gilman

Not unless they happened to guess (or know from past experience, or got to see his hand) to choose shared fate with memoricide. Haunting echoes would actually help him. He want's the rats removed asap. That's the whole point.

I don't have any suggestions for what cards to use (I'm half asleep at the moment) but if you change anything, make getting shared fate in-hand when needed more reliable (tutors or more draw or something). If you change anything. I like it as is.

Definitely the most creative use of relentless rats I've seen!

I don't even mulligan for no land with this deck. Spirit Guide+either BoP or Heirarch is enough to get it going. And Land Grant is as good as a fetch-land when the odds of having a land-in-hand are so low. As low as the deck's average ccm is, that's plenty. I've beaten people to death with a single pumped BoP more often than I've had mana trouble with this. If anything I'm considering removing/SBing the walls for more pump.

I've been considering doing a splashed version (I've personally never seen one done before, but I'm certain it's been done), and red would be easy to splash here, especially now that there's a simian spirit guide (remember that land grant does not say "basic", just "forest"). I just don't think a ping-2 once a turn with Zo-Zu would add anything much - the idea of this kind of deck is to very rapidly ramp up to some serious damage without giving your opponent time to catch his balance; you don't want him alive long enough for Zo-Zu to matter. Plus, forest+BoP+quirion ranger is an important secondary mana-ramp here; I don't have many lands, but I still play them often enough to hurt myself with Zo-Zu.

Anyway - I tend to talk (or type) longer than needed, making people think I'm trying to lecture. Short version is: I don't have land trouble. Splashing is actually pretty easy here (and sounds fun!), but Zo-Zu isn't the best choice. Sorry if I rambled too long!

Rule of Law as an answer to counterspells doesn't work - you play an enchantment, he plays a counterspell, now you both can't play any more spells this turn. If anything it helps him. But I see you already removed it, so I guess the point is moot.

Glad I could help!

I know ... I was just thinking about "back in the day" when I played a peasant 7 land beats and figured I'd throw one together again (obviously, I didn't stay peasant with this one).

Good point. Bloom would be overkill and the draw could be vital. Genesis wave could be pretty sick!

Awesome! I love this deck.

BTW - He doesn't need serum powder - he stated in the comments the deck was built for casual play in a group that allows free no-land mulligans. If not for that though, definitely recommended.

Yeah, I like this one much better. Not only is it legal, it seems to run more consistently (based on sample hands). Deck filtration is a must in this kind of deck!

I know the arguement has already been had, but four fastbond is totally illegal. You can make the deck work without it. Run at least 3 exploration instead of the extra fastbond. More land-fetching to get the lands into play faster and filter the deck (I like harrow and/or cultivate). Replace some forests for more fetch-lands. Summer bloom if your lands still aren't piling up fast enough. If you need the summer bloom just replace the explore, otherwise, replace explore with harrow/cultivate or scute mob, or at least sakura-tribe elder. You can lose the asceticism and two lands for harrow/cultivate. If you can work in scute mobs, they'll go really well in this deck, too. Personally, I would lose three more land and one liege for this. That still leaves you 35 lands, with eight fetch-lands thats 27 forests. How many 8/8's do you need to kill a guy? I'd still take out three more for harrow/cultivate again if you haven't already added both, and another land for either a fourth green suns's zenith or a tooth and nail (with entwine, it would cost as much mana as zenithing a liege). That gives you 8 recurring ways to play extra land, four instant ways, and 7 spells that fetch two lands each out of the deck, and will be much less dependant on a difficult-to-draw combo that is illegal anyway.

Really nice deck! Only thing is it isn't Tribal legal - you need at least 1/3 of the deck to share a creature type (24 cards in a 70 card deck). So what - don't play it as Tribal! Looks like fun!

I like the idea of an insect tribal deck - but I can't get over the mana curve on it. Definitely Urza's Incubator could help with that. Really I don't know what to suggest that someone hasn't already.

I believe skullclamp is banned in Legacy though (hence also in Tribal) - http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Resources.aspx?x=magic/rules/tribal

I really like this deck!

Personally, I would splash green and mainboard a few enchantress's presence and sterling grove, with aura shards on the SB, and not run rule of law. With serra's sanctum that could be pretty sick in this deck. Unless you are looking to stay mono for flavour.

Regardless, unless you are looking for the cycling, story circle would save you a lot of room in your SB. You also might consider moat.

Cool deck, though!

I like the flavor of this deck, being mono instead of BU (too easy to build a BU mill these days). Looks like a lot of fun to play! I do have perhaps too many suggestions (and a tendancy to be long-winded) though:

I agree, Hedron Crab belongs in this deck. Jace is a no-brainer, but I don't know that I'd drop that kind of money unless I wanted the deck to be really competetive, and it sounds like you're just looking for a fun play. I would also consider traumatize.

As to the extra copies, I guess in casual play if it's okay with your GF - but really it is illegal to have more than 4 copies of anything (other than basic lands and relentless rats).

You don't have enough artifacts to be sure of using the Silcaws metalcraft. So you either need more artifacts, or drop the Silcaw for something more effective. I suggest more artifacts, as I like the flavor of it and it's easy for you to do. Four each Seat of the Synod and Darksteel Citadel (in a mono-colour deck like this you can afford four colourless-mana lands) should do it. I would personally also use a Grindstone, though they run a touch expensive and this is just a casual deck.

Grinding Station + Myr Servitor is also fun, and inexpensive, so you might consider that in a casual just-for-fun deck, too. Rootwater Diver in the sideboard, in case you can't keep a Servitor in play.

The only Ally you are playing is the Excavator. So more likely than not (especially against burn, especially if you only play the legal four copies) you will only be getting one card milled, then the 1/3 becomes essentially useless to you except as a small blocker. You can add some Jwari Shapeshifter instead of the illegal extra copies, and one or two Sea Gate Loremaster instead of some Merfolk Looters. This way you keep the flavor, but play legal and a tad more effectively.

The only arcane spell you are playing is Dampen Thought, so unless you have two or more in your hand, not efficient. I would drop them for Brain Freeze - it's one less mill per hit, but you are more likely to get multiple hits with the storm than with the splice.

Jace's Erasure would play better with Brainstorm than Obsessive Search (plus Brainstorm is better anyway unless you are facing a lot of discard).

The Mnemonic Nexus is counter-productive as I see it, as you are un-milling your opponent. If you are trying to prevent recycling from the graveyard, remove the graveyard. Consider Tormod's Crypt or Relic of Progenitas. If you are trying to recycle your own cards, Call to Mind.

If you are specifically building this against your GF's burn deck and want to piss her off, might I also suggest, at least on the sideboard: Douse, Blue Elemental Blast, Flash Flood, Chill, or some combination thereof?

You obviously can't take all of those suggestions (you'd have a completely different deck if you did!) but hopefully some of that is helpful. Looks like a fun deck, overall.