Sylvan Colossuses (Colosseese? Colossi?)

Standard Fal1entrixt3r

SCORE: 107 | 172 COMMENTS | 16460 VIEWS | IN 43 FOLDERS


Mucho Bettero (hahaha) —Oct. 19, 2013

I know I've been playing around with the deck structure quite often, but i finally found a setup that I like, as per quite a few suggestions I removed Axebane Guardian and replaced him with the great Voyaging Satyr. I also got rid of Worldspine Wurm since it seemed like i never drew them or they were just pointless and added 3x Witchstalker since he's evasive, adds a bit of devotion, and will evolve my Gyre Sage twice, and Mana Bloom is just so useful in this deck for early game, and then late game after drawing Garruk, Caller of Beasts since I can just save any excess devotion mana in it for later. Check out the new additions and id like to hear opinions on the switches!

Drfrozenfire says... #1

I will play test it later tonight. I like this deck.

October 18, 2013 12:16 a.m.

Fal1entrixt3r says... #2

Drfrozenfire Thanks buddy, I think i have it flowing flawlessly now. at least enough to overwhelm your counter spam.

October 18, 2013 12:26 a.m.

pickaso says... #3

I don't know about the changes - they may be neither bad nor good - just different. I understand the changes but I just liked the flow before the change. It seems like everyone knows and builds to have to deal with plains-walkers these days I have really never seen a big ability played in any of my recent games, so having Worldspine Wurm is risky to me - You are literally depending on having Garruk, Caller of Beasts and Worldspine ready to go. Because that's almost the only was that wurms going out easy. Xenagos, The Reveler is not so bad but again he's good and people get rid of good - quick. Shoot half the time my Elvish Mystic is removed right away. and there goes my ramp up. I personally think removing Alpha Authority is a bad idea to fight of removal as well. That card is under rated in my opinion and should have been a rare. I would run Garruk, Caller of Beasts Primeval Bounty Polukranos, World Eater and Sylvan Caryatid if I actually owned the cards and they were not so expensive. Made a similar "budget" version Quick Crushof the original that I played online recently and went 6-2 - lost because of some constant removal from one deck and I had 4 Forest - 1 Axebane Guardian and no other defenders on round 11 on the second loss.

Good stuff over all - this just my 2 cents.

October 18, 2013 5:02 a.m.

Sawyer42 says... #4

If they're somehow stealing your life away, like with Burn spells or Extort, Predator's Rapport would just be devastating for them. I think it's a good sideboard idea if facing non-creature damage.

October 18, 2013 7:27 a.m.

Sawyer42 says... #5

Oh, and great deck. I think 20 land is fine, especially with your mana ramp. Don't worry about it. +1, awesome job.

October 18, 2013 7:30 a.m.

Sawyer42 says... #6

20 forest, I mean. Sorry, last comment for now: Also, with all of this mana, I was thinking of a way to weaponize it. Clan Defiance would allow you to murder the opponent in one fell swoop with all your mana, and would help provide an alternate win con if you're playing a removal crazy deck or damage prevention deck.

October 18, 2013 7:34 a.m.

firerunner36 says... #7

fun deck, seems to win turn 7 quite often if unchecked. BTW for the question in the name of the deck the answer is Colossi. Which is what i seemed to continually win with XD stupid Akrosan things.

October 18, 2013 8:37 a.m.

Fal1entrixt3r says... #8

Hahaha I've had like 5 people tell me that firerunner36

October 18, 2013 8:41 a.m.

actiontech says... #9

Hi there - I don't know if it's been suggested already, but the Blood side of Flesh / Blood would be devastating in this deck. You have a little red splash for Xenagos, so maybe you could pop in a couple somewhere. Looks like a fun deck for sure good luck with it :-)

October 18, 2013 9:18 a.m.

Fal1entrixt3r says... #10

actiontech that's actually a damn good idea, I didn't even realize that card existed haha. Combining that with a monstrous Colossus of Akros for an instant game over

October 18, 2013 12:07 p.m.

actiontech says... #11

Yup, even if he's not monstrous 10 damage is nothing to sneeze at. Glad I could help.

October 18, 2013 12:31 p.m.

Apoptosis says... #12

If you're running Xenagos, The Reveler you'll need 4x Stomping Ground and 3-4x Temple of Abandon to ensure that you can cast him. The 7x creatures that provide you with a red mana source is not enough for a consistent win. I like the idea of Clan Defiance as a 1x-2x finisher too (remove guardians maybe?).

