Nekusar is the ideal commander for my zombie life drain deck.
Player/Deck History:
I started playing magic in between the releases of Ice Age and Mirage and zombies have always been one of my favorite tribes (despite being so few of them at the time). I was ecstatic when Tempest came out as i had many new zombies to make my deck better. Over the years my zombie deck was always a mainstay during my legacy years. I started playing EDH about a year before the release of the Commander products and i had tried to build a zombie tribal but i always felt something was missing it wasn't until the spoilers for Innistrad came out that i fell in love with Grimgrin. Now with the upcoming release of Commmander 2013 and the recent spoiling of Nekusar and how well he works for this deck it seemed like a no brainer.
Now i proudly present Nekusar's Zombie Apocalypse.
How does it win?:
The deck relies mainly on draining the life out of you opponents while you control the rest of the board and if all else fails i can unleash the horde of rampaging zombies.
Hmm. I like it. I am helping my friend build his Grim-grin deck. Though he has a lot more blue control cards.
Another card he uses is some Skaabs like Skaab Ruinator and Skaab Goliath. A great non-zombie (in fact nothing like a zombie) card he added in was Jace, Memory Adept. Hit his big ability. Draw 20 cards and wham. If you have rooftop storm on teh field you can basically play your entire hand.
Hmm. I like it. I am helping my friend build his Grim-grin deck. Though he has a lot more blue control cards.
Another card he uses is some Skaabs like Skaab Ruinator and Skaab Goliath. A great non-zombie (in fact nothing like a zombie) card he added in was Jace, Memory Adept. Hit his big ability. Draw 20 cards and wham. If you have rooftop storm on the field you can basically play your entire hand.
I don't like the Skaab cards unless you had some way to bring back the exiled creatures without resorting to green. Jace would be nice but i would add a lot of other cards before i would consider him. I do have a few control elements, one namely is Opposition. I guess i could use a few more hard counters but usually when i have been able to combo out Teferi has been on the field.
I like the idea with Haakon, but i would use another zombie knight before i would use Ashes of the Fallen (ie Order of Yawgmoth / Phyrexian Crusader etc).
I like the Extractor combo. Ashnod's Altar and Nim Deathmantle have been on my watch list recently
I would also like some advise on what to cut from my list. As it stands I have 2 cards over the allotted 100, plus the other cards I'm considering. I don't mind exchanging Zombie for Zombie as long as the zombie count remains the same. However their are a few zombies i would never trade out.
It is most likely to be swapped in for Patriarch's Bidding. It may cost one more but I'd rather use it in case i run into any other tribal decks, plus destroy all humans couldn't hurt
Yes for sure, I run bidding in my grimgrin deck and its annoying sometimes to let your opponents get back creatures when with Zombie Apocalypse its almost always one sided.
Lim wasn't really relevant during testing until the late stages of the games i have played but even then he wasn't spectacular. Gravecrawler is explosive early game and helps grim late game
Gravecrawler has been amazing in my Grimgrin deck. I run Skullclamp as well which turns him into "1B: Draw two cards". Plus if you add Rooftop Storm you get an arbitrarily large Grimgrin.
Also I really want to find a place for Diregraf Captain. He goes nicely with the above combos but also just makes everyone think twice about board wipes.
Messenger has been really good as his ability is ETB and he's just another useable outlet off Rooftop Storm and Cloudstone Curio
I have Zombie Master and Shizo, Death's Storehouse for evasion and if i have enough creatures Eldrazi Monument for flying, though most of the time i have won off the numerous combos
Also in regards to the Captain, I believe Vengeful Dead is far better as it hits all opponents and its only one colour and only costs an additional one.
Also in regards to the Captain, I believe Vengeful Dead is far better as it hits all opponents and its only one colour and only costs an additional one.
Honestly i dont see that as an excuse not to run it. even if its a poor mans Vengeful Dead. it still is a Lord that has an anti wrath bite to it. because if vengeful was to hit hard enough there would have to be alot of zombies on the field. thus having a lord might be beneficial in said position.
Grimoire of the Dead could be a good cut, again slow card, plus u dont reanimate heavily enough to make the discard an advantage. It will almost always be answered before it goes off. I have yet to test it myself but those are the weaknesses i see with it on the surface. has it preformed well for u?
