This deck looks really fun to play and I am looking to build it for standard fnm and game day. I wanted to ask why you are not running Geier Reach Bandit and how the deck does against br vamps if you tested it. Thanks :)

Kizmetto,
Wow, that's amazing. Thanks SO much!
Yours is a REALLY good example of how to play the deck! I have just a few minor comments:

• You may have misplayed Lightning Berserker on Game 1 Turn 1. If you cast it so you could also attack on Turn 1, it wouldn't be on the battlefield to pump up on turn 4.
• Your write-up makes it look like Werewolves Transform at the end of turn, but they actually Transform at the beginning of Upkeep. The difference is usually not a big deal, but sometimes it's REALLY important.
• On Game 1 Turn 3, I would have almost certainly cast the Cryptolith Rite instead of the Ember-Eye Wolf. I really cannot overemphasize how powerful the Rite is in this deck and I almost always want it out as soon as possible.
• You may have missed a Transform trigger on Game 1 my Turn 5. It looks like my deck cast 3x Instants, so our Werewolves wold have Transformed during Upkeep of your Turn 6.

Overall, an awesome job. Reading it, I felt like I was there! :-)

clayperce Ah! You're right about the berserker, missed that!

hmm cant see any plays that would have been affected because i did flip them 'between' turns but that can definately be relevant, i just cant think of any right now.

I really did under estimate Cryptolith Rite, sorry about that! (again im not you so thanks for clarifying!) I had a blast playing and glad you liked the write ups :) Did you learn anything from reading, just out of curiosity?

Argeaux and Kizmetto,
Thank you so very much for the applause. The T/O community is is just so cool ... the only reason this deck is even remotely playable is because of the help of y'all and folks across the community. So again, thank you!

(what Argeaux fails to mention is that she's got the #1 deck on T/O at the moment. So congrats and kudos you you as well, Argeaux!)

its exciting to get #1 slot isnt it? I got it once for You're a dragon, you're a dragon, you're a dragon. but it definately is a join effort! seeing things from other players, suggestions and whatnot.

What are your hopes for Eldrich Moon, i mean i know SOI isnt even out yet but hahaha we can speculate!

I didn't mention getting the top spot because I'm sure I only got it because clayperce stopped deck cycling.

No way I was ever gonna catch up to a deck that was 30 votes ahead of mine. lol

Kizmetto I actually remember that deck because I loved the name, and it fit Descent of Dragons perfectly.

Kizmetto,
Oh yeah! The biggest lessons were really in your color commentary ... I have a much better feel now for what the deck looks like from the other side, including trades an opponent might think is reasonable, when an opponent might expect me to play Instants, etc.

PrestigeScorpio,
Thanks so much for the kudos! Please keep in touch on any tweaks you make and how it ends up doing!

Geier Reach Bandit  ^Flip is an amazing card, but it's much better in a Midrange deck. There's just no room for another three-drop in an Aggro shell like this. I guess it MIGHT fit in the sideboard, depending on how the meta ends up shaking out. We'll see ...

If you're looking to run a more Midrange deck, there are a bunch of great options over at All things Wolven, including Kizmetto's CoCo deck Lycanthrope Rush

Thanks again!

PrestigeScorpio,
I forgot to mention the BR Vamp piece. Yeah the first deck I every playtested against was theis deck by michael921

Drana Joins the Vampire Army (SOI standard)

Standard* michael921

SCORE: 10 | 19 COMMENTS | 1712 VIEWS | IN 7 FOLDERS

We played IRL and michael921 won 2-1. But he's a MUCH better player than I, so the fact I could get even a single game gave me some serious hope for the deck! :-) And that was back when I was running Beastcaller Savant instead of Cryptolith Rite. Of course his deck has improved since then too :-( Anyways, we're looking forward to the rematch!

I've been busy with my own deck and haven't given this one the love it deserves.

Most matches in Magic are won on the second and third game. I need to Sideboard both decks and see how they play out then.

Do you have time to make a Sideboard list for me so I get it right?

Argeaux,
I'm sure this will continue to evolve, but here are my current thoughts on sideboarding against your deck:

Game 2, if the combo is still playable (e.g., if Game 1 ends without my opponent seeing it):

• OUT: 2x Vines of the Recluse
• IN: 2x Display of Dominance

Game 2, if the combo is no longer playable:

• OUT: 4x Silverfur Partisan; 3x Zada, Hedron Grinder; 4x Might of the Masses; 2x Ember-Eye Wolf
• IN: 3x Nissa, Voice of Zendikar; 4x Thunderbreak Regent; 4x Exquisite Firecraft; 2x Display of Dominance

OK cheers.

I'll have a muck around with that and let you know how it goes.

Have you considered adding in Geier Reach Bandit  ^Flip / Vildin-Pack Alpha  ^Flip Alpha so that when you cast a werewolf they would instantly flip so you don't have to worry much about flipping them later game?

