling that I can use to fetch it.
I'd like the combo to be there...yet I don't want to rely on it to win...at least while I'm still just playing kitchen table magic with my friends.
//1 Drops:
4x Elvish Mystic
1x Llanowar Elves
1x Viscera Seer
//2 Drops:
4x Strangleroot Geist
1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
1x Scavenging Ooze
//3 Drops:
2x Eternal Witness
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Desecration Demon
2x Murderous Redcap
1x Savra, Queen Of The Golgari
//5 Drops:
1x Thornling
1x Thragtusk
//6 Drops:
1x Massacre Wurm
//ARTIFACTS (4):
4x Birthing Pod
//INSTANTS & SORCERIES (8):
4x Putrefy
2x Maelstrom Pulse
2x Chord Of Calling
4x Tainted Wood
2x Jungle Hollow
2x Khalni Garden
1x Grim Backwoods
8x Forest
7x Swamp
I know the deck is far less than perfect...there's a lot of improvements that could be made yet...but I think for now I'm very happy with the build. Pretty proud to have made this list and to own these cards. It's been so many years since I've had a competitive paper deck.
Remember...I am only playing casual kitchen table magic atm. I may start going to FNM's eventually...but not quite yet. I'd be happy to take my current build to an FNM.
Another thing I like about this build...and about playing casual games...is there's a lot of room for me to swap cards. If I'm running against my friend who plays his mill deck, I can add a couple of my Loaming Shamans, or if I'm going against a deck with lots of artifact hate, I can throw my Glissa, The Traitor back in...or if I'm going against an artifact or enchantment heavy deck...I can throw my Reclamation Sages back in there. My point is, is there's a lot of ways I can transform my deck to make it more competitive vs. my friend's specific decks...and that's just awesome to me.
Anyhow...here's my current list. I'm so excited about this deck lol...
Tomorrow will be the first time I get to try this deck out with the Melira combo, so I'm excited about that...but unfortanently I wont have my upgraded lands, or my birds of paradises until next week.
//1 Drops:
4x Birds Of Paradise
2x Elvish Mystic
1x Viscera Seer
//2 Drops:
3x Strangleroot Geist
1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
1x Scavenging Ooze
//3 Drops:
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Eternal Witness
1x Varolz, the Scar-Striped
2x Murderous Redcap
1x Thrun, The Last Troll
1x Desecration Demon
1x Savra, Queen Of The Golgari
//5 Drops:
1x Thornling
1x Thragtusk
//6 Drops:
1x Massacre Wurm
//ARTIFACTS (4):
4x Birthing Pod
//INSTANTS & SORCERIES (8):
4x Putrefy
2x Maelstrom Pulse
2x Chord Of Calling
4x Verdant Catacombs
2x Windswept Heath
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Woodland Cemetery
1x Dryad Arbor
1x Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
4x Forest
3x Swamp
I thought I was finished with the above deck. Turns out I'm far from it! >.<'
Been getting some advice on the melira primer thread posted above and am now trying to tweak this deck even further. Have gotten some great tips.
I'm going to use this thread for deck list ideas so I don't have to keep posting updated lists in the primer thread.
Here's what I'm currently thinking about:
//1 Drops:
4x Birds Of Paradise
1x Viscera Seer
//2 Drops:
2x Strangleroot Geist
2x Viridian Emissary
1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
1x Scavenging Ooze
//3 Drops:
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Eternal Witness
1x Varolz, the Scar-Striped
2x Murderous Redcap
1x Thrun, The Last Troll
//5 Drops:
1x Thragtusk
1x Shriekmaw
//6 Drops:
1x Massacre Wurm
//7 Drops:
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
//ARTIFACTS (4):
4x Birthing Pod
//INSTANTS & SORCERIES (9):
4x Putrefy
2x Maelstrom Pulse
3x Chord Of Calling
4x Verdant Catacombs
2x Windswept Heath
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Woodland Cemetery
2x Treetop Village
1x Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
4x Forest
3x Swamp
I'm looking for a solid 4 drop beater which is why I've got thrun in there...but I don't go against an insane amount of spot removal nor do I play against any counter magic...so thrun is pretty iffy.
Thrun is admittedly way better in my sideboard to bring out only when needed.
I REALLY liked my desecration demons...they were big fat fliers on the cheap and they really punished my friends for not playing well. It was not only a fun card to put on the table...but it was very difficult for my friends to figure out how to play against.
But...obliterator. My goodness what a nasty card!
He does so much of what I'm looking for. He's easily podded for, he's a big fat 5/5 beatstick with trample, he's insanely difficult to block, and he can potentially provide some removal for me. If not dealt with right away, he can just completely take over the game for me.
He too punishes the heck out of my friends for not playing well...which I just love lol /evilgrin.
Obviously his big huge drawback for me is his casting cost. BBBB...EEEK!
He'd be a singleton though, so hopefully I wouldn't be drawing into him often. Most of the time I'd be attempting to pod into him.
I could try adding in an additional Urborg as well to support him. Though that's pretty iffy. It's not like I'm running 4x obliterators, and it's not as if I don't have ways of getting obliterator into play without paying his mana cost.
haha I'm SUPER tempted to pick this card up and give it a try. It does so freaking much!
My deck is turning more into a b/g rock deck :D.
Updating my list yet again. I think I'm going to make the purchase of the obliterator. If it doesn't pan out...well at least I tried!
//1 Drops:
4x Birds Of Paradise
1x Viscera Seer
//2 Drops:
2x Strangleroot Geist
2x Viridian Emissary
1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
1x Scavenging Ooze
//3 Drops:
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Eternal Witness
1x Varolz, the Scar-Striped
2x Murderous Redcap
1x Phyrexian Obliterator
//5 Drops:
1x Thragtusk
1x Shriekmaw
//6 Drops:
1x Massacre Wurm
//7 Drops:
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
//ARTIFACTS (4):
4x Birthing Pod
//INSTANTS & SORCERIES (9):
4x Putrefy
2x Maelstrom Pulse
3x Chord Of Calling
4x Verdant Catacombs
2x Windswept Heath
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Woodland Cemetery
2x Treetop Village
2x Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
3x Forest
3x Swamp
---EDIT---
I'm going to try the 2 urborgs. Might be super dumb of me...I'm not sure. I can always take the second out later if it isn't working out for me or if I find it's just not needed.
