I'm trying to build my own Meren of Clan Nel Toth deck and sort of come up with a starting shell around a token theme along with the typical graveyard recursion. Current deck can be found here...
I guess my first question is: Does this look like it has enough rocks / ramp? I have a couple of high costed drops in the deck and I do worry a little bit about a slow start. The other question I have is should I really be going all in on a specific win strategy, like amassing a ton of tokens or sacrificing a lot of creatures to just drain them out with Blood Artist style effects? Also first time trying to do one of these from scratch for multiplayer.
Cards I've been thinking about on the maybe list:
1) Growing Rites of Itlamoc -> should have 4+ creatures in a multiplayer game in this kind of deck so it looks plausible here.
2) Perilous Forays -> another way to get more lands. A bit high on curve, though.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I actually didn't expect some of the cuts I ended up making, but the basics take priority over fun synergy cards like Doubling Season. As for why Bonds of Mortality is in there, it exists to make board wipes work against creatures that normally could survive them. Case in point, if someone has an Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre and decides to play Damnation, I use the bonds to remove it's indestructible. Also, I'm secretly hoping that I got Deathrite shaman out in that scenario to exile it as well...
Still have room for 4 more cards in the deck to make 100 and not sure what the best ones to throw into this build would be. I'm bending towards creature density at the moment and maybe more threats? Ramp? I'm thinking Fauna Shaman, Gray Merchant of Asphodel, and probably Farhaven Elf.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I think I like the idea of finding something to cut to make room for at least one of the two above mentioned sacrifice creatures ( Fleshbag marauder or Merciless Executioner ). Maybe Farhaven Elf, since there's already a good few ways to ramp?
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I would suggest including the following creatures: Deranged Hermit - great token maker that also sacrifices itself making you able to reanimate her creating more tokens.. Butcher of Malakir - a Gravepact on a stick is almost never a bad thing... Craterhoof Behemoth - works awesome with tokens to end the game out of nowhere... ^^ Titania, Protector of Argoth - great creature to get lands back and make tokens with your sac. lands.. Nest Invader - makes a token - sac - gives 1 mana back and 1 experience.. Kozilek's Predator - 2 tokens to sac - gives you 2 experience (and 2 mana back)
Cards that double your mana also are really great as per example: Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger Mana Reflection Zendikar Resurgent
I would also suggest including Greater Good - it's awesome to draw a ton of cards dumping stuff in the graveyard to get back with Meren.. ^^
For ramp I would say mostly go with creatures that help with the strategy or otherwise just mana ramp, artifact ramp is not needed as much in green/black.. ^^
Birthing pod also is a card I always added to decks like Meren...
Those are just a few suggestions I could think off, there are many more options, search/draw/destruction/mana accel are the main things to look for..
Hope the suggestions are helpful... ^^
Deranged Hermit looks pretty insane, actually. As for Butcher of Malakir, I had it in there originally, then cut it for Sheoldred, Whispering One as she could recur creatures on my upkeep while consistently forcing opponents to sacrifice creatures. However, Butcher of Malakir is still a card I think I may want (as well as the two low cost Merciless Executioner and Fleshbag Marauder), as they can easily wipe the board out with all the scions and tokens floating around.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
i enjoy this list and should post mine some time, but i was wondering if you were having any issues at all? since you were looking for advice
I was actually looking for advice on if it looked like the ramp package was good enough. Since I'm running an upgrade to Meren, the main issue I had with the original precon was that it felt sluggish if for some reason Meren couldn't hit the field and get enough experience counters. Well, that and it felt like the designers wasted a huge amount of potential with the deck by turning it into a big dumb green deck with black thrown in. I like Centaur Vinecrasher with The Gitrog Monster, but he doesn't feel like he had a place with Meren. Banshee of the Dread Choir is okay filler, but if someone wants myriad they probably are better off with just slotting in Blade of Selves. I have zero clue why Caller of the Pack needed to be in this deck outside of showcasing the set mechanic.
I think the best answer I have in regards to the thread is that I felt like I needed some help given this was basically iteration number 4.
