Malignant Growth Abuse for MP

[Mikeymike]

I just picked up 4x Malignant Growth from Mirage for $2 so it prompted me to throw a deck together.

Keep in mind it has the following errata on it.
In multiplayer games it affects all opponents. [D'Angelo 99/07/10]
It does say target opponent though, so its up to the group. My group will play by the card wording.

Creatures 11
4 Viseling
3 Indentured Djinn
3 Waterfront Bouncer
1 BoP (own 1)

Permanents 12
4 Malignant Growth
3 Arcane Laboratory
3 Propaganda
1 Howling Mine (all I own, need more)
1 Icy Manipulator (again, own 1)

Spells 13
4 Prosperity (own 2 but I can find another 2)
2 Stormseeker
1 Recall
2 Forbid
4 Counterspell

Mana 24
1 Sol Ring
1 Tropical Island
2 Skyshroud Forest
14 Island
6 Forest

Don't try this thing at any tourneys. However for casual Multiplay I think it can do some serious damage. I think I also might go beyond the 60 card limit for this guy. If I do it will go into Mana acceleration and maybe Dense Foliage (in which case goodbye Bouncers).

The ideal game would go
Turn 3 Propaganda/Arcane Lab.
Turn 4 Viseling
Turn 5 Malignant Growth
Turn 6 Djinn or Prosperity

I'd love to hear what anyone has to say. This is my 1st deck like this so I know there are a few flaws.

 

[Zero]

Well, this format isny my bag baby, but ill see what I can do. I think arcane lab is critical in this deck though!

Creatures (16)
4 Viseling (or maybe just Vise?)
4 Indentured Djinn
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Quiron Sentinels

Spells (17)
4 Malignant Growth
4 Arcane Laboratory
2 Reclaim
4 Howling Mine
3 Millstone

Counter (6)
2 Forbid
4 Counterspell

Land
I wouldnt know!

I hope that helps mike! Remeber the lab is critical!

 

[krichaiushii]

I never knew about the errata! What a happy day this is for me...

I once had a Malignant Growth deck, but due to its wording, I used the Growth as backup, instead of the primary kill.

It strikes me that Windfall would work wonderfully in here (how is THAT for alliteration?!). Yes its restricted and/or banned in some formats, but I still maintain that multiplayer games provide enough opposition to balance out any broken cards.

Thran Turbine might help with the upkeep... as could going with a heavier green spread for Verdant Bloom, Wild Growths, more elves, and Priest of Titania.

With enough elves, the Champion could be worthwhile, providing an additional kill method for your deck.

With the exception of the Indentured Djinni, your blue cards should only have a single U in the casting cost. For countermagic, go with Arcane Denial, and any other single CC countermagic. I have found Annul to be QUITE useful in multiplayer games.

With an Arcane Lab out, your opponents will have ample free mana to pay for Propaganda. Walls might be worthwhile -- Carnivorous Plant, Wall of Air, Wall of Tears, Wall of Roots (more mana is always good).

Spike Weaver might work... a living fog. Spore Frogs, too. Many will target you for playing the Lab.

Lastly, Gaea's Blessing and Regrowth are both cheap to cast and let you back in the graveyard.

Just a smattering of thoughts.

 

[Mikeymike]

Krichaiushii, you'sa genius.

First off Arcane Denial is an amazing idea.
You're definitely right about my mana base, its all screwed up and I have no support for my upkeep.

I can't go as creature heavy as I usually do b/c there are so many critical spells to the deck.

How's this, 70 cards:
Creatures 16
4 Viseling
3 Indentured Djinn
3 Spike Weaver
1 BoP (own 1)
1 Dawnstrider
4 Priests of Titania

Permanents 10
4 Malignant Growth
3 Arcane Laboratory (I'm sticking with 3 for the time being, I want 4 but it does paint a big target on my head)
2 Propaganda
1 Howling Mine (all I own, need more)

Spells 15
4 Prosperity (own 2 but I can find another 2)
2 Stormseeker
1 Recall (for now)
2 Forbid (with a Lab, I can lock the game for me)
4 Arcane Denial
1 Windfall
1 Regrowth

Mana 29
1 Sol Ring
1 Tropical Island
2 Skyshroud Forest
1 Gaea's Cradle
13 Island
11 Forest

I agree with Zero, Arcane Lab is key to this deck. I know they will come after me but with Forbid I can get a nice lock down.

Recall, Howling Mine and Propaganda are maybes right now, and I'd also rather not use Cities of Brass b/c I don't want to take damage for colorless mana.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Have you considered Awakening for the deck. The CU
from the Growth would become unimportant and your
opponents might let it stay on the board..

just an idea......

 

[Mikeymike]

Actually I was thinking about it. In know its coming in the deck when we play 2-Headed Giant (we play teammates don't share enchantments b/c you can choose who to attack). In the long run, Recall will probably come out so that makes for 3 spots. Either Awakening or Thran Turbine.

