I started dabbling with this deck on Cockatrice after seeing that 5-0 list. I understand the idea behind making it more of a control deck with a combo finish instead of tempo, but with the current meta I just jammed 3 Blood Moon main. I think I'd rather abuse the greedy decks running amok. Also since you can't combo until turn 5 now you don't have the dilemma of what to cast on turn 3... BM or Mite/Exarch eot? BM on turn 3. Creature in turn 4 with Dispel backup, then hopefully combo on 5 or 6.
See my comment about playing the deck enough. Have you tried Dryad enough to form an opinion on it? Doesn't sound like it to me.
Either you need to know which version of the deck you like better after playing it a ton or you need to know the meta you're going into well if anyone is going to provide quality input. I don't want to sound salty but it sounds to me like you're net decking a week before the tournament and expect a magical answer here. If you don't know if you should play Dryad I would lean towards not. If you have a goyf try swapping one in for a Lynx. It doesn't require changing the rest of the deck to reliably hit Delerium. For Dryad to be effective in the stock list you basically need to draw a Bauble, Fetch, Growth (and use it), Probe or Wraith all by turn 2. Which is very possible but I've had many games where that just doesn't happen. Then if you cast Become Immense and it doesn't win you the game your Dryads are now 1/1s.
That looks like the most stock list available. If you've watched videos, read articles, or spent any amount of time playing the deck there isn't any advice to offer (especially if you don't know the meta).
If you had double strike along with trample they don't get to gain life since their Wurmcoil gets killed at first strike damage no?
Correct. Wurmcoil Engine's DT & LL happens in the normal combat step. As long as the DS & Trample is enough to kill it (usually 6) in the first strike step it's DT & LL does not matter.
Well *****. I didn't realize that. Guess I should have won that match then
I swapped my Dismembers for Paths after getting wrecked by RG Tron and double Wurmcoils. The life link from that is hard to overcome. One game I had lethal even trampling over a Wurmcoil, but the life they would have gained kept them alive for the swing back next turn. That was the deciding factor for me. I just wanted some unconditional removal.
I think I'd just rather run the traditional list with 2-3 Traverse in the side. That way you are hyper aggressive G1 but can slow down for 2-3 if you need to. Traverse instead of RoE can find cards like skite if needed. I swapped 1 Bolt for Seal of Fire to help with Delerium post-board.
Even before watching the videos I had switched back to the Lynx. Brad Nelson makes a good point in his deck tech too. Even if those are the 3 worst cards you don't want to dilute the rest of the deck in an effort to replace those 3 cards. The 3 worst cards can easily win you the game.
I just played 3 games with that deck and went 3-0. Felt pretty good. Though, why not drop the white and use Groot? Mana would be much smoother, and you give Soulflayer a target for a relevant ability. You just lose Mirran Crusader from the sideboard, and honestly I haven't been liking Unlife or Stony Silence in the side. 2 Ancient Grudge has been doing just fine.
Edit: I take that last comment back. Played a few more games and there are some awkward scenarios. I switched back to Nacatl after I could have won a burn matchup on turn 3, but couldn't b/c nuking the yard for BI and BR on a Dryad didn't get me there. I needed that extra +2 from Nacatl. Faithless Looting when good is really good, but its also really bad. A couple times I had it in hand with other cards I couldn't afford to discard, so it was a dead card in my hand.
How are people doing in general with the deck? I started off with the deck with around a 60% win rate, then dropped to 30-35%, then back up to 50-55% for a long time, and now I'm back in the gutter at 33-40% (last 30 matches/games). I record every game I play, and I recently crossed over 200 games. I'm starting to get frustrated with the deck again. I get into positions where I have to punish myself b/c my board stalled and I need to draw cards, then I just lose b/c I took too much damage or just don't get the draws I need.
Either you need to know which version of the deck you like better after playing it a ton or you need to know the meta you're going into well if anyone is going to provide quality input. I don't want to sound salty but it sounds to me like you're net decking a week before the tournament and expect a magical answer here. If you don't know if you should play Dryad I would lean towards not. If you have a goyf try swapping one in for a Lynx. It doesn't require changing the rest of the deck to reliably hit Delerium. For Dryad to be effective in the stock list you basically need to draw a Bauble, Fetch, Growth (and use it), Probe or Wraith all by turn 2. Which is very possible but I've had many games where that just doesn't happen. Then if you cast Become Immense and it doesn't win you the game your Dryads are now 1/1s.
Just my 2 cents
Well *****. I didn't realize that. Guess I should have won that match then
The more you know...
Linking to those articles and providing a list of videos would be an easy good start.
Edit: I take that last comment back. Played a few more games and there are some awkward scenarios. I switched back to Nacatl after I could have won a burn matchup on turn 3, but couldn't b/c nuking the yard for BI and BR on a Dryad didn't get me there. I needed that extra +2 from Nacatl. Faithless Looting when good is really good, but its also really bad. A couple times I had it in hand with other cards I couldn't afford to discard, so it was a dead card in my hand.