I'd say to cut the Grimoire as well. You have the new Zombie Apocalypse in here and that's a much more reliable way to get your guys back on the field. It doesn't revive theirs but you said you tend to win off your own combos anyway, so you don't really need their guys.
If you still want a mass revive I'd go for Liliana Vess instead. She's a bit harder to kill than an artifact and at the very least you can get a tutor out of her.
Grimoire has been 50/50 for me, but i can see cutting it in favor of the Captain.
Grimoire is more of a pet card that turned out to be really great is some cases and a card disadvantageous in others.
I need to test both more maybe after the pre-release this weekend.
Yeah, i have a hard time cutting Endless Ranks of the Dead in my Grim deck, even though 9 times out of 10 it is a bad top deck or does nothing. but i like its potential
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SOON TO BE NEKUSAR'S ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!!
Nekusar is the ideal commander for my zombie life drain deck.
Player/Deck History:
I started playing magic in between the releases of Ice Age and Mirage and zombies have always been one of my favorite tribes (despite being so few of them at the time). I was ecstatic when Tempest came out as i had many new zombies to make my deck better. Over the years my zombie deck was always a mainstay during my legacy years. I started playing EDH about a year before the release of the Commander products and i had tried to build a zombie tribal but i always felt something was missing it wasn't until the spoilers for Innistrad came out that i fell in love with Grimgrin. Now with the upcoming release of Commmander 2013 and the recent spoiling of Nekusar and how well he works for this deck it seemed like a no brainer.
Now i proudly present Nekusar's Zombie Apocalypse.
1 Nekusar, the Mindrazer
//Zombies: (20)
1 Cackling Fiend
1 Coffin Queen
1 Dakmor Ghoul
1 Deathbringer Thoctar
1 Diregraf Captain
1 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Geth, Lord of the Vault
1 Grave Defiler
1 Gravecrawler
1 Gravedigger
1 Havengul Lich
1 Lich Lord of Unx
1 Lightning Reaver
1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
1 Pontiff of Blight
1 Skinrender
1 Undead Alchemist
1 Vengeful Dead
1 Withered Wretch
1 Zombie Master
//Non Zombies: (5)
1 Blood Artist
1 Grave Titan
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Vela the Night-Clad
1 Whirlpool Warrior
//Artifacts: (8)
1 Cloudstone Curio
1 Dimir Signet
1 Izzet Signet
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Phyrexian Altar
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Endless Ranks of the Dead
1 Exquisite Blood
1 Grave Betrayal
1 Grave Pact
1 Omniscience
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
1 Phyrexian Tyranny
1 Price of Knowledge
1 Rooftop Storm
1 Sanguine Bond
1 Stranglehold
1 Underworld Dreams
//Planeswalker: (1)
1 Sorin Markov
//Spells: (18)
1 Army of the Damned
1 Beacon of Unrest
1 Bribery
1 Capsize
1 Corpse Dance
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Diabolic Intent
1 Exsanguinate
1 Hinder
1 Reforge the Soul
1 Rite of Replication
1 Spell Crumple
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Whispering Madness
1 Windfall
1 Zombie Apocalypse
6 Swamp
4 Island
4 Mountain
1 Blood Crypt
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Cascade Bluffs
1 Cavern of Souls
1 Command Tower
1 Deserted Temple
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Graven Cairns
1 Leechridden Swamp
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Steam Vents
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Sunken Ruins
1 Tainted Isle
1 Tainted Peak
1 Unholy Grotto
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Watery Grave
How does it win?:
The deck relies mainly on draining the life out of you opponents while you control the rest of the board and if all else fails i can unleash the horde of rampaging zombies.
The deck stats can be found HERE
Rooftop Storm + Havengul Lich + 1 = Any Zombie on the battlefield from the grave.
Rooftop Storm + Cloudstone Curio + Dakmor Ghoul + Any Zombie= Infinite life drain for them life gain for you.
Gravecrawler + Phyrexian Altar + Vengeful Dead / Diregraf Captain = Infinite life drain
Skinrender + Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Phyrexian Altar = Infinite Coloured Mana
Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond + any lifeloss/lifegain = Infinite life drain (well at least until all opponents are at 0 or less life)
Geralf's Messenger
Noxious Ghoul
Opposition
Rhystic Study
Wound Reflection
Overwhelming Forces A man can dream... :'(
* Phage the Untouchable
* Shepherd of Rot
* Living Death
* = Sideboard Options.
