Last Updated: January 9th, 2023.
Mainboard
Darkwood Elves is my Elf deck. It's a deck I have reworked and tweaked numerous times. The deck's strategy is going wide by playing lots of creatures to the battlefield quickly. You win by overwhelming numbers or by damage from an enter the battlefield or triggered effect.
Through card effects and creatures, you'll build up a large number of Elf creatures and Elf Creature Tokens, making this deck very straightforward to play. All elves come with powerful abilities making each creature you play significant. The deck generates tokens using these cards: Dwynen's Elite, , Imperious Perfect, and Elven Ambush. Imperious Perfect also acts as a lord together with Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen and they boost all Elf creatures. Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen can also counteract the life lost from Gnarlroot Strapper. Sylvan Anthem is the last card which boosts your creatures, but only green creatures. Poison-Tip Archer presents an often hidden threat of direct damage with its bottom ability.
The most powerful combo in the deck is Shaman of the Pack, together with all other Elf creatures. Its effect deals a lot of damage directly to your opponent, oftentimes winning you the game. The deck's few noncreatrure spells are intended to give extra synergy and utility. Sylvan Anthem, mentioned before, also gives you more control over the cards you draw, especially paired with Elvis Visionary. Deadly Allure is effective at making your creatures more deadly and Overrun adds extra power when you try to win by attacking.
Finally, this deck plays Temple of Malady. I'm currently running a full set of Unclaimed Territory. With so much of the deck being creatures, and of different colours, the option for any colour of mana is nice. Foul Orchard is a placeholder dual-land. Replace it with any other land that you like.
Sideboard
The sideboard has Eyeblight Massacre which is a powerful board clear while Reclamation Sage and Eyeblight's Ending make up the deck's targeted removal. Prowess of the Fair is a fun card that allows you to be aggressive without losing numbers. Bower Passage is intended to deal with flying. It's not the most efficient card but it's thematic and when it's played it turns the game into a slugfest.
Upgrades and Card Swaps
These are a few cards that work well with the deck's strategy and themes.
The deck is close to its final version but I'm not entirely happy with the distribution of some of the cards and small tweaks are likely to happen. Playtesting with fewer lands, say, 18 lands or swapping around some spells or creatures should bring the deck to its final form in time. As always, any feedback is very much appreciated.
Finally, thank you to anyone who comments, and especially to Bulldawg1310, ClockworkSwordfish, rekkim and TristanCVena for suggestions.
