First credit where credit is due:
The original list for this deck was made by Carlos Gutierrez. The original article with the list has a broken deck link, but the list can be found here and is copied below:
The deck is difficult but very fun to play. Carlos made excellent card choices to keep this deck resilient to its own plan (blow up child a lot). However, the list is over two years old now and needs to be updated badly.
The first problem with this list is that Primeval Titan is now banned, and without it Natural Order doesn't seem nearly as useful.
Second, a ton of sweet new lands have been printed since this list.
Some of these do things the deck is already very good at, but could be easy to find replacements for some of the older cards (Cephalid Coliseum vs. Desolate Lighthouse). So which ones are worth adding? Some are probably meta-game decisions, like Cavern of Souls.
Lark combo does not require a separate sac outlet, but it allows you to go off with any combination of two pieces (Saffi, Lark, Guide) and provide additional utility to the deck as a whole.
You have devoted slots to protecting Teeg at all. These are largely unnecessary. Blue decks are generally the only ones that will kill Teeg in your normal game (and they have next to no removal that gets through Teeg). Most decks will prefer Teeg on the table when there are degenerate combo deck floating around.
Any properly built deck can take SERIOUS advantage of Heartbeat of Spring. Rites of Flourishing being more dangerous doesn't justify it being included. Neither should be included in anything but Elfball or Group Hug style decks.
My comment about your curve is really to illustrate your curve is too high as a whole. Sun Titan is significantly better than Reya. Aroshi is mediocre at best, you would be better off with more efficient sweepers like False Prophet and Retribution of the Meek. Blazing Archon costs far too much mana for the effect and is too fragile in that it cannot be recurred with Reveillark. Solemn Simulacrum costs an inordinate amount of mana for very little real advantage. Duplicant is the most expensive removal spell you could be playing. You lack any compelling reason for running Primeval Titan, so it is just a 6 mana ramp spell.
You could not be more wrong about Glacial Chasm. It does everything Archon and Peacekeeper do, can be tutored with KotR and Wayfarer and Sylvan Scrying and Crop Rotation, and has phenomenal synergy with Life from the Loam and Crucible of Worlds. Countless games that I had no business winning have been won on the back of Chasm. Even when you have to actually pay the upkeep, you are in a better place than not having it at all (presuming you play it intelligently). Various cards in my deck also allow me to get maximum value from Riftstone Portal, making Glacial Chasm have absolutely 0 drawback.
Get Sigarda, Host of Herons in here. This deck folds to any mode of repeatable Edict effects.
One thing you must keep in mind is how a properly built Teeg deck will absolutely destroy any and all blue based decks. As such, the blue decks will do all the can to build up a board presence under him then strategically remove him for their fundamental turn. You have some cards that help mitigate that situation, but those decks can do quite a bit of damage in that time span. Cards like Grand Abolisher are solid for these purposes, but another way to deal with it is in the one card combos of Defense of the Heart and Tooth and Nail. Resolving these abilities will win the game on the spot and it becomes very easy to regulate when these happen if you include an arsenal of sac outlets. It is easier still if you choose to keep Heartbeat of Spring and/or add Academy Rector. Holding these cards back until it is strategically correct to cast them is a fact of playing them in the first place. They are not "dead," they are in reserve.
PS: My Teeg thread here on Salvation is not even close to up-to-date. Just FYI, in case you go looking for it.
I'm going to look for those enchantments, but I though carefully about Arashi, Primetime, Reya, and Blazing Archon this week and took them all out for Sigarda, Linvala, Peacekeeper, and Eight-and-a-Half-Tails.
You are running far to many overcosted cards. You preach about a low curve, but have far too many 7+ drops.
Two is too many? I hadn't quite finished the primer when you posted, but Reya Dawnbringer is on my watch list. I prefer Blazing Archon over Peacekeeper though. I also didn't own a Peacekeeper until a few days ago.
Heartbeat of Spring is atrocious. You want to hinder their development and this card is completely counter to that strategy.
More mana does not change whether or not the spells in their hand can be cast or not while Gaddock Teeg is in play. I'd argue Rites of Flourishing is the more dangerous card to play.
If you follow the 7x9 deck building theory (I try to remember about it...), I'm not really that concerned about it. I haven't even devoted a whole slot to just protecting Gaddock Teeg. I understand he's cheap, but he can become prohibitively expensive just like any other commander.
Thanks for pointing this card out. I didn't know it had been printed (I don't play any standard or buy packs). It will be included as a replacement or a supplement once I get one.
You NEED sacrifice outlets in this deck. They allow you to Reveillark combo significantly more easily.
Why does Reveillark need a sacrifice outlet? It already comes with one. However, I do understand that several cards in this deck are a lot better with a sacrifice outlet. I don't care for Miren, the Moaning Well and wish I owned a Diamond Valley. Can you suggest any others that cast and function under Null Rod and Gaddock Teeg?