-1 Thrun, The Last Troll
-1 Forest
+1 Phyrexian Obliterator
+1 Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
...anyhow, I made the purchase.
I so can't wait for all my cards to come in...haha next weekend is going to be so much fun for me when I get together with my friends with this highly updated deck. I can't wait to start playtesting it so I can see first hand what works and what doesn't.
Gawd I've missed magic
On a side note this build looks really fun to play.
Modern: Jund Midrange BRG
Legacy: Shardless Bug BUG
Yeah...I'm not liking Varolz much lately either. My initial reason for having him, was to have a second sac outlet besides my single viscera for my combo.
Well I've been playing this deck (not yet completed. it's actually the list in post #5. Gah waiting for cards to come in the mail is agonizing! lol) a TON with just a single copy of viscera...and to my surprise...my deck's been running just fine with just 1 and no other sac outlets.
Most the time in single player my deck's winning by just putting out a consistent supply of hard to handle creatures and beating down.
In multiplayer it's all about taking things a bit more slowly...usually trying to put my combo together...then pulling the trigger and going all in after my opponents have knocked each other down quite a bit.
I've won several games with my combo which is a lot of fun. Both infinite life gain and infinite damage. It's dang satisfying getting it to go off haha.
But most the time it's all about beatdown with my deck. Something I really love about this deck. It's a midrange beatdown deck that just happens to have a couple combos in it and can also be a bit of a control deck on top of everything.
It really has been a lot of fun to pilot this weekend.
Loving Grave Titan. Thinking -1 Varolz, +1 Titan.
I'm already running a shriekmaw (I'll post my updated list here in a sec)...and I don't go against enough enchantments to warrant a reclamation sage. I do have 2 in my sideboard if I do go against anything crazy...but all I ever see is an occasional banishing light or some creature enchantments...and with that I'd just rather kill the creature.
For artifacts I'm running 4x putrefy and 2x maelstrom (which can also hit enchantments)...I've had no problems handling artifacts this weekend.
However...and this is really sad...I do need to run 1 copy of Loaming Shaman. Frustrates me to no end that I've got to waste a spot in my deck on him...but dang. My friend plays a really crappy mill deck that does literally nothing to my deck 1 on 1, but is a pain in my neck in multiplayer free for all where he's got a better chance to set up. And he always guns for me with everything he's got. It's dam annoying.
I play against a HUGE range of mediocre at best decks. Couple of my friends each have 20+ badly built decks. It's not so much that they're badly built...it's just that they all use sub-par cards. For example one of them has an infect/poison deck...but instead of using efficient 1 or 2 drop infect creatures...he uses lots of big 4 or 5 mana cost creatures which makes his deck slow and clunky and MUCH easier to deal with because in turn he's giving his opponents plenty of time to find answers and removal.
I also play a lot of pretty horrible burn decks. I'm talking decks that run 4 copies of Lava Axe bad. They're just way too slow and clunky and don't apply near enough pressure to hold any serious chance.
A deck I do consistently have to play against is a horrible mill deck. It's 80+ cards and does almost nothing till turn 5. I'm not kidding. It's just horrible. And the thing that annoys me the most I think...is my friend is actually convinced it's a really cool deck. /facepalm. He didn't win a single game this weekend. My badly built deck I have till my cards come in the mail this week slaughters him before he's even played 2 or 3 spells in 1 on 1 games...and he thinks it's good? wow.
I hate the level of decks I have to play against. I LOVE a good challenge.
I don't get that.
Feels like I'm suppose to go buy a $10 starter deck, make zero changes to it...then just play that deck. At least then I'd have some challenge.
.......
Anyhow...here's my current decklist I'm running just as soon as I get my cards in this week.
I do like your grave titan idea. I thought of running him at one point...not sure why I took him out of my list.
Also note I'm running 2x deathrite shaman and a single copy of vampiric tutor (wish I had 4! haha). It's all very casual games and most of my friends themselves are playing non-modern legal cards. I think I'd be an idiot not to run a couple of shamans in this deck if given the chance to. Only running 2 instead of 4 because none of my friends play fetch lands themselves...so I don't think he'll be quite as consistent for me for mana accel as birds will.
I asked my friends if I could play these cards and they're all completely okay with it...so I'm going to. Mine as well right?
//1 Drops:
4x Birds Of Paradise
2x Deathrite Shaman
1x Viscera Seer
//2 Drops:
2x Strangleroot Geist
1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
1x Scavenging Ooze
//3 Drops:
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Eternal Witness
//4 Drops:
2x Murderous Redcap
1x Phyrexian Obliterator
1x Entomber Exarch
1x Thragtusk
1x Shriekmaw
//6 Drops:
1x Grave Titan
1x Massacre Wurm
//7 Drops:
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
//ARTIFACTS (4):
4x Birthing Pod
//INSTANTS & SORCERIES (9):
4x Putrefy
2x Maelstrom Pulse
2x Chord Of Calling
1x Vampiric Tutor
4x Verdant Catacombs
2x Windswept Heath
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Woodland Cemetery
2x Treetop Village
2x Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
3x Forest
2x Swamp
Ideally if I didn't have to play against my friend's dam mill deck in multi-player games, I'd run -1 Loaming Shaman, and +1 Chord Of Calling.
Sorry for the long post.
I've put a lot of thought into this deck though this weekend and I don't have anyone to discuss this deck with in the 3d world. My friends are just waaaaay too casual for my liking.
