Creature (17)
Land (23)
Instant (9)
Sorcery (11)
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Like countless people the world over, I have a special fondness for Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 classic literary work The Wind in the Willows. In addition to the book, I thoroughly enjoyed the 1983 stop motion Cosgrove Hall adaptation, as well as the cartoon movies (yes, even the Rankin Bass one with its atrocious animation). The adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger and Mr. Toad are indelibly etched in my memory.
Concessions were inevitably made; characters were approximated as best as I could, or else omitted entirely (the Weasels, the Magistrate or Barge Woman could have been included, but at the cost of tanking the already questionable performance). I probably won’t take many suggestions for this one unless they’re 100% on theme—without that, it’s just a bad golgari beatdown or unrealized dredge shell, in which case I’d just build a solid version of that instead. No, this one is heavy on the theme and nostalgia.
The rustic charm of Moley’s underground house; Ratty’s muse, the calm and gently flowing river inspiring his poetry; Badger’s home embodying a bastion of safety and security amidst the terror of The Wild Wood; and of course the extravagance and decadence of Toad Hall—the countryside and surrounding locales depicted in the novel are almost characters in and of themselves.
•One might think with a splash of an odd choice of colors for the deck. Something like pure might seem more apropos, letting you feel “the wind in the reeds, and willows”, but those colors really don’t offer much in terms of an analogue for the main cast of characters. Instead, basic Swamps and Forests ended up intoning the lush English landscapes our woodland friends call home.
•Overgrown Tomb, Temple Garden, Godless Shrine and Verdant Catacombs are ace mana fixers, but don’t forget about Revitalizing Repast’s flip side .
It was difficult finding approximations for some of our woodland friends, but I think the chosen cards highlight their defining qualities.
•Playing the role of Mr. Toad is The Gitrog Monster. There’s an inherent chaos and unpredictability due to the sacrificial mandate, but this guy can leave a swathe of carnage in his wake like Mr. Toad sitting behind the wheel of his motor carriage.
•Badger
is the voice of reason, a pillar of strength when necessary, yet never overbearing. A casting cost of isn’t too bad considering the +2/+2 bump he gets when blocking—or ‘arbitrating an intervention’ as he calls it.
•Mole is quiet and reserved, a bit unsure of himself but always willing to help out his friends in whatever way he can. Mana fixing helps us out, particularly when Mr. Toad is in play and we need a bit of extra mana.
•I was having difficulty finding an approximation for Ratty, as all the rat creature cards in black’s portfolio didn’t really align with the poetic, bard-like nature of the character in the novel. Fortunately, Brave-Kin Duo arrives suggested courtesy of legendofa and it’s just about as perfect a fit as we could hope for. The fact it’s a combination rabbit+mouse card hearkens back to the novel, as Ratty (who is technically a water vole and not a rat) comments on the brusque demeanor of hares in dialogue with Moley. Regarding functionality, it’s a solid 1 drop that opens up more options early game, whilst helping maximize damage output once we’re on the attack. I couldn’t be happier with the recommendation!
•”Pan; Piper; call him what you will”, Boon Satyr pays homage to the chapter The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Like the surreal events within said chapter appearing from seemingly out of nowhere, feel free to flash in the goat-legged chap.
•I included Tombstalker as a reference to the spooky wraiths and ghouls leering ominously from the darkness of The Wild Wood during the chapter where poor Moley gets turned around while looking for Badger. He’s an ace card, a 5/5 flyer that can be conveniently delved in to help out.
Fun fact—The Wind in the Willows was first published during the height of the spiritualism fad sweeping parts of the British Isles and the Northeastern US, and subsequent releases of the novel either heavily censored or entirely removed the chapter The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, it being deemed too ‘pagan’ to have in public schools. Most later releases contain the excised chapter, which lends a mystic, supernatural feel to the book’s events.
Let’s echo the puritanical mindset of early 20th century society and aim to censor and remove that which we deem inappropriate.
•Abrupt Decay and Assassin's Trophy are classic Golgari staples, and for good reason. You’re unlikely to find more cost effective removal in these colors.
•Collective Brutality and Witherbloom Command fill a similar role, but offer much more latitude in deciding how best to handle a given problem.
•Adventurous Impulse encapsulates the sense of wonder and uncertainty the novel elicits, and helps us cherry pick the right early game plays.
•Like the Piper protecting adorable little Portly, Revitalizing Repast can shield one of our creatures from harm. The added option of flipping it in as a land can help mitigate going off the rails during Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.
•Dictate the flow of the game, using spells like Abrupt Decay and Collective Brutality to manage the boardstate.
•With aid from Adventurous Impulse begin fielding our woodland friends, starting with Moley and eventually ramping into Mr. Toad himself, then attack for big damage.
•Tombstalker is backup muscle if things get precarious, and will enter play at a discount thanks to the plethora of Instants and Sorceries that will have accumulated in the graveyard over time.
I opted to shore up many of the weaknesses in the maindeck with some carefully chosen sideboard tech.
•Natural State and Pithing Needle aim to disable artifacts, enchantments and activated abilities that could derail us.
•Thoughtseize into a Surgical Extraction for preemptive removal of anything worrisome.
•Lignify anything with legs that proves problematic, then have Mr. Toad chop it down for firewood.
•When all else fails, shield our woodland friends from harm with Heroic Intervention.
”He then took some of the seed of the land and…He planted it like a willow by abundant waters.”
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Casual
95% Competitive
Revision 4 See all
(2 months ago)
| -1 | Assassin's Trophy | main |
| -1 | Boon Satyr | main |
| +4 | Brave-Kin Duo | main |
| -1 | Forest | main |
| +1 | Godless Shrine | main |
| -1 | Overgrown Tomb | main |
| -1 | Revenge of the Rats | main |
| -1 | Swamp | main |
| +2 | Temple Garden | main |
| Top Ranked |
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| Date added | 2 months |
| Last updated | 2 months |
| Legality | This deck is Modern legal. |
| Rarity (main - side) | 3 - 0 Mythic Rares 23 - 8 Rares 8 - 0 Uncommons 10 - 4 Commons |
| Cards | 60 |
| Avg. CMC | 2.41 |
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