Hi everyone. I'm looking for feedback on what to cut from my skithiryx list. I need to cut 5 cards, and I know each is going to be painful. Can anyone help?
From reading up on stuff for my Skithiryx build, most people just go "all-in" on poison. Phage, exsanguinate and helm-line are superfluous. People tend to have discard, removal, tutors and pumps. The gen is a win con. Use him!
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EDH:ShatterStax, Only The Strong Survive
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir Mono-U Control
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
Sen Triplets
Mizzix of the Izmagnus
Derevi Stax
VolThrun
Marchesa, The Black Rose
Olivia Voldaren, Vampire Tribal
From reading up on stuff for my Skithiryx build, most people just go "all-in" on poison. Phage, exsanguinate and helm-line are superfluous. People tend to have discard, removal, tutors and pumps. The gen is a win con. Use him!
True. Why have a combo that requires you to fetch all of the pieces. Why not focus on the "combo" that always has one of the pieces I suppose. If I go in that direction I come up with this:
Which is 99 cards. Unfortunately I can't afford an Imperial Seal.
This one just tries to get skittles to connect quickly, with a supporting cast of utility removal, draw, recursion, and crusader (pro red/white is awesome). This is mostly for multiplayer, so the targeted discard doesn't do that much. 8 mana is a lot for Myjojin, but it is a pretty absurd play, and it's the only "over curve" spell in the whole pile.
Edited to include a French list, and to drop the underperforming mox diamond in favor of Caress of Phyrexia.
After some testing, this is fairly savage, but clearly stronger in 1v1, whether you're using the French list or not.
As a beater he obviously doesn't do anything for this pile. As removal he is clunky because he relies on the combat step. In my testing so far I'd rather just have another Spine of Ish Sah, or Karn Liberated, every time.
Necropotence is already in there, which we'll be playing in most games since it's a prime tutor target. These are expensive and typically preclude playing anything else that turn. Night's Whisper and Sign in Blood may be lower impact, but they can smooth over your early draws/turns, and later can be cast along with something else relevant. I'm on the fence a bit with Read the Bones, the scry 2 is pretty strong, but 3 mana is a lot more than 2 with how this pile plays out. Caress of Phyrexia is a finisher that, in a pinch, it can draw 3. If I've hit once with a pumped skittles (often that's 7, i.e. Skittles equipped with Hero's Blade/Wargear/Nightmare Lash/Lashwrithe) I'd much prefer Caress. And if I'm stalled with little else to do, I can draw 3 off of Caress. If I'm stuck at 4 mana instead of 5 I've got bigger problems.
At four mana, they're the most expensive equipment, and since we only need to hit for 10 they also often overkill. Still, they equip for free. Only one is needed, so I'd probably keep Lashwrithe and cut Nightmare Lash.
These guys can get in there to make sure that Skittles kills in 1 or 2 swings. Since we're running a bunch of equipment anyway, why not?
Any input on other inclusions? I'm still weighing Lake of the Dead. I'm just not sure it's consistent enough. In multiplayer it may enable a quick kill for one person, but once that's over I'm left way behind on mana.
1 Hall of the Bandit Lord
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Maze of Ith
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Wasteland
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Strip Mine
1 Cathedral of War
1 Vesuva
1 Deserted Temple
1 Inkmoth Nexus
1 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Verdant Catacombs
22 Swamp
Artifact Mana (14)
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault
1 Grim Monolith
1 Coalition Relic
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Charcoal Diamond
1 Jet Medallion
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Mind Stone
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Commander's Sphere
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Armillary Sphere
Mana Denial (2)
1 Helldozer
1 Contamination
Board Sweepers (5)
1 Damnation
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Kagemaro, First to Suffer
Point Removal (7)
1 Sickening Shoal
1 Dismember
1 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Hero's Downfall
1 Sudden Death
1 Gate to Phyrexia
1 Spine of Ish Sah
Card Draw (7)
1 Night's Whisper
1 Sign in Blood
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Necropotence
1 Ambition's Cost
1 Ancient Craving
1 Read the Bones
Tutors (10)
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Expedition Map
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Shred Memory
1 Dimir House Guard
1 Grim Tutor
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Diabolic Revelation
1 Leyline of the Void
1 Helm of Obedience
Alternate Kills (2)
1 Phage the Untouchable
1 Exsanguinate
Equipment (5)
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Hero's Blade
1 Grafted Wargear
1 Lashwrithe
1 Nightmare Lash
Tricks (2)
1 Sudden Spoiling
1 Imp's Mischief
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Bitterblossom
1 Karn Liberated
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Reassembling Skeleton
1 Liliana of the Dark Realms
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir Mono-U Control
Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath
Sen Triplets
