With Core 19 entering Standard, Elves got more than enough toys to play with, for being able to fully abuse their synergies, for once more in the history of Magic the Gathering.
When thinking of green in standard, what everyone sees first are the new shiny toys used in mono green stompy. Ridiculously big numbers, consistently dropped onto the battlefield, just dishing out huge amounts of damage, winning a game over the course of just a few big swings. But there are more nimble ways of winning games in green, while still maintaining the ablity to drop a large finisher onto the field as a second game plan. By just being a bit faster through ramping, we outpace stompy green and while being almost as fast as mono red, but still maintaining some relatively large bodied creatures, we are a real threat to control aswell.
Here is what we got to play with:
-Little disclaimer. I know that there are no cards from the kaladesh or amonkhet block included. I did this on purpose. Since they are rotating out i just dont see a reason to bild a deck just for some cards rotating out immediately.-
Ramp: We are in green ... DUH. Plus side: Some of the best ramp spells in the format just so happen to be elves themselves.
4x Llanowar Elves:1 mana 1/1 ramping us and if need be can still go chumblocking.
3x Druid of the Cowl: basically Llanowar Elves with the added ability of surviving a Goblin Chainwhirler: and being able to block pesky 1 and 2 power creatures, if needed.
2x Elvish Rejuvenator: 3 Mana chumblocker, that lets us grab a land and dump it onto the field. Good if we are stuck on low lands
2x Song of Freyalise: Mana, manafixing and a finale that buffs our creatures and gives us a huge free swing.
2x Marwyn, the Nurturer: Of course ramping us to infinity, but also giving us a elf, that can become scary big quite fast, making it a viable pick for the assbeaters section aswell.
Lords:
4x Elvish Clancaller:2 Mana Lord for Elves? Oh boy dont ask me twice if i want to make my 1/1s Painwhirlerproof. What was that, come again?? He'll get his homeboy squad for you, if you pump him? G-Unit is in da house.
Assbeaters: for getting upclose and dirty, cuz das whats winnin' dem gamez yall
4x Steel Leaf Champion: Did u know that he's an elf too? Dayum right he is. I think there is no need for splaining why to pick him.
4x Druid of the Cowl: 2 mana 2/3 that gets you a chumblocker if gets removed, annoys the crap out of every control player. Oh hey, did i mention that he outplays the turn one Bomat Courier, turn two Earthshaker Khenra play? No? It does. Great on turn 2, even greater on turn x when you can pump him up into a 6/7 or a 10/11 even.
2x Ghalta, Primal Hunger: Not exactly a long eared treehugger, but he'll end games for sure or at least force removals. Plus: With all the elves flooding the stage, doing their thang, +1/+1 counters flying around, lords lording stuff, he will more often than not come out for as much as 2 mana.
Utility:
2x Skyrider Patrol: The reason I went for a sprinkle of blue. Elves lack flyers, this is one. Bonus: he'll put +1/+1 counters down and makes Ghaltas fly. Imagine tiny wings next to those tiny arms __.
2x Runic Armasaur: Make your opponent think twice about pumping their dragon tokens. He'll pass as a really fat elf if you look closely. Did i say fat? Ah yeah, hes a brutally good blocker.
2x Reclamation Sage: Artifact and enchantment removals have always been a vital part of green, here you get all the bonuses and triggers being an elf creature aswell, just on top. Depending on your opponents deck just Take Runic Armasaur out and put two more of these fellas in.
Enchantment:
1x Prodigious Growth: Make stuff big, make stuff stompy and if you feel like it just create a 19/19 trample Ghalta, Primal Hunger. In the mood of mana? Slap it onto Marwyn, the Nurturer for a instant 8 mana reward.
2x Shaper's Sanctuary: Do you dislike your beautiful creatures being destroyed by pesky shocks without them having payed off yet? Well now you draw some replacement at least.
Recursion:
2x Nature's Spiral: Sometimes, people dont like our stuff. They kill our creatures, destroy our beautiful enchantments, throw around counterspells or worse even discard or mill them straight away. We want our stuff back. This gets stuff back.
Walkers:
2x Vivien Reid: I honestly dont know why everyone hates her. Her "+" lets you search 4 cards deep for creatures or lands. Her "-" removes annoying flyers, hey Glorybringer Im looking at you there as well as enchantments and artifacts. Did i just hear Ixalan's Binding? Her "- ultimate" basically wins you the game.
Sideboard options:
2x Gaea's Blessing: For matchups against mill and discard types of decks.
2x Skyrider Patrol: For matchups against either decks ladenw with flyers or defense heavy decks.
2x Reclamation Sage: Worth its weight in gold when playing against Ixalan's Binding, Seal Away and whatnot.
2x Nature's Spiral: Going against removal heavy decks, this ensures you get your key creatures back nto the game.
4x Broken Bond: More enchantment and artifact removal if needed. I really hate Ixalan's Binding.
2x Plummet: More toys against flyers, hello Glorybringer
1x Talons of Wildwood: Trample is important, give something trample at your leisure. Even better: get it back from your graveyard.
Strats:
So how to pilot this thing? Best starting hand has at least 2 mana and a Llanowar Elves aswell as Marwyn, the Nurturer or Steel Leaf Champion.
From there on out it's just self explanatory.
Drop elves, get Marwyn, the Nurturer big and turn her sideways.
Or: Drop Elves + Lords and get Ghalta, Primal Hunger out ASAP.
Or: Overrun them with Steel Leaf Champion cards.
Or: Pump Thorn Lieutenant to infinity and beyong to turn him sideways
Or: Use your Skyrider Patrol to lend wings to your beatsticks.
Just remember, speed is key. you get absurd mana advantage, but you will eventually run out of gas. Almost as much as red decks do. We only have very little and very conditional carddraw. On the plus side, we have some awesome manasinks to put our mana in. Keep that in mind and try to finish the game before you run dry.
Have fun trying the deck and tell me what you think of it. upgrades are very welcome.
