I for one welcomes our new vorthos overlord (overload).
Mairsil, the Pretender 1UBR
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard
When Marisil, the Pretender enters the battlefield you may exile an artifact or creature card from your hand or graveyard and put a cage counter on it.
Marisil, the Pretender has all activated abilities of all cards you own in exile with cage counters on them. You may activate each of those abilities only once each turn.
--------------
Snarky bastard with as many tricks as creatures/artifact you can think of with activated abilities, I’ve always been a fan of swissarmy knife style creatures like Necrotic Ooze.
I’m willing to be people are already thinking about how to break Marsil with combos, there is a limitation to his ability: You can only activate one of each ability once per turn, so it hinders it somewhat, but not too much in the grand scheme.
Note that Marsil’s trigger happens when he enters the battle first, he does NOT have to die. Bounce, blink, and reanimate all works with Marsil, and he would return more powerful than your opponent could possibly imagine.
Potential Wincons/Strategies:
1) Artifacts: Emphasis on charge counters and +1/+1 counters, potentially going infinite on turn taking and effects.
2) Combat: Power up via various combination of creature/artifact abilities and go unblockable. Particularly effective with untap abilities.
3) Control Archmage: Mix of all kinds of tricks to maintain board/hand advantage.
More than anything else, this general needs a list of cards set up. The following was gathered from the spoiler thread and discussion thread, more will be added. I will categorize them later.
4) Tribal Zombie seems to work well with milling and tokens, plus Phenax and The Scarab God.
The exiled cards remain exiled with cage counters when Mairsil leaves the battlefield. If Mairsil returns to the battlefield, it will see all of those exiled cards with cage counters on them.
If another player gains control of Mairsil, it will have the abilities of only cards that player owns in exile with cage counters on them.
Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written "[Cost]: [Effect]." Some keyword abilities (such as equip) are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text. Mairsil won't gain triggered abilities (which start with "when," "whenever," or "at").
If an activated ability of a card in exile with a cage counter on it references the card it's printed on by name, treat Mairsil's instance of that ability as though it referenced Mairsil by name instead. For instance, if Mairsil exiles Magus of the Mind, the cost to activate the ability includes sacrificing Mairsil, not sacrificing Magus of the Mind.
If one of Mairsil's abilities is countered, most likely because its target became illegal before it resolved, it can't be activated again in the same turn.
If multiple cards exiled with cage counters on them have the same ability, Mairsil will have multiple instances of that ability. Each may be activated once each turn.
If you have a creature enter the battlefield as a copy of Mairsil, its first ability triggers. You won't be able to activate any abilities before the "legend rule" applies, but the triggered ability will still let you exile another card with a cage counter regardless of which Mairsil you keep.
If Mairsil gains an activated ability that's normally linked to a non-activated ability of the card it came from, the ability Mairsil has isn't linked to any ability. For example, if Mairsil exiles Prototype Portal, the activated ability creates no tokens at all; it doesn't create Prototype Portal tokens.
If Mairsil gains an activated ability that's normally linked to another activated ability of the card it came from, those two abilities Mairsil gains are linked for as long as Mairsil remains on the battlefield. For example, if Mairsil exiles Izzet Chemister, cards exiled with the first ability Mairsil gained from Izzet Chemister can be cast if you activate the second ability it gained that way. Izzet Chemister itself can't be cast this way, and if Mairsil leaves the battlefield before activating that second ability, the cards exiled with that first ability are lost forever.
If Mairsil has a crew ability, creatures can crew Mairsil. It'll become an artifact creature, but its power and toughness remain unchanged.
If Mairsil has an equip ability, activating it won't cause anything to happen. Mairsil doesn't become attached to a creature. They may remain friends. (NO WAY!)
There are a few comments to the effect that this card is not that great, they are not the majority, but, look...
Mairsil, the Pretender: definitely doesn't suck
Compulsion
Muddle the Mixture
Mana Drain
Counterspell
Remand
Thirst for Knowledge
Courier's Capsule
Shattering Pulse
Capsize
Forbid
Dismiss
Mystic Confluence
Fabricate
Force of Will
Pact of Negation
Intuition
Spell Burst
Scrap Mastery
Artificer's Intuition
Trinket Mage
Drift of Phantasms
Wheel of Fortune
Future Sight
Windfall
Strategic Planning
Forbidden Alchemy
Long-Term Plans
Goblin Welder
Kefnet the Mindful = no geddons #2 mainly
Daretti, Scrap Savant
Wurmcoil Engine
Steel Hellkite
Bosh, Iron Golem
Phyrexian Metamorph
Memnarch
Karn, Silver Golem
Myr Battlesphere
Sol Ring
Mana Vault
Mana Crypt
Grim Monolith
Tormod's Crypt
Wayfarer's Bauble
Chromatic Star
Chromatic Sphere
Metalworker = !!!! Is allowed?
