That's honestly what I've been thinking/what the discord community has been slowly coming around too. I'm probably going to run it as a 2x in my build.
However it's a bit slow, having to delay a potential good T3 play to get the level up, but I can see it being a payoff later.
One guy in discord ran it, and it constantly drew removal attention. so take that as you will.
But in your scenario, the same applied to the werewolf as well. You'd be down a creature regardless if you could save it or not.
Having that option is fantastic if you're going to combat, I'd rather save my troll and play another two drop, than lose my existing two drop and just play a 5/4.
Saving the troll also gives you more bodies for an Aspect, Vines, etc whereas you're hoping one of two minions can push damage.
If they're bolting my trolls that is fine since it's less burn for my face.
I'm also going to be running 2-4 Snakeskin Veil to help bolster my deck, and removing my Vines altogether.
I just don't think paying 4 mana for a +2/+0 and trample is good on a 3/3. Card draw is good however
I run a super heavy creature based deck, clocking in at 29. Since I run so heavy on the ground I want/need creatures with more inherent protection to help grind out matches.
I think in hyper hyper builds, wolf is good. But in control/midrange games troll all day
Barkhide Troll;
GG casting cost
3/3
Can removal its +1/+1 counter to dodge removal
Unless dedicated, becomes a 2/2 bear
Can easily gain counters if we add cards
Werewolf Pack Leader:
GG casting cost
3/3
No inherent protection
Ability to draw us cards
Expensive pump ability, which is easily gained via rancor
I believe each card does something different, but I lean towards Barkhide
Scavenging Ooze is sadly better. It stops a lot of things, so instead of us having to react with Endurance, we can let the opponent sweat when we have 1-3 mana up for ooze.
So I've made 3 changes to my deck
1. Adding 2 Skylasher to my mainboard to fill out my deck, I think this is super strong in the meta right now.
This guy stops
Delver of Secrets
Any U Planeswalker
Mantis Rider
Sprite Dragon
Tasigur
Geist of Saint Taff
Reflector Mage
And that's just on the ground.
2. Adding two Weather the Storm to my sideboard in replace of my two Old-Growth Troll. This is just because the burn matchup/storm matchup I had no real advantage over outside Damping Sphere, so adding some more utility really helps.
3. Adding two Apostle's Blessing to replace my two Kitchen Finks. With Urzas Saga on the rise, being able to charge right through their army of golems, dodge removal, or block big guys to then counter swing is huge in my deck since I don't run a ton of combat tricks.
That said, I think Smell Fear is interesting and worth testing.
This version of the deck tries to go as fast as possible while having some protection built in. Using cards such as Steady Progress and Contentious Plan to rapidly accelerate the counter production, as well as 3 negates and 4 Apostle's Blessing to play around removal. It runs 4 Trophy Mage and 3 Fabricates to find the Stadium and to refill incase our original gets removed.
This version of the deck runs more creatures to swing as fast as possible. TO do so it runs less protection and proliferate spells. It keeps the search package of Trophy Mage and Fabricate, and leans more heavily into Stadium providing that mana boost to keep things smooth. It also uses Blighted Agent as a "secondary" win condition.
I feel the same way with Syr, but the fact she draws removal is good, at least in my opinion, since it's less removal for Steel Leaf, Avatar, a big PC/OE, etc. I've had some good success with her landing.
I've wanted to play with Bayou. However how did you manage him. I'm just afraid with no inherent protection, trample, and needing to shrink our boardstate.
Vines/Aspect are there for that big push, and to make combat scarier for the opponent. Plus much needed protection. Since sometimes we fold to interaction.
I run 3 Barkhide Troll. They're super good and immune to spot removal which a lot of creatures lack, feel free to run up to 3-4 which makes them better than Dungrove since it's 1 mana cheaper, and combos better with Avatar of the Resolute
Scavenging Ooze chills as 3 copies in my SB since if I Don't face any graveyard decks they don't grow which could be an issue.
Steel Leaf Champions are a must a 4 copy since they do everything Leatherback does but better, ie not being blocked by 1/1 and 2/2 tokens all day which forces your opponent to throw more useful creatures their way.
I run 4 EO and 4 PCs just because they both do different things. EO is great early, and PC is great mid-late when your things die. The amount is up to you to experiment with
I run only 19 total lands, 13 Forest, 2 Treetop Village, and 4 Nurturing Peatland. I can't attest to how good Abundance is, that is up to you and your meta.
I don't run Blossoming Defense, the main defacto card of choice is Vines of Vastwood it's a way better Blossoming with the added upside of making your own opponent unable to target their own creatures. So Temur Battlerage fizzles
The sideboard I've tuned to deal with some of my decks overall weaknesses.
Scavenging Ooze x3: Dredge and Graveyard Decks
Damping Sphere x3: Because **** Tron and Storm, and Prowess.
Veil of Summer x3: Jund and control decks mess with us too much to keep an established board state.
Deglamer x2: Let's go Heliod and maybe some Boggles
Kitchen Finks x2: Life gain is an issue with this deck, and burn matchups suck. This helps us stay in the game just a little longer.
