The deck is an almost all-creature Gruul stompy list built around Ruric Thar's tax on noncreature spells. Every opponent who casts an instant, sorcery, artifact or enchantment takes 6 damage from Ruric Thar, while the deck itself casts creatures almost exclusively and loses little to the restriction. Mana dorks and creature-count mana sources power out huge creatures early, creature-cast card draw and tutors keep the pipeline full, and Ruric's own triggers are upgraded into lifelink or deathtouch so the tax also drains life or kills. How it wins: It overwhelms opponents with oversized attackers, mass pump and extra combats, while Ruric Thar's 6-damage punishments chip away at anyone casting noncreature spells. Key roles: - Creature mana engine: Elves, dorks and lands that scale with creature count or power ramp into six-to-ten-drop threats a turn or two early, and turn a wide board into explosive turns. (Circle of Dreams Druid, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds, Enduring Vitality) - Creature-cast value: Draw and value triggers on casting creatures, cost reducers and creature tutors keep the hand full and find the right threat without needing noncreature spells. (Beast Whisperer, Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma, Fauna Shaman) - Ruric damage upgrades: Lifelink and deathtouch granted to Ruric Thar also apply to its own noncreature-spell damage. Each tax trigger then gains 6 life, and with deathtouch it can also kill a creature, while Ohran Frostfang adds card draw when Ruric connects in combat. (Shadowspear, Basilisk Collar, Ohran Frostfang) - Big-body combat finishers: Mass pump, power doubling, extra combats and cheat-in attackers convert a board of large creatures into lethal damage, backed by haste and trample. (Craterhoof Behemoth, Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus, Anzrag, the Quake-Mole) - Noncreature punishment and hate: Board effects that tax or reward against opponents' noncreature spells and permanents line up with Ruric Thar's plan, alongside creature-based artifact and enchantment destruction. (Heartwood Storyteller, Bane of Progress, Kogla, the Titan Ape) - Creature-based fight removal: Removal comes from creatures fighting, sweeping damage and wipes, keeping interaction inside the creature-only shell. (Gruul Ragebeast, Crater Hellion, Neyith of the Dire Hunt)

Ruric Thar, the Unbowed decklist

• Aerid Konstrari
• Allosaurus Shepherd
• Ancient Copper Dragon
• Anzrag, the Quake-Mole
• Apex Devastator
• Badgermole Cub
• Bane of Progress
• Basilisk Collar
• Beast Whisperer
• Birds of Paradise
• Boseiju, Who Endures
• Champions of the Perfect
• Circle of Dreams Druid
• Command Beacon
• Command Tower
• Crater Hellion
• Craterhoof Behemoth
• Delighted Halfling
• Den Protector
• Dragonborn Champion
• Elder Gargaroth
• Elvish Mystic
• Enduring Vitality
• Eternal Witness
• Evendo, Waking Haven
• Exotic Orchard
• Fauna Shaman
• 12× Forest
• Fyndhorn Elves
• Fynn, the Fangbearer
• Gemstone Caverns
• Goblin Anarchomancer
• Goldspan Dragon
• Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
• Grafted Exoskeleton
• Growing Rites of Itlimoc
• Gruul Ragebeast
• Heartwood Storyteller
• Hellkite Tyrant
• Hexhaven Invigorator
• Imperial Recruiter
• Karplusan Forest
• Klauth, Unrivaled Ancient
• Kogla and Yidaro
• Kogla, the Titan Ape
• Kona, Rescue Beastie
• Llanowar Elves
• Loot, the Nexus
• Magus of the Order
• 4× Mountain
• Neyith of the Dire Hunt
• Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• Ohran Frostfang
• Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth
• Pathbreaker Ibex
• Plaza of Heroes
• Priest of Titania
• Protean Hulk
• Radagast of Rhosgobel
• Raph & Mikey, Troublemakers
• Reflecting Pool
• Roaming Throne
• Samut, Hazoret's Champion
• Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
• Shadowspear
• Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu
• Shifting Woodland
• Silverback Elder
• Spire Garden
• Spore Frog
• Stomping Ground
• Strip Mine
• Swiftfoot Boots
• Sylvan Safekeeper
• Terastodon
• The Earth King
• Tower of the Magistrate
• Tranquil Frillback
• Verdant Kraken
• Vigor
• Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger
• Witch's Clinic
• Wooded Foothills
• Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
• Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus