Hello, everyone! i'm trying to build a version of this commander really skewed towards control (as a player, i tend to be fond of midrange builds, so this is somewhat new territory for me).
basically the game plan is to try and control the flow of the game, when mana is available (or the first turns) build up a decently sized board of disposable creatures and then filter my hand with more control spells. when fully backed up by counterspells then i can try to infinitely cast and sacrifice gravecrawler to drain the table with the other aristocrat zombies (or, is graveyard and mana are available enough, do the same with varina's activated ability).
if all else fails, the deck should be able to go the aggro route, as most of zombie lords are in here.
things i'm looking for:
1) cheap zombie generation, especially in turn 1-3
2) disposable mana acceleration. i recently took out the signets to have wayfarer's bauble and expedition map instead, as they can help me ramp for a t3 varina and are completely disposable in the graveyard. thought about fast mana, lotus petal, dark ritual and cabal ritual but i'm still undecided on those.
3) i feel like i'm not using many cards that care to be discarded (eg, madness) or that can be used from the graveyard.
4) would like to make space for reconnaissance, it's probably better than phyrexian arena in here as it allows me to attack with my commander as well.
5) i feel that cards like psychosis crawler and chasm skulker might have a place here, as well as cards that care about discarding bunch of cards and/or gain life.
My suggestion would be to focus the deck on zombies OR esper control and not both. Varina is the esper zombies commander and she doesn't really promote control. If you're going to run her you want to maximize zombie synergy.
I think you should look into more Ramp (not a fan of the one time uses like dark ritual, perhaps just some rocks). reconnaissance, psychosis crawler and chasm skulker all seem like really good fits. Only thing id be worried about is GY Hate, something that dose something like Epitaph Golem can help you save needed cards (probly better things, just did a quick search) or something that gives you the player hexproof so people cant target your GY
My suggestion would be to focus the deck on zombies OR esper control and not both. Varina is the esper zombies commander and she doesn't really promote control. If you're going to run her you want to maximize zombie synergy.
about demonic and vampiric tutor, i am just not willing to buy another copies for this deck. besides, i'm not that fond of vampiric tutor when lim dul pulls so much more work here.
you do have a point in the focus of the deck. the idea of choosing varina for a control deck is that the commander can take care by almost herself of card filtering, life gain and token production, giving much more space for control spells. how would you reduce the creature package, considering i'd want at least some lords and the combo, even if not that redundant?
I think you should look into more Ramp (not a fan of the one time uses like dark ritual, perhaps just some rocks). reconnaissance, psychosis crawler and chasm skulker all seem like really good fits. Only thing id be worried about is GY Hate, something that dose something like Epitaph Golem can help you save needed cards (probly better things, just did a quick search) or something that gives you the player hexproof so people cant target your GY
yes, but what would you remove from the list?
i think i can be able to handle gy hate not being too greedy and by intentionally discarding ulamog before my graveyard becomes scary. the main form of gy hate i see is bojuka bog. even then, unless a rest in peace effect is in place, i think this deck would not be as blocked as other graveyard matter decks.
I've started brewing a list that looks pretty similar to yours thus far. I'm going to be going even further into infinite combos.
Most commander players are more into tribal, but it's good to see that you've come to the same conclusion as me, that it's better to spread out your Zombie count.
in the meantime, i have updated the list: http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/varina-control-2 it is still missing vampiric and demonic tutor, but that's only because i don't plan on buying other copies for this deck.
basically the game plan is to try and control the flow of the game, when mana is available (or the first turns) build up a decently sized board of disposable creatures and then filter my hand with more control spells. when fully backed up by counterspells then i can try to infinitely cast and sacrifice gravecrawler to drain the table with the other aristocrat zombies (or, is graveyard and mana are available enough, do the same with varina's activated ability).
if all else fails, the deck should be able to go the aggro route, as most of zombie lords are in here.
i'm looking forward for feedback and suggestions!
1x varina, lich queen
Land (34)
1x Ancient Tomb
1x Ash Barrens
1x Bloodstained Mire
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Cephalid Coliseum
1x Command Tower
1x Crypt of Agadeem
1x Dimir Aqueduct
1x Dreadship Reef
1x Esper Panorama
1x Flooded Strand
1x Gemstone Caverns
1x Godless Shrine
3x Island
1x Marsh Flats
1x Orzhov Basilica
1x Path of Ancestry
2x Plains
1x Polluted Delta
1x Scrubland
1x Sunken Hollow
3x Swamp
1x Underground River
1x Underground Sea
1x Unholy Grotto
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Vault of the Archangel
1x Verdant Catacombs
1x Watery Grave
Enchantment (7)
1x Animate Dead
1x Anointed Procession
1x Grave Pact
1x Necromancer's Covenant
1x Rooftop Storm
1x Tombstone Stairwell
1x Zombie Infestation
1x Archfiend of Ifnir
1x Binding Mummy
1x Carrion Feeder
1x Cryptbreaker
1x Diregraf Captain
1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1x Forgotten Creation
1x Graveborn Muse
1x Gravecrawler
1x Gray Merchant of Asphodel
1x Lord of the Undead
1x Nightscape Familiar
1x Noxious Ