i use three pithing needle is my sideboard....they are great value versus so many decks to include: pod, twin, liliana, garruk, aether vial etc... also torpor orb in some of the basic builds stops a lot but can get pricey. Playing this for a while now, i will never remove experiment one he either soaks up good creature hate so my baloths get through later or gets out of control and does massive damage...probably the heart and soul of the deck
I just went 3-1 on daily for 6 packs with a stompy deck that costs less than 50 tickets :)( fairly close to Christian Hans list with some tweaks to the sideboard and mana base) again just pretty vanilla deck, but it works!
R1 Nykthos devotion. G1 super aggresive on my part, he had to through his devotion guys at mine as cannon fodder eliminating the Nykthos. G2 got mana flooded, he got off a small G wave then used Garruk, wildspeaker -4 to overrun me. G3 got out an early torpor orb making most his creatures bland bears and just pounded until he died.
R2 Junk: All three games were a race, managed game three to keep my scavenging ooze alive with a couple vines and ground out the victory.
R3 Melira pod. First game had all pieces to combo in hand and got it off before i could get his last couple life points off i couldn't get any hate. Game two mulled down to five kept a one land hand with dryad, dryad, scevenging, forest, pithing...didnt draw any lands for the next four turns and he was already online.
R4: Great matchup for us, he has to two for one strangleroot and baloth multiple times grind out a couple close ones.
The thing i don't like about Skarrgan Pit-Skulk is that he relies on another card to be good. Aspect of Hydra is a coin toss it can win games earlier potentially but doesn't fend off early game hate as well as giant growth. I have been paying attention each game when i use a growth to see how aspect would have done in it's place and although i am still using the growth it is starting to lean towards aspect I will keep play testing and report back.
Surely the answer is that some combination of Aspect of Hydra and Giant Growth must work together?
I'm not sure if you're giving Pit-Skulk the proper respect that he deserves. The cards that "make him good" are things that work best to his favor...cards like Rancor, Vines, the aforementioned Giant Growth and others. Surely he's not that great on defense, but he can apply early pressure and swing past many early and mid game creatures for cheap mana.
The idea of Stompy, especially the 8 and 9 land variants of Legacy's past, is not to play the deck like an aggro deck, but to play and compartmentalize it like a control deck with an extremely fast clock. The more guys we have, the more we gum up the board and the more we can blank their spot removal. Suddenly, Path to Exile and company look bad when they are staring down the old 12 one drop curve of 1 guy Turn 1/3 guys turn 2 with something like 6-8 power in play.
Here we have multiple ways to turn on Aspect for a considerable amount of devotion. Adding Stangleroot gives us 2 devotion for it pre and post Undying.
I actually like Groundbreaker more than Leatherback Baloth. Maybe run both in some number?
As for 2s...Strangleroot Geist, Ledgewalker....what are people's thoughts on Scryb Ranger?
I like Kalonian Tusker better than ledge walker or scryb ranger purely because it evolves E1 better. I do like the evasion you are bringing into your list; just not my kind of style, i like the most efficient p/t per mana i can find. Not saying I'm right, that is purely how i analyze cards that are going to make the cut.
The Bazaar of Moxen event in Annecy caught my attention because the winner was playing Death & Taxes, but the thing that really got me excited was the Top 8 finish of a ruthlessly efficient Stompy deck. Like all players, my initial response was to look at this list and try to look for ways to improve it.
Every time I look at Hans Christian Ljungquist's deck, I am stunned by how well-crafted it is. There is really very little to disagree with here.
Scavenging Ooze further deals with Modern's most expensive monster while also addressing graveyard-based combos such as those employed by one of the format's dominant decks, Melira Pod.
I consider both of these cards to be central to the effectiveness of this deck and must-includes. I would even consider adding a third Scavenging Ooze in the sideboard to lock down decks like the previously-mentioned Storm and Melira Pod, as well as other recursion decks such as Living End, Assault Loam, 4-Color Gifts, and Griselbrand Reanimator.
Experiment One is also one of the best 1-drops this deck is going to get right now. Its ability to grow to powerhouse size and regenerate if necessary makes it a no-brainer here.
Scavenging Ooze aside, the two-casters is really the first place we can see the possibility for alternatives to this list as Kalonian Tusker is pretty vanilla and Strangleroot Geist...actually, it's pretty awesome, especially for a 2-drop. Both of these cards set a pretty high bar for any potential replacements. Both survive Pyroclasm, Pillar of Flame, Electrolyze, and Volcanic Fallout and both hit for damage above-curve. Still, what possible replacements can we employ?
Garruk's Companion has been mentioned previously and is certainly a compelling alternative to Kalonian Tusker. It has the same power and adds Trample at the expense of resiliency to the above-listed burn. Which is better? Testing will tell, but, as this deck already has Rancor to provide Trample when it's absolutely necessary, I find myself leaned towards Kalonian Tusker.
Another consideration in the 2-slot is Viridian Zealot as it provides a means of dealing with troublesome Artifacts and Enchantments while still cranking out damage. This may be a better choice for the sideboard.
Yet another interesting choice, and a budget alternative route to the higher-costed cards at the four and five mana slots, is to replace Kalonian Tusker with Predatory Sliver and Strangleroot Geist with Woodland Changeling. On their own, these cards are nothing more than Grizzly Bears, but once you get more than one Predatory Sliver on the board, you start getting stacked bonuses and bigger creatures that continue to trigger Experiment One. Woodland Changeling gets to piggyback on these bonuses. Not bad for cards that come out of the bulk cards box at your local gaming store. I'll be returning to these cards as I continue, but for now, let's put a pin in this and take a look at the three converted mana cost slot.
This deck runs only one 3-drop, albeit as a four-of, and what a 3-drop it is. Leatherback Baloth's 4/5 power/toughness is way above curve and makes it another very strong addition to this deck. That said, aside from its monstrous size, it has no abilities that bolster it and it can be argued that a large power without Trample isn't of much value. It is worth noting, however, that there is nothing else at this casting cost, with comparable power, that can survive Anger of the Gods.
