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| Info: The deck above is your generic Mono Green Aggro deck. Packed with eight instant-speed creature buffs, eight enchantments, and twenty-four creatures to enchance, Mono Green Aggro is famous for its explosive powers. What other Standard-Legal deck could boast of defeating the counter-packed Dralnu deck by simply resolving a Silhana Ledgewalker?
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| Strengths and Weaknesses: | |
| As stated in the info of MGA (mono-green aggro will be referred to as MGA from this point foward), MGA's power comes from its ability to have explosive hands, dealing high amounts of damage with enchantments (Moldervine Cloak) and enhancements (Stonewood Invocation). However, because the deck relies on such creature buffing spells to deal damage, the biggest weakness MGA suffers from is Mass Removal. Because of this, although MGA has a few 80/20 matchups (matchups in which you win 80% of the time), it also possesses a few 10/90 matchups as well (matchups in which you will practically lose unless you draw the perfect, or near-perfect hand, and/or your opponent draws a terrible one) This problem against Mass Removal stems from the fact that card advantage is lacking to recover from the removal of one's board. |  |
So then what changes can be made to this deck with Planar Chaos cards? Well many different changes exist. However, after extensive testing, I have come up with the following version...
Introducing GREEN DECK WINS!
Deck Statistics:
Card Choices:
~Creatures~
Reason: The reason for the cut of the Dryad Sophisticates and the Boreal Druids are because space had to be made for the Birds of Paradise (essential for our new red splash plan, as combined with the 6 dual lands, brings our red sources to a solid 9) and Llanowar Elves are pretty much better than Boreal Druids in a green deck, so they were able to keep their spots. In particular Dryad Sophisticate was also cut due to its weakness against spot removal (spells like Lightning Helix and Char ) making it possible for an opponent to get a two for one by burning away your Sophisticate while attempting to enchant it. Lastly, probably one of the biggest changes is the addition of Timbermare to this deck. Although initially Groundbreaker was also in this deck, Groundbreakers were cut due to its inefficeny. While Timbermare at a 5/5 power and toughness is resistent to just about any removal spell (short of Destroy target creature and mass removal), Groundbreaker can be killed with a Piracy Charm. Not to mention, while Timbermare is there to stay, Groundbreaker has a problem staying on the board (as it eventually kills itself at end of turn). I can go on about the merits of Timbermare vs. Groundbreaker, but to be brief, Timbermare is an amazing card, while Groundbreaker isn't that good.~Enchantments~
Reason: In order to make room for new cards (Timbermare and the like), 4 Blanchwood Armors were taken out. Originally, only two were taken out, along with 2 (Moldervine Cloaks), but after extensive testing, the Dredge ability of the (Moldervine Cloaks) were concluded to be superior, and consistency was established by removing 2 more Blanchwood Armors for more cloaks. ~Sorceries~
Reason: One of MGA's biggest flaws comes from its inability to recover from mass removal spells. Another weakness is the fact it possesses no card advantage creating spell outside of Greater Good. However, with Planar Chaos, green gained Harmonize Timeshifted goodness from blue (the card advantage color!).
~Instants~
| No Cards removed. | +3 Char |
Reason: This is probably one of the few metagame choices within this deck. With the enviroment of Standard so full of counter decks (UB dralnu being the main evil), This instant speed Char provides you with quite possibly the 4 quick spell damage you need to kill off an opponent as he tries to play a Teferi at the end of your turn. Testing has shown this to be an amazing card, as 4 damage when your opponent taps out is an amazing thing within a deck like MGA.
~Mana Base~ Reason: In order to support the two red spells Char , ((Bloodmoon), and I suppose Giant Solifuge as well), 6 forests were cut for these dual lands. Why these dual lands? Because they have the nifty feature of being able to produce Green mana as well, something essential to start the game off.
Now that we've covered the card choices I have made in Green Deck Wins, let us now address the sideboard I provide.
SIDEBOARD:
+4 Giant Solifuge  | This sideboard card should be boarded in against decks with many removal spells. By increasing the new of haste/untargetable creatures within the deck, your matchup increases to your favor |
+3 Blood Moon  | The only other purely red card within the deck, Blood Moon is also a metagame choice. With decks such as Angelfire ( a 3-color deck) and Dralnu (a deck which has no swamps outside its non-basic lands), Blood Moon boarded in against these decks will wreck their plans. |
+4 Carven Caryatid  | When facing other fast aggro decks like the mirror and Boros, the key to victory is to be able to do deal 20 faster than they can. (Carven Carayatid) is the perfect board for this plan of action as not only does it provide a 2/5 blocker to block incoming creatures, but it also provides you with a cantrip (a cantrip is when a card you play also allows you to draw a single card, which provides no hand card-advantage, but allows one to dig deeper into their deck.), allowing it to not hinder your plans. |
+3 Krosan Grip  | There are some decks that rely specifically on the use of enchantments as a win condition (UW Tron's Sacred Mesa :: Rack Discard's The Rack ). Krosan Grip offers a way to destroy these spells without fearing the all prevalent counterspell. |
+1 Char  | A fourth Char to sideboard in against control decks. |
So what are you waiting for? Go play in a Standard 2x and win!
