You Can't Depend on the Sacraments

In the end, I decided to split the difference. I didn't do this just because however: the power of Starnheim Unleashed fills a huge role in Busload, giving it some reach that would otherwise be lacking. That didn't mean I could ignore the lack of removal, however. 

To that end, Selesnya Guildmage needed to go. It was another another mana sink, but four mana to give +1/+1 to everything just isn't even comparable to Ezuri. With six removal spells in Busload, that should give me enough density to reliably remove a creature that needs to go. 

Testing this out against Noah, I found that for the most part I've got it dialed in. He was playing a really interesting Vesuvan Drifter deck that could do terrible things to me.

But the games were engaging and I felt like I got to make interesting choices and take actions that kept me in the game.

I like where this is at, and I think I can move forward. 

4 Thorn of Amethyst

2 Llanowar Elves
2 Elvish Champion
3 Sylvan Messenger
3 Fyndhorn Elves
3 Llanowar Knight
3 Imperious Perfect
2 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
1 Elvish Archdruid
3 Priest of Titania
3 Leaf-Crowned Visionary

2 Ossification

4 Fateful Absence

4 Brushland
5 Plains
9 Forest
4 Razorverge Thicket

3 Starnheim Unleashed

15 Sideboard
SB: 4 Glowrider
SB: 2 Reclamation Sage

SB: 4 Rest in Peace

SB: 3 Path to Exile
SB: 2 Force of Vigor

You Can Depend On The Worst

Had an test game with Noah (who was playing a Show & Tell variant) last night and the problem with using Starnheim Unleashed became apparent in game two. 

I had a Starnheim Unleashed foretold, and was building my army when Noah put a Phyrexian Dreadnought into play. I took the first hit, playing a bunch of elves from my hand including an Ezuri, Renegade Leader. 

But one hit was all I took: when Noah attacked with the Dreadnought next turn, my elves already had +2, and I proceeded to give them another +6, with mana up to regenerate the two 10/10's I was using to block with. 

I already had all the mana, and something to do with it. How would Starnheim Unleashed get me out of a situation where I already had what I needed? Creatures getting +6 and trample should win me the game. Making five 4/4 fliers with that mana would be fine, but it wouldn't change a situation where I was losing to one where I was winning. 

And that I realize, is the problem I really need to solve. Which means I have to reorient my thinking about what should go in that space. If the issue is that if they take away my mana dorks, I have no game then the obvious solution is; figure out how to either protect said dorks, or stall the game out long enough to get more dorks. Since I'm currently liking what Fateful Absence is doing, I'm inclined to lean into that direction, at least for now.

You Can't Depend On An End

There's a pretty basic question to ask here: Why not just do what the other Elves deck do? And I suppose "I don't wanna" is as good an answer as any. But it also begs the next questions: So what are you going to do with all that mana? 

The answer, I thought, was Joraga Warcaller. Why not dump 7 mana into making everything +3? Seems good, right?

Except doing that doesn't just win the game in the same way that an Elves deck that drops Craterhoof Behemoth into play just wins. But buying a $30+ card is not where I want to be. For fun, I've looked at White cards with X in the casting cost and the one that seems like it has a lot of potential is Starnheim Unleashed. I realize that I'm definitely pushing the Glory of Cool Things with this one but the potential to create 3 4/4 fliers for the same amount of mana as a 4/4 Warcaller seems like it'd be good and give me a win condition, if everything gets bound up on the ground. 

Who expects fliers out of an elves deck? Plus, if the board gets wiped, even three mana nets me a flier that can help me get back into the game from the Foretold effect.

I've also decided to take a risk on Fateful Absence and so far, it's been solid. Yes, my opponents can get a draw out of the card but if that's how they end up spending their mana, all the better for me. I can spend my time proactively working the board.

You Can't Depend On Intelligence

So the first iteration of Busload of Faith involves taking out the Tribal Forcemages, the Viridian Zealots (they're SB cards), and a Selesnya Guildmage. 

In their place come a Fyndhorn Elves, Joraga Warcaller and three Leaf-Crowned Visionary. I heard you like lords, so I got lords for your lords.

At this point, it was to the simulator at deckstats.net to see how things stacked up. The answer, unfortunately, was 'not well'. 

First, the manabase is skewed too heavily towards white for the current build. Second, there didn't seem to be enough mana-despite 22 lands plus five mana dorks. These issues played into each other, yes but even so, this was absurd. 

Nonetheless I was surprised, because the curve on this deck looks good: 11 cards at two and 11 at three mana, with a total of 7 cards above five mana. It seemed like I should be able to play games!  

Cutting more creatures would leave me with 24 slots left, but they would also give me a chance to shore up a part of the deck I am concerned about: the removal suite. For three mana or less, I should have a lot of options in White to rid myself of creatures or planeswalkers-and planeswalkers are definitely a concern. 

Ossification and Borrowed Time are possibilities, but I've talked up Fateful Absence in the past, maybe it's time to see if that card can shine!

I really wish Green's removal suite was a bit more...helpful. Fight is just so on theme for the color, but it's slow and reliant on another card so it just never quite makes the cut.

You know what I'd like: a card that can get a Planeswalker to fight. The search suggests a creature can only fight other creatures, but why not get fights via loyalty? 

It still doesn't solve the problem, but from a flavor perspective it's cool. 

Busload of Faith

I am not sure why I called this deck Busload of Faith, beyond really liking the song by Lou Reed but here we are. The song doesn't have anything to do with elf tribal that I know of: I would guess that when I built it I knew that it was doing a wing and a prayer. 

4 Thorn of Amethyst

2 Llanowar Elves
2 Elvish Champion
2 Sylvan Messenger
2 Viridian Zealot
2 Fyndhorn Elves
3 Llanowar Knight
4 Glowrider
3 Imperious Perfect
2 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
2 Wren's Run Vanquisher
1 Elvish Archdruid
3 Selesnya Guildmage
3 Priest of Titania
1 Joraga Warcaller
2 Tribal Forcemage

4 Brushland
8 Plains
10 Forest

You might notice the obvious thing: there is no removal. This deck wants to see if it can tax you on non-creature spells, while building up a go-wide ground game that can use Ezuri to trample over everything. 

However, without removal or an instant "I win" moment this deck is definitely hoping to dodge mass removal spells. It's also pretty old, so let's put a shine on this, eh?