Nerv,
Yeah, I talk about why I'm not running him in Post #39.

Uncaged Fury? Ik its a little pricey but if you have tap creature for mana cost isnt a big issue, possibly give everyone trample and double strike, then another buff and i dont see much being able to stop you from killing them except a board wipe

Someone help me out here.

To start, I love this deck. I was looking for a place for silverfur partisan since it was spoiled.

However, the description says that this deck is a consistent turn 4 win. I playtested the deck over a dozen times and didnt get a single turn 4. What am I doing wrong? Or how are you getting turn 4 out of this?

Hey clayperce are you aware that you have 61 cards in this deck?

I didn't until I copied it just now to try playing it with some cards Sided in.

The 61st card Howlpack Alpha is only in there so the playtest gives the option of 2/2 Wolf tokens.

Ah yes, my bad.

Gurskenator,
No, T4 wins are possible (and sometimes super-dramatic), but it's a consistent T5 deck.

HobbesAteCalvin,
Thanks for the suggestion, but Uncaged Fury is better for a go-tall strategy ... it doesn't really fit well with what this deck's trying to do. I love the card though, especially in Limited (it featured heavily in my first Pre-release deck)!

OK, this is gonna take forever but Ima do a blow-by-blow.

I'm not going to use all the tags as it will take too long.

DRAW

Argy: Swamp, Caves of Koilos, 2x Duress, Transgress the Mind, Grasp of Darkness, Archangel Avacyn.

KEEP

clayperce: Mountain, Forest, Cinder Glade, Lightnining Berserker, Village Messenger, Expedite.

KEEP

Roll (clayperce rolls dice, Argy chooses evens) = 5

clayperce chooses to play first.

TURN 1

clayperce: Plays a Mountain, dashes Lightning Berserker for 1.

Argy now on 19

Argy: Draws a Swamp. Plays a Swamp, casts Duress, looks at clayperce's hand, removes Expedite.

TURN 2

clayperce: Draws a Village Messenger. Plays a Forest, casts a Village Messenger, hits for 1.

Argy now on 18.

Argy: Draws a To the Slaughter. Plays a Swamp, casts Transgress the Mind (knowing that Exquisite Firecraft is a target), Exiles Equisite Firecraft

TURN 3

clayperce: Draws Rush of Adrenaline. Plays Cinder Glade, Dashes Lightning Berserker, plays Village Messenger, attacks for 3.

Argy now on 15

Argy: Draws To the Slaughter. Plays Plains.

TURN 4

clayperce: Draws Exquisite Firecraft. Dashes Lightnight Berserker, attacks for 3. Argy targets Lightning Berserker with Grasp of Darkness. Lightning Berserker dies. clayperce pumps Village Messenger with Rush of Adrenaline, hitting for 4.

Argy at 11.

Argy: Draws a Swamp. Plays a Swamp. Plays Duress (mostly to stop the Village Messengers transforming). Removes Exquisite Firecraft.

TURN 5

clayperce: Draws Game Trail. Plays Game Trail. With no other spells played Argy casts To the Slaughter to stop Village Messengers from transforming. One Village Messenger is sent to the Graveyard.

Argy: Draws Swamp. Plays Caves of Koilos, loses one life for using the Caves for white mana, casts Archangel Avacyn.

Argy at 10.

TURN 6

clayperce: Draws a Mountain. Plays a Mountain.

On Argy's upkeep Village Messenger transforms.

Argy: Draws Transgress the Mind. Plays a Swamp. Attacks with Avacyn for 4.

clayperce at 16

clayperce: Draws Thunderbreak Regent. Attacks with Moonrise Intruder for 2.

Argy on 8 life.

clayperce plays Thunderbreak Regent.

Argy: Draws Trangress the Mind. Passes turn.

TURN 7

clayperce: Draws Cryptolith Rite. Plays Cryptolight Rite. Attacks with Thunderbreak Regent and Moonrise Intruder for 6. Argy blocks Thunderbreak Regent with Archangel Avacyn. They trade, and Argy is hit for 2.

Argy at 6.

Argy: Draws Shambling Vent. Plays Shambling Vent.

TURN 8

clayperce: Draws Lambholt Pacifist. Attacks with Moonrise Intruder for 2.

Argy at 4.

clayperce plays Lambholt Pacifist.

Argy: Draws Grasp of Darkness.

TURN 9

clayperce: Draws Thunderbreak Regent. Attacks with Moonrise Intruder. Argy targers Moonrise Intruder with Grasp of Darkness. Moonrise Intruder dies. clayperce plays Thunderbreak Regent.

Argy: Draws a Swamp. Plays a Swamp. Taps three and attacks with Shambling Vent. clayperce blocks with Lambholt Pacifist. Shambling Vent dies (but has Lifelink).

Argy at 8.

Argy casts Transgress the Mind.

