Hey guys! What a great discussion! Hopefully I can add a little insight as well on top of learning.
To begin, I think you are right Pedros that we have to compare apples to apples. Any ramp deck gets kinda broken down into "the engine" and "the win-cons" and there is no point in comparing the engine to the win-cons. I consider Chord of Calling to fall more into the "Win-Con" side of things (although it is extremely versatile) so I will compare it there.
1. When I first began using Chord of Calling (and at the time I ran a full set); I too had a much more "toolbox" version of the deck. After tons of testing, however, I found that often times I had devoted so much of the deck to the "toolbox" that (a) it slowed the deck down and greatly reduced two of the most powerful advantages of the deck, it's speed and it's consistency. Chord has some amazingly great functions though. These include, (a) fetching your win-con when you have a ton of mana (i.e. grabbing a Craterhoof, Prime Time, etc.)...essentially it acts as multiple copies of your win-cons, (b) to tutor up a great sideboard answer (this is kind of self-explanatory and does take advantage of the "toolbox" nature of the card) basically just as before' it can act as more copies of one specific hate card, (c) to help you "get back in the game"...often times you can use it to find an Elvish Archdruid (in my case), and Eternal Witness (in Pedro's build) to grab something important back, or even a Coiling Oracle to draw a card and/or get another land and elf on the board, or (d) to perform some "combat tricks" (i.e. to chord up an Elvish Archdruid to protect two 1/1's from an Electrolyze that was cast, to Chord for an Ezuri to Regenerate a few elves, to chord into a Prime Time when they attack with their 4/4, or to simply give a creature "quasi-haste" by casting it at the end of their turn.
There are a ton of great reasons to utilize Chord of Calling in a devotion build; but I found that I had to be careful not to count on it too much. I found that if I wanted to play a full-on toolbox deck; I was better off just playing Pod. I found that Devotion/Ramp decks get a good part of their power out of outpacing / going over the top of their opponents and getting to an overwhelming board state.
2. Purklepuff, you are right that Ezuri makes little sense in a build unless there is an ample number of elves. I run it as a 1-of (in the past was a 2-of) due to his play-ability and synergy with the other cards in the deck. You are absolutely right that in most cases you want to use great "stand alone" cards like Arbor Elf, Primeval Titan and Garruk Wildspeaker (as you can never truly be certain the synergy will arise); but there are some instances (especially when you have ample card draw and the ability to tutor) that synergy can also be a means to an end as well. I do agree, however, that the cards chosen have to be valuable on their own as well (i.e. I would never simply play a straight up 3/3 elf just to have another elf in the build). The elf idea actually arose simply due to the fact that the best "ramping" and "card draw" creatures I found were elves ... Ezuri just allowed for another potential avenue to win.)
3. Pedros, you are right on the money about not being able to splash 3 additional colors. Even with fetch lands, full sets of both Abundant Growth and Utopia Sprawl, and Cavern of Souls; the speed of the deck makes it difficult to get all of the colors you need as quickly as you need them. I would LOVE to play white in board; but my version plays mainly green with a splash of both red and blue. Blue is almost specifically for Coiling Oracle (although it does allow for some sideboard options as the meta shifts). To answer your questions, I would say that I utilize "blue" via my first Utopia Sprawl approximately 80% of the time (as Coiling Oracle typically comes before Kessig Wolf Run). I would say I fetch Kessig Wolf Run / Nykthos Shrine to nyx with Prime Time approximately 50% of the time. Sometimes it's Kessig/Stomping Ground (if I don't have the red), sometimes it's Kessig/Cavern (if playing against control and I have something in my hand I want to cast the next turn), and sometimes it could even be Nykthos / Forest (in extremely rare/odd situations or if I already have everything else on board). They come into play tapped; so if I already have a Nykthos down, I won't grab another.
I haven't had any real issues with fixing mana. There have been a few games...approximately 10%....where I either can't cast Coiling Oracle on turn two or can't cast two Oracles in a row if I have them in my hand. I most likely will add a fourth Misty Rainforest to the deck to further aid fixing (as I can't recall the exact reason why I only run four...it literally may be because I only had three at the time however at this point the deck runs extremely smoothly. I LOVE the idea of adding white; I'm just not sure it's possible.
3. Without trying to argue too much (as I see merit in both sides of this discussion and do think there is a "happy medium") I would state the following:
(a) In my opinion (and this is only my opinion) green devotion builds do require a healthy amount of card draw. The synergy created by drawing cards actually helps you more quickly ramp (via both devotion and "traditional ramping" and overwhelm the opponent. It's easy when ramping to run out of cards, draw only your "ramping" guys and/or even draw only your win cons...card draw helps you "feed the beast" and helps smooth out your lines.
(b) Purklepuff is right (as are others) that we (devotion brewers that is) can sometimes get a little too focused on devotion count. I have done this in the past as well. Once you've reached 4+ devotion, you already have a good advantage. I have never been a huge fan of Burning-Tree Emissary (however I do understand how it's ETB trigger can work in some cases) and feel that it is one of those cards that doesn't have a large enough effect/value (in Modern) to be used despite it's two green symbols. The same is true of several cards. I even stopped using Wistful Selkie because I found having the card a turn earlier was more important than the extra 2-devotion. Filling the board with green symbols isn't goal number one; it will happen naturally in the right build(s).
(c) I don't think it's crazy to run only 3 Eternal Witness as she does require something to be in the graveyard to obtain the full value from her the first time she is cast. I of course am on the "outside" of the Eternal Witness argument, however (as I don't have her in my build). This is NOT because I think it is a poor card. On the contrary, she is amazing; and if I played Primal Command I would definitely have her in my build as well. I've just found that in my particular build; I'm better off simply drawing a card with a 2-mana creature vs. getting one back from my library for 3-mana. I do understand the amazing power Eternal Witness can have off of a Genesis Wave; and I wouldn't have given up that effect if I hadn't found something similar. I generally will hit enough "draw triggers" off of a wave to hit the creature I want and/or a Chord of Calling that will allow me to use my new lands and creatures to tutor for it at instant speed. I truly believe that in most cases Genesis Wave should be treated as a "win-con" (i.e. you should be able to win the turn you cast it) and Eternal Witness can go a long way to doing so. I'm not against using Eternal Witness at all...in the Primal Command versions of the deck I think she is a perfect 3-4 of. Of course, if the lock is one of your main win-cons...you'll most likely want to run four.
