The History of Elf Decks | MTG Deck History #9

[@mikotagayuna8494]

As a kid who grew up loving dinosaurs, the words "Allosaurus Shepherd" never fails to bring a smile to my face.

[@Crunchatize_Me_Senpai]

@@N3gativeR3FLUX Man I thought you were implying that they found an ancient shepherd that commanded dinosaurs and I was like “wWhoa”

[@jackkingsman2758]

I know he corrected himself but that was so funny to me. "Skyshroud Poacher can put an entire Elf Deck from your deck into play" That's a steal I buy nine copies!

[@NizzahonMagic]

It is pretty funny that Glimpse + the right elves really does put your entire Elf deck into play. That's what I blame that flubbed line on haha.

[@jordancourtney9142]

These videos scratches my history major itch so well and I’m glad I get to hear it with your great analysis

[@nickalasmontano1496]

Do you watch his history channel, too?

[@demilembias2527]

the first guy to win a tournament with Elves had a name that was Japanese for "Forest" which is kinda a fun coincidence

[@tomdoell811]

My elf deck had forest lands turned into elves, had lots of cheap of mana gain elves, untap/retap combos, wellwishers, heedless ones, taunting elves, I'm not listing nearly enough, but, the only card missing was coat of arms. I never had one, but it would have eliminated mass -1-1 cards from killing most of my army. Black was my major issue.

[@tomdoell811]

I would end most matches with over 120 health and a 80/80 trampler or something to that regard

[@RockOn78]

Allosaurus Shepherd is a good example of power creep.

[@alexrosario423]

I haven't played or followed magic the gathering in over 15 years, but this video was very nostalgic.

[@denissinner4625]

Trinity Green featured many top8's during Urzas Saga/Masks standard (including worlds 2000 top8). It was definitely an elf tribal deck, often featuring around 20 elves and having Priest of titania and Skyshroud Poacher as payoffs.

[@doggo_gg]

Elf Ball is what made me fall in love with MTG

[@mikejh1604]

Love this video and the series, but can you talk about pauper? Elves is so strong there

[@jacobhansen8015]

So far it seems like Vintage locks everything out that isn't blue heavy or has artifact synergy

[@demilembias2527]

it also locks anyone out who isn't able to literally take out a mortgage on a broken unfun magic deck, so it can be and mostly is pretty much disregarded as a relevant format.

[@chrisschweitzer5558]

@@demilembias2527 Fun is subjective. Any format where the cost is prohibitive is really just a spectator sport then. I would love to play legacy Elves or just experiment myself with some fun ideas but that is never going to happen.

[@MrPuzzoncello]

Loving this series! Can we get a top 10 common cards please? :D

[@brandonhiggs88]

I built a fun deathtouch elf deck with fynn fangbearer for the infectious victories

[@NunyaDamnBiz1984]

How's that going? Constructing one now.

[@tonpalacios2964]

Them early elf decks with timber watch, blanchwood armor and well wisher were so good. Fast to push out and and very aggro friendly

[@atomicsquirrel6457]

My ignorant mind heard “Imperious Perfect” and assumed it was a mistake for “Imperious Prefect.” I wonder why it’s “Perfect.”

[@NizzahonMagic]

It is a lore thing. Lorwyn Elves think everything that isn't beautiful should be destroyed, and that lord is considered "perfect" because of her symmetry/beauty/etc. Check out the flavor text.

[@BrutalDavy]

Elves in lorwyn have a hierarchy, and perfects are like the second highest

[@BrutalDavy]

Faultless. Any elf who possesses the minimum threshold of beauty and grace is granted this basic rank. Immaculate. Dignitaries, VIPs and higher-level functionaries among elves attain the rank of immaculate. Exquisite. Packmasters, who lead elvish hunting packs, and important courtiers are of the exquisite rank. They have the privilege of being able to speak directly to perfects. Perfect. The perfect (note: not "prefect") are elves so beautiful and so shrewd that they rule all other elves. There are only a few of these in the world. Perfects can kill those of low rank with impunity. From wiki for clarification.

[@atomicsquirrel6457]

@@BrutalDavy That is more information than I ever needed to know, but it is one of the great joys of being a social species when someone who really cares about something shares that with you. You rock.

