I run Eel Umbra for this purpose in my Lazav-powered Dimir themed deck, and it's been amazing. Particularly in a wrath situation, where everything dies BUT Lazav, giving me mucho options for cloning. Definitely an all-star.
I feel like, in the game canon, it would have to be Gerrard Capashen. Specifically chosen by Urza Planeswalker, who spent countless ages collecting, breeding, and even creating super soldiers specifically to defeat the Phyrexian invasion. If you could travel time, space, and planes, and chose this one man to spearhead the Phyrexian resistance over all the others mentioned here, a strong case has been made for your swordsmanship.
I run Suture Priest alongside any of the other mono-:symw: clerics that have similar effects; I find that if the deck calls for that effect, it's best to have it in multiples.
The bonus to Suture Priest, for me, however, has been Alliance of Arms insta-wins. People will even pay into it!
While she's definitely not amazing, I think the majority here are too quick to write her off in favor of easier to build decks or instantly more competitive generals. Making "bad" cards good, or at least playable, is a big part of the format, get creative!
There are a few cute tricks with her though. The lands become Warriors, so Alpha Status gives you a trigger and +6/+6 per trigger. Chorus of Might/Might of the Masses are pretty decent, as you'll get a bonus +3/+3 out of them.
That's about it though.
I'll add to this Primeval Bounty and Whip Silk. Cast the Whip Silk, making three lands into creatures, and give one of them three +1/+1 counters. Return the Whip Silk for :symg:, and repeat.
A investment nets you 9 power in creatures (3x 2/2 Land Warriors, one of whom gets 3x +1/+1 counters) that didn't exist previously, and won't exist when your opponent untaps to wrath, killing... just Anthousa?
A :symg::symg::symg: investment is 18 power worth of lands. :symg:x5 is 27 power, before any anthems, and not counting Anthousa herself.
I'm currently 18 deep into my goal to build a unique deck of every color combination, and mono green has always been a head-scratcher. Anthousa is at least original, and isn't an instant clamoring threat. The bulk of her strategy survives sorcery speed wraths, draws cards, and buffs your lands with +1/+1 counters that make them a formidable force when your next attack rolls around.
Your commander should be [CARD]Krond the Dawn-Clad
[/CARD] but have the art altered so he is riding a flying elephant! Then again that would be super silly.
I opted for Tolsimir as he's an Anthem effect for 37 creatures in the deck, and a DOUBLE anthem effect for Loxodon Hierarch and Loxodon Smiter. Krond the Dawn Clad only interacts with the two auras in the deck, which I can't tutor for. He's also much harder to cast early without perfect land drops.
I may still get one altered, though, because you're right; Dumbo the Dawn Clad would look awesome.
GFireflyE, it looks like I've been running a similar Darien deck almost as long as you've had this one posted. If I could make one suggestion for our Mono-W decks, it'd be Renounce the Guilds. It has been explosively good in my groups, as the only other monocolor deck is Omnath, and he rarely plays it. This past weekend, it killed 5 other generals before my game-winning attack (Teysa 2.0, Thraximundar, Damia, Adun Oakenshield, and Progenitus). Definitely an all-star
Make sure you're able to win on the spot, though, because you risk decking yourself if you can't. A single Abundance, Words of War and/or Words of Wilding makes sure you don't lose if someone fogs the board.
Exile the top card of your library. If it's a permanent card, you may put it onto the battlefield. If you do, repeat this process.
You can stop a Primal Surge at any time, no need to worry about decking
Lignify seems like a no-brainer here. It's brutal against enemy commanders, shutting them down completely but not letting them go back to the command zone to be recast. Did I mention you're turning them into a tree?
Lignify was in very early for its interaction with Leaf-Crowned Elder and Treefolk Harbinger, but ultimately removed because it made otherwise harmless generals into 4/4 beaters with Doran on the field. THIS usually ends with them swinging into Doran, or any other creature that'd kill it, recasting, and leaving me without a Lignify.
Major updates to follow, ya'll
In synopsis, I built Theme > Synergy > Subtlety > Power. I believe you're after Power > Synergy > Theme > Subtlety.
He also beheaded Urza later, so there's that.
The bonus to Suture Priest, for me, however, has been Alliance of Arms insta-wins. People will even pay into it!
Heliod
Thassa
Nylea
Purphoros
Erebos
Ephara? (Ephara's Warden)
Iroas (Priest of Iroas)
Phenax? (Disciple of Phenax)
Pharika (Pharika's Mender)
Keranos (Steam Augury)
Athreos (Scholar of Athreos)
Mogis? (Features very Rakdos)
Karametra? (Karametra's Acolyte)
Kruphix (Prophet of Kruphix)
I'm (jokingly) taking preliminary bets that Xenagos is :symrg:.
I'll add to this Primeval Bounty and Whip Silk. Cast the Whip Silk, making three lands into creatures, and give one of them three +1/+1 counters. Return the Whip Silk for :symg:, and repeat.