Relic of Progenitus
Sensei's Divining Top
Anvil of Bogardan
Izzet Signet
Dimir Signet
Rakdos Signet
Coalition Relic
Unstable Obelisk
Armillary Sphere
Gem of Becoming
Nevinyrral's Disk
Oblivion Stone
Phyrexian Processor
Jalum Tome
Crucible of Worlds
Coercive Portal
Smokestack
Staff of Domination
Spine of Ish Sah
Trading Post
Ring of Gix
Mishra's Helix
Urza's Blueprints
Mindslaver
Expedition Map
// Fun times only = Mizzium Transreliquat, others
+/- a few things
Academy Ruins
Bojuka Bog
Tolaria West
Buried Ruin
Thawing Glaciers
Duals, fetches, Watery Grave, Steam Vents
Urza's Factory
Gargoyle Castle
3 on color artifact lands
Geier Reach Sanitarium
Deserted Lighthouse
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Mouth of Ronom
Scrying Sheets
Snow basics, no others
He doesn't suck, you can't get rid of the caged cards by usual means that you play here. That's powerful. He's a Welder when you get that going. Various things like that you can't get rid of, how does it suck? It's downright awesome. Fundamentally, you have an efficient creature, and even against hate you can set up a one time intelligent play of just having something really good that won't go away. With enough of a shell that is just plain good. Any one of them. In particular, just simply leaning on the land fetchers into non-self-kill on the disk or oblivion stone, yours or otherwise. Isn't affected by null rod, HAS but ISN'T, this is spectacular. It is THIS guy who is insane, not the wizard copier. Absurd. This is totally nutso.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Warning: Um, warning. This is going to be a game state violation. And a taking extra turns and drawing extra cards violation, pretty much, a whole bunch of violations. Look at me, I'm the DCI."
There are a few comments to the effect that this card is not that great, they are not the majority, but, look...
Mairsil, the Pretender: definitely doesn't suck
Compulsion
Muddle the Mixture
Mana Drain
Counterspell
Remand
Thirst for Knowledge
Courier's Capsule
Shattering Pulse
Capsize
Forbid
Dismiss
Mystic Confluence
Fabricate
Force of Will
Pact of Negation
Intuition
Spell Burst
Scrap Mastery
Artificer's Intuition
Trinket Mage
Drift of Phantasms
Wheel of Fortune
Future Sight
Windfall
Strategic Planning
Forbidden Alchemy
Long-Term Plans
Goblin Welder
Kefnet the Mindful = no geddons #2 mainly
Daretti, Scrap Savant
Wurmcoil Engine
Steel Hellkite
Bosh, Iron Golem
Phyrexian Metamorph
Memnarch
Karn, Silver Golem
Myr Battlesphere
Sol Ring
Mana Vault
Mana Crypt
Grim Monolith
Tormod's Crypt
Wayfarer's Bauble
Chromatic Star
Chromatic Sphere
Metalworker = !!!! Is allowed?
Relic of Progenitus
Sensei's Divining Top
Anvil of Bogardan
Izzet Signet
Dimir Signet
Rakdos Signet
Coalition Relic
Unstable Obelisk
Armillary Sphere
Gem of Becoming
Nevinyrral's Disk
Oblivion Stone
Phyrexian Processor
Jalum Tome
Crucible of Worlds
Coercive Portal
Smokestack
Staff of Domination
Spine of Ish Sah
Trading Post
Ring of Gix
Mishra's Helix
Urza's Blueprints
Mindslaver
Expedition Map
// Fun times only = Mizzium Transreliquat, others
+/- a few things
Academy Ruins
Bojuka Bog
Tolaria West
Buried Ruin
Thawing Glaciers
Duals, fetches, Watery Grave, Steam Vents
Urza's Factory
Gargoyle Castle
3 on color artifact lands
Geier Reach Sanitarium
Deserted Lighthouse
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Mouth of Ronom
Scrying Sheets
Snow basics, no others
He doesn't suck, you can't get rid of the caged cards by usual means that you play here. That's powerful. He's a Welder when you get that going. Various things like that you can't get rid of, how does it suck? It's downright awesome. Fundamentally, you have an efficient creature, and even against hate you can set up a one time intelligent play of just having something really good that won't go away. With enough of a shell that is just plain good. Any one of them. In particular, just simply leaning on the land fetchers into non-self-kill on the disk or oblivion stone, yours or otherwise. Isn't affected by null rod, HAS but ISN'T, this is spectacular. It is THIS guy who is insane, not the wizard copier. Absurd. This is totally nutso.