I'll give this a quick playtest soon and let you know how it goes, but to be honest those Mistcutter Hydra mainboard was the biggest headache for my deck. I would like to see them mainboard at 3x (minus 1 bow and maybe 2 guardians).

October 18, 2013 12:43 p.m.

Apoptosis says... #13

Two games playtesting didn't go very well for you, but I think the matchup is very bad for you. Game 1 you started fast with mana dorks and Gyre Sage and extended into Nylea and Primeval Bounty but Hero's Downfall too out your devotion just as it was enough to start the beatdown, Supreme Verdict cleared the board and spot removal contained the beast tokens you were generating. Elspeth, Sun's Champion landed and spawned enough tokens to ultimate for the win. Game 2 you had 2x mana dorks, defenders, and the bow, with a very fast start but nothing big in hand. Azorius Charm took out a pumped dork, then Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver started the mill machine. While you drew lands, she got to 11 and flipped a Worldspine Wurm , which she stole next turn. Two hits with that and it was game over, 0-2.

Bottom line, your Mistcutter Hydra were really scary, without them you have real issues (at least against control). As a ramp midrange deck, I really like them mainboard at 3-4x.

Maybe the Worldspine Wurm should be 1x. Having me able to steal it was lucky. You drew Xenagos, I think both games but were never able to cast it.

Hope this helps.

October 18, 2013 1:16 p.m.

Fal1entrixt3r says... #14

Apoptosis you got Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver to 11 without her being hit at all? And that's exactly what the Mistcutter Hydra is in there for, against control. I can easily sideboard them in place of Colossus of Akros and the Golgari Charm is also there in case of board wipes. As for the land situation, Xenagos, The Reveler is the only splash of red in there, and it's only one, so I don't see much point of tossing in shock lands to lower my life or scry lands to put me back a turn. Ya know? I appreciate your advice a lot, but I'm not sure what my current meta is for my area, but I'll certainly mainboard then if it's more control.

October 18, 2013 2:24 p.m.

EmperorRancor says... #15

Your forgetting a key combo!!!

As you stated :"Bow of Nylea - extremely versatile, kills fliers, adds counters to Gyre Sage , adds life in a pinch, and can replenish my graveyard if I need it."

BUT IT ALSO GIVES DEATHTOUCH! So, adding a 1/1 counter to a blocker after blockers are assigned and before damage at instant speed add a 1/1 counter to your defender and OMGWTFBBQ 1 damage of deathtouch. Bye bye big baddies!

October 18, 2013 2:41 p.m.

EmperorRancor says... #16

Attacking creatures. I am not a smart man. but an elf doing 1 damage for deathtouch is still a good use for them late game.

October 18, 2013 2:42 p.m.

Fal1entrixt3r says... #17

Exactly my friend EmperorRancor

October 18, 2013 2:45 p.m.

Drfrozenfire says... #18

I hate to say it mate, but your deck went 0-7 against my +1/+1 Domination (2nd place FNM). since the last update. Only two of the games were even close, but you were forced to sacrifice mana dorks or defenders to survive, only to not have enough blockers the next turn.

It performed much better before the last change you made. I would also suggest, after playing against it so many times that you find a way to put Fog in because you typically get destroyed turn 5 or 6 before you have a chance to put your ramp to good use. In addition, I would DEFINITELY get rid of Xenagos, The Reveler as it has nothing to do with the survivability of this deck. I have found your deck excellent at ramping, but the ramp has very few channels to outlet into. I would suggest putting in Clan Defiance and perhaps splashing some blue for Hidden Strings and Aqueous Form . It will give you the power you need to either control or boost mana ramp farther and also to make sure you are getting the cards you need while also making the creatures you have even more devastating. Or you could splash white to get some cards that give you vigilance; you need to be able to respond to heavy aggro.

October 18, 2013 3:07 p.m.

Apoptosis says... #19

Fal1entrixt3r I didn't use sideboards in the playtests, and it only takes 4 turns to get Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver to 11 after he lands. I think I landed him turn 6. By that point, your offensive creatures had all been neutralized with something like T3 Hero's Downfall , T4 Supreme Verdict , T5 Far / Away , T6 Detention Sphere plus Ashiok. The Azorius Charm bounced the elf at ~T7 once the bow had given it some muscle and Ashiok, exiled him the next turn. By that point you were top-decking with no offensive creatures in hand and didn't draw into something that helped (I think you had an Axebane Guardian out and a Guardians of Meletis as last card in hand -that got discarded via Thoughtseize ).

