So I play in a meta with no infinite combo and no MLD. This deck was built for that type of meta. I had to omit some obvious additions (Goblin Bombardment, Purphoros, God of the Forge, Murderous Redcap, etc.) in order to NOT combo out with Reveillark and Karmic Guide, but it was worth it because they both have so much synergy with the rest of the list. Enjoy!
The general idea is to use Alesha every turn, remove relevant threats, and keep control of the board with the three Grave Pact effects while getting attacks in.
The early turns are all about dumping creatures into your graveyard however you can, casting Alesha, and tuturing for either Phyrexian Arena or Skullclamp.
The deck still has two infinites in it: I can activate Martyr's Cause or Viscera Seer an arbitrarily amount of times, as well as get infinite Grave Pact triggers - but I don't think my group will wine about that, as it doesn't actually kill them.
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[Whispersilk] cloak is ideal for your general, I use it in kaalia.
I've made interesting decks with [Souls of the Faultless], [Mog Fanatic], [Wall of Souls], [Wall of Hope], [High Priest of Penance] with [Saving Grace] & [Pariah Shield]. It's wonderful for buying time, because they are all low cost cards which the other player needs to deal with before committing their creatures or attacking you may hurt them more than it hurts you.
[Children of Korlis], [Sunbond] and [Gift of Immortality] also fit that kind of deck.
[Strionic Resonator]
You should look at adding a few walls that have effects. They generally have low power and since Alesha brings them into play attacking, they can be played without being declared as an attacker.
It's always easier to suggest adding things instead of cutting them, so I'll try to go the other way a little.
- Nihil Spellbomb: not a bad card, just seems like there are better ways to do this. Remorseful Cleric is the big one, and Agent of Erebos is also solid.
- Chandra, Pyromaster: If you want a planeswalker that draws you cards, Nahiri, the Harbinger is a much better fit, and the second ability is also a lot more useful.
- Terminate: another card that's good, but the other options are just so much better. For one more mana, I'd rather have the flexibility of Anguished Unmaking. If you have enough sac outlets, Fiend Hunter and Faceless Butcher can do some fun things. Ravenous Chupacabra is always solid.
- Mana Crypt: Alesha strikes me as more of a quality over quantity deck when it comes to mana. That is, you're likely to play a lot of cheaper creatures, so you probably want a lot more mana rocks that fix your colors and a lot less piles of extra colorless. I'd rather play the third Signet, or Fellwar Stone, etc.
- Council's Judgment: I don't like this card in this format. You run the risk of enough people voting the wrong way and not getting the effect that you want. I'd rather play Utter End, Unexpectedly Absent, or the aforementioned Anguished Unmaking.
- Figure of Destiny: this isn't Standard. Paying 11 colored mana for an 8/8 flying first-strike is pretty lame. I'd rather play Grenzo, Dungeon Warden.
- Mogg War Marshal: There's no tribal synergy, so it's basically just a Grizzly Bear spread over two bodies. OK, maybe Siege-Gang Commander, but that's not enough to run this card.
- Yosei, the Morning Star: This just doesn't make much sense. It's a fine card in a vacuum, but it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of your deck.
- Yawgmoth's Will: Again, a fine card in a vacuum, but the synergy with the rest of your deck isn't really there.
3 Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
Enchantments: 7
1 Reconnaissance
3 Martyr's Cause
3 Phyrexian Arena
4 Iroas, God of Victory
4 Grave Pact
5 Dictate of Erebos
6 Martyr's Bond
Equipment: 4
1 Skullclamp
1 Basilisk Collar
2 Lightning Greaves
3 Sword of Feast and Famine
Other Artifacts: 7
0 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Orzhov Signet
2 Boros Signet
2 Talisman of Indulgence
Planeswalkers: 2
4 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
4 Chandra, Pyromaster
Instants: 7
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Path to Exile
1 Entomb
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
2 Terminate
3 Chaos Warp
Sorceries: 9
1 Faithless Looting
2 Tormenting Voice
2 Demonic Tutor
3 Wheel of Fortune
3 Yawgmoth's Will
3 Council's Judgment
3 Buried Alive
6 Austere Command
6 Merciless Eviction
1 Mother of Runes
1 Figure of Destiny
1 Viscera Seer
1 Serra Ascendant
2 Mogg War Marshal
2 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Manic Vandal
3 Imperial Recruiter
3 Necrotic Sliver
3 Soltari Visionary
3 Duergar Hedge-Mage
3 Burnished Hart
3 Sin Collector
4 Ranger of Eos
4 Disciple of Bolas
4 Solemn Simulacrum
5 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
5 Siege-Gang Commander
5 Karmic Guide
5 Reveillark
5 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
6 Sun Titan
6 Pontiff of Blight
6 Massacre Wurm
6 Duplicant
6 Palisade Giant
6 Yosei, the Morning Star
7 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
Lands: 35
1 Arid Mesa
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Marsh Flats
1 Plateau
1 Badlands
1 Scrubland
1 Blood Crypt
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Godless Shrine
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Fetid Heath
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Command Tower
1 Nomad Outpost
1 Orzhov Basilica
1 Strip Mine
1 High Market
1 Kher Keep
1 Kor Haven
1 Mistveil Plains
1 Vault of the Archangel
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Maze of Ith
2 Mountain
3 Plains
3 Swamp
The general idea is to use Alesha every turn, remove relevant threats, and keep control of the board with the three Grave Pact effects while getting attacks in.
