Upgrading Feline Ferocity

Today we will be looking at the commander 2017 deck Feline Ferocity and figuring out what improvements we can make to the deck while keeping the flavor and play style.


What is this deck trying to do?

Feline Ferocity is a deck that is trying to put a cat into play, pump it up, and attack with it. It has a strong equipment sub-theme and reminds me of a voltron deck. Instead of the traditional voltron decks where you pump up your commander, Feline Ferocity wants to pump up other cats and use the commander as a pump spell as well.

Ramp and Lands:
First thing I want to work on is the ramp spells and the landbase. This deck does need a lot of mana to re-equip the equipment to new creatures and pay for some of the other pump in the deck, but it wants to be able to use its lands right away. It also doesn't need as much color fixing as is in the mana base. I would start by getting rid of terramorphic expanse, evolving wilds, and Blighted Woodland. I would also drop the cycling lands. Replace all of these with basic lands. Sure use some duals-shocks if you want to, but basics will be fine. Some other lands need to be watched and can probably be replaced with basics as well. Storage lands, vivid lands, and rogues passage likely don't need to be in this deck. Galvony township could be a good addition, but we aren't trying to go wide so it would be 5 mana to give 2-3 +1/+1 counters.

Ramp spells need some changes as well. Nissa's Pilgrimage can only get forests, we need to get plains too. Dreamstone Hedron and Hedron Archive can be replaced with land ramp spells as well. Kodama's Reach and Explosive Vegetation need to find their way into this deck. Harvest Season could be a good addition to the deck as well.

Cats:
I don't want to mess with the number of cats without playing it a few times. So I'll list the top cats to add and the first ones I would remove. Adorned Pouncer and Skyhunter Skirmisher give you early doublestriking beatsticks. Brimaz, King of Oreskos and other vigilant cats like Leonin Den-Guard and Mirri, Cat Warrior are great at attacking while staying around to defend. Fleetfoot Panther saves a creature from targeted removal (or a good cat from a wrath) or it can combo with Qasali Slingers. Regal Caracal is somewhat obvious even if we don't want to go wide. There are many more solid cats to chose from. Also remember changelings are cats chameleon collosus is perfect for this deck.

So, what do we take out? Phantom Nishoba is really expensive for what it is. In that same vein Jareth, Leonine Titan is probably too expensive and too defensive oriented for this deck. Oreskos Explorer is a real hit or miss card. The first cat I would probably remove from this deck is actually White Sun Zenith. If I was building a deck to go wide, it's a great card. I just don't think that's what this deck wants to do.

Board Wipe:
The biggest advantage to going tall over going wide is that we can play more mass removal without losing too many of our own permanents. Let's add Wrath of God, Day of Judgement, Dusk to dawn, Fell the Mighty, and Fumigate to our deck.

Targeted Removal:
This decks targeted removal is very specific (crushing vines) or very defensive based. I would replace these card with cards that can remove potential blockers. Ones that pump your creatures while doing so would be a plus as well. I love Tower Above for this. Prepare (to) Fight could see a place here. Savage punch could work as well, but I like instant fight spells for their use after pumping a creature but before it attacks. Other good removal spells would include Oblivion Ring, Path to Exile, or Swords to Plowshares.

Equipment:
When replacing equipment look for equipment that increases power or capability in combat.  I'll probably put Godsend into this deck. Take out Lightning greaves as it actually hampers our commander. Some of the equipment like Quietus Spike or Grappling Hook are a bit too expensive for their cost.

Card Draw:
Harmonize and Abundance are simply not going to cut it. Obvious choices like sylvan library and greater good work really well, but may not be available. Triumph of Ferocity is worth testing in this deck. Cards like snake umbra or sixth sense will help if better options are not available.

Ajani:
We cannot play a cat tribal deck without Ajani in it, can we? If I had to suggest the best I would go with caller of pride. I'm going to put unyeilding in my deck though, because I just opened one and it's my newest Ajani.