When that time comes, if you still want to have a few devoted lists, I can cover artifacts. I'm in the same position you are where I'm cleaning up other threads/life and Mazz has been on backburner, but I still stir the pot. Certainly the inferior list, and not even casual anymore in the sense it'd be combo based, but the crazy amount of interactions and lines we have to actually kill with a Bitter Ordeal plan are too cool to not have public.
I'd think only the green would work if you had creatures that benefited from counters like Champion of Lambholdt, but there are better options for spitting counters at stuff from a single card. The black's lifegain is cool, but in 90% of your games, Duplicant is better. I could be wrong, but we don't want two 6 cmc spells that remove one dude.
Here are the cards that're awesome for the artifact/Grave storm build (besides what Kirby mentioned)
Marionette Master and Weaponcraft Enthusiast both trumped most of the options to go infinite with Ashnod's Altar and Nim Deathmantle, the Master offering the possibility of just winning off her ability late game, the Enthusiast being the first 3 cmc for 3 body card we have access to. Obv nothing to lean on, but with Viscera Seer and one of the two sac for 2 colorless artifacts, we can scry to a combo piece if it isn't present. This concept was already pretty secure, but the change to artifact tokens and the other benefits made it a lot stronger.
Underhanded Designs, if the mana works out the way I want, the life gain alone should make it kind of worth it. It's another combo piece, and at worst, a removal spell. May not make the cut, but meta dependant, an extra removal spell with no color stipulation is good to have attached to something else.
Wildest Dreams Again pendent on mana but it can be eternal witness or restock. It just seems the most viable Regrowth since it kind of sucks early game, and late game youre essentially paying a green and then casting as many colorless restores as you want, which in the right line of egg-related play, could be like our Second Sunrise.
Panharmonicon Lines up a few things. Super interesting card. Makes me think getting small pockets of creatures from things like Grave Titan could really work. This would also let us run creatures that only give us one body into the Nim Deathmantle combo or let Phyrexian Altar provide the extra mana off the 3for1 creatures, and makes me think relying on removal through creatures may be a good route, and Birthing Pod shenanigans are worth looking into.
Ps. Didn't mean to temporarily hi-jack the thread. Ended up writing more than planned.
When that time comes, if you still want to have a few devoted lists, I can cover artifacts. I'm in the same position you are where I'm cleaning up other threads/life and Mazz has been on backburner, but I still stir the pot. Certainly the inferior list, and not even casual anymore in the sense it'd be combo based, but the crazy amount of interactions and lines we have to actually kill with a Bitter Ordeal plan are too cool to not have public.
I'm currently working on how I'm going to design the layout and everything for the primer. It'd be great to add your decklist in the Artifact Devoted Build alongside mine. The amount of cards that are synergistic with Marizek is just overwhelming - that's why I've been taking so long. Even though I'm not using a lot of the available strategies, I want to find shells and segments that can be swapped out to make the deck fresh every time you want to try a new strategy. That way if you think a particular route is more fun than another, you can switch it out. If this is to be called a primer, it has to be seen from every possible direction. That means abusing persist, gravestorm, infinite combos, etc.
I'd think only the green would work if you had creatures that benefited from counters like Champion of Lambholdt, but there are better options for spitting counters at stuff from a single card. The black's lifegain is cool, but in 90% of your games, Duplicant is better. I could be wrong, but we don't want two 6 cmc spells that remove one dude.
Here are the cards that're awesome for the artifact/Grave storm build (besides what Kirby mentioned)
Marionette Master and Weaponcraft Enthusiast both trumped most of the options to go infinite with Ashnod's Altar and Nim Deathmantle, the Master offering the possibility of just winning off her ability late game, the Enthusiast being the first 3 cmc for 3 body card we have access to. Obv nothing to lean on, but with Viscera Seer and one of the two sac for 2 colorless artifacts, we can scry to a combo piece if it isn't present. This concept was already pretty secure, but the change to artifact tokens and the other benefits made it a lot stronger.
Underhanded Designs, if the mana works out the way I want, the life gain alone should make it kind of worth it. It's another combo piece, and at worst, a removal spell. May not make the cut, but meta dependant, an extra removal spell with no color stipulation is good to have attached to something else.
Wildest Dreams Again pendent on mana but it can be eternal witness or restock. It just seems the most viable Regrowth since it kind of sucks early game, and late game youre essentially paying a green and then casting as many colorless restores as you want, which in the right line of egg-related play, could be like our Second Sunrise.
Panharmonicon Lines up a few things. Super interesting card. Makes me think getting small pockets of creatures from things like Grave Titan could really work. This would also let us run creatures that only give us one body into the Nim Deathmantle combo or let Phyrexian Altar provide the extra mana off the 3for1 creatures, and makes me think relying on removal through creatures may be a good route, and Birthing Pod shenanigans are worth looking into.
Ps. Didn't mean to temporarily hi-jack the thread. Ended up writing more than planned.
I completely agree on the plethora of things that you mentioned from the cards from Kaladesh and the massive combo possibilities. I'm working on all the possible infinite combos (even Triskelion + Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, which I'm kinda avoiding because undying doesn't work well with Mazirek and it can be used in any deck that runs B (like Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood)) that synergize with Mazirek. It's a pretty long list, lol. Obviously my own list is not the most efficient or broken but it is pretty efficient and broken and I win most of the times I play it.
I'm like two weeks away from finals so I don't have much free time. Hopefully I can do this by Christmas. I have to fix my Polukranos thread as well which I would like to eventually have become a primer.
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Yea, the focus will def be Maz based combos or something incredibly elaborate with artifact cog pieces that can just assemble it by being around eachother. Only here can we do something like keep Hangarback walker around with Nim Deathmantle and make him kind of bonkers. I ended up killing the table before I could find a Blood Artist piece and just win from there. The artifact build certainly doesn't come out the door quickly, but it's pretty resilient and it isn't tooooo dependant on Maz. It's actually nice because half the time I could just cast him on a turn I could abuse his ability enough where if he was removed I could still be really active. Can't wait to get to my LGS sunday and pick up what I need, the master pieces are making boosters fly off the shelves and really drive prices down. Even now, everything is a lot lower than I figured, save the legendary artifact.
Yeah, my goal is to have my primer be very community inclusive. I'd like for everyone to recommend and suggest combos and things that synergize with all the pertinent strategies for this commander. I've found that the Creatures-Matter Build is more powerful early game than the Artifacts-Matter Build so it's also a matter of meta. Additionally, the Artifact Build is combo-based and the Creature Build not so much - the combos are bonuses. I want to be as multidimensional as possible so it is a bit overwhelming because Mazirek is a BG general that is amazing with every possible BG-based strategy like stax, tokens, drawing, mana, etc. Everyday I uncover, find, or am told of so many combos that work with Mazirek, around Mazirek, in its colors, or without Mazirek but in the same vein. That's why I want to really get as much as possible going in the first version of the primer and then add everything as is suggested or found.