(d) Elesh Norn is a spectacular card. I look at her more as a "Win-Con" than a "hate" card (although she pretty much encompasses both but if I ran white I would run a 1-of in my mainboard as well. It's a great win-con. It doesn't work in my build; but I can definitely see why you like it! Spellskite is also a great hate card and can really hamper a lot of decks. I'm not as high on Linvala and Inferno Titan.
Many of these discussions also boil down to play-style. Green Devotion is going to be a "Teir 1" archetype in my opinion; however just as there are slight iterations of other top-tier decks; the same will be true of Green Devotion. While I prefer a version that is a little more on the "aggressive" end (although I feel there are ways to do this while still maintaining card advantage); I can totally understand how someone else may want to play a turn or two slower and have more disruption. Each type of deck will have slightly different success against different decks (and can sideboard appropriately). In the end, we are all looking for the same thing; bringing Green Devotion to the forefront of Modern and letting people how awesome it is to play! The best things we can do is present the pros and cons of each "archetype" of Green Devotion so that players can choose which they prefer. GnuHouse and Pedro (fortunately for the rest of us) have already done so...and deserve a HUGE thanks for doing so!
Keep up the great work and great discussion guys! I'll try to do my best to present the pro's and cons of my particular build to any and all who ask as well.
As an aside, Pedros, to answer your question, I only run 3 Elvish Archdruid because I don't care to see it until turn 2 or three and it's not entirely necessary to my being able to cast my win-cons. Don't get me wrong, it's a powerful card. Being able to tap for 3+ mana most turns it's down while pumping my draw/mana dorks up is GREAT. I just found that I didn't find myself needing it any more at 3 than I did at 4. It is just one of those things that you get a "feel" for while testing a bunch. I'm not against running four, I just think the deck runs slightly more smoothly with only three Archdruids. There are some games you won't even want/need him (if you begin to ramp faster than he is even necessary for). But the games where he is useful, he is SUPER useful (as the opponent has to deal with him).
Still working on certain items (like if I can add a 2nd Craterhoof Behemoth, sideboard options, etc.) but after relatively extensive testing I'm very happy with the current list. I am open and interested in discussing other options (including the Primal Command / Eternal Witness lock, etc.). I've found this to be the most competitive of the devotion builds I've brewed and tested thus far; but never want to close myself off to any ideas!
Hey Guys. This is such an active thread! It's great.
Caspian,
You are exactly right...Cavern of Souls is unreal. In the control match-up it essentially wins the game. I used to run 3 (and at one point a 4th in the sideboard) but I've since ran less. I would like to fit one more in the sideboard; but have to test to see where I can make the change.
1. Arbor Elf can untap a land to be utilized later upon "killing" (where an Mana-dork's mana would have to be used in the phase it is destroyed).
2. Utopia Sprawl can be used at "instant speed" as long as it is cast on turn two or later.
3. Utopia Sprawl survives after a Pyroclasm or Anger of the Gods.
Having said this, there are almost never any situations when a card or a set of cards are "strictly better" than others...and you know better than most what works best for your deck. Wall of Roots is a powerhouse with Chord; as is having more creatures....so you may be absolutely right that in your build they are better. As always, testing is the only way to know. It's crazy how much testing it takes just to see if one little change is worth it! Love the new build, btw. Spellskite is the best "hate" card there is in the format (in my opinion).
Jankydude,
What an interesting build. Looks great! I don't know if you've seen it, but Gerry Thompson discussed your build on SCG.com (http://www.starcitygames.com/article/28920_Daily-Digest-Hateful-Devotion.html). While it wasn't an extremely in-depth article; any time you get recognition from a Pro its something to be extremely proud of!
I like the idea of Blood Moon. I run Magus of the Moon in my board...but I can only imagine how devastating it must be to many opponents in the main board. Ruric Thar, the Unbowed as well. I love the idea of putting "side board" cards in the main. And Strangleroot Geist is such an awesome card. It's one I go back and fourth on and wish I could use.
Excited to see all of the different builds. I'll try to keep everything up to date on mine (i.e. matches I play, how it fairs against certain decks, etc.) as well. I'll also try to format it in a way that looks better (i.e. in the little "deck box" rather than a list).
And Pedros, I was thinking about your fetch question...while I've been very comfortable with three fetch lands (currently run 3 Misty Rainforests); I have no idea why I don't run a full set I guess it's because of small issues I've seen a minimal amount in the past (like Aven Mindscensor and Shadow of Doubt) and/or because with four Abundant Growth's and four Utopia Sprawl's I've never found any issue fixing my mana...but I may be placing a fourth Misty in the main (as there really is no significant reason I only ran three...it just kinda "felt" right when testing). If I ended up splashing a fourth color (i.e. if I wanted to play white in the board); I'd probably begin playing more for sure.
What a neat list! It is interesting to see how Genesis Hydra also can work as kind of a "toolbox" card. One card I thought of that I would like with Genesis Hydra was the Xenagos God (Xenagos, God of Revels) only because it would give your big hydra (or any other creature for that matter) +X/+X and haste.
In terms of "hosers", I've found a few in the past (when I used Chord of Calling to make a toolbox out of my sideboard) to include: Silent Arbiter (for infinite creature decks like twin and/or token decks), Magus of the Moon (scapeshift, colonnades, rock, numerous others...of course I play a lot of Forests), Scavenging Ooze (graveyard hate), Elderscale Wurm (Storm, Burn, Scapeshift, and fair deck, etc.), Ruric Thar, the Unbowed (for any spell heavy deck, control decks, etc.), Dosan the Falling Leaf (control, flash decks, etc.), and oddly enough Tajuru Preserver (for Emrakul decks like the reanimator one as he turns off Annihilator).
While I love the Arbor Elf + Utopia Sprawl + Garruk Wildspeaker Combo and don't think I could give it up Wall of Roots is awesome with Chord of Calling.
Hey Guys! I love how deep this primer is getting. Such great ideas! To put my two cents:
Caspian,
1. Primalcrux is absurd in Devotion decks. Chroma obviously was kinda the "first try" at devotion, so he sorta was designed to fit. He just keeps getting bigger. I like Khalni Hydra in any deck that can consistently cast him on turn 3; but this takes a lot of small creatures; so you almost have to go "all in" in that way (which can make you a little fragile to board wipes like Pyroclasm and Anger of the Gods).
