{"ops":[{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Count on It"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Math is for blockers"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Introduction"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nAs is the nature of green decks, this deck is all about getting big. The commander of this deck effectively doubles +1/+1 counters on every creature you control when he attacks. His ability also turns temporary pump, like from Blossoming Defense, into permanent +1/+1 counters. This effect triggers before the combat damage is calculated so we're going to be going very big very fast. The best way to make use of the commander's ability as quickly as possible is to ensure our counters are already on our creatures when they enter the battlefield. While the creatures sent in this turn can't attack, they still get their counters doubled when the commander does and then doubled again on the following turn when they can attack. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Strategy"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe strategy here, while probably involving more math than most, is ironically pretty brain dead. We want to make very big creature do very big smash. Before he can do big smash, he must be very big, and before he is very big, we must get mana. This deck has a bunch of ramp at our disposal in order to get our mana. We have the staple, Sol Ring, along with Basking Broodscale, which generates tokens that can be sacrificed for mana when +1/+1 counters on put on him. Entish Restoration and Fertilid are great for getting a lot of land out early. Gyre Sage, Kami of Whispered Hopes, and Topiary Lecturer gives us mana for each +1/+1 counter on them, which will snowball quickly. \n\nNow that we have our mana pool, its time to play some permanents. Anything that enters with X counters should be sent out immediately. It doesn't matter if those enter counters start small, since we're going to be exponentially increasing them soon. Managorger Hydra and Forgotten Ancient should also be sent out as soon as possible to ensure our opponents are generating counters for us when they cast spells. Warden of the Grove is a must if we have it, since it increases the counters creatures enter with. \n\nProtection is limited in this deck, but we do have some instant hexproof spells like Blossoming Defense, Silkguard, or Vines of Vastwood. We also have Swiftfoot Boots, Lightning Greaves and Lavaspur Boots, which we should also get out as early as possible in order to protect our commander and give him haste to activate his ability a turn sooner. Important to note is that Sovereign Okinec Ahau, our commander has built in protection as well (Ward 2).\n\nOnce we have our small creatures out, we need to start giving them some buffs. +1/+1 counter buffs obvious, but we also need to be able to hit through our opponents creatures or we're going to be stonewalled by token generator decks. Cards like Duskshell Crawler, Garruk's Uprising, and Abzan Falconer are going to give our creatures trample and flying, which will allow us to break through our opponents ranks. These cards ensure that we are allowing our commander to get through and do commander damage, for a quick win or as counter to life gain decks.\n\nOnce we have those out (optimally around turn 2-4), we can send out Sovereign Okinec Ahau, our commander. His ability allows him to add counters to all of our other creatures to the difference of their current power and their base power when he attacks. While that sounds kind of complex at face value, all it does in practice is doubles modifiers. +2/+2 pump? Now hes at +4/+4. +1/+1 counter on that creature? Now he has 2 +1/+1 counters. Etc, etc. This doubling effect can quickly snowball into creating us some monstrous creatures, so long as we can keep the commander alive. \n\nUnnatural Growth is our finisher. Doubling our creatures’ power, which is then doubled again by the commander's ability will obliterate our opponents creatures if they choose to block and our opponents themselves if they don't.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Combos"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nOur combos are of the infinite mana variety. Combining Umbra Mantle with Topiary Lecturer, Kami of the Whispered Woods, or Gyre sage gives us infinite mana as long as those cards have 3-4 counters on them. \n\nThis mana, when mixed with Lifecrafter's Bestiary, can allow us to play every green spell in our deck. It could also allow us to cast an infinitely sized creature with X in its mana cost with trample or haste, like Stonecoil Serpent, Goldvein Hydra, or Voracious Hydra. If we had Kami of Whispered Hopes at 4 power, we can also get unlimited white mana, which would allow us to use Umbral Mantle to use the Outlast ability infinitely, and create infinitely large creatures with cards like Abzan Falconer.\n"}]}