Magic Deck Vortex: Forgotton Power: Land Based!

Well, well, well, what have we here at the Writer's Guild got ourselves into? It seems that we've got ourselves a theme week for the third time, and unlike the last two, this one is about Lands. The fundamental key of actually playing Magic is in the lands; don't get me wrong, it's possible but difficult to play a deck without lands (I've seen it done) and even more possible to play without a single basic land (I've seen that one too). Well, lands are a forgotten power because we all just assume that they'll always be there for you (until your screwed, or flooded). So to the lands yet now unseen by my eyes, do I bring my give off to the Lands Week...

Today I bring you the power of lands, the forgotten power of the ground, and all that we take it for granted.

The first fun with land cards that come to mind is the power to make man-lands, lands that become creatures, and is right there in the form of two cards: Nature's Revolt and Natural Emergence.

Nature's Revolt is very interesting, each and every land is a man-land, where Natural Emergence is your lands are man-lands, and they have first strike. Both of these are very interesting, making your lands into 2/2 creatures, but very interesting looking and feeling 2/2s. Let's see what are some good things and bad things about each card.

Really this has its own unique approach, its mana base is different with Urzatron in there helping the deck when all can get into play. Sylvan Scrying helps with that, and Reclaim to get Sylvan Scrying back. Greenseeker helps by getting cards into the graveyard and getting them onto the field, using Crucible of Worlds. Earth Surge and Natural Emergence are really nice to have all your lands turn into 4/4 or better first striking masters, and still pump-able with the Magemark cards.

Aggravated Assault and Natural Emergence is a powerful endless mana / combat phase where you can really toss out everything evil, but it's funny to see the opponent just look at you when you go off. Oh and let's not forget about other friends in this deck that will give you a smooth ride to victory. Seedborn Muse, Allosaurus Rider, Budoka Gardener, and Molimo are all big help and activators when and where lands are the most important. I was really considering in splashing black for tutors to get everything in place quicker, but I'll allow those who wish to use this as a base to make there best moves.

Recent testing vita MWS concludes that 8-Post combo (4 Cloudpost + 4 Vesuva) works just as many wonders, so I have a new deck list.

Alright, just added a little black into the deck with the power of 8-post now on my side so now it more of a smooth operator, I think I'm going to really make this version for home. It holds the same values and power it now just uses Infernal Tutor and Herald of Leshrac to get the job done sooner.

This deck is really close to my Green deck. It's really simple to pull off, just get one of these three loops and go off with Kamahl/Staff of Domination.

Yeah, then get Kamahl or Staff out and then tell your opponent to quit; oh wait, they still have a chance if they used a few cards and tripped you up. But if you get to the combat phase with the combo intact and active... here's a quote from me playing my Green deck.

Quote

MZ: I swing for one, Llanowar Elves.

OP: Is that all?

MZ: Yep, one.

OP: Block with Akroma, it dies.

MZ: Before Damage goes onto the stack, I'll use my Elder and the Lodge to get me 400 mana, then I use Kamahl's Overrun ability 80 times, my Llanowar Elves are 241/241 trampling creatures.

OP: *mouth open and check the combo* *comes to my side of the board and check the combo a third time* and says, "so I'm at..."

MZ: let's see 241 - 6 (Akroma dies a horrid Elvish death) is 235, then you have 20 life, so you're at negative 215 life, congratulations, you're dead, 10 and 3/4 times over.

End Quote

Alternate Reality Limited Resources + Black Land destruction (updated for the newer sets)

Land Destruction, although the known and well-versed power of Red in normal decks, happens to be a neat twist while Planar Chaos is getting oh so close...

The theory is simple, use all that you can to cripple the opponent into submission, and then finish him off with a few quick attacks.

This deck is not so cheap as it is evil, but it's beatable. Cast out as much as you can as you gather steam and play off all the LD, spot removal, and land fetch so you can gather up all the necessary winning conditions. Usually when you kill your opponent is the same time you draw Angel of Despair, but the deck can last out for a good long while. The main kill condition is the fact you're bleeding your opponent while you're destroying his lands with Despoil. Cursed Land leaves it on one land and makes him take it, as well does the Agent of Masks, and Pillory of the Sleepless, very sexy deck, but to build might cost you.