January 20, 2012
-1 Vedalken Orrey +1 Leyline of Anticipation
-1 Gravecrawler +1 Mikaeus. the Unhallowed
-1 Phyrexian Arena
-1 Mimic Vat
January 22, 2012
-1 Phyrexian Delver +1 Geralf's Messenger
-1 Patriarch's Bidding +1 Zombie Apocalypse
January 23, 2012
-1 Gempalm Polluter +1 Black Cat
-1 Lim-Dul the Necromancer +1 Gravecrawler
January 29, 2012
-1 Vengeful Pharaoh +1 Havengul Lich
February 1, 2012
-1 Grimoire of the Dead +1 Shepard of Rot
-1 Unbreathing Horde +1 Wound Reflection
February 4, 2012
-1 Plaguebearer +1 Diregraf Captain
-1 Rings of Brighthearth +1 Ashnod's Altar
-1 Barter in Blood +1 Nim Deathmantle
-1 Gravespawn Sovereign +1 Phyrexian Altar
-1 Syphon Flesh +1 Lim-Dul's Vault
-1 Shepherd of Rot +1 Damnation
February 5, 2012
-1 Black Cat +1 Cackling Fiend
February 8, 2012
-1 Helldozer +1 Dakmor Ghoul
February 13, 2012
-1 Damnation +1 Beacon of Unrest
February 14, 2012
-1 Wound Reflection +1 Phyrexian Reclamation
February 18, 2012
-1 Geralf's Messenger +1 Coffin Queen
-1 Ghoulraiser +1 Oversold Cemetery
-1 Undead Warchief +1 Corpse Harvester
February 25, 2012
-1 Mana Crypt +1 Bribery
-1 Remand +1 Dissipate
March 9, 2012
-1 Cemetery Reaper +1 Sorin Markov
-1 Oversold Cemetery +1 Fact or Fiction
-1 Brain Freeze +1 Wound Reflection
March 15, 2012
-1 Lord of the Undead +1 Falkenrath Noble
April 22, 2012
-1 Falkenrath Noble + 1 Blood Artist
-1 Island +1 Cavern of Souls
July 8, 2012
-1 Death Baron +1 Vela the Night-Clad
-1 Diabolic Intent +1 Diabolic Revelation
July 9, 2012
-1 Leyline of Anticipation +1 Omniscience
August 1, 2012
-1 Dissipate +1 Capsize
-1 Tombstone Stairwell +1 Exquisite Blood
-1 Wound Reflection +1 Sanguine Bond
October 10, 2012
-1 Swamp +1 Leechridden Swamp
-1 Opposition +1 Grave Betrayal
October 15, 2012
-1 Fact or Fiction +1 Read the Runes
January 25, 2013
-1 Living Death +1 Cyclonic Rift
-1 Swamp +1 Island
February 6, 2013
-1 Diabolic Revelations +1 Enter the Infinite
October 14, 2013
-1 Enter the Infinite +1 Wheel of Fortune
-1 Ashnod's Altar +1 Whispering Madness
-1 Trendrils of Agony +1 Reforge the Soul
-1 Sedraxis Alchemtist +1 Deathbringer Thoctar
-1 Corpse Harvester +1 Lightning Reaver
-1 Butcher of Malakir +1 Vampiric Tutor
-1 Akroma's Memorial +1 Pontiff of Blight
-1 Nim Deathmantle +1 Stranglehold
-1 Corpse Connoisseur +1 Phyrexian Tyranny
-1 Expedition Map +1 Diabolic Intent
October 15, 2013
-1 Lim-Dûl's Vault +1 Izzet Signet
-1 Read the Runes +1 Rakdos Signet
-1 Eldrazi Monument +1 Lightning Greaves
October 16, 2013
-1 Graveborn Muse +1 Whirlpool Warrior
-1 Noxious Ghoul +1 Underwold Dreams
-1 Call to the Grave+1 Windfall
October 17, 2013
-1 Rhystic Study +1 Price of Knowledge
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
- Vedalken Orrey + Leyline of Anticipation
- Gravecrawler + Mikaeus. the Unhallowed
- Phyrexian Arena
- Mimic Vat
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
Another card he uses is some Skaabs like Skaab Ruinator and Skaab Goliath. A great non-zombie (in fact nothing like a zombie) card he added in was Jace, Memory Adept. Hit his big ability. Draw 20 cards and wham. If you have rooftop storm on teh field you can basically play your entire hand.
