Gaea's Cradle
Patrick Scheele
When I saw the spoiler for Gaea's Cradle at mtgnews, I knew I had to make
a deck around it before the set was released. The spoiler will probably
turn out to be incorrect, so I have to hurry before I hear that what the
card really does is suck.
Gaea's Cradle
Legendary Land
T: Add G to your mana pool for each creature you control.
Could this be the speed boost that will allow green to actually cast its
big creatures? Let's try a scenario first (I'll try to keep everything
future T2 legal, but I may make some mistakes):
Turn 1: forest, llanowar elf
Turn 2: gaea's cradle, llanowar elf, birds of paradise, (now tap the
cradle for 3 mana), skyshroud elf, scavenger folk
Turn 3: (10 mana available) verdant force
This is probably a bit too optimistic, but I'm going to try to make a deck
which could pull this off. First of all, you don't need a lot of lands in
this deck. An ideal opening hand would have a forest and a cradle.
Secondly, a lot of 1 casting cost creatures are needed, preferably ones
which can also be used to make mana. Thirdly, you need something to use
the mana on.
First the lands:
---------------
16 forest
4 gaea's cradle
I wonder if this is enough. You don't need the cradle in every opening
hand, but you lose your insane speed and become vulnerable to mass
removal (wrath of god, cataclysm, earthquake, disk etc).
The support staff:
-----------------
4 llanowar elf
4 birds of paradise (earthquake proof and allows for splashes)
4 skyshroud elf (with these and the birds, red and white become reliably
available)
3 scavenger folk (anti artifacts)
2 ley druid (a bit expensive, but big with the cradle)
3 scryb sprite
4 seeker of skybreak
4 wall of blossoms
Big Stuff:
---------
4 verdant force
2 force of nature
Extras:
------
2 winter orb (with the cradle out, you'll hardly notice this)
2 tranquility
2 fireball (finishing touch, could use hurricane if you want to stay
mono green for some reason)
The sideboard should include lifeforce (anti perish) and probably 2 more
tranquilities against oath decks. I'm not sure what else to include.
Perhaps spike weaver against hatred.
Overall, I don't see this deck doing very well in tournaments, though it
looks great for fun play.
Patrick
Margaret Cloudy
Patrick Scheele wrote in message <6tmcl4$hjs$1...@xs2.xs4all.nl>...
Tolun
>I have one word EARTHCRAFT!
Earthcraft only untaps basic lands. In a MesaCraft deck or something,
yes, you can get infinite mana from the Cradle, but in that case, why
don't you just use Ashnod's Altar?
Tolun
Jody Bowman
Patrick Scheele wrote in message <6tmcl4$hjs$1...@xs2.xs4all.nl>...
>
>When I saw the spoiler for Gaea's Cradle at mtgnews, I knew I had to make
>a deck around it before the set was released. The spoiler will probably
>turn out to be incorrect, so I have to hurry before I hear that what the
>card really does is suck.
>
>Gaea's Cradle
>Legendary Land
>T: Add G to your mana pool for each creature you control.
>
>Could this be the speed boost that will allow green to actually cast its
>big creatures?
It would be nice.
Type I deck idea:
I'm thinking of tossing Ornithopters/Phyrexian Walkers/Kobolds/Shield
Spheres in, + Llanowar Behemoths.
"Envy" (since this is kind of a Green Hatred/3rd turn kill kind of thing)
<rambling build>
Big early mana--hope to draw either of these first two and a few of the
0cc's:
4 Gaea's Cradle
4 Earthcraft
Ornithopters/Phyrexian Walkers/Kobolds/Shield Spheres
X-damage: use several to encourage drawing them
Fireballs/Hurricanes
some Llanowar Behemoths to abuse the large number of support creatures
Vitality to redouble the Behemoths/Cradle/Earthcraft effect
Other dirt
R/G lands
Forest
Mountain
Early mana, in case the combos don't come out
Elves
Birds of Paradise
Drawing, to reach the combos
Walls of Blossoms
Well of Knowledge
For safety (stop early creature rush)
Fog
Spike Weaver
Ideal goal:
1st round: drop a Cradle and as many 0cc creatures as you can,
to allow for casting whatever is in your hand--pray your opponent
doesn't have a Wasteland :)
2nd round: forest, elf, Behemoth; If no Cradle, drop an Earthcraft and
do the same with the basic lands you've lain
3rd: Play a mountain, attack with the Behemoth, tap the sundry peds
to pump him up. Use Giant Growth/Elvish Fury as needed. Fireball
for the big finish.