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I'm pretty sure those are all the creatures that fill the bill.
(I will also note that any creature creating at least a single token when entering the battlefield and/or dying will provide infinite +1/+1 counters but not infinite mana. The list of creatures in BG colors (including colorless) that do so is just too long to mention one-by-one.)
(Also worth noting is that those creatures who create more than 2 tokens when entering the battlefield or dying also produce infinite tokens. So you'd get infinite colorless mana, infinite +1/+1 counters, and infinite tokens.)
I plan on making a section completely devoted to infinite combos facilitate by the deck. Now, that's going to be very overwhelming since there are so many infinite combos in those colors regardless of Mazirek. However, I want the infinite combos to have one requirement: some form of sacrifice. The theme of the deck - regardless if it's a creature-devoted or artifact-devoted build, is sacrifice. So Triskelion + Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood, etc. won't be included nor discussed. However, creatures with persist providing infinite sacrifice triggers thanks to having a sac outlet in play along with Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest will be discussed. Those kinds of things. Since there are so many ways to play the deck, if I really want this to become a primer I have to be as thorough as possible. So, even though I won't be running some of the mentioned cards or combos, I do want to create awareness in players interesting in playing with Mazirek.
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Su-chi! He was the main reason the deck was spawned, after a friend started up a Prossh deck with that combo. It led me to try it with Mazz since he opens a few natural and unique doors towards it. The trick is we can also can run plenty of other ways to trigger infinite Gravestorm. We rack up tons of little ways to pull it off. Karn is at the center of a few, but if you keep the Grave Pact theme going he's awesome because he can grab mana rocks from the spellslinging players. I'll look it all up and we can start to put it together, even if only a few parts get taken it'd be really to do it all out and see what we have. Animation Module and Panharmonicon were def the final nails in the coffin- Animation combos off alone with any of the three Altars and Pan lets anything with one extra body fit into Nim Deathmantle combo. It doesn't seem viable right away, but the fact that it does is pretty good.
It's actually awesome you got that together, that was my next step. Again, I don't run Maz in cut throat metas- so there is a turn or two of set up allowed before people start real interaction. But anyways, I'm think that actually going with the "good stuff" part of that list, stuff like Grave Titan so that they can actually put a bit of board threat up. That or do run the edict idea into the ground and have that be the board clear, spitting whatever I get out for w/e purpose it serves til one can be a combo piece. We've both determined it's going to take a lot of play to get all this down. I really don't see myself playing paper magic anytime soon, which honestly is the best research, I've tried online and there's no good medium. Stuff is too good or too bad- it's hard to get people together to do Janky competitive.
Definitely, I'm very interested in your artifacts build and once you get it to perfection, I will put it alongside mine in my post once I get time to get down to it.
Yeah, Mazirek definitely allows for some pretty brutal combos that won't necessarily be frowned upon being as most of them are 3+ card combos. As for Su-Chi, it produces the to get itself back with Nim Deathmantle so you have a net gain of with each sacrifice. But other creatures that allow for a net gain of should also work since having a net gain of mana eventually allows for infinite mana. Therefore Cathodion also works here as well as Su-Chi. Cathodion sacrificed to Ashnod's Altar gives so you can use four of those to get it back and then repeat to get infinite mana.
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I'm also interested in mentioning how broken Bitter Ordeal is as an out-of-nowhere wincon. With so many different ways to have infinite sacrifices with this deck (including the persist suite), it's very easy to win with Bitter Ordeal without having to depend on attacking. This could be a great strategy to discuss for those who are interested. The good thing is that one would only need to find a single slot for it instead of other cards.
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I threw a copy of Scapeshift into my Mazirek deck. I haven't actually seen it in action, but it should be pretty fun when I get to. Anyone else tried it yet?
I threw a copy of Scapeshift into my Mazirek deck. I haven't actually seen it in action, but it should be pretty fun when I get to. Anyone else tried it yet?
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Lines like that are what keep the artifact dek in play. For me, it's harder to push through combat damage as opposed to winning through a combo like Bitter Ordeal since I can just put the sacs back on the stack if someone responds as opposed to just run into Cyc rift or fall short of table clearing power. I think it'll make it a bit stronger for recursion/reassembling after a board wipe. It also lets us run Toxic Deluge and more, I've been putting off casting Maz to set up board or wipe. He comes down to combo or put up damage if I can easily recast him to draw out board wipes etc. Lands are a big part of the artifact game too, wish I had a scapeshift.
edit: dragging this up from way earlier in the thread to refer to later. Needs updates with the Kaladesh stuff but it was what I had when I still had this together in paper
Those are some great infinite combos. Again, I'd recommend them if they synegistically worked on their own within the deck instead of only being a piece to an infinite combo. That being said, I do want to touch upon reaching infinity and beyond with Mazirek. I'm going to suggest all the possibilities for going infinite and what I feel are the best ways to get there. The deck is able to eventually draw into a bunch of cards so it is possible to combo relatively easily. However, with so many amazing cards that synergize in the deck, I wouldn't add cards just for being a combo piece. One of the criteria I want to address (or rather, the criteria for being a highly recommended combo) when suggesting infinite combos is how versatile the pieces are on their own. That's why the first step to what I have in mind for the primer is to compile all the data (best cards for the synergy and strategies that Mazirek facilitates) and then their analysis. Thankfully, I had the presence of mind to reserve the post after the first one so I can use it like a data base and reference post. I have a lot of ideas going which is one reason it's taking me so long to get it done, lol. For example, of the ones you posted, these are combos that I would highly recommend since all of the pieces are synergistic on their own: Mazirek + Pentavus / Triskelavus / Thopter Squadron + Ashnod's Altar (I actually run this one).
On top of that, Mazirek also has two modes: devoted to artifacts or devoted to creatures. So it's gonna be quite extensive! Also, I'm gonna post my budget build which has performed quite nicely at budget pods.
