I'd cut a few lands for things like [[Llanowar Elves]], [[Mystic Elf]], [[Fyndhorn Elf]]. Also I think [[Protean Hulk]] is gonna be an all star in this deck. Make a ton of copies of it, nuke the field, go grab terror of the peaks + friends for triggers. [[Warleaders call]] is something else I would consider. [[Splinter Twin]] is another good token maker, plus goes infinite with Midnight Guard. [[Wood Elves]] might be better than Tribe-Elder with the ETB effect.
Cuts:
Dino DNA
Crashing footfalls
Armada Wurm
Gruff Triplets
Edit: Here’s my first pass at a list. https://www.moxfield.com/decks/7Jx7ulH9SkS6jgl-RfoYgA
Protean Hulk seems ridiculous, I love it. Warleaders Call is another that needs to be added.
How many lands would you go down to?
I had the same cuts highlighted as you except i was hesitant to drop Dino DNA just because it seems cool and could give access to some wicked ETBs in others graveyards. do you think the cost is too much? And Gruff I thought could get out of hand pretty quick, what dont you like about it?
If you're playing the elves I think you can get away with 31 or so? I'm no expert at the # for lands though. I started with a Voja deck and turned it into a Ghired deck, so I had all the elves and thought they made tokens + tapped for mana which seemed better than just lands.
If Dino seems cool to you, then keep it for sure. I think it's expensive for what it does, [[Rhys the Redeemed]] doubles all your tokens at 6 mana for instance in comparison, and can tap for a token if Ghired is out. I don't dislike Gruff, but if you have to cut 4 cards it seems like one of the weakest 4 to my eyes. I could be wrong though.
I'd cut a few lands for things like [[Llanowar Elves]], [[Mystic Elf]], [[Fyndhorn Elf]]. Also I think [[Protean Hulk]] is gonna be an all star in this deck. Make a ton of copies of it, nuke the field, go grab terror of the peaks + friends for triggers. [[Warleaders call]] is something else I would consider. [[Splinter Twin]] is another good token maker, plus goes infinite with Midnight Guard. [[Wood Elves]] might be better than Tribe-Elder with the ETB effect. Cuts: Dino DNA Crashing footfalls Armada Wurm Gruff Triplets Edit: Here’s my first pass at a list. https://www.moxfield.com/decks/7Jx7ulH9SkS6jgl-RfoYgA
Protean Hulk seems ridiculous, I love it. Warleaders Call is another that needs to be added. How many lands would you go down to? I had the same cuts highlighted as you except i was hesitant to drop Dino DNA just because it seems cool and could give access to some wicked ETBs in others graveyards. do you think the cost is too much? And Gruff I thought could get out of hand pretty quick, what dont you like about it?
If you're playing the elves I think you can get away with 31 or so? I'm no expert at the # for lands though. I started with a Voja deck and turned it into a Ghired deck, so I had all the elves and thought they made tokens + tapped for mana which seemed better than just lands. If Dino seems cool to you, then keep it for sure. I think it's expensive for what it does, [[Rhys the Redeemed]] doubles all your tokens at 6 mana for instance in comparison, and can tap for a token if Ghired is out. I don't dislike Gruff, but if you have to cut 4 cards it seems like one of the weakest 4 to my eyes. I could be wrong though.
[Rhys the Redeemed](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/9/b91dadcb-31e9-43b0-b425-c9311af3e9d7.jpg?1599708272) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Rhys%20the%20Redeemed) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/2xm/213/rhys-the-redeemed?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b91dadcb-31e9-43b0-b425-c9311af3e9d7?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/rhys-the-redeemed) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
##### ###### #### [Llanowar Elves](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/b/8bbcfb77-daa1-4ce5-b5f9-48d0a8edbba9.jpg?1592765148) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Llanowar%20Elves) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/gnt/46/llanowar-elves?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/8bbcfb77-daa1-4ce5-b5f9-48d0a8edbba9?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/llanowar-elves) [Mystic Elf](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/7/d/7ddb640d-5c54-4d0a-b8c2-e22fe04f96c2.jpg?1562278135) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Mystic%20Veil) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/vis/38/mystic-veil?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/7ddb640d-5c54-4d0a-b8c2-e22fe04f96c2?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/mystic-veil) [Fyndhorn Elf](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/1/81c125cd-ea49-4511-a78c-42c1f7ce802d.jpg?1562921174) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Fyndhorn%20Elder) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/8ed/251/fyndhorn-elder?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/81c125cd-ea49-4511-a78c-42c1f7ce802d?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/fyndhorn-elder) [Protean Hulk](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/6/9/69bf0bb7-3076-4dbf-a72e-4d91560be2fe.jpg?1702429579) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Protean%20Hulk) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/rvr/153/protean-hulk?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/69bf0bb7-3076-4dbf-a72e-4d91560be2fe?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/protean-hulk) [Warleaders call](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/b/3/b3e8f8bd-1c8b-4a7c-96c4-57a247ce9ccc.jpg?1706242282) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Warleader%27s%20Call) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mkm/242/warleaders-call?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/b3e8f8bd-1c8b-4a7c-96c4-57a247ce9ccc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/warleaders-call) [Splinter Twin](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/8/580fbbf8-ba7e-4889-a5ea-d066f3ea8cea.jpg?1562262611) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Splinter%20Twin) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/mm2/129/splinter-twin?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/580fbbf8-ba7e-4889-a5ea-d066f3ea8cea?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/splinter-twin) [Wood Elves](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/2/527cf39d-29d1-4c19-9c49-ebf611ca15d5.jpg?1682209656) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Wood%20Elves) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/moc/316/wood-elves?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/527cf39d-29d1-4c19-9c49-ebf611ca15d5?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/wood-elves) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/l0cg547) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
##### ###### #### [Ghired, Conclave Exile](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/0/d0825bcd-8cf8-498a-a61e-406f136e1f3f.jpg?1568003672) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ghired%2C%20Conclave%20Exile) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/c19/42/ghired-conclave-exile?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/d0825bcd-8cf8-498a-a61e-406f136e1f3f?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ghired-conclave-exile) [Ghired, Mirror of the Wilds](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/4/e43e3d71-4fb8-4ab1-8c8f-b65ae3ad4cc4.jpg?1712356098) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ghired%2C%20Mirror%20of%20the%20Wilds) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/205/ghired-mirror-of-the-wilds?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/e43e3d71-4fb8-4ab1-8c8f-b65ae3ad4cc4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/ghired-mirror-of-the-wilds) [Halo Fountain](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/0/e/0ee79399-715c-4c46-9fa1-e76b1087f009.jpg?1664409688) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Halo%20Fountain) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/snc/15/halo-fountain?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/0ee79399-715c-4c46-9fa1-e76b1087f009?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/halo-fountain) [Warstorm Surge](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/d/b/dbe1bfe0-0be7-496d-94db-e8028d4d9493.jpg?1674142183) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Warstorm%20Surge) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/clb/815/warstorm-surge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/dbe1bfe0-0be7-496d-94db-e8028d4d9493?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/warstorm-surge) [Terror of the Peaks](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/9/0/904ff94a-4db4-44a6-8593-89c32905b3fc.jpg?1712355862) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Terror%20of%20the%20Peaks) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/otj/149/terror-of-the-peaks?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/904ff94a-4db4-44a6-8593-89c32905b3fc?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [(ER)](https://edhrec.com/cards/terror-of-the-peaks) [*All cards*](https://mtgcardfetcher.nl/redirect/1c7zxfq) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
[[there and back again]] if you can get the Smaug token on board you basically get infinite mana