 

[Duel]

Frozen depths:
4 malignant growth
4 Birds of paradise
4 Utopia tree
4 Underworld dreams
4 howling mine
4 horn of greed
4 glacial chasm (play only when opponents are dying/dead)
4 Iron maiden
4 winter sky (at least 1 damage!)
4 winter orb

20 land of various shapes/sizes

 

[krichaiushii]

With all the card-drawing going on, Burgeoning, Fastbond, and/or Exploration might be considered, just so you can empty your hand without discarding.

Though expensive to cast (5U), Sibilant Spirit might be considered, as he allows the player he is attacking the ability to "may draw a card". As a flying 5/6, he's a threat in and of himself...

Instead of BoPs and ToPs, why not just play Quirion Elves? You can get four, they will generate the blue you need, and feed the Priests of Titania.

If you can work it somehow, Overlaid Terrain might work to your advantage, at least until the Disenchants appear...

A sole Lhurgoyf might even work, considering all of the discarding that will be going on...

And Duel has a point about Glacial Chasm. This can save you from a lot of grief, once you have a Malignant Growth in play, and enough mana for a decent-sized Prosperity or two. Maybe even splash black for Cadaverous Bloom, resulting in a variation on Prosbloom...

Just some more thoughts.

 

[Mikeymike]

I wanted to use the Sibilant Spirit in here, but alas, Yo no tengo un Spirit. I should be able to trade for 1 very easily and cheaply, he isn't very beloved.

Glacial Chasm, I own zero. Granted I never played it before, but I'm not to crazy about it. Cadaverous Bloom would be AMAZING in here, great idea. Again I own 0, but since its restricted I can only use 1 anyway. There's another on my want list. (Ironically, I just got my 1st Lhurgoyf on Saturday)

Overlaid Terrain would be interesting, but it scares the hell out of me in here. I'll take a burn on odd number CU's and any time I use my Weaver. Losing all my lands is rather frightening too. Fastbond is going in though. If mana is still a problem I'm going to try Thran Turbine AND Tolarian Academy.

The initial reason for running the Priests is for the massive amount of mana they allow me. BUT you are right, the Quirions are better b/c a) they are multicolor b) Priests only work well w/ multiple copies of themselves in play, no guarantee.

Also, what do you think about Anvil of Bogardan in here to prevent the discard stage? The Viseling would absolutely finish them, but they also hold onto many more responses.

2nd Revision:
Creatures 16
4 Viseling
3 Indentured Djinn (if I get a spirit I'll give him a shot, a 5/6 is a nice punch in the face and he splashes easily)
3 Spike Weaver
1 BoP (own 1)
1 Dawnstrider
4 Quirion Elves

Permanents 12
4 Malignant Growth
2 Arcane Laboratory (Might still use 4 but I can only find 2)
3 Propaganda (or Dense Foilage would be HUGE)
1 Ivory Tower (can't believe I forgot this)
1 Fastbond (good idea)
1 Feldon't Cane

Spells 13
4 Prosperity (own 2 but I can find another 2)
2 Stormseeker
2 Forbid (with a Lab, I can lock the game for me)
4 Arcane Denial
1 Regrowth

Mana 29
1 Sol Ring
1 Tropical Island
2 Skyshroud Forest
1 Gaea's Cradle
13 Island
11 Forest
This thing could be 90 cards so easily.

Even better than Lhurgoyf would be Multani, but both would get chumpblocked anyway so I'm holding off for the time being. If I had removal I would try them.

I have 4 ways to potential win. Viseling/Prosperity, Malignant Growth on its own, beatdown (3 4/4 Djinns are tough to ignore on turn), and potentially Milling them.

I could also go the Uber-combo route with more broken artifact mana sources, Hurkyl's Recall, the Academy, etc. but I'm trying to stay away from that.

I'm loving the look of this deck and I can't wait to play it. I have a feeling this is going to be 1 of those decks I'll have constructed for awhile in 1,000 different versions. Like adding Black for Cad-Bloom, some surprise Living Deaths (hehe) and Underworld Dreams, my most desired old-school power card.

Man, U/G is slowly becoming my favorite color combo: I have about 5 decks I want or have made
Cowardice/Jolting Merfolk with Blastoderms, Multani and Elvish Herder.
Awakening with Reveka, Tim, Archivist, Instil Energy, and maybe even Dream Thrush
Overlaid Terrain/Gush/Exploration/Time Spiral/Stroke deck.
Broken Artifact deck with Titania's Song/Mana/Denying Wind.

This was long , Thanks for the help fellas. I can always depend on good ideas coming from you.

 

[krichaiushii]

Anvil of Bogarden lets you and your opponent's filter their decks, which may spell doom for you, especially if they get an early combo-breaker out.

I meant play the Quirion Elves with the Priests of Titania, but this works too.

In defense of Glacial Chasm, it is a wonderful buffer against death when playing annoying enchantment decks, like Karma-Magical Hack (that was actually fairly successful).

Now that the Malignant Growths are in, good luck with the deck.

 

[Duel]

on the downside of glaciam chasm (Big chasms have big downsides) it doesn't actually help against any of the really threatening decks. Plus it doesn't stop trix.....