Elven Empire Precon: $50 Budget Upgrade | Kaldheim Elf Tribal Precon Power-Up

We are upgrading the Elven Empire elf tribal precon with only $50, and it's getting a HUGE upgrade!
Use our Tcgplayer affiliate link to buy cards! (The decklist links work, too!):
bit.ly/NitpickingNerdsTCG
Link to our upgraded decklist:
bit.ly/ElvenEmpireUPGRADED
Link to ONLY the cards we added to the precon:
bit.ly/ElvenEmpireAdds
The Nitpicking Nerds Discord is OPEN!
/ discord
Consider Supporting us via Patreon!
www.patreon.com/user?u=15711695
Check out our Nitpicking Nerds MERCH and show your support:
streamlabs.com/nitpicking_ner...
Check Joe Cherries out LIVE on Twitch Weekdays 10-4 EST:
/ nitpicking_nerds
You can digitally tip us here:
www.buymeacoffee.com/9CWGBPu
Follow us on Twitter:
Twitter.com/NitpickingNerds
Welcome to an elf tribal Precon Power-Up, where we take a look at the deck headed by Lathril, Blade of the Elves. We're going to be flooding the board with elves and gaining advantage when we cast more or when they die. Let us know if you enjoyed!

[@BM-rd4ms]

Marwyn the nurturer also goes infinite with the staff. She also cares about elves coming in. I love her!

[@crawdaddy2004]

Just remember that Arbor Elf can untap the Forest that is enchanted with Elvish Guidance.

[@NitpickingNerds]

Heck yeah he can

[@sammyandhammy1]

Fairly new to playing magic. My bf got into it in oct 2020 and made me learn so I can play with him haha. I bought this pre con, played it and won the other night, and saw the potential and can see myself beating him again against his sliver blade deck with these new additions haha. Thank you so much!

[@stopmotionstupidity2440]

NPN: Everything should be an elf! Also NPN: So the first card we'll be adding is an insect, not an elf.

[@AimbotBrandon]

Just wanna say I've loved channel since I started Magic, but lately you guys have really stepped it up

[@NitpickingNerds]

Aw thanks so much! We're always improving

[@_GandalfTheGrey_]

Wow I bought this deck as my first ever deck and this is so helpful! All the other videos on how to upgrade a specific deck never go into detail about what to get rid of!

[@morgansheppard6646]

The Elvish Warmaster triggers on token elves as well guys

[@kaynewalker1797]

Coming back to Magic after many years. I just learned so much from this video.

[@chrisgroulx6071]

Love the Deck Techs. “Everything should be an elf” Perfect explanation of improvements. Good choices for the deck. A nice upgrade for the deck is also: Wirewood Lodge (Land) pay G tap: Untap target Elf. Or it taps for colorless.

[@NitpickingNerds]

YES that card is great with Lathril. Also Seedborn Muse goes right into the nonbudget version

[@Ray-ws6rk]

Love this deck, awesome video guys!! You’ve become a daily watch for me, so entertaining

[@NitpickingNerds]

S Tier what an honor!

[@insane18181818]

Super high value content! Keep it up!!!

[@danmccarthy7038]

Felt the need to pick this up when I pulled Tyvar, definitely appreciate the advice on this video!

[@ozmond]

Thank you this is the best video about this deck I’ve seen.

[@johnsynesael6918]

Beezy: "Elvishly Possible...." Me: 'Slow clap' "Well done sir... "

[@NitpickingNerds]

YES I knew that joke was comedy material

[@ramensobatv]

Could you also post the non budget version?

[@NitpickingNerds]

We didn't actually build a nonbudget version, this exercise was all about adding $50 to the $20 precon, sorry!

[@kristennorth3268]

Thank you!! That original Llanowar Elves is so ugly and I get grief for thinking so.

[@NitpickingNerds]

So do we lol

[@EJsGameplay]

I used to think that for some reason it was showing a vivisection of it's head.

[@kristennorth3268]

@scorpious1109 I still do.

[@vboon5754]

Ordered all of the upgrades. I think this will be a superfast deck. I just hope my hand doesn't run out of cards. Love the content you guys make.

[@NitpickingNerds]

This deck has a pretty good card-drawing suite, so I actually think you won't have trouble at all. And yeah this seems like the fastest precon deck we've ever built 😄

[@vboon5754]

@@NitpickingNerds played with the upgraded deck today and you two nailed it. I had loads of elfs on the Battlefield, played shaman of the pack and then tapped Lathril and her 10 elfs. The carddraw looks good indeed. 👍

[@FolloweroftheBlind]

Giving elvish guidance some love very glad to see it!

