CardShark Content - Beatdown Bedford Crenshaw (12/7/2005)

I have been waiting a long time to see poison make a return. Now, thanks to WotC finally releasing Mirage on MTGO, online gamers can now have the joy of playing with poison. When first designing a poison deck for the release, I first looked at my poison deck that I made when I first wrote for Cardshark.

4x Birds of Paradise

Birds of Paradise
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Mana Birds Rarity: R Artist: Mark Poole Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. This ability is played as an interrupt.

**** 4x Marsh Viper

Marsh Viper
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 4 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Viper Rarity: C Artist: Ron Spencer Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: If Marsh Viper damages a player, he or she gets two poison counters. If a player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game.

**** 4x Quirion Ranger

Quirion Ranger
	Set: Visions Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elf Rarity: C Artist: Tom Kyffin Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Return a forest you control to owner's hand: Untap target creature. Use this ability only once each turn.

4x Sabertooth Cobra

Sabertooth Cobra

Set: Mirage Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Cobra Rarity: C Artist: Andrew Robinson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: If Sabertooth Cobra damages a player, he or she gets a poison counter. During that player's next upkeep, he or she gets another poison counter unless he or she pays 2 before then to prevent this effect. If any player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game.

**** 3x Wall of Blossoms

Wall of Blossoms
	Set: Stronghold Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Wall Rarity: U Number: 75 Artist: Heather Hudson Power: 0 Toughness: 4 Text: (Walls cannot attack.) When Wall of Blossoms comes into play, draw a card.

4x Wall of Roots

Wall of Roots
	Set: Mirage Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Wall Rarity: C Artist: John Matson Power: 0 Toughness: 5 Text: Put a -0/-1 counter on Wall of Roots: Add G to your mana pool. Play this ability as a mana source. Use this ability only once each turn.

**** 3x Emerald Charm

Emerald Charm
	Set: Visions Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Greg Spalenka Text: Choose one Untap target permanent; or destroy target global enchantment; or target creature loses flying until end of turn.

4x Steelshaper’s Gift
3x Whispersilk Cloak

Whispersilk Cloak
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 160 Artist: Luca Zontini Text: Equipped creature is unblockable and can't be the target of spells or abilities. Equip 2 (2: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if the creature leaves play.)

4x Worldly Tutor

Worldly Tutor
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 269 Artist: David O'Connor Text: Search your library for a creature card and reveal that card. Shuffle your library, then put the card on top of it.

3x Viridian Longbow

Viridian Longbow
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 270 Artist: Jeremy Jarvis Text: Equipped creature has 'T: This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or player.' Equip 3 (3: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if the creature leaves play.)

12x Forest

Forest
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add G to your mana pool.

**** 4x Savannah

Savannah
	Set: Revised Edition Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Artist: Rob Alexander Text: T: Add either W or G to your mana pool.Counts as both plains and forest and is affected by spells that affect either. If a spell destroys one of these land types, this card is destroyed; if a spell alters one of these land types, the other land type is unaffected.

4x Windswept Heath

Windswept Heath
	Set: Onslaught Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 328 Artist: Anthony S. Waters Text: T, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice Windswept Heath: Search your library for a forest or plains card and put it into play. Then shuffle your library.

Sideboard:
**** 4x Dense Foliage

Dense Foliage
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Enchantment Rarity: R Number: 221 Artist: Alan Rabinowitz Text: Creatures can't be the targets of spells.

4x Eternal Witness

Eternal Witness
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Shaman Rarity: U Number: 86 Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Eternal Witness comes into play, return target card from your graveayrd to your hand.

4x Naturalize

Naturalize
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 275 Artist: Ron Spears Text: Destroy target artifact or enchantment.

3x Disenchant

Disenchant
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Amy Weber Text: Target enchantment or artifact is destroyed.

**** = Not on MTGO

Obviously, we must first replace those cards not on MTGO with those that are. Savannah

Savannah
	Set: Revised Edition Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Artist: Rob Alexander Text: T: Add either W or G to your mana pool.Counts as both plains and forest and is affected by spells that affect either. If a spell destroys one of these land types, this card is destroyed; if a spell alters one of these land types, the other land type is unaffected.

has an obvious replacement in Temple Garden

Temple Garden
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Forest Plains Rarity: R Number: 284 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: (T: Add G or W to your mana pool.) As Temple Garden comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, Temple Garden comes into play tapped instead.

