Druids' Repository Deck

Yeah, it is a bit short on cards at the moment because I was mucking around with the deck because I was getting suggestions from other sources as well.  And I realize that the repository hasn't seen a lot of play because it isn't the best card, but that's why I said that I didn't really want to worry about winning as much as just having fun with it. 

And yes, I definitely thought about getting some counterspells in there to stop from getting hosed, but I didn't really see the room to add blue, but I might just need to make the shift to mainly UG instead of GR.  That would also allow me to fit things in like Latchseeker and Invisible Stalker, so that I can attack without as many worries and have a secondary win condition of just whittling down their health with unblockability.

I had the Somberwald Sage in there at the start, but it was such a high cost without enough immediate payback, and limited my ability to reliably play and charge the Repos, but I might try to fit them back in if I can, because laying down two of those basically gets me all the way to my end goal.  Mikaeus, the Unhallowed is definitely an interesting addition; I was thinking about getting some cards in at a bit of a lower cost, and he definitely fits the bill.

Thanks for the ideas.  It's actually quite amusing, because literally everybody that has answered has come up with an entirely different direction in which to bring the deck.  Some say it won't work unless I run tokens (Lingering Souls, Increasing Devotion, etc.).  Others thought that I just needed better outlets for my mana, like Kessig Wolf Run.  Other people thought that I definitely needed to add four Green Sun's Zenith, so I had a more reliable way to get big creatures. 

Lots of possible paths in which to take the deck, and I'm not entirely set on which is the best way to do it.  I guess there is only one way to find out!

Yeah, I'm still debating which direction that I want to go.  The GSZs would technically stop the Primal Surge in its tracks, but so would any counterspells that I add.  The bigger issue with adding GSZ isn't necessarily the cost, but they're being put there so that I can reliably get my big creatures, but they'll only help get one of them, Craterhoof Behemoth, since he's the only green one.

I changed a fair number of things, and updated the sideboard to actually be useful.  Still not sure if its the direction I want to go, especially because the blue really isn't doing me all that much good besides the mana leaks and I added in Alchemist's Refuge so that I could play creatures on the fly if they tried to destroy the Repos.  I don't know.... I'm way too new to this whole "competitive" deck building thing.....

Feel free to take another peek and let me know what you think.

I'm not going to pretend that I'm an expert on Standard at all (I'm in the same boat as you being mostly a casual and legacy player).  Having said that much, I think the best way to rock Druid's Repository is going to be with a token deck, to which point I would suggest moving to GW, or even GB if you can manage it as opposed to GR.  To that end, you would benefit from limiting your mana base and colors in a manner that will help ensure consistency (seeing as to how the current version of your deck is all five colors and has significant portions of mana for three colors).

imsully's points are solid, but really if you want to get the bang out of the repositories, you really need to have a LOT of creatures that are optionally expendable, hence my suggestion toward tokens.  I think you really would benefit from really just focusing on green and white big creatures/spells to capitalize off the repositories, with the option of 2-5 other big critters from the other colors, i.e. Griselbrand.  But I wouldn't venture any more past that, as you could easily find yourself stuck with one or two of them in your hand with no means to drop them into play.  For that reason, imsully is right, Quicksilver Amulet is a must in this deck (at least one or two of them).  But my suggestion would be not to venture too far outside of your normal colors as those creatures can easily become dead weight if the opponent destroys the Amulets or Repositories.

If Green Sun's Zenith is about to rotate, why not make a play toward Primal Surge?  I know it's a BEAST of a card to play, but man when it works, it WORKS. 

I'd also suggest trying to reduce some of the variety in cards and focus a bit more on the theme.  I would definitely add more Trusted Forcemages and Nightshade Peddler could be epic if you're working with tokens or undying.  That and even once the other creature dies, the Peddler can bond with a new creature.

Anyway, you clearly have a lot of good pieces here and some SERIOUS trade-bait if you're looking to find some missing pieces.  Best of luck with the playtesting, but for what it's worth, I cannot stress enough the need to limit the colors.

I must respectfully disagree about tokens being the wrong way to go, as there are plenty of options that would meet the criteria of the card being a permanent for the Primal Surge, while also fitting the Repositories perfectly with an expendible creature.  Will you be running Lingering Souls?  Nope, but Thraben Doomsayer, Commander's Authority, and things of that like fit the bill.  Are they the fastest thing in the game, no, but the repositories present an unorthodox strategy where you need to attack relentlessly, regardless of the outcome and you can't really do that without some means of creature generation, in this case, tokens.

The reason for suggesting Trusted Forcemage and Nightshade Peddler is to pair with the tokens.  Then when you're flinging them against their defenses to pump up the Repositories, they get an added +1 and deathtouch to their punches, making those little tokens serve several purposes at once.  Then, once the repository is powered up enough, you unleash an Avacyn or whatever and walk away with the game.

Thanks for all the ideas guys.  Very much appreciated.

As you can obviously see, there are a LOT of directions that this deck can go in, and you guys keep coming up with even more of them, which is why I was having trouble.

I added in the Cavern of Souls because it could technically be used in any color combo of the deck, and I'd essentially hang onto it until I was able to play the big creature, at which point I would lay it down, name the proper creature type and they could do nothing about it.  Essentially, another way to combat counterspells without the need for me to have blue in the deck if I chose to remove it.

I do like the addition of the Quicksilver Amulets, I hadn't thought about them for some reason.  I actually forgot that they were Standard at the moment.

I'm just gonna have to mull it over for a bit, make a decision and take the leap to find out how it works, because I'm gonna have to trade for and/or buy cards no matter how the deck turns out.

The key term on Primal Surge is "may," meaning that even it you pop up a permanent, you do not have to repeat the process if you don't want to.  If you manage to drop that bomb successfully, milling is the last thing you're going to be worried about at that point.

I guess I never read Primal Surge close enough

I think to make Omniscience work I might want to have some serious card draw going on as well, otherwise I'm just going to be top decking.  But Door to Nothingness was actually one of the original reasons for creating the deck, so I'll definitely have to add one in there if I ever actually get the deck going.  *Adds to Wishlist*

Yep, that was my thought exactly.  I'm just not sure how to best fit it in.......

Seriously, this deck is going to be amazing

Edit: Eh, take another look.  I put them both in, just because.  Not sure what I think yet.

Last edited by NullParameter (2012-07-18 05:12:16)