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Mean Green Machine
Stompy is an archetype that's been around almost as long as green creatures and pump spells have been around. The goal is simple: drop efficient creatures, make them bigger, and do lots of damage quickly. Sometimes there is a sub-control theme (yep, green can do that) to complement the aggro package.
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I'd been twirling around the idea of a Modern version of Stompy in my head since about 2013 (and even had a rough version drafted), and had seen a list here or there in the wild, but it was Hans Christian Ljungquist who popularized the deck with his mostly very solid list at the Bazaar of Moxen tournament on May 3, 2014. Here is what he ran:
Stompy by Hans Christian Ljungquist - Main Event Modern - 8th place
And thus the core of Modern Stompy was born: Tusker, Baloth, Experiment, Militant, Geist, Ooze, Rancor, Vines. The deck has undergone a lot of changes since (by Ljungquist himself as well as others in the Magic community), but these cards have endured the entire time.
Moving forward
A couple of the big changes to Stompy included removing 5 drops (which have no place in an aggro deck), and adding Treetop Village (some also use Horizon Canopy for a bit of reach). With the upcoming release of Avatar of the Resolute, this opens the deck up to dropping 4 drops, too (mainboard at least), and possibly even 3 drops (Baloth is likely too good to give up, though, even if he is a little slow). Below is what I propose for the Stompy mainboard going forward.
Stompy by Sean Ridgeley
Testing Needed
The main is very tight, but I do want to try Young Wolf either in place of Dryad Militant or in the sideboard for its resilience and synergy with Avatar (if it were in place of Militant, Militant would then have to be sideboard, because it's just too relevant against Lingering Souls, Delve cards, Snapcaster decks, etc).
I also want to test dropping Baloth for Garruk's Companion, and then a Forest for another Aspect (which is crazy good -- I wish I could run 3-4, but can't seem to find room).
If you're wondering, we run Prey Upon instead of Dismember to avoid life loss (how many Modern decks can you say cause themselves no damage?), which is very relevant against the ever-popular Burn, among other decks. Plus, it's been plenty sufficient almost always in my experience -- our primary concern is beating face, so sorcery speed removal is much less of a concern here than it is in other lists. And Dismember sideboard alleviates the rare problem it does pose. Some disagree with all of this and they could be right -- feel free to try Dismember main yourself.
The sideboard I haven't finalized yet, but it should probably include some number of Hunt the Hunter, Unravel the Aether, Dismember, Choke, and maybe Kitchen Finks, among other things.
Happy Stomping!
what about Oran-Rief, the Vastwood with Avatar?
Not bad but less consistent and useful than Horizon Canopy or Treetop Village, I think. We don’t want to build around Avatar too much.
I’ve been brewing around with Stompy for a while now. I think with a build like yours you’ll run out of gas fairly fast. I was thinking of Collected Company or the new Surrak as finishers. Splashing white for Path to Exile and better sideboard cards was also something I took into consideration. Dromoka’s Command could also work in such a deck. The deck needs a lot of testing with all the new toys that we’ve gotten from Dragons of Tarkir.
Aggro is supposed to run out of gas fast. The idea is it wins before it matters.
You know what’s a card I think has HIGHLY potential in this deck?
Collected Company. From my testing, it’s amazing. This deck always needed some way to close out the game, and this card does it. I’ve put thrun in my side, and replaced him with this. Thrun seemed to always lose tempo, and durdle, but collected company either EOT, or before blocks is always great. Plus abusing Experiment one, and Avatar is a plus.
I agree. Collected Company looks nuts in this archetype.
When DTK will come out ill put away Prey Upon (I am already playing Savage Punch) and Dromoka’s Command will take its place just because its instant/ an
Since i saw Dromoka’s Command i will be switching it with prey upon (I am already playing Savage Punch) because its instant fight/splinter twin hate/ pump/ and what is best it solves game two sideboard hate like anger of gods :3
But to run that you need to splash white, and once you do that so many other options open up that you’ll probably be playing something not really Stompy very soon. With the disadvantage of a slightly worse manabase.
Agreed.
How about Kavu Predator in the board to be 5/5s against Siege Rhino?
Cute/inconsistent.
Nice. So how do you feel about the card advantage stuff like Lead the Stampede and Collected Company? Useful against attrition or a waste of creature slots?
Lead is one of my favourite all-time cards (not necessarily on a competitive level), but we need too many non-creature spells for it to work, I think. Similar story with Company, though seeing six makes it worth testing at least. Could be nice as a curve topper, but I’m inclined to think we’re better off just playing cheap creatures and capping the curve at 3 instead. Great cards in the right deck, though.
Love your article. Im gonna try chance the prey upon for Mutant’s prey cause now you Will have 50% of your deck with a +1/+1 counter and the best think is instant speed
Mutant Prey over prey upon?