Heyo, this is my Phage the Untouchable list. Now before you say, "But GopherKing! If you cast Phage you'll lose the game!" I have taken this into account. I have a package of five cards that allow Phage to safely enter the battlefield, most of these "Phage-cons" as I call them, are cards that not only let me cast phage, but can also do something for the rest of the deck.
For anyone who doesn't know, here's how they all work.
Sundial of the infinite: Cast Phage, she enters the battlefield and her ability triggers, in response you end the turn, exiling the trigger. In addition to this, Sundial helps to make sure that my turns remain my turns. If an opponent tries to cast something or flash something in at the end of my turn I just end the turn in response.
Torpor orb: This one is pretty obvious, Phage killing me is an enter the battlefield ability, with Torpor orb out those just don't happen. In addition to that it shuts down my opponents etb creatures. Cards like Angel of despair aren't nearly as good when they don't do anything.
Withering boon: Counter Phage, then use Volrath's stronghold or something similar to return her to your hand to recast safely. When not countering my own things, it's still a counter in mono black and can catch people off guard.
Platinum angel: If I'm not allowed to lose the game then Phage's ability is redundant. Platinum angel is really just a dude, this dude however, is probably my favourite way to play Phage. This is because all of the other Phage-cons either require some hoop jumping, or nonbo with other cards in the deck. By nonbo I mean little things like having Torpor orb in play along side Lethal vapors. Just doesn't really work.
Abyssal Persecutor: First you have to give this to an opponent via Endless Whispers, after that it does thee same thing as Platinum Angel. In addition to that, it's a big blocker if I need it, and can create some very interesting board states.
I have written out the list twice. First by card type, second by card function.
Phyrexian Revoker: Great disruption with a 2/1 body to boot. It's surprising how many decks just can't deal with not being able to use their commanders activated abilities. This can also shut down other powerful cards or powerful non land engines such as planeswalkers. One thing this has over Pithing needle is that it will stop mana abilities from non land sources such as Rofellos, Llanowar emissary.
Cabal Interrogator: We have some cards that we desperately need to protect. Those are the cards that let us cast Phage safely. If an opponent can remove our phage-con in response to casting her, we will almost always lose. This guy lets us take a look at our opponents hands and hopefully get rid of some of that game ending removal.
Abyssal Persecutor: This guy can do a few things for us. He's a big body if we need one, and we can give him to an opponent via endless whispers to enable Phage. In addition to that he just creates some very interesting and fun games.
Guardian Beast: An all star in the deck! He is the best thing mono-black has for protecting it's non creature artifacts, and it just so happens that to of the cards we will need to protect the most are Torpor Orb, and Sundial of the Infinite
Phyrexian Obliterator: Erebos best friend and most loyal follower. Obliterator is such a great deterrent, in a deck that often doesn't have a blocker this is a great way to ensure creatures will hardly ever come our way.
Mindslicer: Another amazing deterrent, people rarely want to attack into this guy. Late game, letting him get hit by a wrath can be a great way to prepare to cast Phage, because no one should be able to intercept. If we have a draw engine on board it's even better.
Crypt Ghast: This deck is a mana hungry monster. It also pays a lot of life. I have lost many games because I payed to much life. Crypt Ghast helps with both of these things.
Erebos, God of the Dead: Indestructible draw engine? I'll take that any day. Who needs life when you can have cards? Can also just be a great blocker.
Bloodgift Demon: Phyrexian arena with a big flying body. I love drawing cards. What more do I need to say?
Chainer, Dementia Master: So nuts. Whether it's after an exsanguinate to reanimate the entire tables yards, or just to recur our own value creatures, Chainer never disappoints.
Gray Merchant of Asphodel: This guy can net us a ridiculous amount of life at times, great for the delicate balancing act our life total will inevitably become.
Nirkana Revenant: Another crypt ghast except it can get bigger instead of drain life. It's size can be very relevant at times.
Netherborn Phalanx: This abomination can either be a dude, a wincon against token decks, or just another tutor. He's usually a tutor. He doesn't grab a lot, but what he does grab is great.
Platinum Angel: One of our phage-cons, and on of the best at that. Also the hardest to protect. This thing has kept me alive at -80 life long enogh to stabalize come back and win in a few games. Their are various reasons why I prefer this over other phage-cons, but the man ones are that
1) We don't have to skip the rest of our turn like with Sundial of the infinite
and 2) Phage's ETB trigger is still there, more on why we want this later.
Myojin of Night's Reach: The best way to clear out our opponents hands in the deck. With the amount of mana the deck can generate, casting this usually isn't hard. Remove the divinity counter at the most optimal time, usually the draw step of the player who goes before us, and cast Phage safely on our turn.
Vampiric Tutor: A really good tutor, and one of the only ones that can be cast at instant speed. Not much to explain.
Shred Memory: Selective grave hate, but grave hate none the less. Usually a tutor though. There are so mmany great cmc 2 targets for this thing, and if you need something bigger, it can always grab Demonic Tutor.
Withering Boon: Amazing disruption! People rarely expect a counter from mono-black! it can also be used to counter Phage if someone removes our phage con in response to casting her.
Sudden Spoiling: Again, amazing disruption! This can stop someone from wiping you out with their army, it can stop some combos, and it's one of our only ways to deal with Avacyn.
Sewers of Estark: Pretty versatile card. Makes Phage unblockable, or can be used on an opponents creature to make sure it finishes another opponent off.
