Nature Aggro

by Mark Slack

aggro

Format: Freeform

Latest Set: Eternal

Last Modified On: 4/13/2002

Market	Median	Low
$65.18	$75.67	$37.41

Maindeck 57

Market	Median	Low
—	—	—

COLORED MANA SYMBOLS

CARDS BY TYPE

MANA CURVE

Average CMC: 2.26

DESCRIPTION

Nature Aggro in the new Type 2 I wanted to play Stompy in November.  I looked at all the different green beats cards and tried to make a great Stompy deck.  I tried the high curve deck, with several Overruns, Beast Attacks, and Jade Leech.  I tried the small curve, with nothing costing over 3 mana.  I tried every mono-green design I could think of. Nothing worked. Sure, the deck looked fine on paper, but it just lost.  A lot.  Blue and all its variants beat it, WW beat it, combo beat it.  It just didn`t have the power to keep up with the best decks in November Type 2.  It would run into Hibernation, Tangle, Pernicious Deed, Glacial Wall, or Worship, and have zero answers to any of them.  So, I went in search of a splash color.  Green-Black was worse than mono-green.  Green-Blue did not lend itself well to the deck I had in mind, instead turning toward an aggro-tempo deck.  Green-Red was good, very good, but I found there was another version I liked better, one that could hold its own against Blue in particular.  Green-White had all the answers I wanted in an aggro deck, and it beats other beatdown decks as well. The advantages and disadvantages of each card I chose to play, and some cards I didn`t, are explained below. THE DECK Llanowar Elves: The first one-drop everyone turns to when they play green.  This lets me accelerate to a turn two Call or Panther reliably, and also swings for the odd point here and there. There isn`t really a drawback when it comes to playing Llanowar Elves.  They are an all-around good card, threat and acceleration rolled into one. Birds of Paradise: The mana production is the most interesting point here.  Birds let me cast Panthers and Cloaks very early on, and help to consistently get me 3 mana on turn 2.  Another slightly overlooked benefit of the Birds is that they fly.  This may seem slightly obvious, but then again, a Cloaked Bird goes a long, long way against other beatdown decks. The most obvious drawback to Birds of Paradise is the missing point of power.  They provide no pressure by themselves.  Diligent Farmhand, the other serious consideration for this slot, has that one point, but it doesn`t get me a third mana on turn 2, and doesn`t fly, which comes in handy at the strangest times. Thornscape Apprentice: This card is absolutely sick.  No joke.  In fact, this little monster is the only reason that Rith`s Grove is in the land base.  The white ability taps down two of this deck`s worst enemies, Glacial Wall and Shadowmage Infiltrator, plus being amazingly helpful in everything from stunting mana acceleration in opposing green decks to stopping Skizzik.  The red ability is often just forgotten about, and the both his tricks let you force opposing creature decks into bad trades. The only thing I have against the Apprentice is that he is another one-drop in what is supposed to be an aggro deck. Eleven one-drops is a bit much, I think. But then, in testing he has proved so game-changing that I might just drop a Bird for another one.  Easily one of the best creatures in this deck. My other options for the one-drop included Diligent Farmhand and Woodland Dryad, both from Odyssey.  There is very little argument here, as neither of these can measure up to the power of a turn two Elephant token or Panther.  Or, of course, Thornscape Apprentice. Wild Mongrel: Who needs Grizzly Bear?  A very easy two-drop, probably the best in the environment, with an amazing ability.  I think I would consider this card even if it cost 2G.  Also, make sure you keep in mind that the Mongrel changes color too; one discarded card equals one dead Finkel when you switch the color to black.  Also a great target for Armadillo Cloak. The Mongrel`s biggest drawback is actually the ability itself.  Most players get so drawn into the invincibility of the Mongrel that they discard way too many cards just to keep it alive.  A rule of thumb is to remember the rule of card advantage: if you have to discard more cards to keep it alive than the opponent must use to kill it, then it`s probably not worth it.  There are exceptions, however, such as the Fireblast rule; if you can use an ability to kill an opponent right away, who cares if it costs you card advantage! Kavu Titan: This card gets played with kicker much more often than not.  Usually the last card out of your hand, the Titan is a giant threat that will kill anything in its way, and then the opponent a few turns later.  He happens to be another quality target for Armadillo Cloak.  The Titan also has good synergy with Fleetfoot Panther, letting you play him as a bear early, then sneak him back into your hand to make him a backbreaker later. Again, this creature`s main drawback is knowing how to use him well.  Don`t be afraid to drop him small; if you are going to miss a creature drop because you want to save the Titan for later, just drop him anyway unless you have a very good reason.  There really aren`t many other choices for the two-drop in this deck.  The only one that springs to mind is Elvish Archers, and those are only good because of their first strike ability.  Since your creatures can have first strike anyway due to the Apprentice, the Archers become suboptimal. Noble Panther: A 3/3 for three mana is actually a rare find in green nowadays.  