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The previous reviews can be found here: Artifact, White, Red

Green is my second-favourite colour in Mirrodin Limited after Red. I don't entirely understand why the two best artifact-destruction colours aren't everybody's favourite in Mirrodin Limited, but I'm very happy for them to be underdrafted (particularly in green's case) in the mean time. Where white has numerous bodies that don't get impressive until they're equipped, green's bodies are usually impressive from the get go, and occasionally CANNOT be equipped. As always, we will start with the commons.

DT: Well Paul, that's a bold statement but I know how you like your R/G. Truth be told I like this colour combo too, as it's often quite easy to draft and you have access to a wide range of common removal spells. In fact green works well with most of the other colours and is a good starting strategy for those who haven't drafted Mirrodin much.

1. Deconstruct
2. Tel-Jilad Archers
3. Predator's Strike
4. Tel-Jilad Exile
5. Fangren Hunter
6. Copper Myr
7. Tel-Jilad Chosen
8. Elf Replica
9. Malachite Golem

And there are three very different first-pick commons to think about:

1. Deconstruct

The green Shatter. Although a sorcery, the floating GGG can be amazing on turn 3 or 4. Shoot opponent's Myr and still have enough mana to spend on creatures and/or equipment.

2. Tel-Jilad Archers

These guys hit the ground and entire armies grind to a halt. Single-handedly shut down most airforces and/or serve as eternal regenerators against artifact ground-pounders. They can also swing through aforementioned artifacts if offence is preferable to defence.

3. Predator's Strike

Giant Growth was a pretty solid Limited pick before they made it insane. Now it's more like Detonate: not only do you take out a permanent but you also get some bonus beats on your opponent, or Lava Axe for the win.

Which is best? I'd probably order them as above (removal before creatures, creatures before boosters) but they're all amazing.

DT: Yeah this is a close call but I often prefer playing aggressive with my green men and more often than not will take the Predator's Strike over the Archers. It's also a curve thing, as Fangren Hunter also fits the 5 slot and you don't want to overload your deck with 5 drops. The Archers are still first pick quality and I will always try and draft 1 of these but you can never get enough Predator's Strikes (the same is true for Deconstruct).

Next are two more creatures that I'd very happily first pick:

4. Tel-Jilad Exile
5. Fangren Hunter

Not as much to say about Green creatures relative to the other colours; there are far less moving parts. Often just a power, toughness and simple ability (regen, trample, protection, etc.) As always, I slightly favour lower CC creatures in this format, but both of these guys are straight-forwardly excellent. Then it gets a little murkier...

DT: Both of these cards are good but I really like the Hunter. I would even be tempted to take it over the Archers as trample is pretty good in this block. The Archer can also punch through ground stallers like Pewter Golem and ironically, the Exile. But hey, the Exile is very good too and if you're playing green you want as much fat as you can get and possibly a couple of extra myr as well.

6. Copper Myr
7. Tel-Jilad Chosen
8. Elf Replica
9. Malachite Golem

I fiddled around with the order of those four for a while but the one printed above seems to make the most sense. First of all, they are unsurprisingly in order of ascending CC. At the 2CC level, the Myr beats out the Chosen because (a) Green is probably the colour in which mana-ramping is most essential (in order to get to the fatties) and (b) the fact that the Chosen is unequippable is often more a curse than a blessing. The Replica is more often than not a Gray Ogre you can always cast with three land and hopefully equip with something useful, but on the occasions it takes out an Arrest (optimally with damage on the stack) you'll be happy you main-decked it. The green Golem has received a lot of fairly ordinary press but I certainly play 'em if I draft 'em!

DT: This order looks about right but I do like the Tel-Jilad Chosen and would even rank them over the Myr. I know I said green needs its myrs but it also plays the early game well; and the Chosen does a good job tearing chunks out of your opponent's life total when backed up with Predator's Strikes, Battlegrowths and timely creature removal, so that your big boys can finish the job "relatively easy like". I'm not saying always pick the Chosen first, just think about your deck and how it needs to win. Copper Myr always seem to go a little later than the Chosen anyway so you should have no problem drafting them.

The Elf Replica and Malachite Golem are pretty boring but will often just scrape into most draft decks. 6 mana is a lot for a 5/3 with an activated ability but if you compare this to Loxodon Mender you can see why people are playing with this thing (it is still the worst golem IMHO).

And around this point we enter 23rd card territory. Turn to Dust is a solid option but is probably best sided in. I've seen numerous players of above average ability spending 7 mana on Wurmskin Forger for reasons that completely elude me. I myself have main-decked Viridian Joiner but hope never again to do so.

DT: Agree with Turn to Dust and the Forger but I think the Joiner is not completely unplayable, what about Vulshok Gauntlets? - oh wait, that's bad, don't play him.

Battlegrowth and Lifespark Spellbomb have both received glowing endorsements from certain local Magic luminaries, but neither excites me sufficiently.

