Dissension introduced three new guilds, the Azorius Senate, the Cult Of Rakdos, and the topic of this article, the green-blue madness of the Simic Combine. Of course, I'll get to the other two guilds later on, but the reason I chose the Simic is because of the immense change of heart I've had for them. When I saw them described back in Rei's article for the Ravnica set, I thought they were the dumbest guild for some reason. Now that I can see everything they have to offer, I was stupid in my initial judgment.

The Simic Combine is led by the elven biomancer, Momir Vig. He is your standard "lone ranger", always in solitude and always trying to create new, massive entities just to prove his superiority. Fortunately, his guild feels the same. The Combine plays green and blue, which was hard for WotC to work out. In the end, it's proven as a guild to be reckoned with.

Momir Vig in all his outstretched arms glory.

This guild uses the mechanic Graft N, and it states that "This creature comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it. Whenever another creature comes into play, you may move a +1/+1 counter from this creature onto it."  More or less, it's an interesting mechanic because you need to strategize. With it you can easily make bigger armies of Graft creatures that just devastate opponents.

Of course, it's no good of me just to explain it without showing you now, is it?

Let's dive..

Green gets a little more than Blue does in this case, and uses this to its advantage for power. Cards like Aquastrand Spider and Cytospawn Shambler are there to allow your creatures to have a more versatile role in combat. Others like the Basilisk and Sporeback Troll combine to make sure your creatures stay on the field after they have effectively poisoned another creature.

Simic Initiate is the most basic you can get with Graft. It's a chump blocker for a turn, or it's a permanent +1/+1 for another creature you control. It only costs one green anyways, so it's not a big spender when it comes to other spells.

The Basilisk is a card I like. Sure, it's a bit costly, but its effect can really help in battle. It basically gives a creature venom, which is "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a creature, destroy that creature at end of combat." until end of turn.

Cytoplast Root-Kin has two very cool effects built upon it. It's already a 4/4 for four, and it gives all other Grafting creatures an additional counter to build upon. Plus, it also has the ability to give more counters to others as if they just came into play. Versatile? Oh yes.

Blue is more focused on fixing your own playing field and netting you cards and creatures. Of course, it does this job very well. Novijen Sages removes counters for knowledge, while Vigean Graftmage untaps your creatures after a weary battle so they may defend next turn.

The Manipulator is a very anti-Graft card. Since all a creature needs is a +1/+1 counter on it to become controlled, I'm sure you can find many ways to pull this off; and by only spending one blue mana!

If you want quick ways to fly over your opponents creatures, Helium Squirter is what you want to have in play. For one colorless mana, any of your Graftworthy creatures may gain that ability to soar over the field.

Lastly, the Graftmage is there to assist your creatures in untapping right after they have soared with some help from Helium Squirter. Of course, the Graftmage is a cheaper solution to other untap cards such as Sky Hussar, Dryad's Caress, or Tidewater Minion. Using Graft though, why are you playing those cards?

Multicolor gets the short end of the stick, with only two creatures with Graft. Putting this aside, the guild champion is awesome anyways. I'm not sure if WotC just doesn't want a lot of mechanics in Multicolor, or if they just forgot to put more in. Oh well...

Kraj...what a champion he is. At first you may get the same reaction as I did "Hmm...interesting..." Of course, that was midnight and I didn't want to get caught sneaking onto my computer. As I looked at it more, it's pretty solid. It works oh-so-well with Cytoplast Manipulator because you can choose which creature you can gain control of. Plus, even if the Manipulator dies and an opponent regains control of that creature, Kraj still has any and all activated abilities that creature has. Nice eh?

What to say about the Frogling...it's a Frog...Mutant. Now that that's aside, let's look into this card. Hmm...a 3/3 for three is ok...and the ability is colorless and is a good ability to have access to. It's prevention, and looking at the Rakdos and Azorius cards, this card is a good one to have.

Let's not forget about the Hydropon.....oh sorry, I was thinking of how awful I think it is. There's got to be something good though, a 5/5 for three mana, not bad! Oh wait, can't attack or block? So it's just Graft fodder? Exciting...

I love Hybrid cards, and the Simic ones just look absolutely gorgeous. You have one that draws cards, one that moves counters and auras, and a creature enhancer. Oh joy for Simic.

Ever need a mass-card drawing spell? Here's your solution. If you're playing Graft, you've got to have about five to six creatures out when you play this, and your opponent may have one to none if you're playing Graft to its maximum. Still, that's seven cards, a new hand if you may, for seven mana. Spiffy...but very expensive.

The Guildmage is a staple, and it can definitely shift around those counters and auras. You can combo it with auras from Ravnica such as Dream Leash or even Shielding Plax for some quick action right there.

Now the Plax itself; it's playable at the least, and it has two decent effects. You can draw a card and it protects your creature from the opposition's affliction spells. That's a trustworthy enchantment if you ask me. The option of paying either color because of its Hybrid cost nets green some card draw, and blue some protection.

