TENTH
Just some random observations about Tenth edition.
Aggressive Urge
Cost: 1G
Type: Instant
Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Draw a card.
Every now and then I’ll go through a period of time when all I play against is Blue and all their card drawing. Like, every week. And one day I decided to see if I could make a beatdown deck with card drawing and keep my hand full while I smashed face. I’ll add this to my deck of Kavu Climber, Carven Caryatid, Ohran Viper and Primordial Sage. It doesn’t work because most of those cards suck. I’ll add aggressive urge to it and play some casual.
Birds of Paradise
Cost: G
Pow/Tgh: 0/1
Flying T Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Right now, I’m enjoying having twelve one drops that can give me 3 mana on turn 2. Right now, there’s an insane amount of busted green things at three mana. Moldervine cloak, Troll Ascetic, Ohran Viper, Groundbreaker, and Pincer Beetles are fans of such plays. I’m spitting at you Rune Snag, Mana Leak, Delay and Remand!
Creeping Mold
Cost: 2GG
Type: Sorcery
Destroy target artifact, enchantment, or land.
I love this card. This is the perfect sorcery for Green. It embodies all I love about Green sorceries. I don’t like to just smash face. I like to make them want to quit the game (the land destruction aspect) or be prepared for major problems (killing loxodon warhammer) or even shutting down cards that are an auto win for decks not prepared for them (Worship.) It’s expensive but it solves so many problems.
Gaea's Herald
Cost: 1G
Type: Creature - Elf
Pow/Tgh: 1/1
Creature spells can't be countered.
It’s really too bad they’re awful. I remember when I first discovered these guys. I bought four of them right away at about a quarter apiece from some bot. I couldn’t imagine why they were not a three dollar rare. Then I played with them a bit and found out why. I’d explain it if I could, but they just never seem to work that well. Despite that fact, I LOVE them. I love the elves and will be incorporating them into my decks to see how that tribe can do in tenth.
Hunted Wumpus
Cost: 3G
Type: Creature - Beast
Pow/Tgh: 6/6
When Hunted Wumpus comes into play, each other player may put a creature card from his or her hand into play.
WUMP! Man I love this card. This is one of the best sideboard cards ever against weenie strategies. You get a 6/6 and they get a free Kird ape or Mogg Fantastic. Go them. When I play Green, and I play another deck trying to be aggressive and fast, I love siding these things in and going “Yeah that’s right. Bigger than you.” That’s what Green has going for it and in the sideboard, this guy is a beating.
Hurricane
Cost: XG
Type: Sorcery
Rules Text: Hurricane deals X damage to each creature with flying and each player.
Green is massively aggressive right now. With this coming back, this is a fantastic finisher for those last few points of damage. This is like the opposite of Gaea’s Herald. Every time I include it in a deck, I love it and it surprises me with its power. And then I forget about it and never include it.
Karplusan Strider
Cost: 3G
Type: Creature - Yeti
Pow/Tgh: 3/4
Karplusan Strider can't be the target of blue or black spells.
Green seems cursed to have a billion awful creatures at 4 mana. There are exceptions of course, but this is just another also ran. So close to being good but will never see constructed play.
Might of Oaks
Cost: 3G
Type: Instant
Rules Text: Target creature gets +7/+7 until end of turn.
Alan calls it the “Green Hatred.” I call it a staple. I’m just glad it’s in Tenth.
Mirri, Cat Warrior
Cost: 1GG
Type: Legendary Creature - Cat Warrior
Pow/Tgh: 2/3
Rules Text: First strike, forestwalk, vigilance
Another “Busted at Three” addition. She’s always been amazing and at one time was my favorite creature. I think I’m just going to make up a deck of one drop mana producers, Mirri, Trolls, Oh-no ran Vipers and Overrun. Yeah. That sounds like a beating. Now imagine her with a Moldervine Cloak on her.
Overrun
Cost: 2GGG
Type: Sorcery
Rules Text: Creatures you control get +3/+3 and gain trample until end of turn.
TAROOOOOOOOOOOO! TAROO! TAROO! TAROOOOOOOOOOO!
Dear WOTC,
Will you have my babies?
Love,
King Fatty.
Pincher Beetles
Cost: 2G
Type: Creature - Insect
Pow/Tgh: 3/1
Rules Text: Shroud (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities.)
I like these guys because I’m going to put the Untouchables deck back together. All the creatures have Shroud, some burn spells and some land destruction. Here’s the original list from my book “The Quest for the Pro Tour.”
The Untouchables
4 Jolrael’s Centaurs
4 Deadly Insects
4 Autumn Willows
4 Lightning Bolts
4 Incinerates
4 Pyrokinesis
4 Pillages
4 Desert Twisters
2 Kaervek’s Torches
1 Final Fortunes
1 Hammers of Bogardan
13 Mountains
13 Forests
Sideboard
3 Roots of Life
3 Earthquakes
3 Seeds of Innocence
3 Halls of Gemstones
3 Red Elemental Blasts
As you can guess, it’s going to look a little different. Molds instead of Twisters. Pincer Beetles instead of Deadly Insects. Trolls instead of Centaurs. You get the gist. Play an untouchable, blast everything out of its way, smash face until you win.