He pointed out a few post ago there all just casual players and they don't mind him playing Deathrite Shaman since it's casual he may as well. He would also like to keep it strictly B/G so Geist is out of the option since it's out of the color's he wants. I'm not overly fond of Vampiric Tutor though we have enough of those tutor effects with pods and cords in our deck as is so we don't really need to run them. I love Abrupt Decay an amazing card, but i don't recommend it for casual play. On the other hand you have a point about Twilight Mire he should replace Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth with them as it allows him to hard cast Obliterator that much easier.
@ twitch77: maybe you should try cockatrice if you would like to try a more competitive place. If you do that though i would take 100% of the advice from Aegraen. Though i don't recommend multiples of Geist since i hate drawing one when i had one on the field it's a horrible top deck
Modern: Jund Midrange BRG
Legacy: Shardless Bug BUG
I love abrupt decay...I know it's a better card then putrefy...but I'm reluctant to make a purchase of a playset. I play against some VERY casual decks and there's all sorts of 4+ cc creatures I play against. Decay is tempting because it does hit so many things for me...but I'm afraid there's just too many times that I'd have a couple decays sitting in my hand while I'm grimacing and frustrated cause my friend has a Macar or something out.
Putrefy + maelstrom have been a great removal package for me so far against my friends.
If I ever start going to fnm's...I'd for sure pick up a playset of decays. I really wish my friends played more competitively and decay was a better card vs. them.
And I understand deathrite and tutor are illegal in modern. I thought about not even listing my decklist that includes them here on these forums so I wouldn't confuse anyone...but dang it I like having a list of my current build on these forums cause it makes things much easier for me to visualize and to try and adjust.
My friends are more then happy to let me play deathrite. Same with my tutor. I'm aware they're not legal and I'd have to take them out at fnm's or anything like that...but at the kitchen table it's all good.
And man...I LOOOOVE my tutor. Last night early on in a game I got to tutor for a combo piece, play my witness the next turn, and tutor again. It was one of the stupidest and most broken things I've ever done in any card game I've ever played. And it felt AMAZING! lol...what a stupid card! And at instant speed? Come on! >.<'
...if the group of guys are okay with me using such a broken card...there's no way I'm not going to use it! I wont go out of my way to purchase more...but since I have one, I'm absolutely going to continue to abuse it!
And finally Twilight Mire.
Gah! lol...I was SO hoping to be able to live without mires in my deck. Love the card...but hate that it's yet another $30+ land.
Now it's going to drive me crazy though haha. Now I feel like my deck HAS to have them! xP
For now I'm going to have to live without them. With all the expensive cards I've already purchased for my deck this month...I've finally hit my wall on what I'm willing to drop on this deck. I'm not prepared to spend another $70 for the mires this month...or next probably.
I don't know though...it's going to drive me nuts not having them now lmao. But not today.
I'd LOVE to be at 3x Strangleroots though. I made up some proxies of the cards I'm waiting for in the mail last night (got a bunch of them today! :D) and the deck is just much clunkier with only 2 geists.
Any advice on how I can find room for 1 more?
2x Finks however has played out perfectly well. I think he's fine as a 2 of and don't feel any real need to find room for any more of him.
Also made a slight change:
-1 Loaming Shaman
+1 Entomber Exarch
Loaming is in there cause of my friend's mill deck. I NEED some way to combat his dang deck or it just wrecks me and my combo...but more times then not I don't need my entire graveyard shuffled back into my deck...I just need a specific critter in my yard.
So I'm going to give exarch a try. He's an additional 4 drop for me, which I need, and will hopefully be just enough against my friend's mill deck. And...he's not a dead draw/pod target like loaming often is.
Going to update my decklist above reflecting this.
.......
The 1 thing I'd like to figure out at this point...is a way to put in 1 more strangleroot geist. I'm just not liking him as a 2 of at all! I think I REALLY need him to be a 3 of...or ideally a 4 of in this deck.
But dang man...lol it's dang tough to find room.
At an FNM I think I'd go straight -2 Deathrites for +2 Strangleroots.
And I'm already at 23 lands...I refuse to go any lower then that (even with my 6 mana dorks).
I mean...I guess I COULD -1 Vampiric Tutor...but man...lol...that card is just freaking insane >.<'.
Any advice on this?
Anyhow...thanks a lot guys! And thanks for putting up with my HUGE rambling posts haha. I'm just very excited about this deck...funnest deck I've played in magic so far. And it's frustrating cause my friends are all way too casual when it comes to deck building, so I don't get to talk to them much about putting this deck together.
Or maybe even -2 Birds / +2 Geists?
Slows me down some. But would give me more of my geists which I'm SO desperate for atm.
My deck just is not running well with only 2 geists.
-------edit-------
Okay, yeah...I'm going to try this out. See how it goes. Might slow me down too much, but we'll see (deathrite shaman isn't nearly as broken for me as he is in a tournament scene either...none of my friends play fetchlands, so he often isn't a turn 2 mana accel for me. /sad
Against my friend's decks though...often times a turn 2 geist, into a turn 3 or 4 pod is good enough to get there. I LOVE playing pod turn 2...but it's just not needed most the time (especially in multiplayer) against my friends.
//1 Drops (5):
2x Birds Of Paradise
2x Deathrite Shaman
1x Viscera Seer
//2 Drops (6):
4x Strangleroot Geist
1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
1x Scavenging Ooze
//3 Drops (4):
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Eternal Witness
//4 Drops (4):
2x Murderous Redcap
1x Phyrexian Obliterator
1x Entomber Exarch
1x Thragtusk
1x Shriekmaw
//6 Drops (2):
1x Grave Titan
1x Massacre Wurm
//7 Drops (1):
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
//ARTIFACTS (4):
4x Birthing Pod
//INSTANTS & SORCERIES (9):
4x Putrefy
2x Maelstrom Pulse
2x Chord Of Calling
1x Vampiric Tutor
//Fetch Lands (6):
4x Verdant Catacombs
2x Windswept Heath
//Dual Lands (8):
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Woodland Cemetery
//Man Lands (2):
2x Treetop Village
//Misc. Lands (2):
2x Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
//Basic Lands (5):
3x Forest
2x Swamp
*I know I'm running 3 cards in this list not legal in modern (deathrites and vamiric tutor) but I play strictly kitchen table casual atm and my friends are all okay with it.
