Stone Rain could be an option if you're willing to run a bit more red in your mana base. You could run that over Sphinx of Lost Truths.
Speaking of the Sphinx, I've been looking for a good replacement for it. We still want to be able to draw cards, and we don't want it to interfere with our cascade spells. So basically, something between 4 and 6 mana that draws cards. (maybe Mulldrifter?)
I've only had limited tests against Teachings, and you're right - game 1 is a terrible matchup. Game 2 isn't much better, you basically have to side out the land hate and one or two Wraths for all of your utility two-drops and hope for something good.
Grim Lavamancer isn't nearly as nasty as you might expect post-board against RDW. Between Firewalkers (life gain) and Duelists (first strike/shroud combo is the big seller), you can almost always stall into some lifegain and send your opponent into topdeck mode. Marauders may give Duelist fits, but the fact that she can't be spot-removed is worth it, I think.
I'm totally cool if you have a suggestion for what could replace her, though.
I. An Introduction to Spread 'em
a. Origins
b. How it Works
II. Sample Deck List
III. Card explanations/additional card choices
I. An Introduction to Spread 'em
a. Origins
Once upon a time, when decks like Jund had a stranglehold over the Standard metagame (mid 2009 to early 2010), Pro Tour regular Gerry Thompson produced a radical solution in the form of a deck that revolved around using Spreading Seas and Convincing Mirage to shut down the vulnerable manabases of his opponents. "Spread 'em" quickly erupted into a serviceable archetype, posting decent results across the board until Alara block's rotation in October 2010. Now, with Modern's fast-changing banlists shifting the metagame to the point of being unpredictable, Spread 'em has a chance to leave its mark.
b. How it Works
Using Spread 'em is relatively simple – sit on your opponent's manabase with Spreading Seas (as well as our Modern replacement for Convincing Mirage – Sea's Claim), ensuring land disruption with the help of a healthy supply of cascade spells. The opponent will struggle to fix his or her colors enough to retaliate. Then the deck falls on one of its win conditions (fatties or 'walkers) to seal the victory!
Spreading Seas [Zendikar]– The deck's namesake. 1U will shut down an opponent's land by turning it into an Island. Not a stellar effect in a vacuum, of course, but it also cantrips when it enters the battlefield, which is why this is an automatic 4-of in any Spread 'em deck. Ever.
Sea's Claim [Ninth Edition] – Spreading Seas' little brother. Sure, no cantrip, but it's also a paltry U to cast. This is a bigger deal than you might think, as it allows us to mess up the opponent's opening land drop even when we're on the draw. This is one area where Modern Spread 'em shines over its Standard forefather. Run 4 alongside Spreading Seas.
The Cascade Brigade
Ardent Plea [Alara Reborn] – Two words of rules text, sixty of reminder text. That's just the way this card rolls. This card serves as our 3rd-turn land disruptor. The Pleas continue to offer support after casting by offering an exalted boost to our creatures for the mid- to late-game. 4 Pleas(e)!
Bloodbraid Elf [Alara Reborn] – I'm sure there's nothing I can say about Bloodbraid that hasn't already been said. 3/2 with haste with one (potentially two) spells stapled to it for four mana is just obscene. They can only cascade into the land disruption spells and the aforementioned Ardent Plea, so there's no guesswork involved with casting her. 4 Bloodbraids serve as mid-game beatdown and Seas 12-16.
Captured Sunlight [Alara Reborn] – The unsung hero of the cascade trio. After seeing what Bloodbraid offers for four mana, gaining 4 life seems very underwhelming. However, the life gain is crucial in the event that you've been taking shots from early beaters (if they manage to work through your land hate) and your own fetches and shocklands. Remember, the goal of cascade isn't the spell itself – it's the Spreading Seas or Sea's Claim you're inevitably going to cascade into. 4 of these gives us Seas 17 through 20 – a third of the deck!
Midgame Control
Wrath of God [Tenth Edition] – Wouldn't it be great if we could just spend turns 2-8 slapping imaginary raindrops on our opponent's lands? Yeah... well, it doesn't always work that way. Your opponent will always find some way to sneak out threats while you're flipping into those delectable blue auras. Wrath of God is the reset button that should buy you some time to reassert your dominance.
Ajani Vengeant [Shards of Alara] – Ajani serves as the jack-of-all-trades card in Spread 'em. His +1 deals with troublesome permanents (like that Tarmogoyf your opponent managed to sneak through your Seas), and can also stun tapped lands so your opponent can't do anything with it until it's an Island. His -2 is useful for picking off smaller creatures (or your opponent's dome), and also pads your life total. In an ideal situation, he'll just sit around and build up loyalty to serve as a distraction while you work your way up into your real win conditions. (Although a one-sided Armageddon certainly counts too, Islands or otherwise.)
Win Conditions
Sphinx of Lost Truths [Zendikar] – Seems like a middling choice when there's Consecrated Sphinx available, but we'll stick with SoLT for two reasons. The first is his flexible casting cost. 3UU gives you a beefy 3/5 flier and a way to cycle chaff out of your hand (excess Seas, lands, wraths, what have you). If you have the spare mana kicking around, feel free to pay the extra 1U to skip the pitching. This deck runs no instants, so don't worry about keeping mana open for that sort of thing. By the time SoTL hits the field, you'll likely have an Ardent Plea or two on the field as well, so he can push through for the last few points of damage.
Frost Titan [Magic 2011, Magic 2012] – Frosty is a great curve-capper in Spread 'em. Here, he takes the place of Sphinx of Jwar Isle in the Standard version by being a (pseudo)-shroudy beater that can further the lockdown theme by “pickling” a permanent on entering and when swinging. We'll run 2 for now, because it royally sucks to have them clogging up your hand in the early going.
Lightning Angel [Time Spiral] – What's THIS thing doing here? Where the heck is Baneslayer Angel? Why am I running something with such a wonky mana requirement in a deck that's so susceptible to land destruction as it is? To that, I have three words for you: Flying, vigilance, haste. This is the perfect storm of awesome when you need to get some damage through without compromising your board position. It's so satisfying to toss out one of these babies and swing, sucking up exalted boosts and dealing 4-5 damage out of nowhere. The price is right for 4 mana, even if it is color-intensive.
Sideboard Strategy/Additional Card Choices
The sideboard of Spread 'em plays things a little differently than conventional sideboards. Since there are so many cascade cards in the maindeck, deviating from that strategy when going to the board is very impractical. Therefore, most of the sideboard choices are things that you can reliably cascade into. Notable examples are listed below.
