I've had Chainer in my folder for a long, long time. I picked him up cheaply at an LGS some years back and have always been hesitant to build him. Partially because I already have some reanimator decks, partially because he comes with some significant risks:
- 3 life per reanimate really adds up.
- Exiling all nightmares when he dies? This is an all or nothing strategy. I can see why they call it suicide black.
That being said, there are two things that made me want to build this deck. Firstly, I'm far from a completist, but I would like to have a stable decklist in all mono colours - I have blue braids, white Bruna, mono Kozilek, green Nissa, red Krenko (WIP), and Chainer. Secondly, despite Chainer's drawbacks, he has some definite benefits in terms of the reanimation he offers.
What Chainer offers is INSTANT speed, REDUCED COST reanimation from ANY graveyard. And then he provides an anthem for the creatures you reanimate. Sure the downsides sting, but that is a powerful ability. And the downsides can be negated. I don't mind someone elses creatures getting exiled too much, and to protect my graveyard and enable more reanimation I'm more than happy to sacrifice for benefit.
This list, to my mind is not entirely finished: The creature suite is less than perfect, there are a few more specialised lands to add, and as always I am more than happy to take suggestions or critique. The deck has some ideal fits and some that don't quite fit, merely based on what I had available to bring the deck up to 100. In addition, I won't be adding tutors; I don't have anything against other people using them, I just prefer not to myself and won't spend money on them. If I pull them, I'll play them.
Notable Exclusions- Rune-Scarred Demon - I don't have a copy. Ashnod's Altar - I feel like the ramp here is sufficient mostly, and colourless mana is less useful here than B. Mana Crypt - I'm not made of money, but if you are, feel free to send one my way.
As I said, feel free to critique - the reason I post these lists is to refine, improve, and discuss the pros and cons of adding or removing particular cards.
you want fleshbag marauder too. redundancy is key when playing tutorless.
I agree. I'll be tracking one down.
is your kokusho, the evening star really better in that other deck?
because back then when koko got banned as a commander the way to play was chainer. koko is some of chainer, dementia master 's best potential.
I agree here too, the problem is that I don't have enough Koko's for all of the decks it would work well in. It would fit like a dream here though. It's currently in Meren, I just don't have anything ideal to replace Koko with for Meren.
and there is massacre wurm.
chainer is like bantGWU etb goodstuff done blackB.
I'd love a copy. They're just a bit beyond my price range at present. I'd LOVE to see it reprinted, I could use 2-3 of them really.
strands of night might be bad as you are tutorless. its basically a backup chainer you wont have if you need it and you might hae it sitting in your hand coz you have chainer active.
I'm not sure I understand the logic here, should I not play it because I can't tutor for it? This sort of goes against what you said earlier in your post regarding redundancy. Which I agree with.
in garruk's wake is really alot of mana. if you want it for planeswalkerkils ok. otherwise consider something cheaper or Dread Cacodemon. the effect to clear the board is also only on cast but it has a body. big meaty body you can get back with chainer.
Yeah that's a fair point. Truth be told I don't really NEED it. I have Thief of Blood which will insta-kill and walkers on the field. I could probably scrape up a Vampire Hexmage for redundancy. Dread Cacodemon I don't have, but feasibly I could see Archfiend of Depravity here too.
EDIT: RTFC moment. Dread Cacodemon has an "if you played it from your hand" clause. That significantly reduces my willingness to give it a spot here.
about strands and redundancy.
fleshbag is good because chainer wants to loop him but fleshbag is no chainer.
now strands is nothing chainer wants to loop but it is a backu chainer. no redundancy needed except if chainer somehow is off. but in these situationsyou wont necessarly have the strands. its a little like coastal piracy or bident of thassa in edric, spymaster of trest. if your edric gets removed, stolen or whatever you want a backup but because of the lack of big draw or tutors in that situation you probably will not have access to one of those. shure you might have luck. but thats not worth the cardslot in my eyes.
I've got a lot of draw here, and some of the best draw in the game, as well as two ways to make my hand as big as I'd like. That's not a guarantee, by any stretch, but rather than put all of my eggs in chainer's basket, I'd prefer still to have the option of being able to have the option if I need it.
koko in meren. you ok thats an arument because meren likes to do graveloops as well so i calmed down koko is not wasted somewhere.
Don't get me wrong, I agree. Koko should be here, I just can't completely neuter Meren.