2. To be honest, I currently play the Elf "pure ramp" version simply because it fits my playstyle a little better Both are powerful. The Eidolon/Primalcrux version can draw more cards IF Eidolon stays on the board; however she's a pretty fragile 4-drop. I feel like the elf version has a better chance at winning grindier match-ups; but which you play is truly just dependent on your play-style. Their match-ups differ slightly; but sideboards end up being slightly different. The card that most surprised me in the build was Xenagos, God of Revels!
3. Pedros is right about Primaclrux not having haste. That is the main reasoning for the addition of Xenagos in the deck. Pedros is also right that Primalcrux can hamper how many additional colors you can splash (given his need for 6-green). These are definite downsides (and why he only fits in specific builds). The "dies to removal" is true of 75%+ of all creatures, so it's one I don't pay a ton of attention to; but he has a definite point that you can't put all your eggs in one basket if it can be removed easily. I still like him though, as with cards like Aspect of the Hydra, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, and others; he can boost the potential of nearly all of the cards in the deck.
4. I loved Reclamation Sage when it was first printed! I thought I could Chord for it, etc. Then I remembered that the cards I wanted to destroy with it ( Torpor Orb, etc.) would turn off Reclamation Sage anyways! So I went back to Nature's Claim
5. I run 3 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx in my current build only because with the card draw the deck has I seemed to draw multiple copies far more often than I would have liked. Also, Primeval Titan tends to grab one if I haven't got to one yet. I traditionally don't care to see a Nykthos until turn 3; and with the amount of "outside ramp" that has nothing to do with devotion; I've found that 3 is better than 4 (for me).
6. I apologize in advance. I got a little confused about the Genesis Wave thing (as you said you couldn't get past four, but you could do several other things with it). I will re-read it and try to address it better in another post (as I think it's SUPER important to find out where the Primal Command / Witness lock is better than a pure ramp/Genesis wave version). This is one of the biggest discussions in Mono-Green Devotion (in my opinion).
To be entirely honest, I haven't done an extremely ample amount of testing with the Primal Command and Eternal Witness lock. I love Eternal Witness (especially after a wave), but I found that I wanted to move very quickly and an early Witness often had very little to choose from (if anything) in the graveyard. I haven't tested nearly enough with it; and went a slightly different direction. That's what is so exciting about this primer! We can all talk about our differing builds to see where each has flourished and/or issues with each.
7. I have yet to try Genesis Hydra (I just assumed Genesis Wave would be better in a majority of situations. I can see some real potential there, however (what with Cavern of Souls, maybe grabing a Xenagos to give your big Hydra haste, etc.). For now, I'm sticking with Gen Wave; but I'd be interested to hear your history and how games went with the card Purklefluff! Your build looks really cool.
I'm sorry I didn't get in the discussion earlier today. I'll be back in about two hours as well and will try to be a little more "in depth" with the discussion and questions (especially those asked by Cranial and Caspian.
and I apologize in advance if the sideboard seems outdated and/or it doesn't provide a ton of helpful information. I've been playing my current build almost solely for several months; so this one has kinda fallen by the wayside. I hope it helps a little though. Can't wait to see your build!
Hey Cranial. I have a brew that used Sarkhan Vol, Xenagos the Reveler, and Garruk Wildpeaker. Sarkhan Vol is spectacular. His +1 is AMAZING after a Genesis Wave (this was my original reason for using him). His -2 can win games on its own; and he gets to his ultimate within 2-3 turns....I'll try to link it here:
http://-decks/elves-and-friends-modern/
I haven't updated it since M15 was released (and Nissa Worldwaker may be better than Xenagos); but it gives a little info on Sarkhan Vol. He does require a good amount of creatures; but you've already got that! Great idea! I can't wait to see your build and to hear how it plays!
1. Mana fixing hasn't been an issue. Between 4 Abundant Growth, 4 Utopia Sprawl, and 2 Cavern of Souls as well as 3 fetch lands; I haven't found any difficulties getting either the red or blue mana I need. And you are right that with an early (turn 1 or 2) Cavern, I will just name Elves to ensure Coiling Oracle has the blue needed. That, and Kessig Wolf Run gets "tutored" for by Primeval Titan 70% of the time, so you often can either grab a Stomping Ground with it (or you already have an Abundant Growth or something down. The deck has a lot of fixing in it, but it does need it to splash the extra color(s).
2. You could easily splash white instead to play things like Restoration Angel. Obviously, the sideboard would be spectacular at that point too! Resto Angel would also be AMAZING (seeing as how Visionary, Oracle, Prime Time, and Craterhoof all have ETB triggers! Also, Path to Exile is basically the best removal in the format.
Yunomi- I agree with Valanarch that the deck needs 1 or 2 more lands. I don't like to play over 21 lands though because that is one of the advantages the deck has. I happen to love Gitaxian Probe and Spell Pierce so I wouldn't suggest cutting them. I agree with Valanarch again that Spell Snare is really good. The opponent never sees it coming. I was running two Spell Snare and one Spell Pierce, but just added another pierce after reading your explanation about how good it has been for you.
Props on adding Deprive! I have been thinking about adding that to see how it does so I am super happy to see another UWR Delver player running it. I'm definitely going to test it now.
I have never run 4 Geist of Saint Traft because he is legendary and I always run 3 Snapcaster Mage because he is basically a 3 or 4 drop if you want to get the most value out of him. However, I wouldn't fault you or anyone else for running 4 of each. If you wanted to add more spells you could possibly test with 3 or one of them.
How has God's Willing tested? I have never used this card and it really never came to mind. It would be very interesting to hear your input on the card. I will have to give it a try. I would also like to know if you tested Remand vs [card]Mana Leak[/card. It's the age old debate, but I have basically come to the conclusion that the burn oriented builds like remand and the control oriented builds like mana leak. I have went back and forth in my list.
Awesome deck Yunomi! Thanks for posting your list and keep us posted on your results!
Squall Line is an interesting idea. Flying can be troublesome to green, and especially for the versions that run Primal Command and can gain life; they may have enough life to win the race. Neat idea Caspian.
