Hey all! My OTHER sister-in-law is a bit more of a seasoned player, and loves bugs. So for her Christmas Gift, we wanted to give her a bug tribal deck. I am well aware that Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest is stronger and he's in the 99, but red expands her options and Xira is a more interesting commander. I want this deck to be not just a fun gift for her, but also a lesson - she tends to fire stuff off instead of holding up mana to interact at instant speed. Xira Arien rewards waiting, and I wanted this deck to do the same:
A few things to draw attention too:
- The combo! Fire Ants + Saber Ants, Broodhatch Nantuko, or Hornet Nest can make some bugs every turn. These bugs can either be food for sacrifice outlets OR can just keep growing with an anthem effect or Mazirek around.
- There are lots of instant-speed tricks, mana sinks, and morph cards to encourage playing on other people's turns.
- How does it win? Probably by slamming down Overrun, Coat of Arms, or Overwhelming Stampede with a sufficient number of dudes on the table, but Devouring Swarm, Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest and enough little guys can do it too, as can drawing a ton of cards with Xira and a few other spells, and then voltron-ing out with Empyrial Plate.
The maybeboard here was smaller, but I'm on the lookout for strong instant-speed effects on a $2 budget. Also considering splurging for Dictate of Erebos which seems strong in this list. Revel in Riches was a more budget-friendly option, and Earthquake or Savage Twister alongside the "when this creature is dealt damage make that many bugs" cards seems funny as well. I did consider [chard]Shamanic Revelation[/card] and it's still a considerataion over Kindred Summons. I also considered being cute with Toil//Trouble, Barbed Shocker, and Spiteful Visions but ultimately decided it was too silly and didn't play well with the tribal themes.
Suggestions? Advice? Thanks!
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Sufferer of EDHD
Commander - Currently Playing: RCRDaretti: Superfriends Forever RCR WGBDoran: Ent-mootWBG GGGMultani: Group Bear HugGGG GB(B/G)The Gitrog Monster: Dredgefall DurdleGB(B/G) RGWGahiji, the Honored Group Hug MonsterRGW UB(U/B)Yuriko, Ninja Trinket AggroUB(U/B) WUBRGAtogatog: Assembling a OHKOWUBRG
Add Suggestions:
-No Swarmyard in an Insect Tribal deck makes me a sad man.
-Brass Herald. Calling all bugs!
-Infested Roothold. Most players will be playing artifacts to make this worthwhile, maybe. Maybe.
-Alpha Status, though not a great option without Hexproof guys. Pennon Blade if you're going to have token swarms going on may be the more reliable option. Either option can help you beef up the Commander and fly for the throat of another player.
-Thriss, Nantuko Primus. Helps you fall back on the "make something real big" strategy.
-I don't like one-time use card draw like Altar's Reap. Honestly I'd substitute it for something repeatable like Carnage Altar.
- On a budget I'm a fan of the Diamonds, like Moss Diamond, as the second to the Signets. Also why not Gruul Signet?
Cut Suggestions:
-Mortician Beetle. Stuff that only exists to be a big dork I don't find to be worth it.
-Giant Solifuge. The Shroud helps, but... at the end of the day thanks to that Shroud it's really just a 4/1 bug which isn't a huge benefit in Commander. Especially since the deck seems to want to make swarms and then eat them.
-You have a lot of spot removal, and a lot of artifact and enchantment removal as well. I think you can afford to lose some of it. Maybe consider splashing in a board wipe like Black Sun's Zenith? It's close to your budget range.
