Modern Green Stompy Primer

Modern Aggro Budget Counters GW (Selesnya) Primer Stompy Trample

thegreatgodloki

Creature (28)

• 4x Dryad Militant
• 4x Hexdrinker
• 4x Keen-Eyed Curator
• 4x Old-Growth Troll *f-pre*
• 4x Pawpatch Recruit
• 4x Strangleroot Geist
• 4x Werewolf Pack Leader *f-pre*

Land (20)

• 12x Forest
• 2x Lair of the Hydra
• 4x Nurturing Peatland
• 2x Treetop Village

Sorcery (3)

• 3x Savage Swipe

Instant (6)

• 4x Aspect of Hydra
• 2x Vines of Vastwood

Enchantment (3)

• 3x Rancor

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Sideboard

Instant (9)

• 3x Dismember
• 2x Force of Vigor
• 1x Life Goes On
• 3x Veil of Summer

Artifact (4)

• 2x Damping Sphere
• 2x Vexing Bauble

Sorcery (2)

• 2x Pick Your Poison

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My personal favorite, albeit, second modern deck and one that I've foiled/blinged out because I fell harshly in love with such a simple concept. I'm a Timmy, Power Gamer at heart since I've started magic. I was once playing my old Borderpost Restore Balance deck many moons ago, but when Electrodominance was spoiled and people were able to switch off the antique version, a combination of stubbornness and money made me fall out of the deck altogether. I stumbled upon a list in mtggoldfish and as cards slowly came out for it, I built into it finishing the deck in early 2020 when the pandemic hit, and thus this deck has never seen a LGS tabletop since.

Unfortunately,

As the modern format has evolved, the meta game has too, not only getting faster, stronger, and more resilient featuring cards, Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, Crashing Footfalls, Solitude, and even Prismatic Ending taking center stage, this archetype doesn't have the gas it once use to to outpace anything else. I still find it super fun for my friends table and if I happen to find a LGS nearby I'm 100% taking this with me always.

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History of Deck Changes

Change Log: 5.27.2021: Show

Out:
2 Syr Faren, the Hengehammer

In:
2 Briarhorn

Briarhorn
The reason for this change is I've never been happy with Syr. She's always been a "decent" two drop. She doesn't impact the board, doesn't protect herself, and needs an established board to work. Briarhorn on the other hand does several things

1. Has flash for immediate impact
2. Gives a creature +3/+3
3. Has an envoke cost of 1G
4. Fills the 2 drop spot
5. Evolves our Pelt Collector and Experiment One
6. Gives us more ways to push damage through.

Overall I like this change and takes pressure off of Aspect of Hydra to push damage through.

Change Log 9.27.2021: Show

Out:
2 Syr Faren,the Hengehammer (MB)
2 Old-Growth Troll (SB)
2 Kitchen Finks (SB)
2 Vines of Vastwood (MB)

In:
2 Skylasher (MB)
2 Apostle's Blessing (SB)
2 Weather the Storm (SB)
2 Snakeskin Veil (MB)

These changes were to deal with meta relevant match ups in my LGS.

Skylasher
Immune to almost all of removal Humans can put up against it, and it blocks their Mantis Riders all day. It stops Delver from connecting, and prevents Sprite Dragon, Stormwing Entity, and Murktide Agent from connecting with my face, combined with Snakeskin Veil keeps me alive for just a bit longer if I feel I can win.

Snakeskin Veil
Was added over Vines due to more synergy with the deck overall. Gives EO enough counters to regen, PC trample, Troll an additonal use of his ability, Avatar more counters, and steel leaf more Oomp. Adding in Hexproof also helps dodge removal as well.

Weather the Storm
Helps against burn, combo, storm, etc and just helps net life in general

Apostle's Blessing
Helps push through damage, dodge removal, and makes tough blockers against Tron and Urza decks

Change Log 11.27.2021: Show

Out:
2 Skylasher (MB)
2 Deglamer (SB)

In:
2 Syr Faren, the Hengehammer (MB)
2 Force of Vigor (SB)

Syr Faren, the Hengehammer
I found in games Skylasher just isn't as impactful as I wanted, good at stopping blue threats but not anything else. Syr Faren however, if she lives, delivers a good dose of damage and draws kill spells away from my other creatures.

