Hello Everyone! This has been my pet deck for quite some time now and I was hoping for some advice from the Salvation community on how to improve it. The strategy is fairly straight forward: play creatures that sacrifice others and creatures that like being sacrificed.
Notes for discussion of the deck:
I have always loved graveyard strategies (hence the sacrifice and recursion) so improving on that aspect of the deck is ideal.
Infinite combos are ok if kept at a minimum so they aren't the focus of the deck and can be avoided if it wouldn't be welcomed in a certain playgroup.
I want to avoid strategies that end up taking really long turns. I see EDH as a social game and I don't want to be taking boringly long turns.
Lastly, I know the manabase could use some serious upgrading and I will add duels/fetches as I acquire them so no need to discuss that. However, discussion of utility lands is welcome.
Okay Mr. Sunshine. So I have loved this aristocrats deck since you first made me face it back with my Monogreen deck. Now I have some ideas for it:
Dictate of erebos: another Grave pact effect is good especially when you run as many of those effects and it can replace Butcher of malakir as Butcher is really expensive for what he does.
Eternal Witness: With it getting reprinted in the new commander decks it should help with its value even more but this little gal does a lot of work especially when brought back.
Ashnod's Altar: I know we chatted about this pet card of mine a few weeks ago but I felt like mentioning it again as it is incredibly powerful and can help fuel out some of your bigger beaters.
Acidic Slime, Reclamation Sage: Both of these act as Naturalize on a stick so you can reanimate them or sac them to the cause for some graveborn tokens.
Temur Sabertooth: Allows you to reuse ETB effects and can help provide some protection to value creatures.
Scavenging Ooze: We both know I have a bit of a hard-on for this ooze but damn is he good. You don't need mass graveyard removal when you can instant speed remove reanimation targets.
I feel your ramp package is a little light and I know you said no talking about mana base but Im going to anyway as I have to play against this IRL. Cards such as: Deathrite Shaman, Harrow, Nature's Lore, and Life from the Loam with the on-color fetches should help your manabase. Other cards to help with ramp are Burnished Hart, the Signets, Black Market, and Arbor Elf espically if you run the shocks and the tango duals.
And on to the mana base: run the 3 shocks, the 3 on color fetches , the 3 checks, command tower, Ghost quarter, strip mine, Urborg + cabal Coffers, Mortuary Mire, Bojuka Bog, Savage Lands, and atleast 3 of each basic. that gives you still a lot of variably with your lands as the ones I listed give you 26 lands so you can increase with basics, man lands, utility, or the new tango/slow duals Cinder Glade and Smoldering Marsh.
Okay Mr. Sunshine. So I have loved this aristocrats deck since you first made me face it back with my Monogreen deck. Now I have some ideas for it:
Dictate of erebos: another Grave pact effect is good especially when you run as many of those effects and it can replace Butcher of malakir as Butcher is really expensive for what he does.
Eternal Witness: With it getting reprinted in the new commander decks it should help with its value even more but this little gal does a lot of work especially when brought back.
Ashnod's Altar: I know we chatted about this pet card of mine a few weeks ago but I felt like mentioning it again as it is incredibly powerful and can help fuel out some of your bigger beaters.
Acidic Slime, Reclamation Sage: Both of these act as Naturalize on a stick so you can reanimate them or sac them to the cause for some graveborn tokens.
Temur Sabertooth: Allows you to reuse ETB effects and can help provide some protection to value creatures.
Scavenging Ooze: We both know I have a bit of a hard-on for this ooze but damn is he good. You don't need mass graveyard removal when you can instant speed remove reanimation targets.
Dictate is good and I definitely want to be packing as many grave pact effects as possible. But one of the reasons I like Butcher is it's a creature that I can pod into or reanimate.
I don't have any good reason for not adding Witness or Ashnod's Altar yet.
I'm sure I have an Acidic Slime sitting around somewhere.
Pawn of Ulamog just seems dirty. He's mini Sek'Kuar who ramps. I'm gonna track down one of these.
I'm not sure how I feel about Temur Sabertooth. I can see how it's good, but if I go for that effect I think I would rather use more reanimation.
Yes. I need to get myself a ScOoze.
Is Lili good in a multiplayer environment? I just see her as a lot weaker with 4+ people and I'm not actually gunning for my opponents' hands.
I feel your ramp package is a little light and I know you said no talking about mana base but Im going to anyway as I have to play against this IRL. Cards such as: Deathrite Shaman, Harrow, Nature's Lore, and Life from the Loam with the on-color fetches should help your manabase. Other cards to help with ramp are Burnished Hart, the Signets, Black Market, and Arbor Elf espically if you run the shocks and the tango duals.
I do agree with this. No need for me to try playing a weird dark hugs deck here. I do have an Outpost Siege sitting around from a recent draft, so I'll throw that in and that should free up another slot.
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Notes for discussion of the deck:
- I have always loved graveyard strategies (hence the sacrifice and recursion) so improving on that aspect of the deck is ideal.
- Infinite combos are ok if kept at a minimum so they aren't the focus of the deck and can be avoided if it wouldn't be welcomed in a certain playgroup.
