Hi there,

It's good to hear that you don't really care all that much about winning all the time. I feel like people often forget that MtG can be fun as well haha. I see what you mean, the many different directions are really cool you've been exploring. Been reading your updates and saw that you've tested a Approach variant, which is actually really cool.

I think Metallic Mimic deserves a spot in the deck perhaps. Seems good with Marwyn & Rishkar. Have you also considered Vanquisher's Banner?

Just also noticed that you've got a custom design for the page. That's awesome, didn't load last time I was here!

Annexus it's been my experience that while Metallic Mimic looks good on paper but it can slow decks down trying to get it set up and is too easy to remove (Goblin Chainwhirler anyone). I also suggested Vanquisher's Banner awhile ago but not sure if it'd be beneficial or slow the deck down. That's just something that would have to be tested imo.

multimedia I like your current sideboard quiet a bit. The only thing I would do differently is that I'd find room for 2 Heroic Intervention to counteract Fumigate and include in match ups where 4 Blossoming Defense aren't enough. I also have to disagree about Walking Ballista not being that good against red. While Abrade can take it out you will still get value from Walking Ballista before it leaves the board. In my opinion the deck does still desperately need a mana sink like Walking Ballista for the longer games. Another option would be an expensive alernate wincon like Sandwurm Convergence which is difficult for many decks to remove and shuts down prominent meta beaters like Lyra Dawnbringer, Glorybringer, Rekindling Phoenix, and most relevant vehicles. Though I admit It doesn't really fit the flavor of elves very well. Song of Freyalise might be another card to experiment with as another early ramp option that gives you a finisher a few turns down the road.

I would like to ask where your link to your G/W elves deck is. I know you had one up previously but can't find it for some reason (maybe I'm just being blind). If you still have it up I'll probably comment more on that thread as I feel G/W has more potential then G/R in the current meta. The main problem with your G/R version is that I don't see a good mana sink so once you run out of gas it might feel like your just top decking with loads of extra mana and not much use for it.

I think the true potential in a G/W version would be that you get to include Shalai, Voice of Plenty in it. In my opinion that card is currently underrated big time. It protects against Settle the Wreckage and Seal Away which are probably the biggest obstacles to an elf aggro deck. Also it provides a great mana sink in which you can keep pumping your creatures.

Edit: ok I found your G/W version in a kind of round about way. I will probably mostly comment on that thread, but both threads are very well done and deserve an upvote :)

Annexus, thanks again.

I honestly don't like Metallic Mimic I can't understand why it's $8. It's only good turn two, after it's very lackluster because it requires set-up and it's not a mana Elf. I did play it when this deck was a Golgari version with Winding Constrictor, but I only did that because there weren't any other Elf options at the time. I also played it in the last Bant version because of Radiant Destiny which can give it a pump. In this version I would rather play Druid of the Cowl than Mimic, haha, that's how bad I think Mimic is right now. Stazeeee mentioned Goblin Chainwhirler, Elves are already wrecked by Chainwhirler; adding more 1 toughness creatures is not a good plan.

Vanquisher's Banner and Song of Freyalise are cards that could make the cut post Sept. rotation especially Song, but in this version I don't think they make the cut. Lifecrafter's Bestiary outshines Banner because it's three mana, can be possibly played turn two thanks the Llanowar Elves. Hell, I would main deck Bestiary if red and Abrade wasn't so damn good; card is amazing with Marwyn's and Radha's mana. I sideboard in Bestiary in just about all nonred matchups. More about Song in my next comment.

Stazeeee, thanks for the upvote at Radiant Elves.

I get a lot of comments suggesting to add Heroic Intervention and it's fine if you want to play it, add it, but I don't. Intervention doesn't do enough in matchups where I want it, control matchups. Overextending my army because I'm counting or hoping that Intervention can save it is not a good plan. Instead my plan is to sideboard in cards that don't care about Fumigate or Settle because ultimately I can't stop all the Fumigates and Settles that my opponent will have. I want to sideboard in noncreature cards that can combat Teferi. Nissa, Vital Force's haste 5/5 lands and Lifecrafter's Bestiary to match card advantage; Bestiary's draw works through counterspells.

