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Explorey-Os! Selvala Combo/Stax

Commander / EDH* Combo Competitive Elves GW (Selesnya) Stax Tribal

Rienuaa

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Combo (8)

Draw (3)

Finisher (5)

Land (28)

Ramp (13)

Removal (4)

Stax (12)

Tutor (13)

Utility (13)

Commander (1)

Commander: Selvala, Explorer Returned

Competitive elf combo with stax suite, built for a high power multiplayer meta.

Oh, and here's a deck tech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Wo9KbrVzs

SUPPORT THE ELVES!

I finally found the final form of my Elf deck.

This deck went through a lot of iterations before it settled here. First try was a Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord deck. Then Nath of the Gilt-Leaf. Ezuri, Renegade Leader. Rhys the Exiled. Finally, I settled for Rhys the Redeemed, as he seemed like he would fit the gap this deck needed.

And then suddenly, Selvala was released. And holy shit did she change this deck forever.

So, without further ado, I give you...

Selvala, Explorer Returned - the combo and stax variant

Rather then explain every goddamn elf... I mean card... in this deck (there are a lot), I'm going to do a quick run by the core bits.

Firstly, this deck is wicked fast and tries its best to win ASAP. It's got a few spicy cards in there that will normally piss off less competitive players. Generally speaking, Winter Orb isn't nice, you know what I mean?

So I've sorted it all out and now it's all in one place, here. The way to win with an elf tribal deck.

There are two types of combos: infinite mana via any of the mana producing elves and any of the untap effects, such as Staff of Domination, or a large mana dork, Mirror Entity, and Wirewood Symbiote. There are 3 of each type, and Selvala herself as a bonus. She's the glue that ties this deck together.

Main combo has two categories, producers and consumers. You can find them both under the combo tag.

A typical game has four phases for me.

Phase one is ramp - ramp like a motherfucker. You want 3 or 4 mana turn 2, and at least 6 or 7 turn three. Try to dump as much as you can before everyone else gets their footing.

Phase two is the stax play. Drop a Winter Orb or something that limits the opponents. They should ideally be hindered or just shut off - just start laying down cards that stop the opponents from playing. A lot of stax is silver bullet oriented, so rush out a Hall of Gemstone vs multicolored decks or a Static Orb against other spam decks.

Phase three is the tutor for combo and use the pieces phase. This can take the longest, but hopefully you kept a hand with at least one half of it. People will try their best to interrupt you, so to be safe try to rush out a Dromoka or Abolisher if you feel threatened. Just try your best to run out the parts, and each part has 2 back up plans. Don't worry about trying again and again, eventually your opponents will make a mistake and it will stick.

Phase four is to win. This is accomplished in one of many ways. The easiest win is to draw your deck with a card like Staff of Domination or Mind's Eye, followed by the ol' Craterhoof. However, it isn't always that easy. So, after getting infinite mana, try to get infinite untaps on Selvala, and start tapping. Everyone will start revealing cards. If someone has interaction, keep going in response. Stop when you hit a way for you to draw and not anyone else, or something like Genesis Wave.

Once you have one of the card strategies below, STOP DRAWING EVERYONE CARDS.

The card Fauna Shaman should pitch something to find Kozilek, untap, and pitch Kozilek to find something else. Shuffle in your yard. Continue to do so, adding in all player card draw, until you have a library and they do not. This is a mill plan.

The card Mirror Entity plus enough bodies should just win the game via damage. This card also combos with Druids for the Gilt-Leaf Archruid plan. It also helps you hit elf capacity for the combo set up.

Yisan plus haste or even just out the turn before is a really good way to win. He grabs the entire curve on his way up. Woodland Bellower can get almost half the deck.

There are many more ways in here. It depends heavily on how much you have on board and what you draw.

There are many ways to win with infinite mana, it is just a matter of using and abusing Selvala to find it.

NEW INCLUSION - AETHERFLUX RESERVOIR - IT JUST WINS THE GAME. DELETE TARGET PLAYER

Comments are welcome.

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Updates Add

Shelving Comments — Sept. 20, 2015
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Huge update. Added stax cards, changed commander again (6th try).

Shelving Comments — Feb. 4, 2015
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Shelving Comments — Sept. 5, 2014
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Revision 45 See all

(8 years ago)