Also, I'm loving how this deck is kinda turning into a bit of a Halloween themed deck. Between all the evil...scary...lumbering...monsters and all of the dark...spooky...haunted...locations. lol
And Witness...changing into her Obliterator costume always makes for a fun filled night of Trick or Treating!
This deck is VERY little about it's combo as it turns out for me (might be because I'm so very inexperienced in playing it). It's all about beatdown it seems...and I'm loving it!
It's insane how quickly this deck can build a huge board presence in the mid game too. I can go from nothing but some lands and a pod...to a couple of very nasty creatures almost out of thin air! lol
Also...Obliterator...OMG! He's not just good...he's freaking AMAZING! He's every bit as good as I had hoped he'd be! His BBBB has only been an issue for me in 1 game (and that's cause he destroyed my urborg haha!)...and even then it was no big deal. I just had to cast him a turn later then I had hoped...but in the end it didn't matter...lol I had him and a grave titan in play and by the time my opponent found an answer for my 2 fatties...he still had a swarm of zombies coming directly at him.
Obliterator comes down and unless they have an answer immediately for him...he just takes over the rest of the game. It's dang nice to have him out too, cause my opponents are forced to put all their attention on dealing with him, leaving me the oppurtunity to try and piece together my combo, or giving me a chance to over extend a bit and dump out a bunch of other smaller creatures to finish the game off.
Also I'm liking putrefy. I thought I'd go ahead and give it a try on cockatrice for now, since it's what I'm playing in the real world...so I could get a sense of how the deck runs with them.
And they've worked well.
There has been a couple games where I'd wished my putrefy in hand had been a decay...but for the most part putrefy has served me just fine.
And that brings me to the next thing I've been enjoying. The answers this deck has! I'm loving all the destruction I can produce. It's not an insane amount, but it's been just enough...just have to be patient and be very careful on what I choose to destroy.
I LOVE shriekmaw. I can't believe at one point I decided I wasn't going to play him. Being able to pod my redcaps into a creature removal has been just awesome. Then being able to follow that up with either a grave titan for pressure, or massacre for a board wipe of small critters has not only felt amazing to pull off...but has been tremendously effective.
And yeah...that grave titan has put in a TON of work for me! I can't thank you enough for the suggestion Moon! My deck definitely needs him!
Also, I'll likely never choose to go down below 4 geists again. Just as I thought...he's a must as a 4 of in this deck. He just does way too much for me. He's early pressure, he's hard to kill, he's amazing pod food, he pods into a finks if I need another small beater, or if I need some life to bring me back into a game...or else he pods into an eternal witness to bring whatever is needed at the time back from my graveyard.
And he's almost never a dead draw. Him having haste means SO much for this deck that's so easily able to amass a scary board of mean creatures out of nowhere.
1 issue I am having...is trying to figure out when I should be trying to build for my combo, and when I shouldn't.
I also have a heck of a hard time figuring out how I should be playing my chord of callings correctly. I'll often times have 1 chord in hand, and no combo pieces (in hand, or on board, or no way to pod into them)...so I don't know if I should chord for a viscera or a melira...and I'm always so scared that if I do chord for either, they'll get killed by something...so I kept keeping my chords in my hand, hoping I'd draw into other combo pieces and could build my combo within a turn or 2.
But that never happened. I'd wait too long, and before I knew it...either I had lost, or I had won. Either way I'd be at the end of the game with my chord still in hand >.<'.
I just need practice. There's a LOT going on with this deck. A lot I have to keep track of. It's going to take me some time to get it figured out. I'm sure before long I'll be playing my chords with MUCH more confidence! lol
And I'm sure I'll start to figure out when I should be trying for the combo, and when I shouldn't be...that's just going to come down to playing the deck vs. a lot of other decks and learning how my deck works and how other decks work as well.
...
Anyhow...I freaking love my deck! lol...it's a very fun deck. I love all the searching it does, I love how much of a beatdown deck it can be, I love how I can come back into the game and apply a tremendous amount of pressure mid game out of nowhere, and I love how it's got some control going on...plus it feels like a very reactive deck...I've always gotta be paying attention to what my opponent's doing and decide what I need to do based off of what they're doing (lol I'm use to playing decks on mtgo that all but ignore what my opponents are doing...so this is a completely different play style for me!).
Fun stuff! And now I'm dam hooked to cockatrice >.<'...what an amazing tool for playtesting!
only changes I made to my deck are as follows:
-2 Deathrite Shaman
-1 Vampiric Tutor
+2 Birds Of Paradise
+1 Chord Of Calling
(I'll of course still be playing my shamans and tutor in real life with my friends).
Just as was suggested...I ended up taking my vampiric tutor out (I know, I know! It's not legal in modern anyhow!). It really wasn't needed and I just kept drawing into it when I'd rather have drawn a chord.
So...
-1 Vampiric Tutor
+1 Chord Of Calling
-------EDIT-------
Actually I'm going to test 1 vampiric out again for a bit.
lol I'm convinced it's GOTTA be good...especially with a deck so full of 1 of's.
I just can't make up my mind!!! haha
-------/EDIT-------
Also...
Dryad Arbor.
He's actually proving to be insanely useful for me! Being able to fetch him out of my deck with any of the 6 fetchlands I have has proven over and over to be just a tremendous thing for me. It's usually so I can Pod him away for a Viscera...but occasionally I'll go get a deathrite with him as well.
He's not a concrete card in my deck quite yet...I'm still testing him out...but so far I've been pretty dang impressed with him.
-1 Forest
+1 Dryad Arbor
...also 2 more things.
