11.5.2024
Kona, Rescue Beastie is just better than Root Elemental. I don’t know why I go back and forth on this but I want mana dorks in this deck, even though Kaust costs . The more manifest dread and cloak cards get released, the more I can take a set back from the stax package. This is why Dissection Tools is replacing Yasharn, Implacable Earth. Zendikar Resurgent is good, but Vorinclex is just better. One, Clex is a creature. Two, Clex has stax while ramping us. Teleportation Circle is great for cheating costs, but there are lots of creatures, like eldrazi, that I would rather just cast.
9.19.2024 - Duskmourn Edition - The Surprise of 2024
And here, I was thinking that I had to wait all the way until the new Tarkir set for this deck to have a reasonable update. But wow, Duskmourn, what is this? For real, the new set mechanic manifest dread is exactly the additional piece that Kaust needs. Eventhough all the love was gear towards Simic morph (how disrespectful?!), Kaust got plenty of new tools in this set. Almost every Kaust player will tell you that Kaust is a manifest and cloak commander, not a morph and disguise commander. Granted, Kaust still needs to play morph and disguise cards because of card quality. However, Duskmourn really helped Kaust’s playability with manifest dread. This adds an element of control to which creatures will be played on the battlefield to be flipped. Trail of Mystery seems weaker than Threats Around Every Corner because it is land selection, not land ramp. We all knew that Krosan Colossus was super replaceable, being just a big beater with no abilities. Curator Beastie, on the otherhand, is a top end manifest dread enabler and a buffer. Could one say the same about Krosan Cloudscraper? Yes, but Couldscraper is a massive 13/13. Hauntswoods Shrieker is the perfect enable so Selvala, Explorer Returned, though very good, had to be benched. I’m not sure if Rhythm of the Wild is the proper cut, but we shall see. Experimental Lab / Staff Room has manifest dread stapled onto it and provides +1/+1 counters or just flips a face-down card. Archdruid's Charm is a great utility card, but Valgavoth's Onslaught has too much potential and synergy with the deck that it had to be included.
7.16.2024 - Feels Bad Edition
In: Mastery of the Unseen, Elven Chorus, Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth
, Utopia Sprawl, Wild Growth, Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury, Sigarda, Host of Herons, Void Winnower, and Selvala, Explorer Returned
As I keep tweaking this deck, I’m seeing that too many instants and sorceries slows down the game plan. For example, Smuggler's Surprise seems great in this deck, in theory. However, Smuggler’s Surprise feels extra bad when it is constant;y turned into a manifested 2/2, which has been an overwhelming experience. This is because this deck really wants as many ways to create morphed, disguised, or manifested creatures rather than drawing cards. So that means plenty of good instants and sorceries aren’t that great in this deck. Instead, I rather have more permanents that do something similar. Mastery of the Unseen, Elven Chorus, Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth
, and Wild Growth are all back in. I missed the additional avenue of making manifest creatures via Mastery of the Unseen and the top deck usage and mana production of Elven Chorus. Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth
is just a dumb beater that ramps and puts creatures into play. Utopia Sprawl and Wild Growth are in because it is turn 1 ramp and I want to play Kaust on turn 2. If I’m playing Torpor Orb-effects, there is no reason to leave Phlage, Titan of Fire's Fury out of the deck. Even without Orb, Phlage can cheat the sacrifice creature and just start attack and throwing Lightning Helix every turn. Sigarda, Host of Herons is protection from sacrifice effects and is a big flying bully. Void Winnower is a stax piece that messes with even number spells and creatures. Selvala, Explorer Returned is card draw and big ramp. Trinisphere is still probably good in this deck, but I have a rule that hurts me more than helps in playtesting after three times I cut that card. Whelp, that’s what happened with Trinisphere. As well, I want to play Kaust on two unhindered. As well, Trinisphere nerfs the advantage of a two mana commander. Trostani, Three Whispers is a fun, but replaceable card.
