Shoring up a Tribal Deck

[Captain Caveman]

I've spend the last two weeks or so play-testing some of the deck
submissions that were entered in my Tribes deck-building contest
and I'll have to admit your decklist are better than mine. I've been
playing this format for awhile now but some people are just better
deck-builders than myself.

I could rant on about some decklist and build up peoples ego's
but I'd like to discuss one deck type/tribe at a time and work
on what we would consider the best possible build of that
Tribe. I'm a man of few words so I may run out of steam before
covering a big list of potential tribes/creatures so I'll just list
one at a time and if you'd like to help me out give me your
thoughts.


Tribe #1: Beast

Permanents that gain life have no effect on the game so
Ravenous Baloth is just a 4/4 for 2GG. That's still a great p/t
ratio so he may be a four of per deck. If rarity is not an issue.

Krosan Tusker seems like a must. If I'm playing two, three or
even four colors that I'd have to play three or four of him.

Spiritmonger has to be included. A 6/6 regenerating beat-stick
is some good with Contest Clifffs.

Contest Cliffs is another card that should be included. Three or
four of, I'd say.

Dauti Horror is a beast with "shadow" so he's worth consideration

Thrashing Wumpus is also a Beast.


Right now I'm looking at Three colors without including Anurid
Brushhopper and Kjeldoran Frostbeast Should I add
White to the decklist or keep it Green/Black/Red?


Red offers Aether Charge as a Tribal card so I can play with four
of them. Its pretty good if you pull the Living Death/Pat's Bidding
late game combo off.

Beast Attack is another possible Tribal card. The 2GGG mana cost
kind of restricts it though.

What about Canopy Crawler? It might be good in this format. I'm
not sure it could be a wasted slot.

I need a few flyer blockers and there are a few interesting one's
to consider. Anurid Swarmsnapper, Venomspout Brackus and
that spitting guy. There are others too but I can't remenber the
names.


I know train submitted a Beast Tribe deck so we have a reference
decklist to give us/me an idea how to build one.


What do you guy's/gal's think? What's the best Tribal Beast build?

 

[NorrYtt]

Spiritmonger is built for Contested Cliffs. He is bigger than most any creature, regenerates, gets bigger, and even kills creatures with protection from a color.

Beast decks are grossly slow so for dueling it's best to drop the mana curve down as far as you can.

Vitality Charm
Laccolith Whelp
Thoughtbound Primoc
Ravenous Baloth
Krosan Tusker
Spiritmonger
Burn
Naturalize

The black is just a splash for Spiritmonger and Krosan Tusker gets the Swamp. You can try a more even 3-way build for Dauthi Horror but you will need Onslaught saclands and painlands to make the mana work.

 

[Ferret]

There is one card that ALL tribal decks need (and I'm sure Train will agree): Coat of Arms. Put four in your deck and have fun!

-Ferret

"How big are those goblins NOW?"

 

[Spiderman]

The <something> Gurna from Onslaught or Legions is the blocking flyers dude.

I forgot how casual this format is. Are you allowed to use Sol Ring? Maybe Mana Flare or Triassic Egg to help get your guys out faster?

I also would suggest using Hull Breach in addition to Naturalize.

I made a regular 60 card Beast deck that was non-tribal and had to cut a lot of interesting Beasts - I hope Tribal will let you use more

 

[Captain Caveman]

Unfortaunately the Coat is banned in this format.

One sol Ring is in every deck.


Mana curve is very important like you pointed out but when
facing multi-opponents(usually 2 or 3)with 90+ card decks(all of
us) a slighly higher mana curve seems to workout ok. Tribes is
a little different than your classic duel.

 

[bryson430]

The Flyers blocker is:

Spitting Gourna, a common from Onslaught.
3GG
3/4
May block flyers
4G Morph

 

[BigBlue]

I'm partial to G/B....

Tribal cards in varying quantities

Blastoderm
Monger
Contested Cliffs (your own personal Arena...)
Baloth
Anurid Scavenger
berserk Murlodont (yeah rampage)
Erthizon
Hunting Moa (cheap + counters)
Krosan Groundshaker (to give beasts trample)
Megatherium
Ravenous Baloth
Rhox
Thresher Beast
Phrexian War Beast??
Keeper of Beasts??
Clockwork Beast??

In your restricted cards (non-beast) must haves

life/death
rancor
berserk
Black Removal.... one of each

For Color, I'd add a Jolrael Empress of Beasts...

 

[train]

Blastoderm is probably a really good move for beasts...

him and the spiritmonger in the same deck is downright nasty...

and running the tusker - 4 of them, is elementary... He not only gets you another land, but also gives you draw advantage... The tusker is a machine...

 

[Captain Caveman]

I tryed my G/B/r version Thursday night and it was to slow. Well
to be honest the other decks were just faster at setting up there
victory condition. (Those darn untargetable/unblockable Slivers)

here's the (partial)list:

4 Anurid Swarmsnapper
4 Hunting Moa
4 Spiritmonger
4 Krosan Tusker
4 Dauthi Horror
4 Canopy Crawler
4 Blastoderm
3 Thrashing Wumpus
2 Rhox

3 Aether Charge

1 Living Death
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Midsummer Revel(3/3 Beast "Tokens"/combo w/charge)
1 Greater Good
1 Sylvan Library
1 Rancor
1 Terror
1 Naturalize
1 Feast or Famine
1 No Mercy
1 Survival of the Fittest
1 Oversold Cemetery
1 Sol Ring
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 .......I can't remember. I took it apart. (I can't think
of what else was in the non-tribal part)

x Forest
x Swamp
some dual lands
2 Mountains
3 Contest Cliffs
x pain-lands

Over-all I think this version is ok but it needs work. My guess is
that the lack of enough mass removal spells hurt me a lot in the
games we played(2 with each deck; total of six games) Most of
the games were over fairly quick, to my surprise. Quick Flying
creatures and/or unblockable's beat me down. Ouch!


