Shifting Ceratops

Creature — Dinosaur

This spell can't be countered.

Protection from blue (This creature can't be dealt damage, enchanted, equipped, blocked or targeted by anything blue and anything blue attached to this immediately falls off.)

: Shiting Ceratops gains your choice of reach, trample, or haste until end of turn.

Discussion (43)

itsbuzzi on Cookie's Jund (PNR)

5 days ago

Hello! I feel bad for drawing you into this deck but I figured I needed a second opinion and good testing cannot happen without events. Do not feel bad if your responses seem to all be negative. This is a combination of two lists so it will look like yours but vary. For the future, I can test this deck on occasion with an aggro list I have but, to test against anything else would not work as I am not the original pilot of any other deck. Anyway, I love the criticism and I'll start my responses in order, but do remember, I haven't tested anything. So I will be taking consideration but not making any changes yet until I have been able to play enough to decide. Sorry for the long response. Without further ado:

I really like Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger. The ability to remove a card from their hand, more notably a nonland card unless they take life as well, is great. Having a 6/6 beater seems a little less important as there are many other creatures in the deck. There is great value in the choice to escape the card while maintaining Grim Flayer and fueling the escape cost. At this point I can see a direct swap of Tasigur, the Golden Fang and Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger. While Kroxa reduces the opponents recourses Tasigur gains resources in the opposite manner. It is more by choice of the opponent but by exiling the graveyard with it's delve ability the choices are better. Tasigur's ability can be activated multiple times in a late game setting at end of turn after holding up responses but not needing to activate them, it's another thing to do. I could see this getting in the way of say clue tokens but we have yet to test that out as I see this issue coming in against late game which aggro does not go to. I do like that Kroxa is a recurring threat. All said and done I see the choices being keep how the deck is or swap 1x Tasigur for 1x Kroxa. I say only 1 because the recursion on Kroxa is just so strong if she gets milled she can come back, dies can come back sometimes the next turn if a Grim Flayer is on the field. In the end it comes down to testing but it is a wonderful consideration.

Vraska, Golgari Queen rounds out the 4 drop slot with more removal on a stick and I would have to argue the token generation of Tireless Tracker is exceedingly wonderful for her. In testing against my aggro deck she honestly comes down to -3 then dies the next turn fueling delirium for Grim Flayer so it's hard to say what would go in this slot but it appears as though she is definitely not great in the aggro match up but I could see her excelling in other match ups with her continuous ability. Perhaps another planeswalker would fit the bill better but we have tried Liliana, the Last Hope and she does not make the cut. It's ideal if her +1 could kill something every turn but it typically would not happen and if it does the game is heavily in our favor already. For now I would keep her in but I feel there may be other options out there other than the discussed walkers. I'm not entirely sure any walker is good in the aggro match up so the answer to this question will have to wait until different testing can commence but if I do find an answer I will let you know.

I like Bonecrusher Giant, but I feel only hitting for 2 damage hurts a lot more than it helps. Having another big body is great too, but I feel like that role is already played even in your list with all the other creatures we share and Kroxa. It's basically a direct swap of Bonecrusher Giant and Oath of Chandra. The most we have Oath acomplish in the deck is to bolt something then hit the graveyard (Vraska typically sacrifices Oath, the 2 damage at end step is a trigger that if it would occur is a forgotten trigger). So in this way it's with an instant speed shock or a sorcery bolt. I feel as though we have enough instant speed threats and could use these sorcery speed slots. It's just a unique card to fuel delirium at worst and a bolt with upside at best. I see the reasoning to remove it for something better as most other cards have many modes behind them but I have to admit the amount of multicolored cards in the deck hinder it and having more mono colored removal really helps the deck out in the event of multi colored protection. I find that due to the redundancy of Giant in the list and lackluster damage vs a unique card type that can enter the graveyard fairly easily is a little better. Against aggro it is a good card but I would say otherwise the card would get taken out for something else which isn't necessarily a bad thing it makes cutting cards easier for sideboarding.