Now, for those who read my articles, I thank you, and those who have read the latest one should remember I decided to do a little contest for the fun of it...

Original Contest Notes...

	[back to top]
	Something to Improve On.
	Lands (20) 2 Tainted Wood 2 Overgrown Tomb 2 Wirewood Lodge 7 Forest 7 Swamp Creatures: 1 Uncle Istvan 2 Dauthi Slayers 2 Birds of Paradise 2 Dark Confident 3 Argothian Elder 2 Golgari Guildmage 1 Twisted Abomination 1 Stronghold Overseer 1 Kamahl, Fist of Krosa 1 Thorn Elemental	Other Spells: 2 Lotus Bloom 2 Search for Tomorrows 2 Dauthi Embrace 2 Sudden Death 2 Fertile Ground 2 Recollect 2 Demonic Conclusion 2 Darkness 2 Fog 2 Staff of Domination
	by MZ

Alright, well, this is just a quick deck I put together and ran three tests. It won within 7 turns, with the best running on turn 5, but that could have been done differently. My challenge is to drop me a line with a better deck, and I’ll post up the best results in my next article for Forgotten Power. I’ve added a loop in the deck and two uses for the loop, find those first, and you’ll see some fun effects, there’s no limitation with the exception that you must have Uncle Istvan and Dauthi Slayer in the deck, feel free to do anything else, even change the colors. Sadly, you won’t win anything except your name in my article. Here’s some more ground rules.

1. Member of the Magic Deck Vortex Forums, and PM me. (use the title ‘FP Deck’)
2. Must keep at least one copy of Uncle Istvan and Dauthi Slayer in the deck.
3. Casual Legal so anything goes, including power nine, but you lose points for using P9 and Unglued/Unhinged sets. (F9 "Fixed Nine" is fine)
4. 30 point scale, more original the better, effectiveness is the best way to earn easy points.

Simple rules, right? Now I’m expecting maybe three entries, so I hope I’m mistaken very quickly.

Contender Number One - is a man who I've written with and hope to continue to do so - Casual Violence!

After playing about three games with this deck it's surprisingly easy to use and get used to. I would have loved to see a pump spell in here. Originality 9/15, but I will give it another point due to that a new player can pick up this deck and run with it. 10/15

Effectiveness, it works, and combos well enough, but it's hard to go against a swarm deck with it, and Ghazi-Glare shuts it down quickly, but that's fine. In a single player game, it's worked, and in theory can become a great deck. 12/15

Although, the effectiveness of the the Slayer and Istvan are only for attacking it makes a use for them yet...

Contender Number Two - my own personal fanboy (it says so in his sig) - Zangy!

This one is different and still has its own to it, I'm liking this one a little more. Going mostly Black and taking out most of the Green with one B/G card in the deck, but a good enough base to go a little more green... It does make use of a boosting spell for the Slayer, and going off by using Pariah's Shield with Istvan, this deck is really cool to play. 13/15

Effectiveness is very neat, really using a nice level of synergy to really make a final effect, and it really makes use of the tokens going into Fallen Ideal, and makes them useful for swarming the opponent, although it's weak on the blocking, which is another reason for tokens. Istvan and Pariah's Shield do backup well. Slightly more effective then CV's deck 13/15.

Contender number Three - Resident Vampire of the Lorehold, one of the greatest writers I've had the pleasure of meeting, the jolly old English - Luthervamplord!

Ooh I like this one. *Laughs maniacally* *Laughs evilly* *takes a deep breath* He made the Uncle offensive and the Slayer offensive, this deck is going for the opponent's throat, whether they like it or not... maybe Luther was having one of those days?? Nights?? Whatever... This deck utilized both the green and black mana well. Testing this deck was so much fun. 14/15

Effectiveness, well, it's doing its job, and when it does it until it's disrupted, and has little to no defensive means, except just taking it like a man and hoping you're doing more damage than they are. I would of opted in a Fog and/or Darkness for defensive measures... 13/15

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