First Impressions: Zendikar - Green. - by Streetz

[Streetz]

This thread is reserved for the dicussion of the following article:

http://www.magicdeckvortex.com/mdvarticle0530.htm

Please read it, enjoy it and discuss it here.

What did you like about the article? Was it inspiring, informational, ingenius? Was it inappropriate? Was there anything you really liked or didn't like about it?

Let the author know here!

Thanks!

**NOTE: This thread is posted before the article goes live. If the article isn't up yet, please check back later.

[cuddly_cultist]

Huzzah for First Impressions!! My personal favorite article series.
I thought you rated Khalni Heart Expedition a bit low, I think it can be useful in casual
Overrall, Im pleased. Thanks Streetz

[Serra Redeemer]

The link isn't working for me, nor is typing it in.

[Streetz]

cuddly cultist - Thanks for the comment!

Serra - Try refreshing the page. It may be a cookies issue.

[GRUNT]

Great article, and I largely agree with your assessment of the cards :].

I woulda given Zendikar Farguide a D, though . I mean, even though it's filler, surely Territorial Baloth is a lot better than the Farguide? I'd have their ratings reversed if it were me .

[Drathro]

I enjoyed the article, Streetz!

If you (or anybody else) decides to pursue the Baloths deck, you might consider Krosan Warchief = mana reduction and regeneration for most of your Baloths.

I couldn't tell from the article - you do know that Beastmaster Ascension gets counters whenever any creature attacks, right? Even one creature could activate it, after seven turns of attacking...

I'm not disagreeing with your grade, just commenting that Grazing Gladehart can be extremely relevant in Limited. I'm not a fan of lifegain, but all you do is play it, go about your business as usual, and it gains you almost unfair life. It's like those Ron Popeil ads used to say: Set it and forget it! (Except don't forget the landfall trigger - it's a "you may" trigger.)

Khalni Heart Expedition is a card that I dislike, but I actually think could be good if you plan ahead properly. It's definitely a bad short-term mana fixer, but if you play it with Harrow, KHE gets activated almost immediately, making it feel more useful. I'm on the fence - on paper it looks good, in practice it is hit or miss.

But Streetz, there aren't any Allies that grant Trample (yet)!

River Boa

I'm really liking Summoning Trap. I personally would have given it an A, because instant speed creatures are awesome. This trap has the potential to get you something ridiculous from the top seven cards of your deck. Also great at EOT after a Wrath/Day of Judgment. Sure, it's a bit of a gamble, but if you build your deck carefully...

Vines of Vastwood

My picks for best green art: Harrow (weird but cool and good use of color) and Scute Mob (I like the way they carpet the hills in the background)

[Cashew]

Beastmaster Ascension - definitely better than you judged it. Remember Windbreak Heights and how easy it became to break that open. GW tokens is always a strong deck, this makes it a force.

Nissa Revane - definitely better than what you gave her. She puts up a strong case for Elf Aggro in Standard and begs to be broken like Elves always manage to be done.

Nissa's Chosen - a 2/3 for two mana. I've played the other 2/3 elves in serious decks for their body. That 3 toughness is important in Standard right now thanks to Disfigure, Lightning Burst, and Blazing Torch.

Savage Silhouette - Will see play just like Oakenform and Moldervine Cloak before it.

Scute Mob - Screams amazing to me. I love powerful one drops.

Vines of Vastwood - this is an important card design wise. I consider it far superior to the Blanchwood instant and easier to play than Stonewood Invocation. The only Giant Growth variant I wouldn't play this over is Gaea's Might/Might of Alara

[Serra Redeemer]

KHE is my only gripe. You Way underate this card. There aren't many decks running green right now not using it. It is far from an F. I wouldn't have said anything at all if it was a C. But a B- or a B would have been most accurate.

[Cashew]

I haven't seen a single serious deck using Khalni Heart Expedition. Why would you want land acceleration on turn five for two lands? Shard Convergence is better and still pretty crappy.

[Drathro]

Originally Posted by Serra Redeemer

KHE is my only gripe. You Way underate this card. There aren't many decks running green right now not using it.

So far, the only "competitive" Green decks that have used it are Scapeshift combo in Extended. Not even Harrow is seeing much play in competitive Standard yet, much less Khalni Heart Expedition, because everybody is still using their updated pre-rotation decks.

I know when I built my version of Naya Aggro (with Harrow), I tried out Khalni Heart Expedition, but it felt like wasted space in my build.