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Lightning Greaves, Cauldron of Souls, Karn, Silver Golem, Trading Post, Su-chi, and to certain metas Hornet's Nest are great independently. I think they'd still function well, but I know some will get cut. I appreciate the Karn's synergy with Nim-Deathmantle and protecting artifacts I know Hornet Nest was a huge issue in a meta where red burn removal was a big part of the table. Dross Scorpion is something I think will really improve if we get another artifact token producer. I havent looked at much, but I know the fabrcicaters and Animation Module will let a few things go infinite. Untapping artifacts is very powerful and what I want to explore more. Recovering after a board wipe is the turning point in most of my games if I'm not guiding the table. Being able to spill out rocks for maximum turn out, which can extend as far as tapping and sacrificing them for maximum mana can let us combo out pretty quickly. Most itterations require at most four colored mana...just more for the drawing board.
That is true, which is why I was glad Kaladesh provided so many green and black creatures with fabricate.
As far as recovering from a board wipe, I run Golgari Charm and Primal Vigor against wipes (since so few of them restrict regeneration) and they're in my hand so they're not visible on the board (unlike Cauldron of Souls). I agree, Dross Scorpion is great if you're running Hangarback Walker, Triskelavus, Pentavus, Thopter Squadron, and the like. But putting in so many pieces for combos that need more than 5 cards is stretching it a bit too much. Hell, any creature with persist and a sac outlet with Mazirek out is enough to produce an infinitely large gravestorm. Also, a lot of the combos depend on a card that isn't Mazirek, which is why I feel that synergy is the key. Should any of those pieces be eliminated, you'd still be able to win.
I will definitely address all those cards as possibilities even if I don't run them myself (like in all my in-depth deck discussions). I used to run Cauldron of Souls for a while since it can give any of my creatures persist, which is definitely bonkers with Mazirek, but it was always destroyed before I could take full advantage of it. So, I simply stopped playing it and then cut it altogether. I think that the way to go for a solid post where anyone and everyone can see this near-encyclopedic guide to Mazirek would be to segment these combos. Make them into a way where players can simply insert them as packages in the deck. You like a particular strategy? Try this. You want to avoid infinite combos? Try this. That's what the shell concept I'm discussing is all about. Remember that Mazirek also lends itself to be a heinous stax enabler, as well. Scapeshift + Living Plane + Grave Pact is about as stax as you can go. People tend to scoop afterwards - especially if they didn't have enough lands to begin with. Consider the fact that you can effectively run spells like Pox, Smallpox, Death Cloud, Eliminate the Competition, Barter in Blood, Smokestack, and you've got quite the stax package. If only Braids, Cabal Minion was legal again as one of the 99 instead of only being banned as commander... Then things would be more awesome! I want to discuss all of Mazirek's dimensions: combo, stompy, and stax.
Fortunately, between the two of us, I know we can be drowning in combos from 2-card combos up to convoluted 5- to 6-card combos - enough to fill a whole page of thread. I have already developed a lot of progress on a stax and stompy build (which have been discussed thoroughly through the deck) and a happy middle (which is in the form of my artifact-centric and creature-centric decks). When I get around to it, I will start to compile a change log of everything I've tried and all the changes I've made and begin with my deck construction and whatnot. Afterwards I will discuss budget (which is pretty much already set) and then enter the realm of the "Mazirek Encyclopedia". I think that's pretty fair.
Thanks to all your input on artifact and combo I should be able to cut a lot of time out of my own research into the matter and focus on polishing a more devoted stax build. I wouldn't consider my current build to not be stax, but it's main goal is not denial or stax, but rather stax is the recourse to pump my creatures into the stompyness that it ultimately is. Curiously enough, my artifact build is less stax and more combo since it runs less creature resources. Running more creatures means being able to handle the negative byproduct of my own stax effects. Hm, that's something that should be noted as well. And that's the point: it's all organic; it flows naturally. If you want more stax, you should bring more creatures to the equation or include more wincons that aren't reliant on creatures. Yet, if you do so, then what's the point of using Mazirek as opposed to any other BG legend? Mazirek uses the sacrifices to pump creatures. A combo-oriented build uses the +1/+1 counters not necessarily to pump a horde but to simply take advantage of the +1/+1 counters, which is what you're doing in practically all of your combos. So, from a purely stax point of view, Mazirek is not really required but is a bonus. In a combo-oriented and stompy (and stax/stomp hybrid) Mazirek is definitely required - which is OK because it is one of the points of the format, after all.
Whew! Sorry about all that text! So verbose! Hopefully you have protection from wordy and can read through it all without falling asleep, lol .
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I decided to revisit the Budget Build I made a while back in honor of Hunding Gjornersen (the MTGSalvation member, not the Legends legend, lol). With a lot of new cards that have sprawled up since June 1, 2016, I decided to take a look into what can be cut out in favor of some better cards (that are still ridiculously cheap). There were a lot of cards that fit the bill (no pun intended) as far as function and price was concerned. I also added more cards that created tokens by means of sacrificing. So, with correct arranging in the stack, your tokens that enter the battlefield will benefit from the +1/+1 counters that Mazirek will distribute. Anywho, here's the deck!
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I agree. Mazirek is going to hopefully end up as a optional or sidearm if your flooded with Grave Titanish. Infinite is going to be the plan, which is why it might lack Persist creatures for the most part. However, unlike most combo decks that going for very specific combos that lose to a big enoughBitter Ordeal, we can assemble gravestorm over a dozen ways. Even with every kill option in the combo gone, we can still make infinitely big creatures to send over. It's going to be finding that medium between control and artifact synergy that decides everything.
I agree. Mazirek is going to hopefully end up as a optional or sidearm if your flooded with Grave Titanish. Infinite is going to be the plan, which is why it might lack Persist creatures for the most part. However, unlike most combo decks that going for very specific combos that lose to a big enoughBitter Ordeal, we can assemble gravestorm over a dozen ways. Even with every kill option in the combo gone, we can still make infinitely big creatures to send over. It's going to be finding that medium between control and artifact synergy that decides everything.
Yeah, that's what I found with almost a year of testing. Balance is practically impossible to obtain - which is why I built two different versions.
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Ya, let's take a moment and reflect on the success of the last commander batch. The fact that nothing has been nailed down as the staple deck for so many of them is great. They were all super fluid and somehow broad yet very linear...it was a total success. I've come to realize I'd prefer 99% of the effort be put into the legendaries than anything else.
I have a final today and another final to hand in next week. So hopefully, afterwards I can really bite down, roll my sleeves up, and get prepared to begin laying out the first post in Primer fashion. I've done so much testing with Mazirek and each version that I've found a lot of weak points in the cards taken away and I've basically had a revolving door with cards the first time I tried to find balance between combo and stompy that I discovered that it was practically impossible to find a happy medium. You basically play one as the main strategy and then work around the other one in case it doesn't work. In the stompy deck (Creatures Matter), stax is the secondary wincon. If I can't attack or get things through, I Wave of Vitriol and stax my way through combo in order to ensure the alpha strike goes through. With the combo deck (Artifacts Matter), building the combo is first priority but if I can get a kill shot in with a 21+/21+ Mazirek, then that's how I win.
