Wel, I tried this list where I manage to include several of the valuable advices some people have given me
Somethings y suggested are not in the deck because I haven't found them yet at my LGS, I want to include agravated assault and seize the day, Olivia voldaren, and other cards suggested but I just don't have them yet.
But I played 2 games last night at my LGS with random people, and I want to share my experience
Game 1: Mono-blue teferi (PW), white black clerics, edgard markov and edgard markov (yes a mirror)
We start attacking the monoblue guy because... he is mono blue, the guy playing clerics, had a huge ammount of dudes in the field (6-8 I don't remember), I had 4 vampires, he started attacking everyone because he wanted to draw 3 cards a turn for Tymna the weaver and that just was too much, we switch targets, mono blue got to grasp some air and won.
I got to play in that game Guul draz assassin, I thought it would be good but it sucks badly, which is good because now I know at least one extra card to cut.
Game 2: (same decks as game 1)
The mono blue was the focus this time and this time the clerics guy understood that attacking the 3 of us for the greed of the draw doesn't pay so he attacked one or 2 at a time.
The other markov guy got manascrewed badly, but seriously bad, I mean we has the last man standing and when he died he had 4 lands in play.
In one attack I got him pretty low on life and the next attack Edgard Markov dealt the last hit, after that the last player was deleted in one attack
My toughts on the games
I missed, some card draw, I will add Phyrexian arena at least
Well of lost dreams seems bad, I don't know if I have enough life gaining in the deck to justify it
I also missed some boardwipes, when I build the deck I was counting on other people's boardwipes, so I didn't had mines, My plan is to drop 3 important vamps and get 6 bodies, while having 2-3 vamps always at hand to recover for the boardwipe.
In the games the clerics guy drew a lot of cards and had always an absurd amount of creatures in the field and no one had any boardwipes except for a single Cyclonic rift
Some cards I am thinking cutting are
New blood, I think I want Wrath of god or Damnation for the cost, the card seems sweet, is flavorful and can have some fun interactions, but the one time I had it in hand, the only sweet creature I wanted was of course protected with boots so... I got nothing.
Blood tribute, the effect is good, the cmc is not that awful but I don't think the impact is that good, I am considering cutting too.
Well of lost dreams, in my oloro deck this is the card I want to see in my starting hand, that was the reason I include it in this deck, but... I dunno, maybe I was out of luck.. what do you think, does it worth the slot in my list as is?
Your curve is way too high for what Edgar does. He works best when you're able to play multiple cheap vampires in quick succession to create a token army, generating good advantage quick, and having super efficient draw and combat evasion. The good side of this is that you're not paying a huge amount for bomb vampires like Olivia Voldaren, Blood Baron of Vizkopa and such, and the one-drop vamps you'll want are super super cheap. Then you'll want Necropotence, Ad Nauseam, Phyrexian Arena, Wheel of Fortune or Wheel of Fate, Skullclamp, Goblin War Drums, Shared Animosity, Reconnaisance, Cover of Darkness. You really want this deck lean and mean, as efficient as possible. If that's not what you want to play, you probably want to rethink with another Vampire commander at the helm, because this is how to make Edgar really shine.
Your curve is way too high for what Edgar does. He works best when you're able to play multiple cheap vampires in quick succession to create a token army, generating good advantage quick, and having super efficient draw and combat evasion. The good side of this is that you're not paying a huge amount for bomb vampires like Olivia Voldaren, Blood Baron of Vizkopa and such, and the one-drop vamps you'll want are super super cheap. Then you'll want Necropotence, Ad Nauseam, Phyrexian Arena, Wheel of Fortune or Wheel of Fate, Skullclamp, Goblin War Drums, Shared Animosity, Reconnaisance, Cover of Darkness. You really want this deck lean and mean, as efficient as possible. If that's not what you want to play, you probably want to rethink with another Vampire commander at the helm, because this is how to make Edgar really shine.
