big fat green slappers

[magwaaf]

i was away from the game for 9 years until a few months ago and go hooked right back in with pioneer started building devotion before the bannings and then turned it into this because i didn't wanna start over and its been pretty damn good against the heavy aggro meta in my area. it's basically stompy but a little different than the normal decklists. criticism is appreciated.


4 llanowar elves
4 elf mystic
2 scavenging ooze
4 jadelight ranger
2 rhonas the indomitable
3 love struck beast
3 steel leaf champ
3 questing beast
3 ripjaw raptor
4 voracious hydra
2 ghalta
3 vivien, arkbow ranger
2 nissa, who shakes the world

2 castle garenbrig
2 nykthos
17 forest

3 return to nature
3 shifting ceratops
2 pithing needle
2 grafdigger's cage
2 shadowspear
3 shaper's sanctuary


i'm not the biggest nissa fan... she sucks against all the removal heavy aggro decks i deal with (i have yet to play against control whatsoever in tournaments so she has only been good against soulflayer) so im thinking about making some changes depending on the meta wherever i am playing and if its aggro heavy play 2 gargos over 2 nissa or 1 gargos and a forest over 2 nissa.

[The Fluff]

Personally, I prefer to use Vivien Reid instead of Arkbow Ranger, because reid provides a maindeck artifact and enchantment removal. She also kills flying creatures that creatures in your deck cannot block.

[Arkmer]

A lot of people play Nissa Who Shakes, but Nissa, Voice of Zendikar has been a house for me (granted I play a very different list). Turns out making a 0/1 each turn can buy you quite a bit of life and if they ignore her the -2 becomes a problem very suddenly when your 3-4 plants become 1/2s or 2/3s. Against most aggro decks she's usually worth 5+ life and if you're making other blockers she's likely worth more. Because I play predominantly removal, she tends to get stuck at 4 because I block with the plant and +1 every turn while she gets hit with a 1/1; those situations usually end up giving me 2-4 turns of not taking damage. If you're dropping her a full turn earlier then you're probably getting even more value out of her. Needless to say, I am a fan of her even outside the actual GB Hardened Scales lists.

Fluff has a good point about killing fliers though. One thing I have noticed is that Flying is actually pretty relevant. There are some matchups where I end up kicking myself because I didn't prep for the most standard form of evasion.

[magwaaf]

honestly i wouldn't cut another vivien, arkbow ranger. while 4 was too many 3 has been great and i love dropping it on turn 3 and using it as a removal spell with her second ability and it also helps kill fliers. the first ability can be gamebreaking at times. i'm gonna try different stores and hope to see some control and maybe but hopefully not lotus combo lol

my sideboard seem ok for the format? i wanted to put an arasta or 2 in it but i don't wanna cut anymore because i hate having thinned out sideboards... also it can be viv'd into my hand

thanks for the help

[magwaaf]

i also just looked at the new lists posted on wizards today and am wondering if i should cut my nissa's for 2 mainboard reclamation sages... wish i could fit a third somewhere but i already don't have enough board space