Force of Vigor
Deglamer was good when Heliod was around, but with the amount of searching, filtering, and recursion, sometimes straight up removing something is worth it

Change Log 12.1.2021: Show

Out:
2 Treetop Village (MB)
2 Apostle's Blessing (SB)

In:
2 Lair of the Hydra (MB)
2 Void Mirror (SB)

Lair of the Hydra
So it's the end of an era for Treetop Village. That ETB tapped clause has lost me more games than I can count, the 3/3 body is easily dealt with these days, and I can easily give other things trample. Lair of the Hydra offers the same draw back if entering late, but still allows the same explosive plays in the early game if in my opening hand so I won't be slowed down. YES the activation cost will NEVER rival that of Treetop, but it does provide a good mana sink late game to force the opponent to trade into it, I can use a Rancor to make it threatening, and I can always give it a +1/+1 counter with Snakeskin Veil to reduce one activation cost in a sense.

Void Mirror
This is card I can't believe I remember coming out, but then quickly forgetting. While I run 3 Damping Sphere SB I realized I don't really have a lock against Living End/Crashing Footfalls/Glimpse of Tomorrow/Or even free spells like Force of Negation and Eldrazis if I catch them off the back foot. While I like the idea of Apostle's Blessing, I never really found it useful in any match up I faced. Void Mirror should help bring some extra lock down/hinderance to Games 2 and 3 so I can devote more time to punching face.

Change Log: 12.07.2021 Show

Out:.
3 Barkhide Troll (MB).

In:.
3 Werewolf Pack Leader (MB).

Werewolf Pack Leader
As much as Barkhide Troll synergizes with my deck, I've finally converted to Pack leader. Same body, and I can use a Snakeskin Veil for impromptu protection, but that sweet card draw ability really gives me gas and puts pressure on the opponent to use their removal spells wisely.

Change Log: 3.28.23 Show

Out:
2 Snakeskin Veil (MB)
2 Forest (MB)

In:
2 Vines of Vastwood (MB)
2 Treetop Village (MB)

Vines of Vastwood
Without Barkhide Troll and how insanely fast and removal heavy the format is, Vines of Vastwood, delivers more upside for the same protection as Snakeskin Veil giving an insane +4/+4 which can help close out games.

Treetop Village
One question I ask myself in this competitive meta is how I keep the heat. Step one is to have creatures on standby like Lair of the Hydra. Step two is adding back in Treetop Village. This should help shore up some of the removal issues I'll face. Hydra is a great card to go overhead with, being able to pump over 4 toughness is huge, but for the cost to p/t ratio you can't beat the village. The village also coming with trample is a huge boon in preventing it from being chumped and not needing a Rancor to push damage. Now any available Aspect of Hydra and Vines of Vastwood ensure large amounts of damage can be delivered.

Change Log: 4.15.23 Show

Out:
4 Steel Leaf Champion (MB)
2 Weather the Storm (SB)

In:
4 Leatherback Baloth (MB)
2 Run Afoul (SB)

Leatherback Baloth
With the release of more powerful cards and damage-based removal like Fury and so many creatures able to buff over 2 power like Ledger Shredder and Dragon's Rage Channeler, Steel Leaf Champion isn't the unstoppable powerhouse it use to be. Having 4 toughness also means it can't trade/survive against some of moderns most efficient threats like Crashing Footfalls. This change, while bringing a much slower 4/5 body to the table, allows for more favorable trading and survivability. Plus, slapping a Rancor on him gives me a bus I can throw at the opponent.

Run Afoul
I wasn't impressed with Weather the Storm and wanted some more favorable removal that wouldn't cost 4 life. This card is fantastic removal since it doesn't target and is instant speed.

Change Log: 4.20.23 Show

Out:
2 Hexdrinker (MB)

In:
2 Dryad Militant (MB)

Dryad Militant
When Hexdrinker was first spoiled back in MH1, everyone was abuzz with how it would give Stompy a lot of reach. However over the course of the recent years a lot of removal has shifted from instant speed removal and focused more on sorcery speed like Prismatic Ending and Leyline Binding to creature base removal like the ever popular Fury and Solitude. Even if this wasn't the case, cards like Fire / Ice, Archmage's Charm, and even Fatal Push can be used in response to that final 3rd level up activation and kill it. Dryad Militant however hurts every deck it faces and supports the same 2/1 body Hexdrinker does for early game aggression.

Change Log 8.9.23 Show

Out:
2 Run Afoul (SB)

In:
2 Life Goes On (SB)

Life Goes On
I realized that I run into a lot of burn decks at my LGS now that I've returned and that I don't have any reliable ways to turn the corner. Any fliers I do come across Dismember kills them cleanly. On the rare chance I face reanimator and Archon of Cruelty, I can still Dismember it down to a 1/1 and let Avatar of the Resolute clean trade.

Change Log 12.18.23 Show

Out:
1 Dryad Militant (MB)

In:
1 Forest (MB)

This change was to give me less bricky hands and help acceleration going.