In: Vampire Hexmage - For those pesky walkers who just won't play nice. Expedition Map - We all know why this is here. Falkenrath Noble - Flying Blood Artist. Smallpox - Cheap way to slow people just a little. Trying it out, it may yet go.
Out: In Garruk's Wake Dregs of Sorrow
Both of these are expensive, slow and are less than ideal. Grim Return - Bit redundant in a Chainer deck. Promise of Power - It feels unnecessary with some of the best draw in the game available here.
Also, Sol Rings are particularly easy to find. If you really are unable to acquire another copy for the deck, either swap cards between decks, or proxy it.
Both enter tapped and generate less than what they cost to pay which I'm not keen on. I'd prefer to add back in Pilgrim's Eye and spring for a Sol ring.
Perhaps the biggest flaw in this deck is the unreasonably high mana curve, particularly when combined with the distinct lack of acceleration.
The two you've highlighted here could both go as their effects are from being cast. I'd happily take out Champion of Stray Souls too. Open to suggestions for lower cost impact creatures instead.
Expedition Map is not ramp. It is a tutor effect. Phyrexian Altar is not ramp, except in very token-heavy builds. Similarly, the Adnate is not ramp, because of the initial investment required to even use it. It is a 'big mana' effect, and even then would be terrible if not for the need of sacrifice effects for the deck.
I suppose Burnished Hart could be considered ramp, if your meta is slow enough. Still, the cost is high enough that I generally classify it as 'big mana'.
To clarify the difference between 'ramp' and 'big mana' - the former represents early, permanent acceleration, typically in the vein of CMC 0 to 3 artifact acceleration and the various Rampant Growth & Birds of Paradise effects, while the latter is late game, large mana production effects such as Gilded Lotus or Cabal Coffers.
You want good acceleration for this type of deck, especially with how high your curve is, and monocolor Black has few options.
I have access to literally any card I want, and I am still considering using Charcoal Diamond & Coldsteel Heart for my own Chainer list, simply because of the lack of other good options.
If you want lower cost creatures to add, acquire Carrion Feeder & Viscera Seer. Most of the sacrifice outlets you have are to expensive.
Expedition Map is not ramp. It is a tutor effect.
Phyrexian Altar is not ramp, except in very token-heavy builds. Similarly, the Adnate is not ramp, because of the initial investment required to even use it. It is a 'big mana' effect, and even then would be terrible if not for the need of sacrifice effects for the deck.
I suppose Burnished Hart could be considered ramp, if your meta is slow enough. Still, the cost is high enough that I generally classify it as 'big mana'.
I see what you're saying here. I should have further options available to me. I may have an Armillary Sphere banging about somewhere, otherwise I can probably scrape up a Sol Ring, Hedron Archive, Mind Stone or similar to add. I prefer not to depend on rocks unless I have to, and I do know that black has very few options in terms of true land ramp. It's entirely possible I'd get more out of replacing Soldevi adnate with Pilgrim's Eye or Journeyer's Kite as a continuous land fixer.
If you want lower cost creatures to add, acquire Carrion Feeder & Viscera Seer. Most of the sacrifice outlets you have are to expensive.
I see the value in adding Viscera Seer and can probably scrounge up a copy, but not so much Carrion Feeder. I know to some degree its a means to an end - you're interested in the sac, not what it achieves, but I'm still not all that interested in a vanilla zombie with +1/+1 counters on it.
I have access to literally any card I want, and I am still considering using Charcoal Diamond & Coldsteel Heart for my own Chainer list, simply because of the lack of other good options.
I'd be interested in seeing a list if you haven't posted on the site already - I didn't see a list on the database under your name.
I also use creatures like Nekrataal as they kill a creature and become a body on the field. My 2 cents really and Geth is a slightly different animal than Chainer.
They might indeed, pretty sure I have a spare powerstone. Thran Dynamo not so much, but it's probably a little outside of a reasonably tight budget at the moment. I'd love a Solemn Simulacrum in here though, such good value to continually reanimate.
Reanimation is fun, and to be honest you probably have more use for big mana in your deck than I do here. Still nice to have the options though. As far as removal goes, I definitely can't afford Damnation and I'd usually run Toxic Deluge instead anyway, but the life loss is a slight concern. I have enough life gain in here to mitigate the worst of it, but it's still a risk.
Nekrataal is an old favourite of mine - great value for the cost.
1. I personally value Shriekmaw over good old Nekrataal as you can get an early kill that shoves it into the graveyard for later.
