Fun Pest Deck needs Ideas...

[Lady Re]

Hello everyone from Lady Re...

I am now working on my first original deck, and I need help... The concept was to make a "Pest Deck" that would have lots of cards that would generate bunches of token creatures, preferably in one quick shot, and then play Coat of Arms or overrun for the Coup de Gras... (And being overrun with squirels, snakes, cats and other cratures en-mass is why I call it my Pest Deck...)

I just find that the "per creature generated" costs seem too high, and at almost 80 cards, it is unwieldy even with artifact mana generators, it still only works ("goes off") only about 30% of the time...

I could use any and all help you might be able to give me for either helping the mana situation (should I play that druid that turns every creature into a mana elf?) or how to balance the cost so I don't die before I can sac my snake basket for lots of pesky snakes...

My own personal preferences is not to have fungus tokens, but if I have to then I will... (I like animal pests better then fungus pests...) But the mana and creature balance is too out of wack still...

Thanks for any and all Help!

Private emails are welcome too, use RebaTheHub@Juno.com right now, I'm home with the Chicken Pox of all things, probably for all this week too...
:-(

 

[Gryphonclaw]

Cards I reccomend:

Martyr's Cause: Doubles the effectiveness of your tokens for defensive purposes.

Humility: All creatures are now as powerful as your tokens.

Wrath of God: Just before throwing out your token generation, drop this to clear out any blockers.

Peacekeeper: This lovely lady will give you the time you need to generate many pests.

Earthcraft: If you are allowed to play this, (it's restricted/banned in 'official' play) it can be truly amazing.

Gaea's cradle: Earthcraft replacement.

These are just a few support cards, now for token generators.

I personally prefer steady generators, that can make 1+ tokens per turn, to the burst ones, but here we go:

Liege of the hollows: This one can be a bit tricky, but well worth it. Especially with False Demise and Ashnods Altar. (This isn't a terribly effective method, just a personal favorite)
Sacrifice Liege to Altar, respond by sac'ing a bunch of other creatures and tapping lands for mana. Liege comes back into play courtesy False Demise. Sac' all tokens you just made, then sac' Liege. Double your pest count!

Deranged hermit: four tokens for 5 mana, not bad, and the echo IS optional.

Sacred Mesa: 1W upkeep to make 1/1 flying critters for 1W? Excellent.

Kjeldoran Outpost: Just watch out for that land sacrifice, it can leave you with too little mana.

Sabre Ants: Underrated IMHO, I've used these critters with great effect, esp. with bravado.

Jungle Patrol: Not as good as any of the others, but can be combined with Citanul Hierophants and Intruder Alarm, (and another creature) for a loop.

That's about enough for now, but I have many other ideas.

*Gryphonclaw goes back to sorting through his many, many, other token generating cards and combos.*

 

[arhar]

I know everyone heard of it, but I actually used it and it works amazing:

Collective Unconscious (draw a million cards)

Spontaneous Generation (put a million tokens into play)

... repeat as needed

 

[galtwish]

Keeping it to two colors and efficient as far as card cost (both $$ and mana), here's my suggestions:

4 Sabre Ants
4 Bravado
2-4 Wildfire/Inferno/Earthquake/Savage Twister
2-4 Earthcraft
2 Waiting in the Weeds
4 Stampede Drivers
3 Citanul Heirophant
1-3 Citanul Flute/Worldly Tutor
2 Collective Unconcious
4 Llanowar Elf
4 Quirion Ranger
Lands to suit

The ranger really gets this deck started and pushes it through: It doubles Elf mana, doubles Stampede Drivers, untaps creatures to block with, etc.

Erik

 

[Apollo]

This is completely off the top of my head.

4 Deranged Hermit
4 Snake Basket
4 Collective Unconscious
4 Spontaneous Generation
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Priest of Titania

2 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary3 Coat of Arms/Overrun (mostly personal preference; Overrun probably is best, but the Coat is more spectacular)
4 Crop Rotation (forest for Cradle, tapped Cradle for Cradle)
4 Gaea's Cradle
18 Forest

Apollo

 

[Lady Re]

Hey everyone, thanks for all the advice so far. I am going to have to look up many of these cards, but I also like Apollo's deck, as it is already most of what I've got going so far. (And it's mono-green...)

I don't remember what saber ants do or cost, but I will look them up. I've been toying with that new one green, 2/3 MM creature that has the fading tokens (I can't remember what anything is called this morning...) It has surprisingly been very effective early on in the games,(I have also been toying with concordent crossroads too...) but mana elves seem a little better...

Please keep the suggestions comming, I will seek cards, and tweek this and check it out and get back to you all with my "cleaned up list"...

What do you all think of Monkey Cage? Is it too unpredictable in this kind of deck? I think I like the snake basket better, but I keep thinking Monkey Cage must have some good use, especially if I can cast it, and then cast Deraged Hermit... I happen to like monkeys too....

Thanks for all you help, and keep it coming everyone!

 

[Duel]

Try using the earthcraft or mana druids, and have a black market in play. Pest for enough to kill all creatures, then drain for the final blow.

 

[Mundungu]

Well I am not sure if I follow the trend right but it seems your goal at the beginning was a pestilence deck with token generation for the pestilence upkeep.

If that is the case the white enchantment spirit mirror is perfect as it generates a token automatically at the beginning of each of your upkeeps. That is a tempest rare if I remember well. That would force you to go black white.

Apollo's mail tends more toward elf and fast mana. The next step is logically and elf ball deck. You can generate insane amount of mana to kill your opponent(s) very very quickly.

My elfball deck (I call it exponential elves)
4 llanovar elf : no need for explanation
4 priestess of titania: no need for explanation
4 quirion ranger : great for mana acceleration or reusing some other creatures with tapping abilities.
4 LLanowar sentinell : as soon as you can generate 9 mana total you have 4 2/3 elves hitting the table for even more mana or quick beatdown
4 skyshroud elves : good for the mana but also for getting red mana for the fireballs
2 skyshroud poacher : great to fetch some elves, like the sentinell or quirion when you need them.
1 rofellos llanowar emissary : mana generation
1 argothian elder : great to untap those cradles
2 seeker of skybreak : to untap other creatures.

Kill cards :
3 fireball
3 overrun
2 coat of arms

Utility cards :
3 fervor (or concordant crossroads)
2 bargaining table : great way to use your mana for cards especially in multiplayer game)
2 sylvan library : help you getting the cards you really need.

Lands :
4 taiga or Karplusan forest
4 gaeas cradle
1 winding canions (let you play creatures speels as instants)
10 forests

Believe me I played and tuned that deck for over a year but dont play it often because it is too "cheasy". You can easily fireball for way more than 20 by turn 4.
I recall fireballing ALL my opponents on fifth turn with a fireball close to 100 ...

concordant crossroads/fervor and the bargaining table really make the deck go off dramatically

But beware, the other players will not be real happy with that deck and as soon as they find out (2nd game) you will be the target of all what they have and it will be no fun for you either.

 

[Lady Re]

Well, It was not intended to be a Pestilence Deck, but a Pest Deck. As it Pesky Token Creatures that keep popping out unexpectedly. That is why I like the large generators of tokens over the pay x and tap to create a token creature kind. I like the surprise factor. Then add Overrun or Coat of Arms, and the concept is done... (for fun of course..)

Your elf deck has lots of possibilities in it, I think I will build it this week and test it. And as for my token deck, I was mostly ignored during the first multi-player game I played this weekend as I playtested it. Only when I began to show big mana did they then turn to me...