6.13.2024 - Modern Horizons III - Massive Changes
In: Seedborn Muse, Torpor Orb, Doorkeeper Thrull, Zendikar Resurgent, Hushbringer, Sensei's Divining Top, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds, Kozilek, the Broken Reality, Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, Fanatic of Rhonas, Root Elemental, Ruins of Oran-Rief, Krosan Cloudscraper, Trinisphere, Farewell, Krosan Colossus, Teleportation Circle, Smuggler's Surprise, Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, Yasharn, Implacable Earth, Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth and Forest.
Out: Spring-Leaf Avenger, Break Through the Line, Welcoming Vampire, Annie Joins Up, Guardian Project, Tocasia's Welcome, Essence of Antiquity, Obscuring Aether, Worldspine Wurm, Salt Road Ambusher, Silverback Elder, Aurelia, the Warleader, Temur Sabertooth, Obscuring Aether, Ugin, the Ineffable, Jasmine Boreal of the Seven, Austere Command, Exalted Angel, Hooded Hydra, Liberator, Urza's Battlethopter, Exotic Orchard, and Bloom Tender.
Big changes so I wrote it out below:
Torpor Orb, Doorkeeper Thrull, and Hushbringer: After testing this deck and looking at other builds, I came to the same consensus as other players; this deck needs some stax. The card quality is very poor for the core of this deck. Morph cards aren’t that great and disguise cards are slightly better. Therefore, Kaust needs to make the game fair so that he can thrive. There is the thing; this deck doesn’t utilize ETB triggers as well as other decks. At best, this deck is just drawing a card or two. That’s nothing in comparison to other EDH decks. Therefore, gotta shut it off completely with Torpor Orb, Doorkeeper Thrull, and Hushbringer.
Farewell: One of the best sweepers I’ve seen in years.
Trinisphere: I’m forced to play for 2/2 so everyone should be subjected to paying more mana for cheap cards. Nice piece for a stax game.
Seedborn Muse: I doubted the precon. I waged my finger at the inclusion of Seedborn Muse. Alas, I was wrong. This deck is mana intensive. Why? Because I want to flip morphs on other people’s turns or play more morphs if I have flash.
Zendikar Resurgent: Yes, this thing is very expensive for increased mana and card draw. That is fine. However, I don’t necessarily plan on casting this thing. Resurgent is great as a morph flip to cheat into play early. Essentially, Resurgent can be played for or less, depending on the situation.Because the draw a card is based off of cast, Resurgence sidesteps all of the Torpor Orb-effects.
Sensei's Divining Top: There is so much dependence on morphing or manifesting cards off the top of the deck, I need to manipulate the deck. Thus, Top is in. Also, this is a form of card draw for a cheap price.
Fanatic of Rhonas and Selvala, Heart of the Wilds: Big mana.
Root Elemental, Krosan Cloudscraper, and Krosan Colossus: The “flippable” creature count needed to increase. Cloudscraper and Colossus are just big vanilla beaters. However, this is a morph deck with a very limited pool. I changed my mind about Root Elemental because I’m focusing more on cheating creatures into play.
Teleportation Circle and Smuggler's Surprise: Cheating and protection.
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, Kozilek, the Broken Reality, and Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger: The biggest of beaters! Look, this deck wants to cheat creatures into play. Why not cheat in some eldrazi? Also, Kozilek, the Broken Realities manifests when cast and buffs colorless creatures. He might not be great for Modern but he is great for Kaust.
Ruins of Oran-Rief: +1/+1 counter buff for colorless creatures on a land.
Welcoming Vampire, Guardian Project, Tocasia's Welcome: Bye-bye, enter the battlefield triggers.
Birds of Paradise: One drop dorks felt awkward for me. There isn’t enough volume to make one drops seem vital. This deck, though morphs cost , leans heavily on and .
Spring-Leaf Avenger: This was alright. However, this need needed the morph cards back and this was the sacrifice, especially because I might be shutting off the graveyard completely in the future.
Break Through the Line: I’m moving away from 2/2 shenanigans so this doesn’t work as well.