Not exactly Shadow/Hatred, but looks entertaining. Viable for social play?
Jody Bowman
jdbo...@qtiworld.com
Caleb E.
>>When I saw the spoiler for Gaea's Cradle at mtgnews, I knew I had to make
>>a deck around it before the set was released. The spoiler will probably
>>turn out to be incorrect, so I have to hurry before I hear that what the
>>card really does is suck.
>>
>>Gaea's Cradle
>>Legendary Land
>>T: Add G to your mana pool for each creature you control.
>>
>>Could this be the speed boost that will allow green to actually cast its
>>big creatures?
I clipped out the rest of your strategy, which was insiteful but
didn't really need to be retained, because I have one thing to say.
"Snakebasket" Say it with me. "Snaaaakkeeee Bassskeet!" "BEEFCAKE!"
No, Snakebasket. :P
Or the unglued Rabid sheep card. Or both. ;)
And don't forget to throw in 1 or 2 Kraklin at the end... Gaea's
cradle is the card that green NEEDS. That is why I suspect that the
spoiler is completely wrong. :P
Stephen Latour
untap target _BASIC_ land.
--Arkham : City of Lost Minds
In article <6tml1m$lb2$1...@news13.ispnews.com>,
Margaret Cloudy <M...@pnx.com> wrote:
>I have one word EARTHCRAFT!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Patrick Scheele wrote in message <6tmcl4$hjs$1...@xs2.xs4all.nl>...
>>
>>When I saw the spoiler for Gaea's Cradle at mtgnews, I knew I had to make
>>a deck around it before the set was released. The spoiler will probably
>>turn out to be incorrect, so I have to hurry before I hear that what the
>>card really does is suck.
>>
>>Gaea's Cradle
>>Legendary Land
>>T: Add G to your mana pool for each creature you control.
>>
>>Could this be the speed boost that will allow green to actually cast its
Admin Kit User
Earthcraft ONLY works on basic land.
90% of the posted "new combo" posts could be eliminated if everyone
remebers this ine thing: EARTHCRAFT ONLY WORKS ON BASIC LAND!!!!!!
Jody Bowman
>GOOD LORD MAN
>
>Earthcraft ONLY works on basic land.
>
>90% of the posted "new combo" posts could be eliminated if everyone
>remebers this ine thing: EARTHCRAFT ONLY WORKS ON BASIC LAND!!!!!!
Perhaps my idea was unclear--allow me to rephrase my ideal step 2:
>> 2nd round: forest, elf, Behemoth; If no Cradle, drop an Earthcraft and
>> do the same with the basic lands you've lain
Reworded--
2nd round: if you got a Cradle on your first round and dropped the 0cc's,
you can
play a forest, elf and a Behemoth on the 2nd round.
If you got an Earthcraft instead of a Cradle, then in theory you could still
get much
mana using the 3-4 creatures from the first round + a 2nd round Earthcraft
to untap
one of the basic lands you have in play several times. If you get several
of the 0cc's
+ an elf in the first round (not impossible, depending on the ratio used),
you can have
a Behemoth on the 3rd (or possibly 2nd) turn.
This way, if you don't draw a Gaea's Cradle, you can still drop the 0cc
creatures
and wreak holy hell using them and the Earthcraft to untap a basic land you
played
in the first two rounds.
Steps 1 and 3 would run about the same.
Hope this clarifies what I meant--I did understand that Earthcraft would not
work
on the Cradle :) This way, there are 8 viable cards in the deck that can
combo with
the 0cc's for that 2nd-round mana glut, rather than relying on 4 Cradles
alone.
<fanatic glint> And if you can play a Cradle 1st round and an Earthcraft +
normal
land on the 2nd, plus even just 3 of the 0cc horde during this time...
</fanatic glint>
Jody Bowman
Ben Jackson
Gaea's Cradle in a R/G deck....
'Hmmmmmmm... Fireball you for 10'
Next Turn....
'Hmmmmmm...Fireball you for 10 AGAIN!'
My two cents...
Air Ron
>
>>>When I saw the spoiler for Gaea's Cradle at mtgnews, I knew I had to make
>>>a deck around it before the set was released. The spoiler will probably
>>>turn out to be incorrect, so I have to hurry before I hear that what the
>>>card really does is suck.
>>>
>>>Gaea's Cradle
>>>Legendary Land
>>>T: Add G to your mana pool for each creature you control.