2. I also note that the Myojin only gets its divinity counter if you cast it from your hand (like the Reiver Demon)
3. Might I recommend Sepulchral Primordial as a bargain bin goodie that allows a single Chainer trigger to grab a whole lot of other goodies?
1. I personally value Shriekmaw over good old Nekrataal as you can get an early kill that shoves it into the graveyard for later.
2. I also note that the Myojin only gets its divinity counter if you cast it from your hand (like the Reiver Demon)
3. Might I recommend Sepulchral Primordial as a bargain bin goodie that allows a single Chainer trigger to grab a whole lot of other goodies?
Shriekmaw is good quality. And probably is the right choice here, as it'll keep the dogs at bay with evoke until I can hit Chainer.
Yes, I should have read Myojin. They'll both be taken out at some point soon. I've just ordered yet another Sol Ring and found a Corpse Connoisseur for the deck, so they will slot in and help reduce the curve too.
I have considered Sepulchral Primordial here. A lot of my play is 1v1 at present, so it doesn't quite have the same bang for buck as it otherwise would, but it is still a great option.
In: Carrion Feeder - a 1 drop recurrable sac outlet is pretty good. The counters don't matter, but it'll do what's needed. Viscera Seer - My preferred 1 drop sac outlet. Shriekmaw Mind Stone - Enters untapped and sac's for a card, what's not to like about it? Armillary Sphere - Ramp.
Out: Myojin of Night's Reach - the cast from hand trigger. RTFC. Reiver Demon - See above. Phthisis - This deck cares about my life total, not so much the opponents enough to play an expensive once off like this. Soldevi Adnate - Not quite an awesome sac outlet. Champion of Stray Souls - Mass recursion is cool but he is a little unwieldy with activated ability costs - I may regret this depending on how much ire Chainer receives as general.
Bone Shredder is another good early game removal spell, as its echo allows it to be recurred once per turn cycle (if necessary). Also pretty easy on the wallet
Thanks for the suggestions. I no longer have a copy of Miren, and I don't care for the pricetag either! I think if any other high-priced sac-land were to go in, it'd likely be Phyrexian Tower. Another I don't care for the pricetag of though
Life Chisel seems like a less versatile Disciple of Griselbrand to me. Bonus points for a card I've never seen though!
Bone Shredder is another good early game removal spell, as its echo allows it to be recurred once per turn cycle (if necessary). Also pretty easy on the wallet
Agreed, and will be likely doing a crate dig at my LGS this time next week. It's on the list of cards to track down.
In: Sol Ring - Sigarda got torn apart, and Chainer is taking the best pieces. Infernal Tribute - This may not be the best place for it but I'm playtesting it here nonetheless. Hell's Caretaker - Not saying no to further reanimation.
Out: Bontu's Monument - Hadn't really realised how redundant this is, considering the second clause is a cast clause. Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder - I don't have a huge token support strategy here so he's a little redundant. Sengir Autocrat - Likewise here.
Quick update after a reasonable play through over the weekend. Went up against Roon 1v1 with my wife. Heavy mismatch (I helped her take the Roon deck to some pretty good places), and I mana flooded, so the whole game was a giant, frustrating fizzle in which I got beaten down by some solid plays and a recurring blink of Angel of Sanctions.
Have since added Night's Whisper in place of Spawning Pit, which I wasn't ever super keen on. Ideally it'd be nice to add some more creature draw -Disciple of Bolas would be a great add, any other suggestions are welcome. Post HoD, I'll definitely be looking at adding Razaketh, the Foulblooded which will help fix some reliability issues.
In: Solemn Simulacrum - SO much more useful here than in Kozilek. Disciple of Bolas - Life gain and card draw, plus a sac outlet. Kokusho, the Evening Star - The staple. Meren makes less use of it than Chainer can. I feel bad neutering her somewhat but I only have one copy.
- 3 life per reanimate really adds up.
- Exiling all nightmares when he dies? This is an all or nothing strategy. I can see why they call it suicide black.
That being said, there are two things that made me want to build this deck. Firstly, I'm far from a completist, but I would like to have a stable decklist in all mono colours - I have blue braids, white Bruna, mono Kozilek, green Nissa, red Krenko (WIP), and Chainer. Secondly, despite Chainer's drawbacks, he has some definite benefits in terms of the reanimation he offers.
By comparison, Meren of Clan Nel Toth offers one scaled to curve reanimate from your graveyard per turn cycle. Karador, Ghost Chieftain offers one creature cast (at full cost) per turn. Likewise, tribally, for Gisa and Geralf.