The good thing is that most of the cards are in common between them so it's very easy to mix it up with this commander? Tired of one strategy or players are already anticipating it? Swap out some cards and now you have a practically new deck. Are most of the cards in both versions expensive because WotC still hasn't reprinted the enemy fetchlands and Crucible of Worlds? Then just run the super budget build which costs less than the precon and is still a blast to play at budget tables. That's my goal: a Mazirek for everyone! Like the cockroach that it is, it should be everywhere!
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I've been considering returning Zulaport Cutthroat and Blood Artist to the Creature Build but I may end up not going complete combo. I will suggest them though because they are alternate wincons and it's worth mentioning. It's just that Mazirek facilitates too many infinite combos; it's truly overwhelming.
Hopefully in the weekend I can start designing the first post in order to have it more presentable and start building it up to something useful. Still doing a lot of research on how other people may want to play Mazirek. So far, I've preferred stompy over combo. However, including some combo pieces is good because they're so convoluted that people may not catch on the first time. If afterwards they disrupt the combos, you can still win with a super pumped army. If that's not enough, they'll probably scoop after you may them sacrifice most of their permanents. Again, Mazirek is great at being a simultaneous Voltron/Stax/Stompy/Combo commander.
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Hi Everyone!
I'm really loving this primer of sorts and am super into this deck. Just bought a bunch of the cards that I don't already have to put together a version of my own! I haven't played with the deck at all yet so please excuse my ignorance.
It seems to me that a couple cards that are used are win-more cards. All of the other +1/+1 counter cards ( Hardened Scales, corpsejack menace and kalonian hydra, plus animation module and armorcraft judge) don't really do much until you've got Mazirek out and you're saccing creatures. Of course, they make things move a lot more quickly for you once that is happening, but it seems like you would want to focus on playing cards that are useful any time. Tooth and Nail or Defense of the heart could be game over if they can resolve. Even chord of calling or green sun's zenith. Also, if you're adding a little combo package, throwing aerie ouphes isn't a bad idea at all, since you just need to have that and mazirek out. Then, if there are any creatures with flying out, they're all dead. Or, if there are none, you just need another creature to benefit from the saccing (zulaport cutthroat) and then you can target mazirek an infinite number of times.
I guess my overall question is how often does it feel like the deck is stalling, or do you feel like you're already drawing enough cards and producing enough mana so that you can play a few of those win-more cards?
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URXSurf's Up, Mizz Magnus!XRU
URGWKynaios and Tiro's Multiplayer MenagerieWGRU
Here are the cards that're awesome for the artifact/Grave storm build (besides what Kirby mentioned)
Marionette Master and Weaponcraft Enthusiast both trumped most of the options to go infinite with Ashnod's Altar and Nim Deathmantle, the Master offering the possibility of just winning off her ability late game, the Enthusiast being the first 3 cmc for 3 body card we have access to. Obv nothing to lean on, but with Viscera Seer and one of the two sac for 2 colorless artifacts, we can scry to a combo piece if it isn't present. This concept was already pretty secure, but the change to artifact tokens and the other benefits made it a lot stronger.
Underhanded Designs, if the mana works out the way I want, the life gain alone should make it kind of worth it. It's another combo piece, and at worst, a removal spell. May not make the cut, but meta dependant, an extra removal spell with no color stipulation is good to have attached to something else.
Wildest Dreams Again pendent on mana but it can be eternal witness or restock. It just seems the most viable Regrowth since it kind of sucks early game, and late game youre essentially paying a green and then casting as many colorless restores as you want, which in the right line of egg-related play, could be like our Second Sunrise.
Foundry Inspector Obv reasons.
Panharmonicon Lines up a few things. Super interesting card. Makes me think getting small pockets of creatures from things like Grave Titan could really work. This would also let us run creatures that only give us one body into the Nim Deathmantle combo or let Phyrexian Altar provide the extra mana off the 3for1 creatures, and makes me think relying on removal through creatures may be a good route, and Birthing Pod shenanigans are worth looking into.
Ps. Didn't mean to temporarily hi-jack the thread. Ended up writing more than planned.
URXSurf's Up, Mizz Magnus!XRU
URGWKynaios and Tiro's Multiplayer MenagerieWGRU
I'm currently working on how I'm going to design the layout and everything for the primer. It'd be great to add your decklist in the Artifact Devoted Build alongside mine. The amount of cards that are synergistic with Marizek is just overwhelming - that's why I've been taking so long. Even though I'm not using a lot of the available strategies, I want to find shells and segments that can be swapped out to make the deck fresh every time you want to try a new strategy. That way if you think a particular route is more fun than another, you can switch it out. If this is to be called a primer, it has to be seen from every possible direction. That means abusing persist, gravestorm, infinite combos, etc.
As Welgo stated, they're just underwhelming in this deck.
I completely agree on the plethora of things that you mentioned from the cards from Kaladesh and the massive combo possibilities. I'm working on all the possible infinite combos (even Triskelion + Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, which I'm kinda avoiding because undying doesn't work well with Mazirek and it can be used in any deck that runs B (like Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood)) that synergize with Mazirek. It's a pretty long list, lol. Obviously my own list is not the most efficient or broken but it is pretty efficient and broken and I win most of the times I play it.
I'm like two weeks away from finals so I don't have much free time. Hopefully I can do this by Christmas. I have to fix my Polukranos thread as well which I would like to eventually have become a primer.
BGU [Primer] Sidisi, Brood Tyrant BGU | BG [Primer] Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest BG | G [Primer] Polukranos, World Eater G
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URXSurf's Up, Mizz Magnus!XRU
URGWKynaios and Tiro's Multiplayer MenagerieWGRU
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!
Since you love Nim Deathmantle so much, I'm gonna try to compile all the different ways to get infinite +1/+1 counters and infite mana thanks to it, so see if you can help me out.
When combined with Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest, Nim Deathmantle, and Ashnod's Altar in play (without Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest, this combo simply produces infinite ).:
- Abhorrent Overlord
- Birthing Hulk
- Brood Monitor
- Cultivator of Blades
- Deranged Hermit
- Dread Drone
- Elegant Edgecrafters
- Eyeless Watcher
- Grave Titan
- Guardian of Cloverdell
- Hornet Queen
- Kozilek's Predator
- Maalfeld Twins
- Marionette Master
- Marsh Flitter
- Maul Splicer
- Mitotic Slime
- Myr Battlesphere
- Precursor Golem
- Sengir Autocrat
- Skeletal Vampire
- Symbiotic Beast
- Symbiotic Elf
- Symbiotic Wurm
- Weaponcraft Enthusiast
- Wurmcoil Engine
I'm pretty sure those are all the creatures that fill the bill.(I will also note that any creature creating at least a single token when entering the battlefield and/or dying will provide infinite +1/+1 counters but not infinite mana. The list of creatures in BG colors (including colorless) that do so is just too long to mention one-by-one.)
