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Has anyone (okay,  else noticed how Wizard's R&D team seem to be obsessed
with saprolings in recent expansions?

Just look at the cards that are out there, in Type 2, that create
Saprolings:

Nemata, Grove Guardian (Planeshift. rare)
Rith's Charm (Planeshift, uncommon)
Rith, The Awakener (Invasion, rare)
Verdolth the Ancient (Invasion, rare)
Saproling Infestation (Invasion, rare)
Artifact Mutation (Invasion, rare)
Aura Mutation (Invasion, rare)
Saproling Burst (Nemesis, rare)
Saproling Cluster (Nemesis, rare)
Spontaneous Generation (Mer. Masques, rare)

And, of course, Saproling Symbiosis (Invasion, rare).

Okay, now you all are saying what is this guy talking about? We all know
that these cards are out there but who cares when we have 7/7 trampling
wurms, armies that can be recruited from a few lands and U/W decks that
annoy the hell out of everyone (including the owner when millstone doesn't
show up.).

Well, what I am talking about is that:
(1) These cards are usually quite easy to get hold of (with the exception of
Rith and the Burst) as they are not considered 'top tier' cards.
(2) With the help of some other cards there is a basis for a viable T2 deck.

Let me explain, starting with the card I consider the MVP: Saproling
Symbiosis:

Saproling Symbiosis 3G
Sorcery
You may play ~card~ any time you could play an instant if you pay 2 more to
play it.
Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play for each creature you
control.

Okay, given a standard green mana acceleration deck (not Fires), by the time
you get to turn four there is usually how many creatures in play? Turn 1
bird or elf; turn 2 bear and elf or bird; turn three two bears and turn
four.

Given this is a 'God' draw and I realise that this will not always happen, I
would say that on average you would have 4-5 creatures in play. Now how does
doubling this number sound. Turn five (if you have the mana) you could be
attacking with three bears and 5 1/1 tokens (1/1 without you playing Nemata
at the start of turn 5 anyway).

A few turns later it could all be over..

Okay so let's assume that we use Saproling Symbiosis as the basis of the
deck. What support cards should we use?

I, personally, think that you have to use multiple copies of the legends I
have mentioned above.

Of these, Rith will be the most familiar to you.  A 6/6 flyer for 3RGW, that
when he/she (what sex are the Dragon legends anyway?) cause's damage you can
pay 2G, name a colour and put a 1/1 Saproling token into play for each
permenant of that colour (including the opponents) into play.

Veredolth costs 4GG with an X kicker, who gives all Saprolings and Treefolk
a +1/+1 bonus. The kicker is a bonus (if there is spare mana left with
nothing to do) but I've would not bother paying the kicker. The +1/+1 bonus
is enough for the casting cost, plus the fact he is 4/7 beat machine anyway.

Nemata, Grove Guardian is another 4GG. However he/she/it is 'only' a 4/5,
but has two useful abilities in this deck. The first is to pay 2G and out a
1/1 Saproling into play. The second, far more important, ability is to be
able to sacrifice a Saproling to give all the other Saprolings a +1/+1
bonus.

So that looks like the Saproling generation sorted out. Now I think that I
need to look at the support cards in this deck.

Birds of Paradise and Llanowar Elves are a no brainer for this deck. They
are quick creatures, provide mana and count towards the creature count for
Saproling Symbiosis (I usual find that people regard Birds and Elves as
land.).

The spells we have got are expensive, so I think that we need to include
some of the Planeshift familiars. Since we will be splashing red and white
for Rith, then I think that these are probably the right way to look for the
familiars.

The Thunderscape Familiar is a 1/1 with first strike for 1R and reduces the
cost of green and black spells by 1 and the Sunscape Familiar is a 0/3 wall
for 1W that reduces green and blue spells by 1. I did think about including
the green Thornscape Familiar, but at the moment it only redues the cost of
Rith and the other red spell I will discuss, Ghitu Fire and the possible
Teferi's Moat..

The final creature that I think we should look at is the Thornscape
Battlemage. With the familiars we are playing, I would expect that we should
be able to cast him (?) for GWR more often than not. Great, a bit of direct
damage and artifact removal for a cheap casting cost.

The non-creature spells really do have to be special. Earthquake is a
definate no no in this deck. A 1 point quake will wreck you beyond believe. 
Although Wax/Wane could be useful in this type of deck, the creature rush
that you generate should enable you not to worry too much about boosting
creatures or destroying random enchantments. Likewise for Giant Growth/Seal
of Strength and Disenchant.

So that leaves which spells (in addition to the saproling Symbiosis)?

My favourite direct damage spell of the moment is Ghitu Fire. XR as a
sorcery or X2R as an instant. To the dome or to a creature.Great. I know
that the magic community at large will say 'But Urza's Rage cannot be
countered and deals ten points with kicker'. I agree, but it costs 10RR and
in our mana intensive deck this doesn't make good sense (espically when you
can create 4 1/1 saprolings with the same amount of mana.).

Seal of Fire is also useful in this deck as it takes out the Rebel
searchers, Nether Spirits and opponents mana creatures.

I would be inclined to try a mixture of these two in the deck if I was
running fewer creatures. However because of the high creature count then
these would be just a waste of slots in the deck (as it stands at the
moment).

Next comes Armageddon. Now this may seem like a strange choice, given how
much mana is needed by the deck to operate efficently, but this deck has an
inherent ability to get round the 'Geddon.

Familiars.

