Shit... core G/W core elements, welcome to The School of Redundancy School.

My love for Trostani, Selesnya's Voice is kind of sad really. She has an ass of 5 so aggro has to come up with answers often netting you a 2:1. She gains you life, which keeps you out of range for aggro. Finally she populates for you and can do so for Thragtusk and Advent of the Wurm tokens.

Not sad Ohthenoises, inspirational. I sort of overlooked Trostani, Selesnya's Voice because I didn't like populate based decks until I saw how you utilized her for the lifegain in your deck. I think Trostani, Selesnya's Voice is ideal for most Selesnya and G/W heavy creature decks that stretch into midrange, providing needed reach through lifegain. Just my $0.02.

It appears that everyone universally agrees that Garruk, Primal Hunter belongs in my decklist so that change has been made.

@Apoptosis: thank you very much for putting all that effort into a great, contructive comment. I don't have too much experience in my local metta either so don't feel bad. Some of us have responsibilities that hinder us from going to FNM every single week. Haha. In regards to the sideboard tech that is present to combat reanimator decks: I'm going with Ground Seal here as opposed to Purify the Grave because it's the closest I can get to Rest in Peace without totally neutering the body replacement element of Voice of Resurgence . I see what your saying about how Abrupt Decay is such a good answer against these 'hate' enchantments. That being said, I ran a junk rites deck at an fnm in my local metta (with Abrupt Decay s in the sideboard), and Rest in Peace still tore my deck apart.

Post Script: I <3 Trostani, Selesnya's Voice for all of the above afformentioned reasons as well.

@Apoptosis and PrinceOfNeurosis

If it helps, I'm considering adding a bit more midrange power to my deck after tonight's FNM, as my loss and draw were to GW(B) token decks with heavier midrange elements like Trostani, Selesnya's Voice and Unflinching Courage . Granted, the decks focused a bit heavily on tokens, but their mid-late game was on par and possibly better than mine. I will be removing Wolfir Silverheart and adding something more midgame-oriented: either Trostani or Angel of Serenity . I'll still try to keep the deck on the more aggro side, but I want to have a bit more of a lategame either mainboard or sideboard.

@Goody: I like this info that you're giving us, it's very informative. I'm sure you'll be doing an update on your deck's page; but what did you finish? I'm still undecided about Unflinching Courage over Rancor at this particular juncture. It's not just because of my fond childhood memories of using Rancor during my all-time favorite block, the Urza cycle. But rather because it really does circumvent the pain of losing two cards (or more) for your opponent's one spot removal (ie your creatures and whatever auras attatched to them, for their one spot removal or board wipe), by returning to your hand. As for your lack of a solid mid to late game finisher, I too contemplate squeezing an Angel of Serenity or two into my decklist. Honestly, I don't know if it's necessary with Trostani, Selesnya's Voice mainboard. I can't stress enough how she not only keeps you going in the midgame with her lifegain, but she also kicks it over the limit in the endgame with her populate ability alone. Imagine your opponent is attacking turn 6 'cause their board state is superior, but you instant cast an Advent of the Wurm with Trostani, Selesnya's Voice out, then populate the fresh 5/5 token and all of a sudden you have an extra 10 life, and an upper hand on the field. ;-)

I already have an update up, though I'm not sure how I placed; probably not top 8 as I had a loss and a draw.

It's not that I don't have solid finishers (Wolfir Silverheart , Garruk, Primal Hunter , Silverblade Paladin all fit that role), it's more that if I don't have board control, it's a bit tough to regain it against midrange decks that get out of hand like mine. It becomes a board development race, and the main thing I'd have to rely on would be combat tricks and removal. A Trostani would help stall and develop board in that case (albeit somewhat slowly if I'm already behind), and a Serenity would help remove and regain board control.

