Some months ago I opened a Kor Spiritdancer in a booster, and because enchantress decks have always caught my attention, I borrowed a set of Rancor and Brilliant Halo to try to put something together, and proxied the rest of the cards I didn't have at the time:
The deck works in a simple way, cast a creature, put some auras on it, and swing. Almost all the creatures in the deck get an additional benefit when you use auras on them as a means to minimize a bit the risk of getting 2-for-1ed when they destroy the enchanted creatures.
The cards in the deck: Lands: Jungle Shrine and Evolving Wilds: The deck has two red cards and four more that can be cast with red mana, so these help to get that R in the game.
Creatures: Fugitive Druid: This guy is expensive, but if you land some auras on him, he'll get some draws for you, it's like an enchantress that can attack. Kor SpiritDancer: This chick was the inspiration for the deck, if she goes unnoticed (Because you're playing the auras on some other thing) she'll give you loads of cards as any enchantress would do in the deck, once you put Hyena Umbra or Brilliant Halo on her, your opponents'll have a difficult time trying to kill her. Auratog: This little guy can look bad, but his ability enables him to strike very hard, in fact, one of these with several enchantments in the field and a Rancor on him usually means game over for the one receiving the attack. Umbra Mystic: There're a lot of auras in the deck, so I wanted to test this one. Once you get a grip of Rancor and Brilliant Halo, totem armor becomes absurdly good. Uril, The Miststalker: This is like a bit more powerful Blastoderm, I had one of these in my Naya deck, so I decided to test him in this one. Only a sweeper can kill him, given the fact that he's not enchanted with some totem armor aura.
The other cards: Words of War: Once you start drawing more cards than you can play, this one can be used to deal the last remaining points of damage to finish the game. Rancor and Brilliant Halo: These two serve the same purposes, draw cards with the Kor Spiritdancers and Fugitive Druids, protect the creatures with the Umbra Mystic and repeteadly give more power to Auratog, they also ensure that the deck won't run out of enchantments to cast. Enchantress's Presence: Another enchantress effect for the deck, this one doesn't get offed by creature removal, so it's difficult to deal with. Hyena Umbra: Cheap, useful totem armor aura, the first strike combined with Rancor has won me more than one game with this deck. Faith's Fetters: Shuts down most of the permanents your opponents can use against you, I picked this one over Oblivion Ring because it triggers Kor Spiritdancer and gets you some life to fend some couterattacks. Sterling Grove: I had one of these in a box since my brother opened one in an Invasion booster ten years ago, this card forces opponents to waste a Disenchant on it before they can touch your other enchantments, and then you can pay 1 to get another enchantment of your deck, most of the time it could be Words of War If you don't have it yet. Trace of abundance: Mana accel that triggers Kor Spiritdancer and protects the land from point removal.
I was thinking in getting some Canopy Covers to put on any creature when the opponents tap out and make it almost unkillable, and some Spirit Loops.
Any crits and comments you can do about the deck are welcome, heh.
This is a very good looking deck. Really nicely designed, kudos.
I understand your reasoning for Faith's Fetters, but I still like either Oblivion Ring. Sure you can draw a card with it and gain 4 life (taking your very dangerous creature out of combat), but for less mana you can outright remove a threat. I think 75% of the time you'd prefer that consistency over the tricks the Fetters offers.
I would definitely make it a point to get more Sterling Groves. It will rarely ever be a dead card in here, and can allow you to 1-of some more enchantments (which is always fun). You mentioned Cloud Cover, other fun 1-of's include Pattern of Rebirth and Eldrazi Conscription.
Check out Claws of Gix, I tried it in a similar deck and it was a great backup card-drawing engine to the Auratog, even saving my butt with the life gain a few times. I never regretted drawing it.
I'm not sure Evolving Wilds is right for this deck, I'd really have to try it. On paper it looks like it makes you HAVE to get card-drawing going immediately or else you are going to run into mana problems...but I could also see it being super-efficient too. Anyway, I'm quite curious to hear how it plays in here.
And of course stuff like Serra's Sanctum is great. If you're lucky enough to own some play it.
