Stomping the ground

Modern* MagicMat

SCORE: 77 | 106 COMMENTS | 15603 VIEWS | IN 48 FOLDERS


SlimJim83 says... #1

Have you considered Giant Growth?

February 16, 2017 2:31 a.m.

MagicMat says... #2

SlimJim83 Thanks for the advice. As I wrote in the description Aspect of Hydra is a better Giant Growth in almost every case, if you mean to add more pump spells I'll surely add Blossoming Defense, losing +1/+1 for hexproof definitely worth it.

February 16, 2017 1:49 p.m.

SlimJim83 says... #3

They're a great point. Hexproof is totally worth it.

February 16, 2017 2:33 p.m.

HEX. says... #4

Greenbelt Rampager is a good card, but I dont think it fits as well in this deck. If you had more with energy it could have a lot more value.

February 17, 2017 9:06 p.m.

MagicMat says... #5

HEX. Thanks for contributing. Greenbelt Rampager is less solid than the rest of the deck but the point is not to play it for 1 but to have multiple ETB effect for Experiment One, revolt for Narnam Renegade and curve fix using the extra 1 mana. I'm still testing this list so maybe I'll remove it however for now it's working fine

February 18, 2017 4:25 a.m.

lagotripha says... #6

February 18, 2017 4:48 a.m.

HEX. says... #7

Got it, yea that is good then because it is free counters.

February 18, 2017 11:51 a.m.

MagicMat says... #8

lagotripha Thank you. Card draw is something this deck is missing, but probably because there are not cards good enough to deserve a slot. I would see Tezzeret's Gambit in a Hardened Scales build, where proliferate can be more powerful, this deck it's not focused on +1/+1 counters even if there are creatures that use them.

February 18, 2017 1:07 p.m.

lagotripha says... #9

I get that, its just that you've swapped the Kalonian Tusker and a from the netdeck for some dismember and counter-using creatures in the lower slots, which plays to the card's strengths- the problem with the 1 drop increases is that while they're great cards, you're hardly running the haste enablement of 8-whack, and with the loss of devotion the original simply performs better- Scavenging ooze is a great card maindeck but it isn't enough to make up for the loss of synergy the deck faces in its most key cards- the ones that care about those (G)(G) costs. Narnam Renegade is just a 1/2 deathtouch when you play it.

Now if you were cutting the curve a little more for the aether revolt Maulfist Revolutionary or planning some ramp with Rishkar, Peema Renegade/Dwynen's Elite/Collected Company/Asceticism that could also work, or running Inspiring Call as draw and protection it might pull through, but as minor tweaks it waters things down in a way that doesn't help the overall goal compared to the netdeck- the playstyle that defeats the netdeck won't be any worse against this, and the changes you've suggested don't make space for the kind of unexpected plays that win games.

But if all you're looking for is a minor tweak, consider Lifecrafter's Bestiary maindeck- It'll draw some more cards and keep the beatdown going after the end is expected, and combined with a couple more dismember or Prey Upon it'll extend your range above more aggressive decks. Good luck, hope the brewing goes well.

February 18, 2017 2:24 p.m.

dannecticut says... #10

Stompy is how I got into Modern also. It's a fun deck.

IMHO, you don't want Narnam Renegade:

  1. There are only 2 cards in your deck that let you trigger Revolt voluntarily.

  2. With Aspect of Hydra you are sometimes going to want to play Narnam Renegade pre-combat to get your Devotion count up so even your opponent's removal spells (usually cast during combat) won't always trigger it.

I think Attune with Aether might be interesting. It gets you the you need to make Greenbelt Rampager stick on turn 2 for , and drawing an extra Forest has some synergy with Dungrove Elder.

February 20, 2017 4:55 p.m.

dannecticut says... #11

Other creatures worth considering:

Garruk's Companion: I play it instead of Kalonian Tusker because Trample makes Aspect of Hydra that much more deadly.

Surrak, the Hunt Caller: Unless your board is empty, he will usually be able to give himself Haste. He closes out games out of nowhere because no one ever suspects him.

February 20, 2017 5:01 p.m.

dannecticut says... #12

Other spells worth considering:

Beast Within: Main-board answer for problem cards like Ensnaring Bridge, Liliana of the Veil, Ghostly Prison, Urza's Tower, etc. You can also destroy your own Forest on your opponent's end step for a surprise 3/3 attacker!

Heroic Intervention: Because board-sweepers suck.

February 20, 2017 5:10 p.m.

MagicMat says... #13

lagotripha 8-whack will always be faster, the way to beat it is through consistency with efficient creatures. Narnam Renegade is one of them, it can kill everything don't caring about stats and if revolted (rarely, it's true but happens) it can survive opponent's 1 drops, even some 2 drops. Kalonian Tusker can be better in some cases, I think the real problem is that I empty my hand faster because where classic stompy plays a 2 drop I play 2 1 drops so Lifecrafter's Bestiary maindeck can be useful.

dannecticut Thanks for help. Trigger Narnam Renegade's revolt is not so necessary, play it pre-combat to get devotion is totally fine as it still does its backup job.I treid Attune with Aether but it's too slow, play Greenbelt Rampager for would be nice but this is not why it's in the deck.I prefer Kalonian Tusker over Garruk's Companion due to more survivability and cause I'm not playing a playset of Aspect of Hydra.I've Surrak, the Hunt Caller and I like it, no time to try it but I'll do, same for Beast Within and Heroic Intervention.