The first card I looked at was Courser of Kruphix as a possible 3-drop because yes, it's freaking amazing, but we need our turn three play to hit much harder than that. Going from Leatherback Baloth's 4/5 power/toughness to Courser of Kruphix's 2/4 is not an acceptable drop off, even with such a fantastic ability stapled on.
Dungrove Elder should not be overlooked. It drops as a 3/3 most of the time and only gets bigger as the game progresses. Hexproof also addresses almost all removal in-format. It does mean that looking at non-forest lands is ill-advised, however, which can weaken other possible strategies.
Probably the biggest raw-damage threat we can put in here is Primordial Hydra. If cast for 1GG, it's not much of a threat to start out but, as the game continues, it becomes a game-winning monstrosity that must be dealt with. It also scales nicely as the game continues and can provide a nasty large beater if drawn late-game.
Renegade Krasis is also not a bad consideration as its starting power/toughness isn't terrible and, as it evolves, it pumps up everything else you have that uses counters. This gives great synergy with Experiment One and the above-mentioned Primordial Hydra, as well as other cards in the deck.
I would be remiss if I did not mention Troll Ascetic. He's the card that gave us Hexproof, after all. If you've never played with or against this card, it's hard to explain why it's so good. That said, his 3/2 body makes him weak to all sweepers and you're going to be spending a lot to regenerate him. Troll Ascetic is not the brutal powerhouse it used to be, but it's still worth consideration.
A card that just doesn't get enough love these days and can put a crimp in any control deck is Great Sable Stag. 3/3 for 1GG is pretty good. Couple that with Can't be countered, Protection from Blue, andProtection from Black; and you have a powerful, powerful use of three mana. There's a reason this thing hasn't been reprinted since M10.
I'm also going to include Force of Savagery as an "honorable mention". If your deck has a way to compensate for its drawback, you're not going to find a better source of damage output at three mana. That said, it's not worth building around and should only be considered if you have an innate anthem effect that can make it useable in your deck.
Thrun, the Last Trollis the brutal powerhouse that Troll Ascetic used to be and more. If it's never landed across the table from you, it's hard to explain just how difficult to deal with it is. This is the 4-drop this deck wants. That said, should you not have access to this card, or have a reason you don't want to play it, there are alternatives you could consider.
Also worth mentioning is Polukranos, World Eater. Its Monstrosity ability can serve as a low-level board wipe, allowing you to get more attackers through. It also increases the value of Renegade Krasis.
As this is a deck that has many low-cost creatures it can cast on a turn, Vengevine serves as a recursive source of Haste-enabled beats.
Wolfbriar Elemental may not be the strongest card that could go in here, but it can be a bomb late-game that allows you to run down your opponent. It also opens up some interesting doors with Anthem-based Wolves and Werewolves, should you decide to experiment with that.
Garruk, Primal Hunter is lethal. It's hard to argue with his inclusion. Five mana is where green creatures start to get really good though, so it's understandable if you choose to pull him for a creature.
If you opted for the Changeling package (Predatory Sliver / Woodland Changeling / Chameleon Colossus), you may wish to consider Changeling Titan since it's a massive creature that can be pumped by Predatory Sliver. Outside of its power/toughness, however, it doesn't offer much, and even the smallest chump blocker can stop it. A better consideration would possibly be Game-Trail Changeling as it may only be 4/4, but the addition of Trample makes it better-equipped to take advantage of the buffs it receives from Predatory Sliver. Greatbow Doyen can also play into this strategy to give your creatures with Changeling an additional +1/+1 and a sort of improved Trample.
As for the lands, a deck like this needs lands that come into play untapped and G doesn't have a lot of great ones. Pendlehaven only interacts with 1/1 creatures and this deck only runs four of those and they only remain 1/1 until something else comes into play. Okina, Temple of the Grandfathers only interacts with Thrun, the Last Troll, and not everyone is opting to run him. Even Dryad Arbor, due to Summoning Sickness, effectively comes into play tapped. Your best option here is really just to run Forests, especially if you opt to run Dungrove Elder.
The other cards in the maindeck are a little more obvious, though it is worth pointing out, again, that Vines of Vastwood isn't just here to protect your creatures, it's also there to disrupt decks like Splinter Twin by preventing them from targeting their own creatures. I'm sure numbers could be fiddled with but, until something better comes along, this part of the deck looks solid. I know some question the value of Beast Within, but having the removal you need, whenever you need it, is too important to overlook.
The sideboard has a bit more room for debate.
My friend Thenarus pointed out and, after putting some thought into it, I agree that while Choke is an amazing hoser, it's off-target for what this deck is trying to do, so that's two slots to work with.
Torpor Orb is too good for any deck that can use it not to do so. If you decide to invest in the Evoke strategy, however, you won't be able to use it and will instead become susceptible to it. With just Experiment One, you should be fine.
Witchstalker can provide some amazing hate against U and B decks, while piggybacking (pun intended...sadly) on counter tricks.
I did not care for Oxidize the first time I saw this list, but it really is the best choice available. The only other viable instant is Nature's Claim and the last thing we want is to give our opponent a four-point bump to their life total. As mentioned previously, Viridian Zealot could be used as a creature alternative, but would lack the low-cost removal efficiency and instant-speed applicability.
Skylasher is an amazing call. Would not pull that.
Pithing Needle is a classic sideboard staple and can be added or removed based on meta.
We do not need the usual graveyard control sideboards pack because we have Dryad Militant and Scavenging Ooze maindeck. A third Scavenging Ooze in the side is the most I would consider adding to this end, personally.
“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
I just went 3-1 on daily for 6 packs with a stompy deck that costs less than 50 tickets :)( fairly close to Christian Hans list with some tweaks to the sideboard and mana base) again just pretty vanilla deck, but it works!