Academy Rector was not included because I didn't feel like I had enough ways to kill it. Again, can you suggest any others that cast and function under Null Rod and Gaddock Teeg?
I've also taken the format and some the the text of this primer from ISBPathfinder's primer
***Note***: This primer is to build a very powerful control/combo based deck. I try to keep an open mind to others opinions so if you feel strongly for or against a card please voice it and we can discuss. Feel free to ask any questions about card choices as I would love to review any past experience I have had with other options.
Deck History
My local meta is loaded with grind-y, combo/control decks. Many games are a drawn out series of board wipes and counter spells until someone pushes a combo, soft-lock, or dominating board position (e.g. Animar, Soul of Elements/Palinchron, Myojin of Night's Reach, or Genesis Wave for 15+). Cards that prevent players from taking any action are frowned upon heavily (e.g. Armageddon and Mindslaver). I began getting bored as these games dragged on and on and frequently made plays I knew would turn the table against me just so the game would continue to move somewhere.
After losing frequently, I began experimenting with new deck ideas to manipulate the meta game. Mana bases are frequently greedy and loaded with non-basics, so I build a Hanna, Ship's Navigator prison/control deck that was asked to never return. Back to Basics + Humility with an easy recursion option was not a board state anyone wanted to see again. Thrun, the Last Troll was another deck I tried, but he only firmly planted the early to mid game bullseye on me. I was continually pummeled until I ran out of cards then awaited my demise at someone else's convenience. I also tried a Phelddagrif group-hug, nearly-no-win-condition deck. The goal was to accelerate the game state into the late game as quickly as possible by giving everyone lands and cards fueled by magic's most broken artifact ramp, but sometimes I want to have a chance to win.
Gaddock Teeg is an extremely powerful, control/disruption commander. His ability locks out most infinite mana win conditions, nearly all board wipe effects, and punishes players who build greedy decks with poor mana curves while not affecting creature spells. In the appropriate meta game he can be dominating, but you must continue to tweak the card choices and play style of the deck as your play group evolves to combat him. Gaddock Teeg can also have a secondary, dangerous voltron strategy with a package of swords and white equipment tutors. However, he has a fragile, protection-less 2/2 body. Several cards in the deck must be devoted to protecting the general from spot removal and caution should be taken when attacking or blocking with him.
You should consider running Gaddock Teeg if you enjoy a low curve control/disruption deck with a voltron or combo finish. He also encourages creature based strategies that aren't frequently played and can shake up your meta game.
Our colors (no spells over 3 CMC) give us the following:
REASONS YOU SHOULD PLAY GADDOCK TEEG:
- You enjoy having a commander who causes problems at every stage of the game. He comes in early and punishes greedy deck building.
- You like combo or volton win conditions
- You love synergy and efficient spells! His ability leaves little room for fat. Your list must be tight and trim.
- You like playing your commander every game, as early as possible.
- You like playing creatures.
REASONS YOU SHOULD NOT RUN GADDOCK TEEG:
- You enjoy a good-stuff deck. His ability stops many of the traditional good-stuff spells
- You enjoy streamlined commanders that build their deck for you. Every decklist you see out there should be different as every meta is different.
- You want to combo out on turn 4. While it is possible for the deck to combo early, the deck is not tuned to combo as quickly as possible. The first priority is establishing a disruptive board position and securing it.
OTHER SELESNYA COMMANDERS
Selesnya is one of the most powerful and diverse groups of two color commanders with 15 commanders to choose from covering toolbox, tokens, disruption, and aggro, but none of them do what Gaddock Teeg does, making him the clear choice to command this deck.
Your primary concern in the early game is getting Gaddock Teeg into play safely as early as possible. Be especially careful when playing against black and white decks as these colors have the most spot removal options available to them. Don't worry if he dies once or twice because his casting cost is low enough you can easily replay him two or three times. Frequently you will want to tutor up something to protect him with as one of your first plays.
Deck's Strategy
The idea behind this deck is to prevent your opponents from advancing their game plan as quickly as you are by restricting their plays with Gaddock Teeg. While your opponents are floundering trying to figure out how their win condition interacts without spells costing four or more, you assemble your combos designed to operate under the restriction and win.
Some of they key elements to this deck:
Spell Converted Mana Cost: There are NO spells in this deck that cannot be played while Gaddock Teeg is in play. Khymera was particularly adamant about this and I think d0su only ran Martial Coup. Either way you don't want dead draws.
Artifacts with Activated Abilities: This particular build of the deck is built to leverage Null Rod to further disrupt you opponents. Following the same principle as above, there are no cards in this deck that are shut down by Null Rod.
Win Conditions
Earthcraft + Squirrel Nest - Make infinite 1/1 squirrels and attack. Note:Earthcraft allows creatures with summoning sickness to be tapped for its effect.
