This is not a fun deck...it is a nasty piece of work. This is the type of deck you only play once to show everybody that it can be done, and then apologize for. And over time it actually came pretty close to being a primer deck.
This deck aims to punish every player for every land they play. It keeps the number of lands in play low. At the same time the deck has several tactics to exploit this, it:
forces opponents to pay additional mana for spells they play (like
Isolation Cell
)
forces opponents to take damage for the number of cards they have on hand (
Viseling
and
Iron Maiden
for instance)
players to take damage for each land put into play (Zo-Zu the Punisher)
it punishes every player for each spell they play (Manabarbs)
requires players to take damage for each land that goes to the graveyard (Dingus Egg).
Indeed, you will receive damage as well, but less than your opponents. Also, since you'll be playing (mostly) basic lands this deck will hit you less hard, plus you'll have the mana advantage (you'll have land on hand and there's
Radha, Heir to Keld
). The deck features fetches (Sylvan Ranger and the like and stuff like Ramunap Excavator), to allow you to build up quickly and restart quickly after a cataclysmic event.
Radha, Heir to Keld
provides you with that much needed additional mana to kick start your gameplay in the early phases of the game as well as after (another) global destruction. True, her ability to produce won't be used much, but you're playing her for the anyway.
Also, always keep a few lands on hand: that's why the majority of the land fetch spells put land in your hand rather then in play. So, don't put all the lands into play: you'll need them after one of the destructive spells. Moreover, there is no healing in this deck, because I feel it slows this deck down, and well, frankly, you deserve a little sting for playing this :)
This deck aims at playing global effects (multi-player): no spells are included that target only one player, or only one land (such as
Stone Rain
). You tend to loose your pace when singling out a specific player. Indeed, you have to take them all on at once and wipe the board: else someone will be able to cast a big creature and that would be the end of this deck. You, on the other hand, have plenty small (and low CMC) creatures that have a synergetic effect with the deck's theme, such as:
Land recovery (
Harvest Wurm
, Groundskeeper)
Land destruction (
Shivan Wumpus
,
Goblin Ruinblaster
)
Land fetch (Sylvan Ranger or
Civic Wayfinder
). Though small, these creatures fetch your land and also allow you to do the damage you need.
Splendid Reclamation: Wow, seriously, does it do that? I say, does it really do that? In this deck?
Terravore
and Titania, Protector of Argoth love land cards going to the graveyard
There is not much creature destruction in this deck, simply because it aims to retaliate and destroy lands from early in the game: so that no big creatures are able to hit the battlefield. If all goes wrong: you play Obliterate, Wildfire, Destructive Force or Jokulhaups to reset the playfield.
special mention for Darksteel Ingot: it is indestructible, enough said
Also, most artifacts do not really pose a problem for this deck, most need mana to activate anyway and that will be in short supply. One of the only artifacts you need to be wary of is an opponent playing Crucible of Worlds.
I do not like combos overly, still there is one in this deck that is noteworthy: Crucible of Worlds + Strip Mine
(and others) is a devastating, and not particularly player friendly combo. Then again, in this deck, what is...
The synergy between the cards in this deck is self-evident I think:
Centaur Vinecrasher
,
Detritivore
, and for all the cards your opponents are stuck with
Iron Maiden
,
Viseling
, etc...
Lastly: for a budget version of this deck you can leave out Crucible of Worlds and Blood Moon, bringing the total coast of this deck down significantly.You can also leave out Life from the Loam,
Terravore
. Simply add one of the side/maybe board cards. While the effect is not comparable, the cards in the side deck do give either mana, creatures, or they slow your opponent(s) down.
You've tried it, you've seen it work and then take it apart (to relief of your co-players)
