Shamanism deck type, my version of it, Shaman Kings.
So this list is updated with the list I used today on a local tournament.
------------------------------------1st point - explanations
-Why this deck and what does it do?Shamans are cool, that's why! Now seriously the objective is winning by turn 4-5 with 1-2 swings thanks to the damage from Rage Forger which can be fetched with Flamekin Harbinger and Fauna Shaman. Another reason to chose shamanism over any other aggro deck is the fact that it gives you board advantage while controlling your draws (fetching the creatures you need) and keeping the card advantage, with cards like Elvish Visionary and
Wolf-Skull Shaman
.
Another option you have is stacking
Wolf-Skull Shaman
s which are really cheap to drop and can snowball on your board, this is really good vs blue decks mainly since you can drop creatures without casting them (avoiding mana leaks, spell snares and so on).
-Why a singleton of
Skinshifter
?
Skinshifter
is great, can even deal with Tarmogoyf on board but will make you spend a lot of mana to do is job and having multiples in play won't work.
-Why a singleton of Lead the Stampede?
You don't want to have a lot of spells on a deck of this type but lead the stampede is particularly good to get back from a board wipe, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, you can have another in your SB if you feel like or Descendants' Path, tho the 2nd one is much slower.You often get 3 creatures to your hand out of this card since you have 33 creatures on your deck.
-Why the singleton of Skarrg Guildmage?
It was meant to be fetched with Fauna Shaman to give trample to your dudes in order to end a board stall in games where your opponents spam creatures like in the tokens match up, but I realized that you always prefer to stack up more Rage Forgers instead of going to this plan.
-Why a singleton of Eternal Witness?
The real answer is, I don't have another one, this card is great, I would play one more if I could in place of Skarrg Guildmage.
-Why a singleton of Oran-Rief, the Vastwood?
Well this card sets you back on your mana but sometimes it really does the trick, it will place counters on your wolf tokens so they can also become a part of your master plan of burning your opponent down, but if you have more and you happen to draw both, you will have 2 lands entering tapped, not great.
-Why the Raging Ravines?
Just as Oran-rief, this card will set you back a little in getting your board established, but it works as a insurance, if you get the board clean on a 4th turn Damnation it will finish the game for you.
------------------------------------2nd point - Sideboard options
-
Burning-Tree Shaman
:I didn't talk about this one but it's mainly vs artifact stuff since it deals a little damage when abilities are activated, such as equipments, Birthing Pod, Deathrite Shaman.I also bring one extra in aggro based match ups or vs Red decks where his toughness matters, since he is out of "Lightning Bolt kill range".
-Lightning Bolt:The 4th one comes in vs aggressive matches when you need to kill quickly and deal with creatures. I usually board out Lead the Stampede]] because you won't need to refill your board in that kind of matches.
-Tormod's Crypt:Obviously this one comes in against graveyard strategies, but there are other options for the shaman's deck, I just didn't have them with me. Consider replacing with: Loaming Shaman
-
Thrun, the Last Troll
:You end up bringing this guy almost every match. Either you need some extra toughness or resilience to counter-magic, this will do the trick. I end up boarding out a 2-drop I don't think I will need, mostly Elvish Visionary.
-Ancient GrudgeThey have a artifacts, get 1.They have a lot of artifacts, get 2.
-
Creeping Corrosion
:If they have A MILLION artifacts.
-Blood Moon:Land disruption, good vs Valakut, Tron and very heavy on dual-lands decks. (This is why a reason for me not to run that many dual lands, since you need forests)
-Fulminator Mage:Land disruption once more, and on a shaman, it's heaven.
-Vexing Shusher:Against counter-magic bring him, take out 2-mana drops you think you need less than him.
-Skarrg Guildmage:Here he is once more, trample is cool and all, but I'm considering dropping him for something more useful, maybe a 2nd Lead the Stampede
------------------------------------3rd point - Improvements
The list is obviously not completed, I needed more duals in order for it to be more consistent, Cavern of Souls,
Copperline Gorge
s Stomping grounds would be some cards to add in order for it to be more consistent.
I ended up drawing just enough lands most of the games, except 1 time I was really flooded.
I would also trade the single Skarrg Guildmage for something else and leave one on the sideboard just to give the trample vs Token decks.
Vexing Shusher is also not necessary if you are running 4 Cavern of Souls opening up slots for more Blood Moon/Ancient Grudge/Fulminator Mage.
Yet to test is Domri Rade that also seems to fit in here, since this deck should be his home, The Gruul Shamans!
