Which Staples Do I Put In My Mono-Green Commander Decks | Templates

[@gahbunk]

Right on, dude! Good idea for a series. Great for new players and for people ready to reevaluate their existing builds. My first EDH deck was mono-green Omnath, and it still rocks!

[@Arosium]

Kenrith’s Transformation is almost on par with Beast Within for dealing with creatures, I have used it to great advantage and it replaces itself, so it never truly feels bad to play.

[@beargrillz96]

The video is focused on mono green but Kenrith's is an auto include in Yarok. Draw two stapled on creature hate, yes please. I find myself putting it in almost any deck with green though great card.

[@mmmbetter55]

Better I'd say. Can hit indestructible, doesn't allow reanimate, commander can't be recast unless it's dealt with. Only better would be Oubliette or similar

[@kevinredd3354]

Only benefit of Lignify would be giving the opponent a Blocker and nothing more. Can’t be aggressive with 0 Power.

[@ZH-uz4cu]

Garruk’s uprising is a great enchantment for mono green. Gives repeatable card draw, trample to all creatures, and replaces itself if you have a 4/4 or higher creature

[@zxxDarkLightxxz]

yeah, one of the best enchantments in green if you ask me. So much value

[@dominikbeckmann1042]

I prefer Kenriths Transformation over Lignify. It draws you a card and if you‘re in green giving an opponent a 3/3 should be irrelevant. Especially if you put it on a commander.

[@papertiger982]

Lignify is cool when you have Treefolk Harbinger in your deck, basically as long as you have two or more Harbinger targets on top of Forest cards.

[@orsettomorbido]

Sure, but a 3/3 dies more easily than a 0/4. Thus making it easier to retrieve your commander.

[@thrasherftw]

Yeah, the 0/4 they can’t attack to have someone chump block and kill it. They’re both good tho, no wrong answers.

[@somejerk5662]

Really comes down to how much draw your deck already has... lignify is better if you're already drawing tons of cards or have treefolk tech, otherwise kenrith giving you a card is worth the weaker effect.

[@FirePhoenix103]

Cream of the crop is one green enchantment I learned of that allows you to choose the best cards on the top of your library.

[@terris8172]

Did you read my mind? I was thinking to myself today, I should build a quick and dirty mono green deck for FNM tonight. And then you release this video the same day!

[@gustavofigueiredo3963]

I became really fond of Druid of Purification in the slot of Rec sage, 1 more mana for up to 3 extra targets that can't be yours, really awesome

[@7351DUDES]

Man I LOVE mono green, my Omnath deck is my favorite deck of all time

[@demonicgrinch]

It’s so fun

[@thrasherftw]

Finally got mine put together last night, elves with a bit of a stax looking forward to play it

[@IneptCardCollector]

Which one do you run? I saw that there's several and I don't want to assume it's Locus of creation if it's another one.

[@SpiritStoneWarrior94-yx3gs]

​@IneptCardCollector it would most likely be the mono green one, I can't remember its name off the top of my head 😅

[@aithnim]

Wow! You couldn't have made this video at a better time! Just started working on my Eladamri, Lord of Leaves deck.

[@brianpatton3228]

Would love a video where we watch you build a deck from scratch. Seeing what cards you consider and why you remove certain options would be very insightful.

[@edhdeckbuilding]

i will be doing a realtime deckbuilding video probably soon.

[@annoyingcontrolplayer7321]

I find I put Mouth//Feed in a lot of my green go wide strategies. 3/3s aren't hard to get to, and it casts from graveyard

[@discobiscuits4251]

looking forward to this series. thanks dude

[@jamesgagne2384]

I'm ashamed to say I didn't know about Road of return until now lol but thank you for opening my eyes Demo, just picked up 11 copies for all my green decks lol keep up the great work 👍

[@GallantLee]

Very much looking forwards to this series, thanks! Also the comments section is full of gold.

[@nelsikegaming]

Your videos have made me such a better deck builder

[@BobCain2006]

Enjoyed this one a lot. Like hearing players expire their thought process. Would love to see black next!