I'd suggest Armadillo Cloak. I have an Spiritdancer deck that makes good use of it and it can be put on Auratog to add insult to injury! (Quite literally in some cases)
Nice well thoughtout deck. One interaction that you might not realize is that Auratog is even better with Rancor out. You can sac rancor and recast it for each G you have to pump it +2/+2. Meanwhile you're drawing a card from Spiritdancer each time you recast Rancor.
Have you considered vines of vastwood? Many of your creatures are going to have targets the size of watermelons painted on their head, and especially in a multiplayer game when you have multiple hands worth of removal to contend with, people are going to be really tempted to terminate your aura-carrier with a totem on the stack.
Have you considered vines of vastwood? Many of your creatures are going to have targets the size of watermelons painted on their head, and especially in a multiplayer game when you have multiple hands worth of removal to contend with, people are going to be really tempted to terminate your aura-carrier with a totem on the stack.
I was thinking the same thing. I'd almost rather go with 4x Troll Ascetic, 4x Birds of Paradise (loves Rancor, Armadillo Cloak, and pretty much any aura), 3-4x Uril, and then throw in stuff like Canopy Cover to protect Kor Spiritdancer. The deck really needs some kind of (not expensive sorcery speed) removal as well...off the top of my head, I would try something like:
I was thinking the same thing. I'd almost rather go with 4x Troll Ascetic, 4x Birds of Paradise (loves Rancor, Armadillo Cloak, and pretty much any aura), 3-4x Uril, and then throw in stuff like Canopy Cover to protect Kor Spiritdancer. The deck really needs some kind of (not expensive sorcery speed) removal as well...off the top of my head, I would try something like:
...
I also thought on getting Troll Ascetic, it's cheap, it beats, and it's the safest place to chuck some auras, I put only one Uril because most of the games I drew him, I never played him, because tapping 5 mana would leave my hand with 2-3 Rancors and Brilliant Halos, so I instead went and enchanted the critters I got on the field.
I would also try to have at least 8 Enchantress type cards in the deck, because 4 isn't just enough, I've seen a friend who plays an Enchantress deck with Mesa enchantress and Greater Auramancy and it's kind of slow and defensive.
I think Disenchant or Krosan Grip could be used to deal with oppossing enchantments or artifacts at instant speed.
Spirit Loop is another aura that can help to get some life and do the trick with Auratog
Quote from gilrad »
Have you considered vines of vastwood? Many of your creatures are going to have targets the size of watermelons painted on their head, and especially in a multiplayer game when you have multiple hands worth of removal to contend with, people are going to be really tempted to terminate your aura-carrier with a totem on the stack.
I started looking for some Canopy covers to address that problem, because you're right, the trouble with these decks is that they can kill your critters before you can play auras on them or just take you down with the old "Bolt in response on that Rancor". Fortunately the Spiritdancers help a bit with that, because you'll have drawn the card even if you lose the aura.
I also have some Aspect of Mongoose I could use too.
rchrhds and SaintRileyJ: Those two cards you mention work in a similar way for this deck, more power while there're more auras around, but I'll try to use the Aura Gnarlid first, because it's another creature that could be enchanted too.
I can say the deck hits hard and fast most of the time, because one Spiritdancer can become a force to be reckoned with, I remember that she went to a 7/8 trampler in more than one game. That or a double enchanted Auratog with Rancor means just troubles for the opponent.
I'll tweak the deck a little and see if I can test it tomorrow again at some friend's place, because I played last sunday, but I honestly forgot how most of the games went by now :D. (I mean, we played like ten or twelve straight times, a couple of times 1 vs 1, but most of the time a 3-player free for all.) I can try recording the games to help my not-so-good-memory, heh. And after I'm done playing, I'll get to post the results here
Granted this deck doesn't run red so that narrows the options some but its strait up stompy
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1 Mountain
7 Forest
6 Plains
4 Jungle Shrine
4 Evolving Wilds
Creatures (13)
4 Fugitive Druid
4 Kor SpiritDancer
3 Auratog
1 Umbra Mystic
1 Uril, the Miststalker
1 Words of War
4 Rancor
4 Enchantress's Presence
3 Hyena Umbra
4 Brilliant Halo
3 Faith's Fetters
1 Sterling Grove
4 Trace of abundance
The deck works in a simple way, cast a creature, put some auras on it, and swing. Almost all the creatures in the deck get an additional benefit when you use auras on them as a means to minimize a bit the risk of getting 2-for-1ed when they destroy the enchanted creatures.