Yes, Mairsil capable of going many routes is one of his greatest strength. It only works with activated abilities of creatures and artifacts you exiled from your hand or GY, but still got many options.
He doesn't suck, you can't get rid of the caged cards by usual means that you play here. That's powerful. He's a Welder when you get that going. Various things like that you can't get rid of, how does it suck? It's downright awesome. Fundamentally, you have an efficient creature, and even against hate you can set up a one time intelligent play of just having something really good that won't go away. With enough of a shell that is just plain good. Any one of them. In particular, just simply leaning on the land fetchers into non-self-kill on the disk or oblivion stone, yours or otherwise. Isn't affected by null rod, HAS but ISN'T, this is spectacular. It is THIS guy who is insane, not the wizard copier. Absurd. This is totally nutso.
Yes, Mairsil capable of going many routes is one of his greatest strength. It only works with activated abilities of creatures and artifacts you exiled from your hand or GY, but still got many options.
While you can do all sorts of interesting things with him, you still have to make sure to not play too many "cute" or suboptimal cards in order to still stay in the game even when Mairsil gets removed too often. So I don't know about Shifty Doppelganger, although it could be fine if you add a reanimator subtheme with cards like Apprentice Necromancer.
Aetherling is a very nice card for Mairsil as the blink ability protects him super well AND lets him cage new stuff!
Exile on demand is very powerful, so while Aetherling and Deadeye Navigator are musts I think I'm willing to go deep on other cards that might give him that power such as Argent Sphinx. I wish I could find other stuff that works, but everything else requires sacrifice (Voyager Staff), costs a ton (Nephalia Smuggler, or doesn't technically grant him an activated ability (Frenetic Sliver).
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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
Exile on demand is very powerful, so while Aetherling and Deadeye Navigator are musts I think I'm willing to go deep on other cards that might give him that power such as Argent Sphinx. I wish I could find other stuff that works, but everything else requires sacrifice (Voyager Staff), costs a ton (Nephalia Smuggler, or doesn't technically grant him an activated ability (Frenetic Sliver).
Couple notes:
He can do each activated ability he has gained once. It does not matter which card it came from. So yes, versatile stuff like Aetherling is amazing since it gives you 4 abilities you can use once per turn. Plus Aetherling gives him cheap blink, so yea, all star.
Caging Rings of Brighthearth and Illusionist's Bracers does nothing. Well almost nothing: he gets the equip activated ability. But since he's a creature he would immediately fall off as a state based effect if you tried to equip him so yea - nothing. The part you actually want from those two cards is a triggered ability not an activated ability, he does not get those.
Caging dead-eye navigator gives him nothing. Dead eye navigator only gets the blink ability when he is soul bounded. So when you just exile him, he is not soul bounded and therefore does not have a blink ability for Mairsil to borrow. Blink is so good dead-eye probably goes in but just be aware - caging him would be a really bad move.
Little trickier then you might be giving it credit for. That which was taken gives him an activated ability that lets him put a divinity counter on any permanent besides himself. So if you caged myojin as well you'd get myojin's ability but wouldn't have any way to add a divinity counter to Mairsil. You could cheat myojin into play though and go to town, or play that which was taken and cage the myojin. But can't cage both.
Mostly replying so I get updates. Very interested in this deck. Will go through after work to see what else I can dig up. Like a lot of the suggestions so far. Important note: non-tap abilities are 3-4x more valuable then tap ones. We can play those repeatedly in a round on every person's turn. Tap abilities get an immediate downgrade since we can only do them once period. If we queue up a whole bunch of tap abilities we really aren't getting mega value out of mairsil.
Marsil is also an "exile outlet", i.e., if you manage to take control of an opponent's creature, you can exile it permanently. You don't get to use the creature's ability, but you can still exile it for good.
