I'm deciding between mono black with Maralen of the Mornsong as commander, or splashing white for greater protection and combo.
Splashing would give access to Aven Mindcensor, all of the white exile/bounce cards, better reanimation, white control, Athreos, God of Passage and Sorin Markov, Grim Nemesis. This also can tap into white based equipment tutoring and life gain. Greatest downside would be she can't be commander. Replacing normal draw/tempo slots for tutors and transmute can rectify that, somewhat.
Mono-black would of course leave her as commander, but will also have easier ramp and mana infinite combos and run slightly faster. Greater downside will mean it will be a bit harder to counter opponents exiling Ob Nixilis, Unshackled.
To be honest, I'm not sure Maralen of the Mornsong is really suitable for commander at all, especially in multiplayer. I've seen her pop up a few times, and it usually ended with everybody in the turn order getting a free tutor, with the last player in line using it to grab something to kill her off.
To be honest, I'm not sure Maralen of the Mornsong is really suitable for commander at all, especially in multiplayer. I've seen her pop up a few times, and it usually ended with everybody in the turn order getting a free tutor, with the last player in line using it to grab something to kill her off.
Fair enough, was kind of considering making it an actual deck, but kind of wanted to make it work in edh for the fun of it. Adding cards like Aven Mindcensor and phasing or bounce cards can help make it last, as well as lightning greaves or whispersilk cloak.
If you can think of ways to make it more viable, please feel free. This is more in the prototype phase anyways.
Well, you can throw Eon Hub next to it to create the mother of all locks Scrap that, Maralen triggers in the draw step, not the upkeep. As far as I know there's no symmetric effect that skips the draw step for all players.
Well, you can throw Eon Hub next to it to create the mother of all locks Scrap that, Maralen triggers in the draw step, not the upkeep. As far as I know there's no symmetric effect that skips the draw step for all players.
Yeah, I realized that the only card that mitigates this issue directly is Aven Mindcensor. Could also force mill with something like Mindcrank and Bloodchief Ascension, as well as a variety of other options. Some reanimation loops can give alternate win cons, and even allow you to sac Maralen between turns if Ob Nixilis isn't around. Could also always be cheeky with Leyline of the Void and Helm of Obedience.
Well, you can throw Eon Hub next to it to create the mother of all locks Scrap that, Maralen triggers in the draw step, not the upkeep. As far as I know there's no symmetric effect that skips the draw step for all players.
Pretty sure a well timed Reanimation Strategy would be your best option, if you decide to stick with mono-B. Most of them supported by sac outlets to ditch on exile clauses.
Maralen is absolutely a strong commander, but she just doesn't play the way you think. The tutor thing is just extra. Ignore that when building your deck. The more important text on her says "players can't draw cards." The amount of cards in this format that she bricks is immense! No brainstorm, slow bleed from phyrexian arena, etb nothing from mulldrifter, etc. The only card-advantage that will still work in this game will be fact or fiction variants and direct tutors.
She was doing what Leovold, Emissary of Trest decks wanted to do, years before Leo was even a card (and then banned).
I have an older decklist video on it here. In short, just run mbc effects until you have the mana to resolve Teferi's Puzzle Box or Dark Deal or Ob Nixilis, Unshackled with your commander. There is a timing game you *might* want to educate your opponents about, since teferi's puzzle box and Maralen trigger at the same time (they can tutor up removal to kill her before having to box away their hand). Winding Canyons is fantastic to give you the first tutor.
Maralen is absolutely a strong commander, but she just doesn't play the way you think. The tutor thing is just extra. Ignore that when building your deck. The more important text on her says "players can't draw cards." The amount of cards in this format that she bricks is immense! No brainstorm, slow bleed from phyrexian arena, etb nothing from mulldrifter, etc. The only card-advantage that will still work in this game will be fact or fiction variants and direct tutors.
She was doing what Leovold, Emissary of Trest decks wanted to do, years before Leo was even a card (and then banned).
I have an older decklist video on it here. In short, just run mbc effects until you have the mana to resolve Teferi's Puzzle Box or Dark Deal or Ob Nixilis, Unshackled with your commander. There is a timing game you *might* want to educate your opponents about, since teferi's puzzle box and Maralen trigger at the same time (they can tutor up removal to kill her before having to box away their hand). Winding Canyons is fantastic to give you the first tutor.
Trust me, I care little about her being able to tutor. I only cared about the draw counter from the get go. I'm far more trusting in the value of necropotence while forcing opponents to focus on her, hence wby I harped on Aven Mindcensor's value a number of times, even though it doesn't help me either. My focus is more towards a control or prison deck. Being able to flip the style a tad by changing out the other cards while keeping the core is also great.
