What makes this deck tick are the Clue generators and some of them are the same cards that go off for sacrificing Clues.
We ramp to pay for the we need to Sac multiple Clues a turn but also we specifically ramp lands into play to generate Clues with Tireless Tracker.
Tireless Tracker | Art by Eric Deschamps
It's entirely too easy to flood the field with Clues with Tireless Tracker's "whenever land(s) enter the battlefield" triggered ability.
Especially when you have more than one in play. (Collected Company helps to a great extent in getting multiples into play.) When you have 2-3 of the key Clue cards in play it really allows for some blowout games.
We got the basic land searchers that put lands into play for Tireless Tracker.
Nissa's Pilgrimage gets things going early with Forests but Nissa's Renewal puts the game away when you can bring out Forest or Plains -- mostly we use basic lands -- plus it's gaining you a large chunk of life.
Evolving Wilds
is great alongside T.T. because it'll enter, you'll get a Clue and then you tap it to search for any of the basic lands (Forest/Plains) they also enter to trigger T.T. to give you another Clue, 2 in one turn.
Once you start sac'ing Clues just watch Tireless Tracker grow. Before you know it's the biggest creature in play and a threat to end the game.
-------------------------------------------Aside from Tireless Tracker the other Clue processor is this Mole.
You'll want to get them in multiples before you start sac'ing Clues left and right. Once you do though it's great lifegain.
Remember Collected Company can possibly put 2 or more into play as soon as T4. If not you might be able to Ramp and cast two from your hand as fast as T4 anyways. Hit 3 land drops and a Nissa's Pilgrimage for 6 lands and now you just need two in your hand.
You'll have a bunch of clues saved up in no matter of time at all and if they try to remove
Graf Mole
you can act in response, tap mana, and sacrifice the clues to gain a bunch of life before the Graf mole's go bye bye.
Often this will pump Tireless Tracker up at same time or put a bunch of 1/1 Human Soldiers into play via Ulvenwald Mysteries.
For simply sac'ing Clues this Enchantment will replace any fallen creatures and every time one of your creatures does die to removal it also gives you some payback as you get more Clues.
Plenty of cards trigger effects for sac'ing Clues. Whether it's putting counters on creatures or gaining life it's never a bad move to Sac a Clue. Plus it draw cards refilling your hand for more play potential. Card advantage is always powerful in Magic. Don't underestimate it.
If you would rather gather Clues for one big splash turn then hold onto them. Cards like Confront the Unknown make whatever goes through unblocked hit harder or allow you to surprise them with a buff to kill off a blocker that thinks it's picking off a weak creature. If you have 6+ clues in play that's a big swing in power/toughness for just one mana at instant speed.
Mostly though you'll want to Sac at least some of the Clues each turn.
It's entirely possible to sac 3 Clues; draw 6 cards, get three 1/1 Human Soldier, put 3 +1/+1 counters on Tireless Tracker, and gain 18 life all in one turn in this deck.
If you manage to have a Alhammarret's Archive in play that is.Controlling one of these at the same time as the Moles and your life gain exponentially rises to insane levels and it won't be long before you reach 40+ for Felidar Sovereign. Remember other cards can gain you life too besides the Moles. Do not overlook a Nissa's Renewal in your hand. Alongside Alhammarret's Archive it goes from 7 to 14 life gain.
Alhammarret's Archive also plays well with Clues. It lets you draw 2 for every Clue you sacrifice. Which only takes the Clue theme above and beyond what it's intended to do. Sac 3 clues draw an entire new hand and trigger all the other cards effects to go off.
-------------------------------------------The handy dandy notebook really is a key card for this deck.
This card is so important for it's ability to tutor up anything we need. Examples of cards to target; a Felidar Sovereign, or another
Graf Mole
, Alhammarret's Archive, or Nissa's Renewal (). The possibilities are endless but that's just how powerful of an ability it is to tutor ANYTHING!
Using 3 Clues we can tutor up the Felidar Sovereign fairly regularly allowing us to win via Lifegain frequently enough.
Also note that Tamiyo's Journal lets us sac 3 clues for free, without paying (saving the mana for other things but it'll still trigger all those cards who have effects for sac'ing a clue. And it will trigger them 3 times.
( Tireless Tracker | Ulvenwald Mysteries |
Graf Mole
)
It would be great in multiples to generate Clue(s) every turn but it's a Legendary. We still want more than a couple of them to ensure we draw one and get one in play every game though. Who knows when they might make you sacrifice an Artifact or Exile/Remove it and you need to cast another.
The flavor with a Felidar themed deck is here. Besides that though this is just a awesome card. It is great for when they start coming at you with some aggression - preventing some of that damage - but more than that it's even better lifegain.
Once you've pumped a Tireless Tracker up or the Ulvenwald Hydra the sky is the limit. Yes, it's versatile enough to where you can target your own creature with a lot of power and gain a lot more life -- which is only doubled through Alhammarret's Archive. Getting +10 life doubled to 20 is game changing. Basically puts it away for you.
One of my favorite combo's is Ulvenwald Hydra as a 10/10 with 10 lands in play. Then after amassing Clue after Clue you have 10 of them in play saved up. Cast Confront the Unknown on Ulvenwald Hydra. It becomes a 20/20 now cast Dazzling Reflection targeting it. You gain +20 life but wait you have a Alhammarret's Archive in play so that's +40 life! Oh you also have a Felidar Sovereign in play? Game over next turn.
Use
Center Soul
and
Survive the Night
to save your Tireless Tracker that is all countered up. Instant speed protection is important and when your over 40 life there's nothing better to be holding then one of these two cards. It ensures your WinCon Felidar Sovereign is in play at the beginning of your next upkeep.