I needed a Standard deck to play at Standard Showdown. A few of the cards that I used in my mono black aggro deck had just rotated out. So I used this as an opportunity to update it to a green/black or golgari deck. The Assassin’s Trophy when I saw it kind of put that idea into my head.

So the “classic” combo of Llanowar Elves with Steel Leaf Champion were obvious additions. But what else? Well because this is stompy, Ghalta and Carnage Tyrant were also must adds.

I still kept the Mastermind’s Acquisition, it allows me to run some single copies of cards,and to go into my side board for an answer or even my library. That card has saved me a couple of times in the past.

As you can see I finally decided after a week of flip flopping to settle on Skittering Heartstopper. The deciding factor was it’s ability to still be around after a Chainwhirler.

This should be hopefully a fastish deck. The ideal opening hand has a swamp, forest, one of the dual lands, Llanowar Elves, Steel Leaf Champion, Assassin’s Trophy and any of the 3 or 4 drops. This deck wants to be hitting hard and fast. But I also want it to have the ability to go to a mid to late game if need be. That’s where my 4 drops and above come in. 3 mana allows me to play the majority of my deck.

Here’s the deck break down.

I’m really chuffed with the AMC. I’m fairly happy with the mana curve. If all goes to plan in a game those 3 and 4 CMC cards are coming out a turn early.

I was flipping shocked when I saw how much the deck would cost me to buy if I didn’t have the cards. I’m lucky I had 99% of the cards already. One or two of them have had to come out of a Commander deck or two (I’ve left a card in the decks to remind me what came from where). I could have pushed the cost up of the deck by running a playset of Overgrown Tomb and a full playset of Woodland Cemetry, and I could have justified the cost by saying that they could be used in other decks afterwards. But deep down I know I couldn’t justify the purchase knowing I had the plenty of the slower and cheaper Gates.

Here is the list of cards that make up my Golgari Stompy deck.

Creatures:29

4 Llanowar Elves
4 Skittering Heartstopper
4 Vicious Conquistador
4 Dire Fleet Poisoner
4 Steel Leaf Champion
2 Thrashing Brontodon
1 Nullhide Ferox
3 Ravenous Chupacabra
2 Carnage Tyrant
1 Ghalta, Primal Hunger

Spells:10

2 Duress
3 Assassin’s Trophy
2 Mastermind’s Acquisition
3 Vraska’s Contempt

Lands:21

6 Forest
1 Foul Orchard
4 Golgari Guildgate (a)
1 Overgrown Tomb
7 Swamp
2 Woodland Cemetery

Sideboard:15

2 Kitesail Freebooter
2 Thrashing Brontodon
1 Demon of Catastrophes
1 Ravenous Chupacabra
1 Doom Whisperer
1 Tetzimoc, Primal Death
1 Ghalta, Primal Hunger
1 Silent Gravestone
2 Walk the Plank
1 Never Happened
1 Vraska, Golgari Queen
1 The Immortal Sun