What Chainer offers is INSTANT speed, REDUCED COST reanimation from ANY graveyard. And then he provides an anthem for the creatures you reanimate. Sure the downsides sting, but that is a powerful ability. And the downsides can be negated. I don't mind someone elses creatures getting exiled too much, and to protect my graveyard and enable more reanimation I'm more than happy to sacrifice for benefit.
This list, to my mind is not entirely finished: The creature suite is less than perfect, there are a few more specialised lands to add, and as always I am more than happy to take suggestions or critique. The deck has some ideal fits and some that don't quite fit, merely based on what I had available to bring the deck up to 100. In addition, I won't be adding tutors; I don't have anything against other people using them, I just prefer not to myself and won't spend money on them. If I pull them, I'll play them.
1 Carrion Feeder
1 Viscera Seer
2 Disciple of Griselbrand
2 Zulaport Cutthroat
2 Reassembling Skeleton
2 Vampire Hexmage
3 Fleshbag Marauder
3 Burnished Hart
3 Merciless Executioner
3 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
3 Grim Haruspex
4 Slum Reaper
4 Magus of the Abyss
4 Dimir House Guard
4 Sangromancer
4 Crypt Ghast
4 Solemn Simulacrum
4 Disciple of Bolas
4 Graveborn Muse
5 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
5 Corpse Connoisseur
5 Shriekmaw
5 Puppeteer Clique
5 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
5 Magus of the Coffers
5 Sadistic Hypnotist
6 Noxious Gearhulk
6 Kokusho, the Evening Star
6 Ascendant Evincar
6 Demon of Dark Schemes
6 Extractor Demon
6 Harvester of Souls
6 Grave Titan
6 Reaper from the Abyss
7 Herald of Leshrac
7 Havoc Demon
8 Avatar of Woe
1 Vampiric Rites
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Necropotence
3 Dark Prophecy
3 Infernal Tribute
3 Oppression
4 Strands of Night
4 Whip of Erebos
5 Dictate of Erebos
5 Black Market
Artifacts
0 Claws of Gix
1 Expedition Map
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Sol Ring
2 Mind Stone
2 Swiftfoot Boots
5 Eldrazi Monument
7 Spine of Ish Sah
Sorceries
2 Black Sun's Zenith
3 Buried Alive
4 Reprocess
5 Living Death
8 Decree of Pain
2 Imp's Mischief
Planeswalker
4 Liliana of the Dark Realms
Lands
31 Swamp
1 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Encroaching Wastes
1 Cabal Stronghold
1 Myriad Landscape
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Buried Ruin
Wants - Liliana of the Dark Realms, Life's Finale, Massacre Wurm,Altar of Dementia.
Notable Exclusions-
Rune-Scarred Demon - I don't have a copy.
Ashnod's Altar - I feel like the ramp here is sufficient mostly, and colourless mana is less useful here than B.
Mana Crypt - I'm not made of money, but if you are, feel free to send one my way.
As I said, feel free to critique - the reason I post these lists is to refine, improve, and discuss the pros and cons of adding or removing particular cards.
I agree. I'll be tracking one down.
I agree here too, the problem is that I don't have enough Koko's for all of the decks it would work well in. It would fit like a dream here though. It's currently in Meren, I just don't have anything ideal to replace Koko with for Meren.
I'd love a copy. They're just a bit beyond my price range at present. I'd LOVE to see it reprinted, I could use 2-3 of them really.
I'm not sure I understand the logic here, should I not play it because I can't tutor for it? This sort of goes against what you said earlier in your post regarding redundancy. Which I agree with.
Yeah that's a fair point. Truth be told I don't really NEED it. I have Thief of Blood which will insta-kill and walkers on the field. I could probably scrape up a Vampire Hexmage for redundancy. Dread Cacodemon I don't have, but feasibly I could see Archfiend of Depravity here too.
EDIT: RTFC moment. Dread Cacodemon has an "if you played it from your hand" clause. That significantly reduces my willingness to give it a spot here.
I've got a lot of draw here, and some of the best draw in the game, as well as two ways to make my hand as big as I'd like. That's not a guarantee, by any stretch, but rather than put all of my eggs in chainer's basket, I'd prefer still to have the option of being able to have the option if I need it.
Don't get me wrong, I agree. Koko should be here, I just can't completely neuter Meren.
In:
Vampire Hexmage - For those pesky walkers who just won't play nice.