(Also worth noting is that those creatures who create more than 2 tokens when entering the battlefield or dying also produce infinite tokens. So you'd get infinite colorless mana, infinite +1/+1 counters, and infinite tokens.)
I plan on making a section completely devoted to infinite combos facilitate by the deck. Now, that's going to be very overwhelming since there are so many infinite combos in those colors regardless of Mazirek. However, I want the infinite combos to have one requirement: some form of sacrifice. The theme of the deck - regardless if it's a creature-devoted or artifact-devoted build, is sacrifice. So Triskelion + Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood, etc. won't be included nor discussed. However, creatures with persist providing infinite sacrifice triggers thanks to having a sac outlet in play along with Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest will be discussed. Those kinds of things. Since there are so many ways to play the deck, if I really want this to become a primer I have to be as thorough as possible. So, even though I won't be running some of the mentioned cards or combos, I do want to create awareness in players interesting in playing with Mazirek.
BGU [Primer] Sidisi, Brood Tyrant BGU | BG [Primer] Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest BG | G [Primer] Polukranos, World Eater G
My YouTube Channel:
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It's actually awesome you got that together, that was my next step. Again, I don't run Maz in cut throat metas- so there is a turn or two of set up allowed before people start real interaction. But anyways, I'm think that actually going with the "good stuff" part of that list, stuff like Grave Titan so that they can actually put a bit of board threat up. That or do run the edict idea into the ground and have that be the board clear, spitting whatever I get out for w/e purpose it serves til one can be a combo piece. We've both determined it's going to take a lot of play to get all this down. I really don't see myself playing paper magic anytime soon, which honestly is the best research, I've tried online and there's no good medium. Stuff is too good or too bad- it's hard to get people together to do Janky competitive.
URXSurf's Up, Mizz Magnus!XRU
URGWKynaios and Tiro's Multiplayer MenagerieWGRU
Yeah, Mazirek definitely allows for some pretty brutal combos that won't necessarily be frowned upon being as most of them are 3+ card combos. As for Su-Chi, it produces the to get itself back with Nim Deathmantle so you have a net gain of with each sacrifice. But other creatures that allow for a net gain of should also work since having a net gain of mana eventually allows for infinite mana. Therefore Cathodion also works here as well as Su-Chi. Cathodion sacrificed to Ashnod's Altar gives so you can use four of those to get it back and then repeat to get infinite mana.
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!
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!
WU Bruna UW | R Kiki-Jiki R | RB New Chainer BR
Legacy - Burn | Pauper - Reanimator | Aristocrats | Burn
@votechainer2016
I have. I was fortunate enough to pull that off with The Gitrog Monster and Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest in play. I was also able to float 3G to cast Splendid Reclamation afterwards. It was glorious.
I've yet to use Scapeshift along with Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest, Living Plane and Grave Pact in play. Oh, but I don't have to be a clairvoyant to know it will be just as glorious.
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!
edit: dragging this up from way earlier in the thread to refer to later. Needs updates with the Kaladesh stuff but it was what I had when I still had this together in paper
Mazirek + Hornets' Nest + Triskelion + Sac outlet
Mazirek + Hangarback Walker w/2 counters + Arcbound Reclaimer + Fecundity/Grim Haruspex + Ashnod's Altar/Krark-Clan Ironworks
Mazirek + Arcbound Reclaimer + Fecundity/Grim Haruspex Su-Chi + Sac Outlet
Mazirek + Arcbound Reclaimer + Fecundity/Grim Haruspex + a 2 colorless mana creature + Ashnod's Altar/Krark-Clan Ironworks
Mazirek + Petavus / Triskelavus / Thopter Squadron + Sac Outlet
Mazirek + Triskelavus + Devoted Druid (This actually kills a player)
Mazirek + Devoted Druid + Trading Post + Dross Scorpion + Su-Chi + 2 mana sac outlet
Karn, Silver Golem + Salvaging Station + Tree of Tales or 0 cmc artifact that taps for 1 mana
Karn, Silver Golem + Lightning Greaves + Cauldron of Souls + Sac Outlet
Dross Scorpion + Cauldron of Souls + an artifact Creature + Sac Outlet
Dross Scropion + Trading Post + Su-Chi + [card]Devoted Druid
[/card]
Karn, Silver Golem + Lightning Greaves + Cauldron of Souls + Sac Outlet
Clock of Omens + Cauldron of Souls + 2 artifact creatures + sac outlet
Clock of Omens + Mimic Vat imprinted w/ an artifact creature + Dross Scropion + sac outlet
URXSurf's Up, Mizz Magnus!XRU
URGWKynaios and Tiro's Multiplayer MenagerieWGRU
Mazirek + Pentavus / Triskelavus / Thopter Squadron + Ashnod's Altar (I actually run this one).
Mazirek + Triskelavus + Devoted Druid
On top of that, Mazirek also has two modes: devoted to artifacts or devoted to creatures. So it's gonna be quite extensive! Also, I'm gonna post my budget build which has performed quite nicely at budget pods.
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!
URXSurf's Up, Mizz Magnus!XRU
URGWKynaios and Tiro's Multiplayer MenagerieWGRU
As far as recovering from a board wipe, I run Golgari Charm and Primal Vigor against wipes (since so few of them restrict regeneration) and they're in my hand so they're not visible on the board (unlike Cauldron of Souls). I agree, Dross Scorpion is great if you're running Hangarback Walker, Triskelavus, Pentavus, Thopter Squadron, and the like. But putting in so many pieces for combos that need more than 5 cards is stretching it a bit too much. Hell, any creature with persist and a sac outlet with Mazirek out is enough to produce an infinitely large gravestorm. Also, a lot of the combos depend on a card that isn't Mazirek, which is why I feel that synergy is the key. Should any of those pieces be eliminated, you'd still be able to win.
