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I realized I didn’t have a deck representing one of the game’s main creature types, one which has been there since the beginning, and so I promptly decided to build something.
Since there have been hundreds of unique iterations on this tribal theme over the past 30 or so years, one thing is quite clear: You can build Elves in countless directions.
When I think of elves, I think of many small, well-coordinated beings helping one another out and working toward a common goal. I sat down with the Regional Manager and Assistant (to the) Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin, digested that idea, and this is what came out the other end.
16 Forests seems like a criminally truncated amount of basic lands to run, but between bonus ramp and an anemically low mana curve it will suffice.
To supplement regular lands we run a trio of Cavern of Souls to ensure our elves hit the table and stick, while Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth guarantees we push combat damage through (More on that below).
As for ramp, without Utopia Sprawl there isn’t much sense in running Arbor Elf. Rather, it’s the usual package; Elvish Mystic and Llanowar Elves turbo charge mana production, with a bit of Elvish Archdruid sprinkled in for good measure.
Nothing sinister or chaotic going on here, just good old fashioned teamwork. We run the aforementioned mana dorks, a handful of Lords, a beatstick and an engine.
•Elvish Mystic and Llanowar Elves are initially here to get us up to speed but will transition to frontline soldiers once those power/toughness boons start appearing.
•Elvish Archdruid and Elvish Champion rally to the cause, benevolently bestowing plethoras of plus one-plus one’s upon everyone. Of special note is Elvish Champion’s gift of Forestwalk. Coupled with Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth it presents a clear path to push combat damage through.
•Steel Leaf Champion is immediately useful, even before those additive counters start piling up.
•Lastly, Beast Whisperer helps replenish our hand. He fills the role CoCo would otherwise occupy, with a more legitimate battlefield presence (especially when buffed) and long-term use through card draw.
•We run only one non-elf creature, Primeval Titan. Once he takes command of the battlefield after being ramped in, boasting Trample power and a last minute retrieval of Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth, we will be ready to commence our attack run.
Sorry CoCo, you don’t belong here. We don’t run enough creatures to reliably maximize its potential, making it irrelevant. It’s also a fairly expensive card that not everyone has access to.
There obviously is a path to building Collected Company + Elves, but that isn’t what we’re all about here. This is lean, simple and affordable (more or less).
•Fog is here to buy time while we establish a board presence, as we can’t really accomplish much of anything without a few bodies and a couple Lords at the very least. Should your opponent try to put the pressure on early, Fog will have the attackers wandering aimlessly, only to be spat back out at the start of the Lost Woods for their trouble.
•Veil of Summer is a nearly perfect card, design-wise. Functionally, it is powerful without going overboard, it is highly playable though not a perfect fit for every deck, and it even has decent artwork despite releasing well after the point WotC found themselves entrenched knee deep in the generic, soulless, magic marker aesthetic plaguing this game for the last 15-20 years. Not as beautiful as its older sister, but a better overall fit for the mainboard. This one will forestall the best efforts of 2 of the 3 primary threat colors (’s onerous control spells and ’s removal), leaving only direct damage from to watch out for.
•Heroic Intervention is that Triforce in the back of your hand just waiting to save you from certain doom.
•Ramp into a Beast Whisperer as early as you can to keep your hand replenished while you seek to play a Lord (preferably Elvish Presley).
•Spam the table with as many diminutive Hylians as you can, shielding them from aught which assails with protective spells.
•Ramp into a Primeval Titan, then with the blessing of the forest and the strength of Lords, attack and conquer.
A little bit of everything; control, removal and some alternate wincons.
•Autumn's Veil is a grand old card from way back when things were well designed, well balanced and the art style hadn’t coalesced into some homogenized Microsoft Paint-esque garbage. Use this beautiful spell to keep at bay, paving the way to long term gains.
•Pound for pound, Natural State is a tough card to beat. Many (arguably most) artifacts and enchantments worth playing are 3 mana or less, and this will smash all but the most resistant targets.
•Dismember is another handy card to have at the ready; isn’t exactly known for removal, and in an emergency this spell can mean the difference between success or failure.
•Lastly, an alternate wincon. Craterhoof Behemoth has instant game ending potential, depending on the state of your front lines.
Many of us haven’t unlocked the big wallet yet, and our meager coin purses can only hold so many rupees. Sometimes a little has to stretch a long way. I present a few budget friendly alternatives that accomplish much the same purpose as their expensive counterparts, with relatively minor drawbacks. Use at your own discretion.
•Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth will set you back around $40 for the playset, whereas Nylea's Presence and Lush Growth compensate well enough (even if they open up the opponent’s mana base in a less than ideal way).
•Cavern of Souls is another really costly card that isn’t absolutely necessary (though it does make a difference…). Replacing them with basic forests can save you a shiny silver rupee or more.
•Something like Tamiyo's Safekeeping or Snakeskin Veil is a fine substitute for the far more expensive Heroic Intervention. However it won’t cover everything all at once, so you’ll have to carefully select which creature to protect. It seems beggars can be choosers.
”For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow…And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him…”
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Casual
98% Competitive
| Top Ranked |
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| Date added | 10 months |
| Last updated | 3 months |
| Legality | This deck is Modern legal. |
| Rarity (main - side) | 3 - 3 Mythic Rares 19 - 0 Rares 4 - 4 Uncommons 8 - 4 Commons |
| Cards | 60 |
| Avg. CMC | 2.37 |
| Folders | Modern |
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