The only two lands worth playing, the dual-land Breeding Pool, and the guildhome Novijen, are both worthy of a Graft deck because they're both really cool. Once again, I don't favor the guildland too much because I just don't think returning a land and having it come into play tapped is worth it.

The dual-land of course, versatile in both colors. With Graft, paying the 2 life is the smart thing to do because you'll want extra mana for Novijen's effect, which is decent. The creature doesn't even have to have Graft to use Novijen's effect, and that's the glory of it. It's like playing a mini Cytoplast Root-Kin for two mana. Not bad for Simic.

Pretty much every card in the Simic Combine is a combo piece whether it is with members of its own guild or with cards from sets as far back as the Tempest block. First up is a Simic-Simic combo: Cytoplast Manipulator – Vigean Graftmage.

Creature control has evolved rather extensively over the course of magic. When speaking of creatures that can remain in play and steal your opponent’s creatures, I think Old Man of the Sea was the first. Followed up by Seasinger, Rootwater Matriarch, Callous Oppressor and finally Cytoplast Manipulator. Aside from the Matriarch and the Manipulator, they all have to remain tapped to stay in control of the creature. Which is why I think Cytoplast Manipulator is the best of the bunch. Not only could you control multiple creatures and keep them in one game, but you can use her Graft ability to ensnare creatures that don’t already have a +1/+1 counter.

Now enter Vigean Graftmage, another member of the combine. With him and her you can gain control of multiple creatures so long as they all have +1/+1 counters on them (which shouldn’t be very difficult if you are playing with other Graft creatures) all in the same turn.

Moving along, how’s about an infinite combo?

Experiment Kraj is an AMAZING creature – one of those that made me drool a bit when first seeing it during the WotC Dissension previews. This combo involves Simic Ragworm and Argothian Elder. With all three in play, use Kraj or Thrive to put a +1/+1 counter on both the Ragworm and the Elder. Kraj now has their abilities (T: Untap two lands, T: Untap this creature). Tap two islands and then tap Kraj to untap those two islands. Tap those two islands (with four blue mana in your mana pool) and untap Kraj for U. Repeat for infinite mana. Note: There are creatures you can substitute for either Simic Ragworm or the Argothian Elder such as Horseshoe Crab or Krosan Restorer (with Theshold).

That’s a nice combo and all but I think the Simic creatures need something a bit more fun for them – kind of like a Happy Hour. Decree of Savagery is a great way to provide this for them. Just hard cast the Decree (or cycle it for less fun) and watch your Grafters go to town. You can either beatdown your opponent or let some Cytoplast fireworks fly. Thrive can work too but it isn’t nearly as satisfying with it’s one counter to Decree’s four.

This next one isn't anything new as I've already featured it on the Dissension combo page here on MDV: Simic Guildmage and Bramble Elemental.

Any time you move an Aura from the Bramble Elemental to another creature and then back to the Elemental, it’s ability activates putting two 1/1 green Saproling tokens into play (possible triggers for your Graft abilities). Using Simic Guildmage to move the Aura back and forth you can slowly but surely build up an army.

A neat Aura to move around using the above combo is Predatory Hunger from the Tempest block.  With lots of graft creatures and this little enchantment looming over your side of the battlefield, you should be able keep your army well fed with +1/+1 counters so long as your opponent is playing creatures. 

How's about another infinite combo, this time using the Simic artifact, Evolution Vat?

Remember Workhorse from the Tempest Block? He isn't unfamiliar with infinite combos at all. Combined with mana filters and Evolution Vat you can achieve infinite mana. You see, Workhorse comes into play with four +1/+1 counters. You can remove a counter from him to add one colorless mana to your mana pool. If you throw Workhorse into the Vat, the first activation of it’s ‘double my counters’ ability will put your Workhorse at eight counters. If you do it again it gives you eight more +1/+1 counters, then sixteen, then thirty-two and so on. Combined with a mana filter of your choice you will eventually reach infinite mana.  You will need to fuel the beginning phases of doubling with mana generated by cards other than Workhorse in order to reach infinite mana.

Well that's about it for now for Simic combos.  There are many, many more.  I didn't even talk about Doubling Season!!!

I will return you back to Ghurhgs now. Many thanks to Michael_Zeora for his input on combos for this section.  ~Streetz~

That's it. That's the Simic Combine in one article or less. I just want you to decide that Graft is the best mechanic in Dissension until I do the other two that belong to the Azorius and the Rakdos. That's my job. Just play it well, think it out, and always, always, listen to your grandparents.

~Until next time,
Ghurhgs~

You can discuss this article in the MDV forums here.

Articles Spotlights from 2006
The Games People Play - Tactical Magic.
If I worked at R&D
The Beginner’s Guide to Rogue
Druid Week Primer
Opting In: Ravnica
MDV Idol: Finale!
Avatar Week Primer
Delusions of Mediocrity: Getting Stuffy in Here.
Lands-More than Mana: Part One
Raiding Ravnica: Guildmages and You!