I did see KHE at FNM, and every time my opponent played one, I was relieved. It was usually a wasted turn for them, because their deck wasn't designed to take proper advantage of the Expedition.

That being said, I think it has it's uses. My prediction for the proper use of KHE? Ob Nixilis decks.

[Serra Redeemer]

Originally Posted by Cashew

I haven't seen a single serious deck using Khalni Heart Expedition. Why would you want land acceleration on turn five for two lands? Shard Convergence is better and still pretty crappy.

You mean turn 4 you have 6 Lands right. Harrow is important there. Gotta be. Even you can't miss that. And I'm in a highly competitive meta, and the green decks are using Both Harrow and KHE. But I won't change minds here, as proven, because I have the moron tag in this forum.

[CoglineErro]

I idsagree with your warning on Scythe Tiger. If you have the land to support it, play this on turn one as an insane beater. It puts you completely on the offensive first turn. If you are holding a couple lands, play it turn one.

[Streetz]

Thank you everyone for the comments; I must say I'm surprised and overwhelmed at the amount of feedback I received. Let's keep up this trend! I will do my best to respond to everyone's comments.

@GRUNT - Zendikar Farguide is better than a D. Especially since more than 70% of the players are going to choose green as a second color or to splash it for Harrow or a beatstick. That Forestwalk is going to get you an unblockable attacker more often than not. I think the C is justified for its importance in Limited. And Territorial Baloth still doesn't have trample. Although I like the art, despite it not making my top 10.

@Drathro - I can't tell. Is Krosan Warchief a Baloth himself? If so, great idea!

About Beastmaster Ascension -- I understand its for every creature attacking, but still... it's kind of slow. It still got a B- which is good. It's just not A quality. I agree on lifegain being king in Limited. I think I touch on that a little bit in my next article. Gruul War Plow still works in an Ally deck! Or Overrun. Harrow was definately in the top 20 Green arts...

@Cashew - Do you see a WB Token deck splashing Beastmaster Ascension any time soon? I don't there's a competitive deck for this card. B- is still not a bad grade. I won't argue with you on Nissa Revane, as I think I may have been a little harsh. She is still among the easiest to elimiate Planeswalkers with such a low Loyalty coming into play even after you activiate her first ability. I won't contest your other comments.

@Serra - What's most important is that you are commenting on an article I wrote. I still don't agree with you. Unless I was playing a Green Awesome Art Theme Deck, I don't know I'd be running this over some more consistent mana acceleration. The Expedition just isn't solid enough.

EDIT: After reading Drahtro's comment about Ob Nilixis I think KHE may be of good use. I'd still play Harrow over it though.

@Serra - you are not a moron and you have no such tag. I know I'm just personally stubborn.

@CoglineErro - RE: Scythe Tiger... Unless your deck is built in a weenie style or suicide fashion, playing Scythe Tiger is still not recommended. It slows the momentum of your deck immensely. Think of it in reverse. The best play for a LD deck is turn one Birds of Paradise, Forest, second turn Land, Stone Rain. Losing a land drop or a land on turn one or two is detrimental to most decks. Again, your strategy is tuned for a specific style of deck. I dare you to build it and post it in the forum so we can talk about it more and maybe playtest it against my own decks using Zendikar.

Thanks again for all of the comments. I really appreciate them. Please keep the comments coming as I post more First Impressions this week.

REAL EDIT: I use WAY too many smilies... WAY TOO MANY. yikes... I had to remove about 10. Seriously! TEN!!! Make that 15... Grrr.

[GRUNT]

Originally Posted by Streetz

@GRUNT - Zendikar Farguide is better than a D. Especially since more than 70% of the players are going to choose green as a second color or to splash it for Harrow or a beatstick. That Forestwalk is going to get you an unblockable attacker more often than not. I think the C is justified for its importance in Limited. And Territorial Baloth still doesn't have trample. Although I like the art, despite it not making my top 10.

Even in a limited environment, I find Territorial Baloth to be a better card. At least it's a solid 4/4 for 5 no matter who it is you're up against, and it's not tough to get it to be a 6/6 on the attack.

Maybe I just had my perspective skewed at the prerelease though because I kid you not - only one person I played with on the first day actually used green in their deck. :[

[Cashew]

Do you see a WB Token deck splashing Beastmaster Ascension any time soon?

No. However with Spectral Procession moving out and Cobra Trap/Baloth Cage Trap coming in. It will shift from WB to GW. I'd play Ascension in tokens it is too easy to trigger and works better than Honor of Pure or the other standard augments like Eldrazi Monument.