I wish I had an easy way to put +1/+1 counters on my finks/redcaps...or a way to remove their -1/-1's (outside of melira). Adding white to this deck has a HUGE advantage that way with gavony township, thune and restoration angel.
There is Llanowar Reborn or better yet...Oran-Rief, the Vastwood available in my colors...but gah! They both come into play tapped. And neither (on their own) provide B which is awkward when I'm running an Obliterator. Even just adding 2 Vastwoods I'm afraid would slow my deck down considerably. I'm already running 3 tapped lands (I'm counting Arbor here)...and 4 woodlands if I get unlucky with my opening hand (almost never happens).
I guess I could take out my 2 treetop villages (or 1 treetop and 1 arbor) for 2 Vastwoods and give it a try...but my treetops really provide excellent beats, and they too can be used to help me fetch my Viscera or any other 1 drop with my Pod.
I'm not sure Vastwood would be a better card than my villages at this point.
Plus the fact that Vastwood only hits my finks...but not my redcaps.
Another option I do have is Varolz. He's super slow and clunky though...but he DOES give me yet another sac outlet so I can go off with my melira combo.
But he doesn't play well with my Deathrites or my scavenging...and he takes up a slot, which means I'd have to cut a creature (or spell) somewhere for him...and that's not an easy thing to do! lol
So yeah...I'm not sure where to go with this. I might try a few things out, or I may just leave it as is.
-------EDIT-------
DERP!
I forgot all about Spike Feeder!
Though this card just loses so much of it's awesomeness without the white (where I'd have ways to add or reset the counters on it itself). Plus the fact that with white...it makes an infinite life combo with Thune.
/sigh...this deck is so much worse without white! haha >.<'
I'm sticking with it though!
Another card I remembered is Hex Parasite.
Now I realize in any sort of even slightly competitive environment...this card is just a horribly slow card...
But at the kitchen table casual games I play with my friends...he could actually work! I was actually running a single copy of him when I very first started playing pod, and he actually did some serious work for me. Almost every deck I play against plays planeswalkers...and one of my friend plays a super clunky (/horrible) r/w deck that uses quite a few lands that he can tap to add storage counters to. He just keeps adding the counters and eventually he'll pop the land and play some ridiculously over costed spell lol. It was a lot of fun playing the parasite vs this deck.
And on top of everything, he can potentially reset my finks and redcaps for me?
So...I think I'm going to try him as a 1 of. Against my friends I think he just might be good enough.
Yet another card I'd take out for fnm's.
-1 Strangleroot Geist (will test this out. I don't like going below 4 strangles, so we'll see)
+1 Hex Parasite
Though I'll probably play around with it a bit and try Varolz out as well (in place of my hex). I do like the thought of having an easier to pod for sac outlet. Plus he regens so he can survive most removal my friends play and he can become quite large (or make any of my other critters bigger) with his scavenging.
I'd imagine he'd be a pretty bad choice to main deck if I were playing anything serious...he's just too slow and clunky and doesn't evade things like path to exile.
But vs. my friends...especially in multiplayer...slow and clunky can actually play out just fine. And on any of the games that are long lasting, this card can really give me the upper hand.
Also 1 more good point in Varolz's corner...is one of my friends plays a mill deck. Varolz just gives me 1 more card to take advantage of that fact main deck.
I don't know...at least against my friends, he's worth a try.
I REALLY need to take my deck to some FNM's soon though so I can see how it performs against some better decks.
Drives me nuts that my friends don't have anything more serious for me to play against.
-------/END EDIT-------
1 last thing...I'm searching for a better 5 drop then my Thragtusk. I'm not finding it! lol...he does just so much for this deck! He gains me a significant amount of life...which is important cause this deck is capable of really doing a lot of self inflicted damage (with all the fetches and shocklands and my pods themselves) early on as I'm setting up.
He's also just a big fatty beat stick...and he's hard to kill cause he leaves behind a 3/3 token (which...yet again can be podded away for a 1 drop).
Plus he's just such an easy creature to pod away. I never feel bad for having to pod him away so I can fetch up a massacre or titan. He's just a perfect pod target for me.
But I don't know...I just wish I had something a little bit meaner haha. I don't know that a better 5 drop exists for my deck though.
Any thoughts?
Anyhow...here's my current list:
--1 Drops (6):
2x Birds Of Paradise
2x Deathrite Shaman
1x Viscera Seer
1x Hex Parasite
--2 Drops (5):
3x Strangleroot Geist
1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
1x Scavenging Ooze
--3 Drops (4):
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Eternal Witness
--4 Drops (4):
2x Murderous Redcap
1x Phyrexian Obliterator
1x Entomber Exarch
1x Thragtusk
1x Shriekmaw
--6 Drops (2):
1x Grave Titan
1x Massacre Wurm
--7 Drops (1):
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
----ARTIFACTS, INSTANTS & SORCERIES (13):
--Creature & Card Fetch (7):
4x Birthing Pod
2x Chord Of Calling
1x Vampiric Tutor
--Spot Removal (6):
4x Putrefy
2x Maelstrom Pulse
--Fetch Lands (7):
4x Verdant Catacombs
2x Windswept Heath
1x Polluted Delta
--Mana Fixers (9):
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Woodland Cemetery
1x Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
--Man Lands (3):
2x Treetop Village
1x Dryad Arbor
--Basic Lands (4):
2x Forest
2x Swamp
*I know both Deathrite Shaman and Vampiric Tutor are banned in Modern...but I play strictly kitchen table casual atm and my friends are all okay with it.
This is a list I play vs. My friends. If I were taking this list to an FNM or something I'd make these changes:
-2 Deathrite Shaman
-1 Hex Parasite
-1 Vampiric Tutor
+2 Birds Of Paradise
+1 Strangleroot Geist
+1 Chord Of Calling
Now I'm wondering why the heck I'm not running a spellskite!
Maybe I should just forget about resetting my finks and redcaps and stick a skite in there instead.