With, say two familiars on the table at the time you cast 'Geddon, all of
your 'fat' green spells will only be costing 2GG or 1RGW. A 6/6, 4/7 or 4/5
for 4 mana? Sounds reasonable.Just make sure that you have some elves or
birds in play or a land or two in your hand before you cast 'Geddon though.

Finally I think that Rith's Charm must be included in the deck. Three 1/1's
for RGW, in this deck, is quite cheap. Add in the ability to destroy those
annoying Ports or preventing the damage from that unblocked Shivan Wurm,
then I think that you have an automatic inclusion in the deck.

Finally, we come to the land. Because the deck needs green mana like no
man's business, then forests are the best place to start. This is closely
followed by a few plains and mountains for casting Rith, Ghitu Fire etc. I
would also be tempted to include the Invasion 'Come into play tapped' lands.
This will give you a little boost later on.

Now I can imagine everyone out there going 'Why not use the Painlands from
Sixth Edition? The reason is the damage they cause. This deck is slow to get
going, so you need to limit the early damage you take in general. While
Painlands are great for decks like Brian Kiblers Red Zone etc, they can
cause you to lose a game that you could of won due to the inflicted damage.

Right then after all of the above, I think that the main deck should look
like this:

'Saproling Party' ver 1.0

Creatures

4 Birds of Paradise
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Thornscape Battlemage
3 Nemata, Grove Gaurdian
2 Verdoloth the Ancient
2 Rith, the Awakner
3 Thunderscape Familiars
4 Sunscape Familiars

Spells

4 Saproling Symbiosis
4 Armageddon
4 Rith's Charm

Land

10 Forests
6 Mountains
6 Plains
2 Elfhame Palace
1 Shivan Oasis


Now, I suppose that I have to look at the sideboard.

(N.B.   The environment that I play in the UK consists of (surprise,
surprise) Fires, U/W Mill Control and Counter Rebel (like I said
surpising.). So if your area plays a more varied variety of decks, then
please change the sideboard to suit, but the sideboard I am going to discuss
now is based on beating these three deck types.)

Artifact/Aura Mutation are key cards for my area. They destroy the targetted
artifact or enchantment and give you some more Saprolings. I would play more
Auras than Artifacts, in the sideboard, because of the higher predominance
of Fires in my area.

Savage Onslaught is my current answer to Rebels. 1R gives all your creatures
first strike, whilst the G kicker gives all the creatures +1/+1. Not a bad
deal, since it will give all of the tokens that you have generated a decent
ability and pump them up a bit. Add to this the fact that if you cast it
with kicker, then your Birds will stop the annoying Thermal Gliders that I
tend to die to at the moment.

Armadillo Cloak is only in my board for the chance to put on Rith and do a
Kibler. Plus if you can cast it on Nemata your ground force looks a lot more
worrying.

Disenchant is another no brainer in this deck. We do need some way of taking
out Fires and Burst in the second or third games against Fires. And, more
often than not, will draw out a counterspell from those U/W mages who are
protecting their millstones (paving the way for a Saproling Symbiosis at the
end of their turn if you are lucky).

Kavu Chameleon is the other obvious choice. Uncounterable and the ability to
change colour means that this creature can resist black removal and will
stay on the board after a Washout by changing the colour in response to the
Washout being played.

Finally, my last answer to Rebels is Tsabo's Decree. Okay so the only black
mana sources in the deck are the Birds of Paradise. But since the Decree is
so powerful, then it is worth the chance to play a few in the sideboard of
this deck, and hope that you draw one and a Bird to play them.

Anyway, here's my sideboard.

3 Kavu Chameleons
2 Artifact Mutation.
3 Aura Mutation
1 Disenchant
2 Tsabo's Decree
1 Armadillo Cloaks
3 Savage Onslaught

Like I said in the note above, this Sideboard is aimed at beating the Fires,
Rebels and U/W control decks that have taken over in my region.

So, to the match ups then.

Fires vs Party

This is a very difficult first game (I guess round about 20/80 in the Fire's
player favour). If they go off at the speed of light, then you can forget
game 1. If they have a slow start (no turn three Fires), then you may win
depending on how many Saprolings you make.

Games 2 and 3 become slightly easier after sideboarding. If you side in the
Aura Mutations and 1 Disenchant for the Rith's Charms and the Onslaughts for
2 Armageddons and 1 Nemata Grove Gaurdian, you will go about 40/60 against
Fires most of the time.

Pure Rebels vs Party.

Probably the easiest of the match-ups for this deck. If you can get a
'Geddon off, then use the Saproling beatdown to win game 1. For games 2 and
3 side in the Onslaughts and maybe the Aura Mutations (if you saw Parallax
Wave or Crusade). These games should be easier to win now as an army of of
first striking (hoperfully.) Saprolings will make short work of any Rebels
that get in your way.

U/W Millstone Nether Spirit/Counter Rebel vs Party

Games against these two deck types will be your most difficult. U/W in any
form will probably be able to counter anything that you try to do.  Just
keep casting the spells and hope that you get enough creatures on the table
to win. I have lost all of my first games (in testing) against such decks
and have only won two out of six matches at all. I think that my if your
area is a hot bed of such decks, then up the count of the Chameleons in the
sideboard to 4 and think about adding Gaea's Herald to the sideboard as
well.

Other matchups vs Party

Of course there will be rogue decks that you may face. The only help I can
give you here is to get in there with as many Saprolings as possible, as
quickly as possible and hope that this works.
Well that is about it for now. If you wish try the deck out let me know how
you got on. My e-mail address is below and remember that the people who
consider Saprolings as only a threat to them in a Fires deck will be in for
a shock when playing this

Later

Matthew Hudson

matth116@hotmail.com