>>>
>>>Could this be the speed boost that will allow green to actually cast its
>>>big creatures?
>
>I clipped out the rest of your strategy, which was insiteful but
>didn't really need to be retained, because I have one thing to say.
>"Snakebasket" Say it with me. "Snaaaakkeeee Bassskeet!" "BEEFCAKE!"
>No, Snakebasket. :P
>
>Or the unglued Rabid sheep card. Or both. ;)
>And don't forget to throw in 1 or 2 Kraklin at the end... Gaea's
>cradle is the card that green NEEDS. That is why I suspect that the
>spoiler is completely wrong. :P
Here's a Type 2 deck that's probably along the lines of what you're
thinking.
4 Liege of the Hollows
4 Snake Basket
4 Ashnod's Altar
4 Verdant Force
4 Natural Order
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Veteran Explorer
4 Wall of Roots
4 Wall of Blossoms
4 Sylvan Hierophant
20 Forests
You can pretty commonly have a 3rd turn Force from Natural Order.
It's also pretty common to be able to CAST the Force on turn 4. I'm
not kidding. The basket is amazing. Of course, Earthquake or even
Tremor will just ruin your day but it is damn fun to play. You could
make a very large basket with some Cradles out.
Air Ron
F Uy
> ca...@imt.net (Caleb E.) wrote:
> >>>Gaea's Cradle Legendary Land
> >>>T: Add G to your mana pool for each creature you control.
> >"Snakebasket" Say it with me. "Snaaaakkeeee Bassskeet!" "BEEFCAKE!"
> not kidding. The basket is amazing. Of course, Earthquake or even
> Tremor will just ruin your day but it is damn fun to play. You could
> make a very large basket with some Cradles out.
What is this "some Cradles" (plural) business? Say it with me. "LEGENDARY."
Better carry Creeping Mold and some land fetch, or you'll have a big pain
when you play another deck with Cradle.
-F
.
The Prophet Kaos
wrote:
(Snip)
>You can pretty commonly have a 3rd turn Force from Natural Order.
>It's also pretty common to be able to CAST the Force on turn 4. I'm
>not kidding. The basket is amazing. Of course, Earthquake or even
>Tremor will just ruin your day but it is damn fun to play.
That's balanced somewhat by the fact that if your opponent *doesn't*
have one of those (or similar things) in hand, then he probably
doesn't have time to find one.
--
The Chimera Project's token Blue mage
Ingo Warnke
: > >>>Gaea's Cradle Legendary Land
: > >>>T: Add G to your mana pool for each creature you control.
: > >"Snakebasket" Say it with me. "Snaaaakkeeee Bassskeet!" "BEEFCAKE!"
: > not kidding. The basket is amazing. Of course, Earthquake or even
: > Tremor will just ruin your day but it is damn fun to play. You could
: > make a very large basket with some Cradles out.
: What is this "some Cradles" (plural) business? Say it with me. "LEGENDARY."
: Better carry Creeping Mold and some land fetch, or you'll have a big pain
: when you play another deck with Cradle.
Right. But you can always use it as a one shot effect, similiar to the
way Lake of the Dead worked for some time.
Ingo Warnke
Giles Hjort-Tyson
Ingo Warnke wrote in message <36076...@news.uni-rostock.de>...
>F Uy (yaho...@francis.uy) wrote:
>: What is this "some Cradles" (plural) business? Say it with me.
"LEGENDARY."
>: Better carry Creeping Mold and some land fetch, or you'll have a big
pain
>: when you play another deck with Cradle.
>
>Right. But you can always use it as a one shot effect, similiar to the
>way Lake of the Dead worked for some time.
Uhm, did they change the rules involving legendary lands? I always thought
it was you could not play one if one of the same kind is already in play.
That is, you can't even play it and have it get buried immediatly, you must
keep it in your hand, discard it, or put it into play with some special
effect(which causes it to be buried anyway).
>Ingo Warnke
Giles Hjort-Tyson
Brian Trosko wrote in message <6u9gqj$ga6$4...@nnrp03.primenet.com>...
>What the hell? Legendary Lands are Legends, just like any others. If
Legend A is
>in play and you put into play another Legend A, the second one gets buried.
>There's nothing preventing you from putting a second one into play, though.
Alright, you are right, I was remembering it wrong.
Brian Trosko
: Uhm, did they change the rules involving legendary lands? I always thought
: it was you could not play one if one of the same kind is already in play.