I only played 2 games with him and I agree that my curve is high, in this first build I wanted all my vamps to be relevant in the field, to make the combat better, but you are right that untill T3 I am rarely doing some damage.
If you have any more sugestion about cards to put in and out, please tell me. (I have taken notice of some of what you already given, some ones I have in the list)
My experience has been to push as much into the 1-3 mana cost. I run most of the playable 1-2 drop vampires. The idea most of us have moved to is to push as fast and low of a curve as possible while running super unfair burst draw. I would say just take a look at some of our lists as a good way to get some ideas. 4+ mana cards have been culled heavily and what is left has to be really kind of incredible to justify keeping.
Edgar Markov gives a lot better value for moving real cheap on the vampires. The free token per cast makes casting cheaper vampires much stronger as you can chain multiple free tokens in a turn rather than casting one big vamp and getting a single token. Getting a bigger swarm also plays better into potentially wanting to cast Edgar too as his buffing vampires plays a lot better with a bigger swarm than it does buffing some stronger value vamps. When I first built my list I did like you and tried more of the standalone value vamps and I found myself somewhat unwilling to cast edgar. Getting a faster smaller swarm actually pays off a lot better for edgar in that he becomes a stronger play later and gives you that big bomb play when you want it.
toctheyounger77 and my list both look similar in nature. I would say to jump to our lists given that each is in our sig. Move faster and lower the curve is the best advice I can give you.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I have officially moved to MTGNexus. I just wanted to let people know as my response time to salvation decks being bumped is very hit or miss.
I cannot reiterate Skullclamp enough. That card wins games, and Edgar Markov is one of the commanders who can use it best. Running Stoneforge Mystic to grab this card alone would be worth.
Consider Eldrazi Monument - evasion is something you can rarely give your guys, and this card also protects you from wraths. I don't think you'll ever run out of creatures to feed into this monster, so the drawback is negligible. You could also go for Akroma's Monument, but 7 mana is a lot.
I've also grown respect for Sword of the Animist - Rampant Growth is an effect you don't really have, and it thins out lands as well as allows you to make bigger plays.
I would also run effects like Land Tax, Tithe, or Oath of Lieges to make land drops more consistent.
I cannot reiterate Skullclamp enough. That card wins games, and Edgar Markov is one of the commanders who can use it best. Running Stoneforge Mystic to grab this card alone would be worth.
Consider Eldrazi Monument - evasion is something you can rarely give your guys, and this card also protects you from wraths. I don't think you'll ever run out of creatures to feed into this monster, so the drawback is negligible. You could also go for Akroma's Monument, but 7 mana is a lot.
I've also grown respect for Sword of the Animist - Rampant Growth is an effect you don't really have, and it thins out lands as well as allows you to make bigger plays.
I would also run effects like Land Tax, Tithe, or Oath of Lieges to make land drops more consistent.
I actually run Guul Draz Assassin 99% because its a 1 mana black vampire. I think that its bad if your plan is to level it up and I would still say its probably worse than at least 8+ other one drop vamps but right now I am more concerned with lowering his curve than moving a one drop to a more ideal one.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I have officially moved to MTGNexus. I just wanted to let people know as my response time to salvation decks being bumped is very hit or miss.
I actually run Guul Draz Assassin 99% because its a 1 mana black vampire. I think that its bad if your plan is to level it up and I would still say its probably worse than at least 8+ other one drop vamps but right now I am more concerned with lowering his curve than moving a one drop to a more ideal one.
I run it for the same reason. 95% of the time you're not levelling up. Its draw is that its a one drop, so really it could have any other ability and still be as relevant. The idea behind ISB's (and to some degree mine) build is to get a high saturation of cheap cost vamps and very efficient draw, and using combat modifiers to keep pressure on the board as early as possible.