Qasali Pridemage [Alara Reborn] – Everything you could possibly ask for in a Spread 'em sideboard card. Switch these in against troublesome artifacts and enchantments, and also against blue decks. Even though you may not make use of their Naturalize ability, they serve as respectable beaters and work well with Ardent Plea.
Kor Firewalker [Worldwake] – One of Spread 'em's biggest weaknesses during its standard days was against Boros and Red Deck Wins. Unfortunately, not much has changed during the deck's transition to Modern (although access to Sea's Claim helps). Kor Firewalker is the no-brainer for any deck that's running a healthy supply of red spells and/or creatures. Don't forget to gain life for your Bloodbraids and Ajani Vengeant!
Meddling Mage [Alara Reborn] – The fluctuating banlist has Modern players scrambling for new decks that can set up some kind of dumb combo to win the game. I can't claim to know how many such combos are still viable, but I do know this – Meddling Mage will complicate things. If land hate doesn't stop your opponent from comboing out, swap your Seas out and cascade into Mages instead.
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre [Rise of the Eldrazi] – While testing this deck, I discovered that it fares quite poorly against UB mill. One Eldrazi in the board patches up this hole. I like Ulamog over Kozilek, Butcher of Truth simply because of the Vindicate you get when you cast him, but you can run either one, really.
Deft Duelist [Shards of Alara] – Another solution to red decks, and a solid one at that. You can hide behind a couple of Duelists for a lot longer than you'd think. Once the board is back under control, any excess DD's will happily scoop up exalted boosts and keep up the pressure until you can land an Angel or Frost Titan.
Seal of Primordium [Planar Chaos] – Similar to Qasali Pridemage in that it deals with artifacts and enchantments. The upside to using SoP is that it requires less mana to crack (2 to Pridemage's 3) and doesn't care about Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite. The downside is that they don't double as offensive threats. Pick whichever suits your meta.
Mulldrifter - Just as effective as Sphinx of Lost Truths, perhaps even better depending on your meta. Divination for the early game, and a flying body later on. Very solid, and more mana-friendly than Sphinx.
Kataki, War's Wage [Saviors of Kamigawa] - Sup affinity. I'd only recommend this if you have affinity decks running all over the place in your meta. Otherwise stick with Pridemage or Seal.
Convincing Mirage [Magic 2010] – A possible suggestion if you need more land disruption, but it's difficult to find space for them. They can also help fix your mana base in a pinch.
Phyrexian Revoker [Mirrodin Beseiged] – An alternative/complement to Meddling Mage if you need more combo disruption. They also work well if opponents' planeswalkers give you rashes.
[CARD]
Baneslayer Angel[/CARD] [Magic 2010, Magic 2011] – You can run this over Lightning Angel and not lose too much. It's all about getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to your win conditions, and Baneslayer is where it's at. The choice between Lightning and Baneslayer is strictly up to preference. You can also stick one in the board as a finisher against red decks.
Runed Halo [Shadowmoor] – Another two-mana combo breaker.
Mesa Enchantress [Planar Chaos, Magic 2010, Magic 2012] – If you don't want to wait for Sphinx of Lost Truths, this card is a fine way to pile up the card advantage. Spread 'em runs 12 enchantments mainboard, so an Enchantress or two might help give you the edge you need.
Sun Titan [Magic 2010, Magic 2011] – Possibly over Frost Titan, since they recycle any dead Seas. Not as strong because they can't protect themselves, but it could work.
Yeah... I just gave up on the rats and ran a full set of Vampire Nighthawk like a competent human being.
Additionally, how does everyone feel about Phyrexian Revoker vs. Pithing Needle in the board? I'm partial to the Revokers myself (since you can "recycle" them to answer a variety of threats), but I'd like to know of some instances where Needles are better, and whether or not I should bench my 3 Revokers for them.
I've been experimenting with Chittering Rats in this deck for a couple days now, and I have to say the results were a tad underwhelming. By the time you get to the point where you have the lock with Krovikan Horror and Tortured Existence, they're pretty much topdecking anyway. I really like it against MBC and Dragon Stompy, though. Any deck that can't draw through the card or shuffle it away has a hard time recovering.
Part of the reason I'm not keen on using things like Paradox Haze to keep Braids to myself is that I want to give my opponents the idea that Braids is a nice general. If people see me beginning to set up ways to abuse her, they won't hesitate to take her out, putting me in a bad spot. Vanishing is pretty hilarious, though.
[CARD]
Flow of Ideas[/CARD] seems redundant when I have Recurring Insight and Blue Sun's Zenith.
Winding Canyons was cut from the deck, as I only have one and my Kamahl EDH deck can do much nastier things with it. If I get another one, I'll work it back in.
Kira... I need one. >< Also, Gather Specimens doesn't work so well with Braids, namely because you have to play it after her trigger, and at that point, your opponent can just choose not to drop a creature.
Mana is rarely an issue, but I can't argue with a Gilded Lotus.
This blue Braids deck is geared toward aggro-control. It revolves around using Braids to drop huge, game-breaking creatures and artifacts without paying for them, while simultaneously offering multiple ways to deal with the things your opponents are likely to drop.
So, wait... Wrath effects hurt this deck? By turning your opponents' lands into creatures when they wrath you have the absolute best wrath protection out there. Sure your dudes die but so do theirs and a their land.
The reason wrath is hard for Kamahl is because he has a hard time rebuilding a board position. Sure, some of the opponent's lands get wiped, but you think a smart player wouldn't start hoarding lands prior to a wrath with Kamahl on the field?
City of Solitude seems interesting, although you'd lose the instant-speed Overrun ability Kamahl gives you. Storm Cauldron just seems counter-intuitive unless you have lots of Explore effects in your deck (which mine does not). Tsunami has already been discussed. Boseiju... I dunno, I feel I could live without it. If I come across one, I'll try it out for a bit and see how it goes.
Greater Good - Tried it, didn't like it. Not nearly as useful as it seems.
Quirion Ranger - I already have the Scryb Ranger, so I don't know if two of those effects would be any more beneficial. Especially if I get a Seedborn Muse.
Duplicant - Yes please. Any suggestions as to what to pull for it would be welcome, though.
Foster - Maybe if I had Awakening Zone... otherwise, I don't see it being that helpful.
Fauna Shaman is definitely worth a look, and I've been hunting for Genesis for a while now. Cloudstone Curio is... interesting, to say the least. Eternal Witness can find a spot somewhere, I know I've got one kicking around.