Demonic Tutor: Best tutor in the deck. Searches for any one card, for only 2 mana, with no drawbacks.
Diabolic Intent: Almost as good as demonic tutor, only drawback is that you have a sacrifice a dude. And that's not always a bad thing.
Exsanguinate: This card can be so nuts. When we cast this, we're often casting it for 10+. In a multilayer game this will often net us 30 life. 20 life that we can then funnel into Necropotence, or Chainer, dementia master, etc.
Drain Life: Same as exsanguinate, accept that it only hits one player. It's still good enough to pull us out off some sticky situations and often finish off that player who was just barely holding on.
Hymn to Tourach: Rips two cards from an opponents hand at random. This can really disrupt our opponents hand and can help protect our important artifacts.
Yawgmoth's will: Or better known as Yawgwin. This card is nuts. With the amount of mana we gennerate this often reads cast your graveyard. It's also one of our only ways to recur our lands.
Cruel Tutor: A really bad Vampiric Tutor, but it still grabs any card for three mana, thus making it good enough to get a slot in the deck.
Dimir Machinations: Some great disruption if we can cast after an opponents mystical tutor, Enlightened tutor, Worldly tutot, etc. It usually acts as a tutor though, grabbing anything with a converted mana cost of three, which is a solid number in the deck.
Perish the Thought: Great disruption, especially good if their commander was returned to their hand or if they just cast a tutor of their own.
Damnation: One of the best wrath effects in the game. Destroys all creatures, and they cannot be regenerated for just for mana?! Oh yes.
Mutilate: Another great wrath effect. This one however, is more for the late game because of the swamp clause. Early game it won't kill much. But late game, it will kill everything. even the indestructible things. One of our only ways of dealing with Avacyn, angel of hope.
Diabolic Tutor: Demonic tutor for twice as much mana. Not much to say here.
Diabolic Revelation: This card can be nuts. Late game, with a lot of mana, it's not uncommon to search for five cards with this.
Demonic Collusion: A grab anything tutor with buyback? Hells yes. A lot of our cards we don't mind having in the yard anyways so who cares if we have to discard some stuff. Especially if our first tutor is a draw engine.
Beseech the Queen: Yet another tutor. This one, while it does have a condition, usually grabs whatever you want. This is because early game we'll probably want something cheap that we can cast. It won't be until late game, when we have lot's of lands that we will want to grab the expensive stuff.
All is Dust: Another great wrath. This ones sweet because it hits all coloured permanents. This usually means everything except for artifacts and lands, in addition to that, it doesn't destroy them. It forces there controllers to sacrifice them. This means it will hit god cards, and a certain indestructible angel.
Decree of Pain: Yay! More board wipes! This one destroys all creatures, they can't be regenerated, and it draws us cards?! If this is cast at the right time, not only does it do what we need it to do, but we can refill our hand. As an added bonus it can be cycled if we don't quite have enough mana, but need a card.
Overwhelming Forces: Just like degree of pain, except that it only hit's one opponent, and can't be cycled. This can be so great for us because late game it can clear the way for Phage, while drawing us more cards.
Plague Wind: Kills all of our opponents dudes, clearing the way for Phage to swing in. Just a great way to end at least one opponents game.
Phyrexian reclamation: Amazing reusable recursion. For two mana and two life we can get any dude back. This just get's so silly with a with certain cards in the deck. Kokusho? Our life is never a problem again. Xiahou Dun? Get back any black card in our yard multiple times. Any creature with Transmute? Reusable tutors. If Phage dies or gets countered, this will get her back. Because it's easier to get her back from the yard then the command zone.
Phyrexian Arena: Amazing card advantage. An extra card every turn for just one life every turn, is often enough to keep us fueled for a while.
Necropotence: See Phyrexian Arena above, add steroids. Necropotence is insane. This lets us convert our life to cards at a 1:1 ratio, we can only do this on our turn, and we don't get the cards until the end of our turn, and we skip our draw step, and if we discard a card we exile it. But still, despite the many draw backs the rewards heavily outweigh the risks. This is the premier draw engine of the deck. We have to be careful though, there is a balance to find in every game. If we're in a good position it feels great to tutor up our reliquary tower, slap it down with necropotence and pay 20 life. But if we're not in a strong position we've gotta go easy on it, because card advantage can, and usually will, make us a target.
No Mercy: A great rattle snake affect. The deck doesn't have as many creatures as a lot of other decks, and because of this, we can have a hard time getting a blocker up. No mercy can help ease the aggro, and steer it in another direction.
Endless Whispers: A hilarious and very interesting card with or without Phage. Without Phage it can cause for a very interesting political game, especially if any creature that can sacrifice itself is in play, I'm talking about cards like Burnished Hart, and Sakura-tribe elder. Without Phage it can also be used to give an opponent Abyssal Persecuter which will allow us to cast Phage safely assuming they don't have a sac outlet. If Phage is in play with endless whispers then Endless whispers will usually read, "If phage dies target player loses the game".
Lethal Vapors: This card is a great way to slow down those fast creature based aggro decks. If they can't get any dudes to stick, how can they attack us? We can use this to slow the game down to our pace, because not many players are willing to skip a turn just to get rid of one enchantment. Then when we're ready to cast Phage we just need to either cast a Torpor Orb and then her, or cast her and end the turn with Sundial of the infinite in response to both her trigger and the Vapors trigger. Lethal Vapors also leads to some interesting situations alongside Endless whispers, If we can get Platinum Angel out, then resolve both Lethal Vapors and Endless Whispers, then when we cast Phage she will just kill the table. Except for us of course.