Only Trained Armadon is an actual 3/3 for 3 mana in the color of efficient creatures.  But, since we are using white, the Panther is a better choice anyway.  Activated first strike will scare off many a blocker as the Panther slides through for damage.  This is yet another amazing target for Armadillo Cloak, and is in fact the best in the deck for the enchantment: a 5/5 trampling spirit linked first striker is notoriously hard to stop.  The Panther has the added benefit of stopping opposing Elephant tokens cold. The fact that the first strike is activated, rather than inherent, is amazingly annoying at times, but not often enough to warrant any extra worry over it.  If you have to activate the first strike and you can`t cast a spell that turn because of it, take solace in the fact that the Panther will usually kill something for you.  The mana cost gets in the way on rare occasion too, but that is to be expected from a two-color deck. Fleetfoot Panther: A 3/4 for three mana is a good bargain, even if you have to recast a creature later.  This could have seen play even if it were a regular creature.  The instant-speed of this creature, however, puts it over the top.  It can jump into play to stop an Elephant token, hit the board at the end of a control player`s turn to draw a counter, save a creature from imminent death, and even retrieve Kavu Titans for replay as giant monsters.  This creature also has great synergy with Pure Reflection out of the sideboard.  You can play the Panther to create a token, then return the Panther to you hand for gating.  Voila, instant 3/3 token. The obvious drawback of the Fleetfoot is that when you don`t have a creature in play, the Panther doesn`t help.  This happens most often against Sligh and UW or UWb control.  With a Pure Reflection in play, however, the gating is actually a benefit.  Again, sometimes you will be mana screwed, but there`s not much you can do about it.  There are very few other creatures to consider for a three-drop in this deck.  Only Trained Armadon and Spellbane Centaur will do enough damage to warrant inclusion, and both the Panthers are usually just flat-out better.  I will get to the Centaur below. Call of the Herd: The most efficient creature card in the environment.  The amazing cheapness of the first token and the merely average cost of the second more than make up for the supposed drawback of the creatures being tokens.  Ridiculously better than Trained Armadon, which is the only other mono-green creature that even comes close to matching this card`s efficiency.  It also forces blue mages to counter it twice, reducing their options later.  This is a truly great green card. The worst drawback of Call of the Herd is its popularity.  Everyone knows green mages play it and everyone plans accordingly.  Repulse becomes Slay, Unsummon becomes a cheap Terror, Recoil becomes a combination of kill and discard...the ways to stop the elephant stampede are many.  Sometimes, however, they just don`t work.  Call of the Herd is one of those cards that you can prepare for, but no matter how well you prepare it will still occasionally kill you.  There is no reason not to run four of these in any deck with even a hint of green. Armadillo Cloak: This is the card that first drew me into the white/green color combination.  The combination of abilities on this card make it too good not to play, even with the many bounce spells floating around.  A Cloaked Bird against a WW or Stompy deck becomes a 4 point life swing every turn that they are typically powerless to stop.  A Cloaked Noble Panther is a force to be reckoned with.  A Kavu Titan with a Cloak...you get the idea.  Don`t forget its power to stop opposing creatures too; if you are losing, slap one of these on whatever`s killing you to make it stop.  Just make sure you can survive one swing from it--remember that the creature must deal damage before the Cloak`s lifegain will go on the stack, so if one swing will kill you, a Cloak won`t stop it. The disadvantage of the Cloak is that it is a creature enchantment.  If the creature dies, or is even returned to you hand, the enchantment makes its way to the graveyard.  This inherent card disadvantage makes it hard to play effectively against a blue bounce deck in particular.  On the other hand, you can use the Cloak to sucker an opponent into bouncing the wrong creature... Wax/Wane: This deck`s only weapon against Worship and Collective Restraint.  If you even suspect these two cards are in an opponent`s deck, hold on to the Wane to make sure you can handle it.  Against aggro decks, Wax will help you force your opponent into bad trades.  Its versatility earns Wax/Wane its spot in this deck over other options. The thing is, Wax/Wane doesn`t actually DO much.  Sure, it helps do a little more damage, but against decks such as Finkula, where there are no enchantments, Wax/Wane is just another card you didn`t want to draw.  Aura Mutation might even be a better choice here.  I like Wax/Wane because it`s cheaper, but if I were you I would test both and see which you like better.  Remember, you can Aura Mutate your Armadillo Cloaks too. Overrun: The ultimate finisher.  Its best use is against other Stompy decks and against WW.  Amazing amount of extra damage for its cost. However, it might not belong in this deck.  The deck just doesn`t seem to need this to finish other decks off, since it can usually take down most any other creature deck on the strength of Armadillo Cloak and Thornscape Apprentice.  I am still considering taking it out and maindecking Spellbane Centaur instead.  