[@Duskrequim]

I love Elves and have been playing them since 2000. I will say that I am still dumbfounded that Elves are currently not dominating or at least competing in standard. My current Standard Elf deck usually comes in 2nd or 3rd at my local LGS, and is very consistent. In Arena I easily get to Mythic with the deck. I just never see it in Tournaments and thats just sad as it can handle most decks.

[@guilhermeribeiro402]

That is good signal that we are not meta slaves in MTG.

[@darkma1ice]

@@guilhermeribeiro402 BWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAH

[@dakotapeterson9777]

I always love listening to your videos and enjoy the content thanks for all the hard work

[@NizzahonMagic]

I appreciate that!

[@vinnythewebsurfer]

Allosaurus Shepard is an absurd freaking card. I’d get it if it only made elves uncounted-able but nope, they let it protect any and all green spells because elves were REALLY suffering somehow.

[@danrichards9516]

I think you missed one, the turbo elf deck that used Verdant Force, Type II early 2000s, it placed if memory serves, can’t check as all the wotc pages on old top 8s seem to be unavailable.

[@Sentient.A.I.]

Shoulda thrown some of those recent historic elf decks out there with marwyn the nurturer etc

[@jorallan]

I don't fundamentally disagree, but has an Elf deck Top 8'd a historic tournament yet? I think at best they were a Tier 1.5-ish deck, and definitely a bit lower than that since the arrival of the Mystical Archive...

[@MyDj56]

Wasn't there a Golgari Snow Elf deck that came out in Kaldheim that was moderately successful? Or is there not enough elves to count?

[@darksteel913]

It exists. But successful if a bit of a stretch. Hard to be successful while eldraine has a chokehold on standard still.

[@MyDj56]

@@darksteel913 Fair enough, just means we may be getting an update in 2 years

[@shinagami7]

@Eros The Almighty Depends what your after if it's strictly Elves simple answer "No" That being said there are several reprints of old cards "Elvish Warmaster" somewhat replacing Elvish Champion, Canopy Tactician acting as a replacement kinda for Elvish Archdruid there's a Humand Legend that gives poison counters to Green creatures and that's not touching on the "snow" mechanics...Anyone can look up Mythic poiler and see better synergies but I'm more interested in Commander play.

[@darksteel913]

@@MyDj56 Based on what it took to put elves on the map and how they design them now I wouldn't hold my breath on a standard Elves deck breaking out again. The modern list may see some minor updates and there is a very small chance a pioneer version breaks through. But outside of tier 3 options I dont see this happening unfortunately.

[@Tzunamii777]

Turn 2 Natural Order into Progenitus is always a favorite.

[@rfs8194]

If you make a large enough pile of tribal synergies, it collapses into a combo deck!

[@NizzahonMagic]

Sort of true, but Glimpse of Nature is not technically a tribal synergy and is pretty much the heart of the deck in many formats.

[@stefanoriva9767]

Thanks for the video, I would have liked a quick note on the current elf deck in historic! Ps I'm a goblins player, I hate elves, I like to destroy them with gobbos or angels!

[@Prof.Chaosbjj1]

A history about jund will be awesome 👌 👏 😎 🙌 😀 👍

[@SmugLookingBarrel]

Love these videos, they're so insightful.

[@oORoOFLOo]

7:20 your typo wasnt a complete typo, as you can pax X=0 and turn the insects into elves, which is really cool and incredibly abuseable combo lmao.

[@BrunoBarcelosAlves]

I don't see how.

[@johngleeman8347]

When will Nizzahon cover the long and storied history of kobold decks? XD

[@hoizofa1]

Great content, thx!

[@golgariguy]

I started playing during Onslaught block and my first deck was an Elf deck. Good times!

[@blabik]

Wellwisher FTW yo!

[@fatpad00]

Shame Dana Fischer didn't get a shout out. I can't thing of elves in competitive play without immediately thinking of her too. An amazing feat given that she is only a year older than the Modern format.

[@albertgauche9271]

Great topic!!!

[@tomatus270389]

Wait, not elf and nail?