The big concern I have though...is the life loss. This deck already takes a TON of self inflicted damage as it is. And I play against some burn sometimes, and I play in a lot of free for all multiplayer games.
It's not like some B/G/W lists that are running Thunes and 4x Kitchen Finks and Spike Feeder either...I mean I do have some nice life gain in my deck, but I'm not sure I'm running enough to warrant the inclusion of skite.
The B/G/W versions of this deck also run 7 mana dorks that can pay for the U...while I'm only playing 4.
Hmmmm...
I'm just not sure! lol
Sure would love some thoughts and input!
It makes me feel like such an arse.
First game I had both my infinite combos live by turn 4 (infinite life gain and infinite damage)...I announced it, asked if anyone had an answer...and then passed my turn cause I didn't want the game to be over with. I wanted to continue playing the game out.
And even so...even without gaining a point of life or dealing a point of damage with the combos...I felt just unstoppable. It's like once the ball starts rolling and the deck starts to gain momentum, things just feel so inevitable.
The ONLY game I played where I had trouble (and didn't win)...was a 4 player free for all multiplayer game, and my friend decided to play his mill deck...and he decided to pour all of his attention into milling me out.
It's dam effective vs. this deck...I have a hard time putting together much of anything when all my dang 1 of's are in the graveyard. Makes podding difficult, and makes combo'ing off just about impossible once melira and viscera are both in my graveyard.
I was hoping that a single entomber exarch (plus my 2 eternal witnesses) would be good enough to get me there vs. his mill deck.
It's not.
I SO desperately needed a way to shuffle my graveyard back into my deck. There was 2 key points in the game where I could've podded into a 3 drop while I still had 1 eternal witness in my deck.
I SO wished I would've been running at least 1 Loaming Shaman during those 2 points in the game. Loam being able to shuffle my grave back would've given me all the steam I would've needed to take over that game.
But I was testing the deck without the loams...and I lost. Lesson learned.
I don't know what I'm taking out yet...but I HAVE to run Loaming Shaman vs this guy's mill deck. I HATE having to...but I just have to. Preferably 2 loaming shamans. He just wrecks me way too bad with his dam mill.
We played a 2 headed giant game...and my team mate was stuck on 2 lands, while one of my opponents was building up an insane board filled with huge elves. I mean while had an insane opening hand with 2 lands, a viscera seer, a melira and a chord of calling. I couldn't believe it! lol...What's more, I was knew I was playing against 2 decks with almost no direct creature removal in them...so I just felt great!
Played my viscera turn 1, melira turn 2, drew a 3rd land and played it turn 3...and then I was stuck for about 3 turns. Just 1 land (or small creature) away from being able to chord of calling for a 3 drop (a kitchen finks so I could go off with infinite life).
Mean while my 2 opponents were I think pretty clueless to exactly what I was sitting on with my viscera and melira sitting there on the table. At that point one of them was producing 3 or 4 elf tokens each turn, and then doubling each of his tokens every turn...and he had just played a coat of arms.
He dropped me and my team mate down to just a few life...and my team mate was done. He was frustrated and was ready to quit and move on to the next game.
My next turn came, I pulled a land...played it...chorded a finks out...asked my 2 opponents if they had a way to kill my viscera or melira...neither did...so I explained to them that me and my team mate now had infinite life.
I could feel the frustration in my opponents.
It almost felt like cheating. Like what kind of game am I playing where I can be SO insanely far behind why my opponents have such a crazy board state full of just insane nasties out...and just out of seemingly no where I pull off this ridiculous combo.
I don't know...it just felt completely broken to me.
But my opponents were SO far ahead board wise that they wanted to play it out. The one guy attacked us with 8 elf tokens who were each 20/20 creatures. I told him I'd take it with no blocks. Again...I just felt bad. He was playing a deck he had obviously put a lot of effort into making and it was FINALLY working as he had dreamed it would...only it wasn't anywhere enough.
I then explained at the end of his turn that I also had infinite scry 1, so I scryed to a murderous redcap, drew it, played it...and then explained to them how I now had infinite damage.
It just felt broken. It felt dirty. It felt mean. It felt vicious.
I'm not going to lie...it felt pretty damn good too...it was awesome to win that game for me and my friend like that when things had looked so absolutely impossible just 2 turns earlier.
But...it's just almost too good of a deck for them...and for that reason I almost feel like I'm cheating. I feel a bit ashamed to bring such a power house of a deck to such casual games.
And I'm afraid it's only ever going to feed my ego and make me believe the deck is better then in actually is.
I really think I'm going to head to an FNM this friday to play it out...I'm bound to run into more competitive decks...decks that should probably thrash this deck up quite a bit.
But dang I crave that! I crave that level of challenge.
I feel frustrated with my friends for playing such badly put together casual decks...
But now that I'm thinking about it...it's me. I'm a very disruptive player in their group. They've been playing together for years...and now all the sudden I come in and start just dominating...and I can't imagine how frustrating that is for them. How annoying it must be to have all these decks you've built and are really proud of...only to watch them all fall apart to this new person's over powered deck.
It's gotta be a bit crushing.
...I'm not sure what I'm going to do.
I still have hope. There is one guy I went to college with I think I'm going to give a call this week. I know he's pretty good at the game...steps above my friends. And last time I talked to him, he had a pretty vicious and ruthless U/W/x counter/miracles deck...he won quite a few local tournaments with the deck and I've heard he's just very ruthless to play against, and no one likes playing against him cause he runs so much counter magic.
This excites me. I very much so want to play him...and his deck. I love ruthless. It excites me. Some people are all about kicking back and being casual and enjoying the game at a slower, more relaxed pace.
Me? I crave winning...at almost any cost. That's what gets me pumped with magic...being ruthless and making tough decisions...
I'm convinced I come across as a jerk to my friends cause they are all far more casual then me...they've even started to make comments under their breaths about how ruthless I am.