Sol Ring: One of the best, if not the best, mana rock in the format. No explanation needed.
Pithing Needle: See Phyrexian revoker above. The only deferences are that the needle doesn't have a body, making it harder to kill, and that it will not stop non land mana abilities.
Sensei's Divining Top: Allows us to choose what we draw each turn out of the top three cards for just one mana a turn. Can also give us a draw in a pinch, or turn Vampiric tutor into an instant speed demonic tutor to deal with a threat. Just an amazing card in general and no explanation is really needed.
Sundial of the Infinite: One of our ways to safely cast Phage. It can also be really sweet tech against those players who like to play a bunch of instants, or flash things in at the end of our turn. We just end the turn in response, effectively countering their spells. In addition to that, if virtaully anything short of a split second spell goes wrong during our turn, we can just end our turn to stop it.
Torpor Orb: Not only is this one our ways to cast Phage, but in a format where powerful "enters the battlefield" are everywhere, this can be severe disruption for some decks. A lot of deck that are based around blinking cant deal with Torpor orb at all because all of their removal is based around a creature entering the battlefield. The only cards we have that it negatively effects are Netherborn Phalanx(If we ever actually wanted to cast it.), Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Phyrexian Revoker, and maybe Lethal vapors depending on how you look at it.
Swiftfoot Boots: After we finally resolve Phage we're probably going to want to protect her, this also gives her haste if we play her using something other then Sundial of the infinite. Protects are other creatures pretty well too.
Whispersilk Cloak: Protects the important creatures and when equipped to Phage it magically changes her text to read "Tap: Target player loses the game."
Oblivion Stone: An amazing board wipe that we pay for in two instalments, if we don't need to set it off right away, and no one gives us reason to, we can use it's first ability at the end phase of the player to our rights turn to protect an important card from it.
Nevinyrral's Disk: Another Amazing boardwipe, unfortunately enters the battlefield tappped, but still to good to not run.
Gilded Lotus: Another sweet mana rock, it basically only costs two mana to play since we can immediately get three back, and then three more mana on each of our turns after that.
Caged Sun: This is a very mana hungry deck, this effectively doubles our mana output each turn. Quite often we can just cast it with Cabal Coffers and get more mana then we paid for it on the turn we play it.
Liliana Vess: Her first ability can help clear the opponents hand off that nasty game ending removal. The second ability, also the one we'll probably use the most, finds us any card and put's it on top of our library. Her ultimate, if we ever get to it (I usually don't even bother trying, just -2 her until we can only +1, then -2 some more if she lasts that long) Will probably win us the game.
Rogue's Passage: People ALWAYS forget about this right up until we cast Phage and say those 3 beautiful words, "Make Phage Unblockable". This card wins games.
Cabal Coffers: The bread and butter of the deck. Wow is this card good. Should always be our first tutor target, unless their is an issue that needs answering.
Anyways that's the deck. In the future I might add to this, detailing how to pilot the deck and expanding on this but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
I hope you like it and would love to hear any comments, suggestions, and criticisms.
I am considering cutting the following card(s):
Netherborn Phalanx: This card was really only in the deck for the transmute ability, and in the last year the I have cut a lot of six drops, I noticed in a game recently that my only targets are Caged sun, Nirkana revenant, Kokusho, the evening star, and Beseech the queen. I'm just not sure if he's worth running just to grab one of those four things and the spot might be better used on something else.
August 25, 2014: Belated Magic 2015 update.
Strongly considering replacing Plague Wind with In Garruk's Wake because I believe my opponents having planeswalkers is a more frequent situation then them being able to regenerate creatures. On the other hand, I do run 4 ways to deal with planeswalkers other then aggroing them. More testing needed.
July 4, 2014: Head games takes to long to resolve, and I need more ways to defend myself.
June 21, 2014: Got some cards I've been wanting to test.
I've been wanting to try more life drain because I feel like I've been losing to many games because of the amount of life I pay.
June 17, 2014: Conspiracy update.
Welp. With phage loosing her zombie typing I no longer see a point in running Unholy Grotto, or Ghoulcallers chant. In addition to this I've decided that the "Counter phage, then bring her back to my hand to cast her again" battle plan, while fun, is much to convuluted to keep up with other players, so some cards that were only in for that strategy will be cut in the coming weeks.
I have this guy in my mono black deck, Kagemaro, First to Suffer.
Since you have no problem with recursion, it's good to have as an instant spell board wipe.
I agree, I'll definitely need to try Kagemaro, First to suffeer out. Instant speed board wipes are a great deterrent and since it's a creature I can recur it to reuse it. Thanks theartdevil.
Phage and Abyssal do not work together, Abyssal actually does the opposite of what I assume you think it does.
Woops, I forgot to explain Abyssal Persecutor. With him you have to give him to an opponent first, you do this through Endless Whispers. Other then enabling Phage, Persecutor is also a big flying body if I need blockers, and can create some really interesting board states. I hope that clears it up, thanks for the comment buckjunt.
I added an explanation of Abyssal Persecutor to the original post.