Mizzix of the Izmagnus
Derevi Stax
VolThrun
Marchesa, The Black Rose
Olivia Voldaren, Vampire Tribal
Modern: Fish, JUND/Junk
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RIP Twin
True. Why have a combo that requires you to fetch all of the pieces. Why not focus on the "combo" that always has one of the pieces I suppose. If I go in that direction I come up with this:
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Wasteland
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Vesuva
1 Inkmoth Nexus
1 Cathedral of War
1 Strip Mine
1 Hall of the Bandit Lord
1 Maze of Ith
27 Snow-Covered Swamp
Equipment/Pump (11)
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Hero's Blade
1 Nightmare Lash
1 Lashwrithe
1 Grafted Wargear
1 Bonesplitter
1 Ronin Warclub
1 Sword of the Chosen
1 Unspeakable Symbol
1 Vow of Malice (doubles as removal)
1 Cranial Plating
Rock Ramp (18)
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Commander's Sphere
1 Mind Stone
1 Coldsteel Heart
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Sol Ring
1 Jet Medallion
1 Charcoal Diamond
1 Coalition Relic
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Mana Crypt
1 Grim Monolith
1 Mana Vault
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Mox Opal
1 Chrome Mox
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
Tutors (9)
1 Expedition Map
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Dimir House Guard
1 Shred Memory
1 Grim Tutor
1 Diabolic Revelation
Removal (4)
1 Dismember
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Spine of Ish Sah
1 Crux of Fate
Card Draw (7)
1 Read the Bones
1 Night's Whisper
1 Sign in Blood
1 Ancient Craving
1 Ambition's Cost
1 Necropotence
1 Caress of Phyrexia
Other (10)
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Dark Ritual
1 Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed
1 Sculpting Steel
1 Infernal Darkness
1 Myojin of Night's Reach
1 Steel Hellkite
1 Dystopia
1 Phyrexian Crusader
1 Profane Command
And here is a French list:
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Wasteland
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Vesuva
1 Inkmoth Nexus
1 Cathedral of War
1 Hall of the Bandit Lord
1 Maze of Ith
28 Snow-Covered Swamp
Equipment/Pump (11)
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Hero's Blade
1 Nightmare Lash
1 Lashwrithe
1 Grafted Wargear
1 Bonesplitter
1 Ronin Warclub
1 Sword of the Chosen
1 Unspeakable Symbol
1 Vow of Malice (doubles as removal)
1 Cranial Plating
Rock Ramp (14)
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Commander's Sphere
1 Mind Stone
1 Coldsteel Heart
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Jet Medallion
1 Charcoal Diamond
1 Coalition Relic
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Mox Opal
1 Chrome Mox
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
Tutors (8)
1 Expedition Map
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Dimir House Guard
1 Shred Memory
1 Grim Tutor
1 Diabolic Revelation
Removal (4)
1 Dismember
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Spine of Ish Sah
1 Crux of Fate
Card Draw (5)
1 Read the Bones
1 Night's Whisper
1 Sign in Blood
1 Ancient Craving
1 Ambition's Cost
1 Caress of Phyrexia
Other (10)
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Dark Ritual
1 Cabal Ritual
1 Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed
1 Sculpting Steel
1 Infernal Darkness
1 Steel Hellkite
1 Dystopia
1 Phyrexian Crusader
1 Profane Command
1 Addle
1 Duress
1 Thoughtseize
1 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Mind Shatter
1 Unmask
Which is 99 cards. Unfortunately I can't afford an Imperial Seal.
This one just tries to get skittles to connect quickly, with a supporting cast of utility removal, draw, recursion, and crusader (pro red/white is awesome). This is mostly for multiplayer, so the targeted discard doesn't do that much. 8 mana is a lot for Myjojin, but it is a pretty absurd play, and it's the only "over curve" spell in the whole pile.
Edited to include a French list, and to drop the underperforming mox diamond in favor of Caress of Phyrexia.
After some testing, this is fairly savage, but clearly stronger in 1v1, whether you're using the French list or not.
Thanks for catching that, fixed.
Well Skittles isn't the only wincon. Crusader is in there too. But point taken.
IDK about Lake of the Dead, maybe a little too "all-in."
Steel Hellkite
As a beater he obviously doesn't do anything for this pile. As removal he is clunky because he relies on the combat step. In my testing so far I'd rather just have another Spine of Ish Sah, or Karn Liberated, every time.
Ambition's Cost/Ancient Craving/Maybe Read the Bones?
Necropotence is already in there, which we'll be playing in most games since it's a prime tutor target. These are expensive and typically preclude playing anything else that turn. Night's Whisper and Sign in Blood may be lower impact, but they can smooth over your early draws/turns, and later can be cast along with something else relevant. I'm on the fence a bit with Read the Bones, the scry 2 is pretty strong, but 3 mana is a lot more than 2 with how this pile plays out. Caress of Phyrexia is a finisher that, in a pinch, it can draw 3. If I've hit once with a pumped skittles (often that's 7, i.e. Skittles equipped with Hero's Blade/Wargear/Nightmare Lash/Lashwrithe) I'd much prefer Caress. And if I'm stalled with little else to do, I can draw 3 off of Caress. If I'm stuck at 4 mana instead of 5 I've got bigger problems.
