It just performs better with the mana we have, while retaining the most powerful aspects of mardu vehicles - namely the removal. It had an extremely high win rate for me last season (higher than mardu for me, by a lot). And frankly it's just cooler, because it's not a sad attempt to copy a standard deck.

Yeah that deck is nuts.

DJ, I like your gruul deck you posted here, looks like fun

It going to be good. I'll test it after the set drops and hone the list. Needs more Impetuous Devils so it has easier paths to a consistent t4 kill, and I'm trying to think if I can improve the 3 drop slot.

I'd probably use Galvanics instead of HLs...cheaper and you don't feel so bad discarding them to Brawlers etc

Glorys are a must, imho

Aylinn? Meh

Titan's Strenght look tempting with Manticores, Samut...even Neonates and Voltaics

Jonnhy idea: with maxed Exemplars and Maws, why no 3 Primal Druids? They go well even with Brawlers, Neonates, or Manticores to ramp...does all that compensate their total passivity? In a beatdown deck, the answer should be no...but this one already need some turns to snowball, so...

Why does Samut have both flash AND haste? I'm going to get all confused as when best to cast that creature.

Exemplar of Strength confuses me. Do I get life when I take the counters of any creature, or only if I put them on him?

....still waiting on people's thoughts about Samut. I guess it's situational? You main phase it if the attack makes sense. You flash it if the opponent has some scary creature you want to deal with?

moving around all these negative counters with the hippo and Exemplar of Strength is going to get confusing. I like Maggit's idea of throwing it on a Primal Druid. I like the idea of putting it on an Neonate but I don't think the placement of counters goes on the stack so i don't think you will get an opportunity to use the Discard/draw trigger of Neonate.

Yeah, Samut is a very strange card (I guess you surprise flash him, if you expect the opponent to attack, not sure). Not sure about neonate and counters, tbh. Fel thinks we can respond, so I'm on that train right now, but not positive at all.

Situational.

You main phase it and attack if you have a clear window open to connect.

You EoT flash it if your opponent has blockers (which will likely be tapped now) or you have other plays the following turn to take advantage of the global haste.

I still think the biggest advantage of Samut is being able to go T5 EoT Samut, untap on T6 and either play a beefy 6 drop, or multiple good 2-3 drops and attack for a million out of nowhere.

The issue that barney is touching on is that you could also have played him t5 and attacked for 6, so it's odd to give up that attack. I guess if you think you are facing sorcery speed removal, there might be some justification. Either way though, I'm pretty sure you are telegraphing the card if you are holding up 5 mana in a GR deck, so that's another issue. IMO

That also assumes that that attack can get through though. For a silly example, say your opponent has a 1/1 token on the board. You play Samut T5 and attack into a chump.

On the other hand not playing Samut on T5 could mean them swinging with the token that turn, which could equate to not only Samut, but the creatures you play on T6 being able to get through for damage instead of getting chumped.

Of course that is a somewhat silly example, but I am sure those types of situations will come up, even with the 3cmc trample lord around.

You do have a point about telegraphing it, especially if it becomes as common in the meta as I expect it will.

Yeah, it wasn't a very strong critique - if you know what I mean. Basically, your opponent should have a reasonable idea of what you are going to do... No idea how they are going to stop it. And furthermore, every once in a while, you'll catch a new player with the trick.

I just hate Flash with Haste, it really bugs me

Thanks for the discussion boys! Really excited to try Gruel. I'm still playing beasts Making Big Plays deck

Like I said, silly example, but it works to get the point across. I think the real advantage here is that it can be used either way depending on the situation.

As for telegraphing it, to be honest with you, I don't think I feel too bad about the opponent taking a turn off of attacking to try and play around a 5cmc 1-of card that I may or may not have in hand. Even more so if we are untapping into things like hasted Voltaic Brawler and Khenra Charioteer which could potentially invalidate them leaving blockers back to play around it anyways.

True... This card is just going to cause headaches. lol.

I predict my turn timer running out when I have it

Just my two cents on Samut, Voice of Dissent. Just consider the Flash/Haste key words individually and not together. So anytime a flash card would be a useful play (beat sorcery removal, at end step to open with mana for T6, against control which seems likely this upcoming meta, combat tricks etc etc) or any time a haste card would be useful (which is probably because you curved, you're the beatdown, opponent w/ closed or limited mana etc). All this does is make the card more flexible in your match ups. So yes Barney, your timer will run out.



elk

Flash/Haste could be useful.

Cast Samut EOT with flash, use the haste to untap an exerted creature EOT to be able to attack again the following turn. Untap, play another creature, attack with everyone.

That's the kind of analysis that gives me confidence that I'll sweep Monday nights king of the hill finals against you 3-0!!

Not to be missed! Counsel versus the comedian! Beauty vs the Beast!

I just hope we're in agreement about which one is which here.

We are all in agreement.