Why green isn't a good "secondary" color right now
Standard forum
Posted on Feb. 5, 2014, 6:51 p.m. by thataddkid
In the past we've seen decks splash green just for ramp. With the only ramp right now being Elvish Mystic , Voyaging Satyr , and Sylvan Caryatid in a meta full of Supreme Verdict s it's no wonder that green isn't being splashed into U/W control decks. If wizards wants to push kiora into a bant control list they need to print a Farseek like effect, or even Cultivate . Anything at all that gives landramp not creature ramp, since sweepers + kill spells = no creature ramp.
Still good in Limited, but yeah, for Standard constructed, go full mono-green devotion, or dual-color with heavy green, or it's not worth it.
February 5, 2014 10:58 p.m.
Ultimaodin says... #4
Not sure what you're on about. Pretty much all my decks have green in.
When on earth has a control deck really splashed Green when running sweepers? Ban't Control doesn't typically play sweepers anyway. I play Simic and have never had an issue with Verdict as I can recover almost immediately. Spirit of the Labyrinth might make things harder but no control player will ever use this card since they also need card advantage.
Also not sure what you are on about the land thing, you have: Peregrination , Into the Wilds , Karametra, God of Harvests (people really ought to test this card - hitting her on turn 3makes life way too easy), all that put straight onto the battlefield. Then there's
Lay of the Land , Satyr Wayfinder (made for BUG) for fetching.
Then there's Sylvan Primordial .
Then we have dual coloured cards including good old Grisly Salvage , Frenzied Tilling and Urban Evolution . Hi, I've played Irindu control, it dominates (nobody knows how to fight it)
If you play x/G then having Verdict hit Sylvan Caryatid it's fine (since that's the only way to kill it) so long as you're not a dumb ass and dump all your creatures on the board versing a control player.
February 5, 2014 11:27 p.m.
thataddkid says... #5
The problem with what you're saying is that I'm talking about land ramp. Ramp as I and many other players know it is mana acceleration that doesn't just let you hit land drops- it puts you above the curve. All cards you mentioned either put land into your hand or are too high cmc to be relevant.
It's pretty common to splash green for control, since we all know how much control loves mana.
The point that I'm making with this post is that while green certainly has merits to base it around, it's not the color people splash when they realize their mana base can support it. It doesn't offer anything to a strategy like u/w control, and we all know Kiora, the Crashing Wave is meant for bant control and maze's end. All relevant ramp in green right now is creature-based and creatures right now are a bit too fragile to lean on.
February 5, 2014 11:34 p.m.
Ultimaodin says... #6
I forgot to mention Verdant Haven
thataddkid - I disagree, I run mainly creature heavy decks and control does not bother me. There are a tonne of methods to fight control. Indestructible and Regenerate are a thing. If people can't adapt to a control heavy meta then that's there problem. I've on a number of times taken all Supreme Verdicts and regained my board presence immediately or just prevent losing it in the first place. You also forget that UG has access to Prophet of Kruphix , which lets you play control in both yours and their turn.
BUG will be a very powerful control deck and it will only sideboard the green black board wipe for versing aggro. (Then again I'm too busy making a shots and giggles BUG mill)
February 6, 2014 12:41 a.m.
thataddkid says... #7
You're still missing the point. There are ways to ramp out with creatures effectively, but not enough to warrant splashing green in decks that want ramp. You have to figure out how to protect your ramp and if you do you're making your original deck less effective.
February 6, 2014 6:26 a.m.
Ultimaodin says... #8
Fair call, I don't splash green for ramp though, I generally splash green for power cards or support cards. (Power cards being your usual big green things and support being stuff like Zegana and Kruphix)
I can't say I'm familiar with the concept of splashing for ramp but if it's land there are plenty of ways to get land. If you are playing ramp then your deck needs to be able to stabalise for after a supreme verdict. I also don't think giving protection necessarily makes your deck weaker - especially if you start playing with the heroic mechanic (although lots of people hate this mechanic even though casting protection spells now grant additional benefits).
Also, Bant control mostly wouldn't run ramp much anyway - it's a control deck, it doesn't need ramp. Ramp in control will only help for turn 2-3 making certain you have enough mana to play your Dissolve. Honestly there aren't many turn 2 threats and after thes you can use sweepers to deal with lots of enemies.
raithe000 says... #2
There is Peregrination , but yeah, it's not worth splashing green right now.
February 5, 2014 6:54 p.m.