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3 Xira Arien
Creatures: 30
1 Caustic Caterpillar
1 Hex Parasite
1 Mortician Beetle
1 Scute Mob
2 Brood of Cockroaches
2 Broodhatch Nantuko
3 Army Ants
3 Endless Cockroaches
3 Devouring Swarm
3 Fire Ants
3 Hornet Nest
3 Nantuko Elder
3 Nantuko Husk
3 Stronghold Assassin
4 Giant Solifuge
4 Nantuko Cultivator
4 Nantuko Vigilante
4 Saber Ants
5 Gigapede
5 Giant Ambush Beetle
5 Grave-shell Scarab
5 Invader Parasite
5 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
5 Swarm of Bloodflies
6 Archetype of Finality
6 Dragonlair Spider
6 Gleancrawler
7 Giant Adephage
7 Hornet Queen
8 Living Hive
1 Last-ditch Effort
1 Tragic Slip
2 Altar's Reap
2 Ancient Grudge
2 Doom Blade
2 Driven // Despair
2 Farseek
2 Golgari Charm
2 Rakdos Charm
2 Rampant Growth
2 Terminate
3 Putrefy
3 Harrow
3 Krosan Grip
4 Wrecking Ball
5 Overrun
5 Overwhelming Stampede
7 Kindred Summons
Artifacts: 10
1 Sol Ring
1 Skullclamp
2 Empyrial Plate
2 Rakdos Signet
2 Golgari Signet
2 Swiftfoot Boots
3 Golgari Keyrune
3 Obelisk of Jund
5 Coat of Arms
5 Vanquisher's Banner
3 Fecundity
3 Fires of Yavimaya
3 Words of Waste
5 Perilous Forays
Land: 37
1 Command Tower
1 Savage Lands
1 Unclaimed Territory
1 Opal Palace
1 Bloodfell Cave
1 Jungle Hollow
1 Rugged Highlands
1 Grim Backwood
1 Evolving Wilds
10 Forest
10 Swamp
8 Mountain
A few things to draw attention too:
- The combo! Fire Ants + Saber Ants, Broodhatch Nantuko, or Hornet Nest can make some bugs every turn. These bugs can either be food for sacrifice outlets OR can just keep growing with an anthem effect or Mazirek around.
- There are lots of instant-speed tricks, mana sinks, and morph cards to encourage playing on other people's turns.
- How does it win? Probably by slamming down Overrun, Coat of Arms, or Overwhelming Stampede with a sufficient number of dudes on the table, but Devouring Swarm, Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest and enough little guys can do it too, as can drawing a ton of cards with Xira and a few other spells, and then voltron-ing out with Empyrial Plate.
The maybeboard here was smaller, but I'm on the lookout for strong instant-speed effects on a $2 budget. Also considering splurging for Dictate of Erebos which seems strong in this list. Revel in Riches was a more budget-friendly option, and Earthquake or Savage Twister alongside the "when this creature is dealt damage make that many bugs" cards seems funny as well. I did consider [chard]Shamanic Revelation[/card] and it's still a considerataion over Kindred Summons. I also considered being cute with Toil//Trouble, Barbed Shocker, and Spiteful Visions but ultimately decided it was too silly and didn't play well with the tribal themes.
Suggestions? Advice? Thanks!
RCRDaretti: Superfriends Forever RCR
WGBDoran: Ent-mootWBG
GGGMultani: Group Bear HugGGG
GB(B/G)The Gitrog Monster: Dredgefall DurdleGB(B/G)
RGWGahiji, the Honored Group Hug MonsterRGW
UB(U/B)Yuriko, Ninja Trinket AggroUB(U/B)
WUBRGAtogatog: Assembling a OHKOWUBRG
-No Swarmyard in an Insect Tribal deck makes me a sad man.
-Brass Herald. Calling all bugs!
-Infested Roothold. Most players will be playing artifacts to make this worthwhile, maybe. Maybe.
-Alpha Status, though not a great option without Hexproof guys. Pennon Blade if you're going to have token swarms going on may be the more reliable option. Either option can help you beef up the Commander and fly for the throat of another player.
-Thriss, Nantuko Primus. Helps you fall back on the "make something real big" strategy.
-I don't like one-time use card draw like Altar's Reap. Honestly I'd substitute it for something repeatable like Carnage Altar.
- On a budget I'm a fan of the Diamonds, like Moss Diamond, as the second to the Signets. Also why not Gruul Signet?
Cut Suggestions:
-Mortician Beetle. Stuff that only exists to be a big dork I don't find to be worth it.
-Giant Solifuge. The Shroud helps, but... at the end of the day thanks to that Shroud it's really just a 4/1 bug which isn't a huge benefit in Commander. Especially since the deck seems to want to make swarms and then eat them.
-You have a lot of spot removal, and a lot of artifact and enchantment removal as well. I think you can afford to lose some of it. Maybe consider splashing in a board wipe like Black Sun's Zenith? It's close to your budget range.