Greetings, all, and prepare to not only be entertained by my witty humor, but educated by my masterful deckwork {insert sitcom laughter} {wiping away tear}. No, seriously. Today’s article comes straight from the brain of StarCityCCG.com’s President, Pete Hoefling! I can see him blushing now. 🙂 He suggested that his loyal servants… er, informative writers write about Type II due to the upcoming Regionals/Nationals. Well, I’ve decided to take him up on it; joke’s on him! (You’ll see why.)
So, Type II is finally getting some recognition. I’ve been pleased to see less Extended articles and more Standard ones on the Internet. I guess I get to be added to the list of monotone droners talking about Rebels… wrong again! No, I refuse! I shall be different; I shall endanger my career; I shall shock millions with my words; I shall… share my tech! {insert evil-sounding music and/or Darth Vader theme}
However, always on the lookout for email, I shall pretend that the tech I am about to share with you is "not good." You can send me suggestions to make this deck "better," and they shall go "under advisement." I "thank" you for your time. Without further ado, what my comrades have dubbed my Rogue Green Deck.
I tried a long time ago to write an article with a decklist in it without much success. Hopefully, my writing skills have improved since then. Let’s try, shall we? First of all, I guess you want my "techy" green deck. Well, let’s say that I’ve been lying to you, okay? There’s really not much tech. But, it functions well. It’s neither Stampy nor Control nor Stupid. It’s MINE! This baby’s been in the works for quite awhile, and I think I’m finally satisfied with it (yet open to suggestions). Okay, enough stalling. Here they are, the cards of my green deck:
4 Priest of Titania
2 Llanowar Elves
2 Heart Warden
2 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary
2 Vine Trellis
2 Multani’s Acolyte
4 Ancestral Recall (yeah, they reprinted it. I hear it’s going by the term "Yavimaya Elder" now, though)
2 Creeping Mold
2 Powder Keg
2 Rancor
3 Pattern of Rebirth
2 Blastoderm
2 Hunted Wumpus
2 Simian Grunts
2 Emperor Crocodile
2 Rushwood Elemental
2 Thorn Elemental
2 Child of Gaea
14 Forest
3 Gaea’s Cradle
2 Yavimaya Hollow
Now, I was originally going to try to avoid writing a card-by-card description, but upon looking at the above pile of cards, I’m sure the less-innovative of you (in fact, it’d take quite a mind to make sense of this!) might need a little bit of directioning. So, let me show you how it all fits together. (One thing to bear in mind: this is NOT Stampy, and this is NOT Control Green. If I wanted it to be either of those, I would have made a Dojo Deck. However, I prefer my own creations. Don’t worry, there will be a "why did I leave this out" section later.)
Priest of Titania:
There are 12 elves in this deck. Need I say more? Priest can be a FAT mana-producer, and she’s been able to power any card in my deck with the help of some of my opponent’s elves. That’s right: your opponent as a resource! There’s a lot of green going about (there’s this card, Crazy Recluse or something), and those decks pack a few elves, making Priest all the more advantageous to you. (I will NOT tell you to look out for your opponent’s Priests because that would challenge your intelligence.)
Llanowar Elves:
This card is white bordered, so it doesn’t deserve a lot of my time. It’s a one-drop mana producer that is a key ingredient to "Third Turn ‘Whatever-I-Darn-Well-Please.’" A great card, overall, and I just couldn’t leave it out.
"Why not play more Llanowar Elves?" you ask. "BECAUSE!" is my response. But, being an educated person, I shall finish that sentence (which has pretty much fallen to shambles because it started with "because"). Pattern of Rebirth is in this deck. Heart Warden can be enchanted with this card and oh-so-kindly donate itself to the graveyard in return for the aforementioned "Whatever-I-Darn-Well-Please." Anything that gives you mana AND card advantage is A-OK in my book!
