Keeping this short and sweet to the point as I currently looking to polish my deck an bit. Overall gameplan is to swarm with Rat Colony very quickly, as I am already being targeted out of my playgroup due to the use of these lovable swarm of rats that will black out the sun.
Update 5/21/18
Bit of an update/sharing of games; to start I finished second in an 12 man single elimination tournament at my local game store. I went undefeated till the final round facing decks various generals such as The Locust God, Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim, and Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger to name an few. I was an turn faster than each as I played aggressively typically winning with two rat colony after my general hit the field on turn 4 or 5(most notably I did not have to make rat tokens). The final game was versus the other undefeated player who was running Godo, Bandit Warlord + Helm of the Host combo, which was on the play opened with Simian Spirit Guide in hand and played an mountain into sol ring to Ruby Medallion then Vessel of Volatility via shaman spirit guide. Ultimately the game ended on turn 5 or 6 (I got 3 turns and dropped my own swamp to sol ring into jet medallion then the following turn dropped my commander then on my final turn and handful of rat colony). Needless to say my opponent got their fateful turn and I bluffed an removal with one black mana open but they risked it and won the biscuit via entering combat with an helm tutored by gedo into Hammer of Nazahn. An truly electrifying game but was one turn short as had lethal damage via production of rat tokens, which left me being rat boi(surely out of fun non derogatory in any way).
Great suggestions, honestly forgot about staff I should have one somewhere...should I take out boots for it? As for Rings and Thawing Glaciers for some reason my three local card shops have outrageous prices and players hold onto these specific cards till their final breath.
marrow-gnawer + Ashnod's altar + staff of domination = infinite colourless mana, infinite life, infinite card draw and infinite rat rokens
Tutor them up and spit them out for 6 mana to go to infinite town
Solid suggestions, I have often found myself weighing the value of Ashnod's Altar to altar of dementia and/or vice-versa. Oddly enough in the mid to late game I often find myself swimming in unused mana after the second or fifth wrath of god and company, so am unsure on the additional mana at this point but will most certainly keep these two in mind.
Will add an suggested cards section shortly in addition to recent updates/tweaks
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!
As for Rings and Thawing Glaciers for some reason my three local card shops have outrageous prices and players hold onto these specific cards till their final breath.
Not much else to add. Run more tutors and more ramp if you want a more competitive deck, but only you can know the right power-level to have fun games with your group.
Best of luck, and enjoy your rats!
I am overwhelmed by the amount of suggestions/interest in my deck I will attempt to reply to each in turn.
As for DementedKirby and crimhead the choice of "trimming" Thrumming Stone for the moment is somewhat of an experiment with my playgroup/meta rather than they all gang up on me at once due to say resolved stone and subsequent rat army. I have found myself gain an few turns longer, to be under the radar so to speak, with gradual build up followed by bursts of damage typically leaving an lone survivor at the table(typically 3-4 players per table) if left unanswered.
To keep things brief I will touch on the key points that stood out to me in your particular suggestions. Another honorary member of the Nezumi for 5 Years, most impressive! I sure hope they come out with more rats in the following 5 years! As for the everyone draw an card...state based action... I win?!?!?! Most clever indeed, also will aid in shoring up my hand when things go slow. Speaking of when things go slow, nothing like an well timed "We're BACK!!!" plays which I am working towards acquiring Patriarch's Bidding as there is an distinct lack of tribal.
For the most part I am not a fan of "hand disruption" Rats. If we had a Rat like Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur, that would be great! But the Rats we have tend do too little to wreck our opponent (but to much to annoy them). I took the Miser Rats out of my deck because they either did nothing or they did very little but got me constantly attacked. I think Rotting Rats is terrible - the discard is symmetric and we are not a deck that really wants our cards in the graveyard.
That said, Nezumi Cutthroat is also weak. Fear is not so hot given our General imbues this already. And a 2/1 attacker is not very good in EDH.
Bone-Reader I kind of like. You make a lot of black mana with your "Cabal" lands, so if you can flood the board with tokens you should have a good chance to completely strip some hands out (particularly the hands that are likely holding sweepers). It's a hard card to use well if you don't have a strong board already, so that's the downside.
Swarm Of Rats is also pretty good. If you play it the turn before you go off with Thornbite Staff, you can kill a player right away.
So I like swapping Cutthroat for Bone-Reader, but I would keep Swarm over Rotting Rats.
I'm surprised you ate not playing the "good" Rats I mentioned though. Throat-Slitter, Nezumi Graverobber, Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni, and Crypt Rats. These cards are actually good enough to see play outside of Rat tribal.
I've been a bit busy lately, but look forward to ongoing discussions with another Rat player.