Annie Joins Up: Reading is important, friends. Activated and triggered abilities are different so this wasn’t as busted with Kaust as I would like it to be. However, this card might be revisited.
Aurelia, the Warleader: This was the most disappointing change. Aurelia worked in theory but not that well in practice. Aurelia has to be played or flickered into play. Flipping Aurelia with Kaust is just bad. As well, just playing big beaters is sometimes better than extra combat steps in this deck. Dang it, Aurelia! I had high hopes.
Obscuring Aether and Ugin, the Ineffable: Cost reduction that conflicts with Trinisphere.
Worldspine Wurm: I have nothing bad to say about the Wurm. I just wanted more morphs and some eldrazi. Wumr might make a reappearance.
Salt Road Ambushers: It’s just +2/+2. Experiment Twelve is just better.
Silverback Elder: I need more morphs, once again.
Austere Command: Farewell is just better.
Exalted Angel: This card keeps going in and out. It's ok at best. Aurelia's Vindicator, though stated worse, is just a better card.
Hooded Hydra: This just ends up being a 5/5 most of the time.
Essence of Antiquity: There are better forms of protection.
Bloom Tender: Fanatic Rhonas makes 1 more mana.
Temur Sabertooth: This is good but Teleportation Circle has been working better for cheating things into play, especially morph/disguise on then Circle on .
Jasmine Boreal of the Seven: Good on paper, awkward in practice.
4.15.2024 - Outlaws of Thunder Junction - Cowboy Update
No matter how many times I play around with it, I seem to always go back to Birds of Paradise as a reliable ramp card. Semblance Anvil is fine. However, there are enough cost reducers and I would rather have turn one birds. Silverback Elder does what I wanted from Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth
, which was putting more lands onto the battlefield. Silverback has the added benefit of destroying enchantments and artifacts. Spring-Leaf Avenger is big, has on-hit recursion from the graveyard, and ninjutsu in so that a morph card can be bounced back to hand. Sylvan Library is pure gas and this deck needs it for now, much more than additional lands drops on turn four. Welcoming Vampire and Mentor of the Meek have gone back and forth, but I’ve finally landed on Vampire. I’ve noticed that I only play one morph per turn, so why pay for it. Annie Joins Up is removal and double triggers for legendary creatures. My playstyle doesn’t support Delney, Streetwise Lookout like it used to. Now, my creatures will enter as 2/2 but will get larger after unblockable triggers. Because of that, Delney doesn’t do anything.
3.14.24
In: Mentor of the Meek, Duskana, the Rage Mother, Essence of Antiquity, Bloom Tender, Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth
, Tocasia's Welcome, Rhythm of the Wild, and Trostani, Three Whispers
I need more draw effects in this deck. Because of the aggressiveness of this deck, my hand needs to be continuously stocked up. Mentor of the Meek and Duskana, the Rage Mother are back in and Tocasia's Welcome was added. I thought Duskana and Break Through the Line would clash. However, just activate Break before combat then attack so that the 2/2 with hate and unblockable will now get an additional Giant Growth. I must be old because I see less and less people Swiftfoot Boots. Normally, that card is a staple for me. However, this deck is more concerned with slamming creatures into opponents so Rhythm of the Wild granting haste passively is just better. At first, I switched Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth
for Karametra, God of the Harvests. It kinda works with the occasionally damage fizzle because Karametra wasn;t a creature. I reversed that change because the damage trigger for Ojer K is just very good. Essence of Antiquity is protection and an untap effect. Lastly, I’m gonna play Trostani, Three Whispers somewhere. Not sure if Greenbelt Radical is the cut. However, do I need trample when the deck wants to be pseudo or just unblockable? We’ll see….
2.29.24 - Big Changes
In: Case of the Locked Hothouse, Nervous Gardener, Semblance Anvil, Expose the Culprit, Guardian Project, Farseek, Offender at Large, Liberator, Urza's Battlethopter, Rootbound Crag, Clifftop Retreat, and Sunpetal Grove.