: That is, you can't even play it and have it get buried immediatly, you must
: keep it in your hand, discard it, or put it into play with some special
: effect(which causes it to be buried anyway).
Jason Finney
>it was you could not play one if one of the same kind is already in play.
>That is, you can't even play it and have it get buried immediatly, you must
>keep it in your hand, discard it, or put it into play with some special
>effect(which causes it to be buried anyway).
>
I don't know if the rules ever worked the way you describe them, but in the
rules now there is nothing to prevent you from playing a legendary permanent
because another of the same name is already in play. It gets buried
immediately as a Rule Effect, but you have a chance to play mana sources
first. Thus, Gaea's Cradle can be used as a Dark Ritual-esque one-shot
effect.
ka...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
wrote:
>I don't know if the rules ever worked the way you describe them, but in the
>rules now there is nothing to prevent you from playing a legendary permanent
>because another of the same name is already in play. It gets buried
>immediately as a Rule Effect, but you have a chance to play mana sources
>first.
Doubtful. Check the rulings on Lake of the Dead and Lotus Vale to see
why.
Ton Ramstijn
Jason Finney wrote in message <6uk25g$q0s$1...@news.rain.org>...
>>Uhm, did they change the rules involving legendary lands? I always thought
>>it was you could not play one if one of the same kind is already in play.
>>That is, you can't even play it and have it get buried immediatly, you
must
>>keep it in your hand, discard it, or put it into play with some special
>>effect(which causes it to be buried anyway).
>>
>
>rules now there is nothing to prevent you from playing a legendary
permanent
>because another of the same name is already in play. It gets buried
>immediately as a Rule Effect,
- stop -
>but you have a chance to play mana sources first.
>Thus, Gaea's Cradle can be used as a Dark Ritual-esque one-shot
>effect.
This final part is probably better checked in .rules. Playing a land is not
a mana source, is it?
Antone J
Jason Finney
<to...@stads.net> wrote:
No, it isn't. What I meant is that it can be played for a one-time mana
boost if there is already another in play. There was a discussion in .rules
a while back about Volrath's Stronghold, and all the gurus agreed it could
be tapped for mana before the legends rule buried it. I am assuming Gaea's
Cradle works the same way.
Jason Finney
wrote:
>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 17:51:25 -0700, "Jason Finney" <jaso...@rain.org>
>wrote:
>
>>I don't know if the rules ever worked the way you describe them, but in the
>>rules now there is nothing to prevent you from playing a legendary permanent
>>because another of the same name is already in play. It gets buried
>>immediately as a Rule Effect, but you have a chance to play mana sources
>>first.
>
>Doubtful. Check the rulings on Lake of the Dead and Lotus Vale to see
>why.
>
Those rulings do not apply here. This is the applicant ruling:
K.19.2 - The burial is done as a Rule Effect (see Rule T.13). This will
happen so quickly that there is no way you can use abilities (other than
_mana sources_ and replacement abilities) of the duplicate card or
sacrifice
it to something before it gets buried.
(emphasis mine)
An ability of a card cannot be used until all comes-into-play costs are
dealt with, but there is no such rule for the burial of duplicate legends.
Tolun
>On Sat, 26 Sep 1998 17:51:25 -0700, "Jason Finney" <jaso...@rain.org>
>wrote:
>>I don't know if the rules ever worked the way you describe them, but in the
>>rules now there is nothing to prevent you from playing a legendary permanent
>>because another of the same name is already in play. It gets buried
>>immediately as a Rule Effect, but you have a chance to play mana sources
>>first.
>Doubtful. Check the rulings on Lake of the Dead and Lotus Vale to see
>why.
Lake of the Dead and Lotus Vale have "comes into play" effects
(sacrifice a swamp/two lands) that must be dealt with before you can
use the ability. Gaea's Cradle and other Legendary Lands in US do not
have CIP effects, and therefore you can use the ability before they
get buried for being duplicate Legends.
Tolun
Tolun
>Jason Finney wrote in message <6uk25g$q0s$1...@news.rain.org>...
>>>Uhm, did they change the rules involving legendary lands? I always thought
>>>it was you could not play one if one of the same kind is already in play.
>>>That is, you can't even play it and have it get buried immediatly, you
>must
>>>keep it in your hand, discard it, or put it into play with some special
>>>effect(which causes it to be buried anyway).
