Has everybody heard about this thing where Wizards of the Coast is giving away a CAR to whoever wins Worlds?  It's gonna be a huge event no question.  Ironically, I can't go to the tournament because I don't have a car, and thus can't drive to New York that weekend.  Also something about not having a functioning Standard deck yet.  But I'm honored that one lucky qualifier has asked me for help, and it's a previous client!  Start here, go to Worlds!

Dear BMoor,

Hello, it's Keith again! You may remember me as the one who sent in his sister's faerie deck a few moths ago for some tweakage, and this time I'm back with a deck of my own.

By the way, side note: My sister's deck became an adorable fluttering beast after you got done with it; and we were both happy when Lorwyn brought new treats like Scion of Oona and Pestermite. (but not with black faeries! yuck, what's up with that? I could see making faeries blue and white, but blue and black? boo!)
Anyway, back on topic. Are you familiar with the Northeast Magic Challenge? (if not, you can read about it here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=events/magic/worlds-07winacar )

Well to make a long story short, I'm going to be in it! (I was the winner in one of the November 18th tournaments) But I'm a little nervous, I think my opponents in New York will be a bit tougher than those at my local card shop. The deck I won with there (and the one I intend to use) was build by a joint effort between myself and my cousin, with us pooling cards and money to assemble it. It's based around Unyaro Bees, and we affectionately refer to it as "the Bees deck"

~Critters~
Unyaro Bees x4
Llanowar Elves x4
Scryb Ranger x4
Baru, First of Krosa x4
Boreal Druid x4
Troll Ascetic x1

~Non-Critters~
Lignify x4 (these things are solid gold. I dare say that "no abilities" clause makes them better than pacifism)
Akroma's Memorial x1
Harmonize x1
Abundance x1 (I actually like Abundance as the better card drawing engine here, but if I draw a second one it's dead in my hand, so I kept it as a one-of. Plus, it makes me immune to mill; which is nice.)
Gauntlet of Power x4
Loxodon Warhammer x4
Garruk Wildspeaker x2


~Lands~

Forest x18
Treetop Village x3
Pandelhaven x1


~sideboard~
Avoid Fate x4 (Terror this! Only green counter in existence, go!)
Krosan Grip x4
Thorn of Amethyst x4 (I have my qualms about this one, I never sided it in at my local game store, but maybe I'll need it in New York?)
Dodecapod x3 (after reading your most recent article, I might change these to Quagnoths)


So yeah, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out what this deck is aiming for. Power out Gauntlets with elves/rangers, and use the stockpiles of mana to drop Unyaro Bees and his friends. And should the opponent drop a board clearer like Wrath of God, we've got our uncouterable, immune to sorcery speed removal friend: Treetop village! (I'm thinking of upping the count of those guys to 4, is this wise?)

Finally, please respond by the 30th so that I have time to order any cards you might suggest.

Your fan,
Keith

Alright, Keith, let's see what I can do.  I've yet to see Unyaro Bees in a tournament, which is surprising since it's by far the best burn spell in Green.  Or should I say sting spell?  I do have my reservations about a 0/1 for three mana, but if Stuffy Doll can make it into the big leagues as a 0/1 for five, then so can the Bees!

Now, your creature selection.  Everything looks fine here except Boreal Druid.  Yes, yes, you want to accelerate, but with all the color-specifics of this deck (Unyaro wants how much Green mana?), I don't think Boreal Druid is the right call.  Four Llanowar Elves is usually enough for most decks.  In their place, you'll want something that can hold off your opponent until the Gauntlet comes online.  And that something is more Troll Ascetics.  Troll Ascetic wielding a Warhammer  was one of the most feared plays in Mirrodin Standard, and that format had Affinity.  Affinity?  What more do I need to say there?  Well, if you want more modern context, Jon Loucks (creator of the U/B Makeshift Mannequin deck that's caught on like wildfire) playtested his famous deck for three weeks prior to States, and did not lose until he went up against a Troll with a Warhammer.  The combo has a pedigree, my friend.  You want to exploit it.

