When Hour of Devastation first came out, I was able to pick up a foil copy of The Scarab God for the low price of $20. Since then, he's become a "god" of standard (pun intended), and his price has skyrocketed. He also has numerous different attributes to build around (zombies, reanimator, mill, or just Dimir goodstuff). I'm looking for some inspiration to build around this awesome card in the Commander format, but I'm a little stuck as most everyone seems to be trying to do all of the things with this card.
Budget is mostly not an issue, save for the really obscure stuff (Portal, etc).
Power level is probably somewhere in the middle (as long as everyone gets to play the game, and one person isn't blowing up all lands or taking infinite turns or something, it's usually OK).
Playgroup is usually 2-4 other people of similar play-style.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
While I haven't played with or against him and honestly don't plan to I think he's best suited to a good stuff-y reanimator with zombie subtheme deck. He's got reanimation and zombie production built in so you can give some of the slots you would normally dedicate to that to some more controlling elements. Toss in some zombie rewards like Endless Ranks of the Dead and Noxious Ghoul and self mill and you've got a deck.
Lookup The Pirate God thread in my signature, and join the conversation!
Sorry about that post. I replied from my iPhone after seeing your post on the main page of MTG Salvation. The mobile version doesn’t show that it was under Commander (or I didn’t saw it, if it did). I just saw Scarab Gob, got excited, and replied right away.
I really like that The Pirate God plays both Aggro-Control and Midrange in Standard. Unlike UB Control of Standard, you can't rely on your opponent’s creatures to give value to your Commander. What if opponent doesn’t play much creatures himself? I would make sure the deck is self reliable and plays enough creatures with ETB effects, across the curve, to target with the God's ability. Hostage Taker is from Standard, but its ETB ability is amazing and I would definitely include it in the deck.
I'd say go for value. You don't lose to boardwipes, you'll have more answers to any given situation, and it is up to you to figure out how to win with the tools everyone has.
Also, you have access to some of monoblack's mana doublers. I'd use some of the cheaper ones to help feed the ability.
His ability being instant speed should push you towards some amount of countermagic. Training Grounds, of course! He can hate on graveyard strategies too.
He has played really well in my zombie tribal deck, located in my signature. He rewards you for playing the same game plan that a zombie tribal deck will already be doing (throwing out lots of zombies, filling up the graveyard, profit).
Can I just say how jelly I am that you got a foil for $20? Well done.
It's kind of a blessing and a curse, as I've yet to actually find a use for it. But yes, I bought it right after the release, then stepped away from the game for a couple weeks, and was shocked to come back and see that the price had jumped so high.
I'd say go for value. You don't lose to boardwipes, you'll have more answers to any given situation, and it is up to you to figure out how to win with the tools everyone has.
Also, you have access to some of monoblack's mana doublers. I'd use some of the cheaper ones to help feed the ability.
Besides monoblack, there's also High Tide. It's an insanely powerful Fallen Empires card; naturally, this means it's a common and you can get it for less than 40¢. And it's an instant.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Control + reanimation. That's how I roll with my deck.
^- I agree. I'm not huge on the Tribal aspect, but just playing it as a U/B Control-Reanimator Build with a few Zombie synergy cards (Lich Lord of Unx, Ghoulcaller Gisa, etc) to really feed that triggered ability? I'm game. The Scarab God's activated ability being a reanimate-style effect is pretty sweet too, since you'd probably want to leave up mana whenever possible.
Also, congrats on getting one for $20. I picked up an Invocation ASAP, for about $50, because I love U/B in Commander.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
When Hour of Devastation first came out, I was able to pick up a foil copy of The Scarab God for the low price of $20. Since then, he's become a "god" of standard (pun intended), and his price has skyrocketed. He also has numerous different attributes to build around (zombies, reanimator, mill, or just Dimir goodstuff). I'm looking for some inspiration to build around this awesome card in the Commander format, but I'm a little stuck as most everyone seems to be trying to do all of the things with this card.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
Sorry about that post. I replied from my iPhone after seeing your post on the main page of MTG Salvation. The mobile version doesn’t show that it was under Commander (or I didn’t saw it, if it did). I just saw Scarab Gob, got excited, and replied right away.
I really like that The Pirate God plays both Aggro-Control and Midrange in Standard. Unlike UB Control of Standard, you can't rely on your opponent’s creatures to give value to your Commander. What if opponent doesn’t play much creatures himself? I would make sure the deck is self reliable and plays enough creatures with ETB effects, across the curve, to target with the God's ability. Hostage Taker is from Standard, but its ETB ability is amazing and I would definitely include it in the deck.
1st, GP Toronto Sunday Super Series 2016 : Ally Company RWBG
Top 8, PPTQ Shadows over Innistrad : Boros Humans WR.
Use a hypergeometric calculator for your deckbuilding maths,
and use TopDecked to manage your decks and collection on your Apple or Android device.
Also, you have access to some of monoblack's mana doublers. I'd use some of the cheaper ones to help feed the ability.
The Unidentified Fantastic Flying Girl.
EDH
Xenagos, the God of Stompy
The Gitrog Monster: Oppressive Value.
Marchesa, Marionette Master - Undying Robots
Yuriko, the Hydra Omnivore
I make dolls as a hobby.
I think you want some control+mill cards, like Psychic Strike and Life's Finale.
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers
Currently Playing:
Multiplayer EDH Lists (click italics for a link to the thread!)
[Primer] Lord of Tresserhorn - Don't Tell Me What I Can't Do[Primer] Roon of the Hidden Realm - Rhino Blink
5 Color Tribal Guide (Slivers, Atogs, Allies, Spirits)
Also Playing (most decklists can be found on my profile)
MarathGeistKamahlGrenzoBolasThassaGitrog
PiratesZurVial Smasher&ThrasiosYennettJhoira(cEDH)Strix(Pauper)
Legacy: Maverick
Modern:
Melira PodRIP 1/19/15GWHatebears(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'
It's kind of a blessing and a curse, as I've yet to actually find a use for it. But yes, I bought it right after the release, then stepped away from the game for a couple weeks, and was shocked to come back and see that the price had jumped so high.
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
Zombies for the first ability and mill for the second one.
https://www.edhrec.com/commanders/the-scarab-god
And here's edhrec if you want great budget ideas
Besides monoblack, there's also High Tide. It's an insanely powerful Fallen Empires card; naturally, this means it's a common and you can get it for less than 40¢. And it's an instant.
On phasing:
^- I agree. I'm not huge on the Tribal aspect, but just playing it as a U/B Control-Reanimator Build with a few Zombie synergy cards (Lich Lord of Unx, Ghoulcaller Gisa, etc) to really feed that triggered ability? I'm game. The Scarab God's activated ability being a reanimate-style effect is pretty sweet too, since you'd probably want to leave up mana whenever possible.
Also, congrats on getting one for $20. I picked up an Invocation ASAP, for about $50, because I love U/B in Commander.