Gruul Vortex Lands *Primer*

Legacy Competitive Control Land Destruction Primer RG (Gruul)

tnt_nathan

Manabase (10)

• 1x Forest
• 1x Mountain
• 1x Riftstone Portal
• 2x Taiga
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 4x Wooded Foothills

Wincon (9)

• 3x Dark Depths
• 3x Molten Vortex
• 3x Thespian's Stage

Protection (10)

• 1x Glacial Chasm
• 4x Maze of Ith
• 3x Molten Vortex
• 1x The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
• 1x Zuran Orb

Engine (5)

• 4x Life from the Loam
• 1x Tranquil Thicket

Tutor (8)

• 4x Crop Rotation
• 4x Gamble

Accelerants (9)

• 4x Exploration
• 1x Manabond
• 4x Mox Diamond

Denial (12)

• 4x Ghost Quarter
• 4x Rishadan Port
• 4x Wasteland

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Sideboard

Other (15)

• 1x Arachnogenesis
• 1x Bojuka Bog
• 2x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
• 4x Chalice of the Void
• 1x Dark Depths
• 1x Karakas
• 2x Krosan Grip
• 1x Molten Vortex
• 1x Tireless Tracker
• 1x Zuran Orb

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Why should you Play lands?

Lands is a control deck that focuses on well, lands. Over the years, Wizards of the Coast has decided to print many awesome land cards with abilities other than producing mana. Lands uses these cards as well as supportive enchantments and artifacts to create a very interesting deck unlike any other. However, due to the price tag and cards that do not cross over into other legacy decks, the deck is not common, but it is extremely fun to play.

How does it Function with 35+ lands?

First of all, we try to outrace our opponents out of the starting gates with cards like Manabond, Exploration, and Mox Diamond. Once we establish an abundance of mana, we use cards like Rishadan Port, Wasteland and Ghost Quarter to deny our opponents mana. Then, using cards Life from the Loam (Which we can tutor for via Gamble) to create an engine where we can drop multiple lands a turn and recur our Wastelands and Ghost Quarter.

What else does it have?

We have had some nifty lands printed like Glacial Chasm, The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale and Maze of Ith, which help us beat early creature threats which we try to establish a lock. We also run Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and Riftstone Portal to allow us to tap for mana with the lands that don't noramlly tap for mana such as Glacial Chasm, The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale and Maze of Ith and Dark Depths. Tranquil Thicket allows us to dodge grave hate by cycling, replacing the draw with Life from the Loam's dredge 3, and returning life to our hand. We can also do this to put more lands into our graveyard for Life from the Loam.

How does the deck win?

The new legend rule released in 2013, gave us lands players a very deadly combo with Thespian's Stage and Dark Depths. By copying the Dark Depths with stage, the following happens:1) Thespian's Stage targets Dark Depths with its clone ability.2) Ability resolves, you now have two Dark Depths in play. Under the new legend rule, we must pick one to stay on the battlefield. We sacrifice the original Dark Depths and keep the Thespian's Stage.3) Thespian's Stage becomes a copy of Dark Depths with 0 Ice counters on it, triggers, gets sacrificed and out comes the 20/20, flying, indestructible Marit Lage.

It's worth noting here that if your opponent lets your copy ability resolve, then tries to Stifle the Thespian's Stage's new Dark Depths ability "When this card has 0 Ice counters, Put.." let them. They counter the ability, then the land sees that it once again has zero counters and just triggers again.

The other wincon is repeating shocks from Life from the Loam + Molten Vortex .

What artifacts does it run?

This Build runs 4 Mox Diamond and Zuran Orb. Mox Diamond allows us to accelerate very quickly and gain the advatage on our opponent quickly. Zuran Orb helps us buy time against aggro decks. It also is very helpful when playing against Price of Progress in burn and some Delver decks.

What instants/sorceries does it play?

This version play 4 Life from the Loam,4 Gamble, and 4Crop Rotation. Life from the Loam is the reason are deck works and is consistent. If youre even thinking of playing this deck, you should know what this card does. This card makes the deck work. It does exactly what we want to do. Recur lands, and give us a way to cycle through our deck faster than simply drawing a card each turn to find the lands we need. Gamble and Crop Rotation are both incredibility powerful tutors. Gamble will often find Life from the Loam or whatever we realy need in that moment. It is inportant to note that if you do not have Life from the Loam, you can Gamble with 0 cards in hand to search for Life from the Loam and discard it. Crop Rotation allows us to find any land in our deck and put it directy into play untapped.Note that you have to sacrifice a land as an additional cost, meaning you lose if its countered, but a resolved Crop Rotation is amazing. You can rotate lands being targeted by opposing Wastelands, and it has the additional value of being instant speed so you can abuse lands like Bojuka Bog, Glacial Chasm or a Karakas facing down an Emrakul, the Aeons Torn or Griselbrand. Again with the new Dark Depths + Thespian's Stage combo, this card becomes even more powerful. If you have one of the two lands for the combo, simply Crop Rotaion rotate into the other piece, make a 20/20, untap and swing in.

What enchantments does it run?

This build of lands runs Exploration and Manabond to create an engine. Exploration: This card really lets the deck go into overdrive. Its pretty self explanatory. Playing multiple lands per turn = Winning. Always a 4 of. Manabond: This aids exploration in dumping lands into play. Its usually boarded out game 2 so you dont get blown out by gravehate once you activate it. Allows for explosive turn ones. Molten Vortex allows us to control the board and it provides an altenate wincon with Life from the Loam.

Sideboard choices.

1 Arachnogenesis: Helps us fight against more aggresive decks, stops go wide strategies. 1 Bojuka Bog: Instant speed gravehate with Crop Rotation 2 Boseiju, Who Shelters All: Good in control matchups to keep Life from the Loam resolving. 4 Chalice of the Void: Bring in against combo, it is are worst matchup 1 Dark Depths: For the matchups were we have to race them to the combo 1 Karakas: Great against Sneak and SHow decks and Reanimator. Allows us to bounce their threats 2 Krosan Grip: Gives us answers to Chalice of the Void, Grafdigger's Cage, and Rest in Peace 1 Molten Vortex: Allows us to control the board against aggresive decks and creature based combo decks. 1 Tireless Tracker: Allows us to fight against graveyate. Crack clue to dredge Life from the Loam 1 Zuran Orb: Allows us to survive against against burn decks and other aggresive strategies.

What makes a Keepable hand?

1 To 2 accelerants, 2-3 Mana Denying Lands, 1-2 Mana Generating Lands Lands, 1-2 Tutors, 0-1 Life from the Loam

Date added	6 years
Last updated	6 years
Key combos	Dark Depths + Thespian's Stage Life from the Loam + Molten Vortex
Legality	This deck is Legacy legal.
Rarity (main - side)	7 - 6 Mythic Rares 39 - 5 Rares 11 - 3 Uncommons 1 - 1 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	0.96
Tokens	Clue, Marit Lage, Spider 1/2 G
Folders	Decks I like