Heartbeat of Spring/Rites of Flourishing + Gaddock Teeg - Since the entire deck is built to play under the commander's condition, you should be able to leverage the two cards more than your opponents. Beware of keeping either of these enchantments in play while your commander is not!
Genesis in your graveyard + Eternal Witness + a sacrifice effect - Get back any card from your graveyard for 3GGG once per turn.
Life from the Loam + Secluded Steppe/Tranquil Thicket - This engine will keep you making land drops and drawing cards to your heart's content. If you have both cycling lands, you can draw as many times as you want for 1WGG: As an additional cost put the top three cards of your library into your graveyard. Draw a card.
If your games are anything like mine, there's always an artifact you want gone. This deck may also want to destroy its own Rites of Flourishing and Heartbeat of Spring.
Oblivion Ring - Sun Titan can recur it. Beast Within Oblation - Tucks commanders. Can also be used in a pinch to turn one of your permanents and itself into two new cards.
Alternative/additional options worth considering: Mangara of Corondor - Unfortunately has summoning sickness.
Graveyard Hate
Never leave home without it. Keep in mind this deck does abuse the graveyard, so surgical options may be the best.
Stonecloaker - Instant speed, surgical, and can bounce himself. Scavenging Ooze - Surgical removal that can become a beater quickly.
Alternative/additional options worth considering: Mistveil Plains - A great way to put cards back into your library. Counts as a plains and is easily tutored. Maze of Ith - Removes a creature from combat, but doesn't produce mana. Mystifying Maze - Removes a creature from combat for a hefty price and gives your opponents additional comes into play triggers. Miren, the Moaning Well - A great sacrifice outlet, but has a high cost. Diamond Valley - Another great sacrifice outlet. I'd play it if I owned it. Selesnya Sanctuary - I don't care for bounce lands or see an advantage of having one in this deck.
Alternative/additional options worth considering: Blazing Archon - Helps you survive longer, but is very highly costed. Willow Satyr - Great anti-commander tech. I don't own one. Grand Abolisher - More disruption, but only active on your turn. Great in blue heavy meta games.
Other People's Card Choices
Equipment
While I choose not to run any equipment and use Null Rod, Gaddock Teeg can have an effective voltron side strategy. Here are the equipment I would turn to first.
There are several other cards I've seen in lists that may or may not be of value to the deck. Frankly I don't understand why they were chosen, maybe someone can offer a reason.
I'm thinking about playing this for a 3 man pod EDH tournament. I'm open to any and all suggestions. I have a pretty large card pool so feel free to suggest crazy cards. If you do make a suggestion please include what you would remove for the card you suggest.
The deck's primary win condition is Oona. This can be accomplished through infinite turns with Time Sieve and Thopter Assembly or infinite colorless mana from Basalt Monolith or Grim Monolith. Backup plans include Contamination/Bitterblossom soft lock, Mindslaver/Academy Ruins lock, Strip Mine/Cruicible of Worlds, and JtMS.
The unique part of my stash is a giant chessex d6 for keeping track of my commander tax. I always know what it's there for and it always gets a great reaction.
At first I screamed "what are they thinking" in my head. After some thought I don't really care. However, I am concerned about the accidental "oh look I win" that could come when a red player runs WGD for fun and a black player spots it in a graveyard with animate dead in hand. I agree about the douche playing crazy combos.
If anyone on the RC decides to respond to me, please shoot me a pm or something. Thanks.
I'd like to propose replacing Reiver demon with Spirit of the night. Reiver demon only gets it's effect if cast from the hand which stops black reanimation from abusing it. It also won't kill artifacts or black creatures so it can be less than optimal against any deck and useless against black. Spirit of the night is akroma's little black brother. Decent stats and evasion. Excellent target for recurring over and over in black (except with animate dead).
This post didn't make sense to me, maybe you can elaborate/explain?
I really do believe that communication and setting expectations at events, playgroups, social nights at a card shop, or tournaments is really going to be the key (or just creating rules that really encourage even the spikes to follow certain guidelines in order to "win" - see Sheldon's Armada Games EDH league points system).
I think what he means is if say I visit some new town or city for a weekend and go to a LGS and play EDH, I have no idea what power level deck will be appropriate to play. Are they super competitive and it's a race to see who can make a gamebreaking, degenerate play first or should I be playing something with huge weaknesses like a 50 creature sliver deck or should I play something in the middle? The current rules environment doesn't specify.
I agree, the tone of his articles are almost hateful towards spike players. What's wrong with running the most efficient strategies? I never understand why people with janky decks get angry at people with superior optimal decks.
I guess what's really pissing me off about this super fun format is that they just wave their hands around saying things to the effect of:
"Well we don't want this to be super ridiculous broken like legacy/vintage, but we don't want to do anything about the cards that make it like that other than suggest you not play them"
and
"We ban cost prohibitive cards, but oh yeah, not anything from P3K thats just as expensive as some of the P9"
This format has gotten too large and is getting too much attention to keep being so wishy-washy and hoping it will police itself. It would be great if everyone played like Sheldon writes about how he plays ("Well I could be a dick and ____, but I won't"), but they don't.