I'm so using Mist Dragon in my Mairsil list. Phasing is sooo good defensive wise.
Nice, yea phasing is amazing defense. Check out Rainbow Efreet though, a lot cheaper phasing. Vodalian Illusionist is also nice, taps unfortunately but it is targetted so you can protect others too.
Wait, so if the name of a caged creature or artifact is mentioned in its activated ability, it is also "changed"? That would make Tree of Perdition bonkers - you could just casually set your opponents to 4 life.
Edit: Nevermind, it has to be this way or Aetherling wouldn't be so good with Mairsil. That's ... pretty nice.
Wait, so if the name of a caged creature or artifact is mentioned in its activated ability, it is also "changed"? That would make Tree of Perdition bonkers - you could just casually set your opponents to 4 life.
Edit: Nevermind, it has to be this way or Aetherling wouldn't be so good with Mairsil. That's ... pretty nice.
Isn't there some blue creature somewhere that can change it's Power/Toughness?
Imagine being able to dome someone else for 40 Commander damage after that.
Marsil is also an "exile outlet", i.e., if you manage to take control of an opponent's creature, you can exile it permanently. You don't get to use the creature's ability, but you can still exile it for good.
Wouldn't Aetherling and Gilded Lotus go infinite? Sorry for the lack of card tags, im on my phone
He can only use the abilities once per turn.
BUT, if there are multiple artifact/creatures of similar abilities, they can all be used once that turn. Love how redundant cards can be of use in EDH in cases like Mairsil. :3
Thank you all evil masterminds thus far! We're coming up with a big list, next we should focus on combos also.
I for one welcomes our new vorthos overlord (overload).
Mairsil, the Pretender
1UBR
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard
When Marisil, the Pretender enters the battlefield you may exile an artifact or creature card from your hand or graveyard and put a cage counter on it.
Marisil, the Pretender has all activated abilities of all cards you own in exile with cage counters on them. You may activate each of those abilities only once each turn.
--------------
Snarky bastard with as many tricks as creatures/artifact you can think of with activated abilities, I’ve always been a fan of swissarmy knife style creatures like Necrotic Ooze.
I’m willing to be people are already thinking about how to break Marsil with combos, there is a limitation to his ability: You can only activate one of each ability once per turn, so it hinders it somewhat, but not too much in the grand scheme.
Note that Marsil’s trigger happens when he enters the battle first, he does NOT have to die. Bounce, blink, and reanimate all works with Marsil, and he would return more powerful than your opponent could possibly imagine.
Potential Wincons/Strategies:
1) Artifacts: Emphasis on charge counters and +1/+1 counters, potentially going infinite on turn taking and effects.
2) Combat: Power up via various combination of creature/artifact abilities and go unblockable. Particularly effective with untap abilities.
3) Control Archmage: Mix of all kinds of tricks to maintain board/hand advantage.
More than anything else, this general needs a list of cards set up. The following was gathered from the spoiler thread and discussion thread, more will be added. I will categorize them later.
4) Tribal Zombie seems to work well with milling and tokens, plus Phenax and The Scarab God.
1 Arcanis the Omnipotent
1 Archivist
1 Azami, Lady of Scrolls
1 Kefnet the Mindful
1 Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
Looter
1 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
1 Merfolk Looter
Discard
1 Pack Rat
Dredge
1 Mirror-Mad Phantasm
Damage
1 Crypt Rats
1 Hateflayer
1 Heartless Hidetsugu
1 Pestilence Demon
1 Phyrexian Devourer
