Verdant Succession doesn't do anything in a singleton format, you idiot!
- an idiot, 2017
This is a combo deck. The win combos start at 3 cards and go up from there, but lots of the pieces are interchangeable. It runs 20 tutors, which you will use to get cards that people will ask to read, because they have never heard of them.
This deck looks a lot like a decent Selesnya value deck with a light equipment theme. Your opponents will underestimate it. It can win without going off if it needs to.
The green creatures with ETB and "dies" triggers are carefully chosen. If you've got the whole machine out, loop Thragtusk until you have more life than anyone, then switch to Cloudthresher for the win. If you have Soldevi Digger but not Ashnod's Altar, use Kozilek's Predator. If you need a green creature for Succession, you can search for Sythis, Harvest's Hand with enchantment tutors.
Things That Work With Spy Kit
Verdant Succession - When green creature with Spy Kit equipped dies, tutor any creature to battlefield.
Cornered Market - If Spy Kit is equipped, opponents can't cast creatures.
Bifurcate - Tutors any creature to battlefield.
Pack Hunt - Tutors any three creatures to hand.
Spy Kit - Tutors any creature to battlefield.
Worldspine Wurm - With a free sac outlet, generates infinite 5/5s and infinite of whatever that outlet does.
God-Eternal Rhonas - With a free sac outlet, makes any other creature infinitely large.
Vigor - Does the same trick as Wurm and Rhonas, but doesn't make me win.
Soldevi Digger - Set up a Verdant Succession loop with any green creature and Ashnod's Altar, or Kozilek's Predator and Altar of Dementia. (Or any sac outlet, just not infinite.)
Noxious Revival - One use only, get a Verdant Succession trigger.
Sac Outlets
(permanent)
Ashnod's Altar - Spy Kit and Soldevi Digger cost (2) to activate.
Altar of Dementia - Turns infinite recursion into a win.
Greater Good - Draws cards.
Demonmail Hauberk - Does nothing, costs nothing, tutorable by Nazahn.
Birthing Pod - A good card that get me things.
High Market - Lands are free!
(one-use)
Eldritch Evolution - Jump a rung on the Pod ladder.
Tutors
(except the combo ones, above)
Nazahn, Revered Bladesmith - Tutors for equipment.
Survival of the Fittest - All-purpose!
Academy Rector - Tutors for a sac outlet or combo piece or mana or removal.
Brutalizer Exarch - Does another thing, too.
Stoneforge Mystic - Tutors for equipment.
Protean Hulk - Tutors for ... why was this unbanned?
Birthing Pod - Birthing Pod turns creatures that aren't helping into better ones.
Defense of the Heart - Worldspine Wurm and Academy Rector, please.
Sterling Grove - Does two things.
Enlightened Tutor - Most of the time, it's gonna get a sac outlet.
Worldly Tutor - Do it in response to a draw trigger.
Eldritch Evolution - See also: Birthing Pod.
Idyllic Tutor - There's a little bit of everything in the enchantment section.
Natural Order - I'd like to order a large Wurm, four fried chickens, and a Coke.
Green Sun's Zenith - It's ramp at X=0!
Inventors' Fair - Kind of a low note to end on, but hey, lands are free.
Isn't Nazahn an Equipment Commander?
Hammer of Nazahn - Sometimes, the plan is failing and you need to beat your opponents to death.
Lightning Greaves - If only I could equip it to an enchantment.
Deathrender - Expensive wincon stuck in hand? A tutorable solution!
Demonmail Hauberk - Remarkably handy, despite doing nothing and operating at sorcery speed.
Conqueror's Flail - Please do not touch the combo. Thank you.
Nim Deathmantle - Sacrificing for value? What if instead, you just got the value, and also another ETB trigger?
Notes on Actual Play
- The deck is hugely mana-hungry early, and because of all the tutors, you're often ramping towards a win you can see in your hand but will take a couple turns to implement. Noxious Revival your early ramp if you need to.
- Don't bother with the Soldevi Digger lines unless your Worldspine Wurm is exiled or otherwise inaccessible.
- Use the toolbox! Buy a turn vs Kaalia with a Cloudthresher; solve problems with Brutalizer Exarch. Especially if you're not on the combo plan, tutor for value, baby.
Some Thoughts on the Current Maybeboard
Remembrance is sooort of an extra Verdant Succession, and tutoring to hand isn't nothing...
Mortarpod needs Ashnod's or Kozi's Predator to go infinite.
Altar of the Brood would turn any loop into a kill, but does nothing otherwise.
Arashin Sovereign is more expensive Vigor with worse words on it.
Elvish Soultiller is not as good as God-Eternal Rhonas.
Epitaph Golem is a second Soldevi Digger, and that's a super niche effect that only works with Ashnod's Altar.
Special thanks to Volo and lee_n of #mtg on EFnet!
