This list shown above is just a general favourite that would serve well.
About
Your one stop shop for all things Dino! I decided to put the variations in one place as the differences for Modern, Pioneer and Historic are not usually too many cards.
Thoughts, comments, questions welcome! Don’t hesitate to leave a comment here or direct message me. I’m always happy to help with a list and discuss changes/tips and observations.
Over the years this deck has evolved from the time before Pioneer existed to a solid contender via raw power and numerous tools. Modern is of course it’s weakest but you could certainly steal games and hold your own at times. I mention it since that’s the format I started in and just incase someone is interested.
My first favourite discoveries for the deck we’re Desert and Fire Whip to allow for more triggering of Enrage while also being versatile to target other things. Again I wouldn’t recommend playing Dinos in Modern but if you simply enjoy playing it, go ahead. I’ll still be giving it a go there if the opportunity presents itself.
I have incredible fun playing Dinos, throughly enjoying the power and variety that is possible! Discussing/helping others is a passion of mine and I’m always happy to talk about the deck.
There is a surprisingly large variety that can work well. I’ll go over as many as I can here and why I like them etc. Some might be surprising and hopefully spark inspiration. Most are fairly budget so it might be nice picking up many options to have on hand.
Further down I go into detail about some of the different picks. Then there are also a number of variations and budget options below to draw even more inspiration from. It wouldn’t be hard to switch between formats since the majority of stuff is quite new and therefore legal pretty much anywhere.
What Combination?
Dinos should very often at least be and there is plenty of power there if you just wanted to keep it like that. It’s mostly preference with adding other colours and the mana base is often still smooth especially when making good use of Unclaimed Territory.
As always, the benefit of keeping it two colours is greater consistency. It’s especially important when using
Flame Sweep since more colours can and had severely messed up being able to play it Turn 3-4. Any spell in Green is pretty safe but if going down the route of
Embercleave etc Ive just felt better keeping it Gruul.
Other than
Rotting Regisaur, getting access to some of the fantastic removal by dipping into this colour is a big plus. I’d still keep any spells to just needing a single Black.
Heartless Act, Assassin's Trophy and Agonizing Remorse could all be good removal options. I like just sticking to Rotting Regisaur though, keeping the clock as fast as possible. Revealing the opponents hand has been pretty powerful though. Getting information about possible board wipes has been great.
I’ve been on this combination the longest overall. It’s fantastic for the great removal options you gain with stuff like
Solar Blaze and
Ixalan's Binding. Then some of the great Dinos such as
Kinjalli's Sunwing,
Temple Altisaur and
Trapjaw Tyrant can round out a nice package.
White is certainly the third colour for Dinos so it would be reasonable to dabble with Naya as a first upgrade/update.
Vadrok, Apex of Thunder,
Snapdax, Apex of the Hunt and
Illuna, Apex of Wishes are what has led to a
Rainbow list, for now just featuring the former two. Reducing the cost of Mutate has led to some great plays, especially with Vadrok getting more use out of
Flame Sweep. The mana base is quite smooth still as both those two can fit into a Naya base.
Adding things like Unclaimed Territory does smooth it out well, with the big stretch being Illuna due to that . Speaking of, I think she can be fabulous for mutating on a big Dino without Trample. My favourite target would likely be Marauding Raptor since Trample has traditionally been very important due to it often getting buffed quite large.
Decks
Raw Power My new favourite, it’s got great consistency, absolutely explosive power and can make a wide variety of hands work. It’s likely what I’ll be using for a while now but hopefully Core 2021 brings in some nice new Dinos!
Rainbow Apex Dinos is the variation from new Ikoria stuff that I’m most looking forward to. The mana base feels quite smooth but could use a little more tweaking.
All these versions could easily be upgraded with some of the pricier and other picks. I wanted to highlight a couple options to hopefully help interested players get a feel for Dino Tribal without it taking a big BITE! out of the wallet. I consider BUDGET to be around and hopefully less than $50 USD. Still maintaining consistency whenever possible.
Incredibly Low Din’oh! The lowest total price I could go while still feeling like a decent deck that can do stuff. At around $8 USD originally (a little higher now), you simply can’t go wrong. The final price takes a bit of tweaking and assumes free basic lands
Budget Gruul Dino
An option for those who might be worried about consistency in a multicoloured budget deck. It’s still just as fun and does great things.
Budget Naya Dino
As the name implies, is very friendly on the wallet. It is three colours however, which often can be too risky without rare dual lands. It’s not bad because there is Ranging Raptors and Commune with Dinosaurs to help fix things nicely.
