With Tooth and Claw (All Creatures All Play)

Commander / EDH Aggro Casual RG (Gruul) Theme/Gimmick Zoo

GobboE

Creature (63)

• 1x Acidic Slime
• 1x Anger
• 1x Artisan of Kozilek
• 1x Balefire Dragon
• 1x Bane of Progress
• 1x Boartusk Liege
• 1x Bogardan Hellkite
• 1x Borderland Ranger
• 1x Brawn
• 1x Civic Wayfinder
• 1x Deadbridge Goliath
• 1x Deadwood Treefolk
• 1x Fangren Firstborn
• 1x Farhaven Elf
• 1x Flametongue Kavu
• 1x Garruk's Horde
• 1x Garruk's Packleader
• 1x Genesis
• 1x Ghor-Clan Rampager
• 1x Giant Adephage
• 1x Golgari Decoy
• 1x Hamletback Goliath
• 1x Hateflayer
• 1x Haze Frog
• 1x Hellkite Charger
• 1x Hoard-Smelter Dragon
• 1x Hydra Omnivore
• 1x Inferno Titan
• 1x Instigator Gang  ^Flip
• 1x Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
• 1x Malignus
• 1x Moldgraf Monstrosity
• 1x Molten Primordial
• 1x Nantuko Mentor
• 1x Nantuko Vigilante
• 1x Nullstone Gargoyle
• 1x Ogre Battledriver
• 1x Paleoloth
• 1x Pathbreaker Ibex
• 1x Primordial Sage
• 1x Pyrewild Shaman
• 1x Quirion Elves
• 1x Rubblehulk
• 1x Silklash Spider
• 1x Skarrg Goliath
• 1x Skarrg Guildmage
• 1x Somberwald Sage
• 1x Soul of the Harvest
• 1x Spearbreaker Behemoth
• 1x Spellbreaker Behemoth
• 1x Stalking Vengeance
• 1x Stone-Tongue Basilisk
• 1x Sylvan Ranger
• 1x Tahngarth, Talruum Hero
• 1x Thicket Elemental
• 1x Thriss, Nantuko Primus
• 1x Urabrask the Hidden
• 1x Ursapine
• 1x Viashino Heretic
• 1x Vigor
• 1x Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger
• 1x Wickerbough Elder
• 1x Zhur-Taa Druid

Land (36)

• 1x Ancient Ziggurat
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Copperline Gorge
• 1x Dryad Arbor
• 10x Forest
• 1x Ghitu Encampment
• 1x Kazandu Refuge
• 1x Kessig Wolf Run
• 1x Llanowar Reborn
• 1x Mossfire Valley
• 5x Mountain
• 1x Opal Palace
• 1x Rugged Highlands
• 1x Sapseep Forest
• 1x Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
• 1x Skarrg, the Rage Pits
• 1x Smoldering Spires
• 1x Stomping Ground
• 1x Swarmyard
• 1x Teetering Peaks
• 1x Treetop Village
• 1x Wooded Foothills
• 1x Yavimaya Hollow

Commander (1)

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Sideboard

Creature (4)

• 1x Ancient Ooze
• 1x Archetype of Aggression
• 1x Archetype of Endurance
• 1x Gruul Ragebeast

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Maybeboard

Creature (3)

• 1x Craterhoof Behemoth
• 1x Dosan the Falling Leaf
• 1x Xenagos, God of Revels

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I created this 'creature only' deck as counterpart to my creatureless Kaervek the Merciless deck Burn and Drain (or: Creatureless Kaervek) Ruric Thar being the answer to Kaervek.

As said, this deck is all creatures. Not only to get the most value out of Ruric Thar, the Unbowed's ability, but also to 'go all the way' on the 'creature only' theme. So even a support card like Strionic Resonator - which would be awesome in this deck because of all the come into play effects - has not been included. Also some lands can be transformed into creatures (such as Treetop Village , Ghitu Encampment ) and Dryad Arbor actually is a creature.

Boy, did I have fun :)

The Challenge

All creatures, no other spells. I, deliberately, try not to fill every gap or weakness a deck like this might have (makes for more fun and unexpected games I think) but I do try to cover a few (while I can loose, there needs to be a chance I can win too). The weaknesses I had to overcome where: creature destruction (what to do with nasty creatures your my opponents have), Mana ramp (because only creatures also means no artifacts or enchantments) , and artifact destruction.

The Solution

So I chose come into play abilities and creatures with (triggered) abilities.

Mana

There are enough mana generating creatures out there to chose from, and many that fetch a land: Zhur-Taa Druid performs nicely in this deck, as does Civic Wayfinder , Somberwald Sage and the like. Not to forget Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger

Creature destruction

...and spot removal I need to add. There is Inferno Titan, Hateflayer, Balefire Dragon, etc..etc

Artifact/Enchantment removal

There are many creatures that allow one to destroy artifact and/or enchantments, so no problems here. I chose: Hoard-Smelter Dragon , Acidic Slime, Bane of Progress and Viashino Heretic

Support

The creatures, and especially Ruric Thar, the Unbowed (who needs to attack each turn), need some support to keep them alive longer.

I chose Urabrask the Hidden and Ogre Battledriver to supply haste.

Thriss, Nantuko Primus , Nantuko Mentor , Boartusk Liege, Instigator Gang   , Kamahl, Fist of Krosa for additional power/toughness. As you might know, there is great synergy between creatures such as Thriss, Nantuko Primus + Urabrask the Hidden . Or what to think of Malignus + Ogre Battledriver swinging in at turn 5.

Pyrewild Shaman : a recurring boost-on-a-stick? That's awesome anytime.

Golgari Decoy with its lure ability allows you to break through your opponents defenses (and keep Ruric Thar alive), plus you can scavenge it later.

Spearbreaker Behemoth , indestructibility...enough said (Ruric Thar, the Unbowed + Spearbreaker Behemoth ).

Haze Frog , only a few people will see this one coming when you play it with flash.

Graveyard manipulation

Many creatures will die, and your opponents will play massive destruction spells. So: Artisan of Kozilek, Genesis, Moldgraf Monstrosity , Deadwood Treefolk allow you to return creatures from your graveyard.

Card draw

Primordial Sage, Garruk's Packleader, Paleoloth , Soul of the Harvest

Additional effects

Stalking Vengeance with that many creatures, each creature is literally on the head of one of your opponents.

Nullstone Gargoyle is perhaps the most powerful card in this deck, its effect is devastating.

Rubblehulk, powerful and a nice bloodrush ability, potential game winning

Molten Primordial: is some really nasty creature bothering you? Or several? Then steal them for a turn

Yavimaya Hollow is very powerful, and perhaps even more so in this deck

Kessig Wolf Run is another potential game winner

Hellkite Charger extra attack steps, nice

Game Play

Pretty straight forward really. Play one of the mana creatures, or land fetchers as soon as possible. You need to get the creatures out early and start pressuring the table. Bring out Ruric Thar soon as possible, and attack. If he gets killed, recast him. The damage he delivers with his ability is, easily, immense and worth the casting cost (unless you happen to run into a player with his/her hands full of spot removal...but than your other creatures will do the battle for you).

Date added	8 years
Last updated	8 years
Key combos	Thriss, Nantuko Primus + Urabrask the Hidden Malignus + Ogre Battledriver Ruric Thar, the Unbowed + Spearbreaker Behemoth
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	7 - 0 Mythic Rares 44 - 2 Rares 20 - 2 Uncommons 13 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	5.22
Tokens	Copy Clone, Morph 2/2 C
Folders	decks, Inspiration, Commander Ideas, Gruul?