It's been quite a while since we've gotten a Mono-Green Garruk! My personal take is this: he's quite a popular character, but we went quite a while without seeing him as part of any narratives. Well, now he's (maybe? probably?) back, and we've got a big Green welcome planned!
In honor of his Uprising and the general theme of Green in M21, this Garruk's theme is built on a firm foundation of "4-power matters". When we looked at Sarkhan Unbroken not too long ago, we noted that Temur's themes were a little loose.
The fact of the matter is that I've enjoyed "X power matters" in Mono Green and Mono Red, but it tends to lose coherence when you also want to incorporate lots of colors and gold cards. In a single color deck like this one, there aren't as many competing interests, so the concept really gets the space it needs to shine.
Let's see what this Green guy has in store:
Magic: The Gathering TCG Deck - Garruk, Unleashed by Andy Hurst
'Garruk, Unleashed' - constructed deck list and prices for the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Andy Hurst
Event:
Rank:
Freeform (Casual)
Market Price: $11.73
Winds of Qal Sisma
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/95435_200w.jpg
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn. Ferocious — If you control a creature with power 4 or greater, instead prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn by creatures your opponents control.
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Band Together
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/188218_200w.jpg
Up to two target creatures you control each deal damage equal to their power to another target creature.
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Nessian Hornbeetle
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.08
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At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you control another creature with power 4 or greater, put a +1/+1 counter on Nessian Hornbeetle.
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Garruk's Harbinger
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.27
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Hexproof from black Whenever Garruk's Harbinger deals combat damage to a player or planeswalker, look at that many cards from the top of your library. You may reveal a creature card or Garruk planeswalker card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
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Entangling Vines
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.06
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Enchant tapped creature Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
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Sapseep Forest
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.28
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({T}: Add {G}.)
Sapseep Forest enters the battlefield tapped.
{G}, {T}: You gain 1 life. Activate this ability only if you control two or more green permanents.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/duel-decks-ajani-vs-nicol-bolas/sapseep-forest
Garruk, Unleashed
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $1.94
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+1: Up to one target creature gets +3/+3 and gains trample until end of turn. −2: Create a 3/3 green Beast creature token. Then if an opponent controls more creatures than you, put a loyalty counter on Garruk, Unleashed. −7: You get an emblem with "At the beginning of your end step, you may search your library for a creature card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library."
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Garruk's Uprising
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $2.83
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When Garruk's Uprising enters the battlefield, if you control a creature with power 4 or greater, draw a card. Creatures you control have trample. (They can deal excess combat damage to the player or planeswalker they're attacking.) Whenever a creature with power 4 or greater enters the battlefield under your control, draw a card.
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Garruk's Gorehorn
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215615_200w.jpg
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Outmuscle
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.02
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/198867_200w.jpg
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control, then it fights target creature you don't control. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.) Adamant — If at least three green mana was spent to cast this spell, the creature you control gains indestructible until end of turn.
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Ruthless Instincts
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.12
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Choose one — • Target nonattacking creature gains reach and deathtouch until end of turn. Untap it. • Target attacking creature gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn.
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Keeper of Fables
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/222678_200w.jpg
Whenever one or more non-Human creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, draw a card.
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Rootwalla
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.10
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{1}{G}: Rootwalla gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/welcome-deck-2017/rootwalla
Wild Beastmaster
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.17
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Whenever Wild Beastmaster attacks, each other creature you control gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is Wild Beastmaster's power.
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Warden of the Woods
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.04
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Vigilance (Attacking doesn't cause this creature to tap.) Whenever Warden of the Woods becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, you may draw two cards.
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Drowsing Tyrannodon
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.02
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Defender (This creature can't attack.) As long as you control a creature with power 4 or greater, Drowsing Tyrannodon can attack as though it didn't have defender.
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Rancor
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.88
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Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +2/+0 and has trample. When Rancor is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return Rancor to its owner's hand.
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Conclave Naturalists
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.03
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When Conclave Naturalists enters the battlefield, you may destroy target artifact or enchantment.
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Heir of the Wilds
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/92812_200w.jpg
Deathtouch Ferocious — Whenever Heir of the Wilds attacks, if you control a creature with power 4 or greater, Heir of the Wilds gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
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Feral Contest
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/34366_200w.jpg
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. Another target creature blocks it this turn if able.
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Ferocious Charge
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11858_200w.jpg
Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn. Scry 2. (Look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)
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Track Down
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215919_200w.jpg
Scry 3, then reveal the top card of your library. If it's a creature or land card, draw a card. (To scry 3, look at the top three cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)
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Challenger Troll
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.06
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/188305_200w.jpg
Each creature you control with power 4 or greater can't be blocked by more than one creature.
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Springsage Ritual
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.04
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/120537_200w.jpg
Destroy target artifact or enchantment. You gain 4 life.
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Savage Punch
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/93159_200w.jpg
Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control. Ferocious — The creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn before it fights if you control a creature with power 4 or greater.
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Blighted Woodland
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.22
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/227343_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}.
{3}{G}, {T}, Sacrifice Blighted Woodland: Search your library for up to two basic land cards, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/commander-legends/blighted-woodland
Frontier Mastodon
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/95247_200w.jpg
Ferocious — Frontier Mastodon enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it if you control a creature with power 4 or greater.