Speaking of which, a disclaimer: the sideboard is not complete I just threw in cards and was somewhat in the process of removing some. We want the sideboard to work on match ups where we have difficulty but the hard part at this present moment is trying to figure out what match ups are the tough match ups. You can see we have some cards for aggro: (Abrade, Radiant Flames, even Scavenging Ooze). We have cards for midrange / control: (Agonizing Remorse, Shifting Ceratops). We have graveyard hate: (Scavenging Ooze and Soul-Guide Lantern). And lastly we have cards against combo: (Necromentia and Slaughter Games). Some of these cards can overlap for different needs we just don't know what needs need to be met.

I have had the discussion over Anger of the Gods and we are playing Radiant Flames because of the modular capabilities (playing it for 2 damage or 3, hardly ever 1 as explained here) and getting double red on turn 3 is much harder than getting all colors by turn 3. That, and the off chance we hit our own creatures they remain exiled and not destroyed. That is why we have Radiant Flames over Anger of the Gods. This slot in the sideboard is basically filled. Otherwise I agree Anger is the card to have.

Lastly about Necromentia and Slaughter Games. It is very much redundant to have both of these in the list we just haven't figured out which is better and would only run one, and not sure the amount of that one meta dependent. For Necromentia it can hit a turn earlier, and the off-chance it makes a token we can very much kill it with anything and possibly get value from it with Chevill, Bane of Monsters. For Slaughter Games it can't be countered but hits a turn later. I'm not sure if the ability to get non-basic lands with Necromentia is very relevant but Slaughter Games can only get nonland cards but as mentioned Slaughter Games can't be countered. So for now both of them sit in the sideboard until we can figure out which is better.

Perhaps you may have some insight on the topics mentioned above? If not I do appreciate the constructive criticism and all mentions will be placed in the sideboard for further testing with. Thanks!

DCdude5117 on Giant's Lair

2 months ago

Might want to look into adding these cards for combat step potency. Berserkers' Onslaught, Aggravated Assault, Domri, Anarch of Bolas, Savage Ventmaw, Rampaging Baloths, Skarrgan Hellkite, End-Raze Forerunners, terrastodon, Kogla, the Titan Ape, Scourge of the Throne

And these cards for card-draw and mana ramp Beast Whisperer, Garruk's Uprising, Castle Garenbrig, Llanowar Elves, Temple of Abandon, Gruul Turf, Sheltered Thicket, Cragcrown Pathway  ^Flip, Return of the Wildspeaker, Elvish Mystic, Hunter's Insight, Ilysian Caryatid, Guardian Project, Bonders' Enclave, Nylea, Keen-Eyed,Lifecrafter's Bestiary

And the cuts I were thinking of could be Vivien, Champion of the Wilds, Spearbreaker Behemoth, Giant Adephage, Spidersilk Armor, Mistcutter Hydra, Shifting Ceratops, Sunder Shaman, Voracious Hydra, Rhonas's Monument, Blood Mist

This are just my first initial thoughts on the deck.

AjaxSlumbering on 1 mana for a 4/2 and 3 cards?

5 months ago

Talara's Battalion, Steel Leaf Champion, Golden Guardian  ^Flip, Shifting Ceratops, Yeva, Nature's Herald, Challenger Troll, Garruk's Packleader, Garenbrig Paladin, Gigantosaurus, Thragtusk? Keep in mind I don't play modern, and don't know your meta. that being said, hope this helps

TonyStark9001 on MrBoombastic

7 months ago

MrBoombastic: "sure thing, thats great" was sarcasm. your 3 cards do not compliment the theme. Shifting Ceratops "better stats" is 1 more power, vs damage doubled. since i'm not dealing 0.5 damage anytime soon, tuskodon is better. i've already crunched the numbers regarding lands. 24 is enough to average 4 by turn 4. i don't need your suggestions, or your reasons.

MrBoombastic on

7 months ago

• There was no sarcasm.

