A creative way to use Gaea's Cradle
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Feb. 21, 2015, 5:38 p.m. by Phaetion
I just got a (gold-bordered) Gaea's Cradle coming in the mail. I have one problem: I don't like linear strategies, which includes tokens for the most part.
I have two ideas: A mono green commander box where I build mono green decks from OR a non-linear, synergistic token build that includes green (and please, no Ghave, Guru of Spores). If you choose the second option, who would be the general, and how would the deck work?
That doesn't really help at all. :/ What do you mean specifically?
February 21, 2015 5:47 p.m.
Jolrael, Empress of Beasts. Turn your lands into dudes, do dumb things with Gaea's Cradle and, I dunno, Sword of the Paruns.
February 21, 2015 5:58 p.m.
ThisIsBullshit says... #5
Play elfball.
Run that one guy, Ezuri I think he's called, and play loads of elves and then use his ability about 10 times with Cradle and stomp people.
February 21, 2015 6:04 p.m.
Honestly you could just buy the Green EDH 2014 deck, add Gaea's Cradle to it, and call it a day. Obviously you can do a lot more to improve the deck, but that's the kind of shell you want for Cradle. Even just having 3-4 creatures on the board breaks Cradle. It doesn't even need to be a mono green deck.
February 21, 2015 6:07 p.m.
i play it in Rith, the Awakener with a bunch of cool token makers. Works really nicely, is in great colours for removal and enchantment recycling for buffing your tokens, and is a bit more fun and original than Gave IMO
February 21, 2015 6:20 p.m.
Elf Tribal is something I want to avoid. I already have zombie tribal that's really good right now. And kyuuri117 is correct: Tokens I want to avoid...unless there's a creative way to use them. I just don't want linear synergies. Attack with armies? Sure. But I don't want it to bore me to tears.
February 21, 2015 6:25 p.m.
Quote'OR a non-linear, synergistic token build that includes green (and please, no Ghave, Guru of Spores)'
My token deck plays different every time. It has craterhoof and avenger, but no way to tutor them, it has rith ofc, it has worldspine wurm, it can also ult garruk primal for wurms etc etc, many different avenues of victory from loads of wolves that are huge thanks to Collective Blessing or roflstomping with the general. It's definitely not linear anyways
The best way to use cradle is tokens or elfball really, especially just in green. Otherwise, green/red goblins?
February 21, 2015 6:25 p.m.
February 21, 2015 6:27 p.m.
it's a bit out of date, but does what I want it to, both then and now, I like it at least lol
February 21, 2015 6:28 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #13
Are the people you play with alright with you using an illegal card?
February 21, 2015 6:39 p.m.
PlattBonnay says... #14
You could add cradle to basically any creature based deck with green in it and the deck would be better.
February 21, 2015 6:41 p.m.
to clarify, Gaea's Cradle isn't illegal in EDH, but the gold bordered cards are collector's cards, not legal to play with. Would not fly in a "no proxy tournament", probably will fly with your friends.
February 21, 2015 6:42 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #16
Depends on the friends. Some playgroups don't allow proxies.
February 21, 2015 6:45 p.m.
I am aware of the situation with gold-bordered cards. Yes, my group allows them, and I would allow them if I were the host. $30 is so much better than $150.
maiden77 The deck isn't showing up for me.
If all else fails, I could rebuild Marath, Will of the Wild or put my mind to rest and build Hazezon Tamar. They both seem linear in strategy though... :/ I might rebuild Marath differently.
February 21, 2015 6:45 p.m.
Yep, just wanted to point out that a normal Cradle is still legal. My playgroup basically has the mindset of "you can play with proxies if you are actively going to be building the deck, and that means within a month or two, not three years".
February 21, 2015 6:46 p.m.
You could try Maelstrom Wanderer. Card's stupid as fuck, and you will get hated out, but it's not what I call Linear. I mean sure, you toss a bunch of ramp and good spells into a deck, but that's like every green edh deck ever.
February 21, 2015 6:48 p.m.
Sisters of Stone Death could be built into a control deck with like 15-20 support creatures. Cradle wouldn't be maximizing it's effect but it's not linear.
February 21, 2015 6:53 p.m.
