Merfolk tribal exploration
My first take on a competitive deck.
Thoughts and Suggestions Welcome. If you liked it be sure to upvote.
Explore:Merfolk tends to have the most creatures that have the explore trigger, so i included Jadelight Ranger, and Merfolk Branchwalker. Along with these creatures i included Path of Discovery to help keep up the explore triggers when im not getting the creatures with explore. These combo off great with Panharmonicon, and Wildgrowth Walker since they can add another trigger of explore or give me life while making a creature bigger even if explore hits a land.
+1/+1 Counters:The explore trigger has the potential to make my creatures bigger by giving them a +1/+1 counter whenever they explore and hit a nonland card. I put Herald of Secret Streams, Rishkar, Peema Renegade, and Hadana's Climb because they help creatures that have a +1/+1 counter on them. I also put in Verdurous Gearhulk because it can freely distribute four +1/+1 counters among any four creatures (if Panharmonicon is on the field it does this twice). Deeproot Elite is in because it is cheap to get out and can get big fast due to it getting a +1/+1 counter everytime a merfolk ETB's (twice if Panharmonicon is on the field).
In SB i put Lifecrafter's Gift because it can freely give a creature a +1/+1 counter, then give ALL my creatures with a +1/+1 counter and additional counter (makes it pretty good for a combat trick when you need extra damage or toughness). I also put one copy of Ghalta, Primal Hunger in as either a midrange or late game bomb, since his cmc is cheaper for the total power of all my creatures which when they all or most have a +1/+1 counter on them can make a huge difference (that and giving him the flying and +X/+X (X being its power) from winged temple of orazca is hilarious and terrifying)
Evasion:I decided to have Herald of Secret Streams, Hadana's Climb to give my creatures more evasion by making those with +1/+1 counters on them unblockable as well as to give a creautre flying and a power boost when Hadana's Climb flips into winged temple of orazca. I also put in Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca because he he can give me plaenty of options from being unblockable, drawing me cards, and giving all my merfolk a +1/+1 counter. Rhonas's Monument is good in this deck because it can give a creature +2/+2 and trample every time i cast a creature.
In SB i put Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca is in the SB in case my opponent doesnt have much removal and i need a more options to either make him unblockable, draw a card, or put a +1/+1 counter on each merfolk i control. Kopala, Warden of Waves is here in case there is a lot of control as it will cost more to activate ablities or cast spells that target my merfolk.
Protection:I put in Spell Pierce, heoric intervention, and Blossoming Defense in because they are cheap ways to ensure my creatures survive.
In SB i put Supreme Will in case i need more counters, as well as Prowling Serpopard in case i go against a control deck with lots of counters to ensure that at least my creatures can get on the battlefield. Naturalize is great against artifact/enchantment heavy decks, and Unsummon in case i need to either remove a blocker or prevent damage from getting through.
Draw:While this deck doesn't have any way to draw cards in the MB, there is Vizier of the Menagerie which allows you to look at the top card of your library whenever you want (great for timing explore triggers), as well as cast creatures from the top of your library and spend mana as if it were mana of any kind. This paired with Rishkar, Peema Renegade, and Rhonas's Monument can make for a good combo allowing you to potentially play several creatures from your deck in a single turn as well as give one creature a very large boost or give several creatures +2/+2 and trample.