Budget Generous Value Gruul Dino
A different spin, focused on getting the most out of buffing spells/permanents via 2 for 1 Dinosaurs. Mainly Raptor Hatchling, Regisaur Alpha and Crested Herdcaller. Another plus is much of the creatures come with Trample. Something Dinos can lack.
These are the usual ones with
Shocklands and other duals. Some other fantastic cards up the total but the main plan doesn’t change a whole lot.
Ripjaw Raptor would definitely be one of the most welcome additions if not already acquired.
deck:Pioneer Jund Dino
A great variation for those who like this colour combination. Certainly allows for the gold standard Thoughtseize and other great Black spot removal.
Four Forerunner Fun A new version with card choices inspired around Forerunner of the Empire
Speedy Stomping is a trim, focused Gruul variation with the main goal of overwhelming ASAP.
How to Draw Dinosaurs Is focused on maximizing draw and card advantage, refilling your hand to chain multiple Dinos in a turn. I’m loving it so far.
Flashy Dino Frenzy
Focused on maximizing all that extra mana from Wilderness Reclamation, using it for Zacamas abilities and playing extra Dinos via Flashy Vivien.
The Core
I want my Dino deck to have these, usually as 4 or 3 of total in the 75. They are incredibly key and should be in there. Certainly a Dino deck could be successful without them.
The key card and an auto include for a Dino deck imo. It will sometimes be better to hold off playing it Turn 1 if you’ve got a couple lands plus Otepec or Marauding. Though if you’re looking for a play on Turn 3, Ripjaw Raptor for instance, it would likely be beneficial to use it Turn 1 to give the best chance of seeing something. Then not be down 1 mana on Turn 3 after you use it. Commune just increases consistency so well!
This is the key creature and does a lot of work. Triggering enrage on Dinos and accelerating plays by making every creature cost less. There are few creatures in the list with 2 toughness but that can easily be worked around. Awesome when used in conjunction with card:Raptor Hatching to get a 3/3 Trample for .
Something you want to see as much as possible. 4 of (partly since Commune can’t grab it) and speeds things immensely when following up with
Marauding +
Ranging or
Ripjaw. It’s definitely better than
Drover of the Mighty for me, due to giving a Dino haste and reducing cost immediately for pseudo ramp. Also he could help play a couple Dinos in a single turn where
Drover only would ramp for one.
Can quite often be considered “
Rampant Growth” on a stick. With 8 cards reducing Dinosaurs by 1, it should be common for these guys to be
. Ramping+a creature is always great.
Is a great sized body at 4/5 and often costing just plus drawing cards is again a good thing to be doing. It can come down Turn 3 and swing for some great pressure, chump blocking starts to feel pretty bad so there may be times he is let through for good damage.
Absolutely crucial for keeping things moving and adding quite a bit more power for a decent rate. Consider having Domri out plus Marauding or Otepec. A 5/4 plus 4/3 Trample, Haste for is a great rate. The static Haste will also come in very handy. The added benefit of buffing Marauding +4/0 creates another formidable threat and great target for Embercleave
This guy is the go to choice for Artifact/Enchantment removal. It could start out in the side but is completely reasonable in the main since this removal is never a “dead draw” as it’s attached to a creature. I’m happy to play a 4/4 quite often for
. It is a favourite example of mine for a great creature. The way I see it (easy to understand) is Artifact/Enchantment removal can swing things drastically in one way but isn’t always needed against every opponent. This option could be needed Game 1 in Bo3 but likely is in the sideboard ready to switch in.
Having your removal attached to a 3/4 that is often seems much better. Versatility is a very good idea and this guy is a good example of that. There is also the fact Commune with Dinosaurs could grab this. I feel it’s a good choice for just keeping in the Mainboard since you can just swing away etc if the removal isn’t needed.
This is a great target for fighting since you can do that before having 10 permanents (quite easy to achieve in many matchups). The possibility of ramping is very nice and having a great sized body will come in handy. If faced with a lot of removal I’d consider taking him out since the “10 permanent” clause might be hard to achieve.
I’ve liked having another good drop at 3 if Marauding or Otepec was answered. A big plus this guy brings is allowing for an incredibly early Ghalta and a smooth Turn 4 The Great Henge.
Sideboarding
In general it’s pretty straightforward. I prefer to have most if not all the sideboard be 3-4 ofs for the best consistency. There may be some specific hate that is left out but in general a wide variety of decks can still be covered.
Flame Sweep is one of if not my favourite card from the 75. At times I’ve had it main board when fast aggro has been prevalent, especially the classic Mono Reds. It can do well against Cats, Elves etc and
Likely getting extra value from pinging Enrage Dinos helps to make it a star!
Numerous times I have used it in response to blocking/blocked, before passing to damage, to bring some larger creatures in range to be killed. **An example of this might be Ranging Raptors blocking Bonecrusher Giant. Brings his toughness low enough, you get an extra basic from another trigger and sweep any of the weenies. Great value!