Is this thread about sheldon's article or some funky, i want to win with Spined Wurm ban list discussion (the later is silly, the former is more interesting to debate)?
I had intended more of the former, but it has resulted in much of the latter. The point I was trying to emphasize the most is that the article says they're hoping players will just be good. Look through history, people don't do that and the fact that people don't do that is part of why we're in a recession now. People are greedy for power.
Again, I know you cant ban every crazy play, but I really do believe there should be an additional ban principle of "this card keeps people from playing." I'd rather you play a 2-3 card combo to instantly win the game than you play Decree of Annihilation because you were losing control of the game.
The original list for this deck was made by Carlos Gutierrez. The original article with the list has a broken deck link, but the list can be found here and is copied below:
1x Child of alara
Fetches: 10
1x Arid Mesa
1x Bloodstained Mire
1x Flooded Strand
1x Marsh Flats
1x Misty Rainforest
1x Polluted Delta
1x Scalding Tarn
1x Verdant Catacombs
1x Windswept Heath
1x Wooded Foothills
Duals: 10
1x Badlands
1x Bayou
1x Plateau
1x Savannah
1x Scrubland
1x Taiga
1x Tropical Island
1x Tundra
1x Underground Sea
1x Volcanic Island
Shocks: 9
1x Breeding Pool
1x Godless Shrine
1x Hallowed Fountain
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Sacred Foundry
1x Steam Vents
1x Stomping Ground
1x Temple Garden
1x Watery Grave
Other Lands: 28
1x Academy Ruins
1x Barren Moor
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Cephalid Coliseum
1x Deserted Temple
1x Diamond Valley
1x Dryad Arbor
1x Emeria, The Sky Ruin
1x Glacial Chasm
1x High Market
1x Horizon Canopy
1x Kor Haven
1x Maze of Ith
1x Mishra's Factory
1x Mouth of Ronom
1x Nantuko Monastery
1x Nomad Stadium
1x Petrified Field
1x Riftstone Portal
1x Secluded Steppe
1x Snow-Covered Plains
1x Strip Mine
1x The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
1x Tolaria West
1x Tranquil Thicket
1x Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
1x Vesuva
1x Volrath's Stronghold
1x Ad Nauseam
1x Brainstorm
1x Crop Rotation
1x Enlightened Tutor
1x Entomb
1x Intuition
1x Realms Uncharted
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Visions of Beyond
Sorceries: 10
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Gamble
1x Life from the Loam
1x Maelstrom Pulse
1x Natural Order
1x Summer Bloom
1x Treasure Hunt
1x Wargate
1x Worm Harvest
1x Yawgmoth's Will
Artifacts: 6
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Mox Diamond
1x Nim Deathmantle
1x Oblivion Stone
1x Sensei's Divining Top
1x Zuran Orb
Creatures: 11
1x Azusa, Lost but Seeking
1x Dark Confidant
1x Drift of Phantasms
1x Eternal Witness
1x Genesis
1x Knight of the Reliquary
1x Meloku the Clouded Mirror
1x Oracle of Mul Daya
1x Primeval Titan
1x Sun Titan
1x Tilling Treefolk
1x Exploration
1x Manabond
1x Prismatic Omen
1x Survival of the Fittest
1x Sylvan Library
Planeswalkers: 1
1x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
The deck is difficult but very fun to play. Carlos made excellent card choices to keep this deck resilient to its own plan (blow up child a lot). However, the list is over two years old now and needs to be updated badly.
The first problem with this list is that Primeval Titan is now banned, and without it Natural Order doesn't seem nearly as useful.
Second, a ton of sweet new lands have been printed since this list.
Some of these do things the deck is already very good at, but could be easy to find replacements for some of the older cards (Cephalid Coliseum vs. Desolate Lighthouse). So which ones are worth adding? Some are probably meta-game decisions, like Cavern of Souls.
Some other newer cards worth considering are:
The changes I'm considering are:
Remove:
Primeval Titan - it's banned
Natural Order - ^ was the primary target
Visions of Beyond - I don't care for it
Maelstrom Pulse - Chaos Warp is an instant and an easier answer to Blood Moon
Add:
Alchemist's Refuge - Vedalken Orrery/Leyline of Anticipation that works well with the deck
Kessig Wolf Run - this seems like it could help the deck win much faster through combat
Realmwright - a second, easily recur-able Prismatic Omen
Homeward Path - it can be very hard to deal with Child of Alara getting stolen
What changes would you suggest keeping in line with the original strategy?
I'm going to look for those enchantments, but I though carefully about Arashi, Primetime, Reya, and Blazing Archon this week and took them all out for Sigarda, Linvala, Peacekeeper, and Eight-and-a-Half-Tails.
I agree and it is. I should probably organize the list of cards by CMC or something.