Out: Elven Chorus, Ire Shaman, Anzrag, the Quake-Mole, Samut, Voice of Dissent, Mentor of the Meek, Winds of Abandon, Root Elemental, Skittering Cicada, Fire-Lit Thicket, Rugged Prairie, and Wooded Bastion.
The check lands (Rootbound Crag, Clifftop Retreat, and Sunpetal Grove) work just as well as the filterlands ( Fire-Lit Thicket, Rugged Prairie, and Wooded Bastion) and they are less expensive.Here’s the thing about Elven Chorus and Cryptolith Rite; I never had creatures to tap for mana. Most of the time in testing, I’m playing pretty aggressively. Therefore, I really wanted the “play off the top” effect more than the mana product. However, I still wanted ramp. Thus, Case of the Locked Hothouse does both and pretty easy to achieve. Cost reduction is important for this deck so Semblance Anvil reducing all creature cost by is exactly what I want. Anzrag, the Quake-Mole might be back, but I needed to make room for other things. Same with Samut, Voice of Dissent, good but not needed. Instead, Expose the Culprit is a back-up Kaust and can reset disguise creatures. I want the ramp of Farseek over Winds of Abandon. Austere Command is enough of a sweeper for me. Liberator, Uzra’s Battlethopter is a sidegrade to Skittering Cicada simply because I have that card available to me now…and it has flying. Instead of repeatedly paying to draw a card, I can pay the for Guardian Project for more cards over time and with less restriction. I changed my mind for now about Nervous Gardener because it can fetch basic land types. This deck isn’t built for Ire Shaman’s exile draw. Why Offender at Large? Because it is a meme and I like it. Root Elemental is better but hasn’t really done anything special.
2.22.24
Dream Chisel isn’t necessary. Ugin, the Ineffable, Obscuring Aether, Jasmine Boreal of the Seven, and Panoptic Projektor is more than enough reduction. Look, I’m going hard on cards I haven’t really played with. Thus, Rageform and Lightform. I have enough lands and ramp so Elvish Mystic and the coveted Birds of Paradise. The removal of BoP might be a mistake, but here we are!
2.19.24
Break Through the Line is a haste outlet and unblockable if that creature has power 2 or less. Though it costs per use, the previously mentioned combination is great for slamming in with morph creatures then flipping them the same turn with Kaust. As well, the new surveil lands are really good and i think there is enough devotion for Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx.
2.9.2024
Yarus, Roar of the Old Gods is one of the best cards in this deck and it shows. All the shenanigans that I could do with Eldrazi Displacer can be done better with Yarus and just attacking, which is what I'm doing anyways. I rather have more protection for Yarus and Kaust so Swiftfoot Boots were put in. However, I still want to use instants and sorceries that have been manifested. This, Temur Sabertooth basically takes Eldrazi Displacer spot. Dream Chisel for more cost reduction. I'm noticing that there are lots of ways to put face-down creatures into play and Mastery of the Unseen is the weakest. Fortune Thief is a combo piece.
2.7.2024
Elven Chorus is a more expensive Cryptolith Rite that allows you to play creatures off the top. Scourge of the Throne is only here because Imperial Hellkite is a morph dragon. I tried to add other dragons to this build but it didn’t fit well. The extra attack trigger from Scourge is good but kinda slow. Because of that, Anzrag, the Quake-Mole is the replacement, being a better “surprise” card. Imperial Hellkite is a card that leads to a game ender. So, why not just add a game ender. Greenbelt Radical is a morph Overrun card and can end the game. Like Anzrag, Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth
is a busted card that has a good damage trigger and will surprise opponents once flipped. Welcoming Vampire seems like the weakest of the card draw outlets. Fortune Thief is just a fun morph creature to play with that can save you from lethal damage.