A investment nets you 9 power in creatures (3x 2/2 Land Warriors, one of whom gets 3x +1/+1 counters) that didn't exist previously, and won't exist when your opponent untaps to wrath, killing... just Anthousa?
A :symg::symg::symg: investment is 18 power worth of lands. :symg:x5 is 27 power, before any anthems, and not counting Anthousa herself.
A quick and dirty start:
1 Anthousa, Setessan Hero
// Creatures
1 Argothian Enchantress
1 Bramblewood Paragon
1 Crowned Ceratok
1 Cytoplast Root-kin
1 Forgotten Ancient
1 Renegade Krasis
1 Verduran Enchantress
1 Asceticism
1 Bear Umbra
1 Boar Umbra
1 Enchantress's Presence
1 Snake Umbra
1 Spider Umbra
1 Nature's Will
1 Oath of the Ancient Wood
1 Primeval Bounty
1 Whip Silk
1 Every Kind of Ramp Imaginable
1 Strength of the Tajuru
1 Blessings of Nature
I'm currently 18 deep into my goal to build a unique deck of every color combination, and mono green has always been a head-scratcher. Anthousa is at least original, and isn't an instant clamoring threat. The bulk of her strategy survives sorcery speed wraths, draws cards, and buffs your lands with +1/+1 counters that make them a formidable force when your next attack rolls around.
Missed a swamp, thanks for catching it!
Minor changes since the last update:
-1 Autumn's Veil
-1 Leyline of Vitality
+1 Ready \\ Willing
+1 Titania's Song
I opted for Tolsimir as he's an Anthem effect for 37 creatures in the deck, and a DOUBLE anthem effect for Loxodon Hierarch and Loxodon Smiter. Krond the Dawn Clad only interacts with the two auras in the deck, which I can't tutor for. He's also much harder to cast early without perfect land drops.
I may still get one altered, though, because you're right; Dumbo the Dawn Clad would look awesome.
Dakhwon, how'd your elephant games go?
1 Darien, King of Kjeldor (foil)
//Cleric Attendants (5):
1 Soul's Attendant (foil)
1 Soul Warden
1 Suture Priest (foil)
1 Auriok Champion
1 Healer of the Pride (foil)
//Soldiers (21):
1 Cenn's Tactician (WPN foil)
1 Frontline Strategist (foil)
1 Patrol Signaler (foil)
1 Catapult Squad (foil)
1 Adaptive Automaton (foil)
1 Preeminent Captain (foil)
1 Mentor of the Meek (foil)
1 Soltari Champion
1 Intrepid Hero
1 Veteran Swordsmith (foil)
1 Field Marshall
1 Ranger of Eos
1 Goldknight Commander (foil)
1 Aven Cloudchaser (foil)
1 Benalish Commander (foil)
1 Daru Warchief (foil)
1 Commander Eesha
1 Gustcloak Savior (foil)
1 Catapult Master (foil)
1 Noble Templar (foil)
1 Captain of the Watch (foil)
1 Platinum Emperion
//Equipment (4):
1 Skullclamp
1 Lightning Greaves (FNM foil)
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Darksteel Plate (foil)
1 Champion's Helm
//Artifacts (11):
1 Everflowing Chalice (FNM foil)
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Scroll Rack
1 Pristine Talisman (foil)
1 Well of Lost Dreams
1 Jade Monolith
1 Coat of Arms
1 Mind's Eye (foil)
1 Staff of Nin (release foil)
//Instants and Sorceries (9):
1 Ethereal Haze (foil)
1 Return to Dust (foil)
1 Steelshaper's Gift
1 Alliance of Arms
1 Renounce the Guilds (foil)
1 Gift of Estates (foil)
1 Martial Coup
1 Replenish
1 Decree of Justice (foil)
1 Nomad's Assembly (foil)
1 Elspeth Tirel
//Enchantments (8):
1 Land Tax
1 Intangible Virtue (foil)
1 Seal of Cleansing (foil)
1 Aura of Silence
1 Endless Horizons (foil)
1 Marshal's Anthem (foil)
1 Angelic Chorus
1 True Conviction (foil)
//Land (37):
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin (foil)
1 Forbidding Watchtower
1 Grand Coliseum
1 Kjeldoran Outpost
1 Mistveil Plains (foil)
1 Nomad Stadium (foil)
1 Secluded Steppe (foil)
1 Strip Mine
1 Tarnished Citadel
1 Vesuva
26 Snow-Covered Plains (Coldsnap, foil)
Exile the top card of your library. If it's a permanent card, you may put it onto the battlefield. If you do, repeat this process.
You can stop a Primal Surge at any time, no need to worry about decking
Fixed! Good catch; I understand why change logs are so popular now...
Lignify was in very early for its interaction with Leaf-Crowned Elder and Treefolk Harbinger, but ultimately removed because it made otherwise harmless generals into 4/4 beaters with Doran on the field. THIS usually ends with them swinging into Doran, or any other creature that'd kill it, recasting, and leaving me without a Lignify.