I can work it regardless of color or splashing, but my question on the directional focus helps on streamlining it or giving more variations. I'm kind of stuck on which to go for.
P.S. thanks for the advice on the timing with Teferi's, will look at your video when I can. Also, I almost forgot about Winding Canyons.
Ah, horse*****. Pardon my crudity, but you really don't want white for this deck. You want red or blue, possibly both. Red offers stranglehold, blue offers mindlock orb. Most maralen decks I have seen are basically 1v1 ad nauseum storm decks, but with red and blacks removal and discard (and you really want to fubar their hands in a hurry), maralen+stranglehold turns into a hardlock. However, don't play cards that say "draw" on them. If you keep the cmc low, dark tutelage/dark confidant do some good work.
Ah, horse*****. Pardon my crudity, but you really don't want white for this deck. You want red or blue, possibly both. Red offers stranglehold, blue offers mindlock orb. Most maralen decks I have seen are basically 1v1 ad nauseum storm decks, but with red and blacks removal and discard (and you really want to fubar their hands in a hurry), maralen+stranglehold turns into a hardlock. However, don't play cards that say "draw" on them. If you keep the cmc low, dark tutelage/dark confidant do some good work.
Probably blue/black/red is the best way to take the deck, but I am partial to red/black.
I'm very grateful for your advice and will keep it in mind, but there is a reason why my options were black or b/w. The reason is slightly sad as pretty much all of my old collection is packed in storage at a trusted friend's place, in a different state. Though I'll eventually get it back when I get the time to. Also most of those are from before my 14 or so year break from magic, from before edh even existing.. I'm kind of limited to cards I've recently bought and didn't want to buy full combo pieces for too many colors all at once. Currently, my collection on hand for white and black is very extensive, while red I'm mostly staring at cobwebs and blue is sparse. I've splurged on artifacts and special lands as well, of course.
I'm working on expanding that over time, but w/b or b is easier for me to make an immediate deck for. I'll definitely follow your advice in the future though and try b/r or ubr variants when time and money permits.
P.S./Edit: on second thought, if the combined cards are less than 200 usd for red and/or blue, I can try springing for a splash into those color(s). Any cards that immediately come to mind as must have? I'll do an indepth gatherer search to cover the all the bases, and look through all known win cons in the next few days.
Blue is mostly the "look at top x cards of library, put 1 in hand" with maralen or Red for Stranglehold. Stranglehold is *THE* reason to play red here, since it won't affect you, and the first thing you can search for after landing maralen is a "all opponents discard hands" spell.
Control feels like the exact opposite deck type that Maralen supports. Tutors grab combo pieces and your opponent can grab their removal or combo pieces before you. I could see her in a prison style deck where you force your opponent to tutor for lands each turn though, because that does come up occasionally and if you force them to do it repeatedly, it gets rough.
I'm not saying that that would be a satisfying play experience, just that that's what she seems best at.
Splashing would give access to Aven Mindcensor, all of the white exile/bounce cards, better reanimation, white control, Athreos, God of Passage and Sorin Markov, Grim Nemesis. This also can tap into white based equipment tutoring and life gain. Greatest downside would be she can't be commander. Replacing normal draw/tempo slots for tutors and transmute can rectify that, somewhat.
Mono-black would of course leave her as commander, but will also have easier ramp and mana infinite combos and run slightly faster. Greater downside will mean it will be a bit harder to counter opponents exiling Ob Nixilis, Unshackled.
Regardless of that choice, I will be running the following cards. The rest is still in consideration:
Ob nixilis, unshackled
Maralen of the mornsong
Teferi's Puzzle Box
Scroll rack
Necropotence
Rings of brighthearth
Basalt Monolith
Exsanguinate
Torment of Hailfire
Nim Deathmantle
No mercy
Koskun Falls
*pretty much an assortment of tutors/transmute, minus grim (overpriced)
Edit: removed competitive tag as I considered having a tag is unneded for a deck in the prototype stage
Edit2: added card links
Fair enough, was kind of considering making it an actual deck, but kind of wanted to make it work in edh for the fun of it. Adding cards like Aven Mindcensor and phasing or bounce cards can help make it last, as well as lightning greaves or whispersilk cloak.
If you can think of ways to make it more viable, please feel free. This is more in the prototype phase anyways.