- I want to avoid strategies that end up taking really long turns. I see EDH as a social game and I don't want to be taking boringly long turns.
- Lastly, I know the manabase could use some serious upgrading and I will add duels/fetches as I acquire them so no need to discuss that. However, discussion of utility lands is welcome.
Without further ado, the deck:5 Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper
Creatures
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
1 Viscera Seer
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
2 Harvester Druid
2 Thunderscape Familiar
2 Blood Artist
2 Apprentice Necromancer
2 Bloodghast
2 Nether Traitor
2 Reassembling Skeleton
3 Yavimaya Elder
3 Big Game Hunter
3 Lyzolda, the Blood Witch
3 Scarland Thrinax
3 Doomed Necromancer
3 Stinkweed Imp
3 Flamewake Phoenix
4 Solemn Simulacrum
4 Creakwood Liege
4 Savra, Queen of the Golgari
4 Shattergang Brothers
4 Falkenrath Aristocrat
4 Dimir House Guard
4 Anger
4 Filth
4 Muderous Redcap
5 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
5 Bloodgift Demon
5 Seizan Perverter of Truth
5 Kresh the Bloodbraided
5 Thromok the Insatiable
5 Fallen Angel
6 Reaper from the Abyss
6 Harvester of Souls
6 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
6 Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni
6 Deadwood Treefolk
6 Homura, Human Ascendant
6 Wurmcoil Engine
7 Rune-Scarred Demon
7 Butcher of Malakir
8 Symbiotic Wurm
1 Sol Ring
1 Skullclamp
2 Lightning Greaves
2 Anvil of Bogardan
2 Nim Deathmantle
4 Birthing Pod
6 Staff of Nin
Enchantments
4 Grave Pact
4 Greater Good
Spells
0 Living End
1 Crop Rotation
2 Terminate
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Sylvan Scrying
3 Putrefy
3 Death Cloud
4 Wrecking Ball
4 Dread Return
4 Chain Reaction
5 Living Death
6 Beseech the Queen
6 Mob Rule
Lands
1 Raging Ravine
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Rugged Highlands
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
1 Grand Coliseum
1 Tarnished Citadel
1 Vivid Marsh
1 Command Tower
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Jund Panorama
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Svogthos, the Restless Tomb
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Strip Mine
6 Forest
4 Mountain
6 Swamp
Dictate of erebos: another Grave pact effect is good especially when you run as many of those effects and it can replace Butcher of malakir as Butcher is really expensive for what he does.
Eternal Witness: With it getting reprinted in the new commander decks it should help with its value even more but this little gal does a lot of work especially when brought back.
Ashnod's Altar: I know we chatted about this pet card of mine a few weeks ago but I felt like mentioning it again as it is incredibly powerful and can help fuel out some of your bigger beaters.
Acidic Slime, Reclamation Sage: Both of these act as Naturalize on a stick so you can reanimate them or sac them to the cause for some graveborn tokens.
Pawn of Ulamog: I love this guy as he provides bodies for grave pact and allows for some ramp.
Temur Sabertooth: Allows you to reuse ETB effects and can help provide some protection to value creatures.
Scavenging Ooze: We both know I have a bit of a hard-on for this ooze but damn is he good. You don't need mass graveyard removal when you can instant speed remove reanimation targets.
Liliana of the veil: You have one so might as well use it.
Purphoros, God of the Forge: for every death you get a free shock for everyone... might as well play Vicious Shadows also...
I feel your ramp package is a little light and I know you said no talking about mana base but Im going to anyway as I have to play against this IRL. Cards such as: Deathrite Shaman, Harrow, Nature's Lore, and Life from the Loam with the on-color fetches should help your manabase. Other cards to help with ramp are Burnished Hart, the Signets, Black Market, and Arbor Elf espically if you run the shocks and the tango duals.
And on to the mana base: run the 3 shocks, the 3 on color fetches , the 3 checks, command tower, Ghost quarter, strip mine, Urborg + cabal Coffers, Mortuary Mire, Bojuka Bog, Savage Lands, and atleast 3 of each basic. that gives you still a lot of variably with your lands as the ones I listed give you 26 lands so you can increase with basics, man lands, utility, or the new tango/slow duals Cinder Glade and Smoldering Marsh.
Also I have a Courser of Kruphix for you.
Cards that I feel are weaker:
Seizan Perverter of Truth and Anvil of Bogardan: These draw effects are decent but you can play other draw spells to help you such as night's whisper, Harmonize, or Necrolgia you also could play draw permanents such as: Necropotence, Phryexian Arena or Outpost Siege.
Wrecking Ball: Dreadbore will most likely prove more useful and Beast Within more powerful. Chaos Warp is now just a few bucks and offers another source of versatile removal.
I hope this counts as tearing it apart like you asked for.
I'm going to try acquiring a Deathrite Shaman. What are your thoughts on Wood Elves.
I do agree with this. No need for me to try playing a weird dark hugs deck here. I do have an Outpost Siege sitting around from a recent draft, so I'll throw that in and that should free up another slot.