Change Log 1.1.24 Show

Out:
1 Forest (MB)
1 Dryad Militant (MB)

In:
2 Hexdrinker (MB)

Hexdrinker
I've been wanting a new mana sink for a while, and with Fury banned, I feel Hexdrinker can shine again. Whether it's sinking mana into it or as a simple 2/1 it'll draw removal which is fine if I have things out I want to protect.

Change Log 5.19.25 Show

Out:
4 Leatherback Baloth
2 Life Goes On

In:
4 Old-Growth Troll
2 Pick Your Poison

Old-Growth Troll
With Fury and Violent Outburst banned, this card I feel more comfortable with. "Dodges" all non-exile based removal, gives gas the deck with some late game bodies, ramps my Hexdrinker, Lair of the Hydra, and even Vines of Vastwood this card only downside is the body, which is still amazing

Pick Your Poison
I wanted more removal to slot alongside Force of Vigor and this has been super useful. 1 mana to remove almost anything I need and shores up my weakness to flying creatures.

Change Log 7.31.24 Show

In:
1 Werewolf Pack Leader
1 Forest
4 Pawpatch Recruit
4 Keen-Eyed Curator
2 Hexdrinker
2 Dryad Militant
3 Savage Swipe

Out:
4 Experiment One
4 Pelt Collector
4 Avatar of the Resolute
3 Dismember
2 Syr Faren, the Hengehammer

Let's start with the removals of Pelt Collector // Experiment One // Avatar of the Resolute

The package of Experiment One, Pelt Collector, and Avatar of the Resolute is still a good trio. However, it's slow and ancient by today's times. You can remove the PC/EOs before the ETB trigger, you can Tishana's Tidebinder and prevent it, and you can just remove them. The in my experience, I'd need at least 2 creatures with +1/+1 counters on them to ensure Avatar of the Resolute didn't just die to any standard removal.

Keen-Eyed Curator
Removing Syr Faren, the Hengehammer has been on my list for a while, but due to the lack of efficient GG pipped creatures, she stayed. Now with Keen-Eyed Curator not only do I get the same pip cost, but I get great GY hate and a threat.

Savage Swipe
This makes an appearance over Dismember due to both buffing a large portion of my creatures and being removal that doesn't damage me

Pawpatch Recruit
Taking the place of Pelt Collectors as a great hedge against any targeted interaction and a mana sink

Dryad Militant // Hexdrinker
Making these 4 of's has helped my deck compete in both midgame by having a body that can grow and slowing down any storm or spell deck that wants dileroum.

Main Deck Creature Breakdown: 29

4 Experiment One
The original 1/1 of this deck that came out years ago. While some people agree Pelt Collector has outpaced it due to trample and seeing things die, this guy's regeneration ability still is relevant and deceptively annoying.

4 Pelt Collector
Copy 5-8 of Experiment One. Better due too seeing creatures leave and enter, but vulnerable to removal. Makes up for it by gaining trample. However, only seeing the power of creatures, the biggest he could get in a vacuum in my deck is a 4/4 compared to the 5/5 Experiment One which sometimes makes a difference if you face any Crashing Footfalls or Fury.

2 Hexdrinker
With Fury being banned, I feel better about adding this back in. Serving as a great mana sink and slow burn beater.

2 Dryad Militant
Relevant today as when it came out. Not only does she grow both Pelt Collector and Experiment One, she makes all graveyard dependent decks annoyed by shutting down Dragon's Rage Channelers, shrinking Tarmogoyfs, and messing up even the occasional Snapcaster Mage and Creeping Chill

4 Strangleroot Geist
Double Green Pips to fuel Aspect of Hydra and comes back from the dead. Very efficient overall and probably the best green creature ever.

2 Syr Faren, the Hengehammer
Another fun, albeit personal choice, two drop. Giving any creature a nice +2/+2 in combat and scales with Rancor. However, she is super vulnerable to any removal or damage based removal and being a combat trigger can be played around since she can't buff herself. But the pros outweigh the cons.

4 Avatar of the Resolute *f-pre*
Reach and Trample stapled to a 3/2 body for 2 is already great stats and keywords. While it doesn't pair with non-grown Pelt Collectors and Experiment Ones, if it comes down While they already have +1/+1 counters on them, then they'll both gain new ones and he'll grow himself! Super powerful Creature even without counters.

3 Werewolf Pack Leader *f-pre*
While I wish I could've found room for a 4th, having it at 3 is still plenty good. One of the decks most recent addition giving this deck much needed draw power and mana sink to essentially staple a Rancor to it. Also gives us the coveted 3 power mark to help grow our Pelt Collectors and Experiment Ones from 2/2s to 3/3s.

