Magic Deck Vortex: Taking Charge: Selesnya Conclave.

The Selesnya Conclave is considered by most to be the worst of the four guilds in Ravnica: City of Guilds, the base expansion in the new block. But what makes it a guild that no one wants to build decks around? Is it because people hate the joyous life gain that both white and green offer? Is it because white is anti-combat or because green is power-combat? Or maybe because it's led by some druids and that causes the normal player to be disappointed. But there are benefits to this guild. It can play combos that blend in with the flavor of the guild as opposed to a normal white-green deck that you may play. Before I get started on this guild, how about a little back story to the Conclave?

The Selesnya Conclave is the white-green guild in the Ravnica block. The flavor between white and green is almost unbearable to think of but it fits extremely well. Now, the Conclave uses the mechanic Convoke, which makes it easier to play spells and put your creatures out by tapping untapped permanents you control. Why can this help you? Imagine frantic situations in which your opponent has seem to have won. Your turn comes by and you draw a card with convoke. You know that you have some stuff that isn't any use right now so what is there to do? Why not take charge of those permanents and use them to good use for your wonderful spell. "Oh noes!" your opponent shrieks as you lay down the beatings. I know what you're thinking right about now though. 'What is there to play alongside Convoke?' Well, that's why I'm here.

Convoke is an interesting mechanic, it enables you to make use of unnecessary creatures you have in order to play something useful, and it allows you to savor a nice attack from a bunch of creatures with vigilance, then use this mechanic to further destroy your targets. There are other ways besides vigilance though, such as some creatures that may untap for your playing pleasure to assist convoke and the occasional creature that is so worthless you only keep it around for the sake of convoke. Let's get back to my previous question now, 'What is there to play alongside Convoke?' Let's dive.

White probably has the selection of cards that are the best defensive because no matter what you pick from white, it will benefit you. What though?

White also offers a variant of Wrath of God in its own convoke form. Yes, it’s Hour of Reckoning. For its effect, it does seem to cost a bit more than it should but hey, it’s got convoke and that’s what we’re talking about. Of course, there’s the “nontoken permanent” feature included in the card but then again, how many cards feature tokens in this set so far? I suppose there are a few but if you’re playing Selesnya then you can keep a steady flow of those tokens in order to ensure a steady assault force after the Hour has been reached. Need help with that? Encourage the ability of Doubling Season in order to double your token output and why not throw some auras on your Bramble Elemental why you’re at it?

Green has, hands down, the most amount of cards with convoke and it will probably be more helpful that white has been. But what is it about green that helps you so much? I'll tell you. It's green's ability to shoot out creature after creature so fast it will make your head spin. In addition to the previously mentioned Doubling Season, tokens play a big part in this set for the Conclave because they're there to convoke your spells.

Oooh…fun with saprolings yet again. It’s nice to see a return of this creature type since they haven’t been around since Apocalypse. Saprolings are nice convokers because they’re simple 1/1’s, easy to bring out, and vicious when used in enormous attacks.

Besides saprolings, green also helps in the nontoken division of the convoke-ness. Green is able to grant its creatures abnormal power for a short time, which can make you win the game even if you're not doing some convoke for the turn. That's the beauty of the Selesnya Conclave, sheer defense for a while, then an all-out attack. But, we're not done yet.

Multicolor, the joy of the Ravnica block. After an all-artifact set, then an all-legend set it's pretty nice to have serious multicolor back in the mix. What is there to mix with convoke though?

Some serious convoke going on here. There’s the huge Autochthon Wurm you can deal with by convoking a bit to get it out for a lot cheaper. Also, the Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi is thrown in because of its nice toughness and the vigilance which makes it very convokable. That’s what we’re looking for when building with the Conclave.

You may find vigilance to be your best friend when dealing with convoke because those creatures don't have to tap! It helps a whole lot in this matter because a creature that doesn't tap = convoke fodder. I can't stress this enough because it does help you in the long run. You can attack with it and in the same turn - use it to convoke a creature into play. That's priceless.

Believe it or not, two of the three Selesnya lands can help you drastically in building around convoke. Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree is a decent land for, getting mana of course, and it also has a nice little saproling ability tucked in there. I find it to be an alternate way to get some saprolings if you can't get any spells to play that create them.

In addition to the City-Tree, Temple Garden is a must for any Selesnya-based deck. Not only does it provide either white or green mana but…well I guess it can provide white or green mana. Still, it’s worth the 2 life to pay for it because if you play your cards right you can get that life right back with your spells.

The only land excluded is the common one which, to me, seems like a rip-off. You’re much better off playing some of the old Onslaught fetchlands instead of the common guildlands from Ravnica.

