Vines of Vastwood

Instant

Kicker {{G}} (You may pay an additional {{G}} as you cast this spell.)

Target creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control this turn. If Vines of Vastwood was kicked, that creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Pauper Duel Commander	Legal
Pauper EDH	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (51)

leovolt884_ on Rotpriest Infection

1 week ago

Definitely Does not need as many pump spells. Keep the Vines of Vastwood for protection and maybe a Snakeskin Veil or two if you want to argue for that. Heroic Intervention is a good alternative as always but doesn't have pump capabilities. I think it would be decent as mass removal is pretty common especially with -x/-x to all creatures being a common effect on black cards and your deck is very susceptible to that kind of removal. Most mass removal doesn't target so you wont even get Venerated Rotpriest triggers so some board wide protection seems necessary. Might of the Masses seems like a good cut because only 16 creatures with very limited card draw won't end up pumping more than other spells too often. Groundswell and Might of Old Krosa seem pretty redundant so picking one or the other would be best.

Depending on how you feel about splashing, maybe consider red for something like Rhythm of the Wild for protection and better aggro. Something to provide trample can be found here as well. Temur Battle Rage is an okay option and can be deadly but requires an additional pump spell to be at full potential. Can't think of any other cards like it off the top of my head but they definitely exist. If staying in two colors, consider 3-4 Vexing Shusher to simulate Rhythm and serve as removal bait in which case Triumph of the Hordes can maybe be justified as a boardwide buff and trample enabler, also giving shusher infect. In terms of creatures, running a few more may perform well, possibly a few copies of Flensermite and I would highly recommend Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon to close out games if you can't take them early. It would be a good idea to at least sideboard it against control or burn. Some of your current sideboard cards should be run mainboard like Dismember, a Force of Despair, and some Thoughtseize to disable your opponent.

I understand running Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth especially with the Inkmoth Nexus but it feels a bit pricey and could be replaced with an Overgrown Tomb since your mana ratio is already pretty good. A few lands may also be cut, considering 1.4 average cmc is very low and with limited card draw you really don't want to get mana flooded.

The deck feels almost like a "one trick" kind of deal and would be pretty easy to work around. You have to play really well to force your opponent into numerous combat tricks so maybe take it easier on yourself by running more removal and card draw. Dumping your hand then drawing 1 to 2 combat tricks per turn may not work against control decks or even aggro decks that can afford to chump block. Unearth is a good idea, consider running 1 less in favor of a mass recursion effect or something that lets you access multiple cards from the graveyard later in the game when you've run out of resources.

amarthaler on Pauper Simic Infect

3 weeks ago

Update!

Out: 2x Winding Way, 1x Forest, 1x Island, 1x Distortion Strike, 1x Vines of Vastwood, 1x Apostle's Blessing

In: 2x Malevolent Rumble, 2x Escape Tunnel, 3x Slaughterhorn

Altoman on Pauper power

3 months ago

I always like to play this combo. Here are some suggestions:

You need the Aura in order to pull off the combo. You need things like Heliod's Pilgrim and/or Commune with the Gods to find it as fast as possible.

You need to keep Midnight Guard alive for a full turn. Protect it with Gods Willing or Vines of Vastwood

This one is personnal, but I like the alternative with Ivy Lane Denizen + Devoted Druid. It works the same and can take opponents off guard.

Profet93 on Selvala

4 months ago

Elemental Bond/Guardian Project - Draw

Legolas's Quick Reflexes - Utility

Vines of Vastwood - Protection + buff

Heroic Intervention - Protection

Profet93 on King Stranger, Make Me Strong! *PRIMER*

5 months ago

NV_1980

First and foremost, I enjoyed reading your description. Do Note that Sword of Feast and Famine means your commander cannot target it to increase it's stats due to the "pro green."

Greater Good - THE MOST IMPORTANT CARD IN XENAGOS, HANDS DOWN. IF YOU LISTEN TO ANYTHING, THIS IS THE ONE SUGGESTION. Used in response to removal or equip activation, or just in a pinch. This card forces them to use removal lest they die to your overwhelming card advantage. DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS CARD.