[@85mcarnold]

Some important Elf decks in the Prehistory: CradleRun was a deck that saw some play in 1999-2001. It had all the mana generating elves plus either Llanowar Sentinel or Deranged Hermit to go wide before a game winning Overrun or Coat of Arms. The deck had decent game versus the dominating Trix because of cards like Elvish Lyrist and Winter Orb. In 2004, Elf and Nail was a strong deck that put up 2 top 8s at USA Nationals. The deck made good use of Skullclamp with dorky Elves, had Symbiote + Viridian Acolyte to destroy all the Affinity decks, and ramped up to Tooth and Nail for the win. With the banning of Skullclamp this deck was never able to put up a top 8 in the highest events.

[@Дэйвид23]

can i get a decklist for this cradlerun deck? been out of magic since 97 and was interested on decks after i left but not TOO modern. as i want to experience all i did not then work up to modern.

[@85mcarnold]

@@Дэйвид23 from memory: 4 Llanowar Elves 4 Fyndhorn Elves 4 Quirion Ranger 4 Priest of Titania 4 Llanowar Sentinel 4 Overrun 4 Coat of Arms 4 Winter Orb 4 Tangle Wire 3 Elvish Lyrist 3 Deranged Hermit 4 Gaea’s Cradle 14 Forest

[@exorphitus]

I... was surprised Elfball decks weren't even mentioned. I'm guessing they weren't actually viable and so didn't get talked about?

[@NizzahonMagic]

I mean, the Extended and Legacy Elf decks with Glimpse of Nature are basically "elf ball," that just isn't what it was called outside of EDH.

[@chrisoliver3642]

I'm surprised to learn that Elves have no presence in the current Standard format. The deck may not have any big combo pieces to go off with, but it amasses a big army in just a few turns.

[@dif4797]

They have presence in Standard just not in the highest levels

[@jorallan]

Kaldheim is the only set in Standard which really had elf synergies and they were pretty "meh". I was definitely a playable deck in Historic until Mystical Archive came along though.

[@nebelung1]

Return to Lorwyn when? :D I want more elf cards heh

[@NizzahonMagic]

We get elves in virtually every set, so you don't have to wait for Lorwyn haha

[@nebelung1]

@@NizzahonMagic True hehehe but I just liked the theme of Lorwyn a lot it was about the time I played mtg the most, I have since quit playing but a new Lorwyn block would probably pull me back haha :D Thanks for your reply!

[@chrisschweitzer5558]

@@nebelung1 Lorwyn was their first attempt at a fairy-tale plane but now that Eldraine exists it's unlikely we will ever go back to Lorwyn.

[@noahr4951]

I would bet a modern elf deck is not far away.

[@taylorolson6228]

love the videos, please stop asking me to share them tho

[@NizzahonMagic]

But will you share it?

[@ZMshout]

have you thought about sharing it?

[@QuayDawgg]

DO MERFOLK!!!

[@Lutalmas]

No Pauper Elves make me sad :(

[@DiabloTommaso]

No pauper makes me sad

[@rfs8194]

Same, but I can see how it would be difficult if you have just MTGO leagues and challenges to go on, and no big tournaments.

[@liadyosha8433]

Apart from all of those, elves are considered the strongest tribe in edh.

[@dif4797]

Stronger than Slivers or Goblins?

[@liadyosha8433]

@Dif 47 In my opinion, yessssssssss Goblins only have one good commander (krenko, mob boss) and slivers are just not that good or too expansive

[@dif4797]

@@liadyosha8433 Ok, in my opinion it’s a tie between those 3 because Zada and Krenko are just insanely strong and my friend has a sliver Legion Deck that always destroys us. But yeah, Elves are crazy too, my favorite Elv commander is Marvin with some nice combos.

[@michaelmodena1960]

No pauper elves?

[@NizzahonMagic]

Nope, I only cover premiere formats in this series.

[@yamael14]

Why would elves produce insects...

[@assault410]

That can't be countered card should never have been printed and I don't even play blue a lot

[@sshim950]

: )

[@flobo23]

Memberberries

[@pauljimerson8218]

Memba

[@flobo23]

@@pauljimerson8218 dont u member?

[@andrewengland9177]

You missed several old cards that were great for elf’s. This is a horrible history

[@NizzahonMagic]

lawl okay

[@LoveStrangeDr]

Third

[@ryanharris738]

With all the new renamings, do you think there will be a phyrexian tribal?