We all know what you’re looking for really. Sure, tribes in MTG are great, and we’re always happy to play a good tribal deck, but sometimes the only thing anybody really needs is a big old Frog. It’s hard to resist their croaky charm, and the sheer joy you’ll feel when hopping over a more powerful tribe is going to be worth the extra effort.
Thankfully, we now have a big old Frog who cares about other Frogs. That’s right, now is the age of
Grolnok, the Omnivore
Grolnok, the Omnivore
Whenever a Frog you control attacks, mill three cards.
Whenever a permanent card is put into your graveyard from your library, exile it with a croak counter on it.
You may play lands and cast spells from among cards you own in exile with croak counters on them.
, and we couldn’t be happier about it.
Meet your Commander
Grolnok, the Omnivore
Grolnok, the Omnivore
Whenever a Frog you control attacks, mill three cards.
Whenever a permanent card is put into your graveyard from your library, exile it with a croak counter on it.
You may play lands and cast spells from among cards you own in exile with croak counters on them.
is a four-mana green and blue 3/3 with a lot of text. “Whenever a Frog you control attacks, mill three cards. Whenever a permanent card is put into your graveyard from your library, exile it with a croak counter on it. You may play lands and cast spells from among cards you own in exile with croak counters on them.”
So, we’re going for a Frog tribal deck with a splash of self-mill. It’s a really fun concept, and while we’d rather this was a Sultai card so we could also include the almighty
The Gitrog Monster
The Gitrog Monster
Deathtouch
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice The Gitrog Monster unless you sacrifice a land.
You may play an additional land on each of your turns.
Whenever one or more land cards are put into your graveyard from anywhere, draw a card.
, we’ll take what we can get. Although, please give us a big old Sultai Frog, thanks.
Now then, let’s take a look at the cards we’re going to be including in our fancy froggy fun.
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The best Frogs
Froghemoth
Froghemoth
Trample, haste
Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, exile up to that many target cards from their graveyard. Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature for each creature card exiled this way. You gain 1 life for each noncreature card exiled this way.
is our first pick. Honestly, the number of worthwhile Frogs in MTG is annoyingly low, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few really good choices here anyway. Froghemoth does a lot too, as a five-mana 4/4 with trample and haste that reads, “Whenever Froghemoth deals combat damage to a player, exile up to that many target cards from their graveyard. Put a +1/+1 counter on Froghemoth for each creature card exiled this way. You gain 1 life for each noncreature card exiled this way.”
Outside of that, the only other Frog that’s essential is
Spore Frog
Spore Frog
Sacrifice this creature: Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.
. This little bad boy can be sacrifice to allow you to negate all combat damage for a turn, which is great. That’s pretty much it for Frogs as such, so we’re going to get creative now.
Croaking Counterpart
Croaking Counterpart
Create a token that's a copy of target non-Frog creature, except it's a 1/1 green Frog.
Flashback {3}{G}{U} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
will create a token of any creature but as a 1/1 Frog. This means you can gain powerful abilities and ETB effects. It’s also worth looking into a good clone suite here too.
Stunt Double
Stunt Double
Flash
You may have this creature enter as a copy of any creature on the battlefield.
,
Followed Footsteps
Followed Footsteps
Enchant creature
At the beginning of your upkeep, create a token that's a copy of enchanted creature.
,
Altered Ego
Altered Ego
This spell can't be countered.
You may have this creature enter as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it enters with X additional +1/+1 counters on it.
, and
Vesuvan Shapeshifter
Vesuvan Shapeshifter
As this creature enters or is turned face up, you may choose another creature on the battlefield. If you do, until this creature is turned face down, it becomes a copy of that creature, except it has "At the beginning of your upkeep, you may turn this creature face down."
Morph {1}{U}
are all great choices for this. You could also just use a
Maskwood Nexus
Maskwood Nexus
Creatures you control are every creature type. The same is true for creature spells you control and creature cards you own that aren't on the battlefield.
{3}, {T}: Create a 2/2 blue Shapeshifter creature token with changeling. (It is every creature type.)
to make everything a Frog.
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The best support cards
In terms of support, we’re looking at ways to recur things that are in the graveyard, and then ways to protect Grolnok.
Eternal Witness
Eternal Witness
When this creature enters, you may return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
and
Timeless Witness
Timeless Witness
When this creature enters, return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
Eternalize {5}{G}{G} ({5}{G}{G}, Exile this card from your graveyard: Create a token that's a copy of it, except it's a 4/4 black Zombie Human Shaman with no mana cost. Eternalize only as a sorcery.)
are both incredible for picking a specific card to get back.
Splendid Reclamation
Splendid Reclamation
Return all land cards from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.
will allow you to put all of your lands back into play too. They’re not as useful as in some other self-mill decks, but they’re still strong.
Self-mill has a lot of options. We really like
Crawling Sensation
Crawling Sensation
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may mill two cards. (You may put the top two cards of your library into your graveyard.)
Whenever one or more land cards are put into your graveyard from anywhere for the first time each turn, create a 1/1 green Insect creature token.
here for being so simple to cast and also generating Insects.
Perpetual Timepiece
Perpetual Timepiece
{T}: Mill two cards. (Put the top two cards of your library into your graveyard.)
{2}, Exile this artifact: Shuffle any number of target cards from your graveyard into your library.
is also surprisingly strong for similar reasons, but without bugs this time. You could even look to play some dredge cards liken
Life from the Loam
Life from the Loam
Return up to three target land cards from your graveyard to your hand.
Dredge 3 (If you would draw a card, you may mill three cards instead. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand.)
for a bit of extra spice.
Protection is a big factor here, so the likes of
Lightning Greaves
Lightning Greaves
Equipped creature has haste and shroud. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities.)
Equip {0}
,
Whispersilk Cloak
Whispersilk Cloak
Equipped creature can't be blocked and has shroud. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities.)
Equip {2}
, and
Asceticism
Asceticism
Creatures you control have hexproof.
{1}{G}: Regenerate target creature. (The next time it would be destroyed this turn, instead tap it, remove it from combat, and heal all damage on it.)
are all going to be excellent choices for keeping poor old Grolnok alive. We already like the look of this deck, but we’re also hoping that Frogs get a bit more support in the coming months from other sets, because everyone loves a good ribbit, you know?
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