[@connorl0204]

My favorite, splashiest play iv made in my 5 ish years of magic was when i was playing my jolrael empress of beasts deck. I played an entwined rude awakening, held priority, activated jolrael to animate my most threatening opponents lands, kept holding priority, popped my nev disk. He was mad cuz he thought my threat assessment was off (but he had also said he was about to start setting up to win and is generally speaking one of the best pilots in my group so i new he had to go). Used my lands to kill the next threatening player that turn, then used jolrael to animate my lands next turn, triumph of the hordes and vitalize to untap and kill the other two.

[@Jacob-gd1ei]

Note on running only 33 lands; only do this if you’re running a ton of 2 drop ramp and don’t rely on “lands in hand” for ramp (ex. Explore). Fetching with ramp deck thins on its own, especially once you hit double digit land counts. You become less likely to draw lands and more likely to draw ramp. The #1 mistake I see in games of commander is people taking greedy hands and building greedier manabases.

[@victorvandenbrink6851]

All very solid choices. One thing I missed in the lands was "Boseiju Who Endures". I play it in my monogreen deck and its come handy on multiple occasions because you get to choose wheter to simply play it as a land, or destroy an artifact, enchantment or non-basic land and opponent controls. You said you like versitality. Doesn't get more versitile than that.

[@prob094]

Great series idea and very helpful. I'm going to start doing the same in Moxfield so I can save time on my builds. Nice one : )

[@tasteoftacos]

Nice! This will go great alongside when I build my Fynn, the fangbearer deck

[@Marutein]

Very interessting series, iam looking forward to the other episodes, most likely black and blue.

[@jameslabbe4119]

Completely agree with starting with a staple template. For green removal my pet card is the underplayed Wickerbough Elder. It's a 4 CmC body stapled to a Nature's Claim. Green removal usually can't respond at instant speed, and it doesn't get shut off by hatebears as a fringe benefit

[@williamkeiser7562]

Berserk can technicality be spot removal for a creature. I like using it when my opponents attack each ither naturally with their threats. Lets them hit each ither harder and vets rid of a problem. Its kinda narrow but works.

[@fidde208]

I try to never use any card in more than 2-3 decks. I have 12. So this makes it so that I need to find alternatives.

[@felipeattux9616]

Hello, Demo! Great video, great series idea. Thanks a lot for it. I don't know if it's already in your plans, but would you mind making a video on your Bant template? Thanks in advance

[@edhdeckbuilding]

i will, but it won't be for awhile. doing all the 1 and 2 color first.

[@Jonzin4BeatzNYC]

I think Foundation Breaker from MH2 is a good consideration and might be as good as Reclamation Sage.

[@SuperTominou]

Cool series, cant wait for the other colors :)

[@jessesandburg]

Kenriths transformation deals with creatures. and just as solid.

[@matthewgallaway3675]

Thank you for making it easier for me to build an Arashi deck! :)

[@licidy1]

I include Blighted Woodland as a land-based ramp staple that gets more lands out of my deck. Greater Tanuki has also started to become an auto-include; channel to ramp or late-game big-creature. My favorite green ramp for commander however is Veteran Explorer, sure he helps my opponents, but I enjoy longer and more complicated games, and its no fun when 1 player at the table gets mana-screwed. Plus I find the good-will it fosters with the table is great for some politics, especially with the mana-screwed players.

[@Mandus_The_Mad]

not only are wood elves and creatures like it a body but they trigger card draw engines like beast whisperer and will be buffed by the newly added tribute to the world tree.

[@UraniumChef]

Hey man! I’d love to see a new edition of this episode since all the new sets are out :)

[@maxloggins2930]

With Sol Ring and the signet, I don't use Arcane Signet in green decks unless I'm in low budget or it's 4+ mana or more, but sol Ring is autoinclude

[@MrGeebee1983]

In a mono green deck I tend to put 2 or 3 mana dorks as turn 1 ramp. In the late game they are just nice blockers. Especially BoP because it has flying as well

[@certaingloom3797]

Instead of Krosan Grip, I find Rending Vines to be very underestimated. It can pop a cheap mana rock most of the time and cantrip is not bad. Wilt always has a use as removal or cycling it away.

