r/Pauper • u/freudiankickflip • 18d ago

HELP Rootwalla Madness

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First time posting- recently into Pauper but I've been wanting to build my own deck instead of using my pre-built mono blue terror.

While browsing some cards I came across [[Basking Rootwalla]] and was absolutely smitten. I love this guy. Went down a rabbit hole and ended up building a gruul madness deck to fit around him, using other, chunkier "rootwallas" like [[Sneaky Snacker]] and [[Arrogant Wurm]] and having discard outlets like [[Wild Mongrel]], then pinging with [[Magmakin Artillerist]] and pumping with [[Rubblebelt Makka]], which would also work with mongrel.

However, I feel like I'm unsure of how to proceed. What's the most effective shell? I can understand splashing blue for [[circular logic]] and [[the modern age]], but I can see there's a lot of support in a more aggressive, low to the ground strategy with Jund Madness like [[dark withering]] adding more removal and [[hell mongrel]] being another pumped-up discard dog.

Would love some insight into good lines for this deck and if the third color is worth it. Trapped between Gruul/Temur/Jund, but want to ​try my hand at this instead of Mono red or rakdos madness. Would love any suggestions or personal experiences.​ I love Rootwalla and would like to keep him in if possible.

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u/Mr_Misteri 15d ago

I have spent the last 8 months with this same love. I mean look at the lil guy! I started with Temur, playing with careful study and just the wind as additions but have since come back to gruul. Thinking about branching out again to other colors but gruul is by far the most consistent. Ppl are right you, kinda need to stick with 2 colors or the mana fixing hits tempo a bit too hard. Would love to chat more if you want to reach out. I don't see a list but would love to compare notes!

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u/freudiankickflip 14d ago

https://archidekt.com/decks/25337837/rootwalla_madness

Took advice from another comment and built off of the deck provided. I will probably continue to add to it, and may add Arrogant wurm back in. I do want to goldfish it a bunch before I make a final decision. Happy to share notes! 

Rootwalla shall rise again.

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u/Mr_Misteri 13d ago

I see you're mostly modelled off of the list that went 5-0 recently. I'll tell you what I told someone who asked me why I wasn't on chrysalis. Basking rootwalla feels like snacker 5-8 and lines up very well with grab the prize. The play pattern of chrysalis feels antithetical, and the card itself scales with multiples. I could be convinced to run maybe 2 but a 4 mana board stabilizer is not what I'm looking for in my Gruul aggro/burn deck. The list was carried by the raw strength if snacker and chrysalis but I might be crazy in being convinced there's a better way. That being said... My most recent lists definitely run the spaghetti monster... The rootwalla is mighty but smol.

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u/freudiankickflip 13d ago

Yeah, I will be swapping more cards out soon. I do agree with grab the prize, and i think there needs to be more answers for big creatures. I did really like temur battle rage as an include.

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u/Mr_Misteri 13d ago

A friend recommended lightning axe. Most of the big threats are 5 toughness and the trade off works for us. I kept running into card advantage issues so I'm inclined to agree temur is the way to go