Gruul Challenge

by DedWards on 10 November 2016

Main Deck (60 cards)

Sideboard (0 cards)

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Deck Description

Been looking how to gain from Dubious Challenge. My first idea was to use Flickerwisp and / or Glimmerpoint Stag to flicker the better creature, if the opponent chooses it:

http://www.mtgvault.com/dedwards/decks/you-have-been-challenged/

After much deliberation, research, and a conversion with wickeddarkman, I decided to try a different approach, which is this deck here.

Not sure on the big threats, nor their numbers. Also thinning of dropping a Satyr and a Fertile Ground for two more big beasties.

How to Play

This deck is untested.

Two ways to play:

Dubious Challenge into BIG creatures.
Regain control of your creatures with Gruul Charm and / or Brooding Saurian.
Attack with BIG creatures.
...
Win?

OR

Arbor Elf and Voyaging Satyr untap lands.
Utopia Sprawl and Fertile Ground all those lands to tap for multiple amounts of mana.
Use copious amounts of mana to cast BIG creatures early.
Attack with BIG creatures.
...
Win?

Boldwyr Heavyweights - Off Dubious Challenge, if the opponent chooses it, you get to fetch a second BIG creature. If not, they get to search for something (normally much smaller) and you get an 8/8 with Trample.

Combustible Gearhulk - With the good number of high mana cards that this deck has, you either draw 3 or the chip a sizable amount of life off the opponent. Sucks to reveal this off Challenge though. Also easy enough to cast from hand.

Moldgraf Monstrosity - When this beasty dies, you get back two creatures that died previously.

Myojin of Life's Web - Drew Tentacruel? No problem, just take the Divinity counter odd Myojin. Sadly, this is another bad choice for Challenge.

Wurmcoil Engine - Can easily be cast from hand. Bad Challenge choice if you can't take it back. (Brooding Saurian or Charm)

Deck Tags

  • Modern
  • Dubious Challenge
  • Gruul
  • gr

Deck at a Glance

Social Stats

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This deck has been viewed 1,515 times.

Mana Curve

Mana Symbol Occurrence

0001832

Card Legality

  • Not Legal in Standard
  • Legal in Modern
  • Legal in Vintage
  • Legal in Legacy

Deck discussion for Gruul Challenge

The card is nice and may have the potential to make the game, maybe the meta too anyways. The Problem is and I refer to current decks, that it is way too unstable. You need to get the card back your opponent has stolen or give him something that is so terrible that you make it. Each second deck runs at least one potential counter to prevent Gruul Charm from working, Thoughtseize for hand disrupt it or simply something to let sac your fatties.

Thats why playing with Flikerwisp is currently the safest Option or paired with some Proteus Stuff to send whatever it is back into library

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Posted 10 November 2016 at 17:48

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The deck does at least have a "look", but it's clear that there is a lot of conflicts between the cards, but I think it's fixable.
I like risendeeps suggestion with spellskite/proteus staff.

I also think a fokus on moldgraf is worthy of a try, perhaps with faithless looting which can double as a searchcard now that there's no serum visions.

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Posted 10 November 2016 at 18:03

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Played a few test games against the bot on XMage last night and here are my thoughts on the big threats:

Really liking Brooding Saurian as a replacement for Flickerwisp. Down side is it's VERY valuable to removal. Up side, I can cast it before Challenge and get my creature back at the end of the turn, meaning it doesn't have to be among the Challenge's choices. Definitely taking this to 3 copies, maybe 4, despite its vulnerability to removal.

I'm iffy about Boldwyr Heavyweights. It depends heavy on the opponent not having a big threat in his deck.

I've yet to even see Moldgraf Monstrosity, so I can't comment on it.

Creatures with etb effects aren't that great to reveal off the Challenge, especially since I'm not flickering anymore.

Wurmcoil Engine's lifelink has saved me more often than not. Almost enough to take it up to 4x.

Tentacruel and Blightsteel are perfect as 1 of's. They tend to win games all on their own. Blightsteel also allows Gruul Charm's "creatures without flying can't block" option assist in winning.

If a halfway smart opponent chooses Myojin of Life's Web off Challenge, I'll never get to use its Divinity counter.



Proteus Staff does look like a good option, good enough that testing is required. This would require blue, so maybe some Sage of Sage of Epityr to see whats coming? Actually, Sage + Staff looks like a great deck of its own.

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Posted 11 November 2016 at 07:13

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You know that Brooding Saurian's ability is not removal proof? A quick Path to Exile in response to Challenge may make the game for you too

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Posted 11 November 2016 at 07:36

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Like I said, "vulnerable to removal"

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Posted 11 November 2016 at 07:47

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ever thought of Eldrazi Displacer as it costs 3 to activate its ability and is colorless so even protection creatures would go for it

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Posted 14 November 2016 at 08:08

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Displacer does require a tweak of the mana base. Filter lands like Fire-Lit Thicket or Wooded Bastion, and / or pain lands like Karplusan Forest or Brushland will need to be added to pay for the {C} Displacer needs to flicker. These are a little more difficult to search for, and I've learned that Challenge gets slightly better with each fetch used (reduces number of lands in the Top 10).

Another idea I've come across, that I'm keen to try, is See the Unwritten. This would have a similar role as Chord of Calling in Collected Company decks.

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Posted 14 November 2016 at 08:25

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New version:

http://www.mtgvault.com/dedwards/decks/the-challenge/

Revered back to flickering the creatures, but also included See the Unwritten as an extra "Challenge"effect.

Sample hands drawn on the Vault look promising. Can't wait to test on XMage.

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Posted 14 November 2016 at 10:28

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