Old-Growth Troll x2: If you're facing a control deck, this guy works wonders, a little less aggressive than his cousin (Steel Leaf Champion), but with the added bonus of coming back whenever
The overall suggestions I would make to that otherwise good starting list would be
Cut:
1 Rhonas
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Dungrove Elder
1 Thrun the Last Troll
1 Yorvo
The reason being is that they're all much too slow, offer no inherent protection, or trample, and are otherwise already replaced by better versions. Stompy as a whole is a "fair" deck. It's not throwing a million spells at your face, not comboing off on T3, not countering every spell you play. It's trying to go sideways as fast as possible while giving your opponent too many creatures to deal with.
Long story shot, last week i snagged a really good deal on a prebuilt albeit a little old Stompy build. Here it should be:
The deck as a whole takes a bit to get going, however the basic game plan is Ramp, Token Creators, Mana Doubling, smash face. It works well but I was wondering if there was anything I could add/remove to make it just a hair faster. I feel like I need 1 more token double in the deck but unsure what to cut.
However it's a bit slow, having to delay a potential good T3 play to get the level up, but I can see it being a payoff later.
One guy in discord ran it, and it constantly drew removal attention. so take that as you will.
So becoming a more sticky deck appeals to me, but for those that are running Vines, Blossoming, etc. Running Wolf gives them more oomp
Having that option is fantastic if you're going to combat, I'd rather save my troll and play another two drop, than lose my existing two drop and just play a 5/4.
Saving the troll also gives you more bodies for an Aspect, Vines, etc whereas you're hoping one of two minions can push damage.
If they're bolting my trolls that is fine since it's less burn for my face.
I'm also going to be running 2-4 Snakeskin Veil to help bolster my deck, and removing my Vines altogether.
I just don't think paying 4 mana for a +2/+0 and trample is good on a 3/3. Card draw is good however
I think in hyper hyper builds, wolf is good. But in control/midrange games troll all day
I like Barkhide Troll for being a similar stat line, but make the opponent sweat because they can't remove it efficiently.
On a side note, I am going to replace my Treetop Villages (2) with Nest of the Hydra http://www.magicspoiler.com/mtg-spoiler/hydras-nest/
I think it's amazing if we're talking about mana sinking. It can also hit hard and come into play untapped.
My personal opinion vs Barkhide and Him
Barkhide Troll;
GG casting cost
3/3
Can removal its +1/+1 counter to dodge removal
Unless dedicated, becomes a 2/2 bear
Can easily gain counters if we add cards
Werewolf Pack Leader:
GG casting cost
3/3
No inherent protection
Ability to draw us cards
Expensive pump ability, which is easily gained via rancor
I believe each card does something different, but I lean towards Barkhide
So I've made 3 changes to my deck
1. Adding 2 Skylasher to my mainboard to fill out my deck, I think this is super strong in the meta right now.
This guy stops
Delver of Secrets
Any U Planeswalker
Mantis Rider
Sprite Dragon
Tasigur
Geist of Saint Taff
Reflector Mage
And that's just on the ground.
2. Adding two Weather the Storm to my sideboard in replace of my two Old-Growth Troll. This is just because the burn matchup/storm matchup I had no real advantage over outside Damping Sphere, so adding some more utility really helps.
3. Adding two Apostle's Blessing to replace my two Kitchen Finks. With Urzas Saga on the rise, being able to charge right through their army of golems, dodge removal, or block big guys to then counter swing is huge in my deck since I don't run a ton of combat tricks.
That said, I think Smell Fear is interesting and worth testing.
In play testing it's fun to go
T1: Experiment One or Pelt Collector
T2: Strangleroot Geist / Barkhide Troll / Avatar of the Resolute
T3: Experiment One or Pelt Collector or nothing. Go to combat, then flash in Briarhorn to evolve EO/PC, give something +3/+3, and then maybe throw an Aspect of Hydra down for a total of 12-13 damage.
What caught my attention were a few things
I've made 2 decks for it, and still working out problems or trying to smooth out somethings the previous version doesn't do well enough.
4x Breeding Pool
7x Forest
7x Island
4x Yavimaya Coast
Spells -- 22
Instant (17)
4x Apostle's Blessing
4x Fog
4x Haze of Pollen
3x Negate
2x Steady Progress
2x Contentious Plan
3x Fabricate
Creature (12)
4x Evolution Sage
4x Invisible Stalker
4x Trophy Mage
4x Strixhaven Stadium
This version of the deck tries to go as fast as possible while having some protection built in. Using cards such as Steady Progress and Contentious Plan to rapidly accelerate the counter production, as well as 3 negates and 4 Apostle's Blessing to play around removal. It runs 4 Trophy Mage and 3 Fabricates to find the Stadium and to refill incase our original gets removed.
4 Breeding Pool
6 Forest
6 Island
4 Yavimaya Coast
Sorceries (2)
2 Fabricate
2 Apostle's Blessing
3 Defend the Hearth
4 Fog
3 Haze of Pollen
2 Steady Progress
4 Blighted Agent
4 Dryad Sophisticate
4 Fogwalker
4 Invisible Stalker
4 Trophy Mage
This version of the deck runs more creatures to swing as fast as possible. TO do so it runs less protection and proliferate spells. It keeps the search package of Trophy Mage and Fabricate, and leans more heavily into Stadium providing that mana boost to keep things smooth. It also uses Blighted Agent as a "secondary" win condition.