Scion of the Wild
Cost: 1GG
Type: Creature - Avatar
Pow/Tgh: */*
Scion of the Wild's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control.
I’ve never gotten this guy to work. That doesn’t mean I don’t love him though. One of the concepts I’ll be trying to make work is a token generating deck and Overrun. Sprout Swarm and Wurmcalling cry out to me. Hmm, 12 one drop mana produces, sprout swarm, Wurmcalling, Overrun, Scion, Creeping Mold, Acid Moss and I think we’re good…
Sylvan Scrying
Cost: 1G
Type: Sorcery
Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
I can’t believe they reprinted this. I think it’s a mistake and will annoy a lot of people for the next three years. I’ll be using it to go get my Treetop Villages.
Troll Ascetic
Cost: 1GG
Type: Creature - Troll Shaman
Pow/Tgh: 3/2
Troll Ascetic can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. 1G: Regenerate Troll Ascetic
I like these guys less than just about everyone else on the planet, but I can’t deny they are awesome and with the insane amount of cheap removal right now, will be a staple in many of my decks. And of course, I’m thrilled to have them for the Untouchables.
Verdant Force
Cost: 5GGG
Type: Creature - Elemental
Pow/Tgh: 7/7
Rules Text: At the beginning of each upkeep, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play under your control.
Yay!
Admitedly, I’ve never found a way to make him work without Natural Order but I’ll have to try and make this work with my token generating, Scion of the Wild, Overrun deck.
Overall? I give Tenth Green a 9.5 out of 10.
Aggressive Urge
Cost: 1G
Type: Instant
Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Draw a card.
Every now and then I’ll go through a period of time when all I play against is Blue and all their card drawing. Like, every week. And one day I decided to see if I could make a beatdown deck with card drawing and keep my hand full while I smashed face. I’ll add this to my deck of Kavu Climber, Carven Caryatid, Ohran Viper and Primordial Sage. It doesn’t work because most of those cards suck. I’ll add aggressive urge to it and play some casual.
Birds of Paradise
Cost: G
Pow/Tgh: 0/1
Flying T Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.
Right now, I’m enjoying having twelve one drops that can give me 3 mana on turn 2. Right now, there’s an insane amount of busted green things at three mana. Moldervine cloak, Troll Ascetic, Ohran Viper, Groundbreaker, and Pincer Beetles are fans of such plays. I’m spitting at you Rune Snag, Mana Leak, Delay and Remand!
Creeping Mold
Cost: 2GG
Type: Sorcery
Destroy target artifact, enchantment, or land.
I love this card. This is the perfect sorcery for Green. It embodies all I love about Green sorceries. I don’t like to just smash face. I like to make them want to quit the game (the land destruction aspect) or be prepared for major problems (killing loxodon warhammer) or even shutting down cards that are an auto win for decks not prepared for them (Worship.) It’s expensive but it solves so many problems.
Gaea's Herald
Cost: 1G
Type: Creature - Elf
Pow/Tgh: 1/1
Creature spells can't be countered.
It’s really too bad they’re awful. I remember when I first discovered these guys. I bought four of them right away at about a quarter apiece from some bot. I couldn’t imagine why they were not a three dollar rare. Then I played with them a bit and found out why. I’d explain it if I could, but they just never seem to work that well. Despite that fact, I LOVE them. I love the elves and will be incorporating them into my decks to see how that tribe can do in tenth.
Hunted Wumpus
Cost: 3G
Type: Creature - Beast
Pow/Tgh: 6/6
When Hunted Wumpus comes into play, each other player may put a creature card from his or her hand into play.
WUMP! Man I love this card. This is one of the best sideboard cards ever against weenie strategies. You get a 6/6 and they get a free Kird ape or Mogg Fantastic. Go them. When I play Green, and I play another deck trying to be aggressive and fast, I love siding these things in and going “Yeah that’s right. Bigger than you.” That’s what Green has going for it and in the sideboard, this guy is a beating.
Hurricane
Cost: XG
Type: Sorcery
Rules Text: Hurricane deals X damage to each creature with flying and each player.
Green is massively aggressive right now. With this coming back, this is a fantastic finisher for those last few points of damage. This is like the opposite of Gaea’s Herald. Every time I include it in a deck, I love it and it surprises me with its power. And then I forget about it and never include it.
Karplusan Strider
Cost: 3G
Type: Creature - Yeti
Pow/Tgh: 3/4
Karplusan Strider can't be the target of blue or black spells.
Green seems cursed to have a billion awful creatures at 4 mana. There are exceptions of course, but this is just another also ran. So close to being good but will never see constructed play.
Might of Oaks
Cost: 3G
Type: Instant
Rules Text: Target creature gets +7/+7 until end of turn.
Alan calls it the “Green Hatred.” I call it a staple. I’m just glad it’s in Tenth.
