How to improve my Oath deck?

[Tristal]

Ok, so maybe it's not a secret that I like Ancient Hydra over Spike Feeder.  Still, these three creatures are a must in maindeck, so I'd appreciate suggestions aside from replacing Hydra with Feeder/Baloth/Triskelion/Fugitive Wizard...

My metagame consists of 2-3 keeper-like control, 3-4 UG Madness, 2-3 UG Gro, and a smattering of other decks including sligh, prison, monoblack, groatog, pandeburst, RUG Zoo, and reanimator.  It's a casual environment, but the players are getting better every week.

Tristal's Oath v3.1

Mana thingies: 25
3 Island
3 Flooded Strand
4 Tundra
4 Tropical Island
1 Volcanic Island
1 City of Brass
4 Mishra's Factory
R Strip Mine
R Library of Alexandria
R Mox Sapphire
R Mox Pearl
R Sol Ring

Hahahaha no: 14
4 Mana Drain
4 Force of Will
2 Powder Keg
3 Swords to Plowshares
R Balance

Engine: 9
4 Oath of Druids
1 Spike Weaver
1 Ancient Hydra
1 Morphling
2 Gaea's Blessing

Card Manipulation: 11
R Enlightened Tutor
3 Brainstorm
2 Impulse
R Fact or Fiction
1 Sylvan Library
R Ancestral Recall
R Mystical Tutor
R Regrowth

Utility: 1
1 Time Walk

SB: Varies, but just about always contains the following:
1 Morphling (Control)
1 Llawan, Cephalid Empress (Morphling based Control)
2 CoP: Red
1 Swords to Plowshares
3 Disenchant (Prison, anti-Choke/B2B/Blood Moon/Crypt)
2 Naturalize
3 Blue Elemental Blast (Surprisingly, most useful against RUG Zoo)

My main thoughts were adding Tormod's Crypt to the sideboard against combo and reanimator; adding Stroke of Genius somewhere for an alternate kill against control; putting some enchantment removal maindeck; and messing around with the maindeck tutors.  I won a 20 person T1 with this deck last week, but I'm always looking to improve my play skill and knowledge.  Any suggestions?

[TunaBoo]

Tuna oath runs phantom nishoba, akroma, and morphling, with 2 spikes and another nishoba in the side.

Whatever creature base works for you

[DigDug]

I thought Llawan would be good until I realized that your opponent can Oath up a Morphling.

I run a Keeper/Oath hybrid and I use two Morphlings maindeck with Akroma and a Woodripper in the sideboard.  I use Akroma against aggro-control.  Akroma beats Morphling, Wurms, and anything small.  Thorn Elemental would also be good against control.

[Tristal]

I typically side out the Oaths against control, so Llawan isn't a big problem, but that's definitely something to think about.

I was also thinking about adding more red and putting Dwarven Miners in the sideboard against control (Obviously, taking out Oath).  Thoughts?

[-CF-]

If you want tech against sligh, use that first strike dude which gains you life equal to the number of cards in your graveyard :oP

Seriously though, I have never seen the point of recycling creatures over and over again. Just Oath up something good and win with it!

--
Chris

[TunaBoo]

Quote (-CF- @ Mar. 03 2003,11:00)If you want tech against sligh, use that first strike dude which gains you life equal to the number of cards in your graveyard :oP

Seriously though, I have never seen the point of recycling creatures over and over again. Just Oath up something good and win with it!

--
Chris

Someone else in my school of though. Cool


I still keep the stall tactic around because it is fun vs. decks like mask and growatog, but it is a sideboard trick not a maindeck idea.

[Tristal]

I like the versatility of these three creatures as opposed to just loading the deck with 'huge' creatures like Akroma and Phantom Nishoba.  Akroma etc MIGHT get the job done - but there are also times where you'd rather Oath up a Spike Weaver, too.  Each creature has its own strengths - Spike Weaver against creature rush, Ancient Hydra against specialty creatures (IE, Welders, Waterfront Bouncer) and as an in-your-face damage source, and Morphling, to finish the job, especially with spike counters.  There's definitely weaknesses to this arrangement, but I feel the maindeck addresses those issues well.  An Akroma, for instance, is not something any of my creatures can kill, but 3 Swords deal with it just fine.