I agree with all of the other dislikes you mention here. They're all high cost, low impact cards. I'd also cut:
A lot of these are either too cute and vampire flavourish, too expensive, or don't really add to a constructive game plan. I could see a place here for Sword of the Animist, too - it's a strong effect for cheap and you'll be swinging enough for it to do good work.
I'm on the fence about Eldrazi Monument - it's a strong effect, but my deck doesn't run enough recursion to want to feed weenies to it, even one a turn. I'd rather run cheaper evasion (Goblin War Drums, Shared Animosity, Cover of Darkness) and have opponents on the ropes early than wait for this and compromise my board presence. Our guys aren't big, so the only thing we have going for us is numbers and speed. As it is I'm not sold on Door of Destinies staying in my list long term, and it can blow out pretty well.
I have now a lot of cool suggestions from you and I have modified my deck according some of your advices, I love the idea of more card draw such as wheel of fate and even magus of the wheel
I cutted a lot of the cards you have suggested to cut and it helped me a lot for making room to others.
In this second version of my deck I am still not going for a 40 creature deck, but I think I have managed to make it a little more consistent with the help of all of you
I will try it in my playgroup and if the deck is not going the way I want I will give it a try to the 40 creature decklist.
Somethings y suggested are not in the deck because I haven't found them yet at my LGS, I want to include agravated assault and seize the day, Olivia voldaren, and other cards suggested but I just don't have them yet.
But I played 2 games last night at my LGS with random people, and I want to share my experience
Game 1: Mono-blue teferi (PW), white black clerics, edgard markov and edgard markov (yes a mirror)
We start attacking the monoblue guy because... he is mono blue, the guy playing clerics, had a huge ammount of dudes in the field (6-8 I don't remember), I had 4 vampires, he started attacking everyone because he wanted to draw 3 cards a turn for Tymna the weaver and that just was too much, we switch targets, mono blue got to grasp some air and won.
I got to play in that game Guul draz assassin, I thought it would be good but it sucks badly, which is good because now I know at least one extra card to cut.
Game 2: (same decks as game 1)
The mono blue was the focus this time and this time the clerics guy understood that attacking the 3 of us for the greed of the draw doesn't pay so he attacked one or 2 at a time.
The other markov guy got manascrewed badly, but seriously bad, I mean we has the last man standing and when he died he had 4 lands in play.
The guy playing clerics was attacking the mono blue and so I was, the guy got at 5 life and I started attacking the clerics, I had Yahenni, undying partisan with Sword of light and shadow, 3 tokens and Malakir bloodwitch and a lord
In one attack I got him pretty low on life and the next attack Edgard Markov dealt the last hit, after that the last player was deleted in one attack
My toughts on the games
I missed, some card draw, I will add Phyrexian arena at least
Well of lost dreams seems bad, I don't know if I have enough life gaining in the deck to justify it
I also missed some boardwipes, when I build the deck I was counting on other people's boardwipes, so I didn't had mines, My plan is to drop 3 important vamps and get 6 bodies, while having 2-3 vamps always at hand to recover for the boardwipe.
In the games the clerics guy drew a lot of cards and had always an absurd amount of creatures in the field and no one had any boardwipes except for a single Cyclonic rift
Some cards I am thinking cutting are
New blood, I think I want Wrath of god or Damnation for the cost, the card seems sweet, is flavorful and can have some fun interactions, but the one time I had it in hand, the only sweet creature I wanted was of course protected with boots so... I got nothing.
Blood tribute, the effect is good, the cmc is not that awful but I don't think the impact is that good, I am considering cutting too.
Well of lost dreams, in my oloro deck this is the card I want to see in my starting hand, that was the reason I include it in this deck, but... I dunno, maybe I was out of luck.. what do you think, does it worth the slot in my list as is?
Blade of the bloodchief I haven't see this one in play, what do you think of it?
I missed some sacrife outlets so I think Ill add Indulgent aristocrat, I wanted to see Rakish heir in play but I didnt, I think adding Stensia masquerade for the same effect
Do you think Aurelia, the warleader and / or Gisela blade of goldnight are good inclusions?
