Nicol Bolas The cold, olive-green scales whose surface eats light itself like the shell of a black hole.The dull glowing eyes, behind whose forever-deep pits lurk aeons of secret knowledge.
The mighty wings and horns, customarily emblematic of a dragon's glory, but used instead to terrify and overawe the mortal mind.
His form is known on many worlds, and he is known by many names.
Former ruler of the empire of Madara. Scourge of the Umezawa line. The longtime enemy of the dark kami known as the Myojin of Night's Reach.
One of the five Elders who survived an ancient war of the dragons, and mightiest of the five.
The most powerful planeswalker alive, even after the Mending left his spark diffused, his mind and power waning.
--Doug Beyer - Savor the Flavor - The one, The only, Nicol Bolas
Deck History
My first EDH deck was built around Intet, the Dreamer. I figured it was called Elder Dragon Highlander so I might as well play a dragon. I thoroughly enjoyed dropping large amounts of critters via Intet and also loved the fact that I could pull off the old Obliterate + drop a large creature on resolution with him, but wanted more control elements. With that in mind I decided to stick with colors where I could still cast Obliterate and a creature in one turn but had more control options, and this time I was going to do it with an elder dragon. Thus my decision for Nicol Bolas. Since then, the deck’s original inception of control the board and drop large dudes has shifted away from drop large dudes to a grief every aspect of the game and has landed me with the current version posted here.
Why Play Nicol Bolas?
Of course with my version of Nicol Bolas gameplay has shifted away from the combat step, but you could easily use my old strategy of drop large dudes and swing with them. The combat step hasn’t totally been eliminated though as I often find myself swinging with Dragon Mage, or the king himself… just the deck is far less combat driven. That being said: Reasons you should play Nicol Bolas:
- You are a big fan of controlling the board
- You love hand cycling effects
- You love grixis!
- You want to play one of the cards that gave EDH its name
Reasons you should not play Nicol Bolas:
- You love the combat phase
- You prefer a deck that is focused heavily on the use of your general
- You love dropping tons of creatures
Personal Bio
My name is Travis, a 25 year old soldier in the U.S. Army currently stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas. I am originally from New York but being in the military find myself moving around frequently. I started collecting Magic the Gathering cards in elementary school, the first cards I can remember were from the Stronghold Block. However it wouldn’t be until 7th edition/the Invasion block that I would actually begin playing the game. My first ‘deck’ would be a pile of blue cards from 7th edition and the invasion block containing such classics as Vizzerdrix, Giant Octopus, and wall of air. I am still incredibly fond of 7th edition, and Apocalypse is my favorite expansion of all time.
When it comes to constructed play there is no single style of deck I prefer, although I usually stay away from straight aggro. In Legacy I have played Solidarity, countersliver, and Kobolds. The last time I played standard for serious was during timespiral block during which time I played UBw control, and in extended I played faeries. But when it comes down to it, EDH and Draft are my favorite formats and the ones I most frequently engage in.
Further Card Clarifications:
While Underworld Dreams and Psychosis Crawler probably need no justification, I can see Phyrexian Tyranny being criticized. Tyranny will always do one of two things for me, lock down some of my opponent’s resources or slowly nick at their life total. I have no regrets to adding this card, even if it hits me sometimes. Obliterate, Jokulhaups. Oblivion Stone, Nevinyrral’s Disk – All four of these cards are eventually going to get removed for creature specific removal. While the recursion of Ostone and Disk is fantastic in this deck, it also takes out my artifacts that are the driving force behind the deck. Obliterate and Jokulhaups are also frowned upon by many groups and I would like to not have to worry about playing them and getting extradited from a group. Chains of Mephistopheles – A card that is getting played less and less often in this deck. Originally it was a fantastic concept, but now my wins primarily revolve around hand cycling effects and megrim effects. However occasionally Chains will lead to a quick decking. Anvil of Bogardan and Teferi’s Puzzle Box will make short work of an opponent’s hand, and Library of Leng will help maintain your library to prevent you yourself from decking. Scroll Rack is a good way to cycle through your deck with Chains out, without invoking the drawback. Teferi’s Puzzle Box – Originally put into the deck as a griefing card with the aforementioned chains, I realized that this card is much better for me by itself. If left unopposed for a couple of turns I can often find enough hand cycling effects with chains to set up a kill. Essentially you wait a couple of rounds with the Puzzle Box out for a a Wheel of Fortune effect, drop everything you can, utilize it, do it again if you draw into another one, and inflict extreme harm upon your opponents. This has become my #1 tutor target. Tolaria West – Should be used to tutor for either The Tabernacle at Pendral Vale or Academy Ruins Hypersonic Dragon – Incredibly effective for when you have multiple hand shuffling effects in hand. With it you can cast one, and respond to it with the second. Things along the lines of Molten Psyche, in response Wheel of Fortune, in response crack my Memory Jar with a megrim effect or Underworld Dreams on the board are amazing. Obstinate familiar Utilized when you don’t want to suffer to chains. Telepathy – I feel that this card is incredibly underused. It has been my experience that once a Telepathy hits the board suddenly the thing players hate most in Magic the Gathering is having their hand revealed permanently. Claws of Gix, The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, Winter Orb – One of my favorite things to do in Stasis type decks is not suffer from the stasis effect myself. With Academy Ruins and Claws of Gix out suddenly I am untapping my lands every turn while my opponents are not. Add Tabernacle to watch the creature count on the board drop drastically. Dragon Mage – Often times I consider cutting this guy, but then there comes a game when he saves my ass. As such, he has stayed in. Trinket Mage Package – While mileage will vary, my usual Trinket Mage list of priorities goes: Claws of Gix, Sensei’s Divining Top, Meekstone, Sol Ring, Library of Leng. It should be noted that once there is some other draw effect on the field, Top is pretty worthless. Academy Ruins+ Crystal Chimes – Both high priority tutor targets as they are used to bring back your wincons.
Inherent Flaws:
This deck has a couple of weaknesses I run into.
Firstly with the low creature base if an aggro deck is gunning for you at the beginning of the game, you are going to soak some damage. There have been more games than I can count where I have hit 10 or less life before stabilizing and winning. But then again, there have been plenty of games where players haven’t been willing to gun for me which is fantastic.
Secondly this deck has a total inability to recur lands and sorceries. I am considering fixing the sorcery recursion problem by adding some spells to enable flashback to the deck. The land problem is not as easily fixed however and academy ruins is a key piece of getting cards back. I am considering Feldon’s Cane but haven’t quite decided what I am going to do.
The Future:
At present time I am looking to get cards to sub for Obliterate and Jokhulaps, namely mass creature removal. This is just to make the deck a little more socially acceptable. I find people are more alright with having their lands tapped down via Winter Orb than having them all blown up via Obliterate.
I am considering Counterbalance in order to make Sensei’s Divining Top less of a dead draw once I am drawing large amounts of cards. Recoup, Past in Flames, and Snapcaster Mage look like promising ways to utilize sorceries already sent to the graveyard.
The Past:
The following cards at one point had a home in this deck, but no more:
Avid EDH player GWUPhelddagrif----------------GWRhys, the Redeemed----------UBRLord of Tresserhorn--------XKozilek, Butcher of Truth WUBRGProgenitus---------------BGWKarador, Ghost Chieftain---URGIntet, the Dreamer---------RGWort, the Raidmother BGSavra-----------------------RGMarhault Elsdragon----------UTeferi, Mage of Zhalfir------UWHanna, Ship's Navigator BSkithiryx the Blight Dragon--RWUZedruu the Greathearted----BRelentless Rats------------BRUNicol Bolas
Kederek Parasite rarely functioned as an Underworld Dreams so the switch was obvious.
Dark Tutelage has been subbed for Crystal Chimes in favor of enchantment recursion, and Cavern of Souls in favor of Academy ruins for artifact recursion.