R1 Nykthos devotion. G1 super aggresive on my part, he had to through his devotion guys at mine as cannon fodder eliminating the Nykthos. G2 got mana flooded, he got off a small G wave then used Garruk, wildspeaker -4 to overrun me. G3 got out an early torpor orb making most his creatures bland bears and just pounded until he died.
R2 Junk: All three games were a race, managed game three to keep my scavenging ooze alive with a couple vines and ground out the victory.
R3 Melira pod. First game had all pieces to combo in hand and got it off before i could get his last couple life points off i couldn't get any hate. Game two mulled down to five kept a one land hand with dryad, dryad, scevenging, forest, pithing...didnt draw any lands for the next four turns and he was already online.
R4: Great matchup for us, he has to two for one strangleroot and baloth multiple times grind out a couple close ones.
Awesome to hear the deck has it what it takes in dailies. If you win again, take a screenshot and post your list and I'll put it in a tourney results section. I'll be trying dailies myself soon once I finish the sideboard.
Skulk is good but I think power/value and abilities are more important than evasion. We need some evasion but I think Rancor and Companion are enough, and the best options for it. Ledgewalker is best in auras/hexproof, which I have a primer for here. The deck is definitely not as good as Stompy, but not bad. Looking to improve it, so suggest things in that thread if you like.
The Bazaar of Moxen event in Annecy caught my attention because the winner was playing Death & Taxes, but the thing that really got me excited was the Top 8 finish of a ruthlessly efficient Stompy deck. Like all players, my initial response was to look at this list and try to look for ways to improve it.
Every time I look at Hans Christian Ljungquist's deck, I am stunned by how well-crafted it is. There is really very little to disagree with here.
Scavenging Ooze further deals with Modern's most expensive monster while also addressing graveyard-based combos such as those employed by one of the format's dominant decks, Melira Pod.
I consider both of these cards to be central to the effectiveness of this deck and must-includes. I would even consider adding a third Scavenging Ooze in the sideboard to lock down decks like the previously-mentioned Storm and Melira Pod, as well as other recursion decks such as Living End, Assault Loam, 4-Color Gifts, and Griselbrand Reanimator.
Experiment One is also one of the best 1-drops this deck is going to get right now. Its ability to grow to powerhouse size and regenerate if necessary makes it a no-brainer here.
Scavenging Ooze aside, the two-casters is really the first place we can see the possibility for alternatives to this list as Kalonian Tusker is pretty vanilla and Strangleroot Geist...actually, it's pretty awesome, especially for a 2-drop. Both of these cards set a pretty high bar for any potential replacements. Both survive Pyroclasm, Pillar of Flame, Electrolyze, and Volcanic Fallout and both hit for damage above-curve. Still, what possible replacements can we employ?
Garruk's Companion has been mentioned previously and is certainly a compelling alternative to Kalonian Tusker. It has the same power and adds Trample at the expense of resiliency to the above-listed burn. Which is better? Testing will tell, but, as this deck already has Rancor to provide Trample when it's absolutely necessary, I find myself leaned towards Kalonian Tusker.
Another consideration in the 2-slot is Viridian Zealot as it provides a means of dealing with troublesome Artifacts and Enchantments while still cranking out damage. This may be a better choice for the sideboard.
Yet another interesting choice, and a budget alternative route to the higher-costed cards at the four and five mana slots, is to replace Kalonian Tusker with Predatory Sliver and Strangleroot Geist with Woodland Changeling. On their own, these cards are nothing more than Grizzly Bears, but once you get more than one Predatory Sliver on the board, you start getting stacked bonuses and bigger creatures that continue to trigger Experiment One. Woodland Changeling gets to piggyback on these bonuses. Not bad for cards that come out of the bulk cards box at your local gaming store. I'll be returning to these cards as I continue, but for now, let's put a pin in this and take a look at the three converted mana cost slot.
This deck runs only one 3-drop, albeit as a four-of, and what a 3-drop it is. Leatherback Baloth's 4/5 power/toughness is way above curve and makes it another very strong addition to this deck. That said, aside from its monstrous size, it has no abilities that bolster it and it can be argued that a large power without Trample isn't of much value. It is worth noting, however, that there is nothing else at this casting cost, with comparable power, that can survive Anger of the Gods.
The first card I looked at was Courser of Kruphix as a possible 3-drop because yes, it's freaking amazing, but we need our turn three play to hit much harder than that. Going from Leatherback Baloth's 4/5 power/toughness to Courser of Kruphix's 2/4 is not an acceptable drop off, even with such a fantastic ability stapled on.
Dungrove Elder should not be overlooked. It drops as a 3/3 most of the time and only gets bigger as the game progresses. Hexproof also addresses almost all removal in-format. It does mean that looking at non-forest lands is ill-advised, however, which can weaken other possible strategies.
Probably the biggest raw-damage threat we can put in here is Primordial Hydra. If cast for 1GG, it's not much of a threat to start out but, as the game continues, it becomes a game-winning monstrosity that must be dealt with. It also scales nicely as the game continues and can provide a nasty large beater if drawn late-game.
Renegade Krasis is also not a bad consideration as its starting power/toughness isn't terrible and, as it evolves, it pumps up everything else you have that uses counters. This gives great synergy with Experiment One and the above-mentioned Primordial Hydra, as well as other cards in the deck.
I would be remiss if I did not mention Troll Ascetic. He's the card that gave us Hexproof, after all. If you've never played with or against this card, it's hard to explain why it's so good. That said, his 3/2 body makes him weak to all sweepers and you're going to be spending a lot to regenerate him. Troll Ascetic is not the brutal powerhouse it used to be, but it's still worth consideration.
A card that just doesn't get enough love these days and can put a crimp in any control deck is Great Sable Stag. 3/3 for 1GG is pretty good. Couple that with Can't be countered, Protection from Blue, andProtection from Black; and you have a powerful, powerful use of three mana. There's a reason this thing hasn't been reprinted since M10.