Mox Opal
It so rarely functions as actual acceleration. Instead it often may as well just be a swamp.
Sword of the Chosen
I respect that this is a very cheap way to pump Skittles, functioning as a worse Hero's Blade, but many games come down to swinging with Phyrexian Crusader or Inkmoth Nexus, and having Sword of the Chosen out at these times is depressing.
Nightmare Lash/Lashwrithe
At four mana, they're the most expensive equipment, and since we only need to hit for 10 they also often overkill. Still, they equip for free. Only one is needed, so I'd probably keep Lashwrithe and cut Nightmare Lash.
Tectonic Edge
It's a much worse wasteland, and how many wastelands do I need? I'm already nervous about the swamp count.
I'm considering throwing in a pithing needle as a silver bullet tutor target. It's cheap, and shutting down their commander is strong.
I also might throw in an extra Swamp for consistency.
Buried Ruin might be worth it.
Hymn to Tourach should probably be in the French list.
Sword of Light and Shadow and/or Sword of Fire and Ice may be worth consideration, as they are quite scary on a Phyrexian Crusader, who does a surprising amount of work in a lot of games.
Cabal Ritual is already in the French list, maybe it belongs in the multi list too.
Plague Stinger/Ichor Rats
These guys can get in there to make sure that Skittles kills in 1 or 2 swings. Since we're running a bunch of equipment anyway, why not?
Any input on other inclusions? I'm still weighing Lake of the Dead. I'm just not sure it's consistent enough. In multiplayer it may enable a quick kill for one person, but once that's over I'm left way behind on mana.
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Wasteland
1 Vesuva
1 Inkmoth Nexus
1 Cathedral of War
1 Strip Mine
1 Hall of the Bandit Lord
1 Maze of Ith
1 Buried Ruin
28 Snow-Covered Swamp
Equipment/Pump (10)
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Hero's Blade
1 Grafted Wargear
1 Bonesplitter
1 Ronin Warclub
1 Unspeakable Symbol
1 Vow of Malice (doubles as removal)
1 Cranial Plating
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Lashwrithe
Rock Ramp (17)
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Commander's Sphere
1 Mind Stone
1 Coldsteel Heart
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Sol Ring
1 Jet Medallion
1 Charcoal Diamond
1 Coalition Relic
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Mana Crypt
1 Grim Monolith
1 Mana Vault
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Chrome Mox
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
Tutors (9)
1 Expedition Map
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Dimir House Guard
1 Shred Memory
1 Grim Tutor
1 Diabolic Revelation
Removal (6)
1 Dismember
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Spine of Ish Sah
1 Karn Liberated
1 Crux of Fate
1 Dystopia
Card Draw (5)
1 Read the Bones
1 Night's Whisper
1 Sign in Blood
1 Necropotence
1 Caress of Phyrexia
Beatsticks (3)
1 Plague Stinger
1 Ichor Rats
1 Phyrexian Crusader
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Dark Ritual
1 Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed
1 Sculpting Steel
1 Infernal Darkness
1 Myojin of Night's Reach
1 Profane Command
1 Pithing Needle
And here is a French list:
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Wasteland
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Vesuva
1 Inkmoth Nexus
1 Cathedral of War
1 Hall of the Bandit Lord
1 Maze of Ith
1 Buried Ruin
28 Snow-Covered Swamp
Equipment/Pump (9)
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Hero's Blade
1 Lashwrithe
1 Grafted Wargear
1 Bonesplitter
1 Ronin Warclub
1 Unspeakable Symbol
1 Cranial Plating
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
Rock Ramp (13)
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Commander's Sphere
1 Mind Stone
1 Coldsteel Heart
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Jet Medallion
1 Charcoal Diamond
1 Coalition Relic
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Chrome Mox
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
Tutors (7)
1 Expedition Map
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Dimir House Guard
1 Shred Memory
1 Grim Tutor
Removal (6)
1 Dismember
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Karn Liberated
1 Crux of Fate
1 Dystopia
Card Draw (4)
1 Read the Bones
1 Night's Whisper
1 Sign in Blood
1 Caress of Phyrexia
Beatsticks (3)
1 Plague Stinger
1 Ichor Rats
1 Phyrexian Crusader
Discard (8)
1 Addle
1 Hymn to Tourach
1 Distress
1 Duress
1 Thoughtseize
1 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Mind Shatter
1 Unmask
1 Persecute
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Dark Ritual
1 Cabal Ritual
1 Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed
1 Sculpting Steel
1 Infernal Darkness
1 Profane Command
1 Pithing Needle