I will definitely address all those cards as possibilities even if I don't run them myself (like in all my in-depth deck discussions). I used to run Cauldron of Souls for a while since it can give any of my creatures persist, which is definitely bonkers with Mazirek, but it was always destroyed before I could take full advantage of it. So, I simply stopped playing it and then cut it altogether. I think that the way to go for a solid post where anyone and everyone can see this near-encyclopedic guide to Mazirek would be to segment these combos. Make them into a way where players can simply insert them as packages in the deck. You like a particular strategy? Try this. You want to avoid infinite combos? Try this. That's what the shell concept I'm discussing is all about. Remember that Mazirek also lends itself to be a heinous stax enabler, as well. Scapeshift + Living Plane + Grave Pact is about as stax as you can go. People tend to scoop afterwards - especially if they didn't have enough lands to begin with. Consider the fact that you can effectively run spells like Pox, Smallpox, Death Cloud, Eliminate the Competition, Barter in Blood, Smokestack, and you've got quite the stax package. If only Braids, Cabal Minion was legal again as one of the 99 instead of only being banned as commander... Then things would be more awesome! I want to discuss all of Mazirek's dimensions: combo, stompy, and stax.
Fortunately, between the two of us, I know we can be drowning in combos from 2-card combos up to convoluted 5- to 6-card combos - enough to fill a whole page of thread. I have already developed a lot of progress on a stax and stompy build (which have been discussed thoroughly through the deck) and a happy middle (which is in the form of my artifact-centric and creature-centric decks). When I get around to it, I will start to compile a change log of everything I've tried and all the changes I've made and begin with my deck construction and whatnot. Afterwards I will discuss budget (which is pretty much already set) and then enter the realm of the "Mazirek Encyclopedia". I think that's pretty fair.
Thanks to all your input on artifact and combo I should be able to cut a lot of time out of my own research into the matter and focus on polishing a more devoted stax build. I wouldn't consider my current build to not be stax, but it's main goal is not denial or stax, but rather stax is the recourse to pump my creatures into the stompyness that it ultimately is. Curiously enough, my artifact build is less stax and more combo since it runs less creature resources. Running more creatures means being able to handle the negative byproduct of my own stax effects. Hm, that's something that should be noted as well. And that's the point: it's all organic; it flows naturally. If you want more stax, you should bring more creatures to the equation or include more wincons that aren't reliant on creatures. Yet, if you do so, then what's the point of using Mazirek as opposed to any other BG legend? Mazirek uses the sacrifices to pump creatures. A combo-oriented build uses the +1/+1 counters not necessarily to pump a horde but to simply take advantage of the +1/+1 counters, which is what you're doing in practically all of your combos. So, from a purely stax point of view, Mazirek is not really required but is a bonus. In a combo-oriented and stompy (and stax/stomp hybrid) Mazirek is definitely required - which is OK because it is one of the points of the format, after all.
Whew! Sorry about all that text! So verbose! Hopefully you have protection from wordy and can read through it all without falling asleep, lol .
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!
5 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
Artifacts: 14
1 Conjurer's Bauble
1 Executioner's Capsule
2 Fellwar Stone
2 Golgari Signet
1 Lifespark Spellbomb
2 Mind Stone
1 Necrogen Spellbomb
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Phyrexian Furnace
2 Prismatic Lens
6 Salvaging Station
5 Tamiyo's Journal
0 Tormod's Crypt
4 Trading Post
Creatures: 24
4 Armorcraft Judge
3 Bloodbriar
1 Boreal Druid
3 Burnished Hart
1 Caustic Caterpillar
6 Champion of Stray Souls
4 Corpsejack Menace
2 Dawntreader Elk
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
1 Elvish Mystic
3 Emrakul's Evangel
3 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Fyndhorn Elves
2 Korozda Guildmage
1 Llanowar Elves
3 Merciless Executioner
5 Phyrexian Plaguelord
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
5 Shriekmaw
4 Slum Reaper
4 Smothering Abomination
3 Sylvok Replica
2 Viridian Zealot
1 Viscera Seer
1 Carapace
2 Dark Privilege
2 Durable Handicraft
3 Fallen Ideal
4 From Beyond
1 Hardened Scales
5 Palace Siege
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
3 Seal of Doom
2 Seal of Primordium
3 Squirrel Nest
1 Thrull Retainer
1 Vampiric Rites
Instants: 5
3 Carrion
3 Inspiring Call
2 Tribute to the Wild
3 Wail of the Nim
2 Wrap in Vigor
Sorceries: 7
4 Barter in Blood
5 Eliminate the Competition
4 Fungal Sprouting
1 Innocent Blood
2 Smallpox
3 Victimize
7 Wave of Vitriol
Lands: 36
0 Bant Panorama
0 Blighted Fen
0 Blighted Woodland
0 Crystal Vein
0 Esper Panorama
0 Evolving Wilds
0 Forest (x10)
0 Foundry of the Consuls
0 Grixis Panorama
0 Jund Panorama
0 Naya Panorama
0 Swamp (x10)
0 Tainted Wood
0 Terminal Moraine
0 Terramorphic Expanse
0 Warped Landscape
This deck runs very well for costing $26. It's actually cheaper than buying the precon, lol.
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!
URXSurf's Up, Mizz Magnus!XRU
URGWKynaios and Tiro's Multiplayer MenagerieWGRU
Yeah, that's what I found with almost a year of testing. Balance is practically impossible to obtain - which is why I built two different versions.
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!
URXSurf's Up, Mizz Magnus!XRU
URGWKynaios and Tiro's Multiplayer MenagerieWGRU
The good thing is that most of the cards are in common between them so it's very easy to mix it up with this commander? Tired of one strategy or players are already anticipating it? Swap out some cards and now you have a practically new deck. Are most of the cards in both versions expensive because WotC still hasn't reprinted the enemy fetchlands and Crucible of Worlds? Then just run the super budget build which costs less than the precon and is still a blast to play at budget tables. That's my goal: a Mazirek for everyone! Like the cockroach that it is, it should be everywhere!
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!