I'm also going to include Force of Savagery as an "honorable mention". If your deck has a way to compensate for its drawback, you're not going to find a better source of damage output at three mana. That said, it's not worth building around and should only be considered if you have an innate anthem effect that can make it useable in your deck.
Thrun, the Last Trollis the brutal powerhouse that Troll Ascetic used to be and more. If it's never landed across the table from you, it's hard to explain just how difficult to deal with it is. This is the 4-drop this deck wants. That said, should you not have access to this card, or have a reason you don't want to play it, there are alternatives you could consider.
Also worth mentioning is Polukranos, World Eater. Its Monstrosity ability can serve as a low-level board wipe, allowing you to get more attackers through. It also increases the value of Renegade Krasis.
As this is a deck that has many low-cost creatures it can cast on a turn, Vengevine serves as a recursive source of Haste-enabled beats.
Wolfbriar Elemental may not be the strongest card that could go in here, but it can be a bomb late-game that allows you to run down your opponent. It also opens up some interesting doors with Anthem-based Wolves and Werewolves, should you decide to experiment with that.
Garruk, Primal Hunter is lethal. It's hard to argue with his inclusion. Five mana is where green creatures start to get really good though, so it's understandable if you choose to pull him for a creature.
If you opted for the Changeling package (Predatory Sliver / Woodland Changeling / Chameleon Colossus), you may wish to consider Changeling Titan since it's a massive creature that can be pumped by Predatory Sliver. Outside of its power/toughness, however, it doesn't offer much, and even the smallest chump blocker can stop it. A better consideration would possibly be Game-Trail Changeling as it may only be 4/4, but the addition of Trample makes it better-equipped to take advantage of the buffs it receives from Predatory Sliver. Greatbow Doyen can also play into this strategy to give your creatures with Changeling an additional +1/+1 and a sort of improved Trample.
As for the lands, a deck like this needs lands that come into play untapped and G doesn't have a lot of great ones. Pendlehaven only interacts with 1/1 creatures and this deck only runs four of those and they only remain 1/1 until something else comes into play. Okina, Temple of the Grandfathers only interacts with Thrun, the Last Troll, and not everyone is opting to run him. Even Dryad Arbor, due to Summoning Sickness, effectively comes into play tapped. Your best option here is really just to run Forests, especially if you opt to run Dungrove Elder.
The other cards in the maindeck are a little more obvious, though it is worth pointing out, again, that Vines of Vastwood isn't just here to protect your creatures, it's also there to disrupt decks like Splinter Twin by preventing them from targeting their own creatures. I'm sure numbers could be fiddled with but, until something better comes along, this part of the deck looks solid. I know some question the value of Beast Within, but having the removal you need, whenever you need it, is too important to overlook.
The sideboard has a bit more room for debate.
My friend Thenarus pointed out and, after putting some thought into it, I agree that while Choke is an amazing hoser, it's off-target for what this deck is trying to do, so that's two slots to work with.
Torpor Orb is too good for any deck that can use it not to do so. If you decide to invest in the Evoke strategy, however, you won't be able to use it and will instead become susceptible to it. With just Experiment One, you should be fine.
Witchstalker can provide some amazing hate against U and B decks, while piggybacking (pun intended...sadly) on counter tricks.
I did not care for Oxidize the first time I saw this list, but it really is the best choice available. The only other viable instant is Nature's Claim and the last thing we want is to give our opponent a four-point bump to their life total. As mentioned previously, Viridian Zealot could be used as a creature alternative, but would lack the low-cost removal efficiency and instant-speed applicability.
Skylasher is an amazing call. Would not pull that.
Pithing Needle is a classic sideboard staple and can be added or removed based on meta.
We do not need the usual graveyard control sideboards pack because we have Dryad Militant and Scavenging Ooze maindeck. A third Scavenging Ooze in the side is the most I would consider adding to this end, personally.
Just my thoughts, yours may differ.
Great post. Thanks. I think you make good points about Ooze; we probably need that for the deck to compete seriously. I agree an extra sideboard could be good. I'll probably go -2 Tusker +2 Scooze.
I really like Thrun but I'm really not sure about cutting cards for him and Forests to support him. I kind of do like the idea of putting 1x Forest 1x Thrun sideboard. Great Sable Stag is another sweet suggestion; he seems better than Witchstalker (and Thrun overall?) but it's hard to say without testing. Groundbreaker is interesting; I rejected it at first because it's a one shot deal, but now that I think about it, when we drop it it'll probably be all we need to close out the game. It needs testing to see how reliable it is, though.
I'll be updating the card options section soon with some of these suggestions.
Awesome to hear the deck has it what it takes in dailies. If you win again, take a screenshot and post your list and I'll put it in a tourney results section. I'll be trying dailies myself soon once I finish the sideboard.
If you were going to a tournament tomorrow with Green Stompy, what specific changes would you make to the stock Ljungquist list?
Thanks!
I haven't been able to get any time in with this yet so I'd leave the main as-is, replace the Chokes in the side with Obstinate Baloths and possibly switch out Thragtusk for a third Scavenging Ooze. Give me a few more weeks with this and I may have better ideas regarding ways to tweak the deck. It'll be hard calls to make though. This list is really, really good.
I am looking forward to seeing what Dungrove Elder can do though.
Great post. Thanks. I think you make good points about Ooze; we probably need that for the deck to compete seriously. I agree an extra sideboard could be good. I'll probably go -2 Tusker +2 Scooze.
I really like Thrun but I'm really not sure about cutting cards for him and Forests to support him. I kind of do like the idea of putting 1x Forest 1x Thrun sideboard. Great Stable Stag is another sweet suggestion; he seems better than Witchstalker (and Thrun overall?) but it's hard to say without testing. Groundbreaker is interesting; I rejected it at first because it's a one shot deal, but now that I think about it, when we drop it it'll probably be all we need to close out the game. It needs testing to see how reliable it is, though.
I'll be updating the card options section soon with some of these suggestions.
You're welcome!