The extra two copies of Overrun could find a place in my sideboard if I come across a deck I can`t beat without them. Brushland: Pretty self-explanatory.  Sungrass Prairie: People seem to dislike the new filter lands.  I have played three in here since I built the deck, and I have played at least a hundred games with it.  I have never once been manascrewed because the only lands I had were these, and I have only had to manaburn myself once.  Compared to Brushland, that`s not bad, in my book.  Nothing in the entire deck, except Overrun, costs more than one of the same colored mana, so Sungrass Prairie will almost never actually hurt.  I only run three because I never want to draw the hand consisting of Prairies and no other land. Rith`s Grove: These are pretty much optional.  I like their ability to help my Apprentice use both his abilities, but there is the possibility of having to mulligan hands you wouldn`t have to mulligan if the Groves were just basic land.  A judgement call. Forest & Plains: There are, counting the Birds as a white source, eighteen sources of green and seventeen sources of white in total.  Manascrew should not burden you too much. THE SIDEBOARD Pacifism: Seem strange to you?  Pacifism is actually one of the best white control cards in the environment, and fits perfectly into the sideboard of this deck.  Strangely enough, you side this in against control.  While the Apprentice takes care of Glacial Wall and Infiltrator, he does not take care of Spectral Lynx or Voice of All.  Pacifism puts the opponent on his heels for long enough that you can force through twenty damage and win the game.  Also, it is not affected by Hibernation, which this deck utterly hates. Pure Reflection: This is another defense against blue control.  It can be abused with Fleetfoot Panther, and both the enchantment and the tokens are white, which makes them immune to Hibernation. Make sure you have creatures aplenty to cast when you cast this.  Control decks nowadays tend to run quite a few creatures, and I have been on the losing end of a creature war with a UB deck.  His last drop?  An Amugaba..and a 7/7 token.  This might become Kavu Chameleon; see his section below. Tranquility: These may become Disenchants depending on whether GW or UGW Worship control stays popular in my area.  This deck has no way to deal with Ensnaring Bridge, so if you fear Bridge they should be Disenchants, or possibly Orim`s Thunder.  A Worship and a Sterling Grove on the table pretty much spell death to you because you can`t deal with both at one time with Disenchant, though.  A decent defense against WW also, as it takes out Worships and Glorious Anthems. Spellbane Centaur: This card stops both Opposition decks and bounce spells aimed at your Cloaked creatures and Elephant tokens.  As I said above, I may take out Overrun to maindeck this card, depending on what stays popular in my area.  A good creature as well as a decent stopper, but if he weren`t a 3/2 for 2G I wouldn`t really consider him.  He doesn`t stop Hibernation, either. Thornscape Apprentice and Wax/Wane: Bring these in against decks you need them against.  The Thornscape could be promoted to the maindeck. OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR SIDEBOARD: Tangle: This card is essentially Overrun insurance.  Watch out for it if Green sideboards. Kavu Chameleon: This could go in for Pure Reflection.  These are probably a better choice, so I may scratch the Pure Reflection.  If I decide to do that I will probably go to two Fleetfoot Panthers, cutting one either for a Noble Panther or a Spellbane Centaur.  This also helps with the Hibernation problem. Emblazoned Golem: This could be a good card against Blue as an anti-Hibernation measure. Still Life: This may find a spot in the sideboard, but it`s still green, and therefore still Hibernates.  Not very likely to make the cut. WHAT I DIDN`T PLAY Elvish Lyrist: I think Wax/Wane can do the job just as well, and my one-drops are all better than this card. Giant Growth/Muscle Burst: I don`t need them.  Armadillo Cloak is in my opinion better than both. Centaur Garden: The threshold lands are to inconsistent to be used, even in a deck that goes through cards quickly.  Barbarian Ring is the only threshold land that will ever see play. Beast Attack and Jade Leech: Both are too expensive.  Beast Attack is a card I have to look out for when I play against other Green decks, but I can play around it rather easily. Lay of the Land: I have important things to cast on my first turn.  If I spend it Laying I can`t cast that turn 2 Call that I want against control. Blurred Mongoose: Unnecessary.  Just too small in comparison with other things, and can`t be made bigger. COP`s: You should never need them.  They would be a wasted slot in the sideboard because you should beat most other aggro decks anyway. Nature Aggro manages to beat most of the other aggro decks in the environment, as well as having a better chance against control.  Hibernation is still downright evil, but this deck can deal with it.  Nature Aggro could be one of the strongest decks in November, and may be a force to be reckoned with at States. Mark Slack <A HREF=mailto:wolfhound01@hotmail.com>wolfhound01@hotmail.com</A> <A HREF=mailto:ms243@evansville.edu>ms243@evansville.edu</A> WarWolf on MTGNews and Beyond Dominia

Nature Aggro

by Mark Slack

Maindeck 57

Creature 25

Spell 10

Land 22

Sideboard 14

COLORED MANA SYMBOLS

CARDS BY TYPE

MANA CURVE

DESCRIPTION

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