Yeah! That's the exact reason Endless Whispers is in the list. If Phage dies while its in play, someone is going to lose. It can also cause some very political games, like if there's a Sakura Tribe Elder in play.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
BPhage-Suicide BlackB RFastgood, a goblin can dreamR GTitania-Who needs land?G RGAngry Mt. Bobo-Have some landGR UBSkeleton Ship-Happy Sea Friends!BU RBLyzolda-What won't a witch eat?BR WUGPhelddagrifs-Hippos aren't cuddlyGUW WUGRoon's hidden playgroundGUW WURShu Yun-Hold the SunRUW WBGAnafenza-Graveyards (don't) matterGBW UBGTasigur-Banana RepublicGBU
I thought of Phage as a general because I want to build 5 mono-colored weird generals (I already have Norin and Ixidor). Looking at black, there isn't that many interesting generals.
Phage is definitely one but it's pretty hard to build around it. But I guess it could just be a black good-stuff deck packed with lots of tutors and if it happens that you can cast Phage with Sundial on the board and Endless Whispers while your opponents are tapped out and that you have any sac outlet.. well, it's good I guess, instant win.
I would just be interested to know if anybody is really playing it and if you tend to try casting it with only Torpor Orb on the field (risking that it gets destroyed in response to Phage) or if you are able to play around your opponents a little bit more by playing some kind of hide and seek game... jsut waiting the right time to cast it.
My own rules when building a Commander deck:
1) Underrated general that I can build around but the deck must work without him/her too.
2) Every card must be legal in both banlists.
3) No infinite combo that could win (and ruin) instantly a multiplayer game.
4) Synergy at all costs; stay on theme, avoid goodstuff.
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Here they are.
1 Torpor Orb
1 Platinum Angel
1 Abyssal Persecutor
1 Withering Boon
For anyone who doesn't know, here's how they all work.
Sundial of the infinite: Cast Phage, she enters the battlefield and her ability triggers, in response you end the turn, exiling the trigger. In addition to this, Sundial helps to make sure that my turns remain my turns. If an opponent tries to cast something or flash something in at the end of my turn I just end the turn in response.
Torpor orb: This one is pretty obvious, Phage killing me is an enter the battlefield ability, with Torpor orb out those just don't happen. In addition to that it shuts down my opponents etb creatures. Cards like Angel of despair aren't nearly as good when they don't do anything.
Withering boon: Counter Phage, then use Volrath's stronghold or something similar to return her to your hand to recast safely. When not countering my own things, it's still a counter in mono black and can catch people off guard.
Platinum angel: If I'm not allowed to lose the game then Phage's ability is redundant. Platinum angel is really just a dude, this dude however, is probably my favourite way to play Phage. This is because all of the other Phage-cons either require some hoop jumping, or nonbo with other cards in the deck. By nonbo I mean little things like having Torpor orb in play along side Lethal vapors. Just doesn't really work.
Abyssal Persecutor: First you have to give this to an opponent via Endless Whispers, after that it does thee same thing as Platinum Angel. In addition to that, it's a big blocker if I need it, and can create some very interesting board states.
I have written out the list twice. First by card type, second by card function.
Without further ado, here's the list.
7 Phage the Untouchable
Creatures (18)
2 Phyrexian Revoker
2 Cabal Interrogator
4 Dimir House Guard
4 Abyssal Persecutor
4 Guardian Beast
4 Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed
4 Phyrexian Obliterator
4 Mindslicer
4 Crypt Ghast
4 Erebos, God of the Dead
5 Bloodgift Demon
5 Chainer, Dementia Master
5 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
6 Nirkana Revenant
6 Kokusho, the evening star
6 Netherborn Phalanx
7 Platinum Angel
8 Myojin of Night's Reach
Instants (5)
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Shred Memory
2 Withering Boon
3 Sudden Spoiling
4 Sewers of Estark
Sorceries (19)
2 Demonic Tutor
2 Diabolic Intent
2 Exsanguinate
2 Hymn to Tourach
2 Drain Life
3 Yawgmoth's will
3 Cruel Tutor
3 Dimir Machinations
3 Perish the Thought
4 Damnation
4 Mutilate
4 Diabolic Tutor
5 Diabolic Revelation
5 Demonic Collusion
6 Beseech the Queen
7 All is Dust
8 Decree of Pain
8 Overwhelming Forces
9 Plague Wind
1 Phyrexian reclamation
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Necropotence
4 No Mercy
4 Endless Whispers
4 Lethal Vapors
Artifacts (13)
1 Sol Ring
1 Pithing Needle
1 Sensei's Divining Top
2 Sundial of the Infinite
2 Torpor Orb
2 Swiftfoot Boots
2 Lightning Greaves
3 Whispersilk Cloak
3 Darksteel Plate
3 Oblivion Stone
4 Nevinyrral's Disk
5 Gilded Lotus
6 Caged Sun
Planeswalkers (1)
5 Liliana Vess
Lands (37)
22 Swamp
1 Petrified field
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Strip Mine
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Boseiju, who shelters all
1 Buried Ruin
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Thespian's Stage
1 Vesuva
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Maze of Ith
7 Phage the Untouchable
Phage-cons (5)
2 Withering Boon
2 Sundial of the Infinite
2 Torpor Orb
4 Abyssal Persecutor
7 Platinum Angel
Phun with Phage (1)
4 Endless whispers
Tutors (13)
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Shred Memory
2 Demonic Tutor
2 Diabolic Intent
3 Cruel Tutor