. Seeker

Seeker
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Artist: Mark Poole Text: Target creature cannot be blocked except by white creatures and artifact creatures.

IG9mIFNreWJyZWFr can help replace the Ranger. The others are harder to replace. Here is my new list.

4x Birds of Paradise

Birds of Paradise
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Mana Birds Rarity: R Artist: Mark Poole Power: 0 Toughness: 1 Text: Flying T: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. This ability is played as an interrupt.

4x Seeker

Seeker
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 4 Color: White Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Artist: Mark Poole Text: Target creature cannot be blocked except by white creatures and artifact creatures.

IG9mIFNreWJyZWFr
3x Sabertooth Cobra

Sabertooth Cobra

Set: Mirage Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Cobra Rarity: C Artist: Andrew Robinson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: If Sabertooth Cobra damages a player, he or she gets a poison counter. During that player's next upkeep, he or she gets another poison counter unless he or she pays 2 before then to prevent this effect. If any player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game.

3x Ghostly Prison

Ghostly Prison
	Set: Champions of Kamigawa Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Number: 10 Artist: Lars Grant-West Text: Creatures can't attack you unless their controller pays 2 for each creature attacking you. (This cost is paid as attackers are declared.)

4x Wall of Roots

Wall of Roots
	Set: Mirage Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Wall Rarity: C Artist: John Matson Power: 0 Toughness: 5 Text: Put a -0/-1 counter on Wall of Roots: Add G to your mana pool. Play this ability as a mana source. Use this ability only once each turn.

4x Eternal Witness

Eternal Witness
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Shaman Rarity: U Number: 86 Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Eternal Witness comes into play, return target card from your graveayrd to your hand.

3x Living Wish

Living Wish
	Set: Judgment Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 124 Artist: Eric Peterson Text: Choose a creature or land card you own from outside the game, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Remove Living Wish from the game.

3x Steelshaper’s Gift
3x Enlightened Tutor

Enlightened Tutor
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 19 Artist: Dan Frazier Text: Search your library for an artifact or enchantment card and reveal that card. Shuffle your library, then put the card on top of it.

4x Worldly Tutor

Worldly Tutor
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 269 Artist: David O'Connor Text: Search your library for a creature card and reveal that card. Shuffle your library, then put the card on top of it.

4x Viridian Longbow

Viridian Longbow
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 270 Artist: Jeremy Jarvis Text: Equipped creature has 'T: This creature deals 1 damage to target creature or player.' Equip 3 (3: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if the creature leaves play.)

12x Forest

Forest
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add G to your mana pool.

4x Temple Garden

Temple Garden
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Forest Plains Rarity: R Number: 284 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: (T: Add G or W to your mana pool.) As Temple Garden comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, Temple Garden comes into play tapped instead.

4x Windswept Heath

Windswept Heath
	Set: Onslaught Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 328 Artist: Anthony S. Waters Text: T, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice Windswept Heath: Search your library for a forest or plains card and put it into play. Then shuffle your library.

Sideboard:
3x Disenchant

Disenchant
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: White Type: Instant Rarity: C Artist: Amy Weber Text: Target enchantment or artifact is destroyed.

1x Living Wish

Living Wish
	Set: Judgment Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 124 Artist: Eric Peterson Text: Choose a creature or land card you own from outside the game, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Remove Living Wish from the game.

3x Naturalize

Naturalize
	Set: Onslaught Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: C Number: 275 Artist: Ron Spears Text: Destroy target artifact or enchantment.

4x Phantom Centaur

Phantom Centaur
	Set: Judgment Cost: 4 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Centaur Spirit Rarity: U Number: 127 Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 2 Toughness: 0 Text: Protection from Black. Phantom Centaur comes into play with three +1/+1 counters on it. If damage would be dealt to Phantom Centaur, prevent that damage. Remove a +1/+1 counter from Phantom Centaur.