As a long time UWR Delver player I am glad to see this topic getting some action. I think a variation of this deck is in a great position in the meta right now. I have listed my deck list before, but here is a very detailed breakdown of my list and testing results. It also has a picture of the foiled out deck! :
The deck has been testing very well in the current meta (basically against all of the "best" decks). The UWR delver list has the advantage of having a very aggressive start while being able to control the rest of the game. I feel that it is the only true tempo style deck in modern. You can read all of the comments and discussion on my deck description provided in the link above, but here are some pain points that I think are sometimes over looked:
-Gitaxian Probe and Serum Visions are must have 4 ofs in any Delver deck in my opinion. With Gitaxian Probeand Serum Visionsyou can keep a 1 land or 2 land opener and get to your second drop fairly easily. Also having information regarding the opponents hand is invaluable. It allows us to know if it's safe to cast our Geist of Saint Traft on turn three and lets us know how to most efficiently utilize counter magic. This is only my opinion, but in testing I have loved these two cards. I also think these smooth out the consistency of the deck. This is only my opinion though. I have spoken to other who preferred additional burn spells, etc over these cards.
-The deck can function on 4 lands. This is a HUGE advantage in the current meta. The cards in the deck are so efficient that you can easily win with only 3-4 lands. This means you play more spells. Typically the player that plays more spells wins (although this isn't always the case).
-Chandra, Pyromaster fits perfectly at the top end. She offers the a ton of card advantage in the more burn oriented lists and can even do the last 1 or 2 damage. Because this deck plays so much removal with Lightning Bolt and Path to Exile the opponent typically only has one or two blockers. Chandra, Pyromaster can make sure they can't block your Geist of Saint Traft or flashed in Snapcaster Mage.
This deck is just an awesome deck for anyone who loves tempo or an aggro/control style list. It can be tweaked to your preference (more control/more aggro) and for your individual meta. I am really surprised a variation of this list has not won a major event, but we, the UWR delver lovers, can change that!
I would love to hear any suggestions and input about the deck lists. I would really love to see other UWR delver lists that people are currently running. I didn't love Young Pyromancer in testing, but would love to hear from those who currently play her in the deck to see how their testing has gone. Let's see your new UWR Delver/Geist decklists and get UWR Delver/Geist deck to the established deck page!!!
Sorry guys! Was out for a golf outing for two days Thanks for some of the kind words! This is such a great primer that I was excited to see such amazing green decks already! To answer some of the questions:
1. I did play a version that was even slight more "elf-centric" (i.e. that played Elvish Mystic and one that played Heritage Druid as well); however with the amount of Pyroclasm and Anger of the Gods running around; it just seemed too fragile to those cards.
2. I like Ezuri as a one-of. It can be "Chorded" for if you have a lot of elves; I've found his regeneration ability to actually be almost as useful as his "elf overrun"; and he can win games out of nowhere I ran two for quite some time; but did find hands where I was either keeping in my hand for too long; or he kind of "slowed down" the line (as he neither draws nor ramps). He seems to be a great win-con and great with decks with substantial removal. But you are absolutely right that he is not so necessary that you would need more than one (and you probably could get away with removing him if he didn't fit your playstyle). I love him though; as a one-of.
3. Nissa Worldwaker is CRAZY good. She is essentially free (or nets you positive mana) in 80%+ of the games you play her and she MUST be answered. I've found that she is especially good in both control and more grindy match-ups (especially B/G Rock match-ups). 4/4 puts you ahead of Treetop Village, kills Courser of Kruphix if they block, and can the trample is a huge plus! She plays similar to Garruk Wildspeaker in the sense that she can either give you a creature or ramp; however both are slightly "super charged" (unless you have an active Nykthos); however she is far different. She creates a faster clock and oddly enough feels more like a "must answer" as she is always plus-sing herself. I've found that with Utopia Sprawl I often will kind of "bait" a spell out first (like a Prime Time) so the control deck can counter it; then untap everything with Nissa to cast a wave. That, and with everyone seemingly playing full sets of Remand as the counter-of=choice, she essentially allows you to re-cast your win-cons. I've been pleasantly suprised as 5-drop is a kind of "odd spot" and planeswalkers seem to perform best against those decks that are stronger against the other facts of this deck.
4. Pedros, you are right again that Coiling Oracle is one of the better cards in the deck. The fact that he puts lands directly into play can be huge. Chord of Calling, Ezuri, Renegade Leader, and Craterhoof Behemoth are really what make the elves powerful (as they all work off of having more creatures). I was playing other ramp versions of the deck prior to playing all of the "draw effects" and kept running out of cards, so I wanted to find ways to keep fueling the gas At one point, I did take it too far, however, as I tried to squeeze in both Courser of Kruphix (because I love how well he works with Coiling Oracle) and Eidolon of Blossoms but I found that there is such a thing as too much card draw I was essentially cycling the entire deck for three turns without doing anything but generating a ton of mana and drawing a ton of cards!
5. I did try Nylea's Presence but not nearly long enough. I've found that having Abundant Growth at 1-mana is pretty important. I sometimes play it on turn one, it can be used to dig you into your land for turn (and is part of what allows us to only run 20 lands), etc. I'm sure there are situations where Nylea's Presence would have been better in later turns (especially with Nissa Worldwaker as it would just get crazy). My only concerns were that (a) speed is a very important factor to this deck and the early turns can be actually be effected quite a bit going from 1 to 2 mana for a similar (although better) effect, and (b) while very minimal, I have some odd fear of Merfolk and didn't want to give them an Island I'd had played it as Abundant Growth for so long, however, that I also may have become kind of biased in my play-style for Abundant Growth. I would not instantly say one is better than the other and I haven't tested it enough. I prefer A.Growth, but I see the argument for both.
6. I do believe (although many of you would know better than me give your history with the decks) that versions with the Eternal Witness / Primal Command lock are probably better against Twin and Control decks. They are the match-ups I side the most in for. There are some matches this deck kind of "steam rolls" (like Pod, Rock, Most Burn, Boggles, Infect, etc.) as you simply can build up more than they can deal with and they don't have much interaction/removal. Twin, however, you have to race in game one (as if you don't win by turn 4 and they have the combo they win). I've found Cavern of Souls to be REALLY strong (I really wanted to run three, but needed the Forests) as it can be crippling for them to not counter a Primeval Titan or simply not be able to counter all of the elves.
GreenPowerNow is exactly right as well that against control-based decks, I end up siding out the Genesis Waves and move to more of a "beat down" mode. I'm still trying out some other sideboard cards (of course I guess in reality sideboard are always changing but Twin/Control are the decks that require the most changes after game one.
Sorry for the super-long post. I just wanted to address all of the questions/thoughts! I LOVE green decks and especially green-devotion; so it's great to have a place where the pre-eminent brewers of the decks are available for conversation! Keep up the great work!
