MTG Salvation

I wanted to build a deck that was different from the other decks I run and I realized I didn't have a deck with a distinct land focus, and since I regularly play against Sultai Lands I didn't want to do that. This deck was almost Naya and Almost Jund but there isn't really a good commander in either of those shards for what I wanted to do, so I took inspiration from that quote and decided to make it simple direct and brutal Borborygmos is what emerged.

Things Being Considered / Don't have a copy of:
Keen Sense - this is the most obvious thing it is really good on this guy and will eventually get in here.

Zuran Orb

Storm Cauldron - maybe, I am never sure about these kind of effects but it does seem really amazing in this deck

Inferno/Starstorm/Anger of the Gods/Mizzium Mortars - I am considering downplaying the aggro Elemental sub theme the deck has right now for a lot of creature removal and control instead but am not sure about it.

Lightning Storm - I like it as a weird ace in the hole alternative to Commander in case of bad things happening.

-Insert A Bunch of Expensive Lands Here-


The Deck



How it Works

The deck as it is built has three main paths to victory and some weird side paths that are also fun.

1. Throw Lands from Hand at Opponents

Borborygmos Enraged or Seismic Assault is on the field means that drawing lands are not dead draws and combined with the various double damage effects (used cautiously and sometimes not) and things like Life From the Loam which if the deck had a copy of Keen Sense becomes an impossible to stop Engine of Destruction, Groundskeeper and Mina and Denn, Wildborn also help with supplying more lands.

Killing someone in response at the end of their combo with a Sprouting Vines and Commander in play is so so sweet.

2. Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle

Welcome to this bastardization of so many other constructed strategies. This deck has the potential to create 3 copies of Valakut at one time through Vesuva and Thespian's Stage. All the double damage effects also work with lands (that is why I am not running Gratuitous Violence), Prismatic Omen is largely required to make this strategy lethal to opponents as it turns on massive land swing damage powerhouses like Splendid Reclamation and/or Scapeshift. People don't like when you apply both of them in the same turn.

Note the way Vesuva works like a clone means in order for it to be able to enter as a Valakut off a search a Valakut must already be in play and not part of the same mass search.

3. Elementals

This deck can play a lot of lands a turn, a bunch of those lands also sacrifice to do things. Titania, Protector of Argoth and Omnath, Locus of Rage can create a formidable force in short work.

4. Voltron?!

Vigor is generally a good creature that can save and empower board in a pinch from nasty effects, it can also be used in conjunction with your own burn to buff your creatures. Commander + Vigor + 5 Lands in Hand = 22 Commander Damage as Borb throws the lands at his own head to Victory.



The rest of the deck is generally the ramp draw and support needed to move within striking distance of those victory plays, any and all suggestions are welcome I love playing this thing and due to its potential for explosions has come from behind in some truly magical ways.

I'm always glad to see another Borborygmos Enraged decks. He's one of my all-time favorite commanders, with throwing lands at people one of my all-time favorite pastimes.

One thing that I've noticed is that Borgy tends to die A LOT. I compensated for this in my deck by cutting down on other win conditions (ironically enough) and upping the total land I ran, so that it was more or less guaranteed that he would pop back into play two turns or less after he was killed. One game I ended up winning, but the final time I brought him into play the Commander tax made it so that I had to pay 24 mana. I'm not saying that's the best or most competitive way to go, but I've had a lot of fun with it.

I've found that Borgy can get very good at the political game, in the most red-green way possible. There's been several times where I, in second place, have flashed my hand at some low-life player, proving that I have enough land in hand to kill them. I then said something along the lines of "Either you [do something I need of them] or I kill you." Just make sure to follow through on the threat the first few times you make it, even if it ends up costing you the game, and try to get a real crazy look in your eye. Then they'll start listening.

A few cards that I didn't see you mention but would probably serve Gruul well:

Snake Umbra: This is Keen Sense #2. Costs more mana, but makes Borgy a bit bigger and protects him from some removal.

Abundance: With Keen Sense or Snake Umbra, this makes Borgy about as consistent as Niv-Mizzet and his Ophidian Eye.

Yavimaya Elder: Pure card advantage for Borgy. "Pay 5 mana, draw a card and two free Lightning Bolts."

Barrel Down Sokenzan: This miiiight be a little janky, and probably works better in my deck since I run more basics, but I'm in love. It originated in my first throw-lands-at-people brew, which had to have a Saviors of Kamigawa-based engine as part of a bet I'd made. I've several times had it deal the death-blow; it just recently saved me from a Zur the Enchanter deck by sweeping up and dealing the last few points of damage in a good old fashioned "Red Counterspell" on some removal targeting Borgy.

Reliquary Tower: I rarely just want to throw lands as soon as I have them. It's much more fun to build up and wave a big hand full of cards at people who might do you wrong. The discard phase sucks, amirite?

As for cards to cut, I'd take a hard look at Azusa, Lost but Seeking, Exploration and Burgeoning. Those are bonkers cards, don't get me wrong, but their best use is early in the game to rush something out. The problem I see is that they're looking to rush out Borgy, who then wants the lands that have been played in his hand. Cultivate would probably be a good add for more ramp; I see you have Kodama's Reach already in there.

The Vigor play is super cute. I might have to put that in my own deck, just for the mental image that it conjures up. "Ouch! I make me stronger! Ouch! I'm winning!"

I play this commander as well. What you really need to make Storm Cauldron work is Manabond. If you have no need to toss your land, you can put it all back on the field each end step, while everyone else can't. It is quite the advantage.

Also Constant Mists is great when you can afford to sac a land and usually have a lot of ways to get them back.