Hopefully this guy I knew in college has more of the same attitude that I have. Where the excitement from the game comes from winning. That he'll be as willing to crush me in defeat as I am to him lol.
Also going to start going to FNM's this month I'm hoping. I know they hold modern FNM's at least 2 times a month at my LGS...and I think he actually runs modern every week if I'm not mistaken.
There I really hope to get some serious competition.
At any rate...I need more then I'm getting from my friends. It's only going to leave everyone bitter in the end.
I'm still going to keep playing them with this deck. It's the only deck I own right now...and I've got far too much invested in it now to tare it apart already. Plus it's one of the funnest decks I've ever played in magic...I'm no where near sick of playing it yet.
...
Anyhow...this deck is just sick. I'm so in love with it. We played 5 or 6 games tonight and I only lost 1 game...and that's due to being milled out of existence while I kept my mill hate (loaming shaman) in my sideboard. I wont be making that mistake again I assure you.
I've still no clue how competitive of a deck it is vs. anything even slightly serious...but vs. my friends this deck is just a monster. It combos out fairly easily, and it's also just such a great mid-range beat down deck. Also loving my removal package...so many of the games just felt so unevenly in my favor that it's almost not funny.
It's extremely enjoyable to play...and yet at the same time, it kept making me feel quite guilty and almost ashamed.
.......
Also...Hex Parasite. What a boss!
He's one of the first cards I'd rip out of my deck if I were heading to an FNM...but against my friends, hex is just a beast! I had him out 3 games and all 3 games he was worth his weight in gold. He was taring loyalty from walkers, and making one of my friend's oulast decks look like an absolute joke (which honestly...it really kinda was. Outlast...in modern? /sigh).
He was just tremendous! Perfect hate vs so many of my friends cards. I really loved running him tonight...and even when he was just sitting in my hand doing nothing, I loved the security of just knowing I had him at the ready.
This deck is all about momentum leading to inevitability. I love that. It feels awesome when you just know you've got the win many turns ahead of when your opponent comes to the same conclusion.
Hex Parasite was just yet another small push out of all the many, many small pushes I get with this deck to get my momentum rolling.
I LOOOVE this deck guys! lol
...
My friend also gave me a polluted delta to hold on to for a bit...so I threw that in my deck for awhile too.
-1 Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
+1 Polluted Delta
He's also go 1 more Windswept Heath I'm pretty sure he'd let me borrow (or work out some kind of reasonable trade).
I'm thinking it just might not be a bad deal to run 8 fetch lands in the deck. 4x Verdant, 3x Windswept and 1x Polluted.
I mean...I am running deathrite shaman and all. Plus of the friends I play, I'm the only one that plays fetch lands...it wouldn't hurt to run a couple more in my deck, just so I have more chances of having a deathrite useable as a mana dork on turn 2.
Also...life...it wasn't nearly as big of an issue as I thought it might be.
I sure do suicide myself with this deck a lot. It's common for me to inflict 3 damage to myself on my first turn (to play a fetch land into an untapped shock land) so I can play a birds or deathrite turn 1 and then an additional 2 on turn 2 so I can play a birthing pod.
In several of the games I was at 12-15 life (all self inflicted) by turn 3.
And yet...it wasn't a problem at all. It's amazing to me how much life I can gain with this deck. Between deathrite, kitchen finks, thragtusk and scavenging ooze...I can VERY quickly bright my life back up and out of reach for my opponents. It's just another thing that makes me deck feel so dam broken and mean. It's just so dam sick lol. So many levels higher in power then what I'm facing currently.
It's a dam powerhouse.
lol it's so much fun when your playing a 4 player free for all, and you're just suiciding the heck out of your life...and late game comes around and you find yourself facing off vs just 1 last person. You're at 3 or 4 life and you can see on your opponent's face that he clearly thinks he has the upper hand. And then he goes in for an attack and in response you play a chord of calling to bring a scavenging ooze out...tap a few spare lands for some green mana, pump your ooze, gain some much needed life, block their creature destroying it...and then untapping with a TON of green mana to produce and a TON of creatures to be removed in graveyards.
And then that whole inevitability feeling washes over you and you know you've got this.
lol just so much fun!
......
I really don't know why I keep on posting.
yeah I do. I'm just excited I guess.
It's been so dang long since I've played paper magic. And it's been years since I've really been in the mood for magic at all. Haven't even touched magic online much in the past 2 years.
And now that I'm back into it...I've become super obsessed with this b/g birthing pod deck...and though it's not like I'm the first person in the world to discover how amazing and how fun pod decks are...it still feels great to be piecing this deck together on my own (with some awesome advice from some of you guys!)...without net decking the heck out of it. It's like it's my baby haha...and I'm super proud of it and super excited about it.
I'm just having a blast (and feeling a lot of frustration with the lack of competition I'm getting) and I'm having a hard time containing myself xP. I have to get all this energy and excitement out somewhere...I'm not getting to do so with my friends...so I keep coming back to this thread to unleashed the excitement and everything haha.
And you know what? It might not be helping anyone else...but all these ramblings have helped me a lot to fine tune my deck. It helps me to get this stuff out of my head...it just widens my perspective and makes things more clear to me.
...
Sorry if I'm annoying anyone xP...my posts are long, drawn out, and just filled with a bunch of nonsense ramblings haha.
But dang I'm loving this game. It's been far too long since I've felt this way for a tcg! Way too long!
Of course I have to take my 2 deathrites out (/cry)...as well as my vampiric tutor.
I'm also taking my hex parasite out...he's only in there vs. my friends cause it seems to be such a beast vs a lot of the stuff they play.
Think I'm going to move my entomber exarch to my side board...bring him in against other combo decks or decks that have a lot of creature hate.
And finally going to take out my Dryad Arbor. Again...this card is probably only good against my friends, but not good vs. anything more competitive (it's just too risky if I have to play it in the early game!).
So...
