Elves of the Swarm (Budget)
Standard
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Gnarlroot Trapper —Oct. 11, 2015
Gnarlroot Trapper, the last 1 mana, mana elf, in Standard is being added to this deck in place of 4x Rattleclaw Mystic. From the beginning of turning Messenger Elves into Sultai I didn't think a mana base could be configured to play Trapper. Ideally, I wanted the mana base to support turn 1 Trapper, turn 2 Beastcaller Savant and turn 3 Skyrider Elf. I didn't think the mana base could handle these requirements until a G/B battle land was in Standard. Hopefully Oath of the Gatewatch has one.
I wrote Trapper off too early and didn't test with the mana base enough to make him work. I have since retooled the mana base to make Trapper work. The mana base is definitely not ideal by any means, but it is the best that it can be until more battle lands.
Trapper adds speed and aggression to this deck. A turn 1 Trapper can start some very explosive plays. One such powerful line: turn 1 Trapper, turn 2 Savant and turn 3 5/5 Skyrider. Since Skyrider is an elf Trapper can help to cast him which is just an added bonus that he brings this deck.
Not only can Trapper make mana to cast elves with, but he can also give attacking elves deathtouch. This ability is very good, very underrated. Having a untapped Trapper on the battlefield allows you to attack freely with your elves, doing small incremental damage throughout the game, that adds up quickly. Trapper can make any elf a killing machine if it is blocked. In these instances Trapper becomes a big threat that must be dealt with. Forcing an opponent to use a removal spell on Trapper is fine by me.
Trapper is excellent with Skyrider because he can give Skyrider deathtouch when it is attacking. A flying deathtouch elf is a very nice thing to have in this deck.
Since Trapper only cost 1 mana then you can play one from a Savant the turn Savant is played because Savant has haste. This interaction between Trapper and Savant just adds to the many explosive plays that Trapper brings to this deck.
Both Drana, Liberator of Malakir and Tajuru Warcaller are used in this deck to pump up your team of elves. Each time Drana attacks all other attacking creatures get a permanent pump this is very good with Trapper because Trapper's deathtouch ability is for an attacking elf. This means with an untapped Trapper and Drana on the battlefield you can attack freely with your elves and do a lot of damage. The same interaction can be said for Warcaller. Warcaller pumps all creatures up large amounts. Trapper provides a large attacking elf with deathtouch.
Trapper does have a big drawback and that is to use mana from him to cast elves requires the lost of 1 life each time he is used for this ability. This life lost can add up fast if Trapper is used every turn to cast elves with. After the first 4-5 turns, it is best to not use Trapper as a mana elf, but more as a support elf for his deathtouch ability.