[@Gravetanha]

Cant have Sakura tribe elder because of Kaheera, the Orphanguard's companion restrictions.

[@adamwarehime6444]

A few cards I would say is a staple in all my mono green decks is hall of gemstones, an mirri's Guile.

[@nilsgebhardt876]

Lands: - Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx - Boseiju Who Endures - Yavimaya Hollow - Pendelhaven - Castle Garenbrig - Mosswort Bridge - Gaeas Cradle Ramp: - Llanowar Elves/ Elvish Mystic/ Fyndhorn Elves/ Arbor Elf - Priest of Titania - Circle of Dreams Druid - Birds of Paradise - Karametra's Acolyte - Crop Rotation - Cultivate/ Kodama's Reach - Growing Rites of Itlimoc Card draw: - Garruk, Primal Hunter - Beast Whisperer - Soul of the Harvest - Regal Force - Green Sun's Zenith - Natural Order - Finale Devastation - Defense of the Heart Creatures: - Managorger Hydra - Seedborn Muse - Craterhoof Behemoth - Fauna Shaman - Ghalta, Primal Hunger - Kogla, the Titan Ape - Pathbreaker Ibex - God-Eternal Rhonas Good Cards: - Overwhelming Stampede - Triumph of the Hordes - Garruk Wildspeaker - Concordant Crossroads

[@deralpakakrieger7377]

Thats a solid list right there

[@Jak3am]

if you decide to redo this series down the line. Packages has been picking up steam as the language for what you call template ❤❤ loving this series after being gone from the hobby for awhile

[@bman0123]

Thanks for this video. This helped alot!

[@mmburp]

Some you might consider On the ramp side, the OG Rampant Growth is one that I put into my decks, since it's just 2 Mana. Also Gaea's Touch

[@CrankyKidneys]

Exited for the white version! This whole series too.

[@timerious]

Serene remembrence was a superb card in green for getting back cards

[@wasted4satan390]

I've been loving return of the wild speaker in my Vaevictis EDH deck. 5 mana draw 8, yes please.

[@JaimeAGB-pt4xl]

This video is PERFECT considering I have a future Goreclaw project ... thanks for the great content Ps: Looking for Blue because of a future Orvar project

[@Zendrig]

Viridian Revel is also a good candidate (but depending on the prevalence of treasure tokens in your meta).

[@nickknock556]

I think there is a good amount of missed opportunity here. Animists Awakening, Veil of Summer and Worldly Tutor for sure. Mirri's Guile, Descendants Path, Realmwalker and Steely Resolve for tribal. Seedtime, Bind, Avoid Fate, Noxious Revival, Reclaim, Savage Summoning and Insist give a lot of flexibility for low cost.

[@edhdeckbuilding]

that's a whole lot of auto-includes for you. doesn't leave much room for the rest.

[@nickknock556]

@@edhdeckbuilding they're just meant to be examples of good auto includes for mono green. Even if they went into a single EDH deck that has 30 lands that still leaves 54 spots (57 without the tribal inclusions) for other cards...not really that many slots taken up especially given what they do.

[@HesJuanShot]

Purification druid for removal might be considered as well. Has replaced rec sage for me.

[@IxDreamedxIxMetxYou]

This is helpful. I am not normally a green player, but I want to challenge myself to explore new strats and I’m really struggling with green 😭 I just don’t like mono green for some reason lol my brain just draws a blank every time I try to plan. Using this as a jumping off point will probably help me greatly (I hope, haha).

[@Shimatzu95]

When you do this for black do consider karn(the creature one) as he can make artifacts into creatures

[@jonnytansey3669]

where do i get color staple TEXT Doc, Templates??

[@johnnyd1988]

nice concept suggestion. maybe link to a text/list version of your staple list? that way we dont have to scroll through the video over and over again when assembling our staples.

[@edhdeckbuilding]

yeah but these are my staples. you're supposed to make your own list.

[@johnnyd1988]

@@edhdeckbuilding gotcha. thats fine. i understand. thanks ^^

[@cteal2018]

Another mono-green weakness: flyers? Best way to deal with? Hurricane-like spells or reach?

