Welcome to The Forest Has Eyes! !

Hi there! Welcome to the primer of my mono-green, Elf-tribe/ball, combo deck, commanded by Ezuri, Renegade Leader. Do you have pointy ears? Are you immune to disease? Are you immortal? Can you move easily across terrain that would challenge other races? Do you have a natural affinity for handling a longbow and longsword? Then pick up arms and rise, child of the Ilúvatar, to join the most powerful commander the Eldar can field! Defend your kin and protect the living forest that is my home! I play this deck in casual formats. It’s not meant to be used in a competitive fashion, but of course I welcome anyone to try! Feel free to comment on anything you (dis)like throughout this primer; I hope you will enjoy it!

First off, Ezuri is an Overrun incarnate. Even better actually, since his ability can be used multiple times a turn, provided I can afford the mana cost (this deck contains several ways to generate infinite mana for specifically this purpose). This allows him to be an instrument of doom, especially with enough Elves around. Then there’s his ability to regenerate other Elves for just . This is crazy strong as it makes my key-Elves a lot harder to remove. Finally, at CMC3, he is cheap to cast and recast in case he expires.

I use the following ten parameters to determine the strength of the deck. For each, I allocate a score of 5 (very good), 4 (good), 3 (mediocre), 2 (bad) or 1 (very bad); when totalized this score represents the power rating of the deck (maximum score is 50 points).

  • Mana: indicates the availability of mana sources within the deck.
  • Ramp: indicates the speed at which mana sources within the deck can be made available.
  • Card Advantage: indicates availability of filter- and draw resources represented within the deck.
  • Overall speed: indicates the deck’s potential for pace, based on resource availability and mana curve.
  • Combo: indicates the measure of combo-orientation of the deck.
  • Army: indicates the deck’s creature-army strength.
  • Commander: indicates how much the deck is commander-oriented/dependent (less dependency is better).
  • Interaction: indicates how much this deck can mess with opponents’ board states and turn-phases.
  • Resilience: indicates whether the deck can prevent and take punches.
  • Spellpower: indicates the availability and strength of high-impact spells.

Mana: 4

One of green’s great strengths, is its ability to generate a ton of mana. A number of creatures within this deck can do that (eleven creatures), some can even generate more of it based on the amount of elves on the field. Two artifact mana sources have also been included in this deck for some additional juice, as well as a single one to cheapen green casting. Let’s also not forget the creatures and artifacts that allow me to untap previously tapped creatures (and thereby possible mana sources).

Ramp: 1

A single ramping option has been added to this deck (which is not exactly typical for green).

Card Advantage: 3

In terms of card advantage, this deck is not too bad. Four cards will provide direct draw, two cards will allow me to filter while four cards give me the option to tutor for creatures).

Overall speed: 3

Filled with dorks and some other mana sources, a decent amount of card-advantage, a moderate average CMC and a single color to focus on make this deck relatively fast.

Combo: 5

Tons of infinite mana opportunities, mountains of elvish synergy (mana, attack-power, life-gain, card advantage, etc.) and even the possibility of an infinite Elf army; plenty of ways for this deck to combo off.

Army: 5

Thirty-five creatures, twenty-eight of them Elves, are featured in this deck. Out of these Elves, twelve either sport abilities that support directly all other Elves I pitch onto the field of battle OR they harness powers dependent on the number of Elves available to us. Let me also not forget no less than thirteen opportunities (including Ezuri) my forces can harness to increase their attacking- as well as defensive abilities.

Commander: 4

Having Ezuri around will make this deck’s task easier for sure, but it is by no means dependent on him to pull in the win. The army strength (which can be bolstered in many ways) as well as the many infinite combos this deck contains are the true key to victory.

Interaction: 1

Not that much in here (just six cards) to mess with other people’s turns, casting, libraries/graveyards or permanents.

Resilience: 1

Aside from a few cards that grant protection to creatures, there’s not much in here that adds to the resilience of the deck.

Spellpower: 2

Only a few high-impact spells. This deck can throw around a few inhibition options and some powerful tutoring casts to supplement its creature army, which represents the vast majority of its offensive capabilities.


Total power score: 29

I consider the power score of this deck as mediocre. It has a speed that’s slightly above average when compared to single-color decks. Its army is impressive, and it contains numerous avenues to combo-off, with endless streams of mana and/or an endlessly powerful army as a result. It doesn’t contain much interaction options though, and its resilience could be improved as well.

This deck’s primary mode of attack aims to create an army of Elves, summon Ezuri, use his 2nd ability to pump his brethren to new heights and then proceed to stomp opponents. Then there’s ways to invest this deck’s numerous ways to generate infinite mana into some alternative win-conditions that include pumping creatures through non-Ezuri ways, un- and re-summoning creatures, and benefit from ETB triggers, draw all cards from my library, summon all creatures I have simultaneously and milling everybody’s libraries.