Due to tribal I only want to sideboard in a few cards in matchups; I can't take out very many cards especially Elves. I want to be aggressive in the control matchup, but there's a fine line between being aggressive and being dumb and overextending. Without having cards like Nissa and Bestiary at my disposal then my only realistic plan is to overextend with Intervention protection, which is problematic.

I like Song of Freyalise I think it's a great card, but not currently with Elves. Currently in Standard the best Elves other than Steel Leaf Champion produce mana. Elves don't have a problem with making mana therefore the first two chapter abilities of Song are not needed. The third chapter ability is amazing, but I don't feel the card is worth it because for two turns it's not doing much.

Many versions ago this deck was called "Rite Elves" utilizing Cryptolith Rite to ramp into a fast Westvale Abbey  ^Flip or Distended Mindbender with Elves. It had Collected Company and Shaman of the Pack and other Elves. In the version I cut all mana Elves other than Leaf Gilder and this worked with Rite because of a large amount of powerful two drop nonmana Elves especially Dwynen's Elite. Gilder stayed because mana it produces could be used to cast a turn three Company without needing other Elves. In current Standard the two drop spot for Elves is vacant, with the least amount of options for the tribe. Song really needs a new Elite or a reprint of Elite or Elf token producers to be good with Elves. If there's enough good one or two drop nonmana Elves or Elves get a token theme post rotation then Song can be a possible fantastic addition.

Sandwurm Convergence is a good suggestion, but I think it's CMC is a little too high to be used to stop those flying threats you mentioned. If we had to stop high 6-8+ CMC Dragons, Demons or other big fliers then Convergence would be better. Relying on stopping four, five or less drop fliers with an eight mana card seems too slow. Making a 5/5 Wurm each turn is great if midrange was a problem right now in Standard then this could be good, but it's not a problem, aggro is and those fliers you mentioned are played with aggro. Convergence is not something I want in aggro matchups. You could try cutting Crushing Canopy for Convergence as it stops Lyra, but Canopy is also a way to stop History of Benalia in the same matchup where opponent is playing white and Lyra.

Thanks for the feedback and taking a look at Radiant Elves. I'll comment about Shalai, Voice of Plenty and white there.

Good to see the enthusiasm is still up for Elves. I have hopes for M19 too. Sadly, my son claimed the Ghalta, Primal Hungers and Steel Leaf Champions for his Stompy deck. Awaiting his boredom...

Also, thought I would make sure you saw the Instant Deck Tech for Marwyn Storm on MTGGoldfish today. Very amusing...

Apparently, Wizards is not going to have any more official M19 spoilers until Saturday. During GP Las Vegas spoilers will continue. It's too bad I was looking forward to more spoilers mid-week. It's possible there's some leaked cards during mid-week, but most likely nothing important, just Planeswalker deck cards.

https://i.redd.it/x3qphvtym6511.png

This just got spoiled, seems kind of fun, maybe if mana fixing in Ravnica is good enough Temur elves?

Hey Merrena, that's Skyrider Elf :) Card looks good it gives Elves something to use mana with every turn at the same time giving the army more power (although counters are getting kind of boring) seems good with Marwyn. Wish Skyrider could put a counter on itself this would make it better. I also like the new Golgari four drop Elf Poison-Tip Archer. The combination of reach and deathtouch is great with Elves and the pseudo Blood Artist effect brings new sac strategies to the tribe.

I've been playtesting 4x Elvish Rejuvenator and 4x Adventurous Impulse with three color manabases: Jund, Naya and Temur. We already know Elves are Golgari and Simic in Ravnica. I have a feeling he's going to be a key Elf post rotation replacing Rishkar to be able to play either black or blue for new Ravnica Elves with red for Grand Warlord Radha and green for the other Elves. So far I've been very impressive with Rejuvenator. Looking five cards deep is enough to consistently hit a Check land, Territory or Forest with 23 lands, 22 lands is also playtesting fine. Adding possible reprinted Shock lands in Guilds of Ravnica to the Check land manabase will make three color manabases very good.

I'm eagerly waiting to see what lands are in M19. The set so far looks great, but it needs an excellent rare land cycle of lands. Wizards is waiting until the end of spoilers to reveal the lands in M19. I think this means they're good, going to be impactful. Usually by now we know what the land cycle of a set is, but with M19 spoilers ending on Friday and the full set being revealed then, it's down to the wire.