As for Tectonic Edge... it's a budget Strip Mine. Shelling out six bucks for a land is against several of my religions. =/
As with nearly all mono-green decks, Kamahl's team has a very straightforward set of goals - to ramp it up, crank it out, and flatten the next player to look at you funny. The deck can generate a very scary board position within the first few turns, leaving opponents to either cower behind meager defenses or find some way to make friends with you. For better or for worse, if you enjoy having an early presence and a heap of big, fat creatures, this Kamahl deck might be right up your alley.
Strengths of the Deck
Well, isn't it obvious? It's mono-green! A slew of mana-producing creatures and land-fetching spells ensure that the (typically) slow start to multiplayer EDH games will not become commonplace. And what better way to spend all that extra mana than on a creature that can beat faces in? As this is an EDH deck, I will try to refrain from citing specific cards because, as we are all aware, there is no way to guarantee that a specific card will show up in this format. There's a lot of deck space for that one trump card to get lost in, and unless your deck is stacked with tutors (something green isn't generally famed for), it's best to adopt a "make do with what you have" attitude.
Kamahl himself is a very potent threat, simply because he does not rely on the deck to be powerful, nor does the deck rely on him to win (Compare to generals such as Braids, Conjurer Adept, Rhys the Redeemed, and Teysa, Orzhov Scion.) If Kamahl is your only creature on the board, he is very much capable of ending the game himself. It does not stretch credibility to suggest that a multiplayer game can end with at least two players dying from Kamahl general damage! But Kamahl's talents do not end with simply pumping himself. He is a phenomonal team player, providing a one-man sink for the ridiculous amounts of mana that the deck can churn out.
An oft-overlooked aspect of Kamahl is the diplomacy that his first ability can provide. For a mere G, he can animate any land on the board. This provides a measure of safety from one of the deck's most crippling weaknesses: wrath effects. No one wants to cast Damnation or even Rain of Embers when Kamahl is out and the Forests are untapped.
Weaknesses of the Deck
As was mentioned earlier, wrath effects are the bane of this deck. There is no protection outside of the rare chance that Spearbreaker Behemoth is on the field. Your safest bet is to get Kamahl on the field and make them pay for wrathing you.
Habitually, green decks run into two problems: fliers and lack of card draw. The deck attempts to curb this problem with draw fixing, creature tutoring, and things like the potentially devastating Tornado Elemental or the staple Plummet. Fliers are still a very menacing threat to Kamahl, however, and the best solution I can offer outside of the pieces of tech in the deck is to smack the player right back. Except do it with bigger, more trample-y things. (Enemy things. :))
Running out of gas is a tricky proposition, albeit one that shouldn't happen too often. With the absurd amounts of ramp in the deck, drawing into usable spells is less of a hassle, and with this format being what it is, the general is a sound play to make about 95% of the time. And it's one you are always going to have (except if it gets Hindered, but we'll get to that.)
Kamahl vs. The Color Blue
Kamahl has been dogged by the color blue for pretty much his entire existence, dating all the way back to his days as a red Pit Fighter. Green Kamahl is no different. And to make matters worse, he has landed himself in one of the least merciful formats with respect to powerful blue cards. It's EDH. Blue decks are everywhere. This is an indisputable fact. And there are control cards and counterspells out there that can make the Krosan tough-guy break down and weep. And then the blue player will callously counter Kamahl's tears. Yeah, it's that bad.
I realize that this is a casual EDH deck, and that the whole point is to relax and have fun with everyone, but I cannot stress this enough. The key to succeeding with Kamahl is to PUT PRESSURE ON THE BLUE PLAYER(S)! Any deck with blue in it that's allowed to get up and running can stop Kamahl dead in his tracks, and soon you'll be stuck with all that mana, a hand full of tech, and maybe even a field full of fatties... but to no avail. The blue player's leash firmly around the mono-green's neck, all you can do is twiddle your thumbs and curse under your breath as they counter, neuter, or outright steal your defense against fliers/discard/mill/whatever else they use as their win condition.
Yes, it's mean to pick on one player the entire game. Yes, it's silly to prioritize strictly based on color. But anything bearing the teardrop in its mana cost is something that will prevent you, the mono-green player, from having fun with your deck. And in this format, not having fun is the worst crime imaginable.
Individual Card Assessment (in progress; updated periodically)
Arashi, the Sky Asunder - Amazing tech against flying creatures, which the deck struggles greatly with. The channel ability is especially hard to counter. Birds of Paradise - Mana dork, one of the best in the business. Cloudthresher - Can't beat that mana-to-body ratio, and it has flash to boot. The ability to evoke it is just gravy. Eternal Witness - The utility of this card is impressive. Early game, it recycles ramp cards. Late game, it brings back a bomb. Staple in this deck. Fauna Shaman - Her ability is incredibly helpful as long as you watch out for opposing reanimator decks. Will eventually be replaced with Survival of the Fittest. Fierce Empath - Helps you dig up those big, trample-y things. Usually the go-to three-drop for Hibernation's End. Forgotten Ancient - Holy hell, this card is a beast. In multiplayer games, he gets big in a hurry, and can spread the love to the tramplers. Combos with Woodfall Primus like a whore. Gaea's Revenge - Haste in green is tough to come by. Protection from (just about) everything but your stuff is even harder. This card is a middle finger to blue decks, pure and simple. Garruk's Packleader - Arguably the best draw engine in the deck. Friends include the obvious Garruk Wildspeaker and Rampaging Baloths. Greenweaver Druid - There are better options than this. Currently placeholding until I can find a Joraga Treespeaker. Llanowar Elves - A-durrrrrrrrr. Mossbridge Troll - This thing is just stupid with Kamahl. The permanent regeneration shield is pretty sexy, too. Omnath, Locus of Mana - Another mono-green staple. Fantastic as a general in its own right, but serves as more of a sink for Kamahl's second ability in this deck. Orochi Sustainer - An odd choice, but it serves an important purpose as a Snake, providing a chance to use Patron of the Orochi's oft-overlooked Snake Offering. Patron of the Orochi - He's an absolute force with Kamahl, who always appreciates the additional green mana. Tends to catch kill spells faster than anything else in the deck. Phyrexian Hydra - I know, I know. "Infect? Really?" Truth is, this card provides an alternate win condition in the face of dedicated life gain (or some other strategy that makes conventional damage useless). Best buddies with Vigor. Primalcrux - The epitome of mono-green fatties. At WORST, a trampling 6/6 for six. But he'll never get that small. That makes it amazing. Rampaging Baloths - A powerful card for offense and defense. Synergizes well with a good portion of the deck's other creatures. Sakura-Tribe Elder - Very good card in its own right, a Rampant Growth on a stick. Also doubles as a snake offering for Patron of the Orochi. Scryb Ranger - One of the deck's unsung heroes. It's ability serves a multitude of purposes, from temporary mana acceleration to generating surprise blockers. Protection from blue keeps it around a lot longer than you'd think. Scute Mob - Is there a one-drop that catches counters and kill spells more frequently than this thing? A tempting first choice for Hibernation's End, and a decent choice for an early Green Sun's Zenith, as well. Spearbreaker Behemoth - Wrath insurance, mostly. Kamahl allows him to save a lot more creatures that he'd normally be able to. Steel Hellkite - Flyers are a rare commodity in green, so it's no surprise that the deck looks to artifact creatures for support there. This card is great because of it's ability to -ahem- "detonate" things. Flying and removal in a green deck. Get some. Terastodon - Accelerating into this guy is pretty damn hilarious. He can come out as early as turn four, and is best used to crush problematic nonbasic lands. (I'm looking at you, Mystifying Maze.) Also works as artifact/enchantment hate in a pinch. Thornling - The plethora of abilities is appreciative, but I keep trying to find things to replace this guy with. And every time, I keep coming back to its friendly mana cost and instant-speed indestructibility. Unyaro Bees - BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES! Verdant Force - Was once heralded as "the best fatty ever." He's since become "pretty frigging good" in the face of blatant power creep. Kamahl likes pumping his tokens. Vigor - Obvious choice is obvious. Insane with Phyrexian Hydra and Arena. Difficult to get rid of. Yavimaya Elder - Amazing in the early game. Decent body, can sacrifice itself to trigger its ability... what more could you ask for in a three-drop?