-2 Deathrite Shaman
-1 Vampiric Tutor
-1 Hex Parasite
-1 Entomber Exarch
-1 Dryad Arbor
+2 Birds Of Paradise
+1 Strangleroot Geist
+1 Solemn Simulacrum
+1 Chord Of Calling
+1 Windswept Heath
...I'm not sure about running 8 fetch lands. It may be too much for this deck. I think 8 is a good number to run when I'm running Deathrite Shaman, but without the Shaman I'm not sure I really need 8.
But I'm going to go with it for now.
Also, I've decided against going with a Spellskite for now. I may really regret it.
Anyhow...here's the pile I plan to take with me this Friday:
--1 Drops (5):
4x Birds Of Paradise
1x Viscera Seer
--2 Drops (6):
4x Strangleroot Geist
1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
1x Scavenging Ooze
--3 Drops (4):
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Eternal Witness
--4 Drops (4):
2x Murderous Redcap
1x Phyrexian Obliterator
1x Solemn Simulacrum
1x Thragtusk
1x Shriekmaw
--6 Drops (2):
1x Grave Titan
1x Massacre Wurm
--7 Drops (1):
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
----ARTIFACTS, INSTANTS & SORCERIES (13):
--Creature Fetch (7):
4x Birthing Pod
3x Chord Of Calling
--Spot Removal (6):
4x Putrefy
2x Maelstrom Pulse
--Fetch Lands (8):
4x Verdant Catacombs
3x Windswept Heath
1x Polluted Delta
--Mana Fixers (9):
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Woodland Cemetery
1x Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
--Man Lands (2):
2x Treetop Village
--Basic Lands (4):
2x Forest
2x Swamp
...I really don't have a sideboard for this deck. I mean I guess I kinda do...but it's not pretty. I don't have much of a collection of cards outside of this deck (only got into paper magic again about a month ago). Besides...I have NO clue what kinds of decks are ran at my local modern FNM's.
Here's what I'm taking:
1x Thrun, The Last Troll
1x Entomber Exarch
2x Desecration Demon
1x Acidic Slime
4x Duress
2x Autumn's Veil
1x Doom blade
1x Dismember
Just working with what I've got in my small collection of cards (and going in to the FNM blind).
--Reclamation Sage is self explanatory
--Thrun for counter heavy decks, or creature removal heavy decks
--Entomber for control, combo or decks with lots of creature removal
--Desecration demons vs slower mid-range decks that run only a few creatures, or slow control decks.
--Acidic slime for another enchantment/artifact destroyer...can also bring in vs. any decks that might run problematic lands (looking at you celestial colonnade!)
--Duress for combo, control...and anything with a lot of creature or artifact hate.
--Autumn's Veil vs counter heavy decks or black creature removal heavy decks.
--Doom blade vs. decks that run scary...non black...critters.
--Dismember...just a very solid removal spell..wish I had 2 for my board.
Gives me time to make some more purchases though! Tweak my deck a little more to make it slightly more competitive for the FNM...
MAIN BOARD:
-1 Strangleroot Geist
-1 Chord Of Calling
-4 Putrefy
+1 Spellskite
+2 Abrupt Decay
+3 Thoughtseize
SIDEBOARD:
-2 Desecration Demon
-1 Acidic Slime
-2 Autumn's Veil
-4 Duress
-1 Doom Blade
+2 Abrupt Decay
+1 Dismember
+2 Black Sun's Zenith
+1 Thoughtseize
+2 Creeping Corrosion
+2 Choke
The only real thing I can think of that this deck could really use an update on is -2 Woodland Cemetery, +2 Twilight Mire...I just don't like the idea of spending the $70 on those 2 lands right now.
But honestly...I can't think of any other updates this deck could use at this point. I mean...yeah it could start to be upgrading into a different deck (the more competitive pod deck that runs white, or a BUG control deck or ROCK).
I'm at a point where I don't think this deck can be further upgraded though. I feel like this is the best list I can personally come up with for a black/green birthing pod deck.
Man I wish more people would take interest in this thread and give me advice haha...I could very well be missing something completely obvious that someone else could point out to me.
This has truly developed into an absolute dream deck for me. I'm super proud of it. The only problem I have with it, is it's light years ahead of all my friend's decks in competitiveness. But I can remedy this by hopefully finding stiffer competition at my local game shop.
==========================================
--1 Drops (7):
4x Birds Of Paradise
2x Elvish Mystic
1x Viscera Seer
--2 Drops (6):
3x Strangleroot Geist
1x Spellskite
1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
1x Scavenging Ooze
--3 Drops (4):
2x Kitchen Finks
1x Varolz, The Scar-Striped
1x Eternal Witness
2x Murderous Redcap
1x Phyrexian Obliterator
1x Entomber Exarch
--5 Drops (2):
1x Thragtusk
1x Shriekmaw
--6 Drops (1):
1x Grave Titan
----ARTIFACTS, INSTANTS & SORCERIES (13):
--Creature Fetch (6):
4x Birthing Pod
2x Chord Of Calling
--Equipment (1):
1x Sword Of Light And Shadow
--Spot Removal (3):
3x Abrupt Decay
3x Thoughtseize
----LANDS (23):
--Fetch Lands (8):
4x Verdant Catacombs
3x Windswept Heath
1x Polluted Delta
--Mana Fixers (8):
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Woodland Cemetery
1x Urborg, Tomb Of Yawgmoth
--Man Lands (2):
2x Treetop Village
--Basic Lands (4):
2x Forest
2x Swamp
1x Eternal Witness
1x Thrun, The Last Troll
2x Abrupt Decay
2x Dismember
2x Black Sun's Zenith
2x Creeping Corrosion
1x Thoughtseize
2x Choke
-------EDIT-------
-1 Eternal Witness
-1 Solemn Simulacrum
-1 Massacre Wurm
-1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
-2 Maelstrom Pulse
+2 Elvish Mystic
+1 Varolz, The Scar-Striped
+1 Entomber Exarch
+1 Sword Of Light And Shadow
+1 Abrupt Decay