No, there's no Elvish Piper, it's just the shittiest elf title I could think of.
So here's my variation on the legacy combo elves deck on MTG The Source's primer. Since I'm not about to fork $800-ish bucks for a playset of Gaea's Cradle or even more for all of those darn Deathrite Shaman shenanigans (yet), this is more or less the final form.
So as you probably know, combo elves is all about, well, combos. Everything is very synergistic with itself and a game-winning combo can come out of nowhere.
The primary way to win is through Craterhoof Behemoth. Either cheat him out with Natural Order, Green Sun's Zenith or even just ramp in to him with your elf army. By the time he's out, you should have a large enough army to pretty easily swing for lethal.
The other way to win is through none other than our lovely elf friends. They are, after all, the namesake of the deck. Rather than getting tribal pumpers for this deck like Elvish Archdruid or what have you, I'd rather just swarm the field with a shit-ton of one-drops and weenie my way into a victory.
How would I shit them all out, though? Glad you asked! There's a key combo in this deck that goes with a key card: Heritage Druid + Nettle Sentinel
combo'd with Glimpse of Nature. By casting Glimpse with the combo on the field, I can very easily cast my whole deck. Once I've got enough guys out, activate Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx and ramp in to the Craterhoof. Or attack with them all. Either one works.
Of course, those are simply the wincons. But as with any deck, you need more than just those to work. Look upon my cards, ye mighty, and despair!:
Wirewood Symbiote - Sure, the untapping is great and all for mana ramp, but waaaay more important is the cost to activate that - namely, returning an elf to my hand. Oh, you thought you were going to kill my Heritage Druid? Guess again!
Quirion Ranger - This mousy little elf has a few uses - land ramp, of course (return a land to my hand and then place it back down untapped), but also a nifty combat trick - Whenever an opponent attacks, I can block their biggest guy with a Dryad Arbor, then return the arbor to my hand, negating any non-trample damage the creature would've given me and also keeping my Arbor around. Basically, a poor man's Maze of Ith.
Fyndhorn Elves & Llanowar Elves - obvious ramp, of course, and more draw outlets once Glimpse goes active. They are fairly plain, though. Whenever I do get a Deathrite Shaman and all of the accompanying lands, these guys will diminish, but until I'm willing to spend that much, they're a party!
Birchlore Rangers - poor copies of Heritage Druid until I get her. Might put more of them in instead of the Fyndhorn/Llanowars.
Heritage Druid - She is my master, she is my friend, she is my spirit and my conscience. She is my master and she won't be there when you need her.
Nettle Sentinel - Best friends with the Heritage druid, but let's not scoff at a 2/2 for G.
Elvish Visionary - basic card draw made awesome by comboing with Wirewood Symbiote. Play it right and you can get three to four extra cards per turn (with a minimal loss of mana if you have the Heritage Nettle combo going).
Reclamation Sage - Only a one-of, but handles most enchantments or artifacts. Repeatable once you get the symbiote out.
Wren's Run Packmaster - Good-to-decent backup option in case my Craterhoof's get destroyed somehow. 5/5 for 4 that poops out deathtouching wolves? That can also save a key elf from a boardwipe? Sign me up!
Craterhoof Behemoth - While I question that he doesn't naturally have trample, I still shan't complain, as he is what ends the game.
Glimpse of Nature - KEY. Maybe not what wins, but it will get you what wins.
Natural Order - THIS is what wins.
Green Sun's Zenith - Might need more of them, but they definitely get the job done in finding what I need at any given moment.
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx - Very poor man's version of Gaea's Cradle, but pretty easily gives me the same result - i.e., shit-tons of mana.
Dryad Arbor - It's a land. That's a creature. That's green. Fun shenanigans with Green Sun's Zenith for 0 and with the Quirion Ranger for combat protection.
Forests - I really like Mad Max Fury Road. Almost as much as this deck likes forests.
So that's the deck. Let me know what works, what doesn't, and what you think could go in or out.
Thanks in advance! You are awaited in Valhalla!
