I see your point, however removing both the implement and maps cuts a lot of revolt triggers. renegade maps adds a lot of consistency to the deck. even with only 20 lands, many games I play a land every turn even up to turn 5 and 6. i've experimented with several other revolt triggers and also a W/G version of the deck.
This is a list I've been testing recently. The revolt mechanic works like a charm. The deck typically starts incredibly strong, and the mid game holds pretty well especially when I sac Hope of Ghirapur before the opponent's third or fourth turns. However, it usually runs out of steam late game and has no answers for big creatures like the gearhulks. Suggestions?
I'm not so sure about splashing white. those cards feel like 'win more' and dont really flesh out the weaknesses of the deck (which is why you would usually consider splashing a third color).
sticking with only black and green would simplify the mana base. you're getting mana screwed because there are not enough lands in the deck, and too many mana ramp cards.
a few more issues...
demonic tutor is restricted so you can only have 1 copy in a deck.
I've played Gyre Sage in a couple of my +1/+1 counter decks and was not impressed, nor did it really deliver the amount of mana I was hoping to get from it.
a +1/+1 counter deck without a set of Hardened Scales seems like a gimped list.
this is my casual budget sisters deck, it's more of a WW cleric tribal list actually. while it lacks evasion, it does have card draw and a boatload of creatures to swarm the opponent. Pridemate and Doubtless One are the main beatsticks, but Serene Steward can turn any of my creatures into a beatstick. I REALLY like Guardians' Pledge as a wannabe Overrun for WW decks.
not necessarily a combo per se, but more of a combat trick synergy is Wild Cantor and Hunger of the Howlpack. Sac the Wild Cantor to pay for the mana cost of HotH and create the Morbid effect to put 3 +1/+1 counters on another creature you control. works great against control cards that use damage.
another simple creature synergy is Seedcradle Witch and Steward of Valeron lets you attack with a 5/5 vigilance on turn 3 (assuming turn 1 Witch and turn 2 Steward), and still be able to tap the Steward for another green mana after combat for an additional 1 green mana spell. not too shabby.
I think it still has a home in a zombie deck that focuses on ETB effects, since a single MotH can create 4 separate ETB triggers over a couple of turns. also keep in mind you are getting 2/2 zombies compared to most token cards that generate 1/1 scrubs. sometimes size does matter. use this to your advantage with sweepers that wipe low toughness creatures so your zombies (hopefully pumped up with a zombie lord) stay in play. you could also try some shenanigans that trigger when players cast creature spells and fill your zombie deck with SPELLS that generate tokens. that might work better in a 2 color zombie deck, perhaps blue and black.
All you have to do with skulk is pump up your creature's defense and add deathtouch, first strike, double strike, or on the other side lifelink... Then your skulk creatures can't be killed in non-spell-assisted combat (simple creature to creature power/toughness battle), and your skulk creature gets to kill without dieing, or go unblocked, and maybe use lifelink... You just have to have a higher toughness than power...
or the blocker is pumpable with a Firebreathing effect, or has protection of whatever color is the Skulk attacker, or the blocker also has deathtouch, or the opponent doesnt even care to block your little 1 power deathtouch skulk rat or whatever, or the opponent has enough low power blockers to kill your high toughness skulker. Skulk isn't nearly as powerful as this op makes it out to be. in most cases I'd just rather have a high power flying creature.
here's my mono green +1/+1 counter deck. it uses Undying and Evolve. this deck is capable of some crazy sheeit. if you get a Renegade Krasis and Vorapede on the table, then Natural Order the Vorapede for another Vorapede....it's all kinds of +1/+1 counter craziness. instead of ramping early, this deck has some midgame ramp with Skyshroud Claim to ensure the Vorapedes make it into play. Provoke works well when the opponent doesnt want to block your small Undying creatures.
for your current list I suggest lowering the overall mana curve so you dont need much ramp. there are SO MANY green creatures these days that get +1/+1 counters. a few more notable cards to consider...
Another trick I enjoy in my +1/+1 counter decks, of which I have more than a few, is Throne of Geth.
Probably the most difficult thing when making a Hardened Scales deck is narrowing your focus because there are so many different directions a deck can go with +1/+1 counters.
I vote out the 3 Blood Moon because it limits use of non-basic lands in the deck, of which there are already 3.
I'm going to add 3 Vessel of Volatility as a possible replacement. It can do many things in this deck: it helps hit the 4 cmc of 12 creatures, pumps Fledgling Dragon, makes a hard cast of Firecat Blitz a possibility, and finally it goes to the gy when used so it adds to threshold and delirium.
another approach you might consider, and something not quite as cheaty as LD imho, is Land Denial.
cards like Solfatara, Turf Wound, and Pardic Miner not only prevent your opponent from putting lands into play, they also draw cards - except for the miner of course. follow that by punishing your opponent for having all those cards in hand with something like Sudden Impact. Odds are pretty good it'll deal 5 damage minimum if the deck plays right. you can also really stress your opponent by playing a Shivan Wumpus or Argothian Wurm as your capstone creature.
for any red or green LD deck, or a LD that uses either of those colors, definitely use Wild Cantor as mentioned in a previous post.
hmm, even with Faithless Looting and a Wheel of Fortune I don't think there are enough options to reliably get delerium or threshold. I suggest adding 4 Lightning Axe so perhaps we can save the other direct damage spells for the opponent rather than too many of his creatures. I also vote against Tahngarth's Glare because it puts too much power into the hands of the opponent. Is it possible to build a deck around that card? Quite possibly, but not the best option for mono red.