[@NitpickingNerds]

That card is super good!

[@FolloweroftheBlind]

@@NitpickingNerds ever since I’ve played edh It’s always been in elves. The upgrades you all stated are great. Best part about building elves the tribal synergy stuff for the most part is affordable so it’s pretty easy to get someone started in edh with this and another $50-100

[@lorcanawithluke]

Ayyy thx for including non-budget stuff for me!! Way to go Nerds

[@NitpickingNerds]

We're improving XD

[@elipetrou9308]

Hail, Timmy

[@bhopperfield]

Brilliant, great content fellas!

[@NitpickingNerds]

Thank you!

[@LTJ]

Heresy! The Alpha Llanowar Elves art is some of the best art in the whole of Magic! Anyway, you can can get the Revised edition with the same art for a damn site less than £300. I know, I've got loads 😁

[@peadrianlastname]

@James Black it sure is. It also gets 10000 nostalgia points though.

[@Winterhe4rt]

"Temple of M'Lady"!? golden! xD

[@Hashbrown1682]

Tapping priest of titania when there's another elf player is hilarious cuz she taps for mana equal to all elves on the board

[@mtgsus]

With a quadrillion mana (officially you have too pick a number for infinite), staff of domination can also untap all elves you tapped for lathrill, so it becomes an instant speed win.

[@Jakerunio]

Cultivator of blades is actually an amazing card, just not in the decks you are probably thinking about it for. It is fantastic in Ezuri, Claw of Progress.

[@samuelreese1816]

Also good synergy with the jar you pulled with the underworld lich. The jar keeps people from using your elves against you

[@elizacogen711]

can't leave these elves on the shelf!

[@NitpickingNerds]

Never!

[@arterial_alchemy]

You guys are awesome. Love the vid!

[@NitpickingNerds]

Thank you so much

[@DuelingCharisma]

I LOVE the Boneman reference!!!

[@samuraib0b]

Shots fired ! “TCG Mint”

[@BardePhilippe.P76]

alpha status+immaculate magistrate+ cartouche of strenght on lathril =GG

[@WinStrong85]

Non-budget deck upgrade ideas would be a great series as well.

[@ZombiMuff]

Underrealm Lich is soo good! I am seriously thinking of buying another one so I don’t have to take it out of my Kathril deck.

[@oliviersoable]

Elven party is awesome! Such a good improvement to the planewalker decks. Just play poison-tip archer and you are one boardwipe away to win the game. Skemfar shadowsage is a good top end at 4.

[@PawzBrownMTG]

Love me some elves great video

[@BIGFRANKOL75]

14:35 You're off on the Elvish Warmaster. It s whenever another Elf enters make an elf token regardless if the Elf entering is a token itself. But you can only do it once each turn. Need to find a way to play elves on all of your opponents turns to make this work best.

[@loganmorano1992]

Love the video! I know it would take more time but could yall play the deck and show combos with the new cards.

[@prashrad2382]

Gilt leaf palace is a great include too for lands, it's essentially a bayou in this deck

[@prettyrellos3502]

yeah prolly didnt get added because budget, the thing is like 15 non foil now

[@leadbone1]

I am the egg man. They are the egg men. I am the Walrus. 2/2 for two!

[@tjsh11]

thank you for this video

[@17joren]

Thanks for making a helpful video centered around budget! Being new to the game, I could have used a little more explanation on some of the cuts though, besides just that it’s bad and you’re not interested. I mean I paid more than the online price for this precon at a LGS so that’s on me, but it seems extreme to cut almost half of the deck. Please give a little more explanation on these if you can: •Eyeblight Cullers - At the end of the video you proposed new cards that bring the graveyard cards back into play; it seems *some* milling from EC would service that strat. Just for elves that died from battle? •Casualties of War - Is it the mana cost? After playing an opponent with some bs blue mana artifact cheese, I appreciate more options to derail that. •Return Upon the Tide - Yeah tokens are candy in this deck, but is the cost not worth it for pricy creature that die too early? •Slurry of buff and debuff token cards like Timberwatch Elf: It doesn’t give trample, menace, or haste like the chonky monsters, but why add more non-elves when this can beef up Lethril or Rhys instead. End-Raze Forerunners will give them trample.

[@soullessslacker]

I put Wound Reflection in my deck also. :) can wait for this deck to come out.

[@NitpickingNerds]

A solid include

[@prettyrellos3502]

Lathril+Seedborn muse!

[@dylanvolckaert404]

How is Poison the cup awful? You're meant to foretell it. You're going to cast it anyways during an opponent's turn. It turns into a 2 mana single target removal which scries for two...