Graven Cairns has been subbed for Bojuka Bog for some main deck GY hate.
Venser's Journal which is a large redundant spell has been subbed for Forced Fruition which actually contributes to my strategy
With lower CMC Veinfire Borderpost has been cut for more redundancy when it comes to draw hate in the form of Phyrexian Tyranny.
Delerium has been subbed for Oblivion Stone which synergizes well with the newly added Academy Ruins
Urborg Volcano was traded out for a newly acquired badlands.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Avid EDH player GWUPhelddagrif----------------GWRhys, the Redeemed----------UBRLord of Tresserhorn--------XKozilek, Butcher of Truth WUBRGProgenitus---------------BGWKarador, Ghost Chieftain---URGIntet, the Dreamer---------RGWort, the Raidmother BGSavra-----------------------RGMarhault Elsdragon----------UTeferi, Mage of Zhalfir------UWHanna, Ship's Navigator BSkithiryx the Blight Dragon--RWUZedruu the Greathearted----BRelentless Rats------------BRUNicol Bolas
So, as the deck has evolved and grown I think it may be time to further cut some of the remaining big guys. I haven't made the changes yet, but what I am looking at doing is the following:
-Brainstorm, +Winter Orb - With the ridiculous draw engines that get set up in this deck Brainstorm has become an incredibly underwhelming effect. I've decided this slot is probably better dedicated to another harassing effect, and Winter Orb was sitting in my binder begging to be played.
-Sulfur Vent, +Tolaria West - Sulfur Vent is one of those cards that brought back fond memories from the Invasion block for me. But with the latest build in mind I have decided having a 0 CMC tutor is more effective for this slot.
-Glacial Chasm, +The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale - Glacial Chasm has only occasionally been useful for me and often draws an internal 'ugh' for me when it pops in my hand. Tabernacle on the other hand fits my strategy of denying creatures and combos fantastically with Winter Orb to continually keep creatures off my board.
-Balefire Dragon, +Claws of Gix - Balefire Dragon is the second to last card I have in the deck that is designed with the soul purpose of the attack step in mind as opposed to having some effect that contributes to my board harassing state. Claws of Gix coupled with Winter Orb and an artifact recursion engine like Academy Ruins offers me an incredible advantage over my opponents. I run a similar effect in my Hanna deck with Stasis and it works well, so should fare well in principle here.
-Bogardan Hellkite, + Liliana Vess - Much like Glacial Chasm, Bogardan Hellkite is a card that has rarely been effective in any manner outside of discard fodder. Cutting it also helps to bring the average CMC of my deck down.
-Dragon Mage, +Expedition Map - The Mage is another one of those creatures that relies on the attack step and has remained in due to flavor. The Map will help me fetch my key lands on it's own draw, or enable Trinket Mage to become a 6CMC land tutor itself.
-Terminate, +Ensnaring Bridge - Decided to forgo the single target removal here in favor of Ensnaring Bridge which stops players from taking me out in combat once my Chains is lined up properly and decking everyone.
Feldon's Cane is also on deck to possibly be subbed in for something.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Avid EDH player GWUPhelddagrif----------------GWRhys, the Redeemed----------UBRLord of Tresserhorn--------XKozilek, Butcher of Truth WUBRGProgenitus---------------BGWKarador, Ghost Chieftain---URGIntet, the Dreamer---------RGWort, the Raidmother BGSavra-----------------------RGMarhault Elsdragon----------UTeferi, Mage of Zhalfir------UWHanna, Ship's Navigator BSkithiryx the Blight Dragon--RWUZedruu the Greathearted----BRelentless Rats------------BRUNicol Bolas
Updated with a more comprehensive explanation of the deck
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Avid EDH player GWUPhelddagrif----------------GWRhys, the Redeemed----------UBRLord of Tresserhorn--------XKozilek, Butcher of Truth WUBRGProgenitus---------------BGWKarador, Ghost Chieftain---URGIntet, the Dreamer---------RGWort, the Raidmother BGSavra-----------------------RGMarhault Elsdragon----------UTeferi, Mage of Zhalfir------UWHanna, Ship's Navigator BSkithiryx the Blight Dragon--RWUZedruu the Greathearted----BRelentless Rats------------BRUNicol Bolas
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Nicol Bolas
The cold, olive-green scales whose surface eats light itself like the shell of a black hole.The dull glowing eyes, behind whose forever-deep pits lurk aeons of secret knowledge.