Skyrider Patrol and UG also lets us use Hadana's Climb  ^Flip which synergizes with Marwyn and Patrol.

Merrena, the Simic guild is not in the first Ravnica set Guild of Ravnica :( Simic is in the January 2019 second set Ravnica Allegiance. This is unfortunate, that's a long time to wait for new Simic Elves.

Because of still having three months of Botanical Sanctum Simic with Skyrider Patrol has potential until post rotation. I also really like Exclusion Mage even though it's not an Elf as well as another three drop it's effect is quite strong. Hadana's Climb  ^Flip is a good include; it can win games out of no where. Negate perfect sideboard card for Elves. Nissa, Steward of Elements is a good mana sink.

I haven't really playtested Skyrider yet, but Grand Warlord Radha doesn't look like she fits. Can't use mana that Radha and Elves make after they attack with Skyrider's ability. It happens at beginning of combat this is before any Elf has attacked. I do like the idea however of equally attacking from both the ground and the air with Elves.

Two different angles of attack definitely can bring some added fun in gameplay. I like Skyrider with Thorn Lieutenant, Steel Leaf Champion, Clancaller and Marwyn. Giving Thorn flying is very good with his pump ability. Champion and Skyrider curve into each other for a nasty turn five attack.

How would the post rotation look like on your pov?

I was thinking about how to deal with huge creatures and other threats in the format and suddently multimedia came with the answer!

I'm really looking forward to the Green-Blue version!

Hey joaoguaxinim, not knowing what's in Guilds of Ravnica especially the lands makes it difficult to predict anything about post rotation. Elves are however Golgari in Guilds of Ravnica; guessing for now most likely that means this deck will once again be Golgari or Jund. Golgari with a red splash for Radha and Banefire sounds very fun. It's going to be pretty hard for me to cut red because Radha is excellent with both new two drop M19 Elves Clancaller and Thorn. She brings the speed which is what I want in current Standard. Thorn, Champion and Radha is a very good curve vs red. Post rotation if Standard slows down then it's much more likely that I can part with Radha.

We lose Servant and Hub at rotation this will make three color manabases not as consistent or potentially not even playable. I like Elvish Rejuvenator as a replacement for Servant or Rishkar to help with the manabase, but Rejuvenator being a 1/1 is very problematic for a three drop. Adventurous Impulse could come back, it can find a land. If Overgrown Tomb gets reprinted in Guilds of Ravnica then that will really help a Jund manabase be more possible because it's a ETB untapped green dual land that turns on Rootbound Crag.

The only Golgari Elf we have so far is Poison-Tip Archer. It's a fine card if Standard slows down. If Standard stays just as fast as it currently is with red still dominating post rotation then this could be a problem for Archer. However I do like Archer as a way to some what combat Chainwhirler, Plague Mare and nonSettle board wipes Cleansing Nova. If Elves are dying from these cards than my opponent is losing life.

Post rotation we're looking for a replacement for Servant (two drop), Rishkar (three drop), Narnam (one drop), Rhonas (green mana sink and trample), Defense, Harnessed (removal), Hub, Sheltered, Bestiary (draw engine), Aethersphere (lifegain, flying defense) and another mana sink. This is a lot of cards to have to replace with only one new set Guilds of Ravnica. Some of these cards can be replaced with current options, but not a lot.

Don't really see how Archer combats Chainwhirler, 3 toughness loses to 3/3 first strike. #banChainwhirler

Hey, israelazo you noticed I've added Harnessed Lightning, glad it's working for you :) I've done this because of Chainwhirler, Glorybringer, Aetherborn is a pain in the ass right now and Knights. These cards are difficult to beat without some kind of removal. I've cut Impulse for it.

For Harnessed to be able to cast it more consistently I've added Sheltered Thicket and another Hub. Both these lands are not good with the Llanowar into Champion curve, but I'm willing to sacrifice some consistency to have better game play if I don't get turn one Llanowar and turn two Champion.