-Sebastian Park
Runeliger (on MODO)
Email :: airizel at gmail dot com
13 Comments
Ok yeah I know you're tired of hearing this about Groundbreaker but I think it is a good choice whether in small numbers or a full set. The thing about it is the usefulness versus decks like Dralnu and UW control and Tron, it deals massive amounts of damage quicker than most anything else in the deck. Im not saying it is indeed better that Timbermare, infact I think have both in the deck would be amazing. I played my version on MWS for quite a bit now and its kewl when you have Scryb force on the table, drop a timbermare tap everything, use scryb to untap force then drop a Groundbreaker... its sick. And although it seems pretty far fetched to have that kind of set-up it really isn't, infact that set up was made after two WoG drops..
Thanks for reading my article first of all. And secondly, I strongly encourage you to register with Puremtgo, it hides your IP address, and makes your comments have a face ^^.
Now addressing the question at hand. You simply state that Groundbreaker is "awesome" but provide no warrant. Sure it's a 6 damage creature that does wonders post turn 4 wog, but what advantages does it pose other wise? I never say it's a BAD card, but rather that in this specific deck, I find that Timbermare to be 100% better due to its ability to STAY on the table, and resist removal easier. You say I've switched the deck to aggro/control, but that's completely wrong! Scryb Force is aggro control with its counters and its ability to protect its creatures, this deck is purely aggro. Boros is a fine example. Just because it runs chars and lightning helixes does that make it aggro/control? The answer is quite simply a resounding no. In response to the CoTH (Call of the herd for those who aren't fimilar with the phrase), I agree it's an AMAZING card. In fact, my deck ran 3-4 of them through most of my testing. However, although it doesn't roll to Wrath of God, it doesn't do anything special enough to warrant it. Timbermare, Giant Solifuge, those cards can actually deal damage the turn after a wrath, but CoTH just puts a 3/3 threat on the table, which in this current enviroment of Lightning helixes, Faith's fetters, even Sudden Death, isn't all that great (Case in point, Teferi is a 3/4, it survives an attack from a Herd token, while it rolls to Giant Solifuge). So what I'm trying to say is that this deck's choices reflect the metagame at hand, as is the result of testing, but I sincerely appreciate your feedback!
I've been wanting to play this online for awhile now, just haven't been lucky enough to pick up the main cards in draft yet...maybe I'll invest in a few of the cards after my next pay check. Great article though and keep it up with the graphics!
that just changed the deck completely from being aggro to aggro/control.
Groundbreaker is awesome and so is coth Coth doesnt roll to wog its a 4 of in sb.
The visual part of the article is very nicely done, first of all let me tell you that. About the deck; I'm not the expert when it comes to aggro decks, I like playing control most of the time but I have a few suggestions. How about: -1 Spectral Force, -1 S. Invocation, -1 Harmonize, -1 Might of Old Krosa (-4 in total) and +1 land, +1 Birds, +2 Groundbreaker or Call of the Herd(+4 in total). It's just a suggestion, you probably know it better than me :). I really do enjoy your articles by the way.
Looks like someone learned how to use Photoshop :)
Anyways good article. I think I will be trying this out at FNM
Those tables towards the bottom are super narrow.
The irony of what you recommended that I originally did start with +1 Birds, and +3 Call of the Herds (I have to emphasize the fact I truly believe that Groundbreaker is a very overrated card... I'll take Timbermare of it anyday). However, because of the sheer number of mana accelerators, combined with the low curve (the most expensive thing is Spectral force at 5 mana, and the average curve is only 2.70) 20 lands, 1/3 of the deck is quite perfect for this deck. In terms of your reducing of Spectral Force, Stonewood Invocation, Harmonize, and Might of Old Krosa, the only one that I've been considering lately is the Spectral Force (maybe for another Harmonize?). Harmonzie is essential for surviving the mass removal and coming back with full force, and the bull effects are part of the deck ^^
ne2s
www.ne3s.us
Great article though and keep it up with the graphics!
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