Conclusion
I'd just like to close out by telling my friend Rich that green players are people, too.
Other than that, let me know what you guys think about the deck!
I use a Braids deck, as well. I've had it for a few weeks, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that we use a lot of the same cards. If you're looking for some tips, here's what I can offer from past experiences:
-Braids is a very friendly general. You'll find that most people don't have an issue with her hitting the field on turn four or five.
-The trick to being successful with Braids is not just having loads of blue beaters to drop with her ability. You also need to make sure you can handle the stuff that your opponents drop.
-Extra turn effects are wonderful, and Paradox Haze even more so.
I find that one of the most satisfying ways to handle your opponents' bombs is to simply take them. You already have Treachery, which is the best of the business. I have also had good success with cards like Dream Leash and Volition Reins, so I'd give those a look, as well.
Alternatively, you can choose to be a selfish Braids player and deny your opponents the chance to use her ability at all. Stifle and Trickbind are excellent choices, as the ability to counter triggered abilities is a rare commodity. If you're feeling daring, you can try using Time Stop, as well.
Now, for a few cards I use that you might find interesting:
Riptide Shapeshifter: A one-man combo, great in a deck that uses a myriad of creature types. Dominating Licid: This thing is nearly impossible to kill and is another way to swipe your opponents' fatties. Mystifying Maze: Handy for temporarily dealing with fatties until you can bounce, swipe, or outright kill them. Be careful with "enters-the-battlefield" effects, though. Roil Elemental: Boy, is this guy a blast with Braids. You can drop him during your upkeep and use your land drop to steal something (preferably a general). If he can hang around, you can use Braids to drop an extra land. He needs protecting, but if you keep a counter handy, he's a force. Combos well with Oboro, Palace in the Clouds. Darksteel Colossus: He's massive, and doesn't die to those pesky wrath effects. You run Ulamog, though, so running this alongside him is pretty redundant. Pongify: Simply put, the best piece of removal you have access to. If you can't take it, make it a monkey. Mindslaver: A very unorthodox way to prevent your opponents from abusing Braids, but seeing as how she can cheat it into play, controlling an opponent's turn for a paltry 4 mana is nothing to scoff at. Gush: Run this if you can. The land bouncing is negligible when you can drop them with Braids. Reliquary Tower, Halimar Depths, Faerie Conclave, Lonely Sandbar: Just some nonbasics that you may want to consider.
Speaking of the Sphinx, I've been looking for a good replacement for it. We still want to be able to draw cards, and we don't want it to interfere with our cascade spells. So basically, something between 4 and 6 mana that draws cards. (maybe Mulldrifter?)
I've only had limited tests against Teachings, and you're right - game 1 is a terrible matchup. Game 2 isn't much better, you basically have to side out the land hate and one or two Wraths for all of your utility two-drops and hope for something good.
Grim Lavamancer isn't nearly as nasty as you might expect post-board against RDW. Between Firewalkers (life gain) and Duelists (first strike/shroud combo is the big seller), you can almost always stall into some lifegain and send your opponent into topdeck mode. Marauders may give Duelist fits, but the fact that she can't be spot-removed is worth it, I think.
I'm totally cool if you have a suggestion for what could replace her, though.
a. Origins
b. How it Works
II. Sample Deck List
III. Card explanations/additional card choices
I. An Introduction to Spread 'em
a. Origins
Once upon a time, when decks like Jund had a stranglehold over the Standard metagame (mid 2009 to early 2010), Pro Tour regular Gerry Thompson produced a radical solution in the form of a deck that revolved around using Spreading Seas and Convincing Mirage to shut down the vulnerable manabases of his opponents. "Spread 'em" quickly erupted into a serviceable archetype, posting decent results across the board until Alara block's rotation in October 2010. Now, with Modern's fast-changing banlists shifting the metagame to the point of being unpredictable, Spread 'em has a chance to leave its mark.
b. How it Works
Using Spread 'em is relatively simple – sit on your opponent's manabase with Spreading Seas (as well as our Modern replacement for Convincing Mirage – Sea's Claim), ensuring land disruption with the help of a healthy supply of cascade spells. The opponent will struggle to fix his or her colors enough to retaliate. Then the deck falls on one of its win conditions (fatties or 'walkers) to seal the victory!
II. Sample Deck List
1 Forest
4 Island
2 Mountain
4 Plains
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Steam Vents
3 Hallowed Fountain
1 Temple Garden
1 Steam Vents
2 Breeding Pool
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
2 Scalding Tarn
2 Lightning Angel
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Sphinx of Lost Truths
2 Frost Titan
Enchantment (12)
4 Sea's Claim
4 Ardent Plea
4 Spreading Seas
Sorcery (8)
4 Wrath of God
4 Captured Sunlight
Planeswalker (4)
4 Ajani Vengeant
4 Meddling Mage
4 Deft Duelist
3 Qasali Pridemage
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
3 Kor Firewalker
This second list is for the budget-minded (like myself) who refuse to invest in a ludicrously expensive land base.