I think a Simic version has potential for the last three months into rotation. After Ravnica Allegiance is released Jan. 2019, Sultai, only splashing blue might be another option. I've been brewing a Simic version around Skyrider Patrol with tempo bounce as well as a Golgari version around Poison-Tip Archer with a sac theme. Thanks to the Fast lands both Simic and Golgari have very good manabases right now. Stay tuned for a new update :)

Archer doesn't combat Chainwhirler, was a poor choice of words by me. What I meant was if Chainwhirler is killing my Elves than my opponent is losing life because of Archer. It could still be a blowout for my opponent killing a lot of my Elves, but at least my opponent loss life. You're right Archer is terrible as as an attacker or blocker up against Chainwhirler's first strike, yikes.

I would like a Chainwhirler ban I'm against bans of hate cards, but Whirler pushes the boundries of hate canceling out six or more tribes. Unfortunately, I don't see Wizards banning Chainwhirler they just printed another x/1 hoser in Plague Mare. Obviously Plague is no where close to the power level of Whirler, but it says a lot about how Wizards wants Standard to play out if they're willing to have two x/1 and token hosers in the format at the same time.

When rotation kills us all, you might want to use Hinterland Harbor instead of Botanical Sanctum if you want to do Simic.

Hey all, I just created two new versions of Elves for M19 Standard. Simic featuring Skyrider Patrol and Golgari featuring Poison-Tip Archer. Each one is very different, hopefully playing to the strengths of the four drop Elf and the secondary color. Watch for a more extensive write-up here about each one later this week. For now enjoy playtesting :)

M19 Simic Elves

Standard* multimedia

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M19 Golgari Elves

Standard* multimedia

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Hey fun spin on elves. My approach is very similar, however I have been having a lot more success with Marwyn > Rishkar. She has some really fun interactions that get out of hand. Because these tricks compliment my play style i prefer her. If you havent given her a go you should definitely take the leap of faith and see how she feels.

Hey, thanks for your comment. The main deck here is built for red aggro matchups. Sideboard is for control and midrange matchups.

I played Marwyn for a while when Dominaria was released, but I quickly found out that she's not good in a Chainwhirler dominated Standard. She's too vulnerable being a 1/1. I can't safely untap with her turn three enough of the time for her to matter. If I can get her turn two with Llanowar's help then that's good, but consistently this doesn't happen enough. Llanowar and Clancaller are already 1/1 Elves adding yet another 1/1 Elf is not what I want. Marwyn will have to wait until post rotation.

Rishkar is very helpful against Chainwhirler because he can give Llanowar or Clancaller a counter which makes them 2/2s. Rishkar himself can be a mana Elf, while not as good as Marwyn in making as much green mana is still fine. Being able to make mana while also helping Elves survive Chainwhirler is more beneficial than making a lot of green mana. Rishkar can give Radha or Champion 5 toughness which is very helpful against Glorybringer and Chandra. Curving Thorn into Rishkar giving Thorn 4 toughness is good against red; lets Thorn defend against Chainwhirler.

Elves seem like a good choice once Guilds releases as far as creature-based tribal decks go, with mana being a non-issue as Temple Garden and Overgrown Tomb come into the format. Wizards and Elves are probably going to be the 2 best supported tribes, with both gaining some excellent mechanics for what they're doing. Can't wait to see how the list adapts to the new cards!

vomitpile, thanks for the upvote.

Abzan so far is looking really good with both Garden and Tomb. Emmara, Soul of the Accord, Conclave Tribunal and Status // Statue are three of the best cards spoiled so far, Abzan cards. Status/Statue can be splashed thanks to hybrid mana of Status and Golgari colors of Statue. Only one Golgari Elf so far making it difficult to gage if undergrowth can be a mechanic to play with Elves. Self mill is a strategy that I haven't yet played with Elves making it quite interesting. Currently convoke has the most potential and I hope there's more Elves in Selesnya other than Emmara.

I agree, Abzan is looking to be a strong choice as far as color pairings go. Just starting picking up cards today in hopes of having a head start on something solid out of the gate once rotation happens.

Honestly, I think I like Ixalan's Binding better than Tribunal as it can stop people from recasting things such as Teferi and Chainwhirler.

Hey Hexa, overall you're right Binding's prevention of casting the exile spell is better than Tribunal :)

However, if I'm playing Tribunal then I'm playing the deck to take advantage of convoke (Emmara). And if this is case then the mana cost reduction of Tribunal is more benefical than Binding's prevention and Binding is always four mana. Honestly if I play convoke and white then I'll play both in some amount as well as Seal Away; all most likely split between main deck and sideboard.