1 Tree of Perdition
Combat/Size
1 Chimeric Staff
1 Merfolk Thaumaturgist
1 Phantasmal Fiend
1 Turtleshell Changeling
1 Thassa, God of the Sea
Haste (And More)
1 Blighted Bat
1 Jawbone Skulkin
1 Marchesa's Smuggler
1 Rage Weaver
1 Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
1 Skyship Stalker
1 Whip Sergeant
Proteciton
1 Advanced Hoverguard
1 Deepwood Ghoul
1 Horror of the Dim
1 Rainbow Efreet
1 Soul of New Phyrexia
Control
1 Empress Galina
1 Infernal Denizen
1 Memnarch
Removal
1 Avatar of Woe
1 Bloodshot Trainee
1 Demonic Hordes
1 Dwarven Blastminer
1 Dwarven Miner
1 Gorilla Shaman
1 Helldozer
1 Kuro, Pitlord
1 Minion of Leshrac
1 Ovinomancer
1 Royal Assassin
1 Steel Hellkite
1 Visara the Dreadful
Untap Self
1 Eater of the Dead
1 Horseshoe Crab
1 Pili-Pala
Untap Others
1 Aphetto Alchemist
1 Fatestitcher
1 Vizier of Tumbling Sands
Bounce
1 Cavern Harpy
1 Galecaster Colossus
1 Palinchron
1 Temporal Adept
1 Time Elemental
1 Tradewind Rider
1 Argent Sphinx
1 Deadeye Navigator
1 Nephalia Smuggler
Clone
1 Dimir Doppelganger
1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker
1 Myr Propagator
Copy
1 Meletis Charlatan
1 Nivix Guildmage
Counterspells
1 Ertai, Wizard Adept
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Kozilek, the Great Distortion
1 Mausoleum Wanderer
Mill
1 Grenzo, Dungeon Warden
1 Phenax, God of Deception
Reanimate
1 Apprentice Necromancer
1 Balthor the Defiled
1 Chainer, Dementia Master
1 Coffin Queen
1 Feldon of the Third Path
1 Geth, Lord of the Vault
1 Havengul Lich
1 Hell's Caretaker
1 The Scarab God
Artifact Tricks
1 Arcum Dagsson
1 Goblin Welder
1 Muzzio, Visionary Architect
Snapcasting
1 Dralnu, Lich Lord
1 Izzet Chemister
Token
1 Bloodline Keeper
1 Cryptbreaker
1 Ghoulcaller Gisa
1 Lich Lord of Unx
+1/+1 Counters (And effects)
1 Blade of the Bloodchief
1 Anthroplasm
1 Arcbound Ravager
1 Arcbound Reclaimer
1 Ashling the Pilgrim
1 Clockwork Dragon
1 Cruel Sadist
1 Crystalline Crawler
1 Dark Impostor
1 Deathbringer Thoctar
1 Falkenrath Exterminator
1 Hangarback Walker
1 Kilnmouth Dragon
1 Mindless Automaton
1 Sage of Hours
1 Simic Manipulator
1 Solarion
1 Sphinx of Magosi
1 Syndicate Trafficker
1 Triskelion
1 Walking Ballista
1 Wall of Blood
Mana
1 Magus of the Coffers
1 Patron of the Moon
Magus
1 Magus of the Wheel
1 Magus of the Will
Myojin
1 Myojin of Infinite Rage
1 Myojin of Night's Reach
1 Myojin of Seeing Winds
1 That Which was Taken
1 Inalla, Archmage Ritualist
1 Jhoira of the Ghitu
Spellshaper
1 Alexi, Zephyr Mage
1 Balloon Peddler
1 Bog Witch
1 Bola Warrior
1 Cackling Witch
1 Cloudseeder
1 Diplomatic Escort
1 Divining Witch
1 Dreamscape Artist
1 Firefright Mage
1 Greel, Mind Raker
1 Hammer Mage
1 Instigator
1 Jaya Ballard, Task Mage
1 Latulla, Keldon Overseer
1 Notorious Assassin
1 Overtaker
1 Seismic Mage
1 Skirk Ridge Exhumer
1 Sparkspitter
1 Stronghold Biologist
1 Stronghold Machinist
1 Tolarian Sentinel
1 Trickster Mage
1 Undertaker
1 Urborg Syphon-Mage
1 Waterfront Bouncer
Licid
1 Convulsing Licid
1 Corrupting Licid
1 Dominating Licid
1 Enraging Licid
1 Gliding Licid
1 Leeching Licid
1 Stinging Licid
Multi-Functions
1 Aetherling
1 Cephalid Inkshrouder
1 Cinderhaze Wretch
1 Disciple of the Ring
1 Djinn of Infinite Deceits
1 Dragon Whisperer
1 Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
1 Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet
1 Karn, Silver Golem
1 Knacksaw Clique
1 Mist Dragon
1 Morphling
1 Nin, the Pain Artist
1 Olivia Voldaren
1 Oona, Queen of the Fae
1 Razaketh, the Foulblooded
1 Shauku, Endbringer
1 Shifty Doppelganger
1 Skeleton Scavengers
1 Spellskite
1 Taigam, Sidisi's Hand
1 Torchling
1 Vodalian Illusionist
1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
1 Immortal Coil
1 Planar Portal
1 Urza's Blueprints
Protection
1 Cauldron of Souls
Bounce
1 Crystal Shard
1 Erratic Portal
Self-Exile
1 Cold Storage
Clone