Hey guys! Great primer! As a devoted green mage; I have also been playing green devotion since Nykthos was spoiled (kinda jumped out to those of us who love green ) I've played around and brewed a few different green devotion decks since then; but I wanted to post my current deck as it's slightly different from the others I've seen. It has the same "core" of Arbor Elf, Utopia Sprawl, and Garruk with Prime Time/Kessig and One Craterhoof as win-cons. The only real difference lies in the fact that I don't have the E.Witness/ Primal Command lock; and instead opted for a little more speed and card-draw to overwhelm the opponent. It's tested extremely well, and I wanted to provide it as another potential option for any green mage wanting to play with Nykthos.
I'm new to the forums; so I don't quite know how to post lists here. It's on TappedOut at:
Obviously, the sideboard is subject to change with the meta and match ups. But I wanted to throw it out here just to show a slightly different take from the two presented within the initial primer. Thanks again for all you've done to promote Green Devotion. Keep up the great work guys!
To begin, I think you are right Pedros that we have to compare apples to apples. Any ramp deck gets kinda broken down into "the engine" and "the win-cons" and there is no point in comparing the engine to the win-cons. I consider Chord of Calling to fall more into the "Win-Con" side of things (although it is extremely versatile) so I will compare it there.
1. When I first began using Chord of Calling (and at the time I ran a full set); I too had a much more "toolbox" version of the deck. After tons of testing, however, I found that often times I had devoted so much of the deck to the "toolbox" that (a) it slowed the deck down and greatly reduced two of the most powerful advantages of the deck, it's speed and it's consistency. Chord has some amazingly great functions though. These include, (a) fetching your win-con when you have a ton of mana (i.e. grabbing a Craterhoof, Prime Time, etc.)...essentially it acts as multiple copies of your win-cons, (b) to tutor up a great sideboard answer (this is kind of self-explanatory and does take advantage of the "toolbox" nature of the card) basically just as before' it can act as more copies of one specific hate card, (c) to help you "get back in the game"...often times you can use it to find an Elvish Archdruid (in my case), and Eternal Witness (in Pedro's build) to grab something important back, or even a Coiling Oracle to draw a card and/or get another land and elf on the board, or (d) to perform some "combat tricks" (i.e. to chord up an Elvish Archdruid to protect two 1/1's from an Electrolyze that was cast, to Chord for an Ezuri to Regenerate a few elves, to chord into a Prime Time when they attack with their 4/4, or to simply give a creature "quasi-haste" by casting it at the end of their turn.
There are a ton of great reasons to utilize Chord of Calling in a devotion build; but I found that I had to be careful not to count on it too much. I found that if I wanted to play a full-on toolbox deck; I was better off just playing Pod. I found that Devotion/Ramp decks get a good part of their power out of outpacing / going over the top of their opponents and getting to an overwhelming board state.
2. Purklepuff, you are right that Ezuri makes little sense in a build unless there is an ample number of elves. I run it as a 1-of (in the past was a 2-of) due to his play-ability and synergy with the other cards in the deck. You are absolutely right that in most cases you want to use great "stand alone" cards like Arbor Elf, Primeval Titan and Garruk Wildspeaker (as you can never truly be certain the synergy will arise); but there are some instances (especially when you have ample card draw and the ability to tutor) that synergy can also be a means to an end as well. I do agree, however, that the cards chosen have to be valuable on their own as well (i.e. I would never simply play a straight up 3/3 elf just to have another elf in the build). The elf idea actually arose simply due to the fact that the best "ramping" and "card draw" creatures I found were elves
3. Pedros, you are right on the money about not being able to splash 3 additional colors. Even with fetch lands, full sets of both Abundant Growth and Utopia Sprawl, and Cavern of Souls; the speed of the deck makes it difficult to get all of the colors you need as quickly as you need them. I would LOVE to play white in board; but my version plays mainly green with a splash of both red and blue. Blue is almost specifically for Coiling Oracle (although it does allow for some sideboard options as the meta shifts). To answer your questions, I would say that I utilize "blue" via my first Utopia Sprawl approximately 80% of the time (as Coiling Oracle typically comes before Kessig Wolf Run). I would say I fetch Kessig Wolf Run / Nykthos Shrine to nyx with Prime Time approximately 50% of the time. Sometimes it's Kessig/Stomping Ground (if I don't have the red), sometimes it's Kessig/Cavern (if playing against control and I have something in my hand I want to cast the next turn), and sometimes it could even be Nykthos / Forest (in extremely rare/odd situations or if I already have everything else on board). They come into play tapped; so if I already have a Nykthos down, I won't grab another.
I haven't had any real issues with fixing mana. There have been a few games...approximately 10%....where I either can't cast Coiling Oracle on turn two or can't cast two Oracles in a row if I have them in my hand. I most likely will add a fourth Misty Rainforest to the deck to further aid fixing (as I can't recall the exact reason why I only run four...it literally may be because I only had three at the time
3. Without trying to argue too much (as I see merit in both sides of this discussion and do think there is a "happy medium") I would state the following:
(a) In my opinion (and this is only my opinion) green devotion builds do require a healthy amount of card draw. The synergy created by drawing cards actually helps you more quickly ramp (via both devotion and "traditional ramping" and overwhelm the opponent. It's easy when ramping to run out of cards, draw only your "ramping" guys and/or even draw only your win cons...card draw helps you "feed the beast" and helps smooth out your lines.
(b) Purklepuff is right (as are others) that we (devotion brewers that is) can sometimes get a little too focused on devotion count. I have done this in the past as well. Once you've reached 4+ devotion, you already have a good advantage. I have never been a huge fan of Burning-Tree Emissary (however I do understand how it's ETB trigger can work in some cases) and feel that it is one of those cards that doesn't have a large enough effect/value (in Modern) to be used despite it's two green symbols. The same is true of several cards. I even stopped using Wistful Selkie because I found having the card a turn earlier was more important than the extra 2-devotion. Filling the board with green symbols isn't goal number one; it will happen naturally in the right build(s).