I'm not a big fan of Groundbreaker for all the reasons I'm not a big fan of Ball Lightning. It's really easy to answer and, when your opponent does, you get Time Walked...and usually during a crucial turn. Great Sable Stag is the exact opposite of that, which is why I like it. Leatherback Baloth's immunity to damage sweepers and most damage removal makes it better than both in many ways, which is why it's really hard to justify replacing. Dungrove Elder is a real contender, but conceptual possibilities are no substitute for actual testing and experience.
“Modern has provided us a non-rotating format that is far more accessible than Legacy or Vintage, but still retains many of the qualities that people enjoy in those formats—such as a more stable metagame, the ability to play and tweak the same deck week after week, and simply a much more powerful card pool than Standard.”
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
Excellent write up, man! You should do the non-budget primer =p
Here are some thoughts/reactions:
Choke is really there to hose blue-based control and midrange just before they would take the game away from you. One of the worst cards you could see against you would be Cryptic Command, since it's practically a Time Walk against you. Slamming down a Choke after they tap your creatures down is extremely difficult for most opponents to recover from.
I personally like the two Obstinate Baloths better in that slot since they are better against more decks that can wear you down or race, like BGx or Burn. If other fast aggro (besides possibly Merfolk and Affinity), burn, and decks with Liliana of the Veil are more prevalent, the Baloths are probably better there, though.
With the recent popularity of Anger of the Gods, any three-drop that can't survive it the turn it drops is probably not your best choice, so even Dungrove Elder is probably best left out unless you know your meta is light on Angers. This also probably explains the three (instead of four) Strangleroot Geists in that list. If Dungrove survives to your next land drop, though, he's a house.
Due to the quality spot and mass removal employed by most decks in the format, going a "grow" route (besides the amazing Experiment One) potentially replaces early game consistency for late game raw power, and I don't think that's what this deck needs. As you mentioned, the built-in resiliency and controlling aspects are both strong and subtle (I love that trick with Vines of Vastwood against Twin).
Viridian Zealot is just too slow. Love the damage until you need it option, though. If you really need to hose Bogles or other enchantments in your meta, the first two cards I'd look at would be Seal of Primordium and Back to Nature since our Rancors are easily recycled and usually worth the trade.
You did a GREAT job of giving other possible configurations to build off of, man. Not all of them will be optimal, but many will still be very potent, and fun to mess around with.
But I've been playing a bit of Mono-Green Infect lately and I've found the deck to be pretty frustrating. This deck looks a lot more stable, seems to have more potential/options, and fulfills my kinky Mono-Green needs.
WDeath and TaxesW
RWGBurnGWR
The deck is partly built around Experiment, yeah.
"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job'." -Terrance Fletcher, Whiplash (2014)
R1 Nykthos devotion. G1 super aggresive on my part, he had to through his devotion guys at mine as cannon fodder eliminating the Nykthos. G2 got mana flooded, he got off a small G wave then used Garruk, wildspeaker -4 to overrun me. G3 got out an early torpor orb making most his creatures bland bears and just pounded until he died.
R2 Junk: All three games were a race, managed game three to keep my scavenging ooze alive with a couple vines and ground out the victory.
R3 Melira pod. First game had all pieces to combo in hand and got it off before i could get his last couple life points off i couldn't get any hate. Game two mulled down to five kept a one land hand with dryad, dryad, scevenging, forest, pithing...didnt draw any lands for the next four turns and he was already online.
R4: Great matchup for us, he has to two for one strangleroot and baloth multiple times grind out a couple close ones.
WDeath and TaxesW
RWGBurnGWR
The thing i don't like about Skarrgan Pit-Skulk is that he relies on another card to be good. Aspect of Hydra is a coin toss it can win games earlier potentially but doesn't fend off early game hate as well as giant growth. I have been paying attention each game when i use a growth to see how aspect would have done in it's place and although i am still using the growth it is starting to lean towards aspect I will keep play testing and report back.
WDeath and TaxesW
RWGBurnGWR
I'm not sure if you're giving Pit-Skulk the proper respect that he deserves. The cards that "make him good" are things that work best to his favor...cards like Rancor, Vines, the aforementioned Giant Growth and others. Surely he's not that great on defense, but he can apply early pressure and swing past many early and mid game creatures for cheap mana.
The idea of Stompy, especially the 8 and 9 land variants of Legacy's past, is not to play the deck like an aggro deck, but to play and compartmentalize it like a control deck with an extremely fast clock. The more guys we have, the more we gum up the board and the more we can blank their spot removal. Suddenly, Path to Exile and company look bad when they are staring down the old 12 one drop curve of 1 guy Turn 1/3 guys turn 2 with something like 6-8 power in play.
Consider the following starting point:
4 Dryad Militant
4 Skarrgan Pit-Skulk
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Leatherback Baloth
4 Groundbreaker
Here we have multiple ways to turn on Aspect for a considerable amount of devotion. Adding Stangleroot gives us 2 devotion for it pre and post Undying.
I actually like Groundbreaker more than Leatherback Baloth. Maybe run both in some number?
As for 2s...Strangleroot Geist, Ledgewalker....what are people's thoughts on Scryb Ranger?
"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job'." -Terrance Fletcher, Whiplash (2014)
WDeath and TaxesW
RWGBurnGWR
The Bazaar of Moxen event in Annecy caught my attention because the winner was playing Death & Taxes, but the thing that really got me excited was the Top 8 finish of a ruthlessly efficient Stompy deck. Like all players, my initial response was to look at this list and try to look for ways to improve it.
Every time I look at Hans Christian Ljungquist's deck, I am stunned by how well-crafted it is. There is really very little to disagree with here.
22 Forest
Creatures (22)
4 Dryad Militant
4 Experiment One
4 Kalonian Tusker
2 Scavenging Ooze
3 Strangleroot Geist
4 Leatherback Baloth
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
4 Rancor
Instants (9)
3 Giant Growth
4 Vines of Vastwood
2 Beast Within
Sorceries (2)
2 Prey Upon
Planeswalkers (1)
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
3 Oxidize
3 Pithing Needle
4 Skylasher
2 Torpor Orb
2 Choke
1 Thragtusk
Let's look at his choices and the role they play in the deck. Since this is a creature-driven deck, let's start with his creature choices.