February 21, 2017 6:03 a.m.

MagicMat says... #14

FAGGOTUS-REX Thanks for yuor hint. I know Narnam Renegade seems not synergizing with the rest of the deck, but for now I think 10 1cmc creatures are needed and I consider Narnam Renegade the best one.

February 21, 2017 10:25 a.m.

C.LewisMTG says... #15

Description note - Fetchlands are absolutely worth it. It makes your renegades great, and it makes sure you don't draw lands you don't need (deck thinning)

March 3, 2017 6:35 p.m.

MagicMat says... #16

C.LewisMTG Thanks. I know how much useful fetchlands are. The problem with fetchlands is that not to take damage from manabase is one of the pros of this deck cause it doesn't make aggro decks 1 turn faster. If you think that it's worth it I can agree with you, but it triggers a chain reaction that leads to zoo or to gw hatebeaters: is it fine to take damage for mana? So why not to splash? Which color? Red? White? In either case the deck bacomes a worst version of other no budget decks and it's not what it wants to be. Secondly I want to keep the deck under 100$. Anyway I probably have to update my description about this point, thanks again.

March 4, 2017 2:41 a.m.

xyr0s says... #17

About Greenbelt Rampager a.k.a. the lazy energy-draining elephant. Let's assume you play Experiment One in your first turn. Turn two, you play Greenbelt Rampager twice, triggering evolve both times, and then you swing for 3. Turn 3... you have to play the elephant again, and apart from that some 2 drop. While the rampager seems good, as far as I'm able to tell, that's a pretty weak turn 2 for an aggro-deck.

Of course you could play Narnam Renegade instead of the second casting of Greenbelt Rampager, since that would enable revolt, but then you miss the trigger on Experiment One. I think Leatherback Baloth is better - same mana, better stats, more devotion.

March 4, 2017 10:48 a.m.

MagicMat says... #18

xyr0s Thanks for hint. If I have a 2 drop I'll play it on turn two and on turn 3 Greenbelt Rampager that makes Experiment One a 4/4 where Leatherback Baloth makes it a 3/3. The problem is when I don't have a good curve, if I have no 2 drops on turn 2 I can cast Greenbelt Rampager twice and turn 3 play it with 2 mana open for a possible drawn 2 drop or 1 drop, Leatherback Baloth can't do this. I never had devotion problems, but I'll switch Dungrove Elder for another Leatherback Baloth.

March 4, 2017 11:11 a.m.

ZackBinks says... #19

Deck looks really solid! Is 21 lands enough to support your curve? Have you considered running Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx combined with beefier creatures?

March 4, 2017 11:39 a.m.

MagicMat says... #20

ZackBinks Thanks for advice. For now 21 lands seem to work fine. I think Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx is too slow, the deck needs just 3-4 lands for the whole game, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx will give unnecessary mana.

March 4, 2017 11:53 a.m.

ZackBinks says... #21

That's understandable. I talked to my friend who also runs this deck and loves it like her own child (don't tell her actual daughter that). She swears by Groundbreaker, Skinshifter, and a copy of Tormod's Crypt and/or Relic of Progenitus in the sideboard. On even a mildly developed board, she said Groundbreaker+Aspect of Hydra is most times enough to take the game, and even helped her go 4-0 many times, and almost Top 8'd at the last SCG IQ (had it not been for yours truly beating her, I promised to babysit her daughter the next time her and her husband wanted to go on a date night).

March 5, 2017 1:52 p.m.

ZackBinks says... #22

In case I didn't make myself clear, she said copies of Groundbreaker and Skinshifter in the mainboard and Relic and/or Tormod's Crypt in the sideboard.

March 5, 2017 1:53 p.m.

MagicMat says... #23

ZackBinks Ahahahah thank her! I saw a deck that made a good result with 2 Groundbreaker and 2 Leatherback Baloth, how does she play them? I understand their "explosiveness" so I'll keep them in mind, but I think I should probably have 4 Aspect of Hydra.

About Skinshifter I was considering it in these days after seeing someone playing it, never taken it too seriously cause it doesn't evolve Experiment One and compared to Scavenging Ooze I didn't think it deserves a spot.

SB is something I'm continually changing and you can tell her that I'm currently running a Tormod's Crypt and it'll stay there for a lot. ;)

March 5, 2017 4:03 p.m.

ZackBinks says... #24

She doesn't think you should go remove Ooze, not at all. Ooze is crazy good in this deck. What she does question is Narnam Renegade. Sure, it is a 1/2 with Deathtouch, but since your archetype doesn't use fetchlands and you have no reliable enough way to remove permanents off the field right before you play it, you can't consistently trigger Revolt enough to get full value from it. Skinshifter, on the other hand, can be a 4/4 attacker with trample as early as turn 3, can fly over your opponent's creatures and block flyers, and can turn into one of the biggest blockers in Modern for just 2 mana initially.

She also said that is the ratio uses, 2 Breakers and 2 Baloths. She would never go with more than 2 Breakers, because Baloth is one of the biggest threats in the deck.

March 5, 2017 4:50 p.m.

MagicMat says... #25

ZackBinks Narnam Renegade is 1cmc, Skinshifter is almost a 3cmc. I know it's more versatile but it costs more and can be killed by a Gut Shot so it's not a so easy substitution, I'll try it.

I'm pretty confident about Groundbreaker. Another card I would like to try is Collected Company.

March 5, 2017 5:37 p.m.

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