I missed some evasion too
Current list
1x Anowon, the Ruin Sage
1x Blood Artist
1x Blood Baron of Vizkopa
1x Bloodcrazed Paladin
1x Bloodline Keeper
1x Bloodline Necromancer
1x Bloodlord of Vaasgoth
1x Butcher of Malakir
1x Captivating Vampire
1x Champion of Dusk
1x Dark Impostor
1x Defiant Bloodlord
1x Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
1x Drana's Emissary
1x Dusk Legion Zealot
1x Forerunner of the Legion
1x Gatekeeper of Malakir
1x Guul Draz Assassin
1x Kheru Mind-Eater
1x Legion Lieutenant
1x Malakir Bloodwitch
1x Metallic Mimic
1x Patron of the Vein
1x Rakish Heir
1x Sangromancer
1x Stromkirk Captain
1x Tithe Drinker
1x Twilight Prophet
1x Vampire Nighthawk
1x Vampire Nocturnus
1x Yahenni, Undying Partisan
Land (36)
1x Akoum Refuge
1x Arid Mesa
1x Battlefield Forge
1x Blackcleave Cliffs
1x Blood Crypt
1x Bloodstained Mire
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Cavern of Souls
1x Caves of Koilos
1x City of Brass
1x Clifftop Retreat
1x Command Tower
1x Dragonskull Summit
1x Homeward Path
1x Mountain
1x Nomad Outpost
1x Path of Ancestry
6x Plains
1x Rugged Prairie
1x Sacred Foundry
1x Scoured Barrens
1x Sulfurous Springs
6x Swamp
1x Tainted Field
1x Tainted Peak
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
Sorcery (6)
1x Blood Tribute
1x Merciless Eviction
1x New Blood
1x Night's Whisper
1x Read the Bones
1x Sign in Blood
Planeswalker (1)
1x Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
Artifact (13)
1x Blade of the Bloodchief
1x Boros Signet
1x Door of Destinies
1x Orzhov Signet
1x Rakdos Signet
1x Skullclamp
1x Sol Ring
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
1x Thran Dynamo
1x Umezawa's Jitte
1x Urza's Incubator
1x Vanquisher's Banner
1x Well of Lost Dreams
Instant (6)
1x Anguished Unmaking
1xPath to Exile
1x Return to Dust
1xSwords to Plowshares
1x Teferi's Protection
1x Utter End
Enchantment (6)
1x Anointed Procession
1x Black Market
1x Blind Obedience
1x Kindred Boon
1x Necropotence
1x Underworld Connections
EDH: RWB Edgar Markov The current updated decklist is here
EDH: WUB Oloro, Ageless ascetic The current updated decklist is here
EDH: UWG Phelddagrif, The current updated decklist is here
EDH: WUB Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign The current updated decklist is here
EDH: WUB Alela, Artful provocateur The current updated decklist is here
EDH: GB Hapatra, vizier of poisons The current updated decklist is here
I only played 2 games with him and I agree that my curve is high, in this first build I wanted all my vamps to be relevant in the field, to make the combat better, but you are right that untill T3 I am rarely doing some damage.
If you have any more sugestion about cards to put in and out, please tell me. (I have taken notice of some of what you already given, some ones I have in the list)
EDH: RWB Edgar Markov The current updated decklist is here
EDH: WUB Oloro, Ageless ascetic The current updated decklist is here
EDH: UWG Phelddagrif, The current updated decklist is here
EDH: WUB Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign The current updated decklist is here
EDH: WUB Alela, Artful provocateur The current updated decklist is here
EDH: GB Hapatra, vizier of poisons The current updated decklist is here
Edgar Markov gives a lot better value for moving real cheap on the vampires. The free token per cast makes casting cheaper vampires much stronger as you can chain multiple free tokens in a turn rather than casting one big vamp and getting a single token. Getting a bigger swarm also plays better into potentially wanting to cast Edgar too as his buffing vampires plays a lot better with a bigger swarm than it does buffing some stronger value vamps. When I first built my list I did like you and tried more of the standalone value vamps and I found myself somewhat unwilling to cast edgar. Getting a faster smaller swarm actually pays off a lot better for edgar in that he becomes a stronger play later and gives you that big bomb play when you want it.