As for Rancor , there are a couple of advantages I like about it: cheap cost (one mana cost lets you do a lot of great things) and the recursion. You can throw three rancors on one creature without feeling bad about it; you can slap one down, attack, trade, and slap it on a blocker; you can swing for 12 trample damage turn 3. Unflinching Courage is good against other aggro and midrange decks, but pretty bad against control. Rancor is good against all three of those to some extent, though less so against midrange. It's your choice, and depends on the rest of your build.

I like this quite a bit. Will you be playing Fiendslayer Paladin ?

@JMat27: thanks, I haven't looked at full M14 spoilers yet; so this is the first I'm seeing of Fiendslayer Paladin . That being said, he looks like he could be a nice inclusion. he has a Paladin en-Vec , Mirran Crusader feel which are a couple old faves. The main card I'm targeting in M14 is 'primeval bounty'(not yet in database). Of course I want Archangel of Thune and Kalonian Hydra , but it appears they will be out of reach for the forseeable future. sadface.

Love it dude selesnya is awesome :D +1

Also dude you should check out my rakdos extended deck ive been workin on. Its just something fun i was making and i could use an opinion or two :)

@Endgamer16: I know very little about the extended format metta, as I play exclusively standard (my Glissa's Betrayal deck was created when the scars block was still standard). I will take a look though, and at least hit you with an upvote if I like the looks of it.

Ah ok cool dude thanks! Dont worry about not knowing much about extended its mostly newer cards in it anyways. Thanks tho!

Game 1: voices of selesnya opener; 2x forest, 2x plains, 1x garruk, 1x loxodon smiter, 1x selesnya charm. fairly awesome hand.

Garden Hose Midrange opener; 2x hallowed fountain, 1x temple garden, 1x sunpetal grove, 1x foil sphinx's revelation, 2x thragtusk. interesting to say the least.

PrinceOfNeurosis wins the toss.

P1: forest pass.

B1: draws hallowed fountain, plays hallowed fountain tapped, passes.

P2: draws sigarda host of herons, plays plains, passes.

B2: draws Breeding pool, plays breeding pool tapped, passes.

P3: draws avacyn's pilgrim, plays forest, casts loxodon smiter, passes.

B3: draws azorius charm, plays Temple garden tapped, passes.

P4: draws advent of the wurm, plays plains, moves to combat, swings with smiter, Behgz casts azorius charm targeting the smiter, bouncing it to the top of PrinceOfNeurosis library. end combat, 2nd main, casts avacyn's pilgrim and passes.

B4: draws sunpetal grove, plays hallowed fountain tapped, passes.

P5: draws loxodon smiter, taps out for garruk, primal hunter, he sticks. makes a beast token with the plus 1 ability. passes.

B5: draws restoration angel, plays sunpetal grove, taps out for a thrag, passes.

P6: draws rancor, makes a beast, tap 1 forest for rancor attached to a beast, swings for 5 trample, no blocks, life totals tied back to 20~20. passes

B6: draws Temple Garden, plays Temple garden tapped, passes. During Behgz end step, PrinceOfNeurosis casts advent of the wurm, it sticks, passes.

P7: draws Trostani, selesnya's voice, plays Sigarda, Host of Herons, makes a beast with Garruk, moves to combat, swings with 3/3 beast, 3/3 beast with a rancor, and a 5/5 wurm trample. In response to attackers being declared, Behgz flashes in restoration angel targeting thrag, gaining 5 and getting a beast token, he declares blocks with resto on the 3/3 and the new beast token on PrinceOfNeurosis rancor'd beast token, and blocks the advent token with thragtusk, trample damage totals up to 4 damage, life totals at P20~B21. ends combat, passes.

B7: draws supreme verdict, plays hallowed fountain tapped, plays thragtusk, gains 5. passes.

P8: draws forest, plays forest, casts rancor onto sigarda, plays trostani selesnya's voice, makes a beast token with garruk, gains 3, now at 23. moves to combat, swings with rancor'd sigarda and a beast token, chumps beast for beast, and chumps resto into sigarda, 3 tramples over, life totals at P23, B18. passes.