Dryad Militant and Scavenging Ooze are a key part of the control aspect to this deck and, make no mistake, there are control aspects to this deck.
Dryad Militant is a one-card answer to Snapcaster Mage tricks and Storm. It also shrinks Tarmogoyf by two.
Scavenging Ooze further deals with Modern's most expensive monster while also addressing graveyard-based combos such as those employed by one of the format's dominant decks, Melira Pod.
I consider both of these cards to be central to the effectiveness of this deck and must-includes. I would even consider adding a third Scavenging Ooze in the sideboard to lock down decks like the previously-mentioned Storm and Melira Pod, as well as other recursion decks such as Living End, Assault Loam, 4-Color Gifts, and Griselbrand Reanimator.
Experiment One is also one of the best 1-drops this deck is going to get right now. Its ability to grow to powerhouse size and regenerate if necessary makes it a no-brainer here.
Scavenging Ooze aside, the two-casters is really the first place we can see the possibility for alternatives to this list as Kalonian Tusker is pretty vanilla and Strangleroot Geist...actually, it's pretty awesome, especially for a 2-drop. Both of these cards set a pretty high bar for any potential replacements. Both survive Pyroclasm, Pillar of Flame, Electrolyze, and Volcanic Fallout and both hit for damage above-curve. Still, what possible replacements can we employ?
Garruk's Companion has been mentioned previously and is certainly a compelling alternative to Kalonian Tusker. It has the same power and adds Trample at the expense of resiliency to the above-listed burn. Which is better? Testing will tell, but, as this deck already has Rancor to provide Trample when it's absolutely necessary, I find myself leaned towards Kalonian Tusker.
Another consideration in the 2-slot is Viridian Zealot as it provides a means of dealing with troublesome Artifacts and Enchantments while still cranking out damage. This may be a better choice for the sideboard.
Yet another interesting choice, and a budget alternative route to the higher-costed cards at the four and five mana slots, is to replace Kalonian Tusker with Predatory Sliver and Strangleroot Geist with Woodland Changeling. On their own, these cards are nothing more than Grizzly Bears, but once you get more than one Predatory Sliver on the board, you start getting stacked bonuses and bigger creatures that continue to trigger Experiment One. Woodland Changeling gets to piggyback on these bonuses. Not bad for cards that come out of the bulk cards box at your local gaming store. I'll be returning to these cards as I continue, but for now, let's put a pin in this and take a look at the three converted mana cost slot.
This deck runs only one 3-drop, albeit as a four-of, and what a 3-drop it is. Leatherback Baloth's 4/5 power/toughness is way above curve and makes it another very strong addition to this deck. That said, aside from its monstrous size, it has no abilities that bolster it and it can be argued that a large power without Trample isn't of much value. It is worth noting, however, that there is nothing else at this casting cost, with comparable power, that can survive Anger of the Gods.
The first card I looked at was Courser of Kruphix as a possible 3-drop because yes, it's freaking amazing, but we need our turn three play to hit much harder than that. Going from Leatherback Baloth's 4/5 power/toughness to Courser of Kruphix's 2/4 is not an acceptable drop off, even with such a fantastic ability stapled on.
Dungrove Elder should not be overlooked. It drops as a 3/3 most of the time and only gets bigger as the game progresses. Hexproof also addresses almost all removal in-format. It does mean that looking at non-forest lands is ill-advised, however, which can weaken other possible strategies.
Probably the biggest raw-damage threat we can put in here is Primordial Hydra. If cast for 1GG, it's not much of a threat to start out but, as the game continues, it becomes a game-winning monstrosity that must be dealt with. It also scales nicely as the game continues and can provide a nasty large beater if drawn late-game.
Renegade Krasis is also not a bad consideration as its starting power/toughness isn't terrible and, as it evolves, it pumps up everything else you have that uses counters. This gives great synergy with Experiment One and the above-mentioned Primordial Hydra, as well as other cards in the deck.
I would be remiss if I did not mention Troll Ascetic. He's the card that gave us Hexproof, after all. If you've never played with or against this card, it's hard to explain why it's so good. That said, his 3/2 body makes him weak to all sweepers and you're going to be spending a lot to regenerate him. Troll Ascetic is not the brutal powerhouse it used to be, but it's still worth consideration.
A card that just doesn't get enough love these days and can put a crimp in any control deck is Great Sable Stag. 3/3 for 1GG is pretty good. Couple that with Can't be countered, Protection from Blue, and Protection from Black; and you have a powerful, powerful use of three mana. There's a reason this thing hasn't been reprinted since M10.
I'm also going to include Force of Savagery as an "honorable mention". If your deck has a way to compensate for its drawback, you're not going to find a better source of damage output at three mana. That said, it's not worth building around and should only be considered if you have an innate anthem effect that can make it useable in your deck.
Thrun, the Last Troll is the brutal powerhouse that Troll Ascetic used to be and more. If it's never landed across the table from you, it's hard to explain just how difficult to deal with it is. This is the 4-drop this deck wants. That said, should you not have access to this card, or have a reason you don't want to play it, there are alternatives you could consider.
Remember earlier when I mentioned using Predatory Sliver and Woodland Changeling as replacements for Kalonian Tusker and Strangleroot Geist, then said I'd come back to it later? If you decide to follow this strategy, Chameleon Colossus makes for a strong choice as your 4-drop as it will also receive the benefits of Predatory Sliver and can double or even quadruple its damage if it gets through.
Also worth mentioning is Polukranos, World Eater. Its Monstrosity ability can serve as a low-level board wipe, allowing you to get more attackers through. It also increases the value of Renegade Krasis.
As this is a deck that has many low-cost creatures it can cast on a turn, Vengevine serves as a recursive source of Haste-enabled beats.