Even so, you can't drop all four Druids for Ascetics because then you'd have five.  You could easily use the extra slot for an extra Harmonize/Abundance, though that would raise the overall curve.  Perhaps a total of 3 Ascetics, and the other two slots can become... Treefolk Harbinger?

No, no, I'm not joking.  Treefolk Harbinger has a few things going for it.  One, it's a 0/3 for G.  If you get a 0/3 out on turn one, some aggro decks (like Kithkin most notably) will have a tough time getting through.  Those decks don't want to have to play a removal spell until third or fourth turn, and by then they've already lost out on two or three swings with Goldmeadow Stalwart.  Two, it searches for a Forest.  With Gauntlet and Baru in the deck, you'd probably also be happy to draw a Harbinger late in the game so you can get the "Forest matters" benefit.  And three, it can search your deck for Lignify.  Since your comments make Lignify sound like a key card here, and Treefolk Harbinger could act as additional copies that give you blockers as well.  Maybe in the sideboard, to come in against aggro or against decks where you need to draw Lignify?

Alright, next is Akroma's Memorial.  Cool effect, yes, but seven mana is just too expensive.  This isn't a rousing game of multiplayer with all your friends.  This is Worlds.  There is a FREE SUV at stake here.  You can't assume you have seven turns to amass creatures and wait for an alpha strike.  Bring that out.

In that slot, I want to say you need a creature.  This deck looks like it likes plenty of creatures.  An extra Troll or a Harbinger?  Sure, why not?  I also sort of want to say Deadwood Treefolk, since it can bring back any Baru you discarded to Grandeur out a token, and gives Treefolk Harbinger (if you decide to add them) another search target.  But Deadwood Treefolk is at its best when you have at least two of them in the deck and can chain them off each other.  Another option is a singleton of Spectral Force.  Yes, you wouldn't be able to tutor for it, but you are already running Scryb Ranger.  And then there's Heartwood Stroyteller, who sort of does what you're trying to do with Thorn of Amethyst in the sideboard (get some advantage against creature-light control decks), and is, yes, a Treefolk.  I don't want to suggest Imperiousaur until I know for sure whether Gauntlet of Power actually produces mana or makes the lands produce them, because if it's the former, you'd need to tap four lands and get GGGG extra to play Imperiousaur post-Gauntlet.  Otherwise, you look like you're in a prime position to abuse him.

Finally, your lands.  No, I wouldn't go with a fourth Village.  I'm not even sold on Pendlehaven, actually, but I guess you do want to protect your Rangers and Elves.  You might actually want to think about Desert.  It gives you an edge in combat as well as a way to scare off small attackers, but it only taps for colorless.  You might not want that in a deck revolving around Gauntlet.

That pretty much takes care of the maindeck, so now let's look at the sideboard.  Evrything there looks fine, although I agree with you that Dodecapod might work better as Quagnoth.  As I mentioned earlier, Thorn of Amethyst and Heartwood Storyteller also work in similar situations.  Another card that looks good in monogreen sideboards is Primal Command. Oftentimes, the Command's "noncreature permanent" ability proves the only answer for tricky things like planeswalkers.  The tutor ability is also potent, finding you whichever creature you need most next turn (usually a six drop).  The fact that it can either shuffle your graveyard back in, then search your library or put a card on top of their library and make them shuffle it in gives it a lot of potential.  And post-Wrath, you can get the jump on an opponent by finding a creature and putting a land on top of their library (so they won't draw another creature).  As modal spells are supposed to be, it's very flexible.

That's everything I can do for you , Keith, short of buying you a playset of Tarmogoyf*.  Good luck at Worlds!  Your sister and I both will be hoping your ride back is more pleasant than your ride there, if you know what I mean.

~BMoor

*As powerful as Tarmogoyf is, its sticker price is so high I can not in good faith recommend him to anyone unless they specifically say they can afford any card they need, or mention him by name.