Also, the "maybe" list is actually the cards I cut from the original deck to make the current one in case anyone was curious.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Sigarda, Host of Herons is why Bonds of Mortality are there. I've also been pondering finding room for City of Solitude since the deck really doesn't worry much about instant speed removal on other players turns. It does have Ghoulcaller Gisa, but otherwise not a whole lot of things going on in other peoples turns.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I somehow completely missed Dosan the falling leaf. Honestly, I think this has been one of my favorite commander decks to build simply because of how useful Meren is. I did ponder having some other commanders at the helm for a token swarm build, but I feel like the recursion from Meren trumps the benefits of running something like Rhys, the Redeemed since her functionality doesn't depend on the board state as much. That and she isn't as all in on tokens as the traditional token swarm commanders.
I think the only step I got left is considering ways to defend against graveyard exile effects. I've been pondering Footbottom feast and repopulate as potential options. Another option may be to run Riftsweeper to pull cards back from exile. I think Jester's Cap is probably one of the more effective ways to deal with GY hate.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Got a few games in with Meren and my thoughts are that if the meta you are in is very heavy on combo decks, it may pay to cut Bone shredder for a Putrefy. Also, Hour of Glory and Vraska's Contempt may be needed if you go up against Eldrazi titans or any of the gods consistently. Golgari has a lot of great cards for destroying creatures, but not a lot of good exile effects and the Hour of Devastation God cards demand exiling. On that note, Golgari also doesn't have a lot of super flexible cards for dealing with enchantments at the 1-3 CMC level. Golgari Charm is one such flex card as well as Krosan Grip against counter spell heavy decks.
Also, after some games I think it pays to have two lands to act as backup sack outlets. I don't like Grim Backwoods due to the fact the mana cost to sacrifice something is pretty high for what it does, but without another good alternative that isn't a Reserved List card, the only other option is Phyrexian Tower.
Case in point, don't go too crazy on trying to answer everything in the meta you're in and try to keep answers as synergistic as possible. Creatures with ETB > non-creature in Meren builds and probably Karador builds as well.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Vindictive Lich is the new one from commander 2017 isn't it? I think I need to look through those lists to see what to pick up.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
So my cards finally all arrived and the only change I made from the semi final list was pulling out high market for phyrexian tower. Comparing the build I did to some others I'd say it's not as heavy on dumping things into the graveyard as some other builds, so it holds up better Vs graveyard hate. The one change I'm probably making is swapping greenwarden of murasa for sidisi, undead vizier. The extra tutor and death touch body is probably more useful. There is an elf as well that when it etb it brings cards out of exile that may be worth having depending on the meta.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I found that Sidisi could basically act as a Greenwarden via fishing out skullwinder or Eternal Witness, so there was not much reason to use the extra recovery critter. Plus he's a 4/6 death touch.
Took out the Shriekmaw and Bone shredder because of the fact they can't hit black or artifact creatures. That ended up being more a problem than I thought in the groups I've played with as black is popular.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
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1 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
Lands
1 Blooming Marsh
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Command Beacon
1 Command Tower
1 Evolving Wilds
9 Forest
1 Ghost Quarter
1 High Market
1 Hissing Quagmire
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
11 Swamp
1 Tainted Wood
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Woodland Cemetery
Artifacts
1 Altar of Dementia
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Golgari Signet
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
1 Thaumatic Compass
Enchantments
1 Awakening Zone
1 Deadbridge Chant
1 Deathreap Ritual
1 Dictate of Erebos
1 Doubling Season
1 Evolutionary Leap
1 From Beyond
1 Golgari Germination
1 Grave Pact
1 Palace Siege
1 Parallel Lives
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Primal Vigor
1 Vampiric Rites
1 Beast Within
1 Golgari Charm
1 Putrefy
1 Vampiric Tutor
Sorceries
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Toxic Deluge
Creatures
1 Acidic Slime
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Blood Artist
1 Bloodspore Thrinax
1 Catacomb Sifter
1 Caustic Caterpillar
1 Champion of Stray Souls
1 Creakwood Liege
1 Deathrite Shaman
1 Eternal Witness
1 Falkenrath Noble
1 Farhaven Elf
1 Ghoulcaller Gisa
1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
1 Greenwarden of Murasa
1 Grim Haruspex
1 Massacre Wurm
1 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
1 Mycoloth
1 Pathbreaker Ibex
1 Pawn of Ulamog
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 Shriekmaw
1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
1 Sifter of Skulls
1 Smothering Abomination
1 Spore Frog
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Viridian Emissary
1 Viscera Seer
1 Wood Elves
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Yahenni, Undying Partisan
1 Zulaport Cutthroat
I guess my first question is: Does this look like it has enough rocks / ramp? I have a couple of high costed drops in the deck and I do worry a little bit about a slow start. The other question I have is should I really be going all in on a specific win strategy, like amassing a ton of tokens or sacrificing a lot of creatures to just drain them out with Blood Artist style effects? Also first time trying to do one of these from scratch for multiplayer.
