UnderwateR critters

Wow, talk about an oversight! You may be as surprised as I was to learn that despite the numerous decks that I’ve written about on this website, I have never written about a tribal Mer-deck. I mean, how is that even possible, right? They are amongst the most popular tribes in the game! So despite having recently written about another tribal deck, I thought that I would take the plunge and write about our underwater pals. Today, let’s look at UnderwateR critters.

Now to start, this isn’t the ‘norm’ that you might be used to. The reason being is simple - there’s only 1 Lord card that exists underwater in Ancient. So what alterations to a proven winner can we do to retain its strength? We change the game plan and use synergy and the tools we have to achieve its own strength. Quite simply; the main goal here is to use the creatures we have to gain an advantage – rather than beat the opponent down with pumped creatures, you win with a utility army.

No vials, no problem. Hrmm, another strength that is normally seen in this tribe is the counter magic + vial combo, which we don’t have available in Ancient MtG. So what do we do? Rather than using sub-par options such as Mercadian Lift, we play to our strengths. Traditionally, Blue has been quite good at generating card advantage to its mages. This deck looks to capitalize on that, particularly via Tidal Courier and Seahunter. Both cards allow you to draw or play other creatures, while providing their own board presence to help you win the game. These are also why we can play the High Tides, a personal choice which you may not want to employ, which allows some serious mana ramp to get out the creatures you’re drawing.

The deck also provides card advantage in less obvious ways, via cards such as Razorfin Hunter and Fire // Ice. By allowing 2-1+ exchanges, these two cards can help you beat the opponent down with a superior army. Death by a thousand Mer-cuts, so to speak.

The win. We just looked at how we want to win, but now let’s take a peek at with what. Now our Atlantis Lord is an obvious route, as he boosts his subjects to deal damage. Without other Lords however, we need to get a bit creative. Ceta Disciple is the answer to the question. As a simple 1-drop, Disciple can provide a serious boost to an attacker’s damage, allowing you to beat down your opponent and/or even just make your opponent second-guess their blockers. Pretty sweet, eh?

Upon inspection, you probably notice that the Ancient Mer aren’t nearly the Lordly powerhouse they are in Legacy or Vintage, however they ARE in the best colour in Magic. That has to mean something, right? Combined with a splash in the Red sea, the deck can pack a serious punch. And while I decided to go with Red in this particular build, it was not my original choice. You might want to consider other options prior to creating your own take on the deck. Happy Brewing!

UnderwateR critters

Land

1 Mountain

8 Island

4 Volcanic Island

4 Wasteland

4 Fetch lands

Total: 21

Creatures

4 Lord of Atlantis

2 River Merfolk

4 Ceta Disciple

4 Tidal Courier
4 Merfolk Looter

4 Razorfin Hunter

2 Whirlpool Warrior
1 Coral Fighters

4 Saprazzan Heir

1 Sandbar Merfolk

1 Overtaker

1 Seahunter

Total: 32

Spells

4 Force of Will

1 Fire // Ice

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Counterspell

4 High Tide

Total: 17

Sideboard

4 Tormod’s Crypt

4 Daze

4 Red Elemental Blast

2 Pyroclasm

1 Chain Lightning