[@thumbwrestler12]

Awsome video

[@beanybag679]

Nice one. I was not into elves before, but your video makes me think to try some elvish decks.🤔

[@NitpickingNerds]

Wow thanks, that's pretty cool to hear!

[@elipetrou9308]

Just opened my 2 pre releases and got lucky. Promo niko aris, a couple of the pathways in showcase, a showcase mythic with another one, and tibalts trickery. Good stuff.

[@Deebofreebo]

Yea. A foil b/g full art pathway and Full art Tyvar with a Stamped Tegrid are all kinda hinting to drop into this deck somehow. Guess I’m building this before Ranar after all.

[@SimonLewis_photography]

surprised you didnt include wound reflection. Thats won me a couple of games already on spelltable in my lathril deck

[@ethanbiron]

Seedborne Muse and Throne of the God-pharaoh are insane includes too. With 10 elves and seedborne they have 1 rotation of the table to answer your board.

[@NitpickingNerds]

Both very cool cards

[@traine4126]

When i upgraded the deck i had around 8 less elves but the cards i put in are all token doublers and untap cards to make as much mana and token elves as possible to potentially either use lathrils ability 4 times in 1 turn or to genesis wave the entire deck onto the field. It is slightly more spell heavy and I do play around swapping elves but i like the tap lathril play style as a back up when going up against decks who can board wipe over and over

[@Thekapo8]

I have a Slimefoot Commander Deck. I need this kind of video but instead of elves, of saprolings... I mean, imagine how convenient it would be that you guys made a video about that!

[@NitpickingNerds]

The closest we've come to that is probably our Grismold Tune-Up from way back

[@Thekapo8]

@@NitpickingNerds I tried to convince you guys to make a video about saprolings, and it worked so well you already made one! (Very very similar, but still!). Both this and the one you mentioned are amazing videos. Cheers from Argentina!

[@NitpickingNerds]

@@Thekapo8 hey thanks, glad we could be of help!

[@nicholasbower17]

I have been running a Teysa Scion of Urza deck for a while and been bored of it, intend to pick this up as a toolbox to gut and run Belbe as Commander. Elftocrats sounds fun.

[@_GandalfTheGrey_]

I added these additions to my cart on tcg player and the total shipping cost was over $20 which is nearly 50% of the cost of all the additions! That’s nuts 🥜

[@Hieroglyphics87]

other combos/infinites I can see going in. nath the gilt leaf + sadistic hypnotist = lots of tokens really fast argothian elder + wirewood lodge + multi mana land ( cradle, nykthos, elvish guidance, growing rights of itlimoc land) or maze of ith = infinite mana. seeker of skybreak + quiron ranger to abuse untaps if you don't got staff. and with all the multi mana dorks for elves you gotta play umbral mantle and sword of panarus to go infinite to use on staff, genesis wave, torment of hail fire, and such, and all the untap cards abuse the commander. can also use rings of brighthearth + deserted temple + multi mana land to go infinite.

[@mariarosabuffoni8201]

Great job guys!! It's worth adding the llanowar mentor for you? 🤔 Greetings from italy😊🇮🇹

[@YOURMOM230]

Beginners guide: buy ad Nas, and (tutor for if needed using nice black tutors) cast ad nasium for a nice critical mass of elf lords... attack with the commander to make more elves..... tap your elves using the ability to just win the game. Add elves that make more elf tokens, efficient low cost removal. And ways to untap your elves.

[@PeterBeijl]

Nice video, like always. What is your view on Copperhorn Scout? Too vulnerable?

[@filippocacciotto3890]

I actually think that even a single swing could be game changing with certain board states, even if he dies during the attack. If they remove it, well.. They used a removal on a little elf rather than on possibly scarier creatures :P I like it!

[@kunkas1]

Harvest season can be too good to cut

[@andrewnim]

Nurma works so well in this deck cause u can give ur commander like 20 +1s and swing to get 20 more elves

[@vkempes]

What do you guys think about a combo with Vito and those million elves...that would be fun. Especially using the commander's ability. Great video btw! (Big fan from Brazil)

[@shawnpanzegraf5642]

Voice of the Woods is a 2G 3C 3/3 that Taps 5 Elves to produce a 7/7 Trample Elemental Token. Add a Parallel Lives, and that’s *2* 7/7 Tramplers per 5 1/1 Elf Warriors Tokens Tapped. (The Parallel Lives will also double the number of Elf Warrior Tokens that Lathril is generating.) I’ve had a fourth turn (No Mana Rocks or Non-Basic-provided extra mana beyond what a regular 4 basic land droos could provide), where I pumped out six 7/7s while still holding most of my opening hand’s potential.