Immediate Pre-Con Upgrade
Lands
Branch of Vitu-Ghazi, Command Tower, Exotic Orchard
Boros Garrison, Branch of Vitu-Ghazi, Canopy Vista, Cinder Glade, Gruul Turf, Jungle Shrine, Kessig Wolf Run, Krosan Verge, Mosswort Bridge, Sacred Peaks, Scattered Groves, Selesnya Sanctuary, Sheltered Thicket, Shrine of the Forsaken Gods, Temple of Abandon, Temple of Plenty, Temple of Triumph, and Zoetic Cavern
Fortified Village, Furycalm Snarl, Game Trail, Mossfire Valley, Sungrass Prairie, and Temple of the False God
Artifacts
Arcane Signet, Panoptic Projektor, Scroll of Fate, and Sol Ring
Lifecrafter's Bestiary and Ransom Note
Creatures
Ainok Survivalist, Akroma, Angel of Fury, Ashcloud Phoenix, Beast Whisperer, Boltbender, Deathmist Raptor, Den Protector, Experiment Twelve, Hidden Dragonslayer, Hooded Hydra, Nantuko Vigilante, Ohran Frostfang, Printlifter Ooze, Root Elemental, Salt Road Ambushers, Saryth, the Viper's Fang, Toski, Bearer of Secrets, and Whisperwood Elemental
Broodhatch Nantuko, Duskana, the Rage Mother, Exalted Angel, Imperial Hellkite, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Seedborn Muse, Nervous Gardener, Krosan Cloudscraper, Krosan Colossus, Welcoming Vampire, Scourge of the Throne, and Yedora, Grave Gardener
Master of Pearls, Mirror Entity., Neheb, the Eternal, Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa, Tesak, Judith's Hellhound, Thelonite Hermit, and Temur War Shaman
Enchantments
Obscuring Aether, Trail of Mystery, True Identity, Ugin's Mastery, and Veiled Ascension
Wild Growth and Mastery of the Unseen
Instants/Sorceries
Nature's Lore, Three Visits, and Unexplained Absence
Austere Command, Dusk / Dawn, Fell the Mighty, Jeska's Will, Return of the Wildspeaker, andPath to Exile
Chaos Warp, Showstopping Surprise, and Decimate
Avaycn’s Pilgrim, Bolrac-Clan Basher, Crowd-Control Warden, Elvish Mystic, Expose the Culprit, Flourishing Bloom-Kin, Gisela, Blade of Goldnight, Basandra, Battle Seraph, Jasmine Boreal of the Seven, Mentor of the Meek, Swords to Plowshares, Farseek, Pyrotechnic Performer, Hystrodon, Rhythm of the Wild, Unyielding Gatekeeper, Yarus, Roar of the Old Gods, and Trostani, Three Whispers
Beast Within, Ugin, the Ineffable, Dream Chisel, Liberator, Urza's Batttlethopher , Aurelia, the Warleader, Birds of Paradise, Skittering Cicada, Illusionist Bracers, Samut, Voice of Dissent, Semblance Anvil, and Aurelia’s Vindicator
Guardian Project, Enlightened Tutor , Winds of Abandon, and Archdruid's Charm
Heroic Intervention, Worldly Tutor, Worldspine Wurm, Tyrranax Rex, and Cryptolith Rites
Gucci Cards for a morph deck?
Delney, Streetwise Lookout, Old Gnawbone, and Serra’s Emissary
Round One
37 lands to 35 lands
Boros Garrison to Arid Mesa,
Branch of Vitu-Ghazi,
Canopy Vista to Bountiful Promenade,
Cinder Glade to Rockfall Vale,
Command Tower,
Exotic Orchard,
4x Forest,
Fortified Village to Wooded Foothills,
Furycalm Snarl to Arid Mesa,
Game Trail to Stomping Ground,
Gruul Turf to Boseiju, Who Endures,
Jungle Shrine to Jetmir's Garden,
Kessig Wolf Run to Spectator Seating,
Krosan Verge to Windswept Heath,
Mossfire Valley to Reflecting Pool,
Mosswort Bridge to Swords to Plowshares,
3x Mountain,
4x Plains,
Sacred Peaks to Sacred Foundry,
Scattered Groves to Overgrown Farmland,
Selesnya Sanctuary to Sundown Pass,
Sheltered Thicket to Spire Garden,
Shrine of the Forsaken Gods to Beast Within,
Sungrass Prairie to Battlefield Forge,
Temple of Abandon to Karplusan Forest,
Temple of Plenty to Brushland,
Temple of Triumph to Wooded Bastion,
Temple of the False God to Rugged Prairie, and
Zoetic Cavern to Fire-Lit Thicket.