1 Forest
4 Island
2 Mountain
4 Plains
1 Battlefield Forge
1 Shivan Reef
2 Adarkar Wastes
1 Brushland
2 Jungle Shrine
4 Seaside Citadel
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
1 Scalding Tarn
2 Lightning Angel
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Sphinx of Lost Truths
2 Frost Titan
Enchantment (12)
4 Sea's Claim
4 Ardent Plea
4 Spreading Seas
Sorcery (8)
4 Wrath of God
4 Captured Sunlight
Planeswalker (4)
4 Ajani Vengeant
4 Meddling Mage
4 Deft Duelist
3 Qasali Pridemage
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
3 Kor Firewalker
III. Card explanations/additional card choices
Land Disruption
Sea's Claim [Ninth Edition] – Spreading Seas' little brother. Sure, no cantrip, but it's also a paltry U to cast. This is a bigger deal than you might think, as it allows us to mess up the opponent's opening land drop even when we're on the draw. This is one area where Modern Spread 'em shines over its Standard forefather. Run 4 alongside Spreading Seas.
The Cascade Brigade
Bloodbraid Elf [Alara Reborn] – I'm sure there's nothing I can say about Bloodbraid that hasn't already been said. 3/2 with haste with one (potentially two) spells stapled to it for four mana is just obscene. They can only cascade into the land disruption spells and the aforementioned Ardent Plea, so there's no guesswork involved with casting her. 4 Bloodbraids serve as mid-game beatdown and Seas 12-16.
Captured Sunlight [Alara Reborn] – The unsung hero of the cascade trio. After seeing what Bloodbraid offers for four mana, gaining 4 life seems very underwhelming. However, the life gain is crucial in the event that you've been taking shots from early beaters (if they manage to work through your land hate) and your own fetches and shocklands. Remember, the goal of cascade isn't the spell itself – it's the Spreading Seas or Sea's Claim you're inevitably going to cascade into. 4 of these gives us Seas 17 through 20 – a third of the deck!
Midgame Control
Ajani Vengeant [Shards of Alara] – Ajani serves as the jack-of-all-trades card in Spread 'em. His +1 deals with troublesome permanents (like that Tarmogoyf your opponent managed to sneak through your Seas), and can also stun tapped lands so your opponent can't do anything with it until it's an Island. His -2 is useful for picking off smaller creatures (or your opponent's dome), and also pads your life total. In an ideal situation, he'll just sit around and build up loyalty to serve as a distraction while you work your way up into your real win conditions. (Although a one-sided Armageddon certainly counts too, Islands or otherwise.)
Win Conditions
Frost Titan [Magic 2011, Magic 2012] – Frosty is a great curve-capper in Spread 'em. Here, he takes the place of Sphinx of Jwar Isle in the Standard version by being a (pseudo)-shroudy beater that can further the lockdown theme by “pickling” a permanent on entering and when swinging. We'll run 2 for now, because it royally sucks to have them clogging up your hand in the early going.
Lightning Angel [Time Spiral] – What's THIS thing doing here? Where the heck is Baneslayer Angel? Why am I running something with such a wonky mana requirement in a deck that's so susceptible to land destruction as it is? To that, I have three words for you: Flying, vigilance, haste. This is the perfect storm of awesome when you need to get some damage through without compromising your board position. It's so satisfying to toss out one of these babies and swing, sucking up exalted boosts and dealing 4-5 damage out of nowhere. The price is right for 4 mana, even if it is color-intensive.
Sideboard Strategy/Additional Card Choices
The sideboard of Spread 'em plays things a little differently than conventional sideboards. Since there are so many cascade cards in the maindeck, deviating from that strategy when going to the board is very impractical. Therefore, most of the sideboard choices are things that you can reliably cascade into. Notable examples are listed below.
Kor Firewalker [Worldwake] – One of Spread 'em's biggest weaknesses during its standard days was against Boros and Red Deck Wins. Unfortunately, not much has changed during the deck's transition to Modern (although access to Sea's Claim helps). Kor Firewalker is the no-brainer for any deck that's running a healthy supply of red spells and/or creatures. Don't forget to gain life for your Bloodbraids and Ajani Vengeant!
Meddling Mage [Alara Reborn] – The fluctuating banlist has Modern players scrambling for new decks that can set up some kind of dumb combo to win the game. I can't claim to know how many such combos are still viable, but I do know this – Meddling Mage will complicate things. If land hate doesn't stop your opponent from comboing out, swap your Seas out and cascade into Mages instead.
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre [Rise of the Eldrazi] – While testing this deck, I discovered that it fares quite poorly against UB mill. One Eldrazi in the board patches up this hole. I like Ulamog over Kozilek, Butcher of Truth simply because of the Vindicate you get when you cast him, but you can run either one, really.
Deft Duelist [Shards of Alara] – Another solution to red decks, and a solid one at that. You can hide behind a couple of Duelists for a lot longer than you'd think. Once the board is back under control, any excess DD's will happily scoop up exalted boosts and keep up the pressure until you can land an Angel or Frost Titan.
Seal of Primordium [Planar Chaos] – Similar to Qasali Pridemage in that it deals with artifacts and enchantments. The upside to using SoP is that it requires less mana to crack (2 to Pridemage's 3) and doesn't care about Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite. The downside is that they don't double as offensive threats. Pick whichever suits your meta.
Mulldrifter - Just as effective as Sphinx of Lost Truths, perhaps even better depending on your meta. Divination for the early game, and a flying body later on. Very solid, and more mana-friendly than Sphinx.
Kataki, War's Wage [Saviors of Kamigawa] - Sup affinity. I'd only recommend this if you have affinity decks running all over the place in your meta. Otherwise stick with Pridemage or Seal.
Convincing Mirage [Magic 2010] – A possible suggestion if you need more land disruption, but it's difficult to find space for them. They can also help fix your mana base in a pinch.
Phyrexian Revoker [Mirrodin Beseiged] – An alternative/complement to Meddling Mage if you need more combo disruption. They also work well if opponents' planeswalkers give you rashes.
[CARD]
Baneslayer Angel[/CARD] [Magic 2010, Magic 2011] – You can run this over Lightning Angel and not lose too much. It's all about getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to your win conditions, and Baneslayer is where it's at. The choice between Lightning and Baneslayer is strictly up to preference. You can also stick one in the board as a finisher against red decks.
Runed Halo [Shadowmoor] – Another two-mana combo breaker.
Mesa Enchantress [Planar Chaos, Magic 2010, Magic 2012] – If you don't want to wait for Sphinx of Lost Truths, this card is a fine way to pile up the card advantage. Spread 'em runs 12 enchantments mainboard, so an Enchantress or two might help give you the edge you need.