B8: draws cyclonic rift, plays sunpetal grove, casts cyclonic rift on garruk returning him to the hand, casts supreme verdict. gets a beast token from thrag, passes.

P9: draws restoration angel, plays loxodon smiter and rancor on the smiter. passes.

B9: draws snapcaster mage, passes.

P10: draws forest, plays forest, casts garruk and makes a beast. swings with the rancor'd smiter, chumps with beast token tramples over for 3. passes. At PrinceOfNeurosis end step, Behgz casts sphinx's revelation for 5. life totals at P23, B28. draws angel of serenity, farseek, breeding pool, restoration angel, and cyclonic rift.

B10: draws supreme verdict, plays breeding pool tapped, he casts angel of serenity target the opponents rancor'd loxodon smiter, which goes back to the hand, and also targets the two thragtusk in his yard. passes.

P11: draws forest, plays forest, makes a beast with garruk and passes.

B11: draws supreme verdict, moves to combat, swings at garruk with serenity, PrinceOfNeurosis casts selesnya charm, the one from his opening hand, and exiles serenity, getting back the loxodon. Behgz gets back two thrags. 2nd main he cats one and passes.

P12: draws forest, gettin a little flooded. plays forest. makes a beast, garruk now at 6, passes at the end step, Behgz flashes in a resto targeting his thrag, gaining 5 and getting a beast token, life total at P23, B28. passes.

B12: draws thragtusk, casts an overload cyclonic rift, swings unblocked for 11, life totals P12~B28. 2nd main casts farseek.gets a breeding pool. passes.

P13: draws temple garden, FLOODED! plays temple tapped, casts garruk, makes a beast, passes.

B13: draws centaur healer, plays casts two thrag tusks, gains 10, life at 38, swing in the air at garruk leaving him at 1 loyalty, and swings at PrinceOfNeurosis with a thrag and a beast, he trades a beast for a thrag, 3 gets thru, life totals, P9~B38, passes.

P14: draws SUNPETAL GROVE. I'm pretty sure he moght concede at this point but for the sake of it il play it out, plays sunpetal grove, taps it, uses the mana it produces to kill himself, then makes a beast with garruk and passes.

B14: draws glacial fortress, plays glacial fortress, swings with resto, two thrags and two beats.

GG

Behgz Garden Hose Midrange (FNM results 3-1) Wins the game.

looking back, I didnt say it in the breakdown but around PrinceOfNeurosis Turn 8, his garruk was at 6 loyalties and could've ultimated, but I know his play style and i'm fairly certain he would have wanted to hold off one more turn so he could ult his garruk and let him survive, even if he did ult his garruk and get like 6 wurm tokens, I sphinxed at that end step, and drew into an overloaded cyclonic rift so it didnt matter i guess.. if anything he saved his garruk which kept him alive, it was definately the better play holding off on popping the ultimate.

Among the inconsistencies, there were two options u had on turn 10, u had a rancor'd smiter out and you cast a garruk, u could've have done his draw ability and I opted to just have him make a beast, if I hadn't been playing both sides of the game I might've been able to step back at the time and see the better play, but at the time I didn't.

Side note, upon discussing the results, we agreed u would have popped garruks ult which would have sac'd him, I would overload cyclonic rift the tokens next turn, then u wouldn't have to option of recasting the garruk turn 10 cuz he wouldn't be in hand, which nullifies the above scenario of there being multiple directions the game Could have gone on that turn.

Yeah, may've been a quicker loss for me. ;-)

GAME 2: The Showdown

PrinceOfNeurosis keeps a hand of; forest, gavony township, sunpetal grove, Garruk, primal hunter, 2x avacyns pilgrim, restoration angel.

Behgz keeps an opener of; Temple Garden, Breeding Pool, Hinterland Harbor, 2x centaur healers, 2x supreme verdict.

