Without a doubt, one of the defining features of the current Standard format is the combination of fetch lands with the new dual lands from Battle for Zendikar. Using the two in combination allows decks to have near perfect mana even when playing three or four colors. However, the new dual lands also have another effect, albeit a less useful one. You can run fetch lands that aren’t even in your primary colors and still find the mana you need. Of course, it takes a special kind of deck to want to run as many fetch lands as possible.

Naya Landfall ? Battle for Zendikar Standard | Mike Cannon

• Creatures (28)
• 2 Tunneling Geopede
• 3 Valakut Predator
• 3 Warden of the First Tree
• 4 Grove Rumbler
• 4 Makindi Sliderunner
• 4 Scythe Leopard
• 4 Snapping Gnarlid
• 4 Undergrowth Champion

• Spells (7)
• 4 Dromoka's Command
• 3 Retreat to Valakut

• Lands (25)
• 1 Mountain
• 1 Plains
• 2 Forest
• 1 Smoldering Marsh
• 2 Canopy Vista
• 3 Cinder Glade
• 3 Flooded Strand
• 4 Bloodstained Mire
• 4 Windswept Heath
• 4 Wooded Foothills

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The Cards

Obviously, this deck contains some cards that wouldn’t ordinarily be considered . . . good. However, with fifteen fetch lands in the deck, it’s not too far off to evaluate each card as if you’re generating one and a half landfall triggers every turn. Allow me to demonstrate.

Scythe Leopard has already made a mark on Standard as an aggressive 1-drop. This deck takes it to the next level. It’s not quite Wild Nacatl, but it feels pretty close most of the time. Since it can turn into a 3/3 at any time, the Leopard stays relevant late in the game, when most other 1-drops would be ineffective.

Snapping Gnarlid and Makindi Sliderunner are pretty straightforward 2-drops, and both are already seeing some competitive play. Scythe Leopard is great, and adding 1 mana and 1 power makes it . . . still great. Almost any creature that consistently gives you 3 power for 2 mana will make it into an aggressive deck somewhere. These guys give you even more than that.

Undergrowth Champion is an absolute all-star in this deck. It’s nearly unkillable, and even if your opponent blocks it every turn, he won’t be able to stem the tide of +1/+1 counters. While most aggressive decks have trouble with large creatures like Siege Rhino, Undergrowth Champion can grow large enough to run opponents over in just two turns.

Tunneling Geopede gives this creature-based deck some serious reach, allowing you to end the game even when your opponent has enough creatures to shut down any attack. A single point of damage may not seem like much, but it adds up. I’m not sure I’ve ever cast the Geopede and had it deal less than 5 direct damage.

I felt that the deck definitely needed another 1-drop, but I couldn’t quite figure out which one I wanted. Dragonmaster Outcast was tempting, but in a fast deck like this, it will often do nothing. I also played with various 2-power guys, include renown creatures such as Goblin Glory Chaser and Honored Hierarch. In the end, I decided to go with Warden of the First Tree. I already knew I would be playing white for Dromoka's Command, and the Warden seemed to be a great way to use the extra mana accrued by playing twenty-five lands in a deck that tops out at 4.

Retreat to Valakut was among the first cards I threw in the deck, and I’ve never been disappointed in it. Adding 4 damage to your attack is a big deal. Adding 4 damage multiple turns in a row is absurd. If your opponent has untapped creatures and +2/+0 won’t help, Retreat to Valakut can take two blockers out of the picture. Basically, this card is good whenever you’re attacking—which is always.

Dromoka's Command serves two primary purposes in this deck. First, it’s a removal spell, and a good one. When you have creatures pumping themselves to 6 power or more, there’s rarely a fight you won’t win. The cards other function is to protect you from Radiant Flames. Although Undergrowth Champion will shake off 3 damage with barely a scratch, all your other creatures are easily burned to death. Having a play set of Commands in the main deck gives you some insurance against that kind of blowout.

The Strategy

In addition to finding your colors, there are other things to consider. Putting two basics onto the battlefield will make all your future nonbasics enter untapped. Saving your fetch lands when possible will allow you to gain more out of the landfall triggers later, but playing tapped lands slows you down in the meantime. Unfortunately, there aren’t any rules or guidelines to help you out here. You’ll need to analyze each situation individually.

Against decks playing red, keeping a fetch land on the battlefield can protect you from removal spells if you can afford the reduction in mana. You’ll also want to avoid playing Undergrowth Champion on turn three if you have other options. Playing a land as soon as it enters the battlefield will immediately close the door on damage-based removal, provided your opponent can’t kill the Champion in response.

Retreat to Valakut can be a tough one. Its landfall triggers can provide a huge boost to your damage, but playing it early means you’ll have fewer creatures on the battlefield. Fortunately, the solution here is relatively simple: Do the math, and then figure out which option lets you deal the most damage over the next few turns. When you don’t know what your opponent is going to do, planning for maximum damage output is rarely a bad thing.

This deck is a lot of fun to play, especially when you have a chain of fetch lands pumping your creatures every turn. If you want a unique and explosive deck to bring to your next Friday Night Magic, give this one a try.