[@kristennorth3268]

Joe makes some great threatening faces.

[@NitpickingNerds]

Yes he's very terrifying 😂

[@krakenhunters9754]

I'm surprised you gentlemen didn't mention door of destinies. I thought it would have been a great include with the amount of elves you'll have in the deck.

[@thestrugglingchef30]

Soooooo quest for renewal can get you that tap lathril on each players turn for the win, and it's not too expensive

[@samuelreese1816]

Yeah, maybe I love artifacts too much, but I would have added keening stone and staff of nin

[@tleam88]

I actually never bought this deck. Since my first precon I got was the monogreen Planeswalker one (Freyalise), I merely got the singles from this precon and Kaldheim and went crazy. I kept Freyalise in this deck as well as slipped in Tyvar. Wirewood Symbiote would be fun with Harald, King of Skemfar specifically to abuse the ETB of Harald and making sure that bricks don't happen.

[@Fausto_4841]

Klothys's Design is budget Craterhoof Behemoth, but you can't tutor for it with your creature tutors like Fierce Empath.

[@TopLevelJiuJitsu]

Also... didn't mean for my previous comment to come off too negative. Loved the idea on the aristocratic angle. Sadistic Hypnotist is not something I would have thought about.

[@paizleyramsey1776]

I think I'm as excited as Beezy about warping Lathrils last ability. What do you guys think of Benefactors Draught. It untaps ALL creatures but that won't bother us because it synergizes with the 10 damage ability. Dome the table for 20 for a 2 mana instant. Or if you're in need of card draw you could: first main phase, tap Lathril and ten elves deal ten damage, play this, then go to combat instead of repeating the 10 damage effect and likely get a few elves blocked during combat to draw some cards (if it's later game probably) plus the art is on theme! Also I don't know if Quest for Renewal was mentioned but I think it could be some spicy tech

[@NitpickingNerds]

Draught is perfect for this deck but it recently spiked to out of budget range!

[@paizleyramsey1776]

@@NitpickingNerds Oh yeah nvm. Yup, I totally spaced the budget. In that case I think it would be REALLY interesting if you guys did either a one-off or even a recurring segment where you each pick one of your personal favorite commanders and then do a crazy unlimited "dream budget build" deck tech OR maybe even do a community/subscriber vote on which deck they'd like to see totally pimped and optimized. Maybe not so much cEDH but tuned for top end casual.. Not sure if you guys have already done that, but i think it could be fun! Anyway great video again guys. You're my #1 source for edh content!

[@NitpickingNerds]

Thanks so much! Btw I wasn't trying to be dismissive on the Draught, because it seems 100% to make pretty much any nonbudget version of this deck since it's that good. Was just lamenting the fact that I COULDNT put it in here 😂

[@alexespinoza9175]

I think I missed it.. how many elves are In the deck?! Great video!

[@mastershake42019]

I've never used the Lathril tap 10 ability in like 30 games of playing him. If theyblet you have over 10 elfs then I'm usually already killing everyone

[@gabiballetje]

Working on a Golgari Bloodbond March deck, not EDH, so 4 of every creature, Roots of Wisdom might work, but you should still look for an Elf that does something similar instead. IOn such a deck i don't mind to draw X cards, pick 1 or a few, and dump the rest in the graveyard, because that will work with more card draw and Bloodbond March. Abomination of Llanowar is great in that deck, even though you can only keep one of the battlefield and it doesn't have a trigger ability for it, it's gonna do well. If you can scrap the Legendary rule, that would be even better.

[@facelessgames94]

If I only i didn't already have a Marwyn deck that steam rolls my playgroup

[@Cudcudcudcudcuscuski]

Just wait till I untap bro

[@NitpickingNerds]

It's gonna be EPIC

[@tedmoreland6832]

Bolas's Citadel would be a great alternative to Underrealm Lich. Slightly cheaper and great synergy.

[@plain6677]

Yes definitely this card should be included, as we have few lands and very few high cmc cards.

[@NitpickingNerds]

That's a good point, Citadel is complete nonsense and works as basically a second Lathril. I am honestly surprised it's only $5, but only cut my boi Lich if you HAVE to 😂

[@tedmoreland6832]

@@NitpickingNerds I worked both into my personal list, always happy when either hit the table

[@TCG9777]

will we see gameplay?