Well, you can throw Eon Hub next to it to create the mother of all locksScrap that, Maralen triggers in the draw step, not the upkeep. As far as I know there's no symmetric effect that skips the draw step for all players.Yeah, I realized that the only card that mitigates this issue directly is Aven Mindcensor. Could also force mill with something like Mindcrank and Bloodchief Ascension, as well as a variety of other options. Some reanimation loops can give alternate win cons, and even allow you to sac Maralen between turns if Ob Nixilis isn't around. Could also always be cheeky with Leyline of the Void and Helm of Obedience.
Well, you can throw Eon Hub next to it to create the mother of all locksScrap that, Maralen triggers in the draw step, not the upkeep. As far as I know there's no symmetric effect that skips the draw step for all players.My first guess would be getting her into your graveyard somehow and then get her back before your draw step with stuff like Corpse Dance, Goryo's Vengeance, Makeshift Mannequin, Shallow Grave, Apprentice Necromancer, Coffin Queen, Doomed Necromancer, Hell's Caretaker, Dawn of the Dead or Strands of Night.
If you aren't afraid of taking risks: Mimic Vat!
Pretty sure a well timed Reanimation Strategy would be your best option, if you decide to stick with mono-B. Most of them supported by sac outlets to ditch on exile clauses.
Keep brewing!
She was doing what Leovold, Emissary of Trest decks wanted to do, years before Leo was even a card (and then banned).
I have an older decklist video on it here. In short, just run mbc effects until you have the mana to resolve Teferi's Puzzle Box or Dark Deal or Ob Nixilis, Unshackled with your commander. There is a timing game you *might* want to educate your opponents about, since teferi's puzzle box and Maralen trigger at the same time (they can tutor up removal to kill her before having to box away their hand). Winding Canyons is fantastic to give you the first tutor.
Links to my most current deck lists;
Primary EDH; Rakka Mar Token Perfection, Crosis Mnemonic Betrayal, Cromat Villainous, Judith Gravestorm, Rakdos Empty Storm, Exava Artifacts, Bant Trash, & Fumiko Voltron!
EDH kept at home; Ruzzian Isset & Rakdos LoR!
EDH (nostalgic/pimp/retired) in storage;
Latulla Burns, Akroma Smash, Jeska Voltron, Rakdos Storm, Bladewing Darghans, Lyzolda Worldgorger, Xantcha Steals your Heart, Jori Storm, Wydwen Permission, Gwendlyn Paradox, Jeleva Warps, & Sigarda Brick!
Legacy Showanimator and High Tide!
Trust me, I care little about her being able to tutor. I only cared about the draw counter from the get go. I'm far more trusting in the value of necropotence while forcing opponents to focus on her, hence wby I harped on Aven Mindcensor's value a number of times, even though it doesn't help me either. My focus is more towards a control or prison deck. Being able to flip the style a tad by changing out the other cards while keeping the core is also great.
I can work it regardless of color or splashing, but my question on the directional focus helps on streamlining it or giving more variations. I'm kind of stuck on which to go for.
P.S. thanks for the advice on the timing with Teferi's, will look at your video when I can. Also, I almost forgot about Winding Canyons.
There are others such as duskmantle seer (bad idea, but it does exist), moonlight bargain (actually really solid), bitter revelation, colfenor's plans, anticipate, impulse, telling time, etc. Of course, there is the new flip enchantment (edit: search for azcanta) that seems to be tailor made for the deck.
Probably blue/black/red is the best way to take the deck, but I am partial to red/black.
Credit to DolZero for this awesome sig!
I'm very grateful for your advice and will keep it in mind, but there is a reason why my options were black or b/w. The reason is slightly sad as pretty much all of my old collection is packed in storage at a trusted friend's place, in a different state. Though I'll eventually get it back when I get the time to. Also most of those are from before my 14 or so year break from magic, from before edh even existing.. I'm kind of limited to cards I've recently bought and didn't want to buy full combo pieces for too many colors all at once. Currently, my collection on hand for white and black is very extensive, while red I'm mostly staring at cobwebs and blue is sparse. I've splurged on artifacts and special lands as well, of course.
I'm working on expanding that over time, but w/b or b is easier for me to make an immediate deck for. I'll definitely follow your advice in the future though and try b/r or ubr variants when time and money permits.
P.S./Edit: on second thought, if the combined cards are less than 200 usd for red and/or blue, I can try springing for a splash into those color(s). Any cards that immediately come to mind as must have? I'll do an indepth gatherer search to cover the all the bases, and look through all known win cons in the next few days.
Credit to DolZero for this awesome sig!
I'm not saying that that would be a satisfying play experience, just that that's what she seems best at.
Older Magic as a Board Game: Panglacial Wurm , Mill