toctheyounger77 and my list both look similar in nature. I would say to jump to our lists given that each is in our sig. Move faster and lower the curve is the best advice I can give you.
Signature by Inkfox Aesthetics by Xen
[Modern] Allies
Consider Eldrazi Monument - evasion is something you can rarely give your guys, and this card also protects you from wraths. I don't think you'll ever run out of creatures to feed into this monster, so the drawback is negligible. You could also go for Akroma's Monument, but 7 mana is a lot.
I've also grown respect for Sword of the Animist - Rampant Growth is an effect you don't really have, and it thins out lands as well as allows you to make bigger plays.
I would also run effects like Land Tax, Tithe, or Oath of Lieges to make land drops more consistent.
My personal dislikes are Kheru Mind-Eater, Defiant Bloodlord, Forerunner of the Legion, Kindred Boon, Door of Destinies, Guul Draz Assassin.
I actually run Guul Draz Assassin 99% because its a 1 mana black vampire. I think that its bad if your plan is to level it up and I would still say its probably worse than at least 8+ other one drop vamps but right now I am more concerned with lowering his curve than moving a one drop to a more ideal one.
Signature by Inkfox Aesthetics by Xen
[Modern] Allies
I run it for the same reason. 95% of the time you're not levelling up. Its draw is that its a one drop, so really it could have any other ability and still be as relevant. The idea behind ISB's (and to some degree mine) build is to get a high saturation of cheap cost vamps and very efficient draw, and using combat modifiers to keep pressure on the board as early as possible.
I agree with all of the other dislikes you mention here. They're all high cost, low impact cards. I'd also cut:
1 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
1 Bloodline Necromancer
1 Butcher of Malakir
1 Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
1 Patron of the Vein
1 Sangromancer
1 Blood Tribute
1 New Blood
1 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
1 Urza's Incubator
1 Well of Lost Dreams
1 Vanquisher's Banner
1 Black Market
A lot of these are either too cute and vampire flavourish, too expensive, or don't really add to a constructive game plan. I could see a place here for Sword of the Animist, too - it's a strong effect for cheap and you'll be swinging enough for it to do good work.
I'm on the fence about Eldrazi Monument - it's a strong effect, but my deck doesn't run enough recursion to want to feed weenies to it, even one a turn. I'd rather run cheaper evasion (Goblin War Drums, Shared Animosity, Cover of Darkness) and have opponents on the ropes early than wait for this and compromise my board presence. Our guys aren't big, so the only thing we have going for us is numbers and speed. As it is I'm not sold on Door of Destinies staying in my list long term, and it can blow out pretty well.
I have now a lot of cool suggestions from you and I have modified my deck according some of your advices, I love the idea of more card draw such as wheel of fate and even magus of the wheel
I cutted a lot of the cards you have suggested to cut and it helped me a lot for making room to others.
In this second version of my deck I am still not going for a 40 creature deck, but I think I have managed to make it a little more consistent with the help of all of you
I will try it in my playgroup and if the deck is not going the way I want I will give it a try to the 40 creature decklist.
EDH: RWB Edgar Markov The current updated decklist is here
EDH: WUB Oloro, Ageless ascetic The current updated decklist is here
EDH: UWG Phelddagrif, The current updated decklist is here
EDH: WUB Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign The current updated decklist is here
EDH: WUB Alela, Artful provocateur The current updated decklist is here
EDH: GB Hapatra, vizier of poisons The current updated decklist is here