1x Sabertooth Cobra

Sabertooth Cobra

Set: Mirage Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Cobra Rarity: C Artist: Andrew Robinson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: If Sabertooth Cobra damages a player, he or she gets a poison counter. During that player's next upkeep, he or she gets another poison counter unless he or she pays 2 before then to prevent this effect. If any player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game.

3x Soul Warden

Soul Warden
	Set: Exodus Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: C Number: 21 Artist: Randy Gallegos Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever any other creature comes into play, gain 1 life.

This deck needs to find its combo fast, and there was no wall that could replace Wall of Blossoms

Wall of Blossoms
	Set: Stronghold Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Wall Rarity: U Number: 75 Artist: Heather Hudson Power: 0 Toughness: 4 Text: (Walls cannot attack.) When Wall of Blossoms comes into play, draw a card.

(Carven Caryatid

Carven Caryatid
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Spirit Rarity: U Number: 155 Artist: Jim Nelson Power: 2 Toughness: 5 Text: Defender (This creature can’t attack.) When Carven Caryatid comes into play, draw a card.

is too slow). Eternal Witness

Eternal Witness
	Set: Fifth Dawn Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Human Shaman Rarity: U Number: 86 Power: 2 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever Eternal Witness comes into play, return target card from your graveayrd to your hand.

will bring back any parts of the combo we lost due to the opponent. Living Wish

Living Wish
	Set: Judgment Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Sorcery Rarity: R Number: 124 Artist: Eric Peterson Text: Choose a creature or land card you own from outside the game, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Remove Living Wish from the game.

helps us find the combo faster, and helps against Cranial Extraction

Cranial Extraction
	Set: Champions of Kamigawa Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Sub Type: Arcane Rarity: R Number: 105 Artist: Dave Allsop Text: Name a nonland card. Search target player's graveyard, hand, and library for all cards with that name and remove them from the game. Then that player shuffles his or her library.

and Eradicate

Eradicate
	Set: Urza's Destiny Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Number: 60 Artist: Kev Walker Text: Remove target nonblack creature from the game. Search its controller's graveyard, hand, and library for all copies of that card and remove them from the game. That player then shuffles his or her library.

, which would decimate this deck. Fear

Fear
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 2 Color: Black Type: Enchant Creature Rarity: C Artist: Mark Poole Text: Target creature cannot be blocked by any creatures except black creatures and artifact creatures.

of black decks is why I added Centaurs to the sideboard. Soul Warden

Soul Warden
	Set: Exodus Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Creature Sub Type: Cleric Rarity: C Number: 21 Artist: Randy Gallegos Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Whenever any other creature comes into play, gain 1 life.

helps against weenie swarm decks, which could cause this deck problems, although that is why I added Ghostly Prison

Ghostly Prison
	Set: Champions of Kamigawa Cost: 3 Color: White Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Number: 10 Artist: Lars Grant-West Text: Creatures can't attack you unless their controller pays 2 for each creature attacking you. (This cost is paid as attackers are declared.)

. I am not totally happy with this deck, as I would really wish that Marsh Viper

Marsh Viper
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 4 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Viper Rarity: C Artist: Ron Spencer Power: 1 Toughness: 2 Text: If Marsh Viper damages a player, he or she gets two poison counters. If a player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game.

was available, but that probably won’t happen for years. Also, there are some expensive online cards here, which hurts the casualness of the deck. This is why I created one more poison deck for everyone.

Cheapskate Poison

4x Crypt Cobra

Crypt Cobra
	Set: Mirage Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Cobra Rarity: U Artist: Ron Spencer Power: 3 Toughness: 3 Text: If Crypt Cobra attacks and is not blocked, defending player gets a poison counter. If any player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game.

4x Elves of Deep Shadow

Elves of Deep Shadow
	Set: The Dark Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elves Rarity: U Artist: Jesper Myrfors Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Add B to your mana pool, and Elves of Deep Shadow do 1 damage to you. This ability is played as an interrupt.

4x Golgari Guildmage

Golgari Guildmage
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Cost: 10 Color: Multicolor Type: Creature Sub Type: Elf Shaman Rarity: U Number: 248 Artist: Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: (B/G can be paid with either B or G.) 4B, Sacrifice a creature: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. 4G: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.