3 Dimir Machinations
4 Dimir House Guard
4 Diabolic Tutor
5 Diabolic Revelation
5 Demonic Collusion
5 Liliana Vess
6 Netherborn Phalanx
6 Beseech the Queen
Big Mana Black (9)
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Thespian's Stage
1 Vesuva
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Sol Ring
4 Crypt Ghast
5 Gilded Lotus
6 Caged Sun
6 Netherborn Phalanx
3 Oblivion Stone
4 Nevinyrral's Disk
4 Damnation
4 Mutilate
7 All is Dust
8 Decree of Pain
8 Overwhelming Forces
9 Plague Wind
Disruption (10)
1 Strip Mine
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Pithing needle
2 Hymn to Tourach
2 Phyrexian Revoker
2 Cabal Interrogator
3 Sudden Spoiling
3 Perish the thought
4 Lethal Vapors
8 Myojin of Night's Reach
Unblockable (4)
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
3 Whispersilk cloak
4 Sewers of Estark
Protection (5)
1 Boseiju, who shelters all
2 Swiftfoot Boots
2 Lightning Greaves
3 Darksteel Plate
4 Guardian Beast
1 Maze of Ith
4 Phyrexian Obliterator
4 Mindslicer
4 No Mercy
Draw and Deck Shenanigans (6)
1 Reliquary tower
1 Sensei's Divining Top
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Necropotence
4 Erebos, God of the Dead
5 Bloodgift Demon
Life drain (4)
2 Drain Life
2 Exsanguinate
5 Gray Mercahnnt of Asphodel
6 Kokusho, the evening star
Recursion (6)
1 Petrified field
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Buried Ruin
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
3 Yawgmoth's Will
4 Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed
5 Chainer, Dementia master
Fuel for our Coffers (24)
23 Swamp
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Phyrexian Revoker: Great disruption with a 2/1 body to boot. It's surprising how many decks just can't deal with not being able to use their commanders activated abilities. This can also shut down other powerful cards or powerful non land engines such as planeswalkers. One thing this has over Pithing needle is that it will stop mana abilities from non land sources such as Rofellos, Llanowar emissary.
Cabal Interrogator: We have some cards that we desperately need to protect. Those are the cards that let us cast Phage safely. If an opponent can remove our phage-con in response to casting her, we will almost always lose. This guy lets us take a look at our opponents hands and hopefully get rid of some of that game ending removal.
Dimir House Guard: Can be a dude if we desperately need one, but is much more likely to be used as a tutor. This can grab Nevinyrral's disk, Endless whispers, guardian beast and many other great targets.
Abyssal Persecutor: This guy can do a few things for us. He's a big body if we need one, and we can give him to an opponent via endless whispers to enable Phage. In addition to that he just creates some very interesting and fun games.
Guardian Beast: An all star in the deck! He is the best thing mono-black has for protecting it's non creature artifacts, and it just so happens that to of the cards we will need to protect the most are Torpor Orb, and Sundial of the Infinite
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed: Another all star in the deck. Let's us use any of our saucy cards a second time! Completely bonkers with Chainer, Dementia master, Phyrexian Reclamation, or Volrath's Stronghold.
Phyrexian Obliterator: Erebos best friend and most loyal follower. Obliterator is such a great deterrent, in a deck that often doesn't have a blocker this is a great way to ensure creatures will hardly ever come our way.
Mindslicer: Another amazing deterrent, people rarely want to attack into this guy. Late game, letting him get hit by a wrath can be a great way to prepare to cast Phage, because no one should be able to intercept. If we have a draw engine on board it's even better.
Crypt Ghast: This deck is a mana hungry monster. It also pays a lot of life. I have lost many games because I payed to much life. Crypt Ghast helps with both of these things.
Erebos, God of the Dead: Indestructible draw engine? I'll take that any day. Who needs life when you can have cards? Can also just be a great blocker.
Bloodgift Demon: Phyrexian arena with a big flying body. I love drawing cards. What more do I need to say?
Chainer, Dementia Master: So nuts. Whether it's after an exsanguinate to reanimate the entire tables yards, or just to recur our own value creatures, Chainer never disappoints.
Gray Merchant of Asphodel: This guy can net us a ridiculous amount of life at times, great for the delicate balancing act our life total will inevitably become.
Nirkana Revenant: Another crypt ghast except it can get bigger instead of drain life. It's size can be very relevant at times.
Netherborn Phalanx: This abomination can either be a dude, a wincon against token decks, or just another tutor. He's usually a tutor. He doesn't grab a lot, but what he does grab is great.
Kokusho, the evening star: Might just be the best life drain card in the deck. When this thing gets online alongside Chainer, Dementia master, Phyrexian Reclamation, or Volrath's Stronghold, wow, the life we gain and the dirty looks we get is ridiculous! No wonder this things banned as a commander!
Platinum Angel: One of our phage-cons, and on of the best at that. Also the hardest to protect. This thing has kept me alive at -80 life long enogh to stabalize come back and win in a few games. Their are various reasons why I prefer this over other phage-cons, but the man ones are that
1) We don't have to skip the rest of our turn like with Sundial of the infinite
and 2) Phage's ETB trigger is still there, more on why we want this later.
