Need a tounament deck for a player new to touraments

[Rando]

I've talked my brother into going to the local type 2 tournament this weekend. He has never been to a tounament before, and he does not have a lot a of type 2 cards. He is not new to magic, but most of his cards are from older sets that he bought for cheep, and he is not familiar with all of the newer mechanics. In reality, he is the ultimate casual player. So, I told him I would make him a deck out of my cards and loan it to him.

So here's the thing. I want a deck that is fun to play, easy to play, has a real stratagy of some kind, and might acctually win a few games. I want to avoid complex mehanics. I also want to avoid fading and echo so he does not get flustered and forget, being nervous at his first tournament and all. I know it may sound like that does not leave much, but I'd like to give it a shot.

(Oh, yeah... I love my brother and all...but I ain't giving him any of my really expensive cards, not even for a night. For God's sake he uses rubber bands to keep his decks together. He can be sloppy, and I don't want soggy Masticores and roughed-up Morphlings, so don't even think about it)

Here is what I thought I might give him. Tell me what you think, how to improve it, and any other ideas for decks that might work that meet the criteria above.

Thanks in advance.

Simple Red/Green land destruction

Green Creatures
4 Thresher Beast
4 Llanowar Elf
4 River Boas
2 Vine Trellis

Red Creatures
4 Lava Runner

Green Spells
4 Creeping Mold
4 Giant Growth (Rancor?)

Red Spells
4 Stone Rain
4 Pillage
4 Shock

Land
4 Karplusin Forest
9 Forest
9 Mountain

 

[rkoelsch]

You might look at your mana you have 8 double mana red spells(lava Runner and pillage) and 8 double green spells
(creeping Mold and Thresher Beast). Your 8 mana creatures only produce green. I would probably do
4 Karplusan forest
10 mountains
8 forests

 

[Zadok001]

I would actually use Simian Grunts... You've got some really good creatures there, but nothing that really lets you scare the hell out of the guy sitting across the table. The. Grunts. Are. Amazing.

Really, really amazing.

They kill _every_ small to midrange ground pounder in the metagame right now, and kill 'em good. And they stick around as a 3/4 quasi-fatty to beat people over the head and shoulders with. Yes, they cost six mana. But, come on, you can play these things on turn TWO! You drop a Llanowar, your opponent drops some dumb beatdown machine, you drop another land, your opponent attacks-

SPLAT!

And you now have a 3/4 creature for them to deal with. That's trouble for most decks. Some Good.

Phew. Ok, done ranting about fat green things now, moving on to spells. I actually question the inclusion of a full red commitment altogether. Green has Fallow Earth, Plow Under, and Creeping Mold. That's 12 LD spells, albeit not permanent ones. Time advantage. With time advantage, you win. Because you have the fatties, and your opponent can't cast anything to stop them. A light splash of red (say, 6-10 cards) will do just as well. Stone Rain is a must, perfect time advantage with Llanowar. Shock, perhaps, as the removal spell of choice? I dunno. You may not need removal, as your opponent will have to be chumping Grunts, Boas, and Thresh Beats with his weenies just to stave off death.

I would also like to say that Speed Bumps of Paradise (that would be Birds) are perfect. Yeah, it's very rare, and very expensive. But perfect. Another one-drop that lets you do a turn 2 Grunts or Stone Rain or Fallow Earth. Both colors of required mana. And their Morphling chumpers.

I have more to say, but I'm leaving to go play Magic with some people right about... NOW.

"'Bout damn time, I haven't played in so long!"

 

[galtwish]

I think your deck lacks enough offence and may suffer to the large double cc requirements. Additionally, I think your brother would be able to handle fading-it's just an upkeep cost. So to take a page from MBC...

4 Llanowar Elves
4 Silt Crawler
4 Blastoderm
3 Thresher Beast/Silverglade Elemental
3 Creeping Mold
4 Shock
2 Seal of Fire
2 Parch
4 Arc Lightning
3 Rupture
4 Avalanche Riders
12 Forest
11 Mountians

SB
4 Reverent Silence (Replenish, Pattern/Servitude)
3 Boil
2 Hurricane (Blue, Rebels)
2 Rack & Ruin (Tinker, Wildfire)
4 Thran Foundry (if there are a lot of Replenish/Bargain decks around. If not, add another Hurricane and 3 Vug Lizards)

Lots of fun, lots of damage.

Erik

 

[Gizmo]

I think what`s missing from a BEGINNER deck here is card drawing. You don`t have to be great to win if you are drawing 2 cards to your opponent`s 1. Add in Jayemdae Tomes/Rowen/Scrying Glass/Collective Unconsciousness or similar - they might expensive and crap in most decks, but they sure help you to win. If you give him subtle he`ll probably not use it properly, so just give him power instead.

I like the Grunts though, and they sure help against blue decks that would give him trouble otherwise. And I think he probably needs

 

[DÛke]

Siman Grunts are cool I agree, but has anyone seen how powerful Vintara Snapper is?
I played it, and it's a pain for my opponent. You can target it, but not your opponent, how great is that
Turn 2: Cast Vintara Snapper, you're tapped out, meaning that it can't be the target of spell/abilities. Later on, when some one trys to target it and destroy it, just tap all your lands to give it it's ability. Sure you might take some damage, but if you really want it to live

I also suggest Slit Crawler and Chimeric Idol. Both of these cards are a basic 3/3 for 3 mana; their drawbacks are so unnoticed, that they are actually 'good' cards. Maybe not the Idol, but add the Slit Crawler for sure, it would be another 3/3 second turn drop with the elves/birds.

 

[razorback]

Easy with liitle skill huh, HO about this:

4 llanowar elves
4 silt crawlers
4 riverboa
4 elvish archers
4 rancor
4 giant growth
3 invigorate
2 uktabi orangatang
4 elvish lyrist
2 huricane
1 masticore
4 albino troll
16 forests
4 treetop village

Here is a simple deck even if it has 4 of 1 echo creature but that creature is incredably good. also put in one more invigorate if you really don't trust him with a masticore

 

[tyger51]

if hes not that skilled, he probably wont be able to do creature combat to his advantage, a skill most people take for granted. try adding black instead of red for easy removal

 

[Duel]

Right. New players will screw up attacking. They will by mistake lose creatures for that extra point of trample damage, or willn be too conservative about damage. Or both. I think the original works better, with a little explanation. I made my own mono-green, which he'll wi with he attacke every turn he can get damage through, of course. See if this works:

4 River boa or Albino trolls. Fill up the 2cc creature slot
4 Silt crawlers (I agree, GREAT. Idols are too technical for beginners)
4 Skyshroud ridgebacks
4 Giant Growth
4 Rancor
4 Seal of Strength
4 Invigorates
4 Wild dogs
4 Scent of ivy
4 llanowar
4 land grant (tell him to always use the ACC)
4 elvish herders (gives trample? Hell yes!)
12 forests

the theory? Apply the beatdown liberally until opponent becomes a nice creamy texture. Smear gently over whole-weat, and eat for lunch.