4 Breeding Pool
4 Yavimaya Coast
7 Forest
7 Island
Artifact -- 4
4 Strixhaven Stadium
4 Invisible Stalker
4 Trophy Mage
4 Fogwalker
2 Spore Frog
2 Dryad Sophisticate
4 Fog
4 Apostle's Blessing
2 Fabricate
4 Contentious Plan
2 Haze of Pollen
2 Steady Progress
This list tries to merge the first two, bringing a balance of creatures, protection, and proliferate spells.
I feel the same way with Syr, but the fact she draws removal is good, at least in my opinion, since it's less removal for Steel Leaf, Avatar, a big PC/OE, etc. I've had some good success with her landing.
I've wanted to play with Bayou. However how did you manage him. I'm just afraid with no inherent protection, trample, and needing to shrink our boardstate.
Vines/Aspect are there for that big push, and to make combat scarier for the opponent. Plus much needed protection. Since sometimes we fold to interaction.
No one ever suspects the Treetop.
Overall good job on your wins!!
4x Avatar of the Resolute
3x Barkhide Troll
2x Dryad Militant
4x Experiment One
2x Hexdrinker
4x Pelt Collector
4x Steel Leaf Champion
4x Strangleroot Geist
2x Syr Faren, the Hengehammer
4x Aspect of Hydra
3x Dismember
2x Vines of Vastwood
Land (19)
13x Forest
4x Nurturing Peatland
2x Treetop Village
Enchantment (3)
3x Rancor
3x Damping Sphere
2x Deglamer
2x Kitchen Finks
2x Old-Growth Troll
3x Scavenging Ooze
3x Veil of Summer
The sideboard I've tuned to deal with some of my decks overall weaknesses.
The overall suggestions I would make to that otherwise good starting list would be
Cut:
1 Rhonas
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Dungrove Elder
1 Thrun the Last Troll
1 Yorvo
The reason being is that they're all much too slow, offer no inherent protection, or trample, and are otherwise already replaced by better versions. Stompy as a whole is a "fair" deck. It's not throwing a million spells at your face, not comboing off on T3, not countering every spell you play. It's trying to go sideways as fast as possible while giving your opponent too many creatures to deal with.
1x Kamahl, Heart of Krosa
1x Anara, Wolvid Familiar
Creature (26)
1x Acidic Slime
1x Ant Queen
1x Arasta of the Endless Web
1x Bellowing Tanglewurm
1x Biogenic Ooze
1x Birds of Paradise
1x Brutalizer Exarch
1x Elder Gargaroth
1x Elvish Mystic
1x Eternal Witness
1x Fyndhorn Elves
1x Genesis
1x Hydra Broodmaster
1x Incubation Druid
1x Jade Mage
1x Llanowar Elves
1x Master of the Wild Hunt
1x Nemata, Grove Guardian
1x Regal Behemoth
1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
1x Seedborn Muse
1x Solemn Simulacrum
1x Soul of New Phyrexia
1x Tendershoot Dryad
1x Wolverine Riders
1x Yavimaya Elder
1x Akroma's Memorial
1x Eldrazi Monument
1x Emerald Medallion
1x Endless Atlas
1x Fellwar Stone
1x Lifecrafter's Bestiary
1x Lightning Greaves
1x Mind Stone
1x Moss Diamond
1x Orochi Hatchery
1x Skullclamp
1x Sol Ring
1x Swiftfoot Boots
Land (35)
1x Arch of Orazca
1x Blast Zone
1x Bonders' Enclave
1x Castle Garenbrig
29x Forest
1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1x War Room
Planeswalker (5)
1x Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury
1x Garruk Wildspeaker
1x Garruk, Primal Hunter
1x Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
1x Vivien, Monsters' Advocate
1x Awakening Zone
1x Centaur Glade
1x Doubling Season
1x Mana Reflection
1x Midsummer Revel
1x Night Soil
1x Paradox Zone
1x Parallel Lives
1x Sandwurm Convergence
1x Zendikar Resurgent
Instant (5)
1x Arachnogenesis
1x Beast Within
1x Force of Vigor
1x Krosan Grip
1x Sprout Swarm
Sorcery (4)
1x Beacon of Creation
1x Gelatinous Genesis
1x Pest Infestation
1x Scale Up
Built for my casual-ish friend group, I wanted to take Kamahl and not pair him with anyone for a bit of my own take. Decks I face are:
° Brimaz.
° Zacama.
° Whisper Blood Liturgist ° Depala.
° Ramirez + Tormod
° Sidar + Silas.
* Karador
° Extus (
° Malcom + Breeches
° Dipala
° Kalamax
The deck as a whole takes a bit to get going, however the basic game plan is Ramp, Token Creators, Mana Doubling, smash face. It works well but I was wondering if there was anything I could add/remove to make it just a hair faster. I feel like I need 1 more token double in the deck but unsure what to cut.