Draw

Harmonize - Simple draw

Momentous Fall/Life's Legacy - While weak against blue, could warrant an inclusion depending on how much draw you want in the deck. The former is used in response to removal and the lifegain is icing on the cake.

Rishkar's Expertise - I'm normally against cards like this but in Xenagos, there is way too much of an upside to ignore. Used post combat most of the time, allows you to draw without missing out on tempo.

Skullclamp - Cut little idea to use on mana dorks, or force interaction pre-commander ability/combat.

Return of the Wildspeaker - Used in response to removal. Overrun option is nice as well

Elemental Bond - Draw, also see Guardian Project (although they can remove ur creature in response to the trigger to deny you a card)

Lands

Ancient Tomb - Ramp

Raging Ravine - Manland that can get bigger.

Dread Statuary - Manland that can get to 8 power with Xenagos. I usually use manlands as fodder for one of the draw spells listed above. Worth considering

Castle Garenbrig - Simple ramp

Cragcrown Pathway  ^Flip - Red or green, whichever you need.

Misc + Final Thoughts

Elder Gargaroth - Draw, lifegain or token production

Somberwald Sage - Ramp

Berserk - Super fun! Use before the damage step. Or better yet, use on your opponent attacking another opponent and force op 1 to lose a creature while op 2 takes lots of damage. Fun fact, I killed an animar this was (lol). You can also use it on Selvala for extra ramp!

Xenagos decks typically go one of 2 ways. Either lots of dorks and some land ramp like your deck to bring threats out more quickly, or to forgo dorks and focus solely on land ramp. Your deck is the former while mine is the latter. Do note that even with the dork route, Xenagos decks go tall, not wide. So there are some creature choices that I do not believe are as efficient as other choices could be and would love to discuss them with you if you're up for it. Xenagos decks are like snipers, usually one big creature at a time, sometimes more if you have the right set up. They also fold to spot removal as spending 5+ mana on a creature just to have it removed by 1 - 3 mana removal spell really sucks. I know you're against bolt bend/deflecting swat (despite them being my favorite type of spells) but perhaps something like Vines of Vastwood or another spell might potentially warrant an inclusion to save an important creature. At the very least, having more than 2 instants, only 1 of which acts as protection, could be used as a bluff and keep opponents guessing.

Icbrgr on

6 months ago

Love it! As a Zoo player I highly suggest Rancor for a cheap recurring aura that really puts in work and Vines of Vastwood is awesome for both dodging removal and can be kicked to pump creatures to win trades or for lethal.

Profet93 on Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty, Little Ball of FURY!

7 months ago

Cmi1103 +1

I'm rewatching Big bang theory and come across this deck so I have to comment. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, pur, pur, pur....chance would you be interested in the following...

Return to Nature > naturalize - Strict upgrade

Swords to Plowshares/Path to Exile > condemn - Upgrade

Vines of Vastwood > titanic growth - Upgrade as shroud is key to prevent 2 for 1s

Heroic Intervention > Augmentum Armor - You have too much equipment, you need more creatures IMO, but having this swiss army knife of a card for protection is extremely useful

Generous Gift > Oakenform - The latter is begging to get 2 for 1ed and it's not even a good aura. If you're gonna use an aura, atleast get one with totem armor like Bear Umbra.

Yavimaya Hollow > Any tap land - Protection. Your deck is about speed mostly and taplands don't do you any favors. You're playing green with only 2 colors so it shouldn't be too hard to get your mana right

Puresteel Paladin from maybeboard > equipment of your choice

Let me know what you think of each suggestion, Sheldon. Also, cool background for your deck.

indieinside on Mono Green Poison and Proliferate

8 months ago

Thanks for the upvote Profet93!!!!

Yavimaya Hollow is definitely getting added. Vines of Vastwood does go a little bigger, but it is missing the trample that Predator's Strike has. I don't need to hit with everything. I just need to hit for some. As for Staff of Compleation, the draw and proliferate together make that card worth it. Just the other day I won the table off of that card. I like it.