Myojin of Night's Reach: The best way to clear out our opponents hands in the deck. With the amount of mana the deck can generate, casting this usually isn't hard. Remove the divinity counter at the most optimal time, usually the draw step of the player who goes before us, and cast Phage safely on our turn.
Vampiric Tutor: A really good tutor, and one of the only ones that can be cast at instant speed. Not much to explain.
Shred Memory: Selective grave hate, but grave hate none the less. Usually a tutor though. There are so mmany great cmc 2 targets for this thing, and if you need something bigger, it can always grab Demonic Tutor.
Withering Boon: Amazing disruption! People rarely expect a counter from mono-black! it can also be used to counter Phage if someone removes our phage con in response to casting her.
Sudden Spoiling: Again, amazing disruption! This can stop someone from wiping you out with their army, it can stop some combos, and it's one of our only ways to deal with Avacyn.
Sewers of Estark: Pretty versatile card. Makes Phage unblockable, or can be used on an opponents creature to make sure it finishes another opponent off.
Demonic Tutor: Best tutor in the deck. Searches for any one card, for only 2 mana, with no drawbacks.
Diabolic Intent: Almost as good as demonic tutor, only drawback is that you have a sacrifice a dude. And that's not always a bad thing.
Exsanguinate: This card can be so nuts. When we cast this, we're often casting it for 10+. In a multilayer game this will often net us 30 life. 20 life that we can then funnel into Necropotence, or Chainer, dementia master, etc.
Drain Life: Same as exsanguinate, accept that it only hits one player. It's still good enough to pull us out off some sticky situations and often finish off that player who was just barely holding on.
Hymn to Tourach: Rips two cards from an opponents hand at random. This can really disrupt our opponents hand and can help protect our important artifacts.
Yawgmoth's will: Or better known as Yawgwin. This card is nuts. With the amount of mana we gennerate this often reads cast your graveyard. It's also one of our only ways to recur our lands.
Cruel Tutor: A really bad Vampiric Tutor, but it still grabs any card for three mana, thus making it good enough to get a slot in the deck.
Dimir Machinations: Some great disruption if we can cast after an opponents mystical tutor, Enlightened tutor, Worldly tutot, etc. It usually acts as a tutor though, grabbing anything with a converted mana cost of three, which is a solid number in the deck.
Perish the Thought: Great disruption, especially good if their commander was returned to their hand or if they just cast a tutor of their own.
Damnation: One of the best wrath effects in the game. Destroys all creatures, and they cannot be regenerated for just for mana?! Oh yes.
Mutilate: Another great wrath effect. This one however, is more for the late game because of the swamp clause. Early game it won't kill much. But late game, it will kill everything. even the indestructible things. One of our only ways of dealing with Avacyn, angel of hope.
Diabolic Tutor: Demonic tutor for twice as much mana. Not much to say here.
Diabolic Revelation: This card can be nuts. Late game, with a lot of mana, it's not uncommon to search for five cards with this.
Demonic Collusion: A grab anything tutor with buyback? Hells yes. A lot of our cards we don't mind having in the yard anyways so who cares if we have to discard some stuff. Especially if our first tutor is a draw engine.
Beseech the Queen: Yet another tutor. This one, while it does have a condition, usually grabs whatever you want. This is because early game we'll probably want something cheap that we can cast. It won't be until late game, when we have lot's of lands that we will want to grab the expensive stuff.
All is Dust: Another great wrath. This ones sweet because it hits all coloured permanents. This usually means everything except for artifacts and lands, in addition to that, it doesn't destroy them. It forces there controllers to sacrifice them. This means it will hit god cards, and a certain indestructible angel.
Decree of Pain: Yay! More board wipes! This one destroys all creatures, they can't be regenerated, and it draws us cards?! If this is cast at the right time, not only does it do what we need it to do, but we can refill our hand. As an added bonus it can be cycled if we don't quite have enough mana, but need a card.
Overwhelming Forces: Just like degree of pain, except that it only hit's one opponent, and can't be cycled. This can be so great for us because late game it can clear the way for Phage, while drawing us more cards.
Plague Wind: Kills all of our opponents dudes, clearing the way for Phage to swing in. Just a great way to end at least one opponents game.
Phyrexian reclamation: Amazing reusable recursion. For two mana and two life we can get any dude back. This just get's so silly with a with certain cards in the deck. Kokusho? Our life is never a problem again. Xiahou Dun? Get back any black card in our yard multiple times. Any creature with Transmute? Reusable tutors. If Phage dies or gets countered, this will get her back. Because it's easier to get her back from the yard then the command zone.
Phyrexian Arena: Amazing card advantage. An extra card every turn for just one life every turn, is often enough to keep us fueled for a while.
Necropotence: See Phyrexian Arena above, add steroids. Necropotence is insane. This lets us convert our life to cards at a 1:1 ratio, we can only do this on our turn, and we don't get the cards until the end of our turn, and we skip our draw step, and if we discard a card we exile it. But still, despite the many draw backs the rewards heavily outweigh the risks. This is the premier draw engine of the deck. We have to be careful though, there is a balance to find in every game. If we're in a good position it feels great to tutor up our reliquary tower, slap it down with necropotence and pay 20 life. But if we're not in a strong position we've gotta go easy on it, because card advantage can, and usually will, make us a target.
No Mercy: A great rattle snake affect. The deck doesn't have as many creatures as a lot of other decks, and because of this, we can have a hard time getting a blocker up. No mercy can help ease the aggro, and steer it in another direction.