(c) I don't think it's crazy to run only 3 Eternal Witness as she does require something to be in the graveyard to obtain the full value from her the first time she is cast. I of course am on the "outside" of the Eternal Witness argument, however (as I don't have her in my build). This is NOT because I think it is a poor card. On the contrary, she is amazing; and if I played Primal Command I would definitely have her in my build as well. I've just found that in my particular build; I'm better off simply drawing a card with a 2-mana creature vs. getting one back from my library for 3-mana. I do understand the amazing power Eternal Witness can have off of a Genesis Wave; and I wouldn't have given up that effect if I hadn't found something similar. I generally will hit enough "draw triggers" off of a wave to hit the creature I want and/or a Chord of Calling that will allow me to use my new lands and creatures to tutor for it at instant speed. I truly believe that in most cases Genesis Wave should be treated as a "win-con" (i.e. you should be able to win the turn you cast it) and Eternal Witness can go a long way to doing so. I'm not against using Eternal Witness at all...in the Primal Command versions of the deck I think she is a perfect 3-4 of. Of course, if the lock is one of your main win-cons...you'll most likely want to run four.
(d) Elesh Norn is a spectacular card. I look at her more as a "Win-Con" than a "hate" card (although she pretty much encompasses both
Many of these discussions also boil down to play-style. Green Devotion is going to be a "Teir 1" archetype in my opinion; however just as there are slight iterations of other top-tier decks; the same will be true of Green Devotion. While I prefer a version that is a little more on the "aggressive" end (although I feel there are ways to do this while still maintaining card advantage); I can totally understand how someone else may want to play a turn or two slower and have more disruption. Each type of deck will have slightly different success against different decks (and can sideboard appropriately). In the end, we are all looking for the same thing; bringing Green Devotion to the forefront of Modern and letting people how awesome it is to play! The best things we can do is present the pros and cons of each "archetype" of Green Devotion so that players can choose which they prefer. GnuHouse and Pedro (fortunately for the rest of us) have already done so...and deserve a HUGE thanks for doing so!
Keep up the great work and great discussion guys! I'll try to do my best to present the pro's and cons of my particular build to any and all who ask as well.
As an aside, Pedros, to answer your question, I only run 3 Elvish Archdruid because I don't care to see it until turn 2 or three and it's not entirely necessary to my being able to cast my win-cons. Don't get me wrong, it's a powerful card. Being able to tap for 3+ mana most turns it's down while pumping my draw/mana dorks up is GREAT. I just found that I didn't find myself needing it any more at 3 than I did at 4. It is just one of those things that you get a "feel" for while testing a bunch. I'm not against running four, I just think the deck runs slightly more smoothly with only three Archdruids. There are some games you won't even want/need him (if you begin to ramp faster than he is even necessary for). But the games where he is useful, he is SUPER useful (as the opponent has to deal with him).
4x Arbor Elf
4x Coiling Oracle
4x Elvish Visionary
3x Elvish Archdruid
1x Ezuri, Renegade Leader
3x Primeval Titan
1x Craterhoof Behemoth
Enchantments
4x Utopia Sprawl
4x Abundant Growth
Planeswalkers
2x Nissa Worldwaker
4x Garruk Wildspeaker
3x Genesis Wave
3x Chord of Calling
Lands
1x Breeding Pool
2x Cavern of Souls
8x Forest
1x Kessig Wolf Run
3x Misty Rainforest
3x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
2x Stomping Ground
2x Beast Within
2x Choke
1x Creeping Corrosion
1x Elderscale Wurm
2x Magus of the Moon
2x Nature's Claim
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Wheel of Sun and Moon
1x Silent Arbiter
1x Spellskite
1x Cavern of Souls
Still working on certain items (like if I can add a 2nd Craterhoof Behemoth, sideboard options, etc.) but after relatively extensive testing I'm very happy with the current list. I am open and interested in discussing other options (including the Primal Command / Eternal Witness lock, etc.). I've found this to be the most competitive of the devotion builds I've brewed and tested thus far; but never want to close myself off to any ideas!
Caspian,
You are exactly right...Cavern of Souls is unreal. In the control match-up it essentially wins the game. I used to run 3 (and at one point a 4th in the sideboard) but I've since ran less. I would like to fit one more in the sideboard; but have to test to see where I can make the change.
Purklepuff,
I agree that Wall of Roots is amazing with Chord. I still like the Arbor Elf + Utopia Sprawl combo in most cases over Elvish Mystic + Birds of Paradise because:
1. Arbor Elf can untap a land to be utilized later upon "killing" (where an Mana-dork's mana would have to be used in the phase it is destroyed).
2. Utopia Sprawl can be used at "instant speed" as long as it is cast on turn two or later.
3. Utopia Sprawl survives after a Pyroclasm or Anger of the Gods.
Having said this, there are almost never any situations when a card or a set of cards are "strictly better" than others...and you know better than most what works best for your deck. Wall of Roots is a powerhouse with Chord; as is having more creatures....so you may be absolutely right that in your build they are better. As always, testing is the only way to know. It's crazy how much testing it takes just to see if one little change is worth it! Love the new build, btw. Spellskite is the best "hate" card there is in the format (in my opinion).
Jankydude,
What an interesting build. Looks great! I don't know if you've seen it, but Gerry Thompson discussed your build on SCG.com (http://www.starcitygames.com/article/28920_Daily-Digest-Hateful-Devotion.html). While it wasn't an extremely in-depth article; any time you get recognition from a Pro its something to be extremely proud of!
I like the idea of Blood Moon. I run Magus of the Moon in my board...but I can only imagine how devastating it must be to many opponents in the main board. Ruric Thar, the Unbowed as well. I love the idea of putting "side board" cards in the main. And Strangleroot Geist is such an awesome card. It's one I go back and fourth on and wish I could use.
Excited to see all of the different builds. I'll try to keep everything up to date on mine (i.e. matches I play, how it fairs against certain decks, etc.) as well. I'll also try to format it in a way that looks better (i.e. in the little "deck box" rather than a list).
What a neat list! It is interesting to see how Genesis Hydra also can work as kind of a "toolbox" card. One card I thought of that I would like with Genesis Hydra was the Xenagos God (Xenagos, God of Revels) only because it would give your big hydra (or any other creature for that matter) +X/+X and haste.
In terms of "hosers", I've found a few in the past (when I used Chord of Calling to make a toolbox out of my sideboard) to include: Silent Arbiter (for infinite creature decks like twin and/or token decks), Magus of the Moon (scapeshift, colonnades, rock, numerous others...of course I play a lot of Forests), Scavenging Ooze (graveyard hate), Elderscale Wurm (Storm, Burn, Scapeshift, and fair deck, etc.), Ruric Thar, the Unbowed (for any spell heavy deck, control decks, etc.), Dosan the Falling Leaf (control, flash decks, etc.), and oddly enough Tajuru Preserver (for Emrakul decks like the reanimator one as he turns off Annihilator).
