Date: Fri, 22 Jul 1994 09:20:30 -0400
From: The ELF <mblack@mdw015.cc.monash.edu.au>
Subject: ELF's Guide, Supplement 1 part I

		 === The ELF's Guide to the Forests ===
		  Supplement 1 : Revised Edition Cards
			 Part I:  Common Cards
			  v.1.1, July 22 1994

"Greetings Traveller! Welcome once more to my forest abode! Today I shall
once more delve into the mysteries of the forests. A look at those spells
most commonly available perhaps? Indeed. Then we shall begin..."

				 -----

COMMON CARDS:

Creatures:
	Craw Wurm
	Giant Spider
	Grizzly Bears
	Ironroot Treefolk
	Llanowar Elves
	Scryb Sprites
	Shanodyn Dryads
	Wall of Wood
	War Mammoth

The range of green creatures is indeed amazing. In addition to their cheap
casting costs, they also have, as a rule, many special abilities.

The Craw Wurm is quite simple - a powerful creature. In a standard deck you
do not need many of these. However just one is enough to quickly end the
game. Often it is not wise to stack your deck with too many expensive
creatures, as you may well find you have no mana to summon them until too
late in the game. But one or two of the heavy hitters may indeed prove
useful.

The Giant Spider is that most useful of creatures: Something which can stop
flying creatures, of which Blue and Black have a fair complement. Its
toughness is however just at that point where a Sengir Vampire or an Air
Elemental will destroy it without being destroyed itself. When playing
with Spiders, either use Regeneration spells, or use creature enhancers
such as Holy Strength to allow it to survive the onslaught of such fliers.
Unholy Strength will allow it to survive AND to kill the blocked creature,
in most cases.
    As pointed out to me by Anthony David [david@fdcap2.ap.dg.com],
the white spell Castle is also a very useful spell in conjunction with the
Giant Spider.

Grizzly Bears are simply a cheap creature. Useful for fast creature decks,
but of lesser use if you plan for a long game. Something with more staying
power will be useful for the decks which take longer to develop.

Ironroot Treefolk are unparalleled as a blocking creature which is cheap
to summon and does a fair amount of damage in the bargain. Although the
Basilisk is still the blocker of choice, the Treefolk have two advantages:
One, they do more damage, thus being of more use as an attacker, and Two,
with a toughness of five, not many creatures can kill them outright. Very
useful in combination with Blue Flight spells.

Llanowar Elves are one of the most useful creatures in the Green deck. They
have the ability to provide you with more mana - and thus should be used
as much as possible. In addition, they get around the problems you face when
playing against a land-destroyer deck. A very useful creature, indeed.

Scryb Sprites - useful if only because they are cheap fliers. Green is weak
on such creatures, and many opponents are lacking in defense against such
creatures. If nothing else, they will delay your opponent's Air Elementals
for a turn. When combined with a Giant Growth, the Sprites can even take
down such creatures as a Sengir Vampire. Use them as you will.

Shandodin Dryads should be used with care. As a rule, when facing an unknown
deck, Scryb Sprites are more useful. However, when you play decks which will
convert your opponent's lands to forests, either with spells such as
Phantasamal Terrain or the Gaia's Liege, these become indispensable.

The Wall of Wood has been described at length by my fellow sage Canticle
(aka Jeff Franzmann) in his Single Card Strategies, but is a invaluable aid
to blocking such creatures as the Ogres, Goblins & Unicorns of the ground
creature attacks. It is best used in combination with such creatures as 
Scryb Sprites and Shanodin Dryads, allowing them the free reign of attacking, 
not having to worry about blocking.

The War Mammoth is a difficult card to use well. Too many creatures can
render it useless (The Serra Angel, The Sengir Vampire for example). This
is a creature which must be enhanced to have its full effect. Unholy Strength,
Howl from Beyond, Giant Growth. All of these allow the full ability of the
Trample to be used.

Those are the common creatures of Green. Now let us examine the other common
spells:

Other Spells:
	
	Fog
	Giant Growth
	Regeneration
	Stream of Life
	Tranquility
	Wild Growth

Fog - A very useful spell, best used for two purposes:
* To gain yourself time, allowing your deck to develop.
* To cause your opponent's creatures to end up tapped & doing no damage,
	thus allowing your creatures to attack unhindered.
As such, is very useful in conjunction with spells such as Siren's Call.
However, it should be used with care. A Fog spell means one wasted card
in your hand if your deck is supposed to function quickly.

Giant Growth - the spell with which to enhance your unblocked attackers,
and any trampling creatures. Indeed, its correct use lies in surprise.
"Your Vampire hasn't grown from eating my Sprites - it's dead!" A very
useful spell, especially for the fast kill.

Regeneration - best used on creatures which (a) block other creatures or
(b) have been enhanced by other spells. Coming to mind of course is the
Lured, Regenerated Thicket Basilisk. Use as you will, on whatever
creature you feel the need to protect. It is cheap as well - easy to get
out a very useful permanent ability.

Stream of Life - to preserve your life & to use up that excess mana. If you
expect to play a long game, keep a couple in your deck. For the fast kill
decks, useful only if something goes wrong - I would advise to leave it out
in this case.

Tranquility is Green's ultimate defense against the spells of White and Blue.
Unless playing White yourself, and with access to Disenchant, place multiple
copies of this spell in your deck. It will get rid of Paralyze spells,
Control Magics, and the ever-present Circles of Protection.

Wild Growth is best used in conjunction with other spells. As a source of
mana, normally the Llanowar Elf is more useful. However the Wild Growth has
a couple of advantages. Once two lands are out, you may tap one land to put
the Wild Growth on the other, thus not changing your mana supply in any way.
It is also invulnerable to Pestilence. On the flip side, it IS vulnerable to
disenchantment, land destruction & you can't gain just ONE mana from the land,
it is ever going to give you two. In conjunction with the Ley Druid this
spell gains its full power.

			    ---------------------

"Those are the common spells of Green. All readily available to the wizards of
this world, and needing little comment from myself. However, Green's power
is further revealed in the Uncommon spells, which I shall go into at a later
time, as it now grows late.

"Until then traveller, may your forests preserve and protect you!"

The ELF fades back into the shadows of the glade.

============================================================================
"The ELF's Guide to the Forests" is a document intended as an aid to new
and old players of Magic: The Gathering. It is written by The ELF, a.k.a.
Merric Blackman, who is very interested in people's opinions of the work,
and whether he should continue to revise and expand upon his examination
of the forests. He is quite happy to have people copy and use this document,
as long as his name is always attached to it. :-)


=== The ELF === mblack@mdw015.cc.monash.edu.au === The ELF ===
        "The forest's green, in beautiful spring,
         When all is good and all will be:
         A marvel to behold! A marvel to behold!"
