During a recent GP I had a chance to bulk buy and number of Shadowborn Apostle's, but I had no idea what to do with them. I decided that I would do the smart thing and build an EDH deck. I am recently new to EDH having only ever put together one other (Ruric Thar) which I net decked. This is my first time building one on my own.
I then tried a couple of different generals (Jarad and Shirei in particular) but still had the same issues. I then gave Teysa a whirl and finally I had something to do with my dorks in the early game.
After a bunch of playing online I finally have come to the following list.
The deck seems to do well. I almost always dominate the early game. The trick is to treat the apostles for what they are, fodder. Get Teysa out on turn 3 and start finding ways to kill the apostles.. Bonus points if you have the Rotlung or Xathrid Necromancer out.
When the inevitable board wipe comes, all it really takes is one of the many reanimation spells and you are back in the game, but this time you have at least 6 apostles out and can start swinging with the Demons.
Currently this is where the deck has some problems. It can get dudes on board and it very versatile, but what it really lacks is a good kill strategy besides swing with my dudes and wear the opponent down.
I am getting ready to build this deck IRL, and I am afraid that I am getting on the nerves on the MTGO EDH community (I get a lot of people dropping when they start seeing me go off) so any input would be greatly appreciated.
I recommend more cards that can act like rotlung/xathrid/teysa. Cards like Field of Souls, Ogre Slumlord, Pawn of Ulamog, and Requiem Angel can really add a ton of redundancy to your list while also allowing you to push the token production into overdrive.
I started with Bennie Smith's list http://www.starcitygames.com/article/26590_Karadors-Shadowborn-Apostles.html but found that the deck just seemed too slow and too often I had 4 or 5 Shadowborn out and nothing to do with them.
I then tried a couple of different generals (Jarad and Shirei in particular) but still had the same issues. I then gave Teysa a whirl and finally I had something to do with my dorks in the early game.
After a bunch of playing online I finally have come to the following list.
1x Teysa, Orzhov Scion
Lands
1x Cabal Coffers
1x Command Tower
1x Crypt of Agadeem
1x Fetid Heath
1x Godless Shrine
1x Isolated Chapel
1x Lake of the Dead
1x Orzhov Basilica
1x Phyrexian Tower
5x Plains
1x Scrubland
15x Swamp
1x Tainted Field
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Vault of the Archangel
1x Volrath's Stronghold
1x Lightning Greaves
1x Phyrexian Altar
1x Swiftfoot Boots
1x Thrumming Stone
Victims
37x Shadowborn Apostle
Demons
1x Demon of Death's Gate
1x Harvester of Souls
1x Kuro, Pitlord
1x Reaper from the Abyss
1x Shadowborn Demon
1x Rune-Scarred Demon
Reanimation
1x Angel of Glory's Rise
1x Balthor the Defiled
1x Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker
1x Immortal Servitude
1x Living Death
1x Patriarch's Bidding
1x Rise of the Dark Realms
1x Twilight's Call
1x Rotlung Reanimator
1x Xathrid Necromancer
Utility
1x Devout Chaplain
1x Merciless Eviction
1x Return to Dust
1x Aura of Silence
Card Draw
1x Dark Prophecy
1x Phyrexian Arena
1x Skullclamp
The deck seems to do well. I almost always dominate the early game. The trick is to treat the apostles for what they are, fodder. Get Teysa out on turn 3 and start finding ways to kill the apostles.. Bonus points if you have the Rotlung or Xathrid Necromancer out.
When the inevitable board wipe comes, all it really takes is one of the many reanimation spells and you are back in the game, but this time you have at least 6 apostles out and can start swinging with the Demons.
Currently this is where the deck has some problems. It can get dudes on board and it very versatile, but what it really lacks is a good kill strategy besides swing with my dudes and wear the opponent down.
I did see the Teysa Primer http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=491549 and may incorporate a few of the ideas from here into this deck. Of note the Suture Priest/Blood Artist or maybe Vizkopa Guildmage.
I am getting ready to build this deck IRL, and I am afraid that I am getting on the nerves on the MTGO EDH community (I get a lot of people dropping when they start seeing me go off) so any input would be greatly appreciated.
EDH
WBG Karador's Sepulcher GBW