Multiplayer Tooth and Nail

[Ephraim]

Before the arrival of Darksteel, I had already independently developed a rough, casual-worthy list for Tooth and Nail. Although I didn't realize it at the time, my selection of creatures — at the time chosen just because they were what I owned — would turn out to be extremely good in a multiplayer game. Darksteel Collosi, for example, are great win conditions until your opponent drops a couple of Traproot Kami when there are fifteen forests in play. Leonin Abunas and Platinum Angel may, conceivably, require one to deck one's opponent, if his defense is strong enough. And, as previously stated, when I first began assembling this deck, I happened to own four Living Hives and none of the rest of those creatures. Living Hive may seem like a suboptimal win condition, but in multiplayer, it has one subtle advantage over the many, larger creatures that could fill this position. In the process of eliminating weaker players from the game, I strengthen my board position against stronger opponents.

The primary win condition component of this deck consists of Living Hive and Kamahl, Fist of Krosa. It doesn't take many insect tokens to make Kamahl's Overrun-on-a-stick ability incredibly powerful. Furthermore, because the deck already attempts to build quickly to 7, 8, or 9 mana, getting a 10th mana to activate Kamahl's ability twice is typically trivial.

Mana Acceleration (15)
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Urborg Elves
4 Sakura-Tribe Elder
3 Kodama's Reach

Utility Creatures (7)
3 Tangle Spider
4 Mystic Snake

Beat Creatures (5)
1 Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
4 Living Hive

Spells (9)
3 Tooth and Nail
3 Accelerated Mutation
3 Rush of Knowledge

Land (23)
9 Island
14 Forest

***

Tangle Spider provides critical protection against flying creatures, which can wreck me in the early game, leaving me without time to finish what I have started. They're sufficiently large to deter most fliers, can be played as instants to behave as combat tricks, and can also be played at end of turn, leaving mana available for more important spells on my own turn.

Mystic Snake may not really belong in the deck, but I've been trying to fit them in somewhere. Blue has always been a part of this deck and I feel like Mystic Snake works nicely here. It's not the world's best counter, but it feels appropriate in an otherwise creature-based deck. Furthermore, if I am already holding a beater in my hand, when I cast Tooth and Nail, I can search for a Mystic Snake, thus providing myself with protection on subsequent turns.

Accelerated Mutation and Rush of Knowledge are both options that work well in the slower pace of a casual environment. Rush of Knowledge is an excellent way of refilling my hand after I've accelerated to my first large play. Accelerated Mutation is poor-man's Might of Oaks. On the upside, it often pumps my creatures by +8/+8 instead of +7/+7. People tend to throw creatures in front of Living Hive, so having a way of making it 8 points larger than expected has often been the winning play for this deck.

You may notice, faithful reader, that this deck currently only posesses 59 cards. The 60th slot eludes me. I have filled it with a variety of creatures from the somewhat-versatile Silvos, Rogue Elemental to the potentially 23/23 Molimo, Maro Sorceror. What I have realized is that this deck does not need another beater. Unfortunately, I don't really know what else to put in this slot and I would appreciate suggestions. By default, I am probably going to fill it with a fourth Kodama's Reach or a fourth Accelerated Mutation. I would, however, prefer to fill it with another creature that performs some powerful function for the deck, as Kamahl does.

[Nefarias]

It would require a second slot, but I'd imagine the Triskelion-Mephidross Vampire combo would be really good in multiplayer. You even have the Urborg Elves to help hardcast it. With all those Reaches and Elders, you could even throw a Swamp in there. 

[Ephraim]

It's a good combo, Nefarias, but I think I'm going to avoid it. The infinite combos around my store have gotten so common that the people who use them will get the combo pieces on the table, will be declared the winner by acclamation, and then the rest of the table will continue playing as if the combo hadn't occured, just because otherwise, every game would end in Kamahl, Fist of Krosa + Gaea's Cradle + Staff of Domination. Triskelion plus Mephidross Vampire isn't quite as bad as that, since it only clears the table of creatures, but I think it's still "giving in" to my store's combo mentality. I appreciate the suggestion though, since nothing I said previously would suggest it wasn't feasible. You've definitely opened my eyes to another possibility, though. I hadn't really considered the possibility of a black creature. I could go with a lighter control route by using Phyrexian Plaguelord or Stronghold Assassin. Both of them can make use of excess insect tokens or obsolete mana elves. I could also put in a copy of Nezumi Graverobber. I don't have all that many beaters, so it can be a big setback to lose one of them.