Two is too many? I hadn't quite finished the primer when you posted, but Reya Dawnbringer is on my watch list. I prefer Blazing Archon over Peacekeeper though. I also didn't own a Peacekeeper until a few days ago.
More mana does not change whether or not the spells in their hand can be cast or not while Gaddock Teeg is in play. I'd argue Rites of Flourishing is the more dangerous card to play.
If you follow the 7x9 deck building theory (I try to remember about it...), I'm not really that concerned about it. I haven't even devoted a whole slot to just protecting Gaddock Teeg. I understand he's cheap, but he can become prohibitively expensive just like any other commander.
Thanks for pointing this card out. I didn't know it had been printed (I don't play any standard or buy packs). It will be included as a replacement or a supplement once I get one.
Why does Reveillark need a sacrifice outlet? It already comes with one. However, I do understand that several cards in this deck are a lot better with a sacrifice outlet. I don't care for Miren, the Moaning Well and wish I owned a Diamond Valley. Can you suggest any others that cast and function under Null Rod and Gaddock Teeg?
I agree to disagree. I frequently cut cards from my decks that I find to be very situationally good.
Academy Rector was not included because I didn't feel like I had enough ways to kill it. Again, can you suggest any others that cast and function under Null Rod and Gaddock Teeg?
I'm not really sure how I feel about them. I'll consider it. I also don't really care for or own Glacial Chasm.
Thanks for your input.
Khymera's list
d0su's list/thread
insignificantwrangler's list/thread
I've also taken the format and some the the text of this primer from ISBPathfinder's primer
***Note***: This primer is to build a very powerful control/combo based deck. I try to keep an open mind to others opinions so if you feel strongly for or against a card please voice it and we can discuss. Feel free to ask any questions about card choices as I would love to review any past experience I have had with other options.
Deck History
My local meta is loaded with grind-y, combo/control decks. Many games are a drawn out series of board wipes and counter spells until someone pushes a combo, soft-lock, or dominating board position (e.g. Animar, Soul of Elements/Palinchron, Myojin of Night's Reach, or Genesis Wave for 15+). Cards that prevent players from taking any action are frowned upon heavily (e.g. Armageddon and Mindslaver). I began getting bored as these games dragged on and on and frequently made plays I knew would turn the table against me just so the game would continue to move somewhere.
After losing frequently, I began experimenting with new deck ideas to manipulate the meta game. Mana bases are frequently greedy and loaded with non-basics, so I build a Hanna, Ship's Navigator prison/control deck that was asked to never return. Back to Basics + Humility with an easy recursion option was not a board state anyone wanted to see again. Thrun, the Last Troll was another deck I tried, but he only firmly planted the early to mid game bullseye on me. I was continually pummeled until I ran out of cards then awaited my demise at someone else's convenience. I also tried a Phelddagrif group-hug, nearly-no-win-condition deck. The goal was to accelerate the game state into the late game as quickly as possible by giving everyone lands and cards fueled by magic's most broken artifact ramp, but sometimes I want to have a chance to win.
Enter Gaddock Teeg.
Why Play Gaddock Teeg?
Gaddock Teeg is an extremely powerful, control/disruption commander. His ability locks out most infinite mana win conditions, nearly all board wipe effects, and punishes players who build greedy decks with poor mana curves while not affecting creature spells. In the appropriate meta game he can be dominating, but you must continue to tweak the card choices and play style of the deck as your play group evolves to combat him. Gaddock Teeg can also have a secondary, dangerous voltron strategy with a package of swords and white equipment tutors. However, he has a fragile, protection-less 2/2 body. Several cards in the deck must be devoted to protecting the general from spot removal and caution should be taken when attacking or blocking with him.
You should consider running Gaddock Teeg if you enjoy a low curve control/disruption deck with a voltron or combo finish. He also encourages creature based strategies that aren't frequently played and can shake up your meta game.
Our colors (no spells over 3 CMC) give us the following:
GREEN: Ramp, Fattys, Recursion, Creature Tutors, Non-Creature Removal
WHITE: Spot Removal, Recursion, Board Control, Artifact and Enchantment Tutors
REASONS YOU SHOULD PLAY GADDOCK TEEG:
- You enjoy having a commander who causes problems at every stage of the game. He comes in early and punishes greedy deck building.
- You like combo or volton win conditions
- You love synergy and efficient spells! His ability leaves little room for fat. Your list must be tight and trim.
- You like playing your commander every game, as early as possible.
- You like playing creatures.
REASONS YOU SHOULD NOT RUN GADDOCK TEEG:
- You enjoy a good-stuff deck. His ability stops many of the traditional good-stuff spells
- You enjoy streamlined commanders that build their deck for you. Every decklist you see out there should be different as every meta is different.
- You want to combo out on turn 4. While it is possible for the deck to combo early, the deck is not tuned to combo as quickly as possible. The first priority is establishing a disruptive board position and securing it.