[@prob094]

I use the same mentality with lands in decks with green as you (can tutor for them easily with ramp spells), but I heard Matt Morgan from EDH rec say that he puts MORE lands in decks with green which was interesting. His rationale was that when you get lands out of your deck with ramp spells, you're less likely to then hit your actual land drops, which does make sense. I'm undecided on this but wondered what your thoughts on that are Demo?

[@JoseGJimenez]

Couldnt agree more. You play cultivate, Rampant growth, Sakura tribe elder etc. and all of sudden you've taken out a fraction of all your lands. Good luck casting that big 8 drop on curve.

[@prob094]

@@JoseGJimenez Yeah that makes sense, although at least with the kodama's reach and cultivates you hit another land drop for sure. Most ramp spells don't do that though. I guess it depends on if you're trying to ramp up to big spells or just ramp to get ahead early (i.e. cast your commander early). In the later case it may not matter as much if you miss land drops later, because you're already online ahead of schedule? I definitely have one deck where that is the case. Probably depends on the deck eh. I'll keep pondering this...

[@joshrobinson2409]

I dont use sakura tribe elder unless its in a graveyard sacrifice deck cause it really shines there way more by far seeing as you can recur it over and over wood fall primus is part of an infinite combo in my meren deck

[@idkjustleavemebeplease]

Ezuris predation with patient professor against elves, squirrels, and spirits. I killed everyone the next turn. Churned out like 90 something damage. All unblockable. It was wild.

[@gilligan6868]

I tend to add Pendelhaven a lot. No downside and it can help in a pinch.

[@crawdaddy1234]

So I used to put this in basically every green deck, but I ended up noticing that it was pretty rare for me to have a 1/1 while also having the option of using Pendelhaven. By the time I had the option to use the ability, I had five lords on the field, or everything had counters on them.

[@Snskch3]

Song of the dryad with something with first walk would be a clever way to make a non green player have a forest to swing in with forest walk lol

[@jonnas9365]

Great video

[@daughtervodka]

I'm curious if you've ever thought about putting Blessed Respite into your mono green decks. I've been putting it in any deck I have with green in it and it has saved me and my graveyard more times than I can count.

[@edhdeckbuilding]

i have it in my questing beast deck yes. not sure it's an auto-include for me though.

[@mr.mammuthusafricanavus8299]

Kamahl, Fist of Krosa #Classic, still my favorite mono green commander, people just don't think a mono Green deck can cause land destruction but it can and does Runner up: Ghalta, now your playing with power. It shouldn't be surprising how many high powered low cmc creatures you can pack in a deck for Ghalta Pet card: Evolutionary Escalation, very fun 2 cmc enchantment that puts 3 +1/+1 counters, on your upkeep, on a creature you control and target opponent controls. This card is great for politics since you choose where the counters go and typically in Green you have bigger creatures anyways :P

[@shawnpanzegraf5642]

I would play Terastodon over Woodfall Primus. Yes, you’re giving them 3 3/3s, but you’re taking *3* permanents as it ETBs, and it’s a 9/9 for the same CMC. (Which is really useful for the Ram Through, Bushwhack, and Khalni Ambush I play specifically for dealing with 6-6+ CMC Commanders, in addition to the more general purpose enchant-based Removal.) I don’t tend to care about giving away the Tokens, because if the game has run this long with a board stall that I’m using 8 CMC answers, I’m just biding my time until I can either Tutor up the Hoof or draw a bazillion to find my Ezuri’s Predation, or I’ve decided to end a game I can’t win in a draw with the Squall Line nuke.) Bane of Progress is an extremely powerful card, but the Mono Green decks I play tend to also employ enough artifacts and enchantments I’m too leery of the card. Like my Vorinclex, MR +1/+1 w/ a Superfriends sub-theme has Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, Great Henge, Ozilith, Exploration, Doubling Season, Branching Evolution, Song of the Dryad, Kenrith’s Transformation, and Extraplanar Lens, Commander’s Plate and Lightning Greaves, just off the top of my head. (Think I might have a Throne of Eldraine in there too for the recurring draw, because my pod’s games generally run to 10-13 turns if someone stops the first out-of-the-blue win attempt w/ a Thassa’s, Cyclonic Rift, Asymmetric Wipe combo or the first attempt to go infinite by a Rakdos or Jund deck.) My Toski and Kodama of the East Tree decks are in a similar situation. Pretty much the only one of my Mono Green decks that could run Bane of Progress without much trouble is my Power 4 Matters Goreclaw deck. Well, and my Selvala, HoW Hydra Tribal, if I ever manage to finish optimizing the thing. Edit: I want so badly to make room for Road of Return, but I feel like my only feasible cuts in my Vorinclex, MR deck would be Throne of Eldraine, Commander’s Plate, or Khalni Ambush. All cards that have served me insanely well. I suppose I could cut Squall Line, but it gives me real joy to burn down the whole game as the Thassa’s user goes for the win.) My Vorinclex and Toski decks are the only ones where I get a ton of mileage from that Commander’s Plate, and I hate to have something so expensive riding the pine.