While we're talking about convoke... why not talk about some convoke combos and/or some cards that have GREAT synergy with the mechanic? Every mechanic in Ravnica has to be combo-licious in some way, right? Well, let's see.

To combo with convoke you need to find untappers. Permanents and spells that untap your creatures (or all permanents). There are many a card that do it. Some have more of a surprise effect while others aren't so gasp-inducing. Let's start off with what I think is the mother of all untapping creatures:

Seedborn Muse is quite the combo piece and gets even better with the Convoke Mechanic. And in Multiplayer it even gets crazier. You see, during each of your opponent's untap step you get to untap ALL PERMANENTS YOU CONTROL!

Say you tap our your fleet of creatures (Loxodons, Wolves, Saprolings... whatever) and play Autofhsdjfhdlkshfkld Wurm. Aside from one large creature, you are defenseless against a creature swarm the next turn. Thus, in general, you have to play with your convoke abilities very cautiously.

Not with the Muse. You can tap out all of your creatures, play another creature and still have creatures to block with the next turn thanks to the Muse. Even better is that you now have more creatures available to play a non-creature spell with convoke during an opponent's turn (like Chant of Vitu-Ghazi, Chord of Calling, Devouring Light, Gather Courage, Scatter the Seeds and/or Sundering Vitae!).

There are MANY other cards that have a similar effect to the Muse. There is Awakening from Stronghold except that it affects all players. However, it only untaps creatures and lands. Then their is Reveille Squad from Prophesy but this Rebel only untaps your creatures if you are attacked and only if it is untapped when you are attacked. Finally there is the Patron of the Orochi which is nice but it has to tap to untap anything, can only do it once a turn and it only affects Forests and green creatures. Obviously, the Muse is the best with Convoke because it is a reoccurring effect that only affects your permanents.

Mind you I'm only talking about green and white spells in this section so let's forget all about Aggravated Assault, Breath of Fury, Faces of the Past, Intruder Alarm, and a donated Jangling Automaton (with a Nettling Imp).

If you want to talk about fast effects you have many, many options (and I'm not talking about any permanents here.. just instants and sorceries).

Vitalize is the best of the surprise untappers. It only costs one green mana and untaps all of your creatures at instant speed. While this is best as a surprise tactic for the Conclave, it's even a bigger surprise if your all creature-tapped-out and then play it to convoke something else.. during an opponent's turn! Mobilize, from Portal, does the same thing as Vitalize except that it is a sorcery. Rally the Troops, from Portal: Second Age, is a white Vitalize.

Roar of the Kha, from Mirrodin, does the same thing as Vitalize except that it has entwine with an option of pumping all of your creatures up +1/+1 too... for 2WW (or 1W un-entwined). Battle Cry, for Ice Age, is... well, is an overcosted Vitalize. Lastly there is Call to Glory which is like an entwined Roar of the Kha for 1W except that only Samurai get +1/+1.

I would also talk about Dryad's Caress from Ravnica.. but it's overcosted. It does untap all of your creatures if white was spent to play it, but let's move on.

Now I may have missed a few cards here and there like Turnaround (which is blue) and Breaking Wave (which is also blue) but I don't think I can move on without talking about a non-white, non-green spell which is like the father of all untappers (and mother of all combos):

Intruder Alarm.. yes I know I said I wouldn't talk about it earlier, but how can I pass up this guy. It has more synergy with Convoke than even the Muse herself. It's not nearly as cute though.

The Alarm has taken a little piece of every combo players' heart. You see, whenever a creature comes into play all creatures untap. Your creatures don't untap during their untap phase as normal - but who cares? If you can convoke out a Guardian or Wurm or whatever, you get to untap all of your creatures again to be Convoke catalysts for something else!

The Alarm works extremely well with permanents that can generate token creatures like the Guildmage, Evangel and the City Tree. I dare you to make a deck using Intruder Alarm and bunch of Selesnya cards. It will be fun and your opponent's may hate you for it (only if you turn it into an infinite deck).

OK. I've moved on... however, I'm done with my little Selesnya - Combo - Convoke section in an article that really isn't mine. I think it's time to pass the buck back to Ghurhgs....

Well, there you go. The Selesnya Conclave in a nutshell. We've discussed convoke, saprolings, and the horrible common guildlands. All that I have for you now is a farewell, hoping I have shed some more light on the guild that still seems to be the worst of the four in Ravnica: City Of Guilds.

Um... he forgot to mention Watchwolf? The best (just my opinion) two drop in all of magic and it just happens to be a Selesnya critter! ~Streetz~

Until next time,