OCC: The Djinn counts on you

This is the latest addition to the Obscure Card Challenge:
http://www.mtgvault.com/puschkin/decks/obscure-card-challenge-occ/

I was asked to build a deck around AKU DJINN. I already have an Aku Djinn deck active IRL so I decided to just post that with slight modifications for you budget obsessed folks.


Okay, so, the deck runs on 4 Aku Djinns that happen to give opponent's creatures +1/+1 counters each turn. I coupled this with green and added Sheltering Ancients who do so as well (but in a different manner). Main combo to run with them is Kulrath Knight! He does not only offset the drawback, he right out turns the game upside down since (ooponents) creatures with counters can neither attack nor block. Sans some odd creatures with nasty special effects that don't envolve the combat step this team will win the creature battle all by themselves.

I'll cover the supporting cards in the "How to play" section.

Please note that this is a deck I play IRL in my group of regulars. We do have some house rules in place, one of them being that we play Bounty of the Hunt as it is written, so it actually places +1/+1 counters.

Keep in mind that Aku Djinn and especially the Ancient can be pretty brutal early attackers on their own. However, if the opponents don't have any creatures out, the Ancient will die (since placing counters is an upkeep cost for him) while Aku Djinn is happy as Larry.

Deadwood Treefolk:
A steady way to get your key creatures back. Works wonderfully in this deck! I built this deck for multiplayer and a Treefolk is actually better in here than any regular recursion engine because it provides a tough body to block attackers. Also, it doesn't look as menacing as a Recurring Nightmare or something like that would.

Thrive, Bounty of the Hunt:
More ways to get counters on opposing creatures.

Wickerborough Elder, Acidic Slime:
You should be able to handle creatures pretty well but what about other decks? I picked these two over Naturalize type of cards in oder to keep the creature count higher. Also, they work well with the Treefolk.

Pernicious Deed:
Today's decks are too nasty to not run any mass removal.

Necromancy, Spore Cloud, Darkness:
You are safe as long as the Kulrath Knight is in play. But if someone nukes it, the angry hordes are knocking at your door ... that's a prime situation where Fog effects are nice! I picked Spore Cloud because it's just a great underused card. It provides you that extra turn you might need to get the Kulrath Knight back into play (Deadwood Treefolk isn't exactly cheap). I picked Darkness because noone expects a Fog when you have no green mana open. And Necromancy? You can use it as an instant, so you can bring Kulrath Knight anytime back - only for one turn, though, if you use it as an instant, but it will save your ass!

Spike Cannibal:
An alternate way to win/play. You might run out of Kulrath Knights or your opponent might have creatures that you don't want to have any counters anymore etc. The Cannibal is also great in a setup where you go early beating with second turn Ancients and/or third turn dark ritualed Djinns.

Chariot of Victory:
It's mainly there for the haste which greatly improves Aku Djinn and Ancient in the beatdown in case you don't have a Knight ready. But the first strike also works well with the Acidic Slimes (deathtouch) and Kulraths (wither) while the trample is crucial for the Cannibals.

Ana Battlemage, Jarad, Llanowar Dead, Abundant Growth, Golgari Keyrune:
There are just random cards I like that I wanted to include for the heck of it. Feel free to swap them for more copies of other cards that aren't at 4.

• OCC
• Casual
• Multiplayer
• +1/+1 Counters