Expedition Map - We all know why this is here.
Falkenrath Noble - Flying Blood Artist.
Smallpox - Cheap way to slow people just a little. Trying it out, it may yet go.
Out:
In Garruk's Wake
Dregs of Sorrow
Both of these are expensive, slow and are less than ideal.
Grim Return - Bit redundant in a Chainer deck.
Promise of Power - It feels unnecessary with some of the best draw in the game available here.
In:
Ascendant Evincar - Reading chainer properly leads to me seeing that everything he reanimates turns black.
Out:
Trading Post - Utility card that's more use elsewhere.
In:
Urborg, tomb of Yawgmoth - May need to find a Filth to go with this.
Puppeteer Clique - Yeah, this is going to be nasty.
Magus of the Abyss - This will do some milage with the bleeder creatures, and help out with Yahenni, Undying Partisan too.
Grave Titan - This guy benefits much more from the instant recursion Chainer has - He doesn't have haste so Meren can't do as much with him.
Out:
Swamp
Demon of Wailing Agonies
Ophiomancer
Butcher of Malakir
Pretty well straight upgrades to me. Butcher of Malakir might come back in but I can't see it at the moment.
In:
Zulaport Cutthroat - Redundancy
Fleshbag Marauder - Redundancy
Filth - Game winner with Urborg
Songs of the Damned - Could be a winner here.
Out:
Library of Leng - Really only needed to mitigate Necropotence.
Crystal Ball - Not really necessary here at all.
Pilgrim's Eye
Phyrexian Reclamation - Can't really afford the loss of life on a regular basis.
In:
Reiver Demon - Undoubtedly great here, prime reanimation target.
Out:
Smallpox
[-] Myojin of Night's Reach
[-] Reiver Demon
[+] Charcoal Diamond
[+] Coldsteel Heart
Also, Sol Rings are particularly easy to find. If you really are unable to acquire another copy for the deck, either swap cards between decks, or proxy it.
What ramp?
"if you cast it from your hand"
Be certain to understand what a card does before using it.
A Dying Wish
To Rise Again
Chainer, Dementia Master
Muldrotha, the Gravetide
Atraxa, Praetors' Voice
Both enter tapped and generate less than what they cost to pay which I'm not keen on. I'd prefer to add back in Pilgrim's Eye and spring for a Sol ring.
The two you've highlighted here could both go as their effects are from being cast. I'd happily take out Champion of Stray Souls too. Open to suggestions for lower cost impact creatures instead.
You must've missed the Wayfarer's Bauble, Expedition Map, Soldevi Adnate, Phyrexian Altar and Burnished Hart. I could definitely add more, but you make it sound like there is nothing at all here and that's simply not true.
Agreed, I definitely missed this.
Expedition Map is not ramp. It is a tutor effect.
Phyrexian Altar is not ramp, except in very token-heavy builds. Similarly, the Adnate is not ramp, because of the initial investment required to even use it. It is a 'big mana' effect, and even then would be terrible if not for the need of sacrifice effects for the deck.
I suppose Burnished Hart could be considered ramp, if your meta is slow enough. Still, the cost is high enough that I generally classify it as 'big mana'.
To clarify the difference between 'ramp' and 'big mana' - the former represents early, permanent acceleration, typically in the vein of CMC 0 to 3 artifact acceleration and the various Rampant Growth & Birds of Paradise effects, while the latter is late game, large mana production effects such as Gilded Lotus or Cabal Coffers.
You want good acceleration for this type of deck, especially with how high your curve is, and monocolor Black has few options.
I have access to literally any card I want, and I am still considering using Charcoal Diamond & Coldsteel Heart for my own Chainer list, simply because of the lack of other good options.
If you want lower cost creatures to add, acquire Carrion Feeder & Viscera Seer. Most of the sacrifice outlets you have are to expensive.
A Dying Wish
To Rise Again
Chainer, Dementia Master
Muldrotha, the Gravetide
Atraxa, Praetors' Voice
I see what you're saying here. I should have further options available to me. I may have an Armillary Sphere banging about somewhere, otherwise I can probably scrape up a Sol Ring, Hedron Archive, Mind Stone or similar to add. I prefer not to depend on rocks unless I have to, and I do know that black has very few options in terms of true land ramp. It's entirely possible I'd get more out of replacing Soldevi adnate with Pilgrim's Eye or Journeyer's Kite as a continuous land fixer.
I see the value in adding Viscera Seer and can probably scrounge up a copy, but not so much Carrion Feeder. I know to some degree its a means to an end - you're interested in the sac, not what it achieves, but I'm still not all that interested in a vanilla zombie with +1/+1 counters on it.
I'd be interested in seeing a list if you haven't posted on the site already - I didn't see a list on the database under your name.
Thanks for the input.
I run a Geth, Lord of The Vault Deck which runs lots of acceleration and cards like Damnation and one shot kills like Doom Blade. I enjoy the deck a lot.
I also use creatures like Nekrataal as they kill a creature and become a body on the field. My 2 cents really and Geth is a slightly different animal than Chainer.
Reanimation is fun, and to be honest you probably have more use for big mana in your deck than I do here. Still nice to have the options though. As far as removal goes, I definitely can't afford Damnation and I'd usually run Toxic Deluge instead anyway, but the life loss is a slight concern. I have enough life gain in here to mitigate the worst of it, but it's still a risk.
Nekrataal is an old favourite of mine - great value for the cost.
1. I personally value Shriekmaw over good old Nekrataal as you can get an early kill that shoves it into the graveyard for later.
2. I also note that the Myojin only gets its divinity counter if you cast it from your hand (like the Reiver Demon)
3. Might I recommend Sepulchral Primordial as a bargain bin goodie that allows a single Chainer trigger to grab a whole lot of other goodies?
Shriekmaw is good quality. And probably is the right choice here, as it'll keep the dogs at bay with evoke until I can hit Chainer.
Yes, I should have read Myojin. They'll both be taken out at some point soon. I've just ordered yet another Sol Ring and found a Corpse Connoisseur for the deck, so they will slot in and help reduce the curve too.
I have considered Sepulchral Primordial here. A lot of my play is 1v1 at present, so it doesn't quite have the same bang for buck as it otherwise would, but it is still a great option.
In:
Carrion Feeder - a 1 drop recurrable sac outlet is pretty good. The counters don't matter, but it'll do what's needed.
Viscera Seer - My preferred 1 drop sac outlet.
Shriekmaw
Mind Stone - Enters untapped and sac's for a card, what's not to like about it?
Armillary Sphere - Ramp.
Out:
Myojin of Night's Reach - the cast from hand trigger. RTFC.
Reiver Demon - See above.
Phthisis - This deck cares about my life total, not so much the opponents enough to play an expensive once off like this.
Soldevi Adnate - Not quite an awesome sac outlet.
Champion of Stray Souls - Mass recursion is cool but he is a little unwieldy with activated ability costs - I may regret this depending on how much ire Chainer receives as general.
Have also ordered a High Market, Corpe Connoisseur and a Sol Ring which will be going in here. Picking them up over the weekend.
[EDH] Rafiq of the Many
[EDH]Chainer, Dementia Master
[EDH] Maelstrom Wanderer
Life Chisel seems like a less versatile Disciple of Griselbrand to me. Bonus points for a card I've never seen though!
Agreed, and will be likely doing a crate dig at my LGS this time next week. It's on the list of cards to track down.
Chainer, Dementia Master
A Dying Wish
To Rise Again
Chainer, Dementia Master
Muldrotha, the Gravetide
Atraxa, Praetors' Voice
In:
Sol Ring - Sigarda got torn apart, and Chainer is taking the best pieces.
Infernal Tribute - This may not be the best place for it but I'm playtesting it here nonetheless.
Hell's Caretaker - Not saying no to further reanimation.
Out:
Bontu's Monument - Hadn't really realised how redundant this is, considering the second clause is a cast clause.
Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder - I don't have a huge token support strategy here so he's a little redundant.
Sengir Autocrat - Likewise here.
Have since added Night's Whisper in place of Spawning Pit, which I wasn't ever super keen on. Ideally it'd be nice to add some more creature draw -Disciple of Bolas would be a great add, any other suggestions are welcome. Post HoD, I'll definitely be looking at adding Razaketh, the Foulblooded which will help fix some reliability issues.
In:
Solemn Simulacrum - SO much more useful here than in Kozilek.
Disciple of Bolas - Life gain and card draw, plus a sac outlet.
Kokusho, the Evening Star - The staple. Meren makes less use of it than Chainer can. I feel bad neutering her somewhat but I only have one copy.
Out:
Songs of the Damned - Never really was much use.
Phyrexian Altar - Not really the right place for it.
Filigree Familiar - Has had a big upgrade.