Rofellos, Forest Doubler:
The biggest problem with green decks today is seeing this in the decklist:
4 Rofellos
4 Cradle
Not only do those cards have complete names which are being left out, but these cards are LEGENDARY. I’m sure you all know what that means, but for those of us who might not remember, let’s review, shall we? One copy of a legendary card can be in play at any time. So, let’s say that you cast Rofellos. You may be cheering now and thinking, "now I can cast anything in my deck." But, there’s one thing in your library you CAN’T cast, and it has a very low casting cost: Rofellos. Playing either one of these cards effectively makes the rest dead cards until your current one dies. This deck can be explosive enough (and actually includes basic land!) that it doesn’t NEED Rofellos. That’s all I have to say (about him).
Vine Trellis:
Now, I’m sure most of you can see why I chose this over more Llanowar Elves (besides the overpopulation of elves that would create). It has a FOUR toughness! Woohoo! So, when you’re beating down with Child of Gaea or Thorn Elemental (and, thus, you obviously don’t need more mana!), this big boy can block your opponent’s nasty critters. Some good, I’m telling you.
Multani’s Acolyte:
Holy card advantage, Batman! That’s what this card says to me. What’s that? You get to draw a card? Great. What’s that? It only costs two? Great. What’s that? It’s an elf? Great. What’s that? It has a power of 2? Great. What’s that? It has echo? Big deal. (I really shoulda copied those questions…) This card is great, and its echo is easily payable, too. Think of it: Forest, go. Forest, Acolyte, go. Echo, Forest, Rancor, attack for 4. Sure, he can get rid of your measly elf, but once he does, out comes Priest. It died? Oh Rofellos! That’s gone? Well, it’s turn five anyway: RUSHWOOD ELEMENTAL! Okay, fine, he can die too. I guess my REGENERATING Child of Gaea will have to do.
Yavimaya Elder:
What DOESN’T this card do? Four for one is some good, I’m telling you. I can take out your weenie, search for more Rofellos-fuel, AND draw a card. Holy card advantage, Batman! Plus, it goes great with Pattern of Rebirth.
(Yes, I DID just realize how long this is, so, yes, I AM trying to be a bit more contrite. I hope you can appreciate my ability to hack-and-slash future thoughts (even though I subjected you to very drawn-out thoughts earlier).) (Yes, I did use those parentheses right.)
Creeping Mold:
It destroys EVERYTHING! Except for creatures, which has been a real thorn in my hind. Still, it’s much too good to leave out, so in it goes.
Powder Keg:
Very similar to Creeping Mold in its usage, Powder Keg is great in this deck. I have trouble with weenies, and I can recover from blowing my own away if need be. Plus, if you go by Daniel’s Law of Conservation, you’ll have extra weenies in your hand anyway.
Rancor:
How could I resist? I put only two in and no Giant Growths, so I feel satisfyingly different. This card is just great, even IF I only have two in there.
Pattern of Rebirth:
Enter my tech. If there’s one piece of tech in this deck, it’s Pattern of Rebirth. This card is mucho excellent-o. This green deck started as "I Want Verdant Force Right Now" with possible third turn Verdant Forces and frequent fourth- to sixth-turn kills. Pattern of Rebirth stayed in from the old deck, but now it has a variety of creatures it can look for. Plus, this card couples well with five different cards in this deck not including Powder Keg which makes everything Pattern-able! Pattern of Rebirth might just as well read "enchanted creature cannot go to graveyard" against removal. If the creature dies, out pops something much more dangerous. You Vendetta my Patterned Rofellos? Where IS my Child, anyway?
Blastoderm:
I really don’t know how great this card is in the field, but it’s wonderful in theory. An untargetable 5/5 for four! Not bad. It stays around for only three attacks, and it can’t be Rancored, but while your opponent spends his time worrying about controlling your ‘Derm for three turns, you can set up another huge creature. Plus, with a name like that, it HAS to be in there! (This rule does NOT apply to Megatherium.)