The mighty wings and horns, customarily emblematic of a dragon's glory, but used instead to terrify and overawe the mortal mind.
His form is known on many worlds, and he is known by many names.
Former ruler of the empire of Madara. Scourge of the Umezawa line. The longtime enemy of the dark kami known as the Myojin of Night's Reach.
One of the five Elders who survived an ancient war of the dragons, and mightiest of the five.
The most powerful planeswalker alive, even after the Mending left his spark diffused, his mind and power waning.
--Doug Beyer - Savor the Flavor - The one, The only, Nicol Bolas
Why Play Nicol Bolas?
Reasons you should play Nicol Bolas:
- You are a big fan of controlling the board
- You love hand cycling effects
- You love grixis!
- You want to play one of the cards that gave EDH its name
Reasons you should not play Nicol Bolas:
- You love the combat phase
- You prefer a deck that is focused heavily on the use of your general
- You love dropping tons of creatures
Personal Bio
When it comes to constructed play there is no single style of deck I prefer, although I usually stay away from straight aggro. In Legacy I have played Solidarity, countersliver, and Kobolds. The last time I played standard for serious was during timespiral block during which time I played UBw control, and in extended I played faeries. But when it comes down to it, EDH and Draft are my favorite formats and the ones I most frequently engage in.
My favorite cards are a toss up between Serpent Warrior, Spiritmonger, and Willow Elf.
Deck List:
1 Obstinate Familiar
1 Hypersonic Dragon
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Crosis, the Purger
1 Conquering Manticore
1 Jace's Archivist
1 Psychosis Crawler
1 Magus of the Jar
1 Dragon Mage
Planeswalkers
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
1 Liliana Vess
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Scroll Rack
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Anvil of Bogardan
1 Shred Memory
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Trinket Mage
1 Diabolic Revelation
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Windfall
1 Molten Psyche
1 Teferi's Puzzle Box
1 Wheel and Deal
1 Memory Jar
1 Incendiary Command
1 Reforge the Soul
1 Recoil
1 Damnation
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Phyrexian Purge
1 Slave of Bolas
1 Devastation Tide
1 Jokulhaups
1 Obliterate
1 Force of Will
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Bloodchief Ascension
1 Meekstone
1 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Mind Twist
1 Ankh of Mishra
1 Chains of Mephistopheles
1 Liliana's Caress
1 Megrim
1 Skull Rend
1 Winter Orb
1 Telepathy
1 Underworld Dreams
1 Forced Fruition
1 Phyrexian Tyranny
1 Library of Leng
1 Exsanguinate
1 Beacon of Unrest
1 Crystal Chimes
1 Claws of Gix
1 Talisman of Dominance
1 Sol Ring
1 Obelisk of Grixis
1 Scrying Sheets
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Command Tower
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Academy Ruins
1 Darkslick Shores
1 Vault of Whispers
1 Tolaria West
1 Badlands
1 Great Furnace
1 Blood Crypt
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Underground Sea
1 Polluted Delta
1 Seat of the Synod
7 Snow-Covered Island
7 Snow-Covered Swamp
8 Snow-Covered Mountain
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
Further Card Clarifications:
While Underworld Dreams and Psychosis Crawler probably need no justification, I can see Phyrexian Tyranny being criticized. Tyranny will always do one of two things for me, lock down some of my opponent’s resources or slowly nick at their life total. I have no regrets to adding this card, even if it hits me sometimes.
