For this iteration of Past Times Revived we will be taking a look at the winner of the 2008 tournament that Aaron Gazzaniga and I have been updating over the last several weeks. Berserk Stompy, unlike the other decks in this series, actually does see a fair amount of play in today’s Legacy metagame. However, you probably do not recognize it as it has evolved so much over the years it now goes by a different name. You are probably more familiar with its modern day build which goes by the name of Infect.
Berserk Stompy by Etienne Villani
Lands (18)
2 Forest
4 Savannah
4 Taiga
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
Creatures (20)
4 Elvish Spirit Guide
4 Kavu Predator
4 Kird Ape
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Wild Nacatl
Spells (22)
4 Berserk
2 Fling
4 Invigorate
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Lotus Petal
4 Rancor
The core idea behind all Berserk Stompy lists is simple. Play cheap aggressive creatures, then multiply their damage with pump spells like Invigorate and Berserk. With the introduction of New Phyrexia, the Infect mechanic got a significant boost. This resulted in Berserk Stompy taking on a Blue Green shell and ditching the very fragile Kavu Predator combo.
I want to give the original list an update, without stepping on the toes of the already-established Infect lists. While Infect is certainly powerful, I wanted to create a more traditional aggro deck that does not require the use of expensive blue Dual Lands. The recent printing of a new red hate bear was exactly the sort of threat I was looking for.
Harsh Stompy by Jerry Mee
| Lands (16) 4 Taiga 4 Wooded Foothills 2 Forest 2 Mountain 4 Wasteland Creatures (24) 4 Simian Spirit Guide 4 Eidolon of the Great Revel 4 Harsh Mentor 4 Tarmogoyf 4 Nimble Mongoose 4 Vexing Devil Spells (21) 4 Lotus Petal 4 Vines of Vastwood 2 Might of Old Krosa 4 Berserk 4 Lightning Bolt 2 Krosan Grip 1 Fling |
The purpose of this deck is to hit our opponents fast and hard. Simian Spirit Guide and Lotus Petal allow us to power out turn one Harsh Mentor and Eidolon of the Great Revel. This way they are able to make use of their damaging abilities as soon as possible. Best case scenario the red Mentor and the Eidolon stay on the battlefield and heavily tax our opponents life totals. Worst case scenario, our opponents use up their removal on the red creatures which clears the way for Tarmogoyf and the other creatures to close out the game.
Vines of Vastwood pulls double duty, protecting our creatures from spot removal and pumping them up for the last few points of damage. One of the biggest fears of this deck is Terminus. Our opponents playing an instant speed Wrath of God, after we have dumped our hand onto the board, is the biggest threat to the deck. Hopefully Harsh Mentor can keep our Miracles opponents at bay long enough to reduce the probability of this blow out from taking place. Plus, now that Sensei’s Divining Top has been banned in Legacy, maybe Miracles won’t be such a big part of the metagame.
Two cards that present enormous obstacles for the deck are Counterbalance and Chalice of the Void. As a hedge against this threat I have included two copies of Krosan Grip main deck. While there may be some games where it is a dead card, the omnipresent threat of Miracles and Chalice of the Void decks mean we cannot afford to leave this hate card at home. Adjust as needed once we see the post-ban metagame develop.
The Spicy 61st
I was so happy when I saw in the original list the perfect spicy 61st card! Fling is one of the most flavorful design mechanics in the history of magic. I laugh as I imagine how it would look to pick up a Berserk Tarmogoyf and throw it at my opponent’s face. Fling is one of the most enjoyable ways to close out any game of Magic.
I hope you all enjoy this fun little aggro deck, I know I had a lot of fun going back to Legacy’s roots to capture some of that nostalgic fun from back in the day.
Jerry Mee is a Boston Native who has been playing Magic since Onslaught Block. Primarily a Legacy player, he cohosts the weekly Leaving a Legacy Podcast found on Mtgcast.com. He can be reached on Twitter at @Jmee3rd