• I believe that those 3 cards compliment the theme quite well.

• Commune with Dinosaurs does not change the theme of the deck, but adds consistency.

• Regisaur Alpha is a 4/4 body that makes a 3/3 token with haste and trample, plus it gives all the following trampling dinos haste.

• Shifting Ceratops can come down a turn earlier, has better stats, can't be countered and it also has the option of getting trample, haste and/or reach.

• I've personally never seen a competitive deck with an average cmc of around 3.5 that only played 24 lands. Frank Karsten once crunched the numbers and wrote an interesting and detailed article about lands: (https://www.channelfireball.com/all-strategy/articles/how-many-lands-do-you-need-to-consistently-hit-your-land-drops/)

I do sincerely want the Dino-might to bring the thunder and will try it out. Quartzwood Crasher is a cool card after all.

MrBoombastic on

7 months ago

TonyStark9001 Sure thing, that's great.

But my point still stands on Charging Tuskodon. Your deck will definitely be better if it got swapped for Regisaur Alpha or Shifting Ceratops. Commune with Dinosaurs also really gives you some great selection. You can't always expect to have Llanowar Elves in your opener, so having other options for turn 1 is always nice.

What I meant was that your beaters cost 5 and up. If you don't have your rampers on curve (or they get removed) you're stuck going 1 for 1 until you find a 5th land. The land count is also in the lower end, given your high curve.

Keep in mind that the Pioneer format is quite a lot stronger than Standard.

Don't take it to heart mate, it's just my 2 cents on how to hopefully improve the deck. If it works for you, just ignore my suggestions.

MrBoombastic on

7 months ago

You're totally right mate. That came out worse than intended. Sorry.

Let me start over:

Love the dinos, love the name.

A few things to consider:

• For competitive play, decks like this want a strong and efficient curve. For most decks, that usually means to lower the curve. Yours starts at 5, which is too slow in many cases. Even with some ramp and removal. Some good options could be Ripjaw Raptor and Marauding Raptor - this is obviously best with Enrage creatures, but definitely outshines Otepec Huntmaster at that point. Regisaur Alpha and Ghalta, Primal Hunger are also great cards, that happen to follow your trample theme. Both should be stronger than Yidaro, Wandering Monster and Zilortha, Strength Incarnate. The latter doesn't really synergize with anything in the deck.

• You've gone hard on the spot removal to make up for the curve. Going one for one doesn't always cut it though, when you have no early pressure or card advantage. You'll run out of juice or just get outclassed. I'm a greedy guy myself, but I've run into that same problem myself several times before.

• I think Commune with Dinosaurs is a must in dino tribal. It just adds some good consistency + it lets you play fewer lands without fear of mana screw. 4 copies + 22-23 lands should be enough, depending on your curve.

• Charging Tuskodon is a decent limited card, but I wouldn't play it in a competitive deck. It doesn't do enough for the cost. The sideboarded Shifting Ceratops is a lot stronger.

I'm not saying to build exactly like in this video, but she goes more in detail about deckbuilding and card choices in the first 5 minutes, so it might be of help -

Hope that helps. Good luck!

ArfiGames on Dinosaur Hub/Primer

7 months ago

Thanks! Happy to hear your keep up with it.

Yeah it’s definitely been more consistent. I found with Rotting Regisaur things were kinda clunky mana wise, having some lands that made cut down on the that I currently absolutely need for Flame Sweep.

It’s been such an important spell to combat decks based around Winota, Lurrus/Obosh Red and Mardu Knights for example. 12-13 sources has felt good since I really just need one .

Another thing with Rotting, is some of the great removal that came in Ikoria. It has sucked getting him removed with his discard trigger on the stack, sometimes not getting an attack in if Otepec wasn’t played Turn 2. I don’t feel bad with the loss of some power as I fill that space with great stuff like more Shifting Ceratops etc.

I’m sure I’ll go back to it eventually especially with Monday’s Ban Announcement! Winota going away would make me reconsider using Rotting I think.