Counterpunch Decklist & Guide: Ghave, Guru of Spores Precon

Overview

Counterpunch is an Abzan counters and tokens deck. Ghave, Guru of Spores is a 0/0 that enters with five +1/+1 counters. For {1} it can remove a counter from a creature you control to create a 1/1 green Saproling creature token, and for {1} and a sacrificed creature it can put a +1/+1 counter on a target creature. Counters become tokens, and tokens become counters on a bigger creature.

The 99 cards are 26 creatures, 8 artifacts, 10 enchantments, 7 instants, 9 sorceries and 39 lands. The creatures include counter makers such as Fertilid, Spike Feeder, Aquastrand Spider and Sigil Captain, token makers such as Selesnya Evangel, Selesnya Guildmage, Spawnwrithe and Hornet Queen, and Spiders such as Deadly Recluse and Penumbra Spider. Sacrifice outlets such as Attrition, Nantuko Husk and Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter turn tokens into removal and counters.

Key Cards

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Karador, Ghost Chieftain

Recursion · Value

A 3/4 for {5}{W}{B}{G}. It costs {1} less to cast for each creature card in your graveyard, and once during each of your turns you may cast a creature spell from your graveyard. It makes your graveyard a second hand.

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Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter

Sacrifice Outlet · Flying

A 5/5 for {4}{W}{B}{B}. It has flying and lifelink, and you can sacrifice a creature to put X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the sacrificed creature's power. You can also remove all counters to give a creature -1/-1 for each. It grows into a huge flyer and can kill creatures.

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Symbiotic Wurm

Value · Big Body

A 7/7 for {5}{G}{G}{G}. It is a 7/7, and when it dies you create seven 1/1 green Insect creature tokens. It is a body that leaves an army behind.

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Spawnwrithe

Token Maker · Trample

A 2/2 for {2}{G}. It has trample, and whenever it deals combat damage to a player you create a token copy of it. A single hit starts a growing army.

Playing the Deck

The early game is about mana and cheap creatures. Sol Ring, Golgari Signet, Orzhov Signet, Selesnya Signet, Darksteel Ingot and Sakura-Tribe Elder ramp you, and Fertilid, Spike Feeder, Scavenging Ooze and Selesnya Evangel come down early. Skullclamp turns small tokens into cards.

The middle of the game is about counters and tokens. Ghave, Guru of Spores makes Saprolings, Awakening Zone, Necrogenesis and Fists of Ironwood create more tokens, Sigil Captain and Chorus of the Conclave grow creatures, and Attrition and Acorn Catapult give removal and pressure.

The late game is about huge creatures and recursion. Karador, Ghost Chieftain, Teneb, the Harvester and Symbiotic Wurm bring value, Celestial Force gains life each upkeep, Hornet Queen makes flying deathtouch Insects, Storm Herd makes Pegasi for each point of life, and Hour of Reckoning and Hex reset the board.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths: The deck has a huge number of tokens and a clear engine in Ghave, and it has many ways to recover from removal. It also has plenty of interaction, including Doom Blade, Mortify, Afterlife, Oblivion Ring, Dark Hatchling and Shriekmaw.

Weaknesses: Ghave is a 0/0 that dies if its counters are used up, and a sweeper can undo a lot of work. The deck is three colours with a long list of cheap tokens, so it can be slow without a good start.

Want to improve it? See the Counterpunch upgrade guide: twelve swaps with the data behind each one.

Verdict

Counterpunch is a flexible, long-game deck with a lot of synergy and a commander that makes every token matter. It is a good choice for players who like counters, tokens and a deck with a lot of small choices.

Want to see what a fully optimised Ghave, Guru of Spores build looks like? Try the Oracle.

✦ Build with The Oracle

Frequently Asked Questions

What cards are in the Counterpunch decklist?
The Counterpunch precon is a 100-card Commander deck led by Ghave, Guru of Spores. The full Counterpunch decklist, with every card, current prices and a button to copy the list into your deck builder, is on this page.

When was Counterpunch released?
Counterpunch was released on June 17, 2011 as part of Commander 2011.

Who is the commander of Counterpunch?
Counterpunch is led by Ghave, Guru of Spores, a Abzan (W/B/G) legendary creature.

How many creatures are in Counterpunch?
The 99 cards besides Ghave, Guru of Spores include 26 creatures.

How many lands does Counterpunch have?
Counterpunch has 39 lands in the 99 cards besides Ghave, Guru of Spores, including basic lands.

Full Decklist

All 100 cards from the out-of-the-box Counterpunch precon, with current prices. Click any card to expand it.

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Ghave, Guru of Spores (commander), Alliance of Arms, Bestial Menace, Cultivate, Death Mutation, Harmonize, Hex, Hour of Reckoning, Storm Herd, Syphon Flesh, Barren Moor, Command Tower, Evolving Wilds, 10 Forest, Golgari Rot Farm, Orzhov Basilica, 8 Plains, Rupture Spire, Secluded Steppe, Selesnya Sanctuary, 8 Swamp, Temple of the False God, Tranquil Thicket, Vivid Grove, Vivid Marsh, Vivid Meadow, Afterlife, Cobra Trap, Doom Blade, Footbottom Feast, Mortify, Nemesis Trap, Tribute to the Wild, Aquastrand Spider, Celestial Force, Chorus of the Conclave, Dark Hatchling, Deadly Recluse, Fertilid, Golgari Guildmage, Hornet Queen, Karador, Ghost Chieftain, Monk Realist, Nantuko Husk, Penumbra Spider, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Scavenging Ooze, Selesnya Evangel, Selesnya Guildmage, Shriekmaw, Sigil Captain, Spawnwrithe, Spike Feeder, Squallmonger, Symbiotic Wurm, Teneb, the Harvester, Vampire Nighthawk, Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter, Yavimaya Elder, Acorn Catapult, Darksteel Ingot, Golgari Signet, Lightning Greaves, Orzhov Signet, Selesnya Signet, Skullclamp, Sol Ring, Attrition, Aura Shards, Awakening Zone, Fists of Ironwood, Necrogenesis, Oblivion Ring, Soul Snare, Vow of Duty, Vow of Malice, Vow of Wildness.