[@Malverde888]

I’d definitely add new Boseiju to land staples. In a lower tier I’ve really been enjoying Tamiyo’s Protection as a single target Heroic Intervention for 1 mana. Also Kappa Tech-Wrecker is solid in a bunch of strategies to exile an opposing artifact or enchantment and you can get another ETB from the creature bounced to hand by Kappa’s ninjutsu.

[@edhdeckbuilding]

without question. hadn't added any kamigawa cards before i made this video though.

[@bolassnowman7429]

Whiptongue Hydra, Ram Through and Manglehorn are pretty good as well.

[@thrasherftw]

Ram through is my favorite fight/bite spell. Inscription of Abundance can also be good.

[@rolandgarcia7000]

have u ever think about "Viridian Revel" as a staple ? i like this card against treasure team

[@Turn140]

My wife first time playing last night was able to pull heroic intervention back from the graveyard with eternal witness. Goated card

[@abiggs4828]

How do you feel about Deglamer, Unravel the Aether, or Natural Obsolescence as removal? Sometimes indestructible shuts down what I can respond to in green. This is a good way to deal with Theros Gods for example. Make them fish for it again and it might not even be a relevant game piece anymore by the time they do. Or burn a tutor to kinda get back to where they were. I need to play test these a little, but I’d be interested to get your take on these. Add Liquidmetal Torque!? Shuffle away whatever you want

[@andreviljoen7157]

Unravel the Aether is also great for messing with top deck manipulation

[@Grooove_e]

Perfect, I'm in the middle of building a deck that everyone will hate: Vorinclex Monstrous Raider and yes Hall of Gemstone is in there lmao. Edit: Actually surprised that this isn't part of the template, it shuts down anyone not playing mono-color which is most commander decks

[@princepersona]

Berserk kills creatures as well. A little situational but can even turn into a two for one through some combat shenanigans.

[@hggfhh4449]

Gigantic growth. Obviously

[@guidocampostrini]

Demo what do you think about a Vernal Bloom in a mono green deck? (Enchantment 3G "Whenever a Forest is tapped for mana, its controller adds an additional {G}")

[@N1ghthavvk]

I'd actually play the Nissa above this one, it might cost 1 more upfront, but immediately untaps one Forest for a 2 mana cashback (thus only costing 3). It works even better if you already include other mana doublers. As each one gets better with the next (you can definitely play 3-4).

[@edhdeckbuilding]

it's good. helps your opponents too though.

[@cyansarts8904]

you could also use lotus petal.

[@dominikbeckmann1042]

I have Mosswort Bridge (Hideaway Land) in my mono-green Ayula deck. 10 power in total should be doable for most decks.

[@calebmclendon4989]

Hey demo could you hit mono black next? Thanks

[@Zendrig]

Sylvan library?

[@andrewpeli9019]

Oakhame Adversary, Wild Growth, and Utopia Sprawl belong on this list. Oakhame Adversary and Wild Growth are 25 cent cards that make any deck instantly better.

[@travisclark9462]

too affordable for youtubers

[@schwarzerritter5724]

Night Soil. It gets rid of creatures in the graveyards and generates you saproling tokens. Opponents can not even react to you exiling Night Soil, since exiling creatures is part of the cost, not the effect.