OTHER SELESNYA COMMANDERS
Selesnya is one of the most powerful and diverse groups of two color commanders with 15 commanders to choose from covering toolbox, tokens, disruption, and aggro, but none of them do what Gaddock Teeg does, making him the clear choice to command this deck.
Deck List
1x Gaddock Teeg
CREATURES (31)
1x Acidic Slime
1x Archon of Justice
1x Aven Mindcensor
1x Dauntless Escort
1x Duplicant
1x Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
1x Eternal Witness
1x Fauna Shaman
1x Genesis
1x Harmonic Sliver
1x Hokori, Dust Drinker
1x Karmic Guide
1x Knight of the Reliquary
1x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1x Mirror Entity
1x Mother of Runes
1x Peacekeeper
1x Qasali Pridemage
1x Reveillark
1x Saffi Eriksdotter
1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
1x Scavenging Ooze
1x Sigarda, Host of Herons
1x Solemn Simulacrum
1x Stonecloaker
1x Stuffy Doll
1x Sun Titan
1x Weathered Wayfarer
1x Wood Elves
1x Yavimaya Elder
1x Yosei, the Morning Star
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Null Rod
ENCHANTMENTS (15)
1x Aspect of Mongoose
1x Aura of Silence
1x Aura Shards
1x Earthcraft
1x Guilty Conscience
1x Heartbeat of Spring
1x Land Tax
1x Lignify
1x Mirri's Guile
1x Oblivion Ring
1x Rites of Flourishing
1x Squirrel Nest
1x Sterling Grove
1x Survival of the Fittest
1x Sylvan Library
INSTANT (9)
1x Beast Within
1x Condemn
1x Eladamri's Call
1x Enlightened Tutor
1x Krosan Grip
1x Oblation
1x Path to Exile
1x Swords to Plowshares
1x Worldly Tutor
SORCERY (5)
1x Cultivate
1x Idyllic Tutor
1x Kodama's Reach
1x Life from the Loam
1x Sylvan Tutor
1x Arid Mesa
1x Flagstones of Trokair
1x Flooded Strand
1x Gaea's Cradle
1x High Market
1x Horizon Canopy
1x Kor Haven
1x Krosan Verge
1x Marsh Flats
1x Misty Rainforest
1x Savannah
1x Secluded Steppe
1x Serra's Sanctum
6x Snow-Covered Plains
6x Snow-Covered Forest
1x Strip Mine
1x Sungrass Prairie
1x Sunpetal Grove
1x Temple Garden
1x Tranquil Thicket
1x Verdant Catacombs
1x Wasteland
1x Winding Canyons
1x Windswept Heath
1x Wooded Bastion
1x Wooded Foothills
1x Yavimaya Hollow
Strategy
Using Gaddock Teeg
Your primary concern in the early game is getting Gaddock Teeg into play safely as early as possible. Be especially careful when playing against black and white decks as these colors have the most spot removal options available to them. Don't worry if he dies once or twice because his casting cost is low enough you can easily replay him two or three times. Frequently you will want to tutor up something to protect him with as one of your first plays.
Deck's Strategy
The idea behind this deck is to prevent your opponents from advancing their game plan as quickly as you are by restricting their plays with Gaddock Teeg. While your opponents are floundering trying to figure out how their win condition interacts without spells costing four or more, you assemble your combos designed to operate under the restriction and win.
Some of they key elements to this deck:
Spell Converted Mana Cost: There are NO spells in this deck that cannot be played while Gaddock Teeg is in play. Khymera was particularly adamant about this and I think d0su only ran Martial Coup. Either way you don't want dead draws.
Artifacts with Activated Abilities: This particular build of the deck is built to leverage Null Rod to further disrupt you opponents. Following the same principle as above, there are no cards in this deck that are shut down by Null Rod.
Win Conditions
Earthcraft + Squirrel Nest - Make infinite 1/1 squirrels and attack. Note: Earthcraft allows creatures with summoning sickness to be tapped for its effect.
Reveillark + Saffi Eriksdotter + Karmic Guide + Mirror Entity - This well documented combo allows you to move any creature from play to your graveyard and back as many times as you want. The combo can be easily setup with Survival of the Fittest getting Reveillark last. Archon of Justice and Acidic Slime allow you to clear the board of any problem permanents, Yosei, the Morning Star permanently taps your opponents permanents, Sun Titan returns all non-creature permanents in your graveyard to play, and Earthcraft will give you infinite colored mana.
Stuffy Doll + Guilty Conscience - Kill any one player.
Card Advantage Engines and Synergies
Heartbeat of Spring/Rites of Flourishing + Gaddock Teeg - Since the entire deck is built to play under the commander's condition, you should be able to leverage the two cards more than your opponents. Beware of keeping either of these enchantments in play while your commander is not!
Genesis in your graveyard + Eternal Witness + a sacrifice effect - Get back any card from your graveyard for 3GGG once per turn.
Crucible of Worlds + Horizon Canopy - If you need cards more than land drops, you can turn you land drop into 1: Draw a card.
Life from the Loam + Secluded Steppe/Tranquil Thicket - This engine will keep you making land drops and drawing cards to your heart's content. If you have both cycling lands, you can draw as many times as you want for 1WGG: As an additional cost put the top three cards of your library into your graveyard. Draw a card.
Crucible of Worlds/Life from the Loam + any fetch land - This engine will ensure land drops for as long as you want.
Card Choices
Note: Cards discussed in the strategy section are omitted here.
Ramp/Fixing
Green and white have access to the best and most flexible land fixing/searching spells available.
Knight of the Reliquary - This guy can turn any forest or plains into any other land in the deck, he's an all-star.
The rest of these are just great fixing cards.
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Weathered Wayfarer
Yavimaya Elder
Wood Elves
Solemn Simulacrum
Land Tax
Kodama's Reach
Cultivate
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
Crop Rotation - Negative card advantage but gives you immediate access to any land.
Exploration - Leads to explosive starts.
Burgeoning - Leads to explosive starts.
Realms Uncharted - A great way to find any lands you want. Works well with Life from the Loam and Crucible of Worlds.
Sylvan Scrying - Another option to tutor for any land.
Tutors
Pretty straightforward choices here.
Fauna Shaman - A second, less effective Survival of the Fittest
Eladamri's Call
Enlightened Tutor
Worldly Tutor
Idyllic Tutor
Sylvan Tutor
Sterling Grove - Also protects other enchantments.
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
Altar of Bone
Congregation at Dawn
Creature Removal
Lignify - An extremely effective way to shutdown many problem commanders.
Duplicant
Condemn - Tucks commanders.
Swords to Plowshares
Path to Exile
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
False Prophet - Beware, he could exile a win condition.
Journey to Nowhere
Arashi, the Sky Asunder - Very versatile flying creature removal.
Artifact and Enchantment Removal
If your games are anything like mine, there's always an artifact you want gone. This deck may also want to destroy its own Rites of Flourishing and Heartbeat of Spring.
Harmonic Sliver
Qasali Pridemage
Aura Shards
Aura of Silence
Krosan Grip
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
Disenchant
Naturalize
Deglamer - Doesn't target.
Land Removal
Never leave home without it.
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
Dust Bowl
Ghost Quarter
Tectonic Edge
Other Removal
Very straightforward.
Oblivion Ring - Sun Titan can recur it.
Beast Within
Oblation - Tucks commanders. Can also be used in a pinch to turn one of your permanents and itself into two new cards.
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
Mangara of Corondor - Unfortunately has summoning sickness.
Graveyard Hate
Never leave home without it. Keep in mind this deck does abuse the graveyard, so surgical options may be the best.
Stonecloaker - Instant speed, surgical, and can bounce himself.
Scavenging Ooze - Surgical removal that can become a beater quickly.
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
Jotun Grunt - A neat guy to incrementally nuke graveyards.
Loaming Shaman - Shuffle back a graveyard.
Morningtide - Slow, but effective.
Relic of Progenitus - Great, but doesn't work under Null Rod
Protecting Gaddock Teeg
While his casting cost is very low, you still need to protect him since he is a key component of the deck's strategy.
Mother of Runes - Give a creature protection from a color.
Dauntless Escort - Make your creatures indestructible for a turn.
Aspect of Mongoose - Great self-recuring aura granting shroud.
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails - Protect your permanents from any targeting effect for 1WW each.
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
Flickering Ward
Card Draw/Filtering
Sylvan Library
Mirri's Guile - Sensei's Divining Top's older brother, works great with fetch lands.
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
Sensei's Divining Top - Doesn't work under Null Rod.
Tech Lands
Kor Haven - Not as good as Maze of Ith, but produces mana.
Gaea's Cradle - Produces tons of mana.
High Market - Great sacrifice outlet.
Yavimaya Hollow - Protects your creatures.
Winding Canyons - Great card to have in any control deck allowing you to sit back and play on your opponent's end steps.
Serra's Sanctum - Can produce tons of mana.
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
Mistveil Plains - A great way to put cards back into your library. Counts as a plains and is easily tutored.
Maze of Ith - Removes a creature from combat, but doesn't produce mana.
Mystifying Maze - Removes a creature from combat for a hefty price and gives your opponents additional comes into play triggers.
Miren, the Moaning Well - A great sacrifice outlet, but has a high cost.
Diamond Valley - Another great sacrifice outlet. I'd play it if I owned it.
Selesnya Sanctuary - I don't care for bounce lands or see an advantage of having one in this deck.
Other
Aven Mindcensor - A great way to put the breaks on combo decks, black decks, and opponents fetch lands.
Hokori, Dust Drinker - A nice way to soft lock your opponents if they all tap out.