The early turns are all about dumping creatures into your graveyard however you can, casting Alesha, and tuturing for either Phyrexian Arena or Skullclamp.
Usually the board gets flooded with creatures very quickly, and things get crazy when you're recurring Mogg War Marshal or Siege-Gang Commander every turn with Skullclamp and/or a Grave Pact in play.
In order to be able to attack every turn, there are a lot of cards to prevent or discourage blocking: Basilisk Collar, Iroas, God of Victory, Reconnaissance, Maze of Ith (targeting my own guy), Shizo, Death's Storehouse, Vault of the Archangel, etc. Both of the planeswalkers add loyalty make blocking harder. Palisade Giant will protect my other creatures from blockers most of the time as well.
The deck still has two infinites in it: I can activate Martyr's Cause or Viscera Seer an arbitrarily amount of times, as well as get infinite Grave Pact triggers - but I don't think my group will wine about that, as it doesn't actually kill them.
Usually the endgame involves either Pontiff of Blight + a bunch of creatures, or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite + a bunch of creatures, which may or may not include Massacre Wurm.
Maybeboard:
Nighthowler
Vampire Hexmage
Mindclaw Shaman
Academy Rector
If you can think of anything that I'm missing, or something you think I should cut - let me know!
BGU [Primer] Sidisi, Brood Tyrant BGU | BG [Primer] Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest BG | G [Primer] Polukranos, World Eater G
My YouTube Channel:
The Commander Tavern - a channel I just started where I'll post deck techs and gameplays. Please support by checking it out. Maybe you'll like its content and subscribe! Thanks!
Good catch, thanks! One of them was supposed to be Martyr's Cause. I get them mixed up all the time.
RGWMayael the AnimaRGW
UBRMarchesa, the Black RoseUBR
Modern Decks
RGWNaya BurnRGW
I've made interesting decks with [Souls of the Faultless], [Mog Fanatic], [Wall of Souls], [Wall of Hope], [High Priest of Penance] with [Saving Grace] & [Pariah Shield]. It's wonderful for buying time, because they are all low cost cards which the other player needs to deal with before committing their creatures or attacking you may hurt them more than it hurts you.
[Children of Korlis], [Sunbond] and [Gift of Immortality] also fit that kind of deck.
[Strionic Resonator]
You should look at adding a few walls that have effects. They generally have low power and since Alesha brings them into play attacking, they can be played without being declared as an attacker.
- Nihil Spellbomb: not a bad card, just seems like there are better ways to do this. Remorseful Cleric is the big one, and Agent of Erebos is also solid.
- Chandra, Pyromaster: If you want a planeswalker that draws you cards, Nahiri, the Harbinger is a much better fit, and the second ability is also a lot more useful.
- Terminate: another card that's good, but the other options are just so much better. For one more mana, I'd rather have the flexibility of Anguished Unmaking. If you have enough sac outlets, Fiend Hunter and Faceless Butcher can do some fun things. Ravenous Chupacabra is always solid.
- Mana Crypt: Alesha strikes me as more of a quality over quantity deck when it comes to mana. That is, you're likely to play a lot of cheaper creatures, so you probably want a lot more mana rocks that fix your colors and a lot less piles of extra colorless. I'd rather play the third Signet, or Fellwar Stone, etc.
- Council's Judgment: I don't like this card in this format. You run the risk of enough people voting the wrong way and not getting the effect that you want. I'd rather play Utter End, Unexpectedly Absent, or the aforementioned Anguished Unmaking.
- Figure of Destiny: this isn't Standard. Paying 11 colored mana for an 8/8 flying first-strike is pretty lame. I'd rather play Grenzo, Dungeon Warden.
- Mogg War Marshal: There's no tribal synergy, so it's basically just a Grizzly Bear spread over two bodies. OK, maybe Siege-Gang Commander, but that's not enough to run this card.
- Yosei, the Morning Star: This just doesn't make much sense. It's a fine card in a vacuum, but it doesn't seem to fit with the rest of your deck.
- Yawgmoth's Will: Again, a fine card in a vacuum, but the synergy with the rest of your deck isn't really there.