[@benmills4358]

Sword of Paruns + Priestess of Titania = game. Or quiron ranger+elvish pioneer+Timor Sabertooth

[@NitpickingNerds]

Yep we have Staff of Domination as our combo engine of choice :P

[@archonambroseus]

I recommend straight up cutting Golgari Guildgate, Jungle Hollow, Golgari Rot Farm, and Foul Orchard for basic lands. Having so many tapped lands kills tempo dead, and we've got plenty of fixing for when we need second black or third green.

[@Eclipse8502]

Wow Ezuri got expensive quickly

[@landphil7535]

culitvator of blades is the poor human's wild beastmaster. edit: I have an old 75% win Standard legal Blue/Green humans deck that wins with champion of lambholt and wild beastmaster. People never think I'll win after I tell them it's 75%. It was standard legal during OG Innistrad.

[@johnlemus7921]

I'm seriously debating whether or not I should add my Vorinclex Monstrous Raider into Lathril.

[@yumyumeatemup]

Notification squad roll out!

[@NitpickingNerds]

Nailed it!

[@avengercannon]

I'm a little confused some of the changes you make, removing cards that milk you and the abomination but then adding in cards that mill you and a card that seafood battlefield and graveyard. The abomination would be great with more elves being played.

[@LivingPeople12]

Is Imperious Perfect really worse than Glowspore Shaman? I feel like the Perfect, being a lord and a token maker, would be more reliable than the fringe "can die to Skullclamp" scenario of the Shaman. I mean, your deck seems pretty lit for that budget and I will definetly take inspiration from you for my own deck - it just struck me as odd.

[@NitpickingNerds]

Hi joe here lol I disagree with Beezy inclusion of glowspore shaman

[@tatz717]

I don't know, seems to me that there's a pretty decent minor focus in this deck on self mill/graveyard. Underrealm Lich, Golgari Findbroker, Living Death, etc. Even Ashnod's Altar, Skullclamp, and Sadistic Hypnotist, which ideally would sac a token, could be used to dump stuff in the yard. I added more reanimation support to roll with those cards. Can't wait to see how it plays.

[@dr.lemonade242]

It's not budget, but if you target Lathril with [[Hatred]], you can one-shot an opponent with commander damage and create a butt-ton of elves.

[@NitpickingNerds]

Then if you untap her, you can kill everyone else with the drain :P

[@alfredorivera5764]

I personally love the Eyeblight massacre amd the Lus Alana Scarblade, but I can understand why you took it out. But why the Imperious Perfect and the Dwyn? They're lords with nice abilities.

[@jeffgravel5220]

I have “Cryptolith Rite,” “Emerald Medallion” and “Demonic Tutor” would those be good additions to this deck?

[@jarrodwalker3395]

Magewright's stone? Yay or nay...I'm lost cause it is one of the last cards I got that cut

[@orocamion]

Surprised you didn't mention Wirewood Lodge and Gilt-Leaf Palace in land upgrade

[@NitpickingNerds]

They're both slam-dunks for the deck but we omitted them since we only had a $50 budget for this particular upgrade

[@Hotsaucymonkey]

"Sample the nerds"

[@Dustinisnotavailable]

Grave Pact could be good here, if it wouldn't break the bank.

[@bcarraway1]

The reason you leave the Llanawar Abomination in is because elves will die in droves, and it doesn't care. Granted, unless it's the commander, it will get Murdered turn one.

[@nonewmsgs]

do you have the list of removed cards too please? sincerely, a patreon

[@marksoto5423]

You guys should do a Yawgmoth, Thran Physician deck tech pwease!!!

[@NitpickingNerds]

We did one last year actually

[@marksoto5423]

Time to venture back!!

[@psychozen7169]

I want eldrazi monument.as add.

[@ricklordon3248]

Triumph of the hoard? How often would it be good?

[@sergiotamezvilla4756]

Aluren? Cloudstone curio? Génesis wave? Umbral mangle?

[@velkejkoren]

Why does one not see Elvish guidance very often? Though not expensive, it has one printing and it is very hard to get.

[@Starfox801]

Would it be to m3ych to read off the cards your talking about eapessially the new ones?

[@NitpickingNerds]

We read card that are in the deck but usually not cards we cut

[@CHAREDot9]

It is worth noting gnarlroot trapper mana can only cast elf spells

[@NitpickingNerds]

Not if we forget! 😂

[@plain6677]

Hey nerds, do you think Pyre of Heroes could be included in this deck? I think this card is crazy good in an elf deck with some ETB. I’m also adding Warrior’s payoff like Mindblade render.

[@NitpickingNerds]

It’s nit a bad card and perhaps it is better than we were thinking