4 Old-Growth Troll f-pre
What's not to like (other than the 4/4 body). Dodges removal, ramps my deck, and provides some nice late game bodies, even if they enter tapped.

Main Deck Spell Breakdown: 12

4 Aspect of Hydra
The mainstay closer, and the card that started it all. With just Pelt Collector and Strangleroot Geist out on T3 you can do 7 damage which is insane, even more if you can squeeze a 2nd Geist down to do 11 damage which isn't uncommon. Helps us compete against any deck.

3 Rancor
This use to be a 4-of, but I found it too redundant and hand clogging. 3 seems to be my sweet spot in this deck.

2 Vines of Vastwood
Protection spell AND a massive +4/+4 for just GG is huge. One of the best damage spells and protection spells we have in our arsenal.

3 Dismember
Our best removal spell that isn't a fight spell. Yes 4 life is a lot, but to remove almost any threat to push damage or save your butt is great. Some have found it over Kill against decks these days that play a lot of X/1s, but I still love it.

Main Deck Land Breakdown: 19.

11 Forest
Immune to Blood Moon and doesn't deal us damage like a lot fetch/dual heavy decks.

4 Nurturing Peatland
Allows me to play Dismember for 2 life instead of 4. Helps extend plays by drawing much needed cards at instance speed which could be an Aspect of Hydra or even a Rancor.

2 Treetop Village
2 mana 3/3 with trample. Only downside is it comes into play tapped which can cause issues if it is one of your starting lands. But is instrumental in pushing damage through or even making a surprised blocker.

2 Lair of the Hydra
A fast land if in your opening hand and another surprise blocker. While never on rate as Treetop Village, allows to go tall and acts as a mana sink. Needs assistance to help otherwise can be chumped, but if not watched can swallow blockers.

Sideboard Summary

3 Scavenging Ooze
The best tech ever for Dredge and Graveyard Decks

3 Damping Sphere
Because Tron, Storm, and Prowess decks exist. However, while it slows them down it does also slow me down since my T2 play doesn't develop much of a board. But when I do get it down early it helps.

3 Veil of Summer
Against any xUB decks, this is my silver bullet to not only extend plays, protect my resources, but also allows for a cantrip.

**2 Void Mirror
Once Vexing Bauble gets released these are being traded in.

2 Pick Your Poison
Useful against anything I may need 1 mana for that Force of Vigor can't hit.

2 Force of Vigor
Just good generic hate

How to Pilot

My specific list likes to play as much on curve minus 1 mana, for example:

Turn 1:
Forest --> Pelt Collector/Experiment One/Dryad Militant

Turn 2:
Forest/Lair of the Hydra --> Syr Faren, the Hengehammer/Strangleroot Geist/Werewolf Pack Leader

Turn 3:
Forest --> Strangleroot Geist/Werewolf Pack Leader or Dryad Militant/Pelt Collector/Experiment One

Holding up 1 mana at all times allows us to keep Vines of Vastwood/Dismember/Aspect of Hydra consistently in our back pocket to surprise our opponent and react to anything they may do.

Optimal Starting Hand

Since I primarily function around the 2 mana value range, I've broken done cards I'd like too see in my opening hand by category and ranked.

While it's okay to have multiple cards from a singular category, aim to have a spread from all of them for maximum efficiency.

Regarding Dryad Militant In Opening Hand/Flex Spot

The reason Dryad Militant is considered a flex option over a preferred one drop is due to wanting to play an Experiment One or Pelt Collector first, and then follow it up with a 2 drop. Unless you're facing a spell heavy meta like Burn or UR Control where her impact is needed. Or want to go Pelt Collector on Turn 1 and Pelt Collector/Experiment One and Dryad Militant on Turn 2 for a double evolve trigger.

Treetop Village vs Lair of the Hydra

While both lands are super important to have, due to how fast modern is I consider Treetop Village to be a land I'd play on Turn 3 or Turn 4 even if it appears in my opening hand. This is mainly due too how two drop heavy my deck is. Playing it Turn 3 allows me too continue too play two drops and one drops efficiently while setting up a monkey swing on Turn 4 or save it for a Leatherback Baloth play on Turn 4 and hold 1 mana.

