Rocking the Rock

The FNM at Home event for May 22, 2020 is Historic Artisan, which limits your card pool to any common, uncommon, and basic land from all of Arena (plus a short banned list.)

As I mention on the “About Us” section of this website, my favorite format is Pauper, and this event felt similar enough that I wanted to tackle it with a deck inspired by one of my favorite commons-only lists.

In fact, I had just been talking with some fans on Discord (you should take a look at our Patreon if you want to join the conversation!) when I had mentioned my trusty green-black “rock” deck.Magic is a game of match-ups. Sometimes your deck is weak against another, while sometimes it feels like you can’t possibly lose. This type of “A beats B but loses to C” arrangement is often referred to as a “rock paper scissors” type game.

As I learned it growing up, somehow green-black became “the rock against all other decks in a format are measured.” It tends to use strong creatures and powerful removal. It often ‘crushes’ the more aggressive (pointy scissors!) type decks by having bigger threats, but it can struggle against the suffocating control decks (wrapped in paper!) that answer the rock’s beaters.

So, I wanted to find the best creatures I could (at uncommon or common rarity) and pair them with the most effective removal available. Since most of my power would be concentrated in a few cards that were better than the rest, I would also need high “velocity” in my deck – that is, the ability to draw or cycle through junk cards to find the ones I need.

And, since this was a best-of-one format, I wouldn’t get to use a sideboard. Instead, I’d pack more silver bullet type cards into my main deck and then rely on that high velocity to dig them out of the pile.

With all that in mind, I started by hunting for creatures that would fit my archetype, and noted what their role would be in the deck:

Llanowar Elves – Great in almost every format they are legal
Elvish Visionary – Card Draw
Barkhide Troll – Big for his price, able to protect self
Destiny Spinner – bigger than average, unique ability
Kraul Harpooner – great anti-air abilities, good attack power
Merfolk Branchwalker – explore seems powerful
Silhana Wayfinder – a baby tutor that could help with my ‘toolbox’ approach
Untamed Kavu – scales well, making it a good early or late game draw
Wildgrowth Walker – needs explore support but could be good
Glowstone Recluse – early air defense, late game power buff
Jungle Creeper – recurring threats are very good in this type of format
Leyline Prowler – good abilities at a reasonable mana cost
Thrashing Brontodon – big body and flexible ability
Vine Mare – hexproof is strong, and this attacks well

I figured I didn’t want to go much above four mana, so then I turned my attention to black cards that would also fit the game plan:

Cast Down – excellent removal in a format that is unlikely to have many legendary creatures
Walk the Plank – also good, provided I don’t run into Merfolk!
Ravenous Chupacabra – a strong card in his day, probably good here too
Disfigure – cheap removal for small targets
Funeral Rites – more card draw, and could help set up Molderhulk
Suffocating Fumes – good against smaller decks, cycling helps my velocity
Gray Merchant of Asphodel – if I’m going over 4 mana, a card like this is a good reason
Chittering Harvester – upgrade my smaller cards while acting as removal
Dusk Legion Zealot – same as Elvish Visionary

And lastly, I checked the gold cards:

Molderhulk – huge body for low mana cost if I can stock my graveyard
Status // Statue – flexible, can save my creature or kill anything else

With all these cards in mind, I started to experiment. I was very drawn to Molderhulk, as I felt a 6/6 for anything less than 4 or 5 mana would be a steal. I wanted a few ways to get extra cards into the graveyard, so I added Mire Triton. Burglar Rats would also serve as small speed bumps for my opponent. When they die, they make my Molderhulk cheaper. Perfect!

All together, I would up with this list, which got me an easy two wins (the max that award prizes for FNM at Home)

1 Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Elvish Visionary
3 Burglar Rat
3 Kraul Harpooner
3 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
1 Silhana Wayfinder
3 Mire Triton
2 Chittering Harvester
3 Molderhulk
1 Disfigure
1 Pulse of Murasa
1 Pharika’s Libation
3 Cast Down
1 Suffocating Fumes
1 Barren Moor
1 Status // Statue
2 Funeral Rites
1 Tranquil Thicket
4 Jungle Hollow
8 Forest
9 Swamp

I was pretty happy with how my Rock crushed the competition, but maybe you’ve got ideas on how to improve it? Take it for a spin yourself and then let me know how it works for you in the comments!