Cards I've been thinking about on the maybe list:
1) Growing Rites of Itlamoc -> should have 4+ creatures in a multiplayer game in this kind of deck so it looks plausible here.
2) Perilous Forays -> another way to get more lands. A bit high on curve, though.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
1 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
Creature
1 Abhorrent Overlord
1 Acidic Slime
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Blood Artist
1 Bone Shredder
1 Butcher of Malakir
1 Catacomb Sifter
1 Champion of Stray Souls
1 Creakwood Liege
1 Crypt Ghast
1 Deathrite Shaman
1 Eternal Witness
1 Ghoulcaller Gisa
1 Greenwarden of Murasa
1 Grim Haruspex
1 Massacre Wurm
1 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
1 Mycoloth
1 Pathbreaker Ibex
1 Pawn of Ulamog
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Satyr Wayfinder
1 Savra, Queen of the Golgari
1 Shriekmaw
1 Skullwinder
1 Smothering Abomination
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Viridian Emissary
1 Viscera Seer
1 Wood Elves
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Zulaport Cutthroat
Sorcery
1 Damnation
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Mulch
1 Primal Growth
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Victimize
Instant
1 Putrefy
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Altar of Dementia
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Golgari Signet
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
1 Thaumatic Compass
Enchantment
1 Awakening Zone
1 Bonds of Mortality
1 Deadbridge Chant
1 Deathreap Ritual
1 From Beyond
1 Grave Pact
1 Growing Rites of Itlimoc
1 Oversold Cemetery
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Vampiric Rites
Land
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Cascading Cataracts
1 Command Beacon
1 Command Tower
1 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Evolving Wilds
10 Forest
1 Hissing Quagmire
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
10 Swamp
1 Tainted Wood
1 Temple of Malady
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Woodland Cemetery
Cut
1 Altar's Reap
1 Ambition's Cost
1 Banshee of the Dread Choir
1 Barter in Blood
1 Blood Bairn
1 Bloodspore Thrinax
1 Bonehoard
1 Caller of the Pack
1 Centaur Vinecrasher
1 Cloudthresher
1 Corpse Augur
1 Diabolic Servitude
1 Dread Summons
1 Eater of Hope
1 Eldrazi Monument
1 Extractor Demon
3 Forest
1 Golgari Charm
1 Golgari Guildgate
1 Golgari Rot Farm
1 Great Oak Guardian
1 Grisly Salvage
1 High Market
1 Indrik Stomphowler
1 Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
1 Jungle Hollow
1 Kessig Cagebreakers
1 Korozda Guildmage
1 Lotleth Troll
1 Overwhelming Stampede
1 Phyrexian Plaguelord
1 Phyrexian Rager
1 Polluted Mire
1 Rise from the Grave
1 Scourge of Nel Toth
1 Sever the Bloodline
1 Slippery Karst
1 Spider Spawning
3 Swamp
1 Terastodon
1 Thief of Blood
1 Thought Vessel
1 Tribute to the Wild
1 Verdant Force
1 Viridian Zealot
1 Vivid Grove
1 Vivid Marsh
1 Vulturous Zombie
1 Wall of Blossoms
1 Wretched Confluence
I actually didn't expect some of the cuts I ended up making, but the basics take priority over fun synergy cards like Doubling Season. As for why Bonds of Mortality is in there, it exists to make board wipes work against creatures that normally could survive them. Case in point, if someone has an Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre and decides to play Damnation, I use the bonds to remove it's indestructible. Also, I'm secretly hoping that I got Deathrite shaman out in that scenario to exile it as well...
Still have room for 4 more cards in the deck to make 100 and not sure what the best ones to throw into this build would be. I'm bending towards creature density at the moment and maybe more threats? Ramp? I'm thinking Fauna Shaman, Gray Merchant of Asphodel, and probably Farhaven Elf.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Yeah, I just realized my list had the curious omission of spore-frog in the line up. My close to final list looks like the following...
1 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
1 Abhorrent Overlord
1 Acidic Slime
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Blood Artist
1 Bone Shredder
1 Catacomb Sifter
1 Champion of Stray Souls
1 Creakwood Liege
1 Crypt Ghast
1 Deathrite Shaman
1 Eternal Witness
1 Farhaven Elf
1 Fauna Shaman
1 Ghoulcaller Gisa
1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
1 Greenwarden of Murasa
1 Grim Haruspex
1 Massacre Wurm
1 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
1 Mycoloth
1 Pathbreaker Ibex
1 Pawn of Ulamog
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Satyr Wayfinder
1 Savra, Queen of the Golgari
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 Shriekmaw
1 Skullwinder
1 Smothering Abomination
1 Spore Frog
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Viridian Emissary
1 Viscera Seer
1 Wood Elves
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Zulaport Cutthroat
Sorcery
1 Damnation
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Primal Growth
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Victimize
1 Putrefy
1 Vampiric Tutor
Artifact
1 Altar of Dementia
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Golgari Signet
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
1 Thaumatic Compass
//Enchantment
1 Awakening Zone
1 Bonds of Mortality
1 Deadbridge Chant
1 Deathreap Ritual
1 From Beyond
1 Grave Pact
1 Growing Rites of Itlimoc
1 Oversold Cemetery
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Vampiric Rites
Land
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Command Beacon
1 Command Tower
1 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Evolving Wilds
9 Forest
1 High Market
1 Hissing Quagmire
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
10 Swamp
1 Tainted Wood
1 Temple of Malady
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Woodland Cemetery
Maybeboard
1 Altar's Reap
1 Ambition's Cost
1 Banshee of the Dread Choir
1 Barter in Blood
1 Blood Bairn
1 Bloodspore Thrinax
1 Bonehoard
1 Butcher of Malakir
1 Caller of the Pack
1 Centaur Vinecrasher
1 Cloudthresher
1 Corpse Augur
1 Diabolic Servitude
1 Dread Summons
1 Eater of Hope
1 Eldrazi Monument
1 Extractor Demon
4 Forest
1 Golgari Charm
1 Golgari Guildgate
1 Golgari Rot Farm
1 Great Oak Guardian
1 Grisly Salvage
1 Indrik Stomphowler
1 Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
1 Jungle Hollow
1 Kessig Cagebreakers
1 Korozda Guildmage
1 Lotleth Troll
1 Mulch
1 Overwhelming Stampede
1 Phyrexian Plaguelord
1 Phyrexian Rager
1 Polluted Mire
1 Rise from the Grave
1 Scourge of Nel Toth
1 Sever the Bloodline
1 Slippery Karst
1 Spider Spawning
3 Swamp
1 Terastodon
1 Thief of Blood
1 Thought Vessel
1 Tribute to the Wild
1 Verdant Force
1 Viridian Zealot
1 Vivid Grove
1 Vivid Marsh
1 Vulturous Zombie
1 Wall of Blossoms
1 Wretched Confluence
I think I like the idea of finding something to cut to make room for at least one of the two above mentioned sacrifice creatures ( Fleshbag marauder or Merciless Executioner ). Maybe Farhaven Elf, since there's already a good few ways to ramp?
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Deranged Hermit looks pretty insane, actually. As for Butcher of Malakir, I had it in there originally, then cut it for Sheoldred, Whispering One as she could recur creatures on my upkeep while consistently forcing opponents to sacrifice creatures. However, Butcher of Malakir is still a card I think I may want (as well as the two low cost Merciless Executioner and Fleshbag Marauder), as they can easily wipe the board out with all the scions and tokens floating around.
I definitely have Birthing Pod, Craterhoof Behemoth, and Greater Good on the upgrade line. The only reason I think I didn't have them in the list was I hit the budget wall. Phyrexian Tower ate the last few pennies.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I was actually looking for advice on if it looked like the ramp package was good enough. Since I'm running an upgrade to Meren, the main issue I had with the original precon was that it felt sluggish if for some reason Meren couldn't hit the field and get enough experience counters. Well, that and it felt like the designers wasted a huge amount of potential with the deck by turning it into a big dumb green deck with black thrown in. I like Centaur Vinecrasher with The Gitrog Monster, but he doesn't feel like he had a place with Meren. Banshee of the Dread Choir is okay filler, but if someone wants myriad they probably are better off with just slotting in Blade of Selves. I have zero clue why Caller of the Pack needed to be in this deck outside of showcasing the set mechanic.