WUBSharuum the Hegemon
WUGTreva, the Renewer
I don't like the Skaab cards unless you had some way to bring back the exiled creatures without resorting to green. Jace would be nice but i would add a lot of other cards before i would consider him. I do have a few control elements, one namely is Opposition. I guess i could use a few more hard counters but usually when i have been able to combo out Teferi has been on the field.
I like the idea with Haakon, but i would use another zombie knight before i would use Ashes of the Fallen (ie Order of Yawgmoth / Phyrexian Crusader etc).
I like the Extractor combo. Ashnod's Altar and Nim Deathmantle have been on my watch list recently
I would also like some advise on what to cut from my list. As it stands I have 2 cards over the allotted 100, plus the other cards I'm considering. I don't mind exchanging Zombie for Zombie as long as the zombie count remains the same. However their are a few zombies i would never trade out.
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
+1 Geralf's Messenger
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
-1 Patriarch's Bidding
+1 Zombie Apocalypse
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
+1 Black Cat Adds more control.
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
GrimGrim + Gravecrawler = :symb:: Put a +1/+1 counter on your General.
Good point. Any Recommendations as to what to cut?
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
Id cut Lim Dul, high cost, slow ability and is easy to remove. ur better able to cast and abuse the Crawler sooner than Lim. imo
-1 Lim-Dul the Necromancer
+1 Gravecrawler
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
Also I really want to find a place for Diregraf Captain. He goes nicely with the above combos but also just makes everyone think twice about board wipes.
EDH Decks
BGGlissa, the TraitorGB
URTibor and LumiaRU
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticBUW
UBSygg, River CutthroatBU
RGXenagos, God of RevelsGR
UGVorel of the Hull CladeGU
GBSavra, Queen of the GolgariBG
URGMaelstrom WandererGRU
I have Geralf's Messenger in the deck and i think its better than the captain.
Though my opinion may change after Dark Ascension comes out.
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
I've also found Mask of Riddles to work well for me. Evasion plus card draw is nice.
EDH Decks
BGGlissa, the TraitorGB
URTibor and LumiaRU
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticBUW
UBSygg, River CutthroatBU
RGXenagos, God of RevelsGR
UGVorel of the Hull CladeGU
GBSavra, Queen of the GolgariBG
URGMaelstrom WandererGRU
I have Zombie Master and Shizo, Death's Storehouse for evasion and if i have enough creatures Eldrazi Monument for flying, though most of the time i have won off the numerous combos
Also in regards to the Captain, I believe Vengeful Dead is far better as it hits all opponents and its only one colour and only costs an additional one.
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
Honestly i dont see that as an excuse not to run it. even if its a poor mans Vengeful Dead. it still is a Lord that has an anti wrath bite to it. because if vengeful was to hit hard enough there would have to be alot of zombies on the field. thus having a lord might be beneficial in said position.
It has combo potential with the Gravecrawler Grimgrin Rooftop Storm Combo.
The only problem i am having is what changes need to be made.
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
If you still want a mass revive I'd go for Liliana Vess instead. She's a bit harder to kill than an artifact and at the very least you can get a tutor out of her.
EDH Decks
BGGlissa, the TraitorGB
URTibor and LumiaRU
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticBUW
UBSygg, River CutthroatBU
RGXenagos, God of RevelsGR
UGVorel of the Hull CladeGU
GBSavra, Queen of the GolgariBG
URGMaelstrom WandererGRU
Grimoire is more of a pet card that turned out to be really great is some cases and a card disadvantageous in others.
I need to test both more maybe after the pre-release this weekend.
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-BornUB
WRG Marath, Will of the Wild GRW
RGOmnath, Locus of RageGR
WBTeysa, Orzhov ScionBW
URThe Locust GodRU
W(W/R)RAkiri, Line-SlingerW(W/R)R
Yeah, i have a hard time cutting Endless Ranks of the Dead in my Grim deck, even though 9 times out of 10 it is a bad top deck or does nothing. but i like its potential