Wolfbriar Elemental may not be the strongest card that could go in here, but it can be a bomb late-game that allows you to run down your opponent. It also opens up some interesting doors with Anthem-based Wolves and Werewolves, should you decide to experiment with that.
Garruk, Primal Hunter is lethal. It's hard to argue with his inclusion. Five mana is where green creatures start to get really good though, so it's understandable if you choose to pull him for a creature.
If you opted for the Changeling package (Predatory Sliver / Woodland Changeling / Chameleon Colossus), you may wish to consider Changeling Titan since it's a massive creature that can be pumped by Predatory Sliver. Outside of its power/toughness, however, it doesn't offer much, and even the smallest chump blocker can stop it. A better consideration would possibly be Game-Trail Changeling as it may only be 4/4, but the addition of Trample makes it better-equipped to take advantage of the buffs it receives from Predatory Sliver. Greatbow Doyen can also play into this strategy to give your creatures with Changeling an additional +1/+1 and a sort of improved Trample.
If you want to optimize Renegade Krasis, you could try Spike Tiller.
Personally, I'll stick with Garruk, Primal Hunter.
As for the lands, a deck like this needs lands that come into play untapped and G doesn't have a lot of great ones. Pendlehaven only interacts with 1/1 creatures and this deck only runs four of those and they only remain 1/1 until something else comes into play. Okina, Temple of the Grandfathers only interacts with Thrun, the Last Troll, and not everyone is opting to run him. Even Dryad Arbor, due to Summoning Sickness, effectively comes into play tapped. Your best option here is really just to run Forests, especially if you opt to run Dungrove Elder.
Maybe Snow-Covered Forests and Mouth of Ronom or Scrying Sheets for those hell-bent on squeezing extra utility out of their mana base?
The other cards in the maindeck are a little more obvious, though it is worth pointing out, again, that Vines of Vastwood isn't just here to protect your creatures, it's also there to disrupt decks like Splinter Twin by preventing them from targeting their own creatures. I'm sure numbers could be fiddled with but, until something better comes along, this part of the deck looks solid. I know some question the value of Beast Within, but having the removal you need, whenever you need it, is too important to overlook.
The sideboard has a bit more room for debate.
My friend Thenarus pointed out and, after putting some thought into it, I agree that while Choke is an amazing hoser, it's off-target for what this deck is trying to do, so that's two slots to work with.
Torpor Orb is too good for any deck that can use it not to do so. If you decide to invest in the Evoke strategy, however, you won't be able to use it and will instead become susceptible to it. With just Experiment One, you should be fine.
Witchstalker can provide some amazing hate against U and B decks, while piggybacking (pun intended...sadly) on counter tricks.
Obstinate Baloth can hate pretty hard on 8Rack and other discard-driven decks.
I did not care for Oxidize the first time I saw this list, but it really is the best choice available. The only other viable instant is Nature's Claim and the last thing we want is to give our opponent a four-point bump to their life total. As mentioned previously, Viridian Zealot could be used as a creature alternative, but would lack the low-cost removal efficiency and instant-speed applicability.
Skylasher is an amazing call. Would not pull that.
Pithing Needle is a classic sideboard staple and can be added or removed based on meta.
We do not need the usual graveyard control sideboards pack because we have Dryad Militant and Scavenging Ooze maindeck. A third Scavenging Ooze in the side is the most I would consider adding to this end, personally.
Just my thoughts, yours may differ.
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
If you were going to a tournament tomorrow with Green Stompy, what specific changes would you make to the stock Ljungquist list?
I have been playing a variation. run -1 forest +1strangleroot geist tended to mana flood a lot. and i tweaked the sideboard -4 skylasher +3mistcutter hydra +2 Wheel of sun and moon, -1 thragtusk -3Oxidize +3 Deglamer still tweaking it as i go but like i said earlier went 3-1 on dailies first shot.
WDeath and TaxesW
RWGBurnGWR
Awesome to hear the deck has it what it takes in dailies. If you win again, take a screenshot and post your list and I'll put it in a tourney results section. I'll be trying dailies myself soon once I finish the sideboard.
Skulk is good but I think power/value and abilities are more important than evasion. We need some evasion but I think Rancor and Companion are enough, and the best options for it. Ledgewalker is best in auras/hexproof, which I have a primer for here. The deck is definitely not as good as Stompy, but not bad. Looking to improve it, so suggest things in that thread if you like.
Great post. Thanks. I think you make good points about Ooze; we probably need that for the deck to compete seriously. I agree an extra sideboard could be good. I'll probably go -2 Tusker +2 Scooze.
I really like Thrun but I'm really not sure about cutting cards for him and Forests to support him. I kind of do like the idea of putting 1x Forest 1x Thrun sideboard. Great Sable Stag is another sweet suggestion; he seems better than Witchstalker (and Thrun overall?) but it's hard to say without testing. Groundbreaker is interesting; I rejected it at first because it's a one shot deal, but now that I think about it, when we drop it it'll probably be all we need to close out the game. It needs testing to see how reliable it is, though.
I'll be updating the card options section soon with some of these suggestions.
will do
WDeath and TaxesW
RWGBurnGWR
Thanks!
I haven't been able to get any time in with this yet so I'd leave the main as-is, replace the Chokes in the side with Obstinate Baloths and possibly switch out Thragtusk for a third Scavenging Ooze. Give me a few more weeks with this and I may have better ideas regarding ways to tweak the deck. It'll be hard calls to make though. This list is really, really good.
I am looking forward to seeing what Dungrove Elder can do though.
You're welcome!
I'm not a big fan of Groundbreaker for all the reasons I'm not a big fan of Ball Lightning. It's really easy to answer and, when your opponent does, you get Time Walked...and usually during a crucial turn. Great Sable Stag is the exact opposite of that, which is why I like it. Leatherback Baloth's immunity to damage sweepers and most damage removal makes it better than both in many ways, which is why it's really hard to justify replacing. Dungrove Elder is a real contender, but conceptual possibilities are no substitute for actual testing and experience.
