This is an attempt to create a tribal snake swarm deck, that tries to reach the mid-game phase before the opponent to then dominate. It's sort of my response to everybody in history always playing an elf tribal deck at some point and I am semi-proud to say that I've actually been able to take on said type of decks with this one, even though most modern decks wipe the floor with my snakes. The thing is though, that the more unique tribal decks have always been a guilty pleasure for me and this deck is simply put a ton of fun to play with, even if it doesn't end with my victory all the time. It plays well but it is not the strongest deck out there.
-- CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK VERY WELCOME! :D --
Basic Strategy:
Dominate the opponent in terms of early-game mana-availability by using one of the many cards in the deck to either play more than one land per turn or gain a mana-source via the card itself. That mana will be used mid-game to play some rather powerful cards which make the snake army you should have on the battlefield by then unstoppable. Most cards in this deck have nasty side-effects when they are blocked, so your opponent will probably avoid blocking them and thus be at 10-16 life points when you do your final wave of all-out attacks, which kills him in 1 to 2 turns.
Weaknesses:
Powerful enemy cards are not a problem, but if your opponent plays a swarm deck too, things will get very messy. You won't always lose against other swarm decks but it's just not a nice game to play.Control decks can be a problem, especially mono-blue decks which focus on doing nothing other than neutralizing your cards and killing you with lots of flying enemies. If you play against such a deck, there's cards in the sideboard that help you deal with the worst of it.
Card commentary:
4x Ambush Viper - Such a beautiful card. Don't always play this one in your turn, since a surprise blocker with deathtouch is a great thing to have.
2x Coat of Arms - Must-have in all tribal decks.
1x Descendants' Path - This is a pretty useful card, especially when you have at least one snake warrior out, which means your Nacatl can be brought into play too.
1x Endless Swarm - The "YOLO"-card of this deck. Sometimes it makes you win, sometimes it kills you. It depends on the situation, really.
18x Forest - Not a lot of basic lands per se, but the mana curve is nice and you will get your mana via other means too.
1x Garruk Wildspeaker - Obligatory swarm planeswalker. He's quicker than most planeswalkers and can lead to devastating swarm attacks.
1x Giant Growth - Especially useful in early game, to get rid of your opponent's first big guy.
1x Kashi-Tribe Elite - Moderate usefulness due to it's nice effects. It's a filler card but it's a good one at that.
1x Lure - This card combined with Tangle Asp is ridiculous, because it doesn't just have normal deathtouch, it actually kills all blocking creatures.
2x Matsu-Tribe Sniper - This guy can be very useful if your opponent has a flying creature and if he doesn't, then it's still a nice guy to have.
1x Nacatl War-Pride - The only non-snake creature, except the Kami. The reason he is in here is that he does a sick combo with Sosuke, Son of Seshiro, since that effects counts for all warriors and thus basically kills all your opponents enemies with just this card in one turn.
1x Wear Away - Obligatory. I'd like to put in one more of these, but I want to keep the card count low.
1x Nature's Lore - A great card in early game.
1x Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers - Not a lot better than a forest, but it's ability can at times be somewhat useful for Seshiro and Sosuke.
1x Orochi Eggwatcher / Shidako, Broodmistress - This card costs too much in my opinion. It can be a useful card to have on your final attack but I'd say it's one of the worse cards in the deck.
2x Orochi Hatchery - Costs a lot, but gets you snakes and lots of them.
2x Orochi Sustainer - Early game mana source and creature-blocker.
2x Predatory Focus - This is what you want to draw. In mid-game, this card will end your opponent in one turn.
1x River Boa - Put it in for the regeneration power and learn to love it for islandwalk.
3x Sakura-Tribe Scout - You'll want to have this one in your starting hand, ideally with three forests and Okina. That makes for a very powerful opening game.
2x Seshiro the Anointed - Cost a lot to play and you'll want to have him protected but if he stays alive, you will notice how your opponent will be on the defense.
2x Sosuke, Son of Seshiro - Great card, it combos with your Nacatl and of course all your snake warriors and gives you a tribal boost on top of it.
2x Steely Resolve - What a brilliantly overpowered card. Choose "Snake" as creature type, obviously. :P
1x Strength in Numbers - Can be the winning card, if used properly.
2x Tangle Asp - This cards deathtouch is not your everyday deathtouch. Together with Lure this card is almost broken.
2x Traproot Kami - Protection done right. Blocks flying creatures and will be very resistant early on, because you'll have more forests than turns went by. In rare occassions you will actually want to imprint this one and copy it endlessly. It won't win you the game but it'll stop you from losing it.
1x
Vitalize
- The perfect card for a surprise blocking after an all-out swarm attack.
4x Wasteland Viper - Overpowered in my opinion but why complain if it boosts your snake deck.
1x Worldly Tutor - One green mana will get you any creature from your deck you want. I usually go for Sosuke or Nacatl, depending on which of the two I am missing.
Sideboard commentary:
3x
Anaconda
- This comes in handy against any deck which utilizes swamps but costs too much against a non-black deck, so it has to stay in the sideboard.
1x Carpet of Flowers - Speeds up your game a lot against blue decks.
1x Giant Growth - Just a filler.
1x Leyline of Lifeforce - Use this against neutralizing decks and hope you'll survive.
1x
Lull
- Good if you're playing against another swarm deck.
2x Orochi Ranger - Filler. It can be useful with Sosuke but there are better snakes out there, which have deathtouch for the same mana cost, so this is sideboard material for special occasions.
1x Panglacial Wurm - Very useful sometimes but not often.
1x Silk Net - Against blue, red and white decks, this is the surprise attack that kills their beloved flying critter (e.g. a dragon).
1x Traproot Kami - If your opponent plays flying cards, you might want to add this additional traproot kami to your deck.
