Somberwald Sage

Creature — Human Druid

: Add three mana of any one color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to cast creature spells.

Discussion (51)

TheVectornaut on Christmas Dagrons

1 month ago

No problem. I enjoy going through the first cycle tab to offer input where I can. I'm used to playing on lower budgets and power levels so I don't usually have much to offer when it comes to long established decks.

Also, on the subject of mana curve, it's worth remembering that the purpose of ramp is to drag the top end back to the left. A bomb most other decks would have to play on turn 6, you plan to play on 5, 4, or even 3 instead. Obviously the more big cards you run, the more ramp will be needed to support them. That's why Gruul dragons also tends to run anywhere from 10 to 20 cards dedicated to acceleration. You have a solid starting package with the set of Servants and the Birds (and Sarkhan actually), but adding a couple more ramp pieces could make it easier to run the critical mass of dragons that Atarka and friends need to shine. It could be untap synergy with Utopia Sprawl and Arbor Elf , landfall with Oracle of Mul Daya (budget: Courser of Kruphix ) and Lotus Cobra , or just more generically good dorks and tutors like Somberwald Sage and Harrow . A turn 1 Bird into Somberwald on 2 potentially lets you cast any creature in the deck as soon as turn 3. If you do want smaller dragons instead, Dragonkin Berserker and Dragon Whisperer can get bodies on the board early and hopefully pay out later. The actual dragon options of Slumbering Dragon and Dragon Hatchling are pretty poor inclusions unless you're trying to go hard with Dragon Tempest .

Here's an article from Wizards' own Gavin Verhey with some tips on dragon ramp strategy. Note that the build in question was made for an old standard meta, so there will be some obvious differences to a modern gameplan.

Dragon Ramp Reconstructed

CaptCreek on Xenagos: Party in a Can

2 months ago

CaptainKraw

How do you feel about Somberwald Sage ? I've been wanting to try out Destiny Spinner and was curious on that one, too. I'm just finding it hard to find cards to cut at this point.

libraryjoy on Mayael: big bois

3 months ago

I've had several Mayael builds over the years. Usually, I focus on ramp, because Mayael's ability costs quite a bit to activate, rather than just dumping cards onto the field. I'll link a couple of my decks here, and maybe it will give you some ideas for alternative budget cards you could use. I have several older builds, but they definitely need updating. Overall, Obelisk of Naya is a solid mana rock for this deck, although less optimal. Somberwald Sage is solid, but not budget. Krosan Restorer can also come in handy. Good luck!

Beasts and Dragons ~ Mayael the Anima EDH

Peligrad on Favorite non meta creature

4 months ago

I'm not sure what constitutes "meta' but Ruin Raider goes in all of my decks and I'm the only one in my playgroup that runs it.

Llanowar Tribe and Somberwald Sage are crazy efficient (though greedy) ramp.

People scoff at greedy/vulnerable cards like that, but even if they stick one round a lot of times that's enough value to put you way ahead. And if you load your whole deck with greedy powerful shenanigans, sooner or later something sticks.

Strangelove on Big Friends

4 months ago

Maybe add more 3 cmc ramp 2..?

Shaman of Forgotten Ways

Somberwald Sage

Llanowar Tribe

Nantuko Elder

Greenweaver Druid

Palladium Myr

Fyndhorn Elder

Weaver of Currents

Gyre Engineer

Apprentice Wizard

Profet93 on A bunch of crap that makes a Gruul deck

5 months ago

Cuts

There are other cuts to consider as well, but I feel these are the more noteworthy ones....

Ashaya, Soul of the Wild - No direct synergy with Xenagos, you want a beater with evasion or protection

Beast Whisperer - Better in decks that are lower to the ground that can better use it's ability

Brash Taunter - "No synergy with Xenagos"

God-Eternal Rhonas - Better in decks that go wide, this gets easily chump blocked. You rarely have more than 1 creature out at a time

Klothys, God of Destiny - "No synergy with Xenagos"

Leyline Tyrant - Better in red decks, while not recomending it, glorybringer would be better IMO as it acts as removal as well

Phylath, World Sculptor - No synergy with....

Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger - Not enough ramp to hard cast, no cheating effects (which wont even give you a cast trigger)

Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre - See above

Shadowspear - Meta call? Better to have creatures with trample or more ramp and card draw in this slow

Triumph of the Hordes - Hit or miss. Playing a beater, hoping it survives, casting this next turn and hoping they dont have removal. Ignoring the feelbad of infect

Berserkers' Onslaught - Winmore

Vernal Bloom - Symmetrical ramp which you can't even take full advantage of

Nissa, Who Shakes the World - This is ok, I like the vigilance and getting essentially a 6/6. Rather have something more impactful.

Potential additions

Atarka, World Render - Beater with evasion

Balefire Dragon - Beater with evasion that also destroys decks that go wide

Carnage Tyrant - Beater with protection, evasion and anti-blue. Nice to use a mass draw spell knowing they can't remove the creature in response

Etali, Primal Storm - Not needed, but fun! Lots of value, doesn't require combat damage

Farhaven Elf - Ramp for T4 Xenagos

Fierce Empath - Tutor

Inferno Titan - Removal

Kogla, the Titan Ape - Removal

Malignus - GG target player

Savage Ventmaw - Beater with evasion and helps build tempo

Scourge of the Throne - Destroy people's lifetotal

Shaman of Forgotten Ways - Ramp and potential wincon

Siege Behemoth - Beater with evasion

Somberwald Sage - Ramp

Springbloom Druid - Ramp for T4 Xenagos

Yavimaya Hollow - Protection

Turntimber, Serpentine Wood - Land when you need it, beater when you don't

Dread Statuary - Manland to be used as potential beater or for draw spell

Rishkar's Expertise - Draw + Tempo. Powerful!

Life's Legacy - Draw

Momentous Fall - Similar to above, to be used in response to removal

Berserk - Use on selvala, malignus or even an opposing creature attacking one of your opponents!

Sylvan Library - Nice but not needed

Profet93 on xenaghos semi-optimized

5 months ago

+1 the deck looks pretty good. Low to the ground, got some interaction and instant speed protection. I would try to add a few more pieces of draw to maintain gas.

Lands

Yavimaya Hollow - Protection

Cragcrown Pathway  ^Flip - Utility

Dread Statuary - Man land which can be a creature to be used for a draw spell

Blighted Woodland - Ramp

Ancient Tomb - Ramp

Instants + Artifact + Sorcerries

Beast Within - Removal

Berserk - Fun with malignus, infect creature, removal of opponents creatures, ramp with selvala, etc...

Deflecting Swat - Redirect targetted removal/draw/extra turns, counter counterspells all for free

Momentous Fall - Draw in response to removal

Return of the Wildspeaker - See above

The Great Henge - Draw, ramp, lifegain

No cultivate/kodama's?

Hull Breach - Removal

Creatures

It seems you have your preferences on creatures but here are some other ideas as well...

Shaman of Forgotten Ways - Ramp, wincon

Siege Behemoth - Beater with evason

Somberwald Sage - Ramp

Ilharg, the Raze-Boar - Cheating

king-saproling on Chulane, The Pagemaster (Tempo-Combo)

6 months ago

You might like these: Lotus Cobra, Stone-Seeder Hierophant, Retreat to Coralhelm, Chakram Retriever, Somberwald Sage, Faeburrow Elder, Tangleroot, Tatyova, Benthic Druid, Kor Skyfisher, Pearl Medallion, Oketra's Monument, Cloud of Faeries, Peregrine Drake, Ornithopter, Memnite, Phyrexian Walker