I really dig Bontu's Monument. Somehow that card had passed under my radar. It also makes me cringe even more at the thought of removing Thrumming Stone! But I think our metas are a little different. Thrumming Stone doesn't draw nearly as much fire when decks like Super-Friends, Elves, etc, are not uncommon. Also I see a lot of sweepers. That makes Stone less threatening. But also more fun, because I rarely win just by dropping it and going off. Often I'll stop after 6-12 Rats just to hold a good position and draw the Wraths. If your playgroup is softer to combo, I can see Thrumming Stone being a big target (and not much fun).
Update 5/21/18
Bit of an update/sharing of games; to start I finished second in an 12 man single elimination tournament at my local game store. I went undefeated till the final round facing decks various generals such as The Locust God, Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim, and Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger to name an few. I was an turn faster than each as I played aggressively typically winning with two rat colony after my general hit the field on turn 4 or 5(most notably I did not have to make rat tokens). The final game was versus the other undefeated player who was running Godo, Bandit Warlord + Helm of the Host combo, which was on the play opened with Simian Spirit Guide in hand and played an mountain into sol ring to Ruby Medallion then Vessel of Volatility via shaman spirit guide. Ultimately the game ended on turn 5 or 6 (I got 3 turns and dropped my own swamp to sol ring into jet medallion then the following turn dropped my commander then on my final turn and handful of rat colony). Needless to say my opponent got their fateful turn and I bluffed an removal with one black mana open but they risked it and won the biscuit via entering combat with an helm tutored by gedo into Hammer of Nazahn. An truly electrifying game but was one turn short as had lethal damage via production of rat tokens, which left me being rat boi(surely out of fun non derogatory in any way).
1 Marrow-Gnawer
Lands
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Cabal Stronghold
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Path of Ancestry
25 Swamp
1 Swarmyard
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Wasteland
1 Altar of Dementia
1 Bontu's Monument
1 Eldrazi Monument
1 Extraplanar Lens
1 Herald's Horn
1 Jet Medallion
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
1 Thought Vessel
1 Vanquisher's Banner
1 Whip of Erebos
1x Crypt Ghast
1x Disciple of Bolas
1x Drainpipe Vermin
1x Gnat Miser
1x Locust Miser
1x Nezumi Bone-Reader
1x Ogre Slumlord
1x Pack Rat
25x Rat Colony
1x Ratcatcher
1x Rotting Rats
1x Ruin Rat
1x Smothering Abomination
Enchantment
1 Bad Moon
1 Dictate of Erebos
1 Grave Pact
1 Mind Slash
1 Necropotence
1 Underworld Connections
1 Ad Nauseam
1 Vona's Hunger
1 Sudden Spoiling
Sorcery
1 Diabolic Intent
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Hymn to Tourach
1 Killing Wave
1 Lab Rats
1 Living Death
1 Patriarch's Bidding
1 Plague of Vermin
Suggestions/Recommendations
1 Rings of Brighthearth
1 Thawing Glaciers
1 Ashnod's altar
1 staff of domination
1 Strip Mine
1 Cover of Darkness
Added an wishlist updated card list
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Volrath's Stronghold
Changed Chopping Block to Suggestions/Recommendations
1 Thrumming Stone
1 Ad Nauseam
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Nezumi Cutthroat
1 Swarm of Rats
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Patriarch's Bidding
1 Rotting Rats
1 Nezumi Bone-Reader
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Wasteland
(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) JUMP IN THE LINE, ROCK YOUR BODY IN TIME
(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) STEALIN' WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUYIN'
Great suggestions, honestly forgot about staff I should have one somewhere...should I take out boots for it? As for Rings and Thawing Glaciers for some reason my three local card shops have outrageous prices and players hold onto these specific cards till their final breath.
Solid suggestions, I have often found myself weighing the value of Ashnod's Altar to altar of dementia and/or vice-versa. Oddly enough in the mid to late game I often find myself swimming in unused mana after the second or fifth wrath of god and company, so am unsure on the additional mana at this point but will most certainly keep these two in mind.
Will add an suggested cards section shortly in addition to recent updates/tweaks
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!
My 1st EDH deck was Marrow-Gnawer with [card[Relentless Rats[/card]. 5 years later, it's still an old favourite.
Totally agree, I would not cut this card. In fact I would run 5 or 6+ more Rat Colonies if you want to be consistent.
Altar Of Dementia is a solid win-condition. If you run it with Mikokoro, or Geier Reach Sanitarium, you can kill at instant speed (and respond to Eldrazi triggers).
Rite Of Consumption is another good finisher. And Rogue's Passage can get the job done if Fear is not enough.
Myriad Landscape is a good alternative to thawing Glaciers.
Other suggestions:
I would run more Living Death effects (eg, Twilight's Call). Feldon's Cane is almost just as good if Thrumming Stone is live.
And you are missing some fun rats (and a fun rat-friend).
- Nezumi Graverobber
- Ink-Eyes, Servant Of Oni
- Throat Slitter
- Patron Of The Nezumi
I assume you are running Crypt Rats, and not Crypt Ghast (which is illegal)? Crypt Rats is great - especially with Swarmyard. Put a Vampiric Link on it too or a winning 3-card combo!Not much else to add. Run more tutors and more ramp if you want a more competitive deck, but only you can know the right power-level to have fun games with your group.