Sun Titan [Magic 2010, Magic 2011] – Possibly over Frost Titan, since they recycle any dead Seas. Not as strong because they can't protect themselves, but it could work.
Additionally, how does everyone feel about Phyrexian Revoker vs. Pithing Needle in the board? I'm partial to the Revokers myself (since you can "recycle" them to answer a variety of threats), but I'd like to know of some instances where Needles are better, and whether or not I should bench my 3 Revokers for them.
Part of the reason I'm not keen on using things like Paradox Haze to keep Braids to myself is that I want to give my opponents the idea that Braids is a nice general. If people see me beginning to set up ways to abuse her, they won't hesitate to take her out, putting me in a bad spot. Vanishing is pretty hilarious, though.
[CARD]
Flow of Ideas[/CARD] seems redundant when I have Recurring Insight and Blue Sun's Zenith.
Winding Canyons was cut from the deck, as I only have one and my Kamahl EDH deck can do much nastier things with it. If I get another one, I'll work it back in.
Kira... I need one. >< Also, Gather Specimens doesn't work so well with Braids, namely because you have to play it after her trigger, and at that point, your opponent can just choose not to drop a creature.
Mana is rarely an issue, but I can't argue with a Gilded Lotus.
Also, update: Deck has been modified a bit, leaning more toward aggro-control. Minion Reflector is out for the time being, sorry SuperSonik. Decided that a late-game infinite turn combo (Planar Portal with Beacon of Tomorrows) was more amusing. Also added Blightsteel Colossus and Frost Titan.
This blue Braids deck is geared toward aggro-control. It revolves around using Braids to drop huge, game-breaking creatures and artifacts without paying for them, while simultaneously offering multiple ways to deal with the things your opponents are likely to drop.
1 Braids, Conjurer Adept
Creatures (19)
1 Arcanis the Omnipotent
1 Blightsteel Colossus
1 Chancellor of the Spires
1 Clone
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Frost Titan
1 Guile
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
1 Keiga, the Tide Star
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Quicksilver Gargantuan
1 Riptide Shapeshifter
1 Stormtide Leviathan
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Tidespout Tyrant
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
1 Vesuvan Doppelganger
Planeswalkers (2)
1 Jace Beleren
1 Jace, Memory Adept
Artifacts (16)
1 Akroma's Memorial
1 Caged Sun
1 Crystal Shard
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Elixir of Immortality
1 Erratic Portal
1 Gauntlet of Power
1 Journeyer's Kite
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Mana Vault
1 Mindslaver
1 Planar Portal
1 Proteus Staff
1 Sculpting Steel
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Control Magic
1 Leyline of Anticipation
1 Rhystic Study
1 Soothsaying
1 Treachery
1 Volition Reins
Sorceries (6)
1 Beacon of Tomorrows
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Ponder
1 Rite of Replication
1 Time Warp
1 Walk the Aeons
Instants (16)
1 Capsize
1 Counterspell
1 Disrupting Shoal
1 Dissipate
1 Echoing Truth
1 Evacuation
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Foil
1 Hinder
1 Pongify
1 Remand
1 Rewind
1 Spell Crumple
1 Stifle
1 Time Stop
1 Wipe Away
1 Academy Ruins
1 Faerie Conclave
1 Halimar Depths
23 Island
1 Lonely Sandbar
1 Mystifying Maze
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Soldevi Excavations
1 Springjack Pasture
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolaria West
Gotta love the "one-armed hug" decks.
The reason wrath is hard for Kamahl is because he has a hard time rebuilding a board position. Sure, some of the opponent's lands get wiped, but you think a smart player wouldn't start hoarding lands prior to a wrath with Kamahl on the field?
City of Solitude seems interesting, although you'd lose the instant-speed Overrun ability Kamahl gives you. Storm Cauldron just seems counter-intuitive unless you have lots of Explore effects in your deck (which mine does not). Tsunami has already been discussed. Boseiju... I dunno, I feel I could live without it. If I come across one, I'll try it out for a bit and see how it goes.
Seedborn Muse - I really like this card. Seems too good to be left out of the deck. I could probably remove Greenweaver Druid for this.
Vedalken Orrery - Wishful thinking, to be honest. All of my EDH decks could use one of these, and I'd probably put one in Braids first.
Quicksilver Amulet - lol. Would go in over Dramatic Entrance.
Jugan, the Rising Star - I have one that I could put in, but what would come out?
Spore Frog - I'd only run this if I also had Genesis to go along with it, in which case it would replace Fog.
Wild Pair - Meh. I like Hibernation's End better.
Greater Good - Tried it, didn't like it. Not nearly as useful as it seems.
Quirion Ranger - I already have the Scryb Ranger, so I don't know if two of those effects would be any more beneficial. Especially if I get a Seedborn Muse.
Duplicant - Yes please. Any suggestions as to what to pull for it would be welcome, though.
Foster - Maybe if I had Awakening Zone... otherwise, I don't see it being that helpful.
Mind's Eye - Good, reliable draw. I like it. I can see Momentous Fall coming out for it.
Oracle of Mul Daya - I like the ramp I have. Including her would really only be for cheating lands off the top of my library.
Deranged Hermit - He'll have a tough time competing with Thornling as my go-to five-drop.
Silklash Spider - Arashi, the Sky Asunder FTW.
Eye of Ugin - ....why?
Mirri's Guile - Find one for me. For only G? Sign me up!
Soul's Majesty - My preference goes to Momentous Fall here.
Reliquary Tower - Very, VERY rarely is an overstuffed hand a problem for me. Even in our playgroup.
Vesuva - Oh Sam, you badman.
Petrified Field - I'd run it if Realms Uncharted were still in the deck. ._.
Treetop Village - Man-lands are always nice.
Yavimaya Hollow - SEEMS GOOD.
Safe Haven - Not worth it. It's bad enough that Arena doesn't tap for mana.
Sylvan Scrying - Maybe. Possibly a replacement for Search for Tomorrow.
Mosswort Bridge - I'm not really a fan of the hideaway lands. They seem very hit-or-miss.
Tsunami - With Seedtime removed, so too goes the blatant blue hate.
Choke - Same as above.
Tooth and Nail - It's on the wish list.
Chameleon Colossus - I agree, the pro-black is nice, but what comes out for it?
Silvos, Rogue Elemental - A big, dumb, regenerating beater. In for something, I just don't know what it is yet.
Tornado - Yuck on the cumulative upkeep.
Fertilid - We'll leave this combo to Danray.
Petrified Wood-kin - I have a lot of better things to spend seven mana on. This guy just isn't big enough.