Mirri, Cat Warrior
Cost: 1GG
Type: Legendary Creature - Cat Warrior
Pow/Tgh: 2/3
Rules Text: First strike, forestwalk, vigilance
Another “Busted at Three” addition. She’s always been amazing and at one time was my favorite creature. I think I’m just going to make up a deck of one drop mana producers, Mirri, Trolls, Oh-no ran Vipers and Overrun. Yeah. That sounds like a beating. Now imagine her with a Moldervine Cloak on her.
Overrun
Cost: 2GGG
Type: Sorcery
Rules Text: Creatures you control get +3/+3 and gain trample until end of turn.
TAROOOOOOOOOOOO! TAROO! TAROO! TAROOOOOOOOOOO!
Dear WOTC,
Will you have my babies?
Love,
King Fatty.
Pincher Beetles
Cost: 2G
Type: Creature - Insect
Pow/Tgh: 3/1
Rules Text: Shroud (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities.)
I like these guys because I’m going to put the Untouchables deck back together. All the creatures have Shroud, some burn spells and some land destruction. Here’s the original list from my book “The Quest for the Pro Tour.”
The Untouchables
4 Jolrael’s Centaurs
4 Deadly Insects
4 Autumn Willows
4 Lightning Bolts
4 Incinerates
4 Pyrokinesis
4 Pillages
4 Desert Twisters
2 Kaervek’s Torches
1 Final Fortunes
1 Hammers of Bogardan
13 Mountains
13 Forests
Sideboard
3 Roots of Life
3 Earthquakes
3 Seeds of Innocence
3 Halls of Gemstones
3 Red Elemental Blasts
As you can guess, it’s going to look a little different. Molds instead of Twisters. Pincer Beetles instead of Deadly Insects. Trolls instead of Centaurs. You get the gist. Play an untouchable, blast everything out of its way, smash face until you win.
Scion of the Wild
Cost: 1GG
Type: Creature - Avatar
Pow/Tgh: */*
Scion of the Wild's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control.
I’ve never gotten this guy to work. That doesn’t mean I don’t love him though. One of the concepts I’ll be trying to make work is a token generating deck and Overrun. Sprout Swarm and Wurmcalling cry out to me. Hmm, 12 one drop mana produces, sprout swarm, Wurmcalling, Overrun, Scion, Creeping Mold, Acid Moss and I think we’re good…
Sylvan Scrying
Cost: 1G
Type: Sorcery
Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
I can’t believe they reprinted this. I think it’s a mistake and will annoy a lot of people for the next three years. I’ll be using it to go get my Treetop Villages.
Troll Ascetic
Cost: 1GG
Type: Creature - Troll Shaman
Pow/Tgh: 3/2
Troll Ascetic can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. 1G: Regenerate Troll Ascetic
I like these guys less than just about everyone else on the planet, but I can’t deny they are awesome and with the insane amount of cheap removal right now, will be a staple in many of my decks. And of course, I’m thrilled to have them for the Untouchables.
Verdant Force
Cost: 5GGG
Type: Creature - Elemental
Pow/Tgh: 7/7
Rules Text: At the beginning of each upkeep, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play under your control.
Yay!
Admitedly, I’ve never found a way to make him work without Natural Order but I’ll have to try and make this work with my token generating, Scion of the Wild, Overrun deck.
Overall? I give Tenth Green a 9.5 out of 10.
I received your book in the mail this week. I was very impressed with the print quality and overall look of it. Well done! I know you said this had an earlier printing so I was not sure if you had edited anything for this edition or if it was a straight copy. One thing I would suggest (and I try to mean this in a helpful way and not disparaging) is for your next book release, whichever it may be, have some of us proof and help you edit it. Some of the things I noticed in the quest for the pro tour book were the spelling errors, grammar and other instances where the spell check would not catch an error because the word was spelled correctly but it was not the word you meant to use (couple I noticed were cue instead of queue and illicit instead of elicit). I hope that doesn't come out sounding like a jerk, I just think that if you are going to go through the effort to publish a book you want it to be the best it can be.
ReplyDeleteTonight rocked dude.
ReplyDelete-Joshie
I love the passion of Green mages. Green Mages are always loco and I like it. Overrun is such a beating thou.
ReplyDeleteBobby
The other way Verdant Force has seen tournament play was as a reanimation target.
ReplyDeleteSadly enough, the best way to add card drawing to a beatdown deck is to splash blue or black. :(
ReplyDeleteGreen really ought to have more spells like Harmonize, Fecundity, and Enshrined Memories.
Got any ideas for that little challenge I suggested? ;)
So agree about Karplusan strider - 1 mana or 1 point of power away from being constructed quality.
ReplyDeleteCompare with the other hosers - deathmark and cryoclasm in particular, and its sub par.
Happy with the rest, and prepared to reevaluate pincer beetle.
Cheers
Dan
"The Untouchables"
ReplyDeleteI have a guy at my local FNM that loves to play Korlash Control.....I think I'm going to smash him now with some Pinchr Beetles!!