{"ops":[{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Simic Counters — Green-Blue"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Nothing here is large when you cast it. Everything here is large four turns later."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"This is one of five two-colour 60-card decks built for a fixed pod, one deck per enemy colour pair, so every colour appears exactly twice. The lists use English card names because that is how Archidekt and Moxfield import them. Nothing in the maindeck costs more than US$4."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Maindeck:"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" creatures that grow every time another creature arrives, a small amount of card draw, and just enough interaction to survive."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Maybeboard:"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Hardened Scales]], [[Master Biomancer]] and [[Evolution Witness]] multiply every counter you place, and [[Simic Ascendancy]] adds a second way to win outright."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Game plan"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Turn 1 — lead with something that wants to grow."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Experiment One]] and [[Cloudfin Raptor]] both start tiny and both get a counter every time you play something bigger. [[Benthic Biomancer]] turns each counter into a fresh card."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Turns 2–3 — play creatures in ascending order."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" Evolve checks power "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"or"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" toughness, so a 2/1 after a 1/1 triggers it. [[Growth-Chamber Guardian]] fetches another copy of itself the moment it adapts, and [[Shambleshark]] can be held up and flashed in at end of turn."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Turns 3–4 — put counters on everything at once."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Rishkar, Peema Renegade]] hands out two counters immediately and turns every counter-bearing creature into a mana source. [[Renegade Krasis]] spreads a counter to the whole team each time it evolves."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Turns 4+ — attack in the air and push through."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" [[Aeromunculus]] and [[Cloudfin Raptor]] fly over a stalled board, [[Unruly Krasis]] tramples and can lend its size to a flier, and [[Zameck Guildmage]] converts spare counters into cards."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Opening hands"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Keep two or three lands with at least one one-drop creature. This deck is built to curve out in order, and a hand that starts on turn three has already given up most of its counters. [[Frilled Mystic]] costs {G}{G}{U}{U} and [[Renegade Krasis]] costs {1}{G}{G}, so a hand with only one green source is a slow one. [[Thornwood Falls]] enters tapped and gains a life; [[Yavimaya Coast]] is untapped but deals you 1 for coloured mana."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Important interactions"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Evolve triggers on power "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"or"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":" toughness being greater"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":", not both, and it checks the creature as it enters. A 0/4 will evolve your 2/2."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Adapt does nothing if the creature already has a +1/+1 counter."},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" Evolving a creature first turns off its own adapt ability, so adapt early or not at all."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"[[Growth-Chamber Guardian]] fetches a copy whenever counters are put on it "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"by any source"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":", not only by its own adapt. [[Rishkar, Peema Renegade]] and [[Zameck Guildmage]] both trigger it."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"[[Benthic Biomancer]] makes you "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"draw then discard"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":". It is card selection, not card advantage, and it is not optional."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"[[Rishkar, Peema Renegade]] grants \"{T}: Add {G}\" to each creature you control "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"with a counter on it"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — any counter, not only +1/+1. Those creatures still have summoning sickness."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"[[Mutant's Prey]] requires "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"your"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" creature to have a +1/+1 counter, and it is a fight: your creature takes damage back. It is your only removal that costs one mana, so hold it until the counter is there."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"[[Rapid Hybridization]] gives its controller a "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"3/3 Frog Lizard"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":". Against a small creature that is a downgrade for you — aim it at their biggest threat, not their cheapest."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"[[Unruly Krasis]] sets another creature's "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"base"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" power and toughness to X/X, where X is Krasis's power. Counters on that creature still apply on top, and setting a 6/6 flier is better than setting a ground creature."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"[[Frilled Mystic]] has flash and its counter is a "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"may"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" on entry — it is a creature first and a counterspell second, so casting it on your own turn as a 3/2 is fine."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"[[Experiment One]] regenerates by removing "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"two"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" counters, which also turns its adapt back on if it drops to zero."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Against the other four decks"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Boros Aggro"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — your worst matchup and the reason to keep [[Mutant's Prey]]. They are faster, and evolve is slow. Block early, trade where you can, and remember [[Shambleshark]]'s flash lets you ambush an attacker."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Orzhov Drain"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — their deathtouch blockers ignore your size entirely, so growing a single huge creature does nothing. Go wide and attack in the air with [[Aeromunculus]] and [[Cloudfin Raptor]] instead."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Golgari Graveyard"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — they have far more removal than you. Do not overcommit counters to one body; [[Growth-Chamber Guardian]] replacing itself is what keeps you in the game. [[Nyx Weaver]] has reach, so your fliers are not safe."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"Izzet Spellslinger"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" — the best matchup. Their creatures are small and their burn scales badly against creatures that grow. [[Frilled Mystic]] on [[Crackling Drake]] or [[Expressive Iteration]] is a clean two-for-one."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"Upgrade notes"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":"[[Hardened Scales]] adds one to every counter placement, which compounds absurdly with [[Renegade Krasis]] and [[Zameck Guildmage]] — but it does nothing on its own and it is a dead draw when you are behind. [[Master Biomancer]] makes every later creature enter enormous; it is the single biggest power increase in the package and also the card most punished by removal. [[Evolution Witness]] rebuys a permanent every time it takes counters, which is the closest this deck gets to card advantage. [[Simic Ascendancy]] counts "},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf","bold":true},"insert":"every"},{"attributes":{"color":"#bbbebf"},"insert":" counter you place across the whole game, so it often wins games you were losing on board — it also gives an opponent twenty turns of warning. [[Pteramander]] is the cheap flier this deck lacks, though its adapt cost is realistically unreachable here."},{"insert":"\n\n"}]}