Vengevine - He's pretty stupid.
Survival of the Fittest - Makes Fauna Shaman break down and weep.
Sylvan Library - This is probably the only card on the "expensive" list that I'd shell out to get. It's just too damn good.
Drop of Honey - Green removal is nice, but the fact that it will eventually start killing my stuff makes me think twice.
Genesis - More wishful thinking. He's only about six or seven bucks, but finding one is hard nowadays.
Lotus Cobra - Hello there, Omnath.
Primeval Titan - He's best buddies with Kamahl, fetching insane amounts of lands. Too expensive for what he brings to the deck, though.
Defense of the Heart - If I were ever to replace Hibernation's End, it would be with this thing.
As for Tectonic Edge... it's a budget Strip Mine. Shelling out six bucks for a land is against several of my religions. =/
1 Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
Creatures (32)
1 Arashi, the Sky Asunder
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Cloudthresher
1 Eternal Witness
1 Fauna Shaman
1 Fierce Empath
1 Forgotten Ancient
1 Gaea's Revenge
1 Garruk's Packleader
1 Joraga Treespeaker
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Mossbridge Troll
1 Omnath, Locus of Mana
1 Orochi Sustainer
1 Patron of the Orochi
1 Phyrexian Hydra
1 Primalcrux
1 Rampaging Baloths
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Scryb Ranger
1 Scute Mob
1 Spearbreaker Behemoth
1 Steel Hellkite
1 Terastodon
1 Thicket Elemental
1 Thornling
1 Unyaro Bees
1 Verdant Force
1 Vigor
1 Vine Trellis
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Yavimaya Elder
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
Artifacts (2)
1 Cloudstone Curio
1 Umezawa's Jitte
Enchantments (11)
1 Abundance
1 Asceticism
1 Bear Umbra
1 Cream of the Crop
1 Hibernation's End
1 One with Nature
1 Rancor
1 Rites of Fluorishing
1 Seal of Primordium
1 Sylvan Library
1 Vernal Bloom
Sorceries (10)
1 Deconstruct
1 Genesis Wave
1 Gleeful Sabotage
1 Green Sun's Zenith
1 Harmonize
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Praetor's Counsel
1 Primal Command
1 Revive
1 Search for Tomorrow
Instants (10)
1 Avoid Fate
1 Back to Nature
1 Fog
1 Krosan Grip
1 Harrow
1 Momentous Fall
1 Naturalize
1 Plummet
1 Primal Bellow
1 Vines of Vastwood
24 Forest
1 Arena
1 Khalni Garden
1 Llanowar Reborn
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
1 Sapseep Forest
1 Temple of the False God
1 Tranquil Thicket
1 Winding Canyons
Introduction
As with nearly all mono-green decks, Kamahl's team has a very straightforward set of goals - to ramp it up, crank it out, and flatten the next player to look at you funny. The deck can generate a very scary board position within the first few turns, leaving opponents to either cower behind meager defenses or find some way to make friends with you. For better or for worse, if you enjoy having an early presence and a heap of big, fat creatures, this Kamahl deck might be right up your alley.
Strengths of the Deck
Well, isn't it obvious? It's mono-green! A slew of mana-producing creatures and land-fetching spells ensure that the (typically) slow start to multiplayer EDH games will not become commonplace. And what better way to spend all that extra mana than on a creature that can beat faces in? As this is an EDH deck, I will try to refrain from citing specific cards because, as we are all aware, there is no way to guarantee that a specific card will show up in this format. There's a lot of deck space for that one trump card to get lost in, and unless your deck is stacked with tutors (something green isn't generally famed for), it's best to adopt a "make do with what you have" attitude.
Kamahl himself is a very potent threat, simply because he does not rely on the deck to be powerful, nor does the deck rely on him to win (Compare to generals such as Braids, Conjurer Adept, Rhys the Redeemed, and Teysa, Orzhov Scion.) If Kamahl is your only creature on the board, he is very much capable of ending the game himself. It does not stretch credibility to suggest that a multiplayer game can end with at least two players dying from Kamahl general damage! But Kamahl's talents do not end with simply pumping himself. He is a phenomonal team player, providing a one-man sink for the ridiculous amounts of mana that the deck can churn out.
An oft-overlooked aspect of Kamahl is the diplomacy that his first ability can provide. For a mere G, he can animate any land on the board. This provides a measure of safety from one of the deck's most crippling weaknesses: wrath effects. No one wants to cast Damnation or even Rain of Embers when Kamahl is out and the Forests are untapped.
Weaknesses of the Deck
As was mentioned earlier, wrath effects are the bane of this deck. There is no protection outside of the rare chance that Spearbreaker Behemoth is on the field. Your safest bet is to get Kamahl on the field and make them pay for wrathing you.
Habitually, green decks run into two problems: fliers and lack of card draw. The deck attempts to curb this problem with draw fixing, creature tutoring, and things like the potentially devastating Tornado Elemental or the staple Plummet. Fliers are still a very menacing threat to Kamahl, however, and the best solution I can offer outside of the pieces of tech in the deck is to smack the player right back. Except do it with bigger, more trample-y things. (Enemy things. :))
Running out of gas is a tricky proposition, albeit one that shouldn't happen too often. With the absurd amounts of ramp in the deck, drawing into usable spells is less of a hassle, and with this format being what it is, the general is a sound play to make about 95% of the time. And it's one you are always going to have (except if it gets Hindered, but we'll get to that.)
Kamahl vs. The Color Blue
Kamahl has been dogged by the color blue for pretty much his entire existence, dating all the way back to his days as a red Pit Fighter. Green Kamahl is no different. And to make matters worse, he has landed himself in one of the least merciful formats with respect to powerful blue cards. It's EDH. Blue decks are everywhere. This is an indisputable fact. And there are control cards and counterspells out there that can make the Krosan tough-guy break down and weep. And then the blue player will callously counter Kamahl's tears. Yeah, it's that bad.
I realize that this is a casual EDH deck, and that the whole point is to relax and have fun with everyone, but I cannot stress this enough. The key to succeeding with Kamahl is to PUT PRESSURE ON THE BLUE PLAYER(S)! Any deck with blue in it that's allowed to get up and running can stop Kamahl dead in his tracks, and soon you'll be stuck with all that mana, a hand full of tech, and maybe even a field full of fatties... but to no avail. The blue player's leash firmly around the mono-green's neck, all you can do is twiddle your thumbs and curse under your breath as they counter, neuter, or outright steal your defense against fliers/discard/mill/whatever else they use as their win condition.