Greendawg81 says... #21
Its pretty good for ramping up Omnath, Locus of Mana
February 21, 2015 7 p.m.
hmm weird, its not set to private. If the link doesn't work it's on my profile called Winter Is Coming 3.0 (third iteration of the deck) it started 5 colour werewolves, then went two colour trostani but quickly became rith
February 21, 2015 7:29 p.m.
maiden77: It reminds me quite a bit of my old Naya tokens deck (minus the enchantment support). I love that you included Titanic Ultimatum. My favorite of the cycle (tying with Cruel Ultimatum.
Others: There's a reason why I thought about a commander box: Grab all the green cards I want and make decks out of them. My problem? Mono green lends itself to some stupidly linear builds, but that's the nature of the beast.
I also thought about rebuilding the C14 green deck or the Naya precon from 2013 (and the one stock list I actually won several games with).
February 21, 2015 7:43 p.m.
Deckologist says... #24
I think the problem here isn't that you can't build a non-linear deck with cradle. The problem is that to abuse cradle to its full potential lends itself to a very simple linear strategy. To get the most mana out of it you need to have mass creatures. The easiest way to get mass creatures is token generation. I'm sure through abilities that let you untap cradle you could abuse Helix Pinnacle but really I believe it's use right now would be for s token deck
February 21, 2015 9:10 p.m.
fadelightningmm says... #25
My favorite is Yisan, the Wanderer Bard it's super fun and cradle kinda broke my deck Predatory Instinct . I once Genesis Waved for 53.
February 21, 2015 10:30 p.m.
That's what I feared. Oh well. At least I got another hard-to-acquire card through gold-bordered means.
That may mean I have to reconsider what I want to do. I mean, mono green tokens sounds pretty good. Alas, R/W give really good supporting options.
So, with that in mind, one last question, which I believe I brought up before: A mono-green Commander Box* or Naya tokens redux with a size of Hazezon?
- For the unenlightened: http://www.gatheringmagic.com/commander-box-introduction/
February 21, 2015 10:33 p.m.
Deckologist says... #27
Well that's up to you. The new commander boxes are quite strong by themselves and with a little tweaking they can become pretty strong. I don't mean to dissuade you but I'm not a fan of the boxes because they say "here's an idea, expound upon it" I prefer my own ideas and then working on that. I'm weird though. My vote would be toward home brew tokens
February 21, 2015 10:42 p.m.
fadelightningmm says... #28
I would also agree with Deckologist home brew decks are more enjoyable to play.
February 21, 2015 10:54 p.m.
I didn't mean preconstructed decks. :p I might stick it G/W because of a certain ABU dual I have and cherish. However, having the flexibility to switch between Tolsimir Wolfblood, Rhys the Redeemed, and Trostani, Selesnya's Voice would be pretty stellar (Asmira, Holy Avenger sounds good too). Too bad it may mean 3 separate decks with a common core. I've done a homebrew token deck of this variety before (and was published in a Wizards Article over a year ago) but my issue there is haste. I cannot separate tokens from haste. It's just that good. There's only 2 options: one can backfire and the other is expensive and paints a target on your head. If I go G/W, I have a much better chance at getting a legitimate Gaea's Cradle and the other I'd use elsewhere.
I must be overthinking everything. sigh
February 21, 2015 11:07 p.m.
Deckologist says... #30
Got green white might I recomend Selvala, Explorer Returned it can become quite mean with the right cards
February 21, 2015 11:17 p.m.
This may sound incredibly stupid but...is it possible to build tokens with Selvala at the helm?
February 21, 2015 11:23 p.m.
maybe build a beast deck? They are rather rare and will be a fun theme, with some good power and less linear?
February 22, 2015 3:41 a.m.
Deckologist says... #34
Beast tribal with Uril, the Mistwalker or Gahiji, Honored One might be fun
February 22, 2015 11:16 a.m.
So, I just had a stroke of genius: A zombie Tribal deck piloted by Sidisi, Brood Tyrant seems to be my answer.
February 22, 2015 12:38 p.m.
Deckologist says... #36
Yes, good. Check my profile for my Sidisi deck. It's not zombie tribal but it does have some very interesting cards in it that you might like
February 22, 2015 12:52 p.m.
Greendawg81 says... #37
its a great ramp card in my sidisi zombie deck used to pump things like Villainous Wealth
xlaleclx says... #2
play dudes.
February 21, 2015 5:43 p.m.