While I love the Arbor Elf + Utopia Sprawl + Garruk Wildspeaker Combo and don't think I could give it up
Caspian,
1. Primalcrux is absurd in Devotion decks. Chroma obviously was kinda the "first try" at devotion, so he sorta was designed to fit. He just keeps getting bigger. I like Khalni Hydra in any deck that can consistently cast him on turn 3; but this takes a lot of small creatures; so you almost have to go "all in" in that way (which can make you a little fragile to board wipes like Pyroclasm and Anger of the Gods).
2. To be honest, I currently play the Elf "pure ramp" version simply because it fits my playstyle a little better
3. Pedros is right about Primaclrux not having haste. That is the main reasoning for the addition of Xenagos in the deck. Pedros is also right that Primalcrux can hamper how many additional colors you can splash (given his need for 6-green). These are definite downsides (and why he only fits in specific builds). The "dies to removal" is true of 75%+ of all creatures, so it's one I don't pay a ton of attention to; but he has a definite point that you can't put all your eggs in one basket if it can be removed easily. I still like him though, as with cards like Aspect of the Hydra, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, and others; he can boost the potential of nearly all of the cards in the deck.
4. I loved Reclamation Sage when it was first printed! I thought I could Chord for it, etc. Then I remembered that the cards I wanted to destroy with it ( Torpor Orb, etc.) would turn off Reclamation Sage anyways! So I went back to Nature's Claim
5. I run 3 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx in my current build only because with the card draw the deck has I seemed to draw multiple copies far more often than I would have liked. Also, Primeval Titan tends to grab one if I haven't got to one yet. I traditionally don't care to see a Nykthos until turn 3; and with the amount of "outside ramp" that has nothing to do with devotion; I've found that 3 is better than 4 (for me).
6. I apologize in advance. I got a little confused about the Genesis Wave thing (as you said you couldn't get past four, but you could do several other things with it). I will re-read it and try to address it better in another post (as I think it's SUPER important to find out where the Primal Command / Witness lock is better than a pure ramp/Genesis wave version). This is one of the biggest discussions in Mono-Green Devotion (in my opinion).
To be entirely honest, I haven't done an extremely ample amount of testing with the Primal Command and Eternal Witness lock. I love Eternal Witness (especially after a wave), but I found that I wanted to move very quickly and an early Witness often had very little to choose from (if anything) in the graveyard. I haven't tested nearly enough with it; and went a slightly different direction. That's what is so exciting about this primer! We can all talk about our differing builds to see where each has flourished and/or issues with each.
7. I have yet to try Genesis Hydra (I just assumed Genesis Wave would be better in a majority of situations. I can see some real potential there, however (what with Cavern of Souls, maybe grabing a Xenagos to give your big Hydra haste, etc.). For now, I'm sticking with Gen Wave; but I'd be interested to hear your history and how games went with the card Purklefluff! Your build looks really cool.
I'm sorry I didn't get in the discussion earlier today. I'll be back in about two hours as well and will try to be a little more "in depth" with the discussion and questions (especially those asked by Cranial and Caspian.
keep up the awesome brews!
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/elves-and-friends-modern/
and I apologize in advance if the sideboard seems outdated and/or it doesn't provide a ton of helpful information. I've been playing my current build almost solely for several months; so this one has kinda fallen by the wayside. I hope it helps a little though. Can't wait to see your build!
http://-decks/elves-and-friends-modern/
I haven't updated it since M15 was released (and Nissa Worldwaker may be better than Xenagos); but it gives a little info on Sarkhan Vol. He does require a good amount of creatures; but you've already got that! Great idea! I can't wait to see your build and to hear how it plays!
1. Mana fixing hasn't been an issue. Between 4 Abundant Growth, 4 Utopia Sprawl, and 2 Cavern of Souls as well as 3 fetch lands; I haven't found any difficulties getting either the red or blue mana I need. And you are right that with an early (turn 1 or 2) Cavern, I will just name Elves to ensure Coiling Oracle has the blue needed. That, and Kessig Wolf Run gets "tutored" for by Primeval Titan 70% of the time, so you often can either grab a Stomping Ground with it (or you already have an Abundant Growth or something down. The deck has a lot of fixing in it, but it does need it to splash the extra color(s).
2. You could easily splash white instead to play things like Restoration Angel. Obviously, the sideboard would be spectacular at that point too! Resto Angel would also be AMAZING (seeing as how Visionary, Oracle, Prime Time, and Craterhoof all have ETB triggers! Also, Path to Exile is basically the best removal in the format.
I can't wait to see it!
Yunomi- I agree with Valanarch that the deck needs 1 or 2 more lands. I don't like to play over 21 lands though because that is one of the advantages the deck has. I happen to love Gitaxian Probe and Spell Pierce so I wouldn't suggest cutting them. I agree with Valanarch again that Spell Snare is really good. The opponent never sees it coming. I was running two Spell Snare and one Spell Pierce, but just added another pierce after reading your explanation about how good it has been for you.
Props on adding Deprive! I have been thinking about adding that to see how it does so I am super happy to see another UWR Delver player running it. I'm definitely going to test it now.
I have never run 4 Geist of Saint Traft because he is legendary and I always run 3 Snapcaster Mage because he is basically a 3 or 4 drop if you want to get the most value out of him. However, I wouldn't fault you or anyone else for running 4 of each. If you wanted to add more spells you could possibly test with 3 or one of them.
How has God's Willing tested? I have never used this card and it really never came to mind. It would be very interesting to hear your input on the card. I will have to give it a try. I would also like to know if you tested Remand vs [card]Mana Leak[/card. It's the age old debate, but I have basically come to the conclusion that the burn oriented builds like remand and the control oriented builds like mana leak. I have went back and forth in my list.
Awesome deck Yunomi! Thanks for posting your list and keep us posted on your results!
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/modern-uwr-aggro-delvergeist/
The deck has been testing very well in the current meta (basically against all of the "best" decks). The UWR delver list has the advantage of having a very aggressive start while being able to control the rest of the game. I feel that it is the only true tempo style deck in modern. You can read all of the comments and discussion on my deck description provided in the link above, but here are some pain points that I think are sometimes over looked:
-Gitaxian Probe and Serum Visions are must have 4 ofs in any Delver deck in my opinion. With Gitaxian Probeand Serum Visionsyou can keep a 1 land or 2 land opener and get to your second drop fairly easily. Also having information regarding the opponents hand is invaluable. It allows us to know if it's safe to cast our Geist of Saint Traft on turn three and lets us know how to most efficiently utilize counter magic. This is only my opinion, but in testing I have loved these two cards. I also think these smooth out the consistency of the deck. This is only my opinion though. I have spoken to other who preferred additional burn spells, etc over these cards.