I think the best answer I have in regards to the thread is that I felt like I needed some help given this was basically iteration number 4.
Also, the "maybe" list is actually the cards I cut from the original deck to make the current one in case anyone was curious.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I think the only step I got left is considering ways to defend against graveyard exile effects. I've been pondering Footbottom feast and repopulate as potential options. Another option may be to run Riftsweeper to pull cards back from exile. I think Jester's Cap is probably one of the more effective ways to deal with GY hate.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Got a few games in with Meren and my thoughts are that if the meta you are in is very heavy on combo decks, it may pay to cut Bone shredder for a Putrefy. Also, Hour of Glory and Vraska's Contempt may be needed if you go up against Eldrazi titans or any of the gods consistently. Golgari has a lot of great cards for destroying creatures, but not a lot of good exile effects and the Hour of Devastation God cards demand exiling. On that note, Golgari also doesn't have a lot of super flexible cards for dealing with enchantments at the 1-3 CMC level. Golgari Charm is one such flex card as well as Krosan Grip against counter spell heavy decks.
Also, after some games I think it pays to have two lands to act as backup sack outlets. I don't like Grim Backwoods due to the fact the mana cost to sacrifice something is pretty high for what it does, but without another good alternative that isn't a Reserved List card, the only other option is Phyrexian Tower.
Case in point, don't go too crazy on trying to answer everything in the meta you're in and try to keep answers as synergistic as possible. Creatures with ETB > non-creature in Meren builds and probably Karador builds as well.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
(W/U)(B/R)GForm of Progenitus, Shape of a Scrubland
BRGJund Tokens with Prossh, the Magic Dragon Foil
URGAnimar, the RUG CleanerFoil
RRRFeldon of the Third Path 2.0 Foil
BG(B/G)Not Another Meren DeckFoil
UR(U/R)Mizzix, Y Control and X Burn Spells
(W/U)(B/R)GHarold Ramos - The 35 Foot Long Twinkie (In +1/+1 counters)
UB(U/B)Dragonlord Silumgar
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
1 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
1 Abhorrent Overlord
1 Acidic Slime
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Blood Artist
1 Merciless Executioner
1 Catacomb Sifter
1 Champion of Stray Souls
1 Creakwood Liege
1 Crypt Ghast
1 Deathrite Shaman
1 Eternal Witness
1 Farhaven Elf
1 Fauna Shaman
1 Ghoulcaller Gisa
1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
1 Grim Haruspex
1 Massacre Wurm
1 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
1 Mycoloth
1 Pathbreaker Ibex
1 Pawn of Ulamog
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Satyr Wayfinder
1 Savra, Queen of the Golgari
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 fleshbag marauder
1 Skullwinder
1 Smothering Abomination
1 Spore Frog
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Viridian Emissary
1 Viscera Seer
1 Wood Elves
1 Woodfall Primus
1 Zulaport Cutthroat
1 Damnation
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Primal Growth
1 Toxic Deluge
1 Victimize
//Instant
1 Putrefy
1 Vampiric Tutor
Artifact
1 Altar of Dementia
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Golgari Signet
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
1 Thaumatic Compass
//Enchantment
1 Awakening Zone
1 Bonds of Mortality
1 Deadbridge Chant
1 Deathreap Ritual
1 From Beyond
1 Grave Pact
1 Growing Rites of Itlimoc
1 Oversold Cemetery
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Vampiric Rites
Land
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Command Beacon
1 Command Tower
1 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Evolving Wilds
9 Forest
1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Hissing Quagmire
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
10 Swamp
1 Tainted Wood
1 Temple of Malady
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Woodland Cemetery
In -> Sidisi, Undead Vizier, Fleshbag Marauder, Merciless Executioner, Phyrexian Tower.
Out -> Greenwarden of Murasa, Shriekmaw, Bone shredder, High Market.
I found that Sidisi could basically act as a Greenwarden via fishing out skullwinder or Eternal Witness, so there was not much reason to use the extra recovery critter. Plus he's a 4/6 death touch.
Took out the Shriekmaw and Bone shredder because of the fact they can't hit black or artifact creatures. That ended up being more a problem than I thought in the groups I've played with as black is popular.
Phyrexian Tower just felt like an auto include and a major upgrade over High Market.
I want to fit Vindictive Lich, but it's pretty hard to slot out one of the existing 4 cost spells as they are all pretty useful in the deck.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!