[@rubenterwesten9195]

i just have 2 green staples for miy decks... and that is a fog and a bind

[@obadijahparks]

I never use sol ring, or arcane signet. I always forget them.... XD

[@frionelhero]

Beast whisperer?

[@petermason7221]

Curious what your thoughts are on Skullwinder. I've been replacing Eternal Witness with it as the politics it provides has been good. Also (like Acidic Slime) the deathtouch is nice icing on top.

[@xsorrowxkingx5051]

I'm surprised Questing Beast isn't a staple for its utility as an anti-fog. While fogs aren't really common anymore, I think Questing Beast is still a solid choice for a 4/4 for 4 with some good abilities and utility. It's also great against planeswalkers. Endurance also seems to be a great option that goes unsung, as a great way to prevent mill and letting you get important cards back in your deck to re-use. New Boseiju, Krosan Grip, Force of Vigor, I think all of these, while some can be more pricey, should be staples.

[@mrpinguimninja]

Kenrith's Transformation is another way to deal with creatures in green

[@p0keDAmo0seyXD]

Newb player here - why is it beneficial to move a commander to your hand?

[@edhdeckbuilding]

so you don't have to pay commander tax. also there are commanders that you want to cast from your hand like iname as one.

[@littlevinnee]

So in a Mono green deck what is your total land count? I took it was 33 or is that just the basic green lands? I love your channel thank you for all the great content!

[@edhdeckbuilding]

33 total lands. that's it.

[@johnkillen1152]

Tamiyo's Safekeeping gives target permanent hexproof and industuctable and gain you 2 life for just a green

[@edhdeckbuilding]

yes i made this list before including neon dynasty cards. it is fantastic for sure.

[@ericr4677]

My favorite green commander is jorael

[@annoyingcontrolplayer7321]

Which one?

[@ericr4677]

@@annoyingcontrolplayer7321 empress of beast

[@IneedAHero83]

Skyshroud is STILL amazing. it's not slow by any means. Tap a sol ring for 2 untapped forests? yup.

[@hanschristopherson8056]

Kenrith’s transformation is maybe better then lignify and song of the dryads because it refunds you the card

[@jessesandburg]

HIGHLY AGREE

[@connorl0204]

Nikya of the old ways is the only green deck i have made that doesnt run a beast within for obvious reasons

[@lanef3849]

I get not wanting to include it because it’s over used but disregarding that Sol Ring is like the definition of a staple. Even if you play Collector Ouphe or something I think you would rather include the Sol Ring for when you don’t draw the artifact hate, it’s just too good. Probably Mana crypt and the like too but they’re insanely expensive so I understand that.

[@maybeisuckatlife]

People cut lands when they think they are getting flooded but the real issue with your deck is most likely not having enough draw. 34 lands isn't that offensive but I think you're probably a little short.

[@samuelwiler5654]

Kenrith’s Transformation > Song of the Dryads and Lignify

[@maxloggins2930]

Also you forgot one staple, Boseiju, Who Endures

[@zxxDarkLightxxz]

he said in another comment that he had not included Neon Kamigawa when he made this video. But I totally agree, Boseiju is crazy strong and could/should pretty much always be in a green deck I think. Really good effect to have on a land imo.

[@TheSlaughterJoker]

"I don't know how you don't put sakura-tribe elder in your green deck" - me with my ayula deck: it's not a bear grrr

[@Kuronosa]

Do you play Werebear?

[@TheSlaughterJoker]

@@Kuronosa oh course because it's a bear 🐻

[@bigd3721]

i like vastwood surge

[@superfunforce8052]

The problem with staples and commander is that deck originalty and creativity is diminishing. After required lands, ramp (mana rock, etc) auto includes, theres less and less room to make an original deck. I liked commander more when players had diverse decks with all kinds of cards never used before

[@edhdeckbuilding]

there was still plenty of staples back then though. literally everyone put coalition relic in their decks when i first started playing commander.

[@Trasgobardo]

I vote for Blue for the next one

[@MegaDK47]

I put Llanowar Elves in EVERY green deck I make, is it particularly useful, not really, do I get giddy when I draw them turn one, yes absolutely.