Centaur Trample Deck

NMOY · Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Posts: 8

Hi there,

My friends recently got me back into Magic after a 10 year hiatus, and I wanted to build a casual tribal deck with creatures not typically used. My buddy is going to Rhinos, and I'm going for Centaurs!

When I saw that there are 30+ Centaur cards, I got very excited at the potential to make a killer deck. I'm going Red/Green Aggro for strategy, with all centaur creatures, and some direct damage.

So far, this is what I've got -- looking for feedback and advice!

Land:
11 Forest
8 Mountain
2 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
2 Gruul Turf

Creatures:
2 Burning-Tree Shaman
3 Centaur Safeguard
2 Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
3 Centaur Chieftain
3 Centaur Omenreader
1 Centaur Veteran
2 Possessed Centaur
2 Seton's Scout
2 Skyshooter
1 Phantom Centaur
1 Spellbane Centaur
1 Windseeker Centaur
1 Crashing Centaur

1 Sarkhan Vol - Planeswalker

Spells:
2 Gruul War Plow
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Fireball
2 Incinerate
1 Disintegrate
1 Lava Axe
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The main idea is to get a Stonebrow, Krosan Hero into play (gives creatures with trample +2 +2 when attacking) and attack with all my trample creatures -- of course the Gruul Plow and Gruul Turfs will aid me in getting trample on all of my creatures along with Centaur Chieftain and Possessed Centaur.

Centaur Safeguards give me some healing options, and Seton's Scout and Skyshooter give me some cheap creatures that can defend against flying. -- Windseeker doesn't tap, which will also help defense...

Besides that, many of the creatures have Threshold, so after I get some direct damage in play and get 7 cards in my graveyard (also from sacrificing the Safeguards) a lot of my creatures will get an extra big boost.

The Centaur Omenreader is a huge player in the strategy, as if I get one in play and tap it, all creatures cost 2 less colorless mana, which will really help me get the expensive cards into play.

The threshold ability of the Centaur Chieftain is also key -- if I can hold off on playing it until mid-game, it can easily win the game, turning all my creatures into +1 +1 Trample for a turn --- ontop of the +2+2 all creatures with trample get when they attack as long as Stonebrow, Krosan Hero is in play.

Hopefully this means a brutal beatdown with direct damage on top. Some of the creatures I just have 1 of add some flavor and flexibility that I wouldn't have otherwise if I went heavier on the more leet cards. Things like forestwalk, or all creatures are protected from blue spells and abilities etc.

All in all I think that this could work really well, and would be most grateful for any feedback or comments!

Thanks for your time,
NMOY

*Oh, and the Planeswalker is just for fun, because I have one.

Spyx · Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 1009

I would play 4 copies of the best centaurs, ie BTS, phantom centaur and boreal centaur (with snow mana).
Fires of Yavimaya is also kind of cool in a deck like this and makes a card like citanul centaurs nice to add.

Akeldyma · Joined: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 108

4 Birds of Paradise
4 Burning-Tree Shaman
4 Centaur Omenreader
4 Centaur Safeguard
4 Dowsing Shaman
4 Loaming Shaman
4 Skyshooter
2 Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
Creatures [30]
4 Primal Rage
4 Rampant Growth
4 Seal of Fire
Spells [12]
12 Forest
8 Mountain

I found that with a Google search.

NMOY · Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Posts: 8

NMOY · Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Posts: 8

NMOY · Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Posts: 8

Centaur Trample/Direct Damage Deck v3.0

Land:
10 Snow-Covered Forest
8 Snow-Covered Mountain
2 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
2 Gruul Turf

Creatures:
3 Burning-Tree Shaman
3 Centaur Safeguard
3 Centaur Chieftain
3 Centaur Omenreader
3 Boreal Centaur
2 Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
2 Possessed Centaur
2 Phantom Centaur
2 Seton's Scout
2 Skyshooter

1 Sarkhan Vol - Planeswalker

Spells:
2 Gruul War Plow
2 Fires of Yavimaya
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Fireball
2 Incinerate
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Now the name of the game is Trample & Haste, and I can pump the hell out of the Boreal Centaurs to pack a huge punch -- even if it ends up doing a couple damamge to me due to the Shamans, it can still be a serious game winner.

New thoughts?

Akeldyma · Joined: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 108

Well, you can only pump Boreal Centaur once a turn, right?

NMOY · Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Posts: 8

Akeldyma · Joined: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 108

No. It is a cost, then the ability. You can tap 1 smow mana to give it +1/+1 a turn. You can do it once on your turn, and once on their turn Sad

NMOY · Joined: 19 Aug 2009 Posts: 8

Spyx · Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 1009

Well think of it this way: you're the aggressive deck so if you can make them take 1 more damage by taking 1 damage yourself that's a good trade.
There have also been decks with BTS and jitte. Talk about painful Smile

SJM · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 144

Hey from the looks of things you guys are into casual magic and you don't like to run 4x of everything because it means you can't use cards you like.

You should look into Elder Dragon Highlander which seems perfect for you and your group's play style.

You can only use 1 of each card and the deck is 99 cards + your "general" so you have a lot of variety in your deck and it is a casual format.

You could pick a red/green legend as your general and build a centaur oriented deck + burn and "stuff."