What Would G/B Elves Do?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on May 20, 2018, 11:49 a.m. by maxon
This is only in regards to EDH.
In my EDH building years, I've never done a g/b build. The closest I've come was a short lived Ghave, Guru of Spores build, and an equally short lived Karador, Ghost Chieftan build.
In that time, however, I've come to own a few interesting elf cards. I've never messed around with this tribe but I think it might make a nice deck to round out what I already have. (I have mono blue sea beasts, red/blue burn n bash, and 5C ramp n cast)
I was wondering if any edh elf players would share their experiences on how their decks play, the kinds of places you can take them (as in deck building paths), and the best colors for it. I'm only assuming G/B would be a good choice.
I guess you could say I play around that 75% threshold. I'd also not want to spend more than $200 on the deck. Is a cheap elf deck even an option?
Anyway, thanks for any words and advice you could give. I know there aren't supposed to be decklists in this forum, but if you have something you think I should look at, either tastefully link it here and hope the admin gods don't yell at us, or just send me a deck link on my profile page. Please only send decklist links if your deck description explains what's going on and how to play the deck.
Thanks.
I've got a budget build for Rhys the Exiled -- Really Golgari Elves play just like Mono-G elves but with more removal and draw options, as well as some nice cards like Shaman of the Pack, Exsanguinate and the other life drainers if you like that route:
Ex Gonna Give It To Ya [Rhys Budget Elves]
With Rhys you can have a lot of the good elves and a lot of overlap in life gain, ramp and elf spam.
If you go with Savra, Jarad or Nath you'll have more options for where you go depending on what you like. Savra likes tokens and sacrificing them, Jarad can be a general good stuff for black/green, preferring big creatures over lots of little elves, and Nath likes discard.
May 20, 2018 1:33 p.m.
DrukenReaps says... #4
I don't know how much direct support elves have in black but you could certainly run some of the usual black token pieces. Elves love making tokens....
I would probably go with Nath of the Gilt-Leaf or Rhys the Exiled. Of the above mentions these are the most elfy and both benefit from cards like Grave Pact and Zulaport Cutthroat. going also gives you Cover of Darkness so that is nice for a token swarm if that is how you choose to build.
May 20, 2018 1:45 p.m.
GhostChieftain says... #5
Apart from GB, elves can pretty easily go GW with Rhys the Redeemed or Selvala, Explorer Returned or it can go GU with Ezuri, Claw of Progress or Edric, Spymaster of Trest. One could even make an arguement for RG elves simply because the only real required color for elves is green and any additional color is just the dressing on your leafy greens.
May 20, 2018 2:24 p.m.
Thanks everyone! So much great info here.
I'm also liking the deck you have, Skulloelegy. That budget is very doable. Even better, I already have a good number of those cards. Might end up building your deck and elf around with it to fit my playgroup.
I also have a currently unused Patriarch's Bidding I could throw in too. When I ran it in my zombie deck it was very fun.
Thanks a bunch for all the info everyone.
May 20, 2018 2:26 p.m.
DrukenReaps -- Cover of Darkness is really great, as is Steely Resolve, the green card in that tribal cycle.
maxon -- Go for it, mate, and if you have a spare Bidding then slam that bad boy in!
May 20, 2018 2:43 p.m.
DankStompy. IDK? It's a term I've seen used around here that seems to describe the kinds of EDH decks that are strong, but not really built to win ASAP. I like building good decks, but I mostly enjoy the talk and revelry of a game of EDH, so I don't build past a certain competitiveness.
May 20, 2018 8:18 p.m.
DrukenReaps says... #10
DankStompy 75% is a term used somewhat recently by people that want to convey that their deck falls between the actual competitive decks (wins on turn 3-5) and the casual decks (wins when it wins).
The idea is that you can do well at a competitive table and not utterly destroy people that just have casual decks. There is a lot of debate on if this actually works that way.
May 20, 2018 9:29 p.m.
DankStompy says... #11
maxon & DrukenReaps: i kinda get what you guys are sayin. although it really depends on how a person defines what makes a card strong, and even more on how they define "casual". cuz sometimes good players have a "casual" deck that still wrecks face, or a bad player will have a "serious" deck that still isn't competitive lol
pskinn01 says... #2
Nath of the Gilt-Leaf - goes forced discard route.
Rhys the Exiled does life gain, with cards that benefit by sacrificing creatures like Grave Pact.
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord likes big beefy creatures that get sacked for benefit.
Savra, Queen of the Golgari likes sac outlets and mass token generation.
With all elves, ramping is included.
You can go other routes with non elf commanders. Like I have seen a Tasigur, the Golden Fang deck with a elf theme.
May 20, 2018 1:06 p.m.