Hunted Wumpus:
This card took a hiatus from this deck for awhile before I finally put it back in. Blue just doesn’t win anymore, so I don’t fear Morphling, Masticore will be cast anyway (and if I can force my opponent to play it before he’s ready, all the better), and who plays with Crater Hellion anyway? {staring down self} There’s not much that can rival this card, so in it goes!
Simian Grunts:
Holy- SMACK! You never see him coming. Casting this guy at the end of your opponent’s turn, echoing, and Rancoring on your turn is some bad for your opponent, I’m telling you. This card’s great.
Emperor Crocodile:
It’s a croc! I’m sure most of you have heard of the Crocodile Hunter. If not, hop on over to the Animal Network or whatever and check him out. He’s grait! When I saw this card, it just HAD to go into my deck. (Oh, and being a 5/5 for four is some good, I’m telling you.)
Rushwood Elemental:
This creature is a BEATING! You get this guy out, stall for a couple turns until he’s beyond rivalry, and commence with the beatdown! This huge guy has two enemies: Wildfire the turn after it comes out and Treachery. I fear the first, but it’s a remote enough chance for me not to have to worry about. Overall, this growing monstrosity is great (and, for once, even better than the respective creature in the book!).
Thorn Elemental:
"I don’t CARE how many creatures you block with! It doesn’t matter because I am Thorn Elemental, and I spear birds for fun. I am on the cover of InQuest’s Complete Magic Guide. I am renowned for being FAT, and you feel my pain no matter what you do. Fear me!"
Child of Gaea:
Yes, it tramples. Yes, it’s a 7/7. Yes, it costs six. Yes, it regenerates. MWA HA HA! This card gives decks FITS! I have NEVER felt a disadvantage paying the Child’s upkeep. This guy is 7/7 trampling, regenerating madness. Plus, he LAUGHS at Treachery. Mwa ha ha!
Forest:
The most broken card in this deck.
Gaea’s Cradle:
This card is amazing with all the weenies. Plus, it’s anti-Stampy/Weenie/Other Green Decks "tech." I get mine out first, and now you have FOUR dead cards in your deck. Oh, you played yours first? Where’s my Creeping Mold?
Yavimaya Hollow:
You heard me right. A) I DON’T need more green mana. I have 29 cards (that’s almost half my deck) that produce green mana (and I didn’t even count Yavimaya Elder). B) EVERY creature is Child of Gaea. C) NO ONE EXPECTS IT! Fear this land.
Well, there you have it. I know that I’ve taken a long time explaining my madness to you, but there must be a few final words. This deck is pretty easy to play once you know what you’re doing. It’s possible to win with weenies (oh, how I miss the days of Overrun), but you’re more likely than not going to win with a fattie or two powered by all the mana you can create. It’s rather simple.
Now, what did I leave out? Several cards. They include: Elvish Lyrist, Masticore, Giant Growth, Plow Under, and possibly Mishra’s Helix (which I’ve only just now considered for this deck). But, as for the first four (and other things I’ve "left out"), I assure you that their absence was intentional. My deck knows what it has to do, and it wants to do it with as little clutter as possible. Every piece of this deck contributes to the whole of success. Now, when facing particular decks that this deck needs to dance around, the sideboard comes into play. I can bring in my situational cards (yes, Masticore IS situational) when I need them. And, on the note of Masticore, don’t try to add it to this deck. This deck empties its hand much too quickly to make effective use of Masticore. Plus, I’d much rather have Child of Gaea 9 out of 10 matches.
Well, there it is. I’m open to any suggestions about this deck (though I reserve the right to take full credit for them [even though I won’t because your idea might fail, and I don’t want the blame]). Thanks for your time, and, if you, for some reason, build and test this deck, let me know how it went. You can also tell me what you thought of my first attempt at deck-analysis.
–Daniel Crane
–[email protected] (Thought I’d forget my email address, didn’t you?)