Help With Black/Green Elves?

[natesmith]

I'm trying to build a black/green elf deck for standard, I have somewhat decent choices for my monsters, but when I get to the instants, sorceries, and enchantments, I just lose my mind!  I don't know what I want to play!  My main angle is to get ready for the Battle for Zendikar release, and its new line of Eldrazi (bc I believe they're gonna be a deck to look out for that format; either them or Landfall/Awaken).  Here is how my current build stands:

Lands- 24
4 Jungle Hollow
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Llanowar Wastes
6 Forest
6 Swamp

Creatures- 22
4 Gnarlroot Trapper
4 Elvish Visionary
4 Dwynen's Elite
4 Deadbridge Shaman
2 Eyeblight Assassin
2 Shaman of the Pack
2 Dwynen, Gilt-leaf Daen
2 Sylvan Messenger

I was also considering throwing in some Plains and Sandsteppe Citadels for some delicious Abzan Charms, if I can't think of anything else.  Would this be a good idea?

[NickNasty]

Must have:
Hero's Downfall - Good defensive move.
Collected Company - All but two of your creatures have a CMC of 3 or less.
Life's Legacy - Use it to sacrifice Deadbridge Shaman so they discard a card and you draw a card.
Thoughtseize - Cheap and easy spell to disrupt them.
Winds of Qal Sisma - Another good defensive move.

What were you thinking in terms of a secondary strategy?

[Tcfaulkn64]

Look at my Moriquendi deck. Its strong. And cheap.

[natesmith]

Must have:
Hero's Downfall - Good defensive move.
Collected Company - All but two of your creatures have a CMC of 3 or less.
Life's Legacy - Use it to sacrifice Deadbridge Shaman so they discard a card and you draw a card.
Thoughtseize - Cheap and easy spell to disrupt them.
Winds of Qal Sisma - Another good defensive move.

What were you thinking in terms of a secondary strategy?

I was thinking discard as my secondary.

[NickNasty]

For discarding as your secondary strategy, you could use Duress, Mind Rot, or Diplomacy of the Wastes. If you want to sub out a few more cards, Waste Not is a must have but it gets further away from your Elf theme. Ordeal of Erebos pumps up your creatures and has a nice discard effect. Whaddaya think? 

[natesmith]

For discarding as your secondary strategy, you could use Duress, Mind Rot, or Diplomacy of the Wastes. If you want to sub out a few more cards, Waste Not is a must have but it gets further away from your Elf theme. Ordeal of Erebos pumps up your creatures and has a nice discard effect. Whaddaya think? 

Honestly I've never been crazy about the Ordeal cards for some reason.  But I love Duress and Mind Rot as my discarders!

[Drunk Cynic]

Ordeal without heroic or a similar effect that accelerates counter production is just offering your opponent two for one.

On top of BG elves, instead of sidestepping into discard use kill and stall effects.

[natesmith]

Ordeal without heroic or a similar effect that accelerates counter production is just offering your opponent two for one.

On top of BG elves, instead of sidestepping into discard use kill and stall effects.

Cards like Ultimate Price or Mutilate?