5 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
Artifacts: 8
0 Mana Crypt
1 Animation Module
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
2 Thought Vessel
3 Ashnod's Altar
3 Crucible of Worlds
3 Phyrexian Altar
Creatures: 30
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Caustic Caterpillar
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
1 Elvish Mystic
1 Fyndhorn Elves
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Sylvan Safekeeper
1 Viscera Seer
2 Gyre Sage
2 Viridian Zealot
3 Eternal Witness
3 Fleshbag Marauder
3 Liliana, Heretical Healer
3 Merciless Executioner
3 Ophiomancer
3 Tireless Tracker
4 Armorcraft Judge
4 Corpsejack Menace
4 Creakwood Liege
4 Master of the Wild Hunt
4 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
4 Slum Reaper
4 Smothering Abomination
5 Archfiend of Depravity
5 Kalonian Hydra
5 Mycoloth
5 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
5 The Gitrog Monster
6 Harvester of Souls
7 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 Hardened Scales
2 Bitterblossom
3 Awakening Zone
3 Dark Prophecy
3 Phyrexian Arena
4 Deathreap Ritual
4 From Beyond
4 Grave Pact
4 Living Plane
5 Dictate of Erebos
5 Doubling Season
5 Primal Vigor
Planeswalkers: 2
4 Garruk Relentless
5 Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury
Spells: 10
1 Innocent Blood
2 Golgari Charm
2 Smallpox
2 Wrap in Vigor
3 Inspiring Call
4 Barter in Blood
4 Scapeshift
4 Splendid Reclamation
5 Eliminate the Competition
7 Wave of Vitriol
Lands: 37
0 Ancient Tomb
0 Bayou
0 Blighted Woodland
0 Bloodstained Mire
0 Command Tower
0 Forest (×6)
0 Gaea's Cradle
0 Ghost Quarter
0 Marsh Flats
0 Misty Rainforest
0 Overgrown Tomb
0 Polluted Delta
0 Reliquary Tower
0 Strip Mine
0 Swamp (×6)
0 Swarmyard
0 Tainted Wood
0 Temple of the False God
0 Throne of the High City
0 Verdant Catacombs
0 Wasteland
0 Westvale Abbey
0 Windswept Heath
0 Wooded Foothills
0 Woodland Cemetery
0 Yavimaya Hollow
1 Hardened Scales
4 Corpsejack Menace
5 Kalonian Hydra
5 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
Sacrifice Enablers:
1 Innocent Blood
2 Smallpox
3 Fleshbag Marauder
3 Merciless Executioner
4 Barter in Blood
4 Grave Pact
4 Slum Reaper
5 Archfiend of Depravity
5 Dictate of Erebos
7 Sheoldred, Whispering One
Token Production:
0 Westvale Abbey
1 Animation Module
2 Bitterblossom
3 Awakening Zone
3 Ophiomancer
4 Creakwood Liege
4 From Beyond
4 Master of the Wild Hunt
5 Mycoloth
Recovery:
3 Crucible of Worlds
3 Eternal Witness
3 Liliana, Defiant Necromancer
4 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
4 Splendid Reclamation
Mana Acceleration:
0 Gaea's Cradle
0 Mana Crypt
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
1 Elvish Mystic
1 Fyndhorn Elves
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
2 Gyre Sage
3 Ashnod's Altar
3 Phyrexian Altar
4 Scapeshift
0 Throne of the High City
3 Dark Prophecy
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Tireless Tracker
4 Armorcraft Judge
4 Deathreap Ritual
4 Smothering Abomination
5 The Gitrog Monster
6 Harvester of Souls
Disruption:
0 Ghost Quarter
0 Strip Mine
0 Wasteland
1 Caustic Caterpillar
2 Viridian Zealot
5 Eliminate the Competition
7 Wave of Vitriol
Protection:
0 Swarmyard
0 Yavimaya Hollow
1 Sylvan Safekeeper
2 Golgari Charm
2 Wrap in Vigor
3 Inspiring Call
Toolbox:
0 Reliquary Tower
0 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Viscera Seer
2 Thought Vessel
4 Garruk Relentless
4 Living Plane
5 Doubling Season
5 Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury
5 Primal Vigor
5 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
0 Blighted Woodland
0 Bloodstained Mire
0 Marsh Flats
0 Misty Rainforest
0 Polluted Delta
0 Verdant Catacombs
0 Windswept Heath
0 Wooded Foothills
Lands for the Mana:
0 Ancient Tomb
0 Bayou
0 Command Tower
0 Overgrown Tomb
0 Tainted Wood
0 Temple of the False God
0 Woodland Cemetery
Basics:
0 Forest (×6)
0 Swamp (×6)
1 Animation Module
1 Chromatic Sphere
1 Chromatic Star
1 Conjurer's Bauble
3 Crucible of Worlds
9 Darksteel Forge
1 Elixir of Immortality
1 Expedition Map
2 Fellwar Stone
2 Golgari Signet
4 Krark-Clan Ironworks
0 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
2 Mind Stone
6 Mycosynth Lattice
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Phyrexian Furnace
6 Salvaging Station
1 Scrabbling Claws
4 Smokestack
1 Sol Ring
7 Summoning Station
5 Tamiyo's Journal
2 Thought Vessel
4 Trading Post
0 Urza's Bauble
Creatures: 22
5 Archfiend of Depravity
1 Caustic Caterpillar
4 Corpsejack Menace
3 Elf Replica
3 Eternal Witness
4 Extruder
3 Fleshbag Marauder
3 Foundry Inspector
3 Glissa, the Traitor
6 Marionette Master
3 Merciless Executioner
4 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
7 Pentavus
7 Sheoldred, Whispering One
5 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
4 Slum Reaper
3 Sylvok Replica
5 The Gitrog Monster
5 Thopter Squadron
3 Tireless Tracker
7 Triskelavus
2 Viridian Zealot
3 Awakening Zone
5 Doubling Season
4 From Beyond
1 Hardened Scales
4 Living Plane
5 Primal Vigor
Spells: 7
2 Golgari Charm
3 Bitter Ordeal
3 Inspiring Call
2 Wrap in Vigor
4 Scapeshift
4 Splendid Reclamation
7 Wave of Vitriol
Lands: 38
0 Ancient Tomb
0 Bayou
0 Blighted Woodland
0 Bloodstained Mire
0 Command Tower
0 Forest (×6)
0 Gaea's Cradle
0 Ghost Quarter
0 Marsh Flats
0 Mishra's Workshop
0 Misty Rainforest
0 Overgrown Tomb
0 Polluted Delta
0 Reliquary Tower
0 Rogue's Passage
0 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
0 Strip Mine
0 Swamp (×6)
0 Swarmyard
0 Tainted Wood
0 Throne of the High City
0 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
0 Verdant Catacombs
0 Wasteland
0 Windswept Heath
0 Wooded Foothills
0 Woodland Cemetery
0 Yavimaya Hollow
1 Hardened Scales
4 Corpsejack Menace
4 Extruder
5 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
Token Production:
1 Animation Module
3 Awakening Zone
4 From Beyond
5 Thopter Squadron
6 Marionette Master
7 Pentavus
7 Summoning Station
7 Triskelavus
Sacrifice Enablers:
3 Fleshbag Marauder
3 Merciless Executioner