In other news:
My new Soldier deck got me put out quickly. Mirari's Wake fueled
Mobilization will put a big target on your head. I was gang beat
when it showed up(both games, turn 5). I should have known.
I owe train a big thanks for the G/W Soldiers Tribe deck inspiration
His Santa's Helpers contest decklist give me the idea. Thanks!

 

[train]

I owe train a big thanks for the G/W Soldiers Tribe deck inspiration. His Santa's Helpers contest decklist give me the idea. Thanks

Your Welcome!...

As for your beast deck - Let's try this:

Ideas For G/B/r:

Do or Die
Color= Black Type= Sorcery Cost= 1B IN(R)
Text: Separate all creatures target player controls into two piles. Destroy all creatures in the pile of that player's choice. They can't be regenerated.
->So you can get rid of the sliver making them untargettable - by himself in a stack(?), or get rid of all the other slivers... strong vs. slivers - since you get to rid them of a lot of abilities...

Forced March
Color= Black Type= Sorcery Cost= XBBB MM(R)
Text: Destroy all creatures with converted mana cost {X} or less.
->Nuff said...

Plague Wind
Color= Black Type= Sorcery Cost= 7BB PY(R)
Text (PY): Destroy all creatures you don't control. They can't be regenerated.
->Nuff said...

Spreading Plague
Color= Black Type= Enchantment Cost= 4B IN(R)
Text (IN): Whenever a creature comes into play, destroy all other creatures that share a color with it. They can't be regenerated.
->Not too cool for your guys... but worth keeping slivers off the table...

Whirlwind
Color= Green Type= Sorcery Cost= 2GG US(R)/ST(R)
Text (US): Destroy all creatures with flying.
->if they're playing the unblockable sliver - tey are probably playing the flying sliver...

Breaking Point
Color= Red Type= Sorcery Cost= 1RR JU(R)
Text (JU): Destroy all creatures unless a player has ~this~ deal 6 damage to him or her. Creatures destroyed this way can't be regenerated.
-> I'll bet they take the 6 every time...

Mogg Infestation
Color= Red Type= Sorcery Cost= 3RR SH(R)
Text (SH+errata): Destroy all creatures target player controls. For each creature put into a graveyard in this way, put two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens into play under that player's control.
->you give them goblins who get no bonus... and essentially change their sliver deck into goblin deck... who'd a thought red coul be so strong in tribal?...

Nevinyrral's Disk
Color= Artifact Type= Artifact Cost= 4 A(R)/B(R)/U(R)/R(R)/4(R)/5(R)/AT(F1)
Text (5th): ~this~ comes into play tapped. ; {1},{Tap}: Destroy all artifacts, creatures, and enchantments.
->It's really just another deed...

Arboria
Color= Green Type= Enchant World Cost= 2GG LG(U1)
Text (LG+errata): Creatures can't attack a player who didn't play a spell and didn't put a card into play during his or her last turn.
->just stall til you draw the infestation...

Ensnaring Bridge
Color= Artifact Type= Artifact Cost= 3 SH(R)/7(R)
Text (7th): Creatures with power greater than the number of cards in your hand can't attack
->not bad...

Pyroclasm
Color= Red Type= Sorcery Cost= 1R IA(U)/PT(R)/7(U)
Text (IA.8th): ~this~ deals 2 damage to each creature.
->this is non-targetting so it can clean a few slivers off the table for you... your beasts live!...

Steam Blast
Color= Red Type= Sorcery Cost= 2R US(U)/BR(F1)
Text (US+errata): ~this~ deals 2 damage to each creature and each player.
->ditto..

And a Nostalgic Dreams - then you could get everything listed above right back in your hand!!!...

"Regrowth was your daddy!... Nostalgic Dreams is Daddy's Daddy!!!..."

 

[Captain Caveman]

The Sliver card that created the most trouble was Shifting. If no
one else is playing Slivers it can swing the game. It needs some
help from Ward and/or Crystalline but its still pretty good all on
its own. I was very surprise how well my brothers Sliver deck
worked. It was more or less a random pile of Slivers that worked.

An Aplha strike can change the game.

Who knew!


Thanks for those suggestions. Do or Die seems like a fun card.
I forgot about it. If I have one, I'll put it into the rebuild just for
the heck of it. I'll probably throw a Pyroclasm and a Steam Blast
in there as well. I don't want to focus to much on defeating one
Tribe because we're always trying new ideas out but cheap
mass removal is always good, if I can draw it.

It seems like we've gotten better at deck-building(atleast some
people)so drawing that spell to swing the momentum is becoming
very important. Or maybe we're all just geting worst and random
things win. For whatever reason cheap mass removal has become
a top priority. Bombs win games too but the last couple of weeks
things have been different and not being able to draw that all
important bomb in the early rounds leads to shuffling for the next
game. Man, I love this format. Random deck WiNs! Random deck
WiNs! Everybody WiNs!

I may have to go G/R/b like NorrYtt suggested early on. There's
a lot of good Red mass removal to consider. I'll have to review
my Red beast card pool and see what I've got.

 

[train]

That's the great thing about ideas... The mind starts churning...