Endless Whispers: A hilarious and very interesting card with or without Phage. Without Phage it can cause for a very interesting political game, especially if any creature that can sacrifice itself is in play, I'm talking about cards like Burnished Hart, and Sakura-tribe elder. Without Phage it can also be used to give an opponent Abyssal Persecuter which will allow us to cast Phage safely assuming they don't have a sac outlet. If Phage is in play with endless whispers then Endless whispers will usually read, "If phage dies target player loses the game".
Lethal Vapors: This card is a great way to slow down those fast creature based aggro decks. If they can't get any dudes to stick, how can they attack us? We can use this to slow the game down to our pace, because not many players are willing to skip a turn just to get rid of one enchantment. Then when we're ready to cast Phage we just need to either cast a Torpor Orb and then her, or cast her and end the turn with Sundial of the infinite in response to both her trigger and the Vapors trigger. Lethal Vapors also leads to some interesting situations alongside Endless whispers, If we can get Platinum Angel out, then resolve both Lethal Vapors and Endless Whispers, then when we cast Phage she will just kill the table. Except for us of course.
Sol Ring: One of the best, if not the best, mana rock in the format. No explanation needed.
Pithing Needle: See Phyrexian revoker above. The only deferences are that the needle doesn't have a body, making it harder to kill, and that it will not stop non land mana abilities.
Sensei's Divining Top: Allows us to choose what we draw each turn out of the top three cards for just one mana a turn. Can also give us a draw in a pinch, or turn Vampiric tutor into an instant speed demonic tutor to deal with a threat. Just an amazing card in general and no explanation is really needed.
Sundial of the Infinite: One of our ways to safely cast Phage. It can also be really sweet tech against those players who like to play a bunch of instants, or flash things in at the end of our turn. We just end the turn in response, effectively countering their spells. In addition to that, if virtaully anything short of a split second spell goes wrong during our turn, we can just end our turn to stop it.
Torpor Orb: Not only is this one our ways to cast Phage, but in a format where powerful "enters the battlefield" are everywhere, this can be severe disruption for some decks. A lot of deck that are based around blinking cant deal with Torpor orb at all because all of their removal is based around a creature entering the battlefield. The only cards we have that it negatively effects are Netherborn Phalanx(If we ever actually wanted to cast it.), Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Phyrexian Revoker, and maybe Lethal vapors depending on how you look at it.
Swiftfoot Boots: After we finally resolve Phage we're probably going to want to protect her, this also gives her haste if we play her using something other then Sundial of the infinite. Protects are other creatures pretty well too.
Lightning Greaves: See Swiftfoot boots.
Whispersilk Cloak: Protects the important creatures and when equipped to Phage it magically changes her text to read "Tap: Target player loses the game."
Darksteel Plate: Another great way to protect our creatures. Really good when Equipped to Guardian beast with Nevinyrral's Disk in play.
Oblivion Stone: An amazing board wipe that we pay for in two instalments, if we don't need to set it off right away, and no one gives us reason to, we can use it's first ability at the end phase of the player to our rights turn to protect an important card from it.
Nevinyrral's Disk: Another Amazing boardwipe, unfortunately enters the battlefield tappped, but still to good to not run.
Gilded Lotus: Another sweet mana rock, it basically only costs two mana to play since we can immediately get three back, and then three more mana on each of our turns after that.
Caged Sun: This is a very mana hungry deck, this effectively doubles our mana output each turn. Quite often we can just cast it with Cabal Coffers and get more mana then we paid for it on the turn we play it.
Liliana Vess: Her first ability can help clear the opponents hand off that nasty game ending removal. The second ability, also the one we'll probably use the most, finds us any card and put's it on top of our library. Her ultimate, if we ever get to it (I usually don't even bother trying, just -2 her until we can only +1, then -2 some more if she lasts that long) Will probably win us the game.
22 Swamps: Basic lands are important.
Petrified field: Cabal coffers is the best card in the deck, we need some ways to recur it if it dies.
Rogue's Passage: People ALWAYS forget about this right up until we cast Phage and say those 3 beautiful words, "Make Phage Unblockable". This card wins games.
Shizo, Death's Storehouse: A slightly toned down Rogue's passage.
Reliquary Tower: Drawing cards is fun, not having to discard them is funner.
Maze of Ith: Another way to get people to leave us alone, also stops a lot of Voltron decks in their tracks.
Strip Mine: Deals with problem lands such as Gaea's cradle and Maze of ith.
Bojuka Bog: One of our only pieces of graveyard hate.
Volrath's Stronghold: Amazing recursion, this card can enable some nuts engines.
Boseiju, who shelters all: When we cast Exsanguinate for X=30 it tends to get countered. This just helps with that pesky control match up.
Buried Ruin: We have a lot of important artifacts, this is one of our ways of getting them back.
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth: We run a lot of non basic lands, this gives them the swamp type to fuel our Cabal coffers
Cabal Coffers: The bread and butter of the deck. Wow is this card good. Should always be our first tutor target, unless their is an issue that needs answering.
Thespian's Stage: Our second Cabal Coffers. Or any other sweet land in play. Usually Cabal coffers.
Vesuva: Our third Cabal Coffers. Or any other sweet land in play. Usually Cabal coffers.
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx: Wannabe Cabal Coffers. Not always good but sometimes insane.
