Well this weeks deck garage is going to be a little different than usual. This previous week I have received almost ten decks that are Elf deck variants. So instead of fixing just one of these decks I am going to supply all my loyal Pojo readers with several builds of the Elf decks and go into how the elf decks work and some of the most common elf uses that will help you win games. For all those people that want to get to the decks you better just skip the next two paragraphs because its time for Jason’s Weekly Rant. The rants a good one and I think it will improve the game for a lot of players. If you don’t want to read the rant go to the decks and come and find me here next week for more Jason’s Deck Garage. On to the rant.

Can you dodge a bullet? Okay so here is how today’s rant came about. I was sitting in my living room watching the original Superman the Movie starring Christopher Reeve. It was at the point in the movie where mild mannered reporter Clark Kent and Lois Lane are coerced at gun point into a New York alley to be robbed. Well Lois Lane tries to kick the gun out of the hand of the would be robber and the gun goes off. In the true tradition of movie super heroes, Clark Kent aka Superman shoves her aside and snatches the bullet out of midair. So Lois is lucky and dodges the bullet. Hence that is where the title of today’s rant comes from. Dodging the bullet.

The bullet for this rant is the opening hand. Think about all the times that you have drawn a sub-par opening hand and instead of taking a mulligan and drawing six new cards you kept the hand of seven. Now some of you are saying “how does that turn into dodging the bullet?”. Well it is a simple thing to explain. Don’t keep the hand if you are actually questioning it. Don’t be afraid to take a card less if the hand can be better at six cards. A hand of six lands and one spell is no where near as affective as a hand with three lands and three spells. Imagine you have the first hand with the six lands and then you draw three more lands in a row. Now imagine you draw the same three extra lands but with the second hand of three lands and three spells. The mulligan or paris as it is some times called is your own personal Superman that can help you dodge the bullet.

Here are a few quotes that I have heard that will clue you in on what might be signs of a bad hand. Now if your opponent is saying these things it could be him or her trying to make you believe that they have a sub-par hand. If you find your self saying these quotes you might want to re-think the hand.

“I guess I can see how this hand works out. “

“At least I can cast whatever I draw.”

“If I can draw one land, I will be fine.”

“Hmm I guess this will work”

“Sure I can try this out?”

“Well I don’t want to be at six cards.”

“Hey all my cards are one casters so one land should do.”

Now some of you will see these quotes and recognize them. But if you find yourself saying any of these quotes or something close to them, use it as a red flag and dodge the bullet. Take those bad cards and send them back for new ones. I can promise you that you will see an improvement immediately if you just listen to yourself remember the mulligan. Now that we are almost to the end of the rant I will give you one further peace of advice. Go rent Superman the Movie with Christopher Reeve it’s an awesome movie. Here ends the rant.

Okay so its time to talk about those pointy eared freaks we like to call elves. Yes they can shoot a bows, hug some trees, and make little girls, moms, and teenagers hang pictures of them on their walls when played by Orlando Bloom but can they make a good Magic deck. Well that’s what we are here to talk about. The elves have had an occasional run on the tournament seen and have always been favorites in the casual crowds. Not a week has gone by that I haven’t at least received one or more elf deck list with a message to make the deck better. So instead of covering one deck we are going to cover the cards that are available to make elf decks everywhere better.

Wirewood Symbiote G

Insect 1/1

One of the best creatures that can be in an elf deck isn’t even an elf. The Wirewood Symbiote is the grand trickster of the elf deck. He allows you to use your Bloodline Shamans, Timberwatch Elf, and other elves with worth while abilities that require tapping additional times per turn. My tip when using him is to remember that you can block with a creature put damage on the creatures and return him your hand so you keep your guy and their guy dies. Don’t forget that this trick also works when you are attack so you can save Taunting Elves.

Wirewood Herald 1G

Elf 1/1

The tool box of the elf deck. When you need an answer you can use this guy to get it. Imagine that you have all your elves out and your opponent cast Wrath of God. Well that’s gonna kill your elves but it lets you get the Caller of the Claw so now you can cast it and get the elf and the bear tokens to go with it. Lets go a step further and say that he cast a Worship and now you cant get him below one life. So you get your Herald to block and then its time to go get your Elvish Lyrist to polish off that pesky enchantment and the same goes for artifacts when you go to get your Viridian Shaman.

Bloodline Shaman 1G

Elf 1/1

One of the banes of the weenie style decks is that you can run out of cards and the Bloodline Shaman is there to help you get more elves into the game. Teamed up with the Wirewood Symbiote and Wirewood Lodge it can provide you with some much needed staying power.

Caller of the Claw 2G

Elf 2/2

One of the elves that made playing elves possible again. This little elf will teach you to make sure have three mana available when you end each turn. Nothing like seeing your opponent cast his kill all your creatures spell and you just smile and let them die. Then at the end of that turn you get to cast your give me lots of guys spell called Caller of the Claw. Then you can say “Oh I guess you don’t have to die by elves you can die by bears” and then you laugh all evil like. Just remember that you have to remember that your guys have to die first. This guy and Skullclamp will equal a lot of card draw and guys to go with them.

Wirewood Lodge

This land is a must in an elf deck. Like I said before about the Wirewood Symbiote. The ability to untap some of your key elves can give you a lot of advantage. From the ability to untap the pump elves to elves that produce a lot of mana or a lot of life with the Well Wisher.

Wirewood Hivemaster 1G

Elf 1/1

This is an honorable mention elf. His ability is not game changing but it is hard to ignore. When you cast as many elf as this deck can its nice to have the free Insect tokens to go with it. I wouldn’t say he is for every deck but he is worth mentioning.

Jason Matthews

Darksteel Elves

4 Birchlore Rangers

4 Bloodline Shaman

2 Caller of the Claw

1 Glissa Sunseeker

3 Timberwatch Elf

2 Viridian Shaman

4 Viridian Zealot

2 Wellwisher

4 Wirewood Herald

4 Wirewood Hivemaster

4 Wirewood Symbiote

4 Skullclamp

18 Forest

4 Wirewood Lodge

Extended Elves “Trinity”

4 Birds of Paradise

4 Deranged Hermit

4 Llanowar Elves

4 Masticore

4 Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary

4 Skyshroud Poachers

1 Viridian Shaman

4 Wirewood Symbiote

4 Plow Under

4 Tangle Wire

15 Forest

4 Gaea's Cradle

4 Rishadan Port

Type One Elves

4 Skyshroud Poacher

4 Wirewood Symbiote

4 Sylvan Messenger

4 Timberwatch Elf

4 Wirewood Hivemaster

4 Wellwisher

4 Priest of Titania

4 Quirion Ranger

4 Fyndhorn Elves

4 Llanowar Elves

1 Fastbond

4 Concordant Crossroads

3 Land Grant

4 Gaea's Cradle

4 Wirewood Lodge