Subject: NaturePotence Southwestern Style Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 02:04:15 -0700 From: Matt Stenger To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com This is my take on Jamie's interestingly successful Naturepotence. First, Jamie's deck; you can see it in it's entirety at: http://thedojo.com/b982/bo.980412jwa.txt (until Frank moves it somewhere else) 4 Creeping mold - "Die Man of Steel! Die! Green Kryptonite!" 4 Feral Instinct 4 Disks 2 Hurricane's 2 Provoke - which may eventually leave. 4 wall of blossoms 4 wall of roots 4 Endangered Don 4 Arctic Wolves 4 Uktabi Wildcats 4 Wasteland 4 Quicksand for shadow guys 18 forests Now, my version, it's contents and my commentary: 3 Nev's Disk 3 Triangle of War 4 Walls of Blossoms 3 Walls of Roots 3 Endangered Armadon 3 Uktabi Wildcats 3 Arctic Wolves 2 Dirtcowl Wurm 3 Creeping Mold 2 Hurricane 2 Feral Instinct 3 Mulch 3 Gaea's Blessing 3 Wasteland 3 Quicksand 17 Forest For the most part, all of the original cards in Jamie's deck are still here (sans Provoke). With the addition of Gaea's Blessing and Mulch, everything has been pretty much dropped to three. I spoke (breifly) to Jamie, and he suggested Triangle of War. Much too often, you get held back by multiple first strikers or pounded on by shadows early. You can't afford to Quicksand in turns 1-3 while you're trying to bust out a 'Don. They're also wonderful advantage cards as well. "Oh, you edict me? I Triangle your Steel Golem." The Dircowls break the five-toughness rule for the deck, but the HEAVY wasteland/mold ability of this deck (in conjunction with Mulch) makes him pretty useful. I don't use Gaea's and Mulch for the combo. Sometimes it happens, and that's just fine, but for the most part it allows you to Mulch on turn three before you lay land (after a turn-two wall or waste) looking for another wasteland. With 23 land in the deck - slimmer in other versions - you almost always get your money's worth. Gaea's Blessing is a no-brainer as well. If you're in creature mode, recycle them. If you're in land-destruction mode, put back the molds. The blessings make up for the now-three was-four-of-everything change. Feral Instinct hasn't been working too well. It's a wonderful cantrip, but I've mostly been casting them on walls and opponent's creatures early just for the card. I've dropped to 2 instead of the 3 my version should play. I like the fear they inspire more than anything else. I'm thinking of siding Natural Springs against Burn. *good* Creature burn seems to win the race about 45% of the time, and more direct (double-incinerate, double-fireblast you) burn wins a lot more.