>>>
>>
>>I don't know if the rules ever worked the way you describe them, but in the
>>rules now there is nothing to prevent you from playing a legendary
>permanent
>>because another of the same name is already in play. It gets buried
>>immediately as a Rule Effect,
> - stop -
>>but you have a chance to play mana sources first.
>>Thus, Gaea's Cradle can be used as a Dark Ritual-esque one-shot
>>effect.
>This final part is probably better checked in .rules. Playing a land is not
>a mana source, is it?
No, it's not, but tapping a land for mana is. Thus, you can play the
land, and it says "oh, I'm I duplicate Legend. Bye!" And before it
buries itself, you can tap it for mana as per the Mana Source rules.
Tolun
Margaret Cloudy
GURU 418
last time i checked Llanowar Elves only produce green mana----were you thinking
of Skyshoud Elves???
just had to point it out
RD
>I went to the prerelease in Houston, it was cool and so are the cards. =
>Especially Gaea's Cradle. Earthcraft, Gaea's Cradle, Verdant Force, and =
>a splash of red for the Goblin Offensive, and rolling thunder is an =
>awesome deck.
>
>Here is my Cradle deck
>
>
>
>Land:
>
>12 Forests
>4 Slippery Karsts (cycling)
>2 Gaea's Cradle
>4 Mountains
>
>
>Creatures:
>
>4 Llanowar Elves (red mana production)
>4 Priests of Titiana
>4 Elvish Herder
>4 Kraklin
>2 Orcish Settlers
>2 Cradle Guards
>2 Blanchwood Treefolk
>
>
>Other=20
>=20
>2 Earthcraft
>4 Fertile Ground=20
>4 Rolling Thunder
>2 Regrowth
>2 Stream of Life
>2 Vernal Bloom
>2 Goblin Offensive
>
>
>The point is to get out an elf or other creature with earthcraft and the =
>cradle build up craetures and you can cast a big goblin offensive to =
>give you (x) creatures then next urn your cradle produces (x) more mana =
>(x) more times via earthcraft for a fuckin' huge rolling thunder!=20
>
>------=_NextPart_000_012B_01BDEBE9.ED024C20
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><DIV>I went to the prerelease in Houston, =
>it was cool=20
>and so are the cards. Especially Gaea's Cradle. Earthcraft, =
>Gaea's=20
>Cradle, Verdant Force, and a splash of red for the Goblin Offensive, and =
>rolling=20
>thunder is an awesome deck.</DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV>Here is my Cradle deck</DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV>Land:</DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV>12 Forests</DIV>
><DIV>4 Slippery Karsts=20
>(cycling)</DIV>
><DIV>2 Gaea's =
>Cradle</DIV>
><DIV>4 Mountains</DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV>Creatures:</DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV>4 Llanowar Elves (red =
>mana=20
>production)</DIV>
><DIV>4 Priests of =
>Titiana</DIV>
><DIV>4 Elvish Herder</DIV>
><DIV>4 Kraklin</DIV>
><DIV>2 Orcish Settlers</DIV>
><DIV>2 Cradle Guards</DIV>
><DIV>2 Blanchwood =
>Treefolk</DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV>Other </DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV>2 Earthcraft</DIV>
><DIV>4 Fertile =
>Ground </DIV>
><DIV>4 Rolling Thunder</DIV>
><DIV>2 Regrowth</DIV>
><DIV>2 Stream of Life</DIV>
><DIV>2 Vernal Bloom</DIV>
><DIV>2 Goblin =
>
>Offensive</DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV> </DIV>
><DIV>The point is to get out an elf or =
>other creature=20
>with earthcraft and the cradle build up craetures and you can cast a big =
>goblin=20
>offensive to give you (x) creatures then next urn your cradle produces =
>(x) more=20
>mana (x) more times via earthcraft for a fuckin' huge rolling thunder!=20
></DIV>
>
>------=_NextPart_000_012B_01BDEBE9.ED024C20--
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
kunbu
> 2 Regrowth
Huh? Why use those cards? You made it type 1!
cyber...@webtv.net
> >2 Gaea's Cradle
I just had to add this for those not paying attention. Gaea's Cradle, like
the other US rare lands, is Legendary. If you play with 4 there isn't much
of a drawback. The extras become huge "Dark Rituals". They bury due to
their Legendary nature, a Rules mechanic. Thus you can put another in play
and tap it for the excessive mana production before it is gone. Enjoy.
-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum
Margaret Cloudy
kunbu wrote in message <361208...@the-police.com>...