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Nessian Boar
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/206721_200w.jpg
All creatures able to block Nessian Boar do so. Whenever Nessian Boar becomes blocked by a creature, that creature's controller draws a card.
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Desert Twister
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/132013_200w.jpg
Destroy target permanent.
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Wild Ceratok
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.01
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/176930_200w.jpg
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Thriss, Nantuko Primus
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.34
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/10294_200w.jpg
{G}, {T}: Target creature gets +5/+5 until end of turn.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/judgment/thriss-nantuko-primus
Atarka Beastbreaker
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/96724_200w.jpg
Formidable — {4}{G}: Atarka Beastbreaker gets +4/+4 until end of turn. Activate this ability only if creatures you control have total power 8 or greater.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/dragons-of-tarkir/atarka-beastbreaker
Tranquil Thicket
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/191289_200w.jpg
Tranquil Thicket enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {G}.
Cycling {G} ({G}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-horizons/tranquil-thicket
Ornery Dilophosaur
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.02
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215923_200w.jpg
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.) Whenever Ornery Dilophosaur attacks, if you control a creature with power 4 or greater, Ornery Dilophosaur gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
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Thornado
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/191635_200w.jpg
Destroy target creature with flying.
Cycling {1}{G} ({1}{G}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/modern-horizons/thornado
Nantuko Disciple
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11228_200w.jpg
{G}, {T}: Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/8th-edition/nantuko-disciple
Pierce the Sky
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/164710_200w.jpg
Pierce the Sky deals 7 damage to target creature with flying.
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Feed the Clan
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/93242_200w.jpg
You gain 5 life. Ferocious — You gain 10 life instead if you control a creature with power 4 or greater.
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Rushwood Grove
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.36
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/6673_200w.jpg
Rushwood Grove enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Put a storage counter on Rushwood Grove.
{T}, Remove any number of storage counters from Rushwood Grove: Add {G} for each storage counter removed this way.Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/mercadian-masques/rushwood-grove
Forest
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/230468_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {G}.)Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/kaldheim/forest
Alpine Grizzly
Color Identity:G
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/93189_200w.jpg
Buy This Card! https://shop.tcgplayer.com/magic/khans-of-tarkir/alpine-grizzly
The single most important thing is to get creatures with 4 power into play so our stuff can start triggering. Rootwalla shines here as an early creature that can get big, and don't forget that some of our enhancements (tricks?) like Rancor, Ferocious Charge, Ruthless Instincts, and Nantuko Disciple possess activated abilities that can help achieve this. Once we have a 4-power body, Tyrannodon gets unlocked, Nessian Hornbeetle starts growing. Heir of the Wilds and Ornery Dilophosaur also become much more dangerous, Frontier Mastodon shows up bigger, and several of our important spells get the ferocious bonuses.
Unless we get an advantageous combat, this deck has a tough time getting ahead on cards, so Garruk's Uprising and Keeper of Fables are crucial to helping bridge that gap.
The removal here is...honestly not bad! I mean, it's a Green deck, but still it's pretty acceptable. Savage Punch, Band Together, and Outmuscle are all fine examples of Fight/Bite spells that don't cost us too much mana, or provide us with a bonus when they do. Entangling Vines doesn't seem particularly Green, but it can help us neutralize a creature that's too big to fight off. And speaking of "doesn't seem Green", Desert Twister might cost a lot, but it can rid us of the bombiest bombs—an especially valuable trait for this color.
A cheap, 4-power threat from the same set as our Planeswalker? With Garruk in the title, no less? It's like it was meant to be. A 4/3 on turn 3 hits hard, and at that early phase of the game it's either taking out 2 opposing creatures, getting you ahead on cards, or taking a big bite out of their life total and (probably) putting us up a creature, which...also gets us ahead on cards. Overall, the Harbinger equals an early game threat that's hard to beat.
This creature looks really fantastic wearing a Rancor. (Or any enhancement, really.) Casting a pump spell on the Beastmaster essentially pumps up your whole board, so plan—and attack—accordingly!
The bad news is that this will put our opponent up on cards—possibly by a very large amount. The good news, though, is that it will take out a solid chunk of our opponent's board (maybe even 100%) while letting our other troops get in for damage! It also supplies a 4+ power body to pump up the rest of our team, and maybe even unlock some Ferocious triggers.
Love the Judgment cards, though I'm not actually confident that Thriss is good. 7 mana is a hefty price to pay. That said, I can't imagine we ever lose a combat with an active Thriss, and since combat is how this deck wins games, that sounds like a thumbs up to me! Plus the art is just plain dope. I hope they bring back Nantuko sooner rather than later—I'm a big fan of those mantis people.
As with Garruk's Harbinger, we're incentivized to play this card because it's a Garruk spell in a Garruk deck from the same set. And boy, is it a strong incentive! First of all, it's huge that this gives us a card right away, with no need to get anything else out yet. That's a massive reward. Secondly, we already want to play lots of big creatures, or at least creatures with high power, so we welcome the Trample that this provides to our whole squad! My guess is that if we can trigger this with creatures more than twice, it'll be difficult for us to ever lose a game. Garruk's Uprising is the strongest of its effect type that we've seen below Rare or Mythic status, and here, it's a pretty perfect fit.
