{"ops":[{"insert":"Gruul - 🔴🟢\n\nMid-Range Gruul with Dragons, ramping thanks to the commander and its background. Intrested in creating dragon tokens 🐉🔥"},{"attributes":{"blockquote":true},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n---\n\n\nIntention"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nTheme"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This is a "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"dragons"},{"insert":" deck with a small twist: trying to get some dragon tokens on the board to trigger "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ganax, Astral Hunter"}},{"insert":" ability.\nThe deck is an upgraded and commander version of my childhood's vision of the gruul powerfantasy: ramping with sorceries; handling creatures, artifacts and enchantment with instants; and playing big creatures!\nThat's why you will find a good mix of all card types, including some old cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hull Breach"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Harrow"}},{"insert":", and one pet card that is the second legendary creature I ever got: "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rorix Bladewing"}},{"insert":".\n\n\nGameplay"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This deck a low power bracket 3. without any game changer.\n\nThe idea is, as for every mid-range deck, to ramp in the first 3 turns and quickly put on board one of the "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"hatching"},{"insert":" dragon such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nesting Dragon"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lathliss, Dragon Queen"}},{"insert":" since they will be bringing more than one dragon at the price of one card. Thanks to our commander, we will in addition generate some "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Treasure"}},{"insert":".\n\nCategories"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"A word about the categories. Cards can fill in multiple categories, but the one they are displayed in is the main reason for they presence in the deck."},{"insert":"\n🐣 Hatching"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This first category gather all "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"dragons"},{"insert":" able to spawn at least one other "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"dragon"},{"insert":", one way or another.\n🎴 Dragon"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Those cards are the default "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"dragons"},{"insert":", they will trigger other abilities, including our commander.\n💪 Buff"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"We have a few cards that will "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"buff"},{"insert":" our board and help our dragons finish the job.\n🛡️ Ward"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Those are cards that protect our game plan, mostly by dealing direct damage or removing enchants and artifacts. We want a few of them, between 10 and 15% of the deck.\n👀 Option"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Similar to our "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"ward"},{"insert":" package, having cards that allow us to see more of our deck are needed, but not that important as we will be playing 1 land, and 1 or 2 cards at most every turn. That's why we want between 10 and 15% of "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"option"},{"insert":" cards in the deck.\n📈 Ramp"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Dragons are big, and we will need mana to cast them. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ramp"},{"insert":" should be around 20% of the deck.\n🌴 Land"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"38 "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"lands"},{"insert":" should be enough to get us one every turn, while tutoring for some with our "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"ramp"},{"insert":" spells.\n\n\nHow to play?"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nStarting hands"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"You want 3 lands and 1 "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"ramp"},{"insert":" spell with a mana cost under 3 in your starting hand. 2 lands and two "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"ramp"},{"insert":" spells could also work. This is to get "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ganax, Astral Hunter"}},{"insert":" out one turn early, while making sure to drop "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Acolyte of Bahamut"}},{"insert":" before him.\n\nDuring the game"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Dragons tends to be scary, and the first one will be out by turn 5. This means our deck and our board will get a lot of attention.\nOver-expanding will be our greatest mistake. Luckily, the deck can rely on some steady card draw with cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Up the Beanstalk"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Elemental Bond"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Garruk's Uprising"}},{"insert":".\nStill, we should only aim at deploying a single big dragon each turn. Their inherent stats and abilities should be enough to take over the table.\nWe should always keep some dragon in hand as way to get back from a boardwipe.\n\nThe deck can count on a lot of small and direct damage instances to mitigate combo pieces with cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scourge of Valkas"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dragon's Fire"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dragon Tempest"}},{"insert":". The toolbox also include ways to handle problematic artifacts and enchants with cards such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Heritage Reclamation"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Return to Nature"}},{"insert":".\n\nImportance of the commander"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Having the commander early on the table is a great way to kickstart the game. It provides value and mana cost reduction.\nOnce the game has been running and enough "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"ramp"},{"insert":" has been deployed, the commander can become obsolete, especially as it stats are weak for a dragon.\n\nA note on some cards"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Despite their high mana cost, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Encroaching Dragonstorm"}},{"insert":" and to a lesser extent "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Breaching Dragonstorm"}},{"insert":", will get us value while swiftly returning to our hand. Keeping us with a full hand.\n\nThe "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Crucible of Fire"}},{"insert":" is often disputed in dragons decks, but here, he also empoowers our smaller dragons and our "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dragon Egg"}},{"insert":".\n\n\nDeck's weaknesses"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThis deck can be overwhelmed by go-wide decks, especially if the tokens are flyers. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Klauth's Will"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bower Passage"}},{"insert":" are here to help with those.\nThe other problem would be control heavy decks, either with single target removals that could get rid of our "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"hatching"},{"insert":" dragons or being left exhausted after a few boardwipe. Sadly, there is not much counter play here unless we are succesful in removing that opponent early.\n"}]}