PrinceOfNeurosis on the play.

P1: plays forest, casts avacyns pilgrim, passes.

B1: draws farseek, plays temple garden tapped, passes.

P2: draws advent of the wurm, plays sunpetal grove, swings for 1 with pilgs, plays another pilgs, passes.

B2: draws thragtusk, plays hinterland harbor, casts farseek, finds hallowed fountain. Passes.

P3: draws selesnya charm, plays gavony township, holding garruk with only 2 green sources on the field, holding resto, advent, and selesnya charm, all instant speed so pass.

B3: draws glacial fortress, plays breeding pool tapped, casts centaur healer, gains 3, lifes at P20/B23. passes. At end of turn, PrinceOfNeurosis casts advent of the wurm, it sticks.

P4: draws forest, plays forest, casts garruk primal hunter, make a beast, swing with the advent token, chumps with centaur, 2 tramples over, lifes at P20/B21. passes.

B4: draws farseek, plays glacial fortress, casts thragtusk, gains 5 lifes at P20/B26. holding two farseeks, 2 supremes, and a centaur healer. Pass.

P5: draws silverblade paladin, casts silverblade paladin pairs to wurm token, moves to combat, swings with wurm token and beast token, thrag chumps the wurm token, in response PrinceOfNeurosis casts selesnya charm giving the wurm +2/+2 trampling over for 11 damage and surviving the encounter. Thrag dies, poops out a beast, lifes at P20/B15. garruk makes a beast, hes at 5 loyalties at EoT. passes.

B5: draws sunpetal grove, plays sunpetal grove, casts supreme verdict and a farseek, finds a breeding pool. Passes.

P6: draws thragtusk, only have four lands out, the supreme took away two pilgrims. Makes a beast, garruk at 6 at EoT. Passes.

B6: draws breeding pool, plays breeding pool tapped, casts centaur healer and a farseek, finds a hallowed fountain, lifes at P20/B18 passes.

P7: draws plains, plays plains, casts thragtusk, gains 5, lifes at P25/B18, pops garruks ult at 6, sacs garruk gets five 6/6 wurm tokens, passes.

B7: draws glacial fortress, casts supreme verdict. Passes. Is now top decking.

P8: draws restoration angel. Passes. Holding 2 restos..

B8: draws temple garden, passes. At the end step, PrinceOfNeurosis casts a restoration angel. Passes.

P9: draws plains, plays plains. Swings in the air with resto for three, lifes at P25/B15. passes.

B9: draws temple garden. Passes. At the end step, PrinceOfNeurosis flashes in the other restoration angel. Passes.

P10: draws VOICE OF RESURGENCE! FINALLY! Plays voice of resurgence, swings with both restoration angels for 6 in the air. Lifes at P25/B9. Passes.

B10: draws HALLOWED FOUNTAIN! FLOODED! The last 6 cards I've drawn have been land, and before that i drew a farseek, i am FLOODED! Just under lethal on the board, lets see how it plays out. Passes.

P11: draws forest, plays forest. Swings with 2 restoration angels and the voice of resurgence for 8, lifes at P25/B1. passes.

B11: draws Thragtusk, plays Thragtusk, passes lifes at P25/B6. Lethal on board in the air.

P12: draws silverblade paladin, swing GG

PrinceOfNeurosis The Voices of Selesnya Wins.

I thought for a long time about the Turn 4 garruk and whether he should use the draw 5 from the advent wurm token being out and I decided it would be best to go for his ult based on what was still left in hand at the time.

Also, if we activated gavony on Turn 11 it would be game a turn sooner, i kept reminding myself to remember gavony but it slipped by me right there at the end.

damnit, i think I forgot to add an extra 3 damage to myself from the beast token that swung with the massive wurm token on turn 5 that had doublestrike, but i was still at 9 on turn 10, so i would've been at 6 if I had added the 3 from the beast.