1 Mirage Mirror
Land Tricks
1 Cyclopean Tomb
Charge Counters
1 Gemstone Array
1 Grindclock
1 Lux Cannon
1 Magistrate's Scepter
1 Orochi Hatchery
1 Riptide Replicator
1 Ventifact Bottle
Removal
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
1 Oblivion Stone
1 Proteus Staff
1 Unstable Obelisk
Mill
1 Codex Shredder
1 Ghoulcaller's Bell
1 Grindstone
1 Helm of Obedience
1 Keening Stone
1 Millstone
1 Sands of Delirium
1 Shriekhorn
1 Whetstone
1 Whip of Erebos
Suppression
1 Amber Prison
1 Barl's Cage
1 Ring of Gix
Control
1 Mindslaver
1 Muse Vessel
1 Vedalken Shackles
Token
1 Phyrexian Processor
Untap Self
1 Basalt Monolith
1 Grim Monolith
1 Mana Vault
Mana
1 Astral Cornucopia
1 Everflowing Chalice
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Metalworker
1 Mishra's Helix
1 Sol Ring
1 Thran Dynamo
Sac Outlet
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Zuran Orb
1 Blade of Selves
1 Strionic Resonator
Exile GY
1 Relic of Progenitus
Module
1 Animation Module
1 Decoction Module
1 Fabrication Module
Proliferate
1 Contagion Clap
1 Contagion Engine
PW
1 The Chain Veil
Multi-Functions
1 Decimator Web
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Shell of the Last Kappa
1 Staff of Domination
1 Trading Post
1 Careful Study
1 Faithless Looting
Activation Assist
1 Illusionist's Bracers)
1 Magewright's Stone
1 Rings of Brighthearth
1 Thousand-Year Elixir
1 Training Grounds
Haste
1 Anger
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Flamekin village.
1 Hall of the Bandit Lord
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Darksteel Plate
1 Tawnos's Coffin
Back-Up Plan
1 Necrotic Ooze
1 Quicksilver Elemental
1 Riptide Laboratory
1 Sakashima the Impostor
Reanimation
1 Animate Dead
1 Exhume
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
1 Reanimate
1 Tortured Existence
Clone
1 Cackling Counterpart
1 Fated Infatuation
1 Mirage Mirror
1 Mirror of the Forebears
1 Rite of Replication
1 Kess, Dissdent Mage
1 Snapcaster Mage
Fetch
1 Buried Alive
1 Entomb
1 Intuition
Blink
1 Conjurer's Closet
1 Essence Flux
1 Ghostly Flicker
1 Voyager Staff
Combo:
1) Phyrexian Devourer and Triskelion or other +1/+1 damagers
2) Anthroplasm + Sage of Hours, Ventifact Bottle + Magistrate's Scepter
3) Darksteel Plate or blink effects + Nevinyrral's Disk
4) Quicksilver Elemental/Sakashima the Imposter + a caged untap ability allows extra combinations, and Quicksilver does not have the one activation limit, and if you cage it you can target yourself to gain all abilities with no restrictions. (EDIT: Link to the rule clarification, apparently this does not go infinite. https://twitter.com/EliShffrn/status/897894399329222656)
5) Using Quicksilver Elemental to remove restriction, untap/tap for infinite mana, and win likely with Oona, Queen of the Fae
Let’s upgrade the universe!
----------------------------------
EDIT: Comprehensive ruling on Mairsil is here.
The exiled cards remain exiled with cage counters when Mairsil leaves the battlefield. If Mairsil returns to the battlefield, it will see all of those exiled cards with cage counters on them.
If another player gains control of Mairsil, it will have the abilities of only cards that player owns in exile with cage counters on them.
Activated abilities contain a colon. They're generally written "[Cost]: [Effect]." Some keyword abilities (such as equip) are activated abilities and will have colons in their reminder text. Mairsil won't gain triggered abilities (which start with "when," "whenever," or "at").
If an activated ability of a card in exile with a cage counter on it references the card it's printed on by name, treat Mairsil's instance of that ability as though it referenced Mairsil by name instead. For instance, if Mairsil exiles Magus of the Mind, the cost to activate the ability includes sacrificing Mairsil, not sacrificing Magus of the Mind.