At times I’ve had a split but however you do it, this card is a must. 1 or 2 in the Main to start could be good, maybe taking them out for Game 2 if you need to go faster.
A great option against a number of decks, especially Golos Field or Mono White Angel lifegain for example. He likely comes down for just 2 CMC, so getting a swing in plus the opponent playing a creature or two adds up to some good damage.
Having multiples stacks the damage ability so it’s great to have plenty and really lock out the opponent in some cases. It’s also a pretty good beater with Menace and is easy to play.
Similar to Carnage however with the option of Reach, that can be a big plus if the opponent has fliers such as Angels. I feel a combination of these two is good against control and both are great in general so could just stay in the Main.
Barrier Breach One of my favourite new additions! I’ve enjoyed using it against decks featuring
Wilderness Reclamation and hitting multiple enchantments from various
Yorion lists.
The fact it has Cycling really smooths things out and even if you don’t end up hitting the full 3 Enchantments taking out something like an Elspeth Conquers Death plus Search for Azcanta
is quite nice.
Great Picks
These are some of my favourite choices but also ones that could be done without (whether due to price or game plan).
Interesting Dinos
There are a bunch to consider that might serve as great options against certain decks or just to give another edge. This is just to highlight some and how/why they might be used.
Temple Altisaur is certainly interesting to say the least. I recommend 4 in the main, so you can get 2 out so they can protect each other. It may not fit into every game plan but I love it for the ease of play and durability my other Dinos get. This has been a big factor in games and for those who choose to use Solar Blaze, it keeps even or top heavy guys alive as well.
Consider the fact, to kill each Dino now the opponent has to block with a number of creatures equal to their toughness. It’s quite nice with Enrage and again, easy to play. Certainly give it a go as it’s fairly bargain.
Cacophodon is an interesting choice indeed. At first glance might be underwhelming but keep in mind all the cost reduction. With just a Marauding out this comes down for
after untapping a land. Many times it will just be a single
with any combination of the 8 Cost Reducers or even possibly free!
I like how it technically reduces the cost of the sweepers by 1 and provides a decent wall for a low cost. The fact it can untap Permanents could lead to some interesting plays.
All in all I think there is potential for it in some game plan.
Kinjalli's Sunwing would be nice if fliers are giving you some trouble. Slowing down the opponent would also be nice when it’s aggro and things hinge on haste. Negating that should slow things down plenty allowing for a chance to recover.
Needletooth Raptor could be great targeted removal for big threats! I’d prefer it with
Forerunner of the Empire to get two triggers after it’s hit by Marauding second. Two toughness isn’t ideal since Marauding kills its but tweaking things to maximize the times you two triggers off it would be great. Also Forerunner is going to clear out weenies so Needletooth could round out a great creature removal package.
Runic Armasaur has great potential against certain decks. Anything with
Walking Ballista could be nice. Some of the sacrifice might also be good for this guy. It’s definitely a sideboard card but depending on what you expect to see, this can lead to amazing card draw.
With Fabled Passage, the other rare Eldraine lands and Field of Ruin non-basic lands with activation seem pretty common.
Deathgorge Scavenger is obviously the graveyard hate card and definitely something to consider for the sideboard. You’ll have to make sure a non-creature is in a graveyard to buff him for surviving Marauding Raptor if that’s out. The lifegain can be quite helpful as that’s something we can lack (early at least). I prefer waiting until he can have Haste the Turn he drops, so I can make the most of that buff.
As an example, (with a couple other things out). for a 4/2 haste, Gain 4 life, exile 2 creatures from a graveyard seems pretty decent.
Other Possible Additions
Most of these I have used at some point and love to come back to. This is especially true if I’m looking for an edge or need inspiration to look at a problem from a different angle and find a great solution. Everything is at least Modern with the majority being Pioneer legal.
Green
Savage Stomp is a great, inexpensive pickup that is definitely worth a try. There certainly are other ways to fight but the addition of a +1/+1 counter is quite relevant. A great target for this would definitely be
Ranging Raptors but
Marauding Raptor is also good after it’s been buffed to take out something large.
I prefer stuff that is a little more versatile (targeting planeswalkers etc) and just keeping the deck as fast as possible Game 1. Savage Stomp could be a good option for the sideboard but most of all, it can’t hurt to give it a go.
Setessan Tactics is my favourite Fight spell of all. Being at Instant speed allows for some fantastic combat tricks and the buffing can be quite relevant.
Ram Through would be fantastic with
Ghalta and some other big Dinos. I don’t think I’d use it if Ghalta wasn’t in or I’d put in more ways to have Dinos gain Trample.