4 Slum Reaper
4 Smokestack
5 Archfiend of Depravity
7 Sheoldred, Whispering One
Mana Acceleration:
0 Gaea's Cradle
0 Mana Crypt
0 Mishra's Workshop
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
2 Fellwar Stone
2 Golgari Signet
2 Mind Stone
2 Thought Vessel
3 Foundry Inspector
4 Krark-Clan Ironworks
4 Scapeshift
0 Urza's Bauble
1 Chromatic Sphere
1 Chromatic Star
1 Conjurer's Bauble
1 Expedition Map
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Phyrexian Furnace
1 Scrabbling Claws
Recursion:
1 Elixir of Immortality
3 Crucible of Worlds
3 Eternal Witness
3 Glissa, the Traitor
4 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
4 Splendid Reclamation
6 Salvaging Station
Disruption:
0 Ghost Quarter
0 Strip Mine
0 Wasteland
1 Caustic Caterpillar
2 Viridian Zealot
3 Elf Replica
3 Sylvok Replica
7 Wave of Vitriol
Protection:
0 Swarmyard
0 Yavimaya Hollow
2 Golgari Charm
2 Wrap in Vigor
3 Inspiring Call
9 Darksteel Forge
Drawing:
0 Throne of the High City
3 Tireless Tracker
5 Tamiyo's Journal
5 The Gitrog Monster
0 Reliquary Tower
0 Rogue's Passage
0 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
0 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Living Plane
4 Trading Post
5 Doubling Season
5 Primal Vigor
5 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
6 Mycosynth Lattice
Alternate Wincon:
3 Bitter Ordeal
Fetchlands:
0 Blighted Woodland
0 Bloodstained Mire
0 Marsh Flats
0 Misty Rainforest
0 Polluted Delta
0 Verdant Catacombs
0 Windswept Heath
0 Wooded Foothills
Lands for the Mana:
0 Ancient Tomb
0 Bayou
0 Command Tower
0 Overgrown Tomb
0 Tainted Wood
0 Woodland Cemetery
Basic Lands:
0 Forest (×6)
0 Swamp (×6)
5 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
Artifacts: 14
1 Conjurer's Bauble
1 Executioner's Capsule
2 Fellwar Stone
2 Golgari Signet
1 Lifespark Spellbomb
2 Mind Stone
1 Necrogen Spellbomb
1 Phyrexian Furnace
2 Prismatic Lens
6 Salvaging Station
5 Tamiyo's Journal
0 Tormod's Crypt
4 Trading Post
Creatures: 24
4 Armorcraft Judge
1 Boreal Druid
3 Burnished Hart
1 Caustic Caterpillar
6 Champion of Stray Souls
4 Corpsejack Menace
2 Dawntreader Elk
1 Elves of Deep Shadow
1 Elvish Mystic
3 Emrakul's Evangel
3 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Fyndhorn Elves
2 Korozda Guildmage
1 Llanowar Elves
3 Merciless Executioner
5 Phyrexian Plaguelord
2 Sakura-Tribe Elder
5 Shriekmaw
4 Slum Reaper
4 Smothering Abomination
3 Sylvok Replica
2 Viridian Zealot
1 Viscera Seer
3 Yavimaya Elder
1 Carapace
2 Dark Privilege
2 Durable Handicraft
3 Fallen Ideal
4 From Beyond
1 Hardened Scales
5 Palace Siege
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
3 Seal of Doom
2 Seal of Primordium
3 Squirrel Nest
1 Thrull Retainer
1 Vampiric Rites
Spells: 12
3 Carrion
3 Inspiring Call
2 Tribute to the Wild
2 Golgari Charm
2 Wrap in Vigor
4 Barter in Blood
5 Eliminate the Competition
4 Fungal Sprouting
1 Innocent Blood
2 Smallpox
3 Victimize
7 Wave of Vitriol
Lands: 36
0 Bant Panorama
0 Blighted Fen
0 Blighted Woodland
0 Crystal Vein
0 Esper Panorama
0 Evolving Wilds
0 Forest (×6)
0 Foundry of the Consuls
0 Grixis Panorama
0 Jund Panorama
0 Naya Panorama
0 Rogue's Passage
0 Spawning Bed
0 Swamp (×6)
0 Tainted Wood
0 Terminal Moraine
0 Terramorphic Expanse
0 Warped Landscape
Here're the current changes I may test in order to make the deck less stompy (or at least less dependent on stompy) and more combo:
2 Thought Vessel
4 Creakwood Liege
4 Master of the Wild Hunt
5 Mycoloth
3 Ophiomancer
5 Primal Vigor
0 Blighted Woodland
3 Bitter Ordeal
6 Grave Titan
6 Marionette Master
4 Nim Deathmantle
5 Puppeteer Clique
8 Woodfall Primus
0 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
0 Urza's Bauble
4 Extruder
5 Primal Vigor
0 Reliquary Tower
1 Disciple of the Vault
4 Nim Deathmantle
6 Wurmcoil Engine
5 Cauldron of Souls
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!
URXSurf's Up, Mizz Magnus!XRU
URGWKynaios and Tiro's Multiplayer MenagerieWGRU
Hopefully in the weekend I can start designing the first post in order to have it more presentable and start building it up to something useful. Still doing a lot of research on how other people may want to play Mazirek. So far, I've preferred stompy over combo. However, including some combo pieces is good because they're so convoluted that people may not catch on the first time. If afterwards they disrupt the combos, you can still win with a super pumped army. If that's not enough, they'll probably scoop after you may them sacrifice most of their permanents. Again, Mazirek is great at being a simultaneous Voltron/Stax/Stompy/Combo commander.
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!
I'm really loving this primer of sorts and am super into this deck. Just bought a bunch of the cards that I don't already have to put together a version of my own! I haven't played with the deck at all yet so please excuse my ignorance.
It seems to me that a couple cards that are used are win-more cards. All of the other +1/+1 counter cards ( Hardened Scales, corpsejack menace and kalonian hydra, plus animation module and armorcraft judge) don't really do much until you've got Mazirek out and you're saccing creatures. Of course, they make things move a lot more quickly for you once that is happening, but it seems like you would want to focus on playing cards that are useful any time.
Tooth and Nail or Defense of the heart could be game over if they can resolve. Even chord of calling or green sun's zenith. Also, if you're adding a little combo package, throwing aerie ouphes isn't a bad idea at all, since you just need to have that and mazirek out. Then, if there are any creatures with flying out, they're all dead. Or, if there are none, you just need another creature to benefit from the saccing (zulaport cutthroat) and then you can target mazirek an infinite number of times.
I guess my overall question is how often does it feel like the deck is stalling, or do you feel like you're already drawing enough cards and producing enough mana so that you can play a few of those win-more cards?