If one of Mairsil's abilities is countered, most likely because its target became illegal before it resolved, it can't be activated again in the same turn.
If multiple cards exiled with cage counters on them have the same ability, Mairsil will have multiple instances of that ability. Each may be activated once each turn.
If you have a creature enter the battlefield as a copy of Mairsil, its first ability triggers. You won't be able to activate any abilities before the "legend rule" applies, but the triggered ability will still let you exile another card with a cage counter regardless of which Mairsil you keep.
If Mairsil gains an activated ability that's normally linked to a non-activated ability of the card it came from, the ability Mairsil has isn't linked to any ability. For example, if Mairsil exiles Prototype Portal, the activated ability creates no tokens at all; it doesn't create Prototype Portal tokens.
If Mairsil gains an activated ability that's normally linked to another activated ability of the card it came from, those two abilities Mairsil gains are linked for as long as Mairsil remains on the battlefield. For example, if Mairsil exiles Izzet Chemister, cards exiled with the first ability Mairsil gained from Izzet Chemister can be cast if you activate the second ability it gained that way. Izzet Chemister itself can't be cast this way, and if Mairsil leaves the battlefield before activating that second ability, the cards exiled with that first ability are lost forever.
If Mairsil has a crew ability, creatures can crew Mairsil. It'll become an artifact creature, but its power and toughness remain unchanged.
If Mairsil has an equip ability, activating it won't cause anything to happen. Mairsil doesn't become attached to a creature. They may remain friends. (NO WAY!)
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Also Cold Storage would be strange.
There are a few comments to the effect that this card is not that great, they are not the majority, but, look...
Mairsil, the Pretender: definitely doesn't suck
Compulsion
Muddle the Mixture
Mana Drain
Counterspell
Remand
Thirst for Knowledge
Courier's Capsule
Shattering Pulse
Capsize
Forbid
Dismiss
Mystic Confluence
Fabricate
Force of Will
Pact of Negation
Intuition
Spell Burst
Scrap Mastery
Artificer's Intuition
Trinket Mage
Drift of Phantasms
Wheel of Fortune
Future Sight
Windfall
Strategic Planning
Forbidden Alchemy
Long-Term Plans
Goblin Welder
Kefnet the Mindful = no geddons #2 mainly
Daretti, Scrap Savant
Wurmcoil Engine
Steel Hellkite
Bosh, Iron Golem
Phyrexian Metamorph
Memnarch
Karn, Silver Golem
Myr Battlesphere
Sol Ring
Mana Vault
Mana Crypt
Grim Monolith
Tormod's Crypt
Wayfarer's Bauble
Chromatic Star
Chromatic Sphere
Metalworker = !!!! Is allowed?
Relic of Progenitus
Sensei's Divining Top
Anvil of Bogardan
Izzet Signet
Dimir Signet
Rakdos Signet
Coalition Relic
Unstable Obelisk
Armillary Sphere
Gem of Becoming
Nevinyrral's Disk
Oblivion Stone
Phyrexian Processor
Jalum Tome
Crucible of Worlds
Coercive Portal
Smokestack
Staff of Domination
Spine of Ish Sah
Trading Post
Ring of Gix
Mishra's Helix
Urza's Blueprints
Mindslaver
Expedition Map
// Fun times only = Mizzium Transreliquat, others
+/- a few things
Academy Ruins
Bojuka Bog
Tolaria West
Buried Ruin
Thawing Glaciers
Duals, fetches, Watery Grave, Steam Vents
Urza's Factory
Gargoyle Castle
3 on color artifact lands
Geier Reach Sanitarium
Deserted Lighthouse
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Mouth of Ronom
Scrying Sheets
Snow basics, no others
He doesn't suck, you can't get rid of the caged cards by usual means that you play here. That's powerful. He's a Welder when you get that going. Various things like that you can't get rid of, how does it suck? It's downright awesome. Fundamentally, you have an efficient creature, and even against hate you can set up a one time intelligent play of just having something really good that won't go away. With enough of a shell that is just plain good. Any one of them. In particular, just simply leaning on the land fetchers into non-self-kill on the disk or oblivion stone, yours or otherwise. Isn't affected by null rod, HAS but ISN'T, this is spectacular. It is THIS guy who is insane, not the wizard copier. Absurd. This is totally nutso.