The cards in the deck:
Lands:
Jungle Shrine and Evolving Wilds: The deck has two red cards and four more that can be cast with red mana, so these help to get that R in the game.
Creatures:
Fugitive Druid: This guy is expensive, but if you land some auras on him, he'll get some draws for you, it's like an enchantress that can attack.
Kor SpiritDancer: This chick was the inspiration for the deck, if she goes unnoticed (Because you're playing the auras on some other thing) she'll give you loads of cards as any enchantress would do in the deck, once you put Hyena Umbra or Brilliant Halo on her, your opponents'll have a difficult time trying to kill her.
Auratog: This little guy can look bad, but his ability enables him to strike very hard, in fact, one of these with several enchantments in the field and a Rancor on him usually means game over for the one receiving the attack.
Umbra Mystic: There're a lot of auras in the deck, so I wanted to test this one. Once you get a grip of Rancor and Brilliant Halo, totem armor becomes absurdly good.
Uril, The Miststalker: This is like a bit more powerful Blastoderm, I had one of these in my Naya deck, so I decided to test him in this one. Only a sweeper can kill him, given the fact that he's not enchanted with some totem armor aura.
The other cards:
Words of War: Once you start drawing more cards than you can play, this one can be used to deal the last remaining points of damage to finish the game.
Rancor and Brilliant Halo: These two serve the same purposes, draw cards with the Kor Spiritdancers and Fugitive Druids, protect the creatures with the Umbra Mystic and repeteadly give more power to Auratog, they also ensure that the deck won't run out of enchantments to cast.
Enchantress's Presence: Another enchantress effect for the deck, this one doesn't get offed by creature removal, so it's difficult to deal with.
Hyena Umbra: Cheap, useful totem armor aura, the first strike combined with Rancor has won me more than one game with this deck.
Faith's Fetters: Shuts down most of the permanents your opponents can use against you, I picked this one over Oblivion Ring because it triggers Kor Spiritdancer and gets you some life to fend some couterattacks.
Sterling Grove: I had one of these in a box since my brother opened one in an Invasion booster ten years ago, this card forces opponents to waste a Disenchant on it before they can touch your other enchantments, and then you can pay 1 to get another enchantment of your deck, most of the time it could be Words of War If you don't have it yet.
Trace of abundance: Mana accel that triggers Kor Spiritdancer and protects the land from point removal.
I was thinking in getting some Canopy Covers to put on any creature when the opponents tap out and make it almost unkillable, and some Spirit Loops.
Any crits and comments you can do about the deck are welcome, heh.
Fan of Both old and new Slivers (But the new ones are still better anyway)
C Call of Emrakul - G vs R DD: Elves vs. Goblins - W vs B DD: Divine vs. Demonic - WUB Esper Artifice - RGW Aura Dancers
WUBRG Wrath of the Reaper King - WB Men of Faith - B Mercenaries - UB Phyrexian Assault 2.0 - WU Artifacts of Empires
BR Skeleton Warriors - RG Night of The Howlpack - B Bog Murderers - BR Eldrazi Assault - BGU Ulamog's Swarm
I understand your reasoning for Faith's Fetters, but I still like either Oblivion Ring. Sure you can draw a card with it and gain 4 life (taking your very dangerous creature out of combat), but for less mana you can outright remove a threat. I think 75% of the time you'd prefer that consistency over the tricks the Fetters offers.
I would definitely make it a point to get more Sterling Groves. It will rarely ever be a dead card in here, and can allow you to 1-of some more enchantments (which is always fun). You mentioned Cloud Cover, other fun 1-of's include Pattern of Rebirth and Eldrazi Conscription.
Check out Claws of Gix, I tried it in a similar deck and it was a great backup card-drawing engine to the Auratog, even saving my butt with the life gain a few times. I never regretted drawing it.
I'm not sure Evolving Wilds is right for this deck, I'd really have to try it. On paper it looks like it makes you HAVE to get card-drawing going immediately or else you are going to run into mana problems...but I could also see it being super-efficient too. Anyway, I'm quite curious to hear how it plays in here.
And of course stuff like Serra's Sanctum is great. If you're lucky enough to own some play it.
Best of luck with it!
spam warned & card tag added.
you may edit this post to explain your suggestion.
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I was thinking the same thing. I'd almost rather go with 4x Troll Ascetic, 4x Birds of Paradise (loves Rancor, Armadillo Cloak, and pretty much any aura), 3-4x Uril, and then throw in stuff like Canopy Cover to protect Kor Spiritdancer. The deck really needs some kind of (not expensive sorcery speed) removal as well...off the top of my head, I would try something like:
4x Birds of Paradise
4x Kor Spiritdancer
4x Troll Ascetic
3x Uril, the Miststalker
Spells (22):
4x Rancor
4x Swords to Plowshares
3x Canopy Cover
3x Armadillo Cloak
2x Boar Umbra
3x Faith's Fetters
2x Three Dreams
1x Eldrazi Conscription
4x Jungle Shrine
10x Forest
6x Plains
3x Mountain
I also thought on getting Troll Ascetic, it's cheap, it beats, and it's the safest place to chuck some auras, I put only one Uril because most of the games I drew him, I never played him, because tapping 5 mana would leave my hand with 2-3 Rancors and Brilliant Halos, so I instead went and enchanted the critters I got on the field.
I would also try to have at least 8 Enchantress type cards in the deck, because 4 isn't just enough, I've seen a friend who plays an Enchantress deck with Mesa enchantress and Greater Auramancy and it's kind of slow and defensive.
I think Disenchant or Krosan Grip could be used to deal with oppossing enchantments or artifacts at instant speed.
Spirit Loop is another aura that can help to get some life and do the trick with Auratog
I started looking for some Canopy covers to address that problem, because you're right, the trouble with these decks is that they can kill your critters before you can play auras on them or just take you down with the old "Bolt in response on that Rancor". Fortunately the Spiritdancers help a bit with that, because you'll have drawn the card even if you lose the aura.
I also have some Aspect of Mongoose I could use too.
rchrhds and SaintRileyJ: Those two cards you mention work in a similar way for this deck, more power while there're more auras around, but I'll try to use the Aura Gnarlid first, because it's another creature that could be enchanted too.
I can say the deck hits hard and fast most of the time, because one Spiritdancer can become a force to be reckoned with, I remember that she went to a 7/8 trampler in more than one game. That or a double enchanted Auratog with Rancor means just troubles for the opponent.
I'll tweak the deck a little and see if I can test it tomorrow again at some friend's place, because I played last sunday, but I honestly forgot how most of the games went by now :D. (I mean, we played like ten or twelve straight times, a couple of times 1 vs 1, but most of the time a 3-player free for all.) I can try recording the games to help my not-so-good-memory, heh. And after I'm done playing, I'll get to post the results here
Fan of Both old and new Slivers (But the new ones are still better anyway)
C Call of Emrakul - G vs R DD: Elves vs. Goblins - W vs B DD: Divine vs. Demonic - WUB Esper Artifice - RGW Aura Dancers
WUBRG Wrath of the Reaper King - WB Men of Faith - B Mercenaries - UB Phyrexian Assault 2.0 - WU Artifacts of Empires
BR Skeleton Warriors - RG Night of The Howlpack - B Bog Murderers - BR Eldrazi Assault - BGU Ulamog's Swarm
4x Kor Spiritdancer
3x Yavimaya Enchantress
3x Aura Gnarlid
Enchantments
4x Hyena Umbra
4x Wild Growth
3x Ancestral Mask (swinging with a 20/22 on turn 4 is always fun)
3x Canopy Cover
3x Treetop Bracers
3x Utopia Sprawl (might put trace of abundance instead)
3x Rancor
3x Enchantress's Presence
2x Spider Umbra
2x Hyena Umbra
Granted this deck doesn't run red so that narrows the options some but its strait up stompy
GW Rhys the Redeemed EDH
RUGAnimar, Soul of Elements EDH
WBRAlesha, Who Smiles at Death EDH