4 Hope of Ghirapur
4 Narnam Renegade
4 Hidden Herbalists
4 Greenwheel Liberator
4 Renegade Rallier
4 Vengeful Rebel
4 Unbridled Growth
4 Renegade Map
4 Implement of Ferocity
4 Fatal Push
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Aether Hub
2 Swamp
1 Plains
9 Forest
Slitherhead 4
Servant of the Scale 4
Thrill-Kill Assassin 4
Tuskguard Captain 4
Corpsejack Menace 4
Hardened Scales 4
Hunger of the Howlpack 4
Night's Whisper 4
Putrefy 4
Vigor Mortis 4
Foul Orchard 2
Barren Moor 1
Tranquil Thicket 1
Swamp 8
Forest 8
sticking with only black and green would simplify the mana base. you're getting mana screwed because there are not enough lands in the deck, and too many mana ramp cards.
a few more issues...
demonic tutor is restricted so you can only have 1 copy in a deck.
I've played Gyre Sage in a couple of my +1/+1 counter decks and was not impressed, nor did it really deliver the amount of mana I was hoping to get from it.
a +1/+1 counter deck without a set of Hardened Scales seems like a gimped list.
Mother of Runes 4
Soul Warden 4
Soul's Attendant 4
Suture Priest 4
Serene Steward 4
Ajani's Pridemate 4
Doubtless One 4
Recumbent Bliss 4
Survival Cache 4
Guardians' Pledge 4
20 Lands
another simple creature synergy is Seedcradle Witch and Steward of Valeron lets you attack with a 5/5 vigilance on turn 3 (assuming turn 1 Witch and turn 2 Steward), and still be able to tap the Steward for another green mana after combat for an additional 1 green mana spell. not too shabby.
or the blocker is pumpable with a Firebreathing effect, or has protection of whatever color is the Skulk attacker, or the blocker also has deathtouch, or the opponent doesnt even care to block your little 1 power deathtouch skulk rat or whatever, or the opponent has enough low power blockers to kill your high toughness skulker. Skulk isn't nearly as powerful as this op makes it out to be. in most cases I'd just rather have a high power flying creature.
4 Young Wolf
4 Experiment One
4 Strangleroot Geist
4 Renegade Krasis
4 Vorapede
4 Hardened Scales
4 Provoke
4 Inspiring Call
4 Natural Order
4 Skyshroud Claim
for your current list I suggest lowering the overall mana curve so you dont need much ramp. there are SO MANY green creatures these days that get +1/+1 counters. a few more notable cards to consider...
Fangren Firstborn and Advocate of the Beast are brutal together if you want to make a beast deck.
Avatar of the Resolute works very well when it follows a first turn Servant of the Scale.
Hunger of the Howlpack and Hardened Scales is like a permanent boosted Giant Growth. I've wrecked opponents with Wild Cantor and Howlpack.
Another trick I enjoy in my +1/+1 counter decks, of which I have more than a few, is Throne of Geth.
Probably the most difficult thing when making a Hardened Scales deck is narrowing your focus because there are so many different directions a deck can go with +1/+1 counters.
I'm going to add 3 Vessel of Volatility as a possible replacement. It can do many things in this deck: it helps hit the 4 cmc of 12 creatures, pumps Fledgling Dragon, makes a hard cast of Firecat Blitz a possibility, and finally it goes to the gy when used so it adds to threshold and delirium.
4 Scourge Wolf
4 Fledgling Dragon
2 Pardic Arsonist
4 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Pardic Firecat
1 Wheel of Fortune
4 Faithless Looting
2 Firecat Blitz
Instants (16)
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Flames of the Blood Hand (2 @ -4)
4 Lightning Axe
4 Flame Burst
3 Blood Moon (1@-3)
3 Vessel of Volatility
Lands (23)
20 Mountain
3 Myriad Landscape
cards like Solfatara, Turf Wound, and Pardic Miner not only prevent your opponent from putting lands into play, they also draw cards - except for the miner of course. follow that by punishing your opponent for having all those cards in hand with something like Sudden Impact. Odds are pretty good it'll deal 5 damage minimum if the deck plays right. you can also really stress your opponent by playing a Shivan Wumpus or Argothian Wurm as your capstone creature.
for any red or green LD deck, or a LD that uses either of those colors, definitely use Wild Cantor as mentioned in a previous post.
even mono blue can ride the Land Denial train. Hoodwink, Boomerang, and Capsize your opponent's lands then play mana tax cards to punish your opponent. Rishadan Cutpurse, Rishadan Footpad, and Rishadan Brigand are brutal when your opponent is short on mana. Slow Motion will keep the pressure on any creatures that sneak into play.
Myr Servitor? It dies immediately when clamped, but you still get to draw two cards and they bounce back from the graveyard for free.
4 Scourge Wolf
4 Fledgling Dragon
2 Pardic Arsonist
4 Chandra's Phoenix
4 Tahngarth's Glare (3 @ -4)
1 Wheel of Fortune
4 Faithless Looting
2 Firecat Blitz
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Flames of the Blood Hand
4 Lightning Axe
Lands (23)
23 Mountain