Yes, Mairsil capable of going many routes is one of his greatest strength. It only works with activated abilities of creatures and artifacts you exiled from your hand or GY, but still got many options.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Yes, Mairsil capable of going many routes is one of his greatest strength. It only works with activated abilities of creatures and artifacts you exiled from your hand or GY, but still got many options.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
While you can do all sorts of interesting things with him, you still have to make sure to not play too many "cute" or suboptimal cards in order to still stay in the game even when Mairsil gets removed too often. So I don't know about Shifty Doppelganger, although it could be fine if you add a reanimator subtheme with cards like Apprentice Necromancer.
Aetherling is a very nice card for Mairsil as the blink ability protects him super well AND lets him cage new stuff!
I am pretty sure it would be the same as Ooze, http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/magic-fundamentals/magic-rulings/magic-rulings-archives/293688-necrotic-ooze-and-level-up-creatures
Excellent idea! Will add.
Good call, will remove.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Exile on demand is very powerful, so while Aetherling and Deadeye Navigator are musts I think I'm willing to go deep on other cards that might give him that power such as Argent Sphinx. I wish I could find other stuff that works, but everything else requires sacrifice (Voyager Staff), costs a ton (Nephalia Smuggler, or doesn't technically grant him an activated ability (Frenetic Sliver).
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
Mirror-Mad Phantasm Combo Bull*****
That Which was Taken Myojin of Seeing Winds BULL*****
Avatar of Woe could actually be good here?
Cryptbreaker makes Zombies for protection on the ground.
Djinn of Infinite Deceits for annoying shenanigans.
Feldon of the Third Path: More reanimation!
Heartless Hidetsugu - bring the pain.
Hell's Caretaker for even more reanimation.
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker because why not.
Magus of the Coffers, just add Urborg.
Whip of Erebos - the reanimation never ends.
Also, a few untappers would be good (so we can use Mairsil's abilities on opponent's turns): Fatestitcher, Aphetto Alchemist, Vizier of Tumbling Sands.
How does Mairsil work with cards like Coffin Queen or Tree of Perdition? He doesn't, right?
Blade of Selves fills up those cages quicker
Couple notes:
Little trickier then you might be giving it credit for. That which was taken gives him an activated ability that lets him put a divinity counter on any permanent besides himself. So if you caged myojin as well you'd get myojin's ability but wouldn't have any way to add a divinity counter to Mairsil. You could cheat myojin into play though and go to town, or play that which was taken and cage the myojin. But can't cage both.
Mostly replying so I get updates. Very interested in this deck. Will go through after work to see what else I can dig up. Like a lot of the suggestions so far. Important note: non-tap abilities are 3-4x more valuable then tap ones. We can play those repeatedly in a round on every person's turn. Tap abilities get an immediate downgrade since we can only do them once period. If we queue up a whole bunch of tap abilities we really aren't getting mega value out of mairsil.
“I once had an entire race killed just to listen to the rattling of their dried bones as I waded through them.”
—Volrath
What? No? He only exiles from hand or yard.
Nice, yea phasing is amazing defense. Check out Rainbow Efreet though, a lot cheaper phasing. Vodalian Illusionist is also nice, taps unfortunately but it is targetted so you can protect others too.
Frenetic efreet and chance encounter also sound like lots of fun.
“I once had an entire race killed just to listen to the rattling of their dried bones as I waded through them.”
—Volrath
Edit: Nevermind, it has to be this way or Aetherling wouldn't be so good with Mairsil. That's ... pretty nice.
Watch as he reorganizes the top of your library before spinning himself onto the top of it!
Isn't there some blue creature somewhere that can change it's Power/Toughness?
Imagine being able to dome someone else for 40 Commander damage after that.
Dragons of Legend, Lead by Scion of the UR-Dragon
The Gitrog Monster
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Shogun Saskia
Hive World
Atraxa hates fun
Abzan
URGRiku, Sorcerer SupremeGRU
Who needs permanents anyways?
WUBRGDeckbuilder's ToolboxGRBUW
Warning:Contents include 34 decks and growing
He can only use the abilities once per turn.
Dragons of Legend, Lead by Scion of the UR-Dragon
The Gitrog Monster
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Shogun Saskia
Hive World
Atraxa hates fun
Abzan
My mistake, will change. :3
BUT, if there are multiple artifact/creatures of similar abilities, they can all be used once that turn. Love how redundant cards can be of use in EDH in cases like Mairsil. :3
Thank you all evil masterminds thus far! We're coming up with a big list, next we should focus on combos also.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs