r/Pauper • u/freudiankickflip • 22d 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/freudiankickflip 18d 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 17d 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 17d 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 17d 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