At least three cards in the starting hand ought to be lands (or two lands and a Sol Ring or Emerald Medallion). This is a must; I’m not going to start a game without this hand (even if I have to mulligan down to three cards). The ideal hand would also contain some additional ramp and/or low-cost draw options.

This deck works towards a situation in which it can create infinite and power a nifty combo to close out the game. In the meantime, it attempts to create a high-powered army of Elves and hurl around some destruction of unnatural war-waging means. It is ok to cast Ezuri, Renegade Leader early; his regenerative powers can be a great boon. Do not worry about him getting killed a few times, I am aiming for infinite mana after all, and my opponents will be hard-pressed to stop all possible avenues to that.

Start by prioritizing mana-resources and summon some dorks like Elvish Mystic, Fyndhorn Elves, Llanowar Elves, Priest of Titania, Marwyn, the Nurturer and Elvish Archdruid. Rocks and cheapeners like Emerald Medallion and Sol Ring also help. Do not forget ramp like Exploration either. An early Mirri's Guile, Sylvan Library and Scroll Rack all have the potential to yield me a tremendous card-advantage.

Now that I have some basic resources, it is time to build myself an army. I’ll make sure to attack every turn from this point on, to keep my opponents distracted while I prepare the steps that will eventually do them in. Ezuri should make his appearance in this phase; his regenerative abilities can make a difference in case someone tries to be cute by removing my elves. First, I usually go for elves that can summon other elves quickly. Examples would be Fauna Shaman, Imperious Perfect, Lys Alana Huntmaster and Skyshroud Poacher. Removal options are also brought into play at this stage to slow down my opponents. Reclamation Sage and Nullmage Shepherd are good at this. Finally, boosts that make all my elves stronger will make their appearance in this stage. For this, I include cards like Eladamri, Lord of Leaves, Elvish Archdruid, Elvish Champion, Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen and Asceticism.

While having fun with my army, I will look for cards that will undo the opposition permanently. These come mostly in the form of enchantments and artifacts. Staff of Domination, Sword of the Paruns and Umbral Mantle can all combine with mana-dorks in my deck to generate infinite amounts of green mana. Concordant Crossroads is important for some of these combos as well as boomerang enablers like Cloudstone Curio and Temur Sabertooth.

The combo cards I have chosen for this deck all interact well with one another. Hence my chances of actually finding and using a game-winning combo are pretty good; without the use of tutors. Once I have an appropriate set, I can let loose and unbalance a game in my favor. Winning with a booster can also be arranged relatively easy. Options to that end include Finale of Devastation, Joraga Warcaller and Pathbreaker Ibex.

This deck includes many combos that can generate an infinite amount of . Please note that for some of the following combos, one also needs 2 additional available mana for the initial activation of Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx. Please also note that these are not all the possible combos to infinite mana, but just the ones I felt were worth listing:

All of this infinite can be used by Ezuri to pump my Elves into the stratosphere. Then there’s also the following possibilities:

My reliable sources of mana, and some utility:

The cards I use to accelerate mana-availability:

Cards that enable that which is tapped to be used again in the same turn:

  • Argothian Elder: the ability to untap two lands can be surprisingly useful; especially in the case of some none-basic lands I am using with the potential to generate a lot of mana with every tapping.
  • Cloudstone Curio: unsummoning permanents for free has many great utilities.
  • Copperhorn Scout: so multi-functional; enables attackers I own to act as if they had vigilance and allows for the untapping of dorks I used in the phases before the attack-phase.
  • Temur Sabertooth: combining unsummoning with haste enablers allow for some interesting shenanigans with mana-dorks.
  • Seeker of Skybreak: sometimes you just need that one extra defender or mana dork untapped.
  • Staff of Domination/Sword of the Paruns/Umbral Mantle: pieces of equipment I use primarily to untap mana producing creatures.
  • Thousand-Year Elixir: an amazing haste enabler that can fuel a lot of the deck's combos.