-The deck can function on 4 lands. This is a HUGE advantage in the current meta. The cards in the deck are so efficient that you can easily win with only 3-4 lands. This means you play more spells. Typically the player that plays more spells wins (although this isn't always the case).
-Chandra, Pyromaster fits perfectly at the top end. She offers the a ton of card advantage in the more burn oriented lists and can even do the last 1 or 2 damage. Because this deck plays so much removal with Lightning Bolt and Path to Exile the opponent typically only has one or two blockers. Chandra, Pyromaster can make sure they can't block your Geist of Saint Traft or flashed in Snapcaster Mage.
This deck is just an awesome deck for anyone who loves tempo or an aggro/control style list. It can be tweaked to your preference (more control/more aggro) and for your individual meta. I am really surprised a variation of this list has not won a major event, but we, the UWR delver lovers, can change that!
I would love to hear any suggestions and input about the deck lists. I would really love to see other UWR delver lists that people are currently running. I didn't love Young Pyromancer in testing, but would love to hear from those who currently play her in the deck to see how their testing has gone. Let's see your new UWR Delver/Geist decklists and get UWR Delver/Geist deck to the established deck page!!!
1. I did play a version that was even slight more "elf-centric" (i.e. that played Elvish Mystic and one that played Heritage Druid as well); however with the amount of Pyroclasm and Anger of the Gods running around; it just seemed too fragile to those cards.
2. I like Ezuri as a one-of. It can be "Chorded" for if you have a lot of elves; I've found his regeneration ability to actually be almost as useful as his "elf overrun"; and he can win games out of nowhere I ran two for quite some time; but did find hands where I was either keeping in my hand for too long; or he kind of "slowed down" the line (as he neither draws nor ramps). He seems to be a great win-con and great with decks with substantial removal. But you are absolutely right that he is not so necessary that you would need more than one (and you probably could get away with removing him if he didn't fit your playstyle). I love him though; as a one-of.
3. Nissa Worldwaker is CRAZY good. She is essentially free (or nets you positive mana) in 80%+ of the games you play her and she MUST be answered. I've found that she is especially good in both control and more grindy match-ups (especially B/G Rock match-ups). 4/4 puts you ahead of Treetop Village, kills Courser of Kruphix if they block, and can the trample is a huge plus! She plays similar to Garruk Wildspeaker in the sense that she can either give you a creature or ramp; however both are slightly "super charged" (unless you have an active Nykthos); however she is far different. She creates a faster clock and oddly enough feels more like a "must answer" as she is always plus-sing herself. I've found that with Utopia Sprawl I often will kind of "bait" a spell out first (like a Prime Time) so the control deck can counter it; then untap everything with Nissa to cast a wave. That, and with everyone seemingly playing full sets of Remand as the counter-of=choice, she essentially allows you to re-cast your win-cons. I've been pleasantly suprised as 5-drop is a kind of "odd spot" and planeswalkers seem to perform best against those decks that are stronger against the other facts of this deck.
4. Pedros, you are right again that Coiling Oracle is one of the better cards in the deck. The fact that he puts lands directly into play can be huge. Chord of Calling, Ezuri, Renegade Leader, and Craterhoof Behemoth are really what make the elves powerful (as they all work off of having more creatures). I was playing other ramp versions of the deck prior to playing all of the "draw effects" and kept running out of cards, so I wanted to find ways to keep fueling the gas
5. I did try Nylea's Presence but not nearly long enough. I've found that having Abundant Growth at 1-mana is pretty important. I sometimes play it on turn one, it can be used to dig you into your land for turn (and is part of what allows us to only run 20 lands), etc. I'm sure there are situations where Nylea's Presence would have been better in later turns (especially with Nissa Worldwaker as it would just get crazy). My only concerns were that (a) speed is a very important factor to this deck and the early turns can be actually be effected quite a bit going from 1 to 2 mana for a similar (although better) effect, and (b) while very minimal, I have some odd fear of Merfolk and didn't want to give them an Island
6. I do believe (although many of you would know better than me give your history with the decks) that versions with the Eternal Witness / Primal Command lock are probably better against Twin and Control decks. They are the match-ups I side the most in for. There are some matches this deck kind of "steam rolls" (like Pod, Rock, Most Burn, Boggles, Infect, etc.) as you simply can build up more than they can deal with and they don't have much interaction/removal. Twin, however, you have to race in game one (as if you don't win by turn 4 and they have the combo they win). I've found Cavern of Souls to be REALLY strong (I really wanted to run three, but needed the Forests) as it can be crippling for them to not counter a Primeval Titan or simply not be able to counter all of the elves.
GreenPowerNow is exactly right as well that against control-based decks, I end up siding out the Genesis Waves and move to more of a "beat down" mode. I'm still trying out some other sideboard cards (of course I guess in reality sideboard are always changing
Sorry for the super-long post. I just wanted to address all of the questions/thoughts! I LOVE green decks and especially green-devotion; so it's great to have a place where the pre-eminent brewers of the decks are available for conversation! Keep up the great work!
I'm new to the forums; so I don't quite know how to post lists here. It's on TappedOut at:
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/modern-elves-pure-ramp-nissa-worldwaker-added/
The list is as follows:
8 Forest
1 Kessig Wolf Run
3 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Breeding Pool
3 Misty Rainforest
2 Stomping Ground
4 Garruk Wildspeaker
2 Nissa, Worldwaker
3 Genesis Wave
3 Chord of Calling
4 Abundant Growth
4 Utopia Sprawl
4 Arbor Elf
4 Coiling Oracle
4 Elvish Visionary
3 Elvish Archdruid
1 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
3 Primeval Titan
1 Craterhoof Behemoth
The sideboard currently is:
2 Beast Within
2 Boil
2 Creeping Corrosion
1 Elderscale Wurm
2 Magus of the Moon
2 Nature's Claim
1 Scavenging Ooze
1 Silent Arbiter
1 Spellskite
1 Wheel of Sun and Moon
Obviously, the sideboard is subject to change with the meta and match ups. But I wanted to throw it out here just to show a slightly different take from the two presented within the initial primer. Thanks again for all you've done to promote Green Devotion. Keep up the great work guys!