You have a real issue with enemy planeswalkers. You have no way to directly remove them. Mana dorks are too small to keep up (e.g. with Ashiok's +2), Gyre Sage needs to evolve to be effective, which leaves you with just 4 cards in the entire deck that help: 2x Polukranos, World Eater (which often die the moment they hit) or Sylvan Primordial (which is slow). That's not good. Mistcutter Hydra uncounterable and haste = bomb T4-T5 after you've got your ramp out.

Yes your sideboard will help with Mistcutter Hydra and Golgari Charm game 2. But not having them mainboard = you give up game 1 to control matchups and keep in mind that from my sideboard will come: 2x Lifebane Zombie , +2 Thoughtseize , and if Mistcutter Hydra is mainboard 2x Doomblade (-2 Psychic Strike , -2 Jace, Memory Adept , and since were talking Mistcutter Hydra maybe -2 Azorius Charm ). So there is a much larger amount of hand disruption coming at you game 2 to get rid of the threats you are ramping into before they can land, a shift to better deal with threats, and my deck doesn't lose much if any flexibility, sustainability, or resilience. Most good control players will sideboard in a way that will hurt game 2-3. When I was playing my American control deck AEther-Reckoner's Army last rotation, there were many times I lost to aggro game one, only to win handily game 2 and 3 after sideboarding in more removal. I think it's really important in your matchups against control that you win game one. Mistcutter Hydra is a beast for this deck against most matchups and therefore should be mainboard. Garruk, Caller of Beasts is also key when you gas out. With 29 creatures, he's highly likely to refill your hand and sustain you into the midgame. I would run him at 3x or even 4x over Xeno-what's his name.

Anyway, hope this helps. I'm just trying to make your deck better while perfecting my own play against various matchups. If you want me to playtest again with sideboards I'd be happy to test them out.

October 18, 2013 3:16 p.m.

actiontech says... #20

If you pull the Xenagos you should consider replacing them with Arbor Colossus . He's pretty good (6/6 reach for 5) but importantly he has +3 devotion to green which is HUGE for Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx ramping. Plus, hey - they're totally in theme with your deck colossal deck!

October 18, 2013 3:23 p.m.

Fal1entrixt3r says... #21

Apoptosis I understand that Mistcutter Hydra is without a doubt a great bomb against blue, but what deck just runs blue nowadays, when Hero's Downfall and Far / Away and Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver are so popular it's just gonna get removed anyways. And Drfrozenfire Where I do value your input greatly, your advice on the strengths and weaknesses of this deck have helped shall it considerably, I just don't trust the testplay on this site, when I played my deck against yours t4 I was slapping you in the face with Sylvan Primordial or a swarm of tokens, and you stomped me a few times too. I also had no problems running Xenagos, The Reveler so I guess I'll just see how it plays and change it accordingly.

October 18, 2013 4:08 p.m.

Apoptosis says... #22

Fal1entrixt3r I couldn't disagree more about the value of Mistcutter Hydra .

  1. Some of the top decks at the recent pro tour were mono-blue:
    http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Events.aspx?x=mtg/daily/eventcoverage/ptths13/welcome
  2. Far / Away can not target Mistcutter Hydra unless only the "away" portion is cast and then you chose the sacrifice (i.e. a dork and not the hydra).
  3. Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver can't steal Mistcutter Hydra , it would come back as a 0/0
  4. Cards like Azorius Charm and Detention Sphere can't target it.
  5. Your ramp is perfect to drop him as a fatty T4-6.
  6. With haste it's still good in a race against aggro

It's your deck, but I can't stress enough how awesome Mistcutter Hydra is in this build. I fear this deck with it. Without it, not at all. It's a cornerstone of this deck.

Anyway, like I said it's your deck and I'm just trying to help. See how it does at your LGS with and without, and decide for yourself. Good luck man.

October 18, 2013 4:33 p.m.

Fal1entrixt3r says... #23

I didn't see any of the pro tour decks prior to this haha Apoptosis seemed like anytime I actually drew him in my hand he was useless to me

October 18, 2013 4:42 p.m.

Fal1entrixt3r says... #24

How do you feel about it now?

October 18, 2013 4:53 p.m.

Fal1entrixt3r says... #25

Should flow much better now, ditched Guardians of Meletis for Karametra's Acolyte and Xenagos, The Reveler , two lands and one Worldspine Wurm for another Polukranos, World Eater and 3Fathom Mage to help keep my hands full amd provide another distraction

October 18, 2013 5:36 p.m.