Opening Hand

1 Preferred Mana:
Forest, Forest, Forest.

2 Can Still Function Mana:
Forest, Forest, Treetop Village

3 Maybe Mulligan Mana:
Forest, Lair of the Hydra, Treetop Village

Preferred 1 Drops:
1 Pelt Collector
2 Experiment One

Preferred 2 Drops:
1 Strangleroot Geist
2 Syr Faren, the Hengehammer
3 Werewolf Pack Leader

Preferred Spells:
1 Aspect of Hydra
2 Rancor
3 Dismember

7th Flex Card:
1 Vines of Vastwood
2 Leatherback Baloth
3 Dryad Militant

Always mulligan a hand with 4 or more lands, has zero 1 drops in hand, or has no basic forests/Lair of the Hydra.

If we miss the crucial one drop play due to 0 one drops, or having a Treetop Village and a Lair of the Hydra in hand, it puts us behind tempo and leaves ourselves opened to stray Ragavan, Nimble Pilferers or Delver of Secrets  . We want too be turning sideways first. Not our opponents.

Sideboard Guide For Decks I Regularly Face At My Local Game Store

Burn Matchup 40/60

Out:
3 Dismember
1 Leatherback Baloth

In:
2 Life Goes On
2 Damping Sphere

Reasoning:
Damping Sphere slows down burn plays a tad since they can't reliable chain spells together and Life Goes On helps us stabilize enough because it counters 1.5 bolts.

We take out Dismembers because burn does not play creature worth killing at the cost of 4 life which quickens our death. We also remove 1 Leatherback Baloth due to our need to accelerate our game play and push damage.

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Tron Matchup 30/70

Out:
3 Dismember
3 Rancor
1 Dryad Militant

In:
3 Damping Sphere
2 Force of Vigor
2 Void Mirror

Reasoning:
Tron runs A lot of big bois rendering our Dismembers useless. I'm hesitant to always remove Rancors in this Matchup, but it helps open doors to more tech, and since Tron don't play a lot of Instants/sorceries, Dryad Militant gets cut to 3.

I run Damping Sphere, Force of Vigor, and Void Mirror to slow them down as much as possible. All 3 of these help me turn the corner.

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Cascade 50/50

Out:
2 Syr Faren, the Hengehammer
2 Aspect of Hydra
1 Dismember

In:
2 Void Mirror/Damping Sphere
3 Veil of Summer

Reasoning:
Syr Faren, the Hengehammer is too slow against the amount of removal these decks play and I've found that opponents will always target an Aspect of Hydra to stop my big damage boosts, and going down to 2 Dismembers still help us answer their threats.

Void Mirror absolutely stops their Crashing Footfalls off any Cascade, and Damping Sphere is a secondary effect to stop their counterspells and Crashing Footfalls. Lastly, Veil of Summer is a godsend. Stops any counterspell shenanigans and draws us a card.

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BR Control 3/97

Out:
3 Dismember
4 Aspect of Hydra
1 Rancor

In:
3 Veil of Summer
2 Void Mirror 3 Force of Vigor

Reasoning:
This is such a tough matchup. Between their T1 Thoughtseize or Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, or Grief, and even Terminates they have an answer to everything. Pre and post game 2.

These changes are in a vain attempt to slow them down and protect us and at least establish a board to turn sideways. Veil of Summer stops all their plays immediately and Void Mirror stops free casted Griefs, and Force of Vigor stops the Enginered Explosives/Chalice of the Void from outright killing us

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Dredge 60/40

Out: 3 Dismember

In:
3 Scavenging Ooze

This matchup is probably my only favorited one due too little support Dredge has gotten and how similar all their lists are.

Scavenging Ooze comes in over Dismember due to most lists not having any really big creatures. Ooze eats any creatures they mill, as long as we have mana up, which is really all we need.

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UR Control 20/80

Out:
3 Dismember
3 Rancor

In:
3 Scavenging Ooze
3 Veil of Summer
2 Damping Sphere --> if needed.

Reasoning:
This is my 2nd worse matchup, or as my friends and I call it "Simon Says" or "Mother May I".

We take out Dismember and Rancor because of, much like Dredge, how little big guys they run and Rancor eating up resources against a very removal/counterspell heavy deck. While this does leave us open to large Ledger Shredders, our Avatar of the Resolute helps dodge some heat.

Veil of Summer is our most important card that I will often hard mulligan until I have at least one in my hand. Scavenging Ooze helps shrink their Dragon's Rage Channeler, Murktide Regents and Unholy Heats.. If I've found in G1 my opponent is throwing spells around, I'll often board in Damping Spheres to stop them from fueling up their yards.

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Date added	3 years
Last updated	4 months
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	4 - 2 Mythic Rares 24 - 0 Rares 11 - 10 Uncommons 9 - 3 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	1.50
Tokens	Copy Clone, Pawpatch Recruit 1/1 G, Troll Warrior 4/4 G
Folders	Modern Decks, modern, Modern Favorites, Modern study decks