4x Llanowar Elves

Llanowar Elves
	Set: Revised Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Elves Rarity: C Artist: Anson Maddocks Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: T: Add G to your mana pool. This ability is played as an interrupt.

4x Sabertooth Cobra

Sabertooth Cobra

Set: Mirage Cost: 3 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Cobra Rarity: C Artist: Andrew Robinson Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: If Sabertooth Cobra damages a player, he or she gets a poison counter. During that player's next upkeep, he or she gets another poison counter unless he or she pays 2 before then to prevent this effect. If any player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game.

4x Sakura-Tribe Elder

Sakura-Tribe Elder
	Set: Commander Cost: 2 Color: Green Type: Creature Sub Type: Snake Shaman Rarity: C Number: 169 Artist: Carl Critchlow Power: 1 Toughness: 1 Text: Sacrifice Sakura-Tribe Elder: Search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.

4x Neurok Hoversail

Neurok Hoversail
	Set: Mirrodin Cost: 1 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 218 Artist: Alan Pollack Text: Equipped creature has flying. Equip 2 (2: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if the creature leaves play.)

4x Predator’s Strike
4x Whispersilk Cloak

Whispersilk Cloak
	Set: Darksteel Cost: 3 Color: Colorless Type: Artifact Sub Type: Equipment Rarity: C Number: 160 Artist: Luca Zontini Text: Equipped creature is unblockable and can't be the target of spells or abilities. Equip 2 (2: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if the creature leaves play.)

4x Worldly Tutor

Worldly Tutor
	Set: Classic Sixth Edition Cost: 1 Color: Green Type: Instant Rarity: U Number: 269 Artist: David O'Connor Text: Search your library for a creature card and reveal that card. Shuffle your library, then put the card on top of it.

10x Forest

Forest
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add G to your mana pool.

10x Swamp

Swamp
	Set: Oversize Cards Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: X Artist: Tony Roberts Text: T: Add B to your mana pool.

Aside from the poison creatures, the rest of the deck is here to enable them. The elves aid in mana production. The Guildmages bring back anything you lost, and can help the others survive with its counters. STE will help you get the lands you need. The Tutors will find you your poison critters, and the other non-creature, non-land cards help your creatures get through your opponent’s defenses. I purposely made this deck with cheapness in mind. You can obviously improve the deck by adding Overgrown Tomb

Overgrown Tomb
	Set: Ravnica City of Guilds Color: Land Type: Land Sub Type: Swamp Forest Rarity: R Number: 279 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: (T: Add B or G to your mana pool.) As Overgrown Tomb comes into play, you may pay 2 life. If you don’t, Overgrown Tomb comes into play tapped instead.

s and Llanowar Wastes

Llanowar Wastes
	Set: Apocalypse Color: Land Type: Land Rarity: R Number: 141 Artist: Rob Alexander Text: TAP: Add one colorless mana to your mana pool. TAP: Add B or G to your mana pool. Llanowar Wastes deals 1 damage to you.

. If you want a sideboard, I recommend Filth

Filth
	Set: Judgment Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Incarnation Rarity: U Number: 66 Artist: Thomas M. Baxa Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Swampwalk. As long as Filth is in your graveyard and you control a Swamp, creatures you control have Swampwalk.

. If/when Visions

Visions
	Set: Fourth Edition Cost: 1 Color: White Type: Sorcery Rarity: U Artist: NéNé Thomas Text: Look at the top five cards of any library. You may then shuffle that library.

gets released, not only do I recommend adding Filth

Filth
	Set: Judgment Cost: 4 Color: Black Type: Creature Sub Type: Incarnation Rarity: U Number: 66 Artist: Thomas M. Baxa Power: 2 Toughness: 2 Text: Swampwalk. As long as Filth is in your graveyard and you control a Swamp, creatures you control have Swampwalk.

, but I’d add Suq’Ata Assassin and Blanket of Night

Blanket of Night
	Set: Visions Cost: 3 Color: Black Type: Enchantment Rarity: U Artist: Cliff Nielsen Text: Each mana-producing land is a swamp in addition to its normal land type.

, to help get your creatures through.

I hope you enjoy these two decks. Trust me, poison is fun.

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