Turn 10

clayperce; Draws Nissa Voice of Zendikar. Casts Nissa and uses her second ability. clayperce attacks with Lambholt Pacifist and Thunderbreak Regent for 9 damage.

Argy is on 0.

Aaaaaand I did another game and was reporting it all when stupid IE stopped working.

I was able to complete it and screenshot it, but that doesn't really give an idea of how everything played out.

It just took forever and I can't be bothered playing another one right now.

Overlapped cards were all in the Graveyard. They went in from the lowest card up. Village Messenger was the only card that went into Exile.

The 1/1 Zombies are actually 1/1 BW Clerics, but they aren't in the database yet.

I realised that I haven't Sideboarded against this deck. I used my Sideboard for this game.

DRAW

Argy: Swamp, Plains, Caves of Koilos, Dead Weight, To the Slaughter, Traitor of Ghet, Archangel Avacyn

KEEP

clayperce: Village Messenger, Lambholt Pacifist, Nissa Voice of Zendikar, 2x Expedite

KEEP (the Expeditite can give draw)

TURN 1

Argy: wins the toss. Plays Swamp. Passes turn.

clayperce: Draws Lightning Berserker. Plays Mountain, casts Village Messenger.

TURN 2

Argy: Draws Languish. Plays Plains, casts Dead Weight targeting Village Messenger.

clayperce: Draws Exquisite Firecraft. Plays Lightning Berserker.

TURN 3

Argy: Draws To the Slaughter. Plays Caves of Koilos.

clayperce: Draws Exquisite Firecraft. Plays Expedite, draws Thunderbreak Regent, attacks with Lightning Berserker.

Argy casts To the Slaughter. clayperce sacrifices Lightning Berserker.

TURN 4

Argy: Draws Caves of Koilos. Plays Caves of Koilos, casts Kalitas Traitor of Ghet. Loses 1 life for using Caves of Koilos for Black.

Argy on 19

clayperce: Draws Forest. Casts Forest. Casts Expedite, draws Exquisite Firecraft.

TURN 5

Argy: Draws Plains. Attacks with Kalitas Traitor of Ghet.

clayperce down to 17

Argy up to 22

Argy plays a Plains and passes turn

clayperce: Draws Forest. Plays Forest, casts Nissa Voice of Zendikar and uses her first ability.

On clayperces End Step Argy casts Archangel Avacyn.

TURN 6

Argy: Draws Grasp of Darkness. Casts Languish (losing one for using Caves of Koilos for Black), attacks Nissa with Avacyn and Player with Kalitas

clayperce down to 14

Argy up to 24 (Kalitas Lifelink)

clayperce: Draws Vines of the Recluse. Casts Lambholt Pacifist and Dashes in Lightning Berserker for 1 damage.

Argy on 23

TURN 7

Argy: Attacks with Archangel Avacyn.

clayperce on 11

clayperce: Draws Game Trail. Passes turn.

On clayperces End Step Argy casts Grasp of Darkness on Lambholt Pacifist, losing one life for using Caves of Koilos for Black. clayperce casts Vines of the Recluse on Lambholt Pacifist, saving it.

Argy on 22

TURN 8

Argy: Draws Swamp. Attacks with Kalitas and Avacyn. Gains 3 life. Argy casts Ob Nixilis and uses its first ability, losing 1 life. Draws Kalitas Traitor of Ghet.

clayperce blocks Kalitas with Lambholt Pacifist.

clayperce on 7

Argy on 24

clayperce: Casts Thunderbreak Regent.

TURN 9

Argy: Draws Shambling Vent. Uses Ob Nixilis first ability to draw a Swamp, losing 1 life.

Argy on 23

Argy attacks with Kalitas Traitor of Ghet and Avacyn. clarperce blocks Kalitas, killing it. Argy plays Shambling Vent, and Kalitas Traitor of Ghet.

clayperce on 3

Argy on 26

At the beginning of clarperces Upkeep Avacyn transforms, dealing 3 damage to clayperce.

clayperce on 0

It felt like I played that whole game wrong from the clayperce point of view. I had a feeling I should have at least Mulliganed once.

I used the following Sideboard

Land
4x Caves of Koilos
5x Plains
4x Shambling Vent
9x Swamp
2x Westvale Abbey

Planeswalker
3x Ob Nixilis Reignited
2x Sorin, Grim Nemesis

Enchantment
4x Dead Weight

Instant
4x Anguished Unmaking
4x Grasp of Darkness
3x To the Slaughter

Sorcery
4x Declaration in Stone
3x Languish
4x Transgress the Mind

Creature
2x Archangel Avacyn
3x Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet

I had Delerium by the end of the game.

Guess who's back, clayperce! It's me, Kala! With another wolf-themed deck idea, WITH a transformational sideboard! I absolutely love wolves, and would appreciate if you would review my deck, Arlinn, Zookeeper. The primer's in progress.