Finding a spot for Mask of Memory

[chillwolf]

Decklist: https://deckstats.net/decks/121552/1210001-faster-marath-enrage-dinos/en

Trying to get some more card draw in here, Mask of Memory in particular.

Thinking about what to cut, but I’m in a dilemma:

1. At 22 Dinos, I think I’m approaching the point where cutting creatures is a bad idea. I need to maintain enough mass of creatures to make sure I can get some bodies down.

2. Ramp - 10 ramp seems to be a minimum, and with some expensive bombs, I need the ramp.

3. Removal - I already pulled a Krosan Grip to add a ramp card, which may be a bad idea, but it would be hard to cut any more removal.

Maybe pull something from the Boost/Wincons category or Answers? What do you think?

[WizardSpartan]

Hmm, I think the best cut would be Cathars' Crusade/Waves of Aggression. I like Cathars' Crusade more in token "go wide" decks, but your deck seems more focused around Marath's damage and +1/+1 counter abilities. Waves of Aggression seems eh. It's a win more card (and I really don't like win more cards) and it seems really hard to make it really good. You would need a significantly larger board than an opponent and you would have to not fear any crack back because no vigilance. Between the 2, I would say Cathars' Crusade would be a better cut just because Waves of Aggression has the ability to just win the game sometimes.

[ApothecaryGeist]

My suggestion would be to cut Domri Rade.  That seems to be the card that is doing the least for your deck.  With only 25 creatures, his <+1> ability is only going to get you a card about 25% of the time.  That's a lot of dead weight.  Definitely a good card to replace with better card draw.

Happy Brewing!

[Soren841]

Let's be honest, Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse are doing even less 

[ApothecaryGeist]

Let's be honest, Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse are doing even less 

Sure.  But since we were specifically talking about finding a card to replace with Mask of Memory, I actually meant that Domri was the NON-LAND card that was doing the least for this deck.
I didn't even look at his lands.  I wouldn't replace one of them with Mask of Memory.  I would replace with better lands.  But I assume this is what chillwolf has to work with.

[chillwolf]

Thanks for the replies GolgariFTW, Soren and ApothecaryGiest! 

I think your point is well taken about Domri Rade, Mask of Memory will definitely create more consistent card draw with my number of creatures.

What are your thoughts on Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse? I put them in to provide some early color fixing to allow me to get Marath out on time. As far as other lands I have that could replace them, I have some scry lands and bounce lands, as well as additional basics of course. Which do you think make the most sense and why?

[Judaspriester]

Thanks for the replies GolgariFTW, Soren and ApothecaryGiest! 

I think your point is well taken about Domri Rade, Mask of Memory will definitely create more consistent card draw with my number of creatures.

What are your thoughts on Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse? I put them in to provide some early color fixing to allow me to get Marath out on time. As far as other lands I have that could replace them, I have some scry lands and bounce lands, as well as additional basics of course. Which do you think make the most sense and why?

I would cut one of them, along with the scry and cycling lands and then fill up with basics. Every land that enters tapped basical costs you 1 mana for that turn. So the question for you is, is scry 1 or the option to cycle for 2 additional mana worth this?
It may not seem like a big deal, but it could make a huge difference if an important card (or a whole combo) is delayed by 1 turn because of a land that always enters tapped. Besides that, non-basic hate like Blood Moon or Back to Basics hurts less. But this argument depends much on your playgroup.

If you want to improve your land base: Bountiful Promenade and Spire Garden would be great, unless you play french commander (1vs1), since they nearly always enter untapped.

[WizardSpartan]

Trying to get some more card draw in here

This is why I gave some non-card draw spells as examples to switch out. While Mask of Memory may be better than Domri Rade, it would be a swap, and the OP's wording here indicates they want an addition, not swap.
Just giving some reasoning for my suggestions.

[Soren841]

Except Domri would rarely draw cards

[ApothecaryGeist]

With any mana base, you need to balance speed (coming into play untapped) with color-fixing (having the proper mix of mana colors available to yourself).  Factor your mana ramp (spells and mana rocks) into this.  Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse are fine if that is all the color fixing you have available.  I like the Panoramas a little better for three-color decks, as they make mana on their own and still let you color fix.

Upon reviewing your mana base:

First, keep in mind that Glacial Chasm and Maze of Ith do not produce mana.  So you are effectively only running 33 lands.  I like more than that in a tri-color deck.  I would suggest trying to put in a couple more mana producing lands.  To make room, I would suggest cutting Glacial Chasm and Maze of Ith.  Dinos are a fairly expensive (CMC) tribe to support.  You do not want to be wasting land drops on lands that don't make mana.  (Glacial Chasm even costs you a land.  It counts as -1 land.)

I would keep the battle lands, check lands, and shock lands.
Drop the bicycle lands, scry lands and tri-land.  You want speed in your mana base since you're playing aggro.

After that, evaluate each land that doesn't produce colored mana and determine if you actually NEED it (rather than want it) for your gameplan.  And this should be a need not being met by the spells in your deck.  For instance, Slayer's Stronghold ... you have other things that can grant haste.  And is vigilance on a single creature really going to be worth not having useful color.  Ask yourself that question with each card.  Keep colorless lands to an absolute minimum.

Fill in the rest of the lands with basics.  A roughly even mix, but skew slightly toward Forest, as your mana ramp spells are all green.

Speaking of ... The mana ramp is where you can accomplish a lot of mana fixing.  Cultivate and Rampant Growth - type spells can let you get the colors you are missing.  On that topic, I'm not a fan of Reap and Sow.  It's 4 mana and only gets you one land.  You get to blow one up if you're willing to spend 6 mana    I would replace with Kodama's Reach.

Then you need a few mana rocks that can tap for mana of any color.  I'm not a fan of Nature's Lore.  It helps you ramp, but not fix, as it is green and only lets you grab a Forest.  I would replace with Birds of Paradise.  I would also try to put in another mana rock like Fellwar Stone, Commander's Sphere, Darksteel Ingot.  Again, something to color fix.  For this slot, I would probably cut Commune with Dinosaurs.  You have Commune listed in the ramp slot, it doesn't really ramp, since it puts the card in your hand; it just helps smooth your land drops.  Commune with Dinos is also not a very good tutor when you only have 22 dinos in your deck.

Hope this helps.

Happy Brewing!