Peacekeeper - A cheap alternative to Blazing Archon, but doesn't allow you opponents to beat each other to death.
Linvala, Keeper of Silence - Another great piece of disruption.
Sigarda, Host of Herons - Stop sacrifice effects from affecting you.
Alternative/additional options worth considering:
Blazing Archon - Helps you survive longer, but is very highly costed.
Willow Satyr - Great anti-commander tech. I don't own one.
Grand Abolisher - More disruption, but only active on your turn. Great in blue heavy meta games.
Other People's Card Choices
Equipment
While I choose not to run any equipment and use Null Rod, Gaddock Teeg can have an effective voltron side strategy. Here are the equipment I would turn to first.
Lightning Greaves
Sword of Feast and Famine
Sword of Fire and Ice
Umezawa's Jitte
Skullclamp
Recursion
Reya Dawnbringer
Regrowth
Reclaim
Noxious Revival - Can also be used to give an opponent a dead draw.
Argivian Find - Get back one of the many artifacts and enchantments this deck uses.
Adarkar Valkyrie - Keeps creatures coming back and can protect Gaddock Teeg.
Enchantress
If enchantress effects are your jam, they can easily be slotted into this deck.
Argothian Enchantress
Verduran Enchantress
Mesa Enchantress
Enchantress's Presence
There are several other cards I've seen in lists that may or may not be of value to the deck. Frankly I don't understand why they were chosen, maybe someone can offer a reason.
Platinum Angel
Yavimaya Dryad - Why not Wood Elves?
Silklash Spider - Why not Arashi, the Sky Asunder?
Dryad Arbor
The deck's primary win condition is Oona. This can be accomplished through infinite turns with Time Sieve and Thopter Assembly or infinite colorless mana from Basalt Monolith or Grim Monolith. Backup plans include Contamination/Bitterblossom soft lock, Mindslaver/Academy Ruins lock, Strip Mine/Cruicible of Worlds, and JtMS.
1 Oona, Queen of the Fae
Creatures:
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Withered Wretch
1 Netherborn Phalanx
1 Guardian Beast
1 Thopter Assembly
1 Snapcaster Mage
Artifact:
1 Rings of Brighthearth
1 Dimir Signet
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Skullclamp
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Mindslaver
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Grim Monolith
1 Mana Vault
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Sol Ring
1 Time Sieve
1 Mana Crypt
Enchantment:
1 Bitterblossom
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Contamination
1 Necropotence
1 Power Artifact
1 Leyline of Anticipation
1 Cryptic Command
1 Faerie Trickery
1 Arcane Denial
1 Force of Will
1 Muddle the Mixture
1 Shred Memory
1 Telling Time
1 Hinder
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Brainstorm
1 Counterspell
1 Sunder
1 Forbid
1 Impulse
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Dissipate
1 Mana Drain
1 Mindbreak Trap
1 Spell Crumple
Sorcery:
1 Mind Shatter
1 Brainspoil
1 Dimir Machinations
1 Death Cloud
1 Fabricate
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Time Spiral
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Transmute Artifact
1 Mind Twist
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Praetor's Grasp
1 Increasing Ambition
1 Liliana Vess
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Land:
1 Academy Ruins
1 Scrying Sheets
12 Snow-Covered Island
9 Snow-Covered Swamp
1 Watery Grave
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Flooded Strand
1 Polluted Delta
1 Riptide Laboratory
1 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Underground Sea
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Marsh Flats
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Bojuka Bog
If anyone on the RC decides to respond to me, please shoot me a pm or something. Thanks.
I think what he means is if say I visit some new town or city for a weekend and go to a LGS and play EDH, I have no idea what power level deck will be appropriate to play. Are they super competitive and it's a race to see who can make a gamebreaking, degenerate play first or should I be playing something with huge weaknesses like a 50 creature sliver deck or should I play something in the middle? The current rules environment doesn't specify.
I guess what's really pissing me off about this super fun format is that they just wave their hands around saying things to the effect of:
"Well we don't want this to be super ridiculous broken like legacy/vintage, but we don't want to do anything about the cards that make it like that other than suggest you not play them"
and
"We ban cost prohibitive cards, but oh yeah, not anything from P3K thats just as expensive as some of the P9"
This format has gotten too large and is getting too much attention to keep being so wishy-washy and hoping it will police itself. It would be great if everyone played like Sheldon writes about how he plays ("Well I could be a dick and ____, but I won't"), but they don't.
I had intended more of the former, but it has resulted in much of the latter. The point I was trying to emphasize the most is that the article says they're hoping players will just be good. Look through history, people don't do that and the fact that people don't do that is part of why we're in a recession now. People are greedy for power.
Again, I know you cant ban every crazy play, but I really do believe there should be an additional ban principle of "this card keeps people from playing." I'd rather you play a 2-3 card combo to instantly win the game than you play Decree of Annihilation because you were losing control of the game.