Yes, it's mean to pick on one player the entire game. Yes, it's silly to prioritize strictly based on color. But anything bearing the teardrop in its mana cost is something that will prevent you, the mono-green player, from having fun with your deck. And in this format, not having fun is the worst crime imaginable.
Individual Card Assessment (in progress; updated periodically)
Arashi, the Sky Asunder - Amazing tech against flying creatures, which the deck struggles greatly with. The channel ability is especially hard to counter.
Birds of Paradise - Mana dork, one of the best in the business.
Cloudthresher - Can't beat that mana-to-body ratio, and it has flash to boot. The ability to evoke it is just gravy.
Eternal Witness - The utility of this card is impressive. Early game, it recycles ramp cards. Late game, it brings back a bomb. Staple in this deck.
Fauna Shaman - Her ability is incredibly helpful as long as you watch out for opposing reanimator decks. Will eventually be replaced with Survival of the Fittest.
Fierce Empath - Helps you dig up those big, trample-y things. Usually the go-to three-drop for Hibernation's End.
Forgotten Ancient - Holy hell, this card is a beast. In multiplayer games, he gets big in a hurry, and can spread the love to the tramplers. Combos with Woodfall Primus like a whore.
Gaea's Revenge - Haste in green is tough to come by. Protection from (just about) everything but your stuff is even harder. This card is a middle finger to blue decks, pure and simple.
Garruk's Packleader - Arguably the best draw engine in the deck. Friends include the obvious Garruk Wildspeaker and Rampaging Baloths.
Greenweaver Druid - There are better options than this. Currently placeholding until I can find a Joraga Treespeaker.
Llanowar Elves - A-durrrrrrrrr.
Mossbridge Troll - This thing is just stupid with Kamahl. The permanent regeneration shield is pretty sexy, too.
Omnath, Locus of Mana - Another mono-green staple. Fantastic as a general in its own right, but serves as more of a sink for Kamahl's second ability in this deck.
Orochi Sustainer - An odd choice, but it serves an important purpose as a Snake, providing a chance to use Patron of the Orochi's oft-overlooked Snake Offering.
Patron of the Orochi - He's an absolute force with Kamahl, who always appreciates the additional green mana. Tends to catch kill spells faster than anything else in the deck.
Phyrexian Hydra - I know, I know. "Infect? Really?" Truth is, this card provides an alternate win condition in the face of dedicated life gain (or some other strategy that makes conventional damage useless). Best buddies with Vigor.
Primalcrux - The epitome of mono-green fatties. At WORST, a trampling 6/6 for six. But he'll never get that small. That makes it amazing.
Rampaging Baloths - A powerful card for offense and defense. Synergizes well with a good portion of the deck's other creatures.
Sakura-Tribe Elder - Very good card in its own right, a Rampant Growth on a stick. Also doubles as a snake offering for Patron of the Orochi.
Scryb Ranger - One of the deck's unsung heroes. It's ability serves a multitude of purposes, from temporary mana acceleration to generating surprise blockers. Protection from blue keeps it around a lot longer than you'd think.
Scute Mob - Is there a one-drop that catches counters and kill spells more frequently than this thing? A tempting first choice for Hibernation's End, and a decent choice for an early Green Sun's Zenith, as well.
Spearbreaker Behemoth - Wrath insurance, mostly. Kamahl allows him to save a lot more creatures that he'd normally be able to.
Steel Hellkite - Flyers are a rare commodity in green, so it's no surprise that the deck looks to artifact creatures for support there. This card is great because of it's ability to -ahem- "detonate" things. Flying and removal in a green deck. Get some.
Terastodon - Accelerating into this guy is pretty damn hilarious. He can come out as early as turn four, and is best used to crush problematic nonbasic lands. (I'm looking at you, Mystifying Maze.) Also works as artifact/enchantment hate in a pinch.
Thornling - The plethora of abilities is appreciative, but I keep trying to find things to replace this guy with. And every time, I keep coming back to its friendly mana cost and instant-speed indestructibility.
Unyaro Bees - BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!
Verdant Force - Was once heralded as "the best fatty ever." He's since become "pretty frigging good" in the face of blatant power creep. Kamahl likes pumping his tokens.
Vigor - Obvious choice is obvious. Insane with Phyrexian Hydra and Arena. Difficult to get rid of.
Yavimaya Elder - Amazing in the early game. Decent body, can sacrifice itself to trigger its ability... what more could you ask for in a three-drop?
Conclusion
I'd just like to close out by telling my friend Rich that green players are people, too.
Other than that, let me know what you guys think about the deck!
-Braids is a very friendly general. You'll find that most people don't have an issue with her hitting the field on turn four or five.
-The trick to being successful with Braids is not just having loads of blue beaters to drop with her ability. You also need to make sure you can handle the stuff that your opponents drop.
-Extra turn effects are wonderful, and Paradox Haze even more so.
I find that one of the most satisfying ways to handle your opponents' bombs is to simply take them. You already have Treachery, which is the best of the business. I have also had good success with cards like Dream Leash and Volition Reins, so I'd give those a look, as well.
Alternatively, you can choose to be a selfish Braids player and deny your opponents the chance to use her ability at all. Stifle and Trickbind are excellent choices, as the ability to counter triggered abilities is a rare commodity. If you're feeling daring, you can try using Time Stop, as well.
Now, for a few cards I use that you might find interesting:
Riptide Shapeshifter: A one-man combo, great in a deck that uses a myriad of creature types.
Dominating Licid: This thing is nearly impossible to kill and is another way to swipe your opponents' fatties.
Mystifying Maze: Handy for temporarily dealing with fatties until you can bounce, swipe, or outright kill them. Be careful with "enters-the-battlefield" effects, though.
Roil Elemental: Boy, is this guy a blast with Braids. You can drop him during your upkeep and use your land drop to steal something (preferably a general). If he can hang around, you can use Braids to drop an extra land. He needs protecting, but if you keep a counter handy, he's a force. Combos well with Oboro, Palace in the Clouds.
Darksteel Colossus: He's massive, and doesn't die to those pesky wrath effects. You run Ulamog, though, so running this alongside him is pretty redundant.
Pongify: Simply put, the best piece of removal you have access to. If you can't take it, make it a monkey.
Mindslaver: A very unorthodox way to prevent your opponents from abusing Braids, but seeing as how she can cheat it into play, controlling an opponent's turn for a paltry 4 mana is nothing to scoff at.
Gush: Run this if you can. The land bouncing is negligible when you can drop them with Braids.
Reliquary Tower, Halimar Depths, Faerie Conclave, Lonely Sandbar: Just some nonbasics that you may want to consider.
Hope this helps! Let me know what you think.