The lands in pre-cons are generally really slow. Don’t play the signet lands (Mossfire Valley and Sungrass Praire). They are incredibly bad. You’re better replacing those with basics off the bat. First, shock lands must be played for any deck with three or more colors. The battle lands are cheap so there isn't a reason to neglect them. Filterlands would be the next upgrade because they are reasonably priced. Fetchlands aren't necessary but really helps with speed and consistency.
Nah, I’m good must go!
Lifecrafter’s Bestiary to Mentor of the Meek - Mentor of the Meek does the same thing, isn't an artifact so it's easier to flip, and supports the 2/2 theme. Bestiary has been disappointing every time I've played it.
Ransom Note to Yarus, Roar of the Old Gods - Yarus was made for this deck, period. He has to be in here, between the haste, card draw, and recursion. Ransom Note is pointless. Even if there is something I'm missing, this card is one of the most cuttable cards in this precon.
Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa to Delney, Streetwise Lookout - Combatwise, doesn't Sidar and Delney essentially do the same thing? However, Delney is crazy for creatures with 2 power or less. Please correct me, but doesn't Delney cause Kaust to flip two creatures and draw a total of four cards of those flipped creatures deal damage? If so, that's crazy.
Master of the Pearls to Jasmine Boreal of the Seven - Again, these are two combat related cards and one of them is just better. Jasmine ramps to play creatures without abilities, like morph, and makes them pseudo-unblockable. It doesn't work with disguise, but that's fine.
Mirror Entity to Aurelia's Vindicator - I feel like Wizards just slams Mirror Entity into decks for no reason. I guess the ability to mass pump after blocks was the goal. But why? Instead, I'll put in one of the better disguise creatures from the main set.
Neheb, the Eternal to Unyielding Gatekeeper -Again, I understand the goal but why is Neheb here? Again, I'll replace this random card with a disguise creature that is removal and a flicker effect.
Tesak, Judith's Hellhound to Pyrotechnic Performer - Honestly, why is this card here? There aren't any dogs. This is not primarily a +1/+1 counter deck. Instead of a cool disguise creature, we have this random doggo card. Pyrotechnic Performer, on the other hand, will burn out the battlefield with all of the flipping. Just a better card for what I'm doing here.
Thelonite Hermit to Flourishing Bloom-Kin - Yes, this is 9 power over five bodies. So what? This isn't a token deck so those saplings aren't doing much. I rather have the ramp from Bloom-Kin, especially because it fetches a forest card.
Chaos Warp to Archdruid's Charm - I heavily dislike this card. Everytime I've played it, I've rolled into something more dangerous. Archdruid's Charm is one of the best cards in this set. This card is a land tutor, creature tutor, creature removal, enchantment removal, and artifact removal. Just dumb. Though the cost looks steep, I can assure you that with a good mana base, this card can be played past turn 3 reliably.
Showstopping Surprise to Winds of Abandon - I don’t like risky cards, for the most part. As with most Naya decks, I want my board to be full so sweeping isn't the best for me. Winds of Abandon is one-sided, mass Path to Exile.
Round 2
Decimate to Heroic Intervention - If you’ve ever played with Decimate, you know it’s bad. You need to have four targets for Decimate to go off. I rather have the solid protection of Heroic Intervention.