Obliterate, Jokulhaups. Oblivion Stone, Nevinyrral’s Disk – All four of these cards are eventually going to get removed for creature specific removal. While the recursion of Ostone and Disk is fantastic in this deck, it also takes out my artifacts that are the driving force behind the deck. Obliterate and Jokulhaups are also frowned upon by many groups and I would like to not have to worry about playing them and getting extradited from a group.
Chains of Mephistopheles – A card that is getting played less and less often in this deck. Originally it was a fantastic concept, but now my wins primarily revolve around hand cycling effects and megrim effects. However occasionally Chains will lead to a quick decking. Anvil of Bogardan and Teferi’s Puzzle Box will make short work of an opponent’s hand, and Library of Leng will help maintain your library to prevent you yourself from decking. Scroll Rack is a good way to cycle through your deck with Chains out, without invoking the drawback.
Teferi’s Puzzle Box – Originally put into the deck as a griefing card with the aforementioned chains, I realized that this card is much better for me by itself. If left unopposed for a couple of turns I can often find enough hand cycling effects with chains to set up a kill. Essentially you wait a couple of rounds with the Puzzle Box out for a a Wheel of Fortune effect, drop everything you can, utilize it, do it again if you draw into another one, and inflict extreme harm upon your opponents. This has become my #1 tutor target.
Tolaria West – Should be used to tutor for either The Tabernacle at Pendral Vale or Academy Ruins
Hypersonic Dragon – Incredibly effective for when you have multiple hand shuffling effects in hand. With it you can cast one, and respond to it with the second. Things along the lines of Molten Psyche, in response Wheel of Fortune, in response crack my Memory Jar with a megrim effect or Underworld Dreams on the board are amazing.
Obstinate familiar Utilized when you don’t want to suffer to chains.
Telepathy – I feel that this card is incredibly underused. It has been my experience that once a Telepathy hits the board suddenly the thing players hate most in Magic the Gathering is having their hand revealed permanently.
Claws of Gix, The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, Winter Orb – One of my favorite things to do in Stasis type decks is not suffer from the stasis effect myself. With Academy Ruins and Claws of Gix out suddenly I am untapping my lands every turn while my opponents are not. Add Tabernacle to watch the creature count on the board drop drastically.
Dragon Mage – Often times I consider cutting this guy, but then there comes a game when he saves my ass. As such, he has stayed in.
Trinket Mage Package – While mileage will vary, my usual Trinket Mage list of priorities goes: Claws of Gix, Sensei’s Divining Top, Meekstone, Sol Ring, Library of Leng. It should be noted that once there is some other draw effect on the field, Top is pretty worthless.
Academy Ruins+ Crystal Chimes – Both high priority tutor targets as they are used to bring back your wincons.
Inherent Flaws:
This deck has a couple of weaknesses I run into.
Firstly with the low creature base if an aggro deck is gunning for you at the beginning of the game, you are going to soak some damage. There have been more games than I can count where I have hit 10 or less life before stabilizing and winning. But then again, there have been plenty of games where players haven’t been willing to gun for me which is fantastic.
Secondly this deck has a total inability to recur lands and sorceries. I am considering fixing the sorcery recursion problem by adding some spells to enable flashback to the deck. The land problem is not as easily fixed however and academy ruins is a key piece of getting cards back. I am considering Feldon’s Cane but haven’t quite decided what I am going to do.
The Future:
At present time I am looking to get cards to sub for Obliterate and Jokhulaps, namely mass creature removal. This is just to make the deck a little more socially acceptable. I find people are more alright with having their lands tapped down via Winter Orb than having them all blown up via Obliterate.
I am considering Counterbalance in order to make Sensei’s Divining Top less of a dead draw once I am drawing large amounts of cards.
Recoup, Past in Flames, and Snapcaster Mage look like promising ways to utilize sorceries already sent to the graveyard.