Best of luck, and enjoy your rats!
https://fieldmarshalshandbook.wordpress.com/
RUGLegacy Lands.dec
RUGBLegacy Lands.dec
RGLegacy Lands.dec
WUBRG EDH Lands.dec
UBR EDH Artificer Prodigy
B EDH Relentless Rats
Door of Destinies
Heirloom Blade
Obelisk of Urd
Beseech the Queen
As for DementedKirby and crimhead the choice of "trimming" Thrumming Stone for the moment is somewhat of an experiment with my playgroup/meta rather than they all gang up on me at once due to say resolved stone and subsequent rat army. I have found myself gain an few turns longer, to be under the radar so to speak, with gradual build up followed by bursts of damage typically leaving an lone survivor at the table(typically 3-4 players per table) if left unanswered.
To keep things brief I will touch on the key points that stood out to me in your particular suggestions. Another honorary member of the Nezumi for 5 Years, most impressive! I sure hope they come out with more rats in the following 5 years! As for the everyone draw an card...state based action... I win?!?!?! Most clever indeed, also will aid in shoring up my hand when things go slow. Speaking of when things go slow, nothing like an well timed "We're BACK!!!" plays which I am working towards acquiring Patriarch's Bidding as there is an distinct lack of tribal.
Your suggestion of Heirloom Blade and Obelisk of Urd are of particular interest, will keep my eye out for these while trading next week.
As for new discussion what do you folks think of "The Following"
1 Nezumi Cutthroat
1 Swarm of Rats
1 Nezumi Bone-Reader
1 Rotting Rats
That said, Nezumi Cutthroat is also weak. Fear is not so hot given our General imbues this already. And a 2/1 attacker is not very good in EDH.
Bone-Reader I kind of like. You make a lot of black mana with your "Cabal" lands, so if you can flood the board with tokens you should have a good chance to completely strip some hands out (particularly the hands that are likely holding sweepers). It's a hard card to use well if you don't have a strong board already, so that's the downside.
Swarm Of Rats is also pretty good. If you play it the turn before you go off with Thornbite Staff, you can kill a player right away.
So I like swapping Cutthroat for Bone-Reader, but I would keep Swarm over Rotting Rats.
I'm surprised you ate not playing the "good" Rats I mentioned though. Throat-Slitter, Nezumi Graverobber, Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni, and Crypt Rats. These cards are actually good enough to see play outside of Rat tribal.
I've been a bit busy lately, but look forward to ongoing discussions with another Rat player.
I really dig Bontu's Monument. Somehow that card had passed under my radar. It also makes me cringe even more at the thought of removing Thrumming Stone! But I think our metas are a little different. Thrumming Stone doesn't draw nearly as much fire when decks like Super-Friends, Elves, etc, are not uncommon. Also I see a lot of sweepers. That makes Stone less threatening. But also more fun, because I rarely win just by dropping it and going off. Often I'll stop after 6-12 Rats just to hold a good position and draw the Wraths. If your playgroup is softer to combo, I can see Thrumming Stone being a big target (and not much fun).
https://fieldmarshalshandbook.wordpress.com/
RUGLegacy Lands.dec
RUGBLegacy Lands.dec
RGLegacy Lands.dec
WUBRG EDH Lands.dec
UBR EDH Artificer Prodigy
B EDH Relentless Rats
(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) JUMP IN THE LINE, ROCK YOUR BODY IN TIME
(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) STEALIN' WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUYIN'
Bit of an update/sharing of games; to start I finished second in an 12 man single elimination tournament at my local game store. I went undefeated till the final round facing decks various generals such as The Locust God, Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim, and Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger to name an few. I was an turn faster than each as I played aggressively typically winning with two rat colony after my general hit the field on turn 4 or 5(most notably I did not have to make rat tokens). The final game was versus the other undefeated player who was running Godo, Bandit Warlord + Helm of the Host combo, which was on the play opened with Simian Spirit Guide in hand and played an mountain into sol ring to Ruby Medallion then Vessel of Volatility via shaman spirit guide. Ultimately the game ended on turn 5 or 6 (I got 3 turns and dropped my own swamp to sol ring into jet medallion then the following turn dropped my commander then on my final turn and handful of rat colony). Needless to say my opponent got their fateful turn and I bluffed an removal with one black mana open but they risked it and won the biscuit via entering combat with an helm tutored by gedo into Hammer of Nazahn. An truly electrifying game but was one turn short as had lethal damage via production of rat tokens, which left me being rat boi(surely out of fun non derogatory in any way).
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Nezumi Cutthroat
1 Swarm of Rats
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Patriarch's Bidding
1 Rotting Rats
1 Nezumi Bone-Reader
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Wasteland