Yedora, Grave Gardener to Eldrazi Displacer. I have an understanding of why Sulati wants this guy. Sulati has a better suite of flip creatures that want to be reflipped. That's cool. However, Sulati doesn't have access to Yarus, Roar of the Old Gods. Yarus is just better for what this deck wants to do, which is smash face. As well, there are things, like non-morph creatures, artifacts, and enchantments, that I don't want locked as a Forest. Kaust can only flip attack creatures and I have no desire to add a card for that synergy. With all that being said, I think Eldrazi Displacer is a good fit here. If the goal is to get more use out of morph cards, instant speed flicker seems like a good option. Think about this, Displacer is another way to cheat in creatures, artifacts, lands, and enchantments. This trick doesn't work with instants or sorceries, but I'm fine with that. This kinda seems insane.
Temur War Shaman to Gisela, Blade of Goldnight. Temur War Shaman is to manifest once and provide a fight mechanic. Meh. This seems very lackluster, especially for the mana cost. I rather have the silliness of double damage from Gisela, Blade of Goldnight.
Krosan Cloudscrapper to Worldspine Wurm and Krosan Colossus to Aurelia, the Warleader. These two morph creatures are just big beaters. Honestly, I would enjoy flipping these over and really getting someone with 9 to 13 damage. But then what? Outside of the “Got’em” factor, these creatures are not good. As well, can’t I just do the same thing with other busted creatures, like Worldspine Wurm and Aurelia, the Warleader? Even though they don't morph, Kaust and the numerous manifest mechanics fills that gap.
Sakura-Tribe Elder to Birds of Paradise, Wild Growth to Elvish Mystic, and Nervous Gardner to Avacyn's Pilgrim. These are just better ramp options. As much as I would like to keep Nervous Gardner, she is a investment for a basic land to hand. Doesn’t Trail of Mystery just do this better and more often?
Round 3
Return of the Wildspeaker to Hystrodon - Hystrodon is a morph creature that draws a card with a good body. I would rather have this over Return of the Wildspeaker. It seems like the product makers were sure if they wanted to support creatures less than 3 power or creatures with more that 3 power and just put in cards for both sections. I’m focusing more on morph, manifest, and disguise so this card is kinda a bust.
Fell the Mighty to Vivien, Champion of the Wilds - This was going to be Liberator, Urza's Batttlethopher, but I didn’t want to lock myself out of the option of flashing in non-colorless creatures. Because this deck wants to be aggressive, I don’t need that many boardwipes. Instead, the ability to flash in creatures is just better for setting up the next turn or surprise blocks.
Dusk / Dawn to Worldly Tutor and Jeska’s Will to Enlightened Tutor- I understand with Dusk / Dawn is in the deck, but it just seems awkward everytime I look at this list. Jeska’s Will is a good card, but I want slots for tutors.
Exalted Angel to Bolrac-Clan Basher - Bolrac-Clan Basher is just the better morph beater with double strike and trample. Nuff’ said.
Seedborn Muse to Samut, Voice of Dissent - Seedborn Muse doesn’t work with Kaust like I want it to because Kaust only flips attacking creatures. Because of that, Samut, Voice of Dissent has the same spirit of usage as Seedborn Muse, but provides haste as well.
Duskana, the Rage Mother to Ugin, the Ineffeable - Both of the subcommanders for this deck don’t support Kaust that well. Duskana, the Rage Mother is a bear commander or something, but not useful for me here. Ugin, the Ineffeable, however, is a cost reducer, card draw, and removal. Clearly a better choice.
Broodhatch Nantuko to Skittering Cicada- What is Broodhatch Nantuko doing that Hooded Hydra isn’t? Is the dream that you block with Broodhatch Nantuko and get like five insects? I rather have an insect that gives my colorless spells flash and pumps itself with trample everytime you cast one of those colorless spells.
Arcane Signet to Cryptolith Rites - Cryptolith Rite is capable of producing plenty of mana. There will be times when I have manifested creatures that are instants, sorceries, and pointless creatures that I rather tap for mana instead of sending into the red zone. Besides that, Rite is just a card that is really good with decks that have lots of creatures.
Path to Exile to Hide in Plain Sight - Winds of Abandon completely overshadows Path to Exile. Hide in Plain Sight is Collected Company for one type of deck.