Anyways that's the deck. In the future I might add to this, detailing how to pilot the deck and expanding on this but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
I hope you like it and would love to hear any comments, suggestions, and criticisms.
I am considering cutting the following card(s):
Netherborn Phalanx: This card was really only in the deck for the transmute ability, and in the last year the I have cut a lot of six drops, I noticed in a game recently that my only targets are Caged sun, Nirkana revenant, Kokusho, the evening star, and Beseech the queen. I'm just not sure if he's worth running just to grab one of those four things and the spot might be better used on something else.
August 25, 2014: Belated Magic 2015 update.
Strongly considering replacing Plague Wind with In Garruk's Wake because I believe my opponents having planeswalkers is a more frequent situation then them being able to regenerate creatures. On the other hand, I do run 4 ways to deal with planeswalkers other then aggroing them. More testing needed.
July 4, 2014: Head games takes to long to resolve, and I need more ways to defend myself.
-Head games
+Maze of Ith
June 30, 2014: The deck really likes having certain lands and can be crippled if they get destroyed.
-Swamp
+Petrified field
June 21, 2014: Got some cards I've been wanting to test.
I've been wanting to try more life drain because I feel like I've been losing to many games because of the amount of life I pay.
-Death Denied
-Gravedigger
+Drain Life
+Kokusho, the evening star
June 17, 2014: Conspiracy update.
Welp. With phage loosing her zombie typing I no longer see a point in running Unholy Grotto, or Ghoulcallers chant. In addition to this I've decided that the "Counter phage, then bring her back to my hand to cast her again" battle plan, while fun, is much to convuluted to keep up with other players, so some cards that were only in for that strategy will be cut in the coming weeks.
-Unholy Grotto
-Ghoulcaller's chant
-Morbid Plunder
+Boseiju, who shelters all
+Yawgmoth's will
+Phyrexian Reclamation
BPhage-Suicide BlackB
RFastgood, a goblin can dreamR
GTitania-Who needs land?G
RGAngry Mt. Bobo-Have some landGR
UBSkeleton Ship-Happy Sea Friends!BU
RBLyzolda-What won't a witch eat?BR
WUGPhelddagrifs-Hippos aren't cuddlyGUW
WUGRoon's hidden playgroundGUW
WURShu Yun-Hold the SunRUW
WBGAnafenza-Graveyards (don't) matterGBW
UBGTasigur-Banana RepublicGBU
Since you have no problem with recursion, it's good to have as an instant spell board wipe.
Modern: WUBRG Infect
Legacy: WUBRG Belcher
5 Color control, aggro and combo. Taste the Rainbow!
I agree, I'll definitely need to try Kagemaro, First to suffeer out. Instant speed board wipes are a great deterrent and since it's a creature I can recur it to reuse it. Thanks theartdevil.
Woops, I forgot to explain Abyssal Persecutor. With him you have to give him to an opponent first, you do this through Endless Whispers. Other then enabling Phage, Persecutor is also a big flying body if I need blockers, and can create some really interesting board states. I hope that clears it up, thanks for the comment buckjunt.
I added an explanation of Abyssal Persecutor to the original post.
BPhage-Suicide BlackB
RFastgood, a goblin can dreamR
GTitania-Who needs land?G
RGAngry Mt. Bobo-Have some landGR
UBSkeleton Ship-Happy Sea Friends!BU
RBLyzolda-What won't a witch eat?BR
WUGPhelddagrifs-Hippos aren't cuddlyGUW
WUGRoon's hidden playgroundGUW
WURShu Yun-Hold the SunRUW
WBGAnafenza-Graveyards (don't) matterGBW
UBGTasigur-Banana RepublicGBU
Modern: WUBRG Infect
Legacy: WUBRG Belcher
5 Color control, aggro and combo. Taste the Rainbow!
BPhage-Suicide BlackB
RFastgood, a goblin can dreamR
GTitania-Who needs land?G
RGAngry Mt. Bobo-Have some landGR
UBSkeleton Ship-Happy Sea Friends!BU
RBLyzolda-What won't a witch eat?BR
WUGPhelddagrifs-Hippos aren't cuddlyGUW
WUGRoon's hidden playgroundGUW
WURShu Yun-Hold the SunRUW
WBGAnafenza-Graveyards (don't) matterGBW
UBGTasigur-Banana RepublicGBU
I thought of Phage as a general because I want to build 5 mono-colored weird generals (I already have Norin and Ixidor). Looking at black, there isn't that many interesting generals.
Phage is definitely one but it's pretty hard to build around it. But I guess it could just be a black good-stuff deck packed with lots of tutors and if it happens that you can cast Phage with Sundial on the board and Endless Whispers while your opponents are tapped out and that you have any sac outlet.. well, it's good I guess, instant win.
I would just be interested to know if anybody is really playing it and if you tend to try casting it with only Torpor Orb on the field (risking that it gets destroyed in response to Phage) or if you are able to play around your opponents a little bit more by playing some kind of hide and seek game... jsut waiting the right time to cast it.
Rules Advisor
Pauper decks: Weenie Tokens — Zombies
My own rules when building a Commander deck:
1) Underrated general that I can build around but the deck must work without him/her too.
2) Every card must be legal in both banlists.
3) No infinite combo that could win (and ruin) instantly a multiplayer game.
4) Synergy at all costs; stay on theme, avoid goodstuff.