The mechanisms that provide me with card advantage:

  • Beast Whisperer: excellent draw enabler in a creature-heavy deck. Gets even better when I can return creatures to my hand and summon them again.
  • Fauna Shaman: discard for a tutor; very helpful in providing me with combo requirements.
  • Genesis Wave: one of the most powerful tutors in mtg-history; fantastic in this deck due to abundant mana resources.
  • Green Sun's Zenith/Worldly Tutor: superb, cheap-to-use tutors for any creature in my deck.
  • Leaf-Crowned Visionary: more draw with every Elf, for a small fee.
  • Lifecrafter's Bestiary: any creature summon can potentially lead to a draw, if I want it to.
  • Mirri's Guile: gives options on what to draw every turn.
  • Scroll Rack: lets me increase my hand-size, allowing for more casting choices.
  • Shamanic Revelation: dependent on how well I am doing with army-building, this card has the potential to lead to a phenomenal draw.
  • Skyshroud Poacher: not as cheap to use as Shaman, but it does not require a discard.
  • Soul of the Harvest: draw on another creature’s ETB.
  • Sylvan Library: additional draw at the cost of some life; great in a pinch, especially since I am allowed to look at what you draw first.
  • Worldly Tutor: superb, cheap-to-use tutor for any creature in my deck.

The way in which I say ‘No!’ to my opponents:

  • Beast Within: destruction of any permanent for the small price of granting someone a 3/3.
  • Krosan Grip: wipes out an enchantment/artifact without a chance for the opponent to counter.
  • Lignify/Song of the Dryads: beautiful ways to disable commanders.
  • Nullmage Shepherd: in a deck with this many Elves, this card becomes a very powerful tool of destruction.
  • Reclamation Sage: destroy a hostile artifact/enchantment upon ETB and an Elf to boot.

Our army of forest-loving immortals:

  • Allosaurus Shepherd: one hell of an all-rounder that functions as an over-powered Gaea's Herald and an army booster of epic propotions.
  • Dwynen, Gilt-Leaf Daen: army booster and life-gain with every elven attack.
  • Eladamri, Lord of Leaves: makes my Elves almost untouchable by spells and defenders.
  • Elvish Champion: army booster that makes all elves unblockable to green opposition.
  • Elvish Warmaster: yet another way to expand my army size for free with a boost ability bonus.
  • Gaea's Herald: making all creature spells (including Elves) uncounterable is empowering for a creature focused deck.
  • Galadhrim Brigade: excellent token generator; works very well with an infinite mana combo.
  • Imperious Perfect: in here mostly for the tokens but the boost is a nice added bonus.
  • Joraga Warcaller: this deck is wonderful at generating large, even infinite amounts, of mana. Kicking this Elf to new heights is therefore not that challenging, and will benefit my army’s strength a great deal.
  • Kindred Summons: obviously not an Elf-spell per se, but great to be used when I already have an Elf force in place that needs some reinforcements.
  • Lys Alana Huntmaster: yay, more Elf tokens!
  • Tajuru Preserver: stops stax decks dead in their tracks, and is thus a great protector of my Elf army.
  • Yeva, Nature's Herald: granting flash to all of my green creature spells can be of great use. One of my favorite applications, is to combine her with Cloudstone Curio. A spell targeting one of your creatures can be made to fizzle, by summoning a creature as a response and returning the targeted creature to my hand.

Miscellaneous creatures, spells and items that increase my strategic opportunities:

  • Altar of the Brood: interesting milling option, especially when combining with returning combo’s.
  • Asceticism: superb army protection against targeted spells, and option to regenerate as well.
  • Concordant Crossroads: haste is such a precious commodity to green creatures, that it’s worth to pay the price that all other creatures gain it too.
  • Craterhoof Behemoth: a boost of strength like few others, and a strong creature to boot. And reusable as a booster when combined with a returner.
  • Finale of Devastation: one hell of a spell to cause some serious booster havoc with; a game-ender in its maximum capacity.
  • Pathbreaker Ibex: massively strong attack booster that is especially strong when the army becomes large.

Some cards that occasionally make the cut, when the situation calls for it:

  • Coat of Arms: this will be added instead of some of the more expensive-to-cast boosters, if none of the opposing decks is token- or tribe-oriented.
  • Elvish Promenade: this occasionally replaces Kindred Summons, I am still not sure which one performs best.
  • Wrap in Vigor: will be added in case I am facing a deck(s) that include a lot of wipes.

This deck is still evolving. The following cards were considered but not added (yet):

I appreciate the time you took to read my primer. Hopefully it was entertaining and useful to you. If so, feel free to leave a +1 and/or feedback of any kind in the comments below. Thanks again!

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Revision 1 See all

(4 months ago)

-1 Elvish Harbinger main
-1 Elvish Visionary main
+1 Forest main
+1 Galadhrim Brigade main
Date added 6 years
Last updated 4 months
Key combos
Legality

This deck is Commander / EDH legal.

Rarity (main - side)

15 - 0 Mythic Rares

41 - 0 Rares

12 - 0 Uncommons

9 - 0 Commons

Cards 100
Avg. CMC 3.00
Tokens Beast 3/3 G, Copy Clone, Elf Druid 1/1 G, Elf Warrior 1/1 G
Folders elf
Votes
Ignored suggestions
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