Renegade Krasis's ability to pump Experiment One, Strangleroot Geist, Scavenging Ooze, and other possible additions is great, but without Leatherback Baloth there to pump it, I'm afraid we have to question its utility. Also, as we include more and more Evolve tricks, we become more susceptible to Torpor Orb. It does play nicely with Witchhunter, though.
That's what I love about Modern; all those beautiful interactions!
- Sam Stoddard, “Developing Modern” (June 21, 2013) (by means of Sheridan Lardner, "Fixing Modern: Defining Format Mission (March 16, 2016))
How to Use Spoiler Tags
Starting Over: The Origins of the Mulligan Rule
Practical Approach to Slow Play
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 2: SWARM and TOOLBOX
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 3
THE Guide to Aggro, Part 4
These videos are by MTG Salvation Moderator Lantern!
Introduction to Tempo
Controlling Tempo
Elements of Tempo
Roadblocks to Tempo
How Not To Build A Deck - Tempo
Learn How To Sideboard, Dammit!
Mulligan's Island
The Art of the Mulligan
The Art of the Mulligan: Eight Case Studies
Fundamentals: The Mulligan
Some Mulligan Exercises
A Mulligan Is Worth Three Cards
The Mulligan Debate
Common Sense: The Art of the Mulligan
Who's The Beatdown?
3 Caves of Koilos
3 Eldrazi Temple
2 Fetid Heath
3 Godless Shrine
4 Ghost Quarter
3 Plains
3 Shambling Vent
2 Tectonic Edge
Artifacts (4):
4 Æther Vial
4 Path to Exile
Creatures (29):
3 Aven Mindcensor
3 Eldrazi Displacer
3 Fiend Hunter
4 Flickerwisp
4 Serra Avenger
3 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
3 Thought-Knot Seer
3 Tidehollow Sculler
3 Wasteland Strangler
3 Chalice of the Void
2 Dismember
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Rest in Peace
3 Stony Silence
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Flooded Strand
6 Island
3 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
3 Sulfur Falls
Creatures (16):
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Stormchaser Mage
2 Gut Shot
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mutagenic Growth
3 Spell Pierce
3 Twisted Image
3 Vapor Snag
Sorceries (8):
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Forked Bolt
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Roast
1 Spell Snare
2 Spellskite
1 Vapor Snag
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Copperline Gorge
5 Mountain
3 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (14):
4 Eidolon of the Great Revel
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Atarka's Command
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
3 Searing Blaze
Sorceries (8):
4 Lava Spike
4 Rift Bolt
2 Deflecting Palm
4 Destructive Revelry
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Path to Exile
2 Rending Volley
3 Skullcrack
19 Forest
3 Treetop Village
Creatures (24):
4 Avatar of the Resolute
4 Dryad Militant
2 Dungrove Elder
4 Experiment One
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Rancor
Instants (10):
3 Aspect of Hydra
4 Vines of Vastwood
3 Dismember
2 Choke
2 Gut Shot
2 Deglamer
2 Feed the Clan
2 Oxidize
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Skylasher
1 Unravel the Æther
Here are some thoughts/reactions:
Choke is really there to hose blue-based control and midrange just before they would take the game away from you. One of the worst cards you could see against you would be Cryptic Command, since it's practically a Time Walk against you. Slamming down a Choke after they tap your creatures down is extremely difficult for most opponents to recover from.
I personally like the two Obstinate Baloths better in that slot since they are better against more decks that can wear you down or race, like BGx or Burn. If other fast aggro (besides possibly Merfolk and Affinity), burn, and decks with Liliana of the Veil are more prevalent, the Baloths are probably better there, though.
With the recent popularity of Anger of the Gods, any three-drop that can't survive it the turn it drops is probably not your best choice, so even Dungrove Elder is probably best left out unless you know your meta is light on Angers. This also probably explains the three (instead of four) Strangleroot Geists in that list. If Dungrove survives to your next land drop, though, he's a house.
Due to the quality spot and mass removal employed by most decks in the format, going a "grow" route (besides the amazing Experiment One) potentially replaces early game consistency for late game raw power, and I don't think that's what this deck needs. As you mentioned, the built-in resiliency and controlling aspects are both strong and subtle (I love that trick with Vines of Vastwood against Twin).
Viridian Zealot is just too slow. Love the damage until you need it option, though. If you really need to hose Bogles or other enchantments in your meta, the first two cards I'd look at would be Seal of Primordium and Back to Nature since our Rancors are easily recycled and usually worth the trade.
You did a GREAT job of giving other possible configurations to build off of, man. Not all of them will be optimal, but many will still be very potent, and fun to mess around with.
It's so simple, yet it works so well. I actually like it a lot.
"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job'." -Terrance Fletcher, Whiplash (2014)
3 Dryad Militant
4 Experiment One
3 Kalonian Tusker
3 Scavenging Ooze
3 Strangleroot Geist
1 Viridian Zealot
2 Kitchen Finks
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Thrun, the Last Troll
Instants
4 Vines of Vastwood
2 Giant Growth
2 Beast Within
1 Dismember
3 Rancor
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
Random Garruk because Ljungquist ran it
1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
Mana
18 Forest
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
1 Pendelhaven
2 Pithing Needle
1 Relic of Progenitus
2 Deglamer
3 Skylasher
1 Torpor Orb
1 Wheel of Sun and Moon
2 Choke
1 Crushing Vines
2 Obstinate Baloth
This build might be infinitely worse and too cute, but I want to try it because it looks . . . fun.
Also want to try testing Yeva, Nature's Herald in place of a Thrun. Which means I've probably officially gone crazy.
I even want to test Boon Satyr . . .
But I've been playing a bit of Mono-Green Infect lately and I've found the deck to be pretty frustrating. This deck looks a lot more stable, seems to have more potential/options, and fulfills my kinky Mono-Green needs.
P.S. Just found out my local game store is hosting modern! I'll try to cash in some rares and get the deck.