Quartzwood Crasher would also make me consider putting it in.
It’d be straightforward to board out and pretty powerful against the right deck, a card to pick up for sure and try it out at least!
Red
If the budget allows, get this! I’d definitely consider it a must have if not for the price (atm). Incredible for finishing games and doing some great combat tricks after blockers are declared. Trample is incredibly key to get on a number of Dinos. The best target is often going to be Marauding after it has been buffed. It is a juicy target for a chump blocker and certainly killed fairly easy at 3 toughness. With Embercleave there is a lot more the opponent must consider and play around with this great threat.
Banefire
Has and is incredibly key for closing out games or just removing that one threat if really necessary. It could also be used as a
Rampant Growth on Ranging Raptors. Overall I’ve loved using it and highly recommend. One to keep in mind and a cheap pick up!
Star of Extinction, the big one, it feels nice hitting all the opponents creatures and especially planeswalkers. Getting rid of a land is nice too, however it doesn’t always help that much since it’s likely quite a bit later when casting this. Temple Altisaur is a good idea to have our so everyone lives, probably leading to the game winning swing after.
If not and your field is empty/weak it can still be great especially with The Great Henge out to recover well.
White
Unbreakable Formation is great to save your creatures from board wipes, powering them up permanently and keeping everyone untapped for defence next turn. It’s a great combination of stuff.
Eerie Interlude works great with Enrage and Marauding Raptor. Also to trigger Dino Token creation via Regisaur Alpha etc. It could serve a similar purpose to
Unbreakable Formation though all the possible ETB triggers that are gained give this a leg up in some situations.
Black
Touch of Moonglove is an interesting card to say the least. I feel it’s best used on someone like Carnage Tyrant where one of the only ways to get rid of it is blocking (likely at least 2 creatures). This would shine as a great combat trick after blockers have been declared to get through lots of damage.
Multicoloured
It may come as a surprise to some that I use/have used this card. With the addition of Phyrexian Obliterator to Historic, I feel this spell has definitely regained more importance. Simply put this card will help win games. True it hits everything, so at first glance doesn’t look that good.
The focus is on having bottom heavy creatures though, that now won’t die to Solar Blaze. Quite a few Dinosaurs (and supporters) naturally fit this criteria! Handily enough it’s the Core i always use so adding this was perfect. It’s often a one sided board wipe, triggers Enrage for great added value and simply takes down most big creatures. Gruul Aggro etc will have a difficult time recovering for sure.
Domri's Ambush isn’t something I’ve used too often but I consider it great for the permanent buff, being able to also target planeswalkers and not being an actual
Fight. This would be very good with a big
Marauding Raptor out.
Artifacts
Springleaf Drum
is something I like because having another good Turn 1 play is beneficial. The possibility of Turn 2 Otepec + Marauding after this is awesome. It does lead to Turn 3 Hasty Ghalta if everything is right. then late game it doesn’t become a dead draw like Llanowar Elves would.
The Curves
At first glance things might seem a little off without any true ramp spells. However the great part about this deck is it’s (often) low cost to the majority of creatures. Achieved via the fantastic pairing of Otepec Huntmaster and Marauding Raptor.
The Lines
There can be many great variations and for the most part they will become clear pretty quick once you get used to accounting for cost reductions etc. I’ll go over some of my favourite and fairly common ones to give an even better idea of how the deck plays.
Turn 2 Otepec Huntmaster
Turn 3 Marauding Raptor to Ripjaw Raptor
You get two good sized creatures, one with Haste (if it’s right to do so) plus draw a card. That alone is pretty great but there will often be further cards drawn off Ripjaw and Marauding will keep things moving fast and grow big many turns.
What would normally have cost 6 CMC was done for half that! Great rate and great value all around. It’s a simple one but should serve to get you thinking about the raw power and value.
Turn 2 Otepec
Turn 3 Marauding, two Ranging Raptors
Pretty self explanatory, possibly now swinging with a 6/3. After the opponent witnesses this value they’ll probably do everything they can to get rid of Marauding. Often I swing in with it to get rid of a chump but if it’s a little bigger creature that’s still not so bad. 2+ lands, 2+ creatures and either 6 to the opponent or killing a creature(s) of theirs. Sign me up!
Having something answered with Aether Gust is never fun but with Dinos it’s not all bad! I feel it’s better to Gust the Turn 2 play to keep Dinos slowed down considerably.
Turn 2 Otepec, Gusted to the top
Turn 3 Otepec, Marauding
Certainly slower but it keeps the opponent on their toes and (ideally) forces answers every turn after. Maintaining that pressure is key along with keeping a hand that allows for smooth recovery like this. When expecting Aether Gust