The Past:
The following cards at one point had a home in this deck, but no more:
1 Dark Tutelage
1 Graven Cairns
1 Malfegor
1 Venser's Journal
1 Veinfire Borderpost
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Urborg Volcano
1 Delerium
1 Drakeskull Cameo
1 Temporal Mastery
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Mistvein Borderpost
1 Squee, goblin Nabob
1 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Imp's Mischief
1 Chamber of Manipulation
1 Steel Hellkite
1 Fiend of Shadows
1 Thunder Dragon
1 Cerebral Eruption
1 Chandra Ablaze
1 Fabricate
1 Shivan Reef
1 Brainstorm
1 Sulfur Vent
1 Glacial Chasm
1 Balefire Dragon
1 Bogardan Hellkite
1 Terminate
GWUPhelddagrif----------------GWRhys, the Redeemed----------UBRLord of Tresserhorn--------XKozilek, Butcher of Truth
WUBRGProgenitus---------------BGWKarador, Ghost Chieftain---URGIntet, the Dreamer---------RGWort, the Raidmother
BGSavra-----------------------RGMarhault Elsdragon----------UTeferi, Mage of Zhalfir------UWHanna, Ship's Navigator
BSkithiryx the Blight Dragon--RWUZedruu the Greathearted----BRelentless Rats------------BRUNicol Bolas
- Kederekt Parasite, - Dark Tutelage, -Graven Cairns, -Malfegor, -Venser's Journal, -Veinfire Borderpost, -Cavern of Souls, -Urborg Volcano, -Delerium
+ Underworld Dreams, +Crystal Chimes, +Consecrated Sphinx, +Bojuka Bog, +Forced Fruition, +Phyrexian Tyranny, +Academy Ruins, +Badlands, +Oblivion Stone
Kederek Parasite rarely functioned as an Underworld Dreams so the switch was obvious.
Dark Tutelage has been subbed for Crystal Chimes in favor of enchantment recursion, and Cavern of Souls in favor of Academy ruins for artifact recursion.
Graven Cairns has been subbed for Bojuka Bog for some main deck GY hate.
Venser's Journal which is a large redundant spell has been subbed for Forced Fruition which actually contributes to my strategy
With lower CMC Veinfire Borderpost has been cut for more redundancy when it comes to draw hate in the form of Phyrexian Tyranny.
Delerium has been subbed for Oblivion Stone which synergizes well with the newly added Academy Ruins
Urborg Volcano was traded out for a newly acquired badlands.
GWUPhelddagrif----------------GWRhys, the Redeemed----------UBRLord of Tresserhorn--------XKozilek, Butcher of Truth
WUBRGProgenitus---------------BGWKarador, Ghost Chieftain---URGIntet, the Dreamer---------RGWort, the Raidmother
BGSavra-----------------------RGMarhault Elsdragon----------UTeferi, Mage of Zhalfir------UWHanna, Ship's Navigator
BSkithiryx the Blight Dragon--RWUZedruu the Greathearted----BRelentless Rats------------BRUNicol Bolas
Feldon's Cane is also on deck to possibly be subbed in for something.
GWUPhelddagrif----------------GWRhys, the Redeemed----------UBRLord of Tresserhorn--------XKozilek, Butcher of Truth
WUBRGProgenitus---------------BGWKarador, Ghost Chieftain---URGIntet, the Dreamer---------RGWort, the Raidmother
BGSavra-----------------------RGMarhault Elsdragon----------UTeferi, Mage of Zhalfir------UWHanna, Ship's Navigator
BSkithiryx the Blight Dragon--RWUZedruu the Greathearted----BRelentless Rats------------BRUNicol Bolas
GWUPhelddagrif----------------GWRhys, the Redeemed----------UBRLord of Tresserhorn--------XKozilek, Butcher of Truth
WUBRGProgenitus---------------BGWKarador, Ghost Chieftain---URGIntet, the Dreamer---------RGWort, the Raidmother
BGSavra-----------------------RGMarhault Elsdragon----------UTeferi, Mage of Zhalfir------UWHanna, Ship's Navigator
BSkithiryx the Blight Dragon--RWUZedruu the Greathearted----BRelentless Rats------------BRUNicol Bolas