Magic 2014 Hunter's Strength Deck Building Guide: Beast Within

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First off: These deck building videos are not mandatory builds I say you must run. Who am I to do that? People have differing opinions. These are powerful builds that you can use to success, but you can always swap a card or two for your own.

I run down every card in the deck for each video and discuss it's application. (with a mindset of 1v1 -- in 2HG you'll pick more area-oriented cards if available)

I'm also constantly in a state of testing, and you should be too. Try a few things out for awhile. I may end up with a build that's 98% complete for a moment. I'm tempted to see how a 'small' build works to help utilize Overrun.

This is prior to the promotional unlock codes: However I was looking at a list offscreen and talk about the unlocks at the end as far as what to include when we get them. So even after those, it is still applicable.

If you have any comments, opinions, suggestions, or fun stories with certain cards, would you kindly share your thoughts? Leave a like and tell us how you really feel!

I will keep description updated as time goes on about certain cards leaving or entering the final build.

[mtgxerxes]

There will be codes that we enter in on one of the main menu screen options. Once they're released and I learn of it I'll put up a video for them like I did with 2013.
We should get at least a couple in the next few weeks.

[HighLanderPonyYT]

'The beast outside, is nothing... compared to the beast within.'

[hatterjack]

I tend to agree with you on almost all of your videos (with personal customization of course - no one likes a direct copycat honestly - and everyone is different!), but I must say that I like Beastmaster Ascension a lot. It can be a game ender by itself. If you have a field of 7 small creatures or can play to 7, and are just struggling, biding, or trading, you can drop BM for 3 and attack with all. The +5+5 then counts through before blockers or damage... Win

[hatterjack]

You have a good point. it's helpful to have the powerful two cost cards to get it moving, but even when I tried it earlier I couldn't get anything else to back em up. However, card luck can play significantly into this considering my second game against the guy I used my favorite deck (Ajani) and drew 8 straight mana after a 3 mana start beginning turn 3... Sucks when I have it at 22 mana in a 60. Anyways, thanks for your reply! I'll keep thinking about how to tweak my green

[Vael]

Enlarge also has the nice benefit of serving as removal since your creature will pretty much always be bigger. Can be useful against those annoying creatures that never really want to be in combat, like lords. Also, the reason you run GSZ is because it is nearly an extra copy of all your 1-off big guys, and it lets you be a bit more adaptable. That being said, I'm not sure how much this deck makes use of how good GSZ can be because I haven't played it much, I just know it can be really good.

[mtgxerxes]

Theme moreso just implies that cards are intended to work with each other and have greater synergy. There may be times were a few individual great cards lose to individually poor but coherent cards. Take Weenie Aggro or slivers for example.
Staying with the theme may allow chain reactions and fancy stuff to go on that cards un-fitting won't. Like how I use Bloodghast in my Zombie deck. It doesn't fully fit and I'm debatably losing efficiency.

[mtgxerxes]

This is true, he's a little bit more feisty than a 4/2.
I suppose if one wanted to run all those additional spiders and Sacred Wolfs for an "Aggro" build, Fangreen would be quite an extra force. Sounds very enticing now as I prefer smaller curves.
Err... in Magic, at least ; )

[mtgxerxes]

That may not be a bad way to go. I currently have that as a build too, though I'm still using one Regal Force as he can just save the day.

[holyordersol]

Also, I think Prey Upon is the better choice over Hunt the Weak, bc it's 1CMC for removal. Yes, Hunt the Weak does make your creature permanently bigger before the fight . . . but only by one --- for four times the CMC of Prey Upon. If it was an instant, I would definitely consider it replacing a few Prey Upon's for that extra utility.

[mtgxerxes]

Prey Upon is probably superior. I think I'll keep one copy of Hunt the Weak though.
I do think I'll also go back to one copy of Enlarge. With 1-2 creatures Overrun doesn't create as much power, but hopefully you have 3+ with this deck hanging around.

[AarkonD]

enlarge is a kill spell with upside not a pump spell if you use it as such it works best IMO

[mtgxerxes]

I think just about any modern day deck becomes better with Thragtusk.

[holyordersol]

I usually find the CPU or I are using it only on a single creature so that the opponent has no choice except to multi-block & lose those creatures or instant-speed kill spell the creature (which usually isn't the case bc they're tapped out & bc there isn't much instant-speed removal, period).

I've been trying out a lower CMC build. The pressing issue with it is deciding which of the two spiders to include to deal with flyers (or if I should simply rely on racing w/ giant creatures).

[TarikBrowne]

The first time Fangreen attacks he attacks as a 5/3 so the 2 toughness is only relevant that first turn, but yes in that first turn shock can take him

[Doomscrollin]

siiick deck. Just pulled a 102 damage turn with vigor wolves and stampede :P too fun

[mtshank]

You know what this deck needed? Thragtusk.

[Svydnar]

@mtgxerxes Correction on your thoughts of intimidate. You thought colorless Eldrazi and Slivers can block intimidate creatures but they can't. Creatures with intimidate can't be blocked except by "artifact" creatures or creatures that share a color with it.

[mtgxerxes]

If you have that much of an army though, sounds like you're doing just fine and you're going to win out anyway That, and an Overrun ends the game too.
It's not that Beastmaster isn't a good card, but when you can't play stuff like Birds of Paradise on T1 to help it out, it can lag behind and won't always be relevant.
In a meta where everything is Aggro and Hunter's Strength isn't even top-3 fastest, I want to make sure I'm getting something for every card. Green has little problem late game.

[AarkonD]

this has one of the best creatures predator ooze hes so boss

[ExileOfSand]

I would think that bramblerush would be very useful, since many decks rely a lot on enchants i mean outside of a few. Like Dragon can have Dragon Form which would demolish Hunter's strength due to lack of flying, or even in stopping echantment pump ups that white has.