DT: Sorry Paul but I disagree with you here. I have played with and against Battlegrowth and have always found it to be good. A 1 mana permanent counter which your opponent doesn't see coming is often enough to give you the upper hand. It also works well with (and I know everyone is sick of it by now) Spikeshot Goblin and I would always be happy to play this as my 23rd card (you often can get this as late as 12-15th!). Lifespark Spellbomb is a little janky but still a good tempo card which will often stop your opponent from attacking early on and nets you a card if you need it! For the record though I would play Battlegrowth over the Spellbomb and I would only ever play the Spellbomb if my deck was a little... what can I say - lacking.

And I would rate the following as unplayable: Groffskithur (even with multiples) and Journey of Discovery (even in a five colour deck).

DT: Journey isn't that bad...

UNCOMMON

1. Viridian Shaman
2. Creeping Mold

I think the "free" body of the Sex Elf beats the versatility of the Mold but I could be wrong. Either way, it's these two first and daylight second (or third, as it were...)

DT: Now we are getting into the real "meat 'n potatoes" stuff. Viridian Shaman is obviously fan-bloody-tastic and could even make a good splash if your deck was lacking in the artifact removal department. Splashing the Mold is a little harder though but still one of the most flexible cards in the format (although there aren't too many problematic lands in Mirrodin!)

3. Bloodscent

I rate this higher than most but it's a game-winner, pure and simple, in a format with not too many cards that can be given that label. In fact, it has literally won me every game in which I cast it. Mirrodin Limited often seems to be either a quick Equipment-fuelled bloodfest or a painfully slow creature stall and this is the card you want to draw in the latter case.

4. One Dozen Eyes
5. Trolls of Tel-Jilad

The Entwine possibilities of the Eyes (and the slightly cheaper CC of the fat body) are marginally more attractive than the magnificent regenerative powers of the Trolls, but both are expensive enough to happily ignore if there's something more reasonably costed to be had.

DT: Personally I have not enjoyed the same successes with Bloodscent that Paul has, and for me it is a "win more" card rather than a "I win" as there is always removal, bounce or stuff like Blinding Beam waiting in the wings to put the kibosh on these sorts of shenanigans. I would rank it on par with the Tel-Jilad Trolls. It's an instant though, so your opponent may not see it coming but I value One Dozen Eyes over this easily. Even without the entwine this card is very solid and a high draft pick (maybe not a first pick though). I have drafted the Trolls a few times now and come to the conclusion they are just too expensive, but hey, if you like Malachite Golem you should play this! Only play them if you really need creatures and you have multiple myrs, Talismans and maybe even Journey of Discovery. A late pick.

I started off as a fan of the Brown Ouphe but he's since become a 23rd card at best. Yes, he counters Equip costs, but at a not insignificant cost and only once per turn, after which your opponent is free to have another try if mana permits. Seems like a reasonably good sideboard option against Icy Manipulator and similar, though.

DT: Tim He used the Ouphe to great effect on the second day of the GP by shutting off his opponent's Altar of Shadows - not a bad little trick! However as Paul rightly states he is too situational and doesn't really stop equipping as he usually becomes a speedbump for that equipped creature, but hey if you are really desperate for creatures...

Slith Predator doesn't make the cut for reasons about which I have already ranted. And I've never been a huge fan of land-tutors like Sylvan Scrying in Limited, particularly if the land doesn't go into play. And I think even my dog would recognise the trampling Shard as a crap draft pick.

DT: I concur

RARES

Well, what an insane bunch of cards we have here! There are even two levels of first-pick bombs!

The first have small, inexpensive bodies with game-winning abilities: the unkillable Troll Ascetic and the degenerate . The second are the pricey but spectacular fatties Living Hide and Plated Slagwurm. Somewhere in the middle is Molder Slug, the poor-man's Glissa, which gets a boost in the power/toughness department to compensate for its more erratic (and two-sided) artifact destruction. But all are no-brainer first-picks (with a caveat that the pricier spells will definitely require some mana-ramping to guarantee their castability).

DT: Aside from artifacts green has the best pick of rares. All of the cards Paul mentioned are first pick quality and all bombs. Glissa Sunseeker's ability is insane and even more nasty if you have a mana sink (Tel-Jihad Exile, Hematite Golem, equipment, etc). Molder Slug is a no brainer and it doesn't even matter if you have artifacts because your opponent will be dealing with a 4/6 body each turn. The Slagwurm and Hive are great candidates for Neurok Hoversail and often game enders. The Ascetic ain't too bad either!

I've heard some positive opinions about Copperhoof Vorrac but none of them particularly convincing. A 23rd card if very desperate for warm bodies. And I think it's fair to say that Hum of the Radix, Tooth and Nail and the honorary green Tangleroot were not designed for Limited play.

DT: Before signing off, I would like to say the Vorrac isn't that bad. At the very worst it is going to be a 4/4 (there usually is equipment and the odd creature or 2) and even then your opponent is going need a mana sink to stop things getting out of control - another good target for Predator's Strike. I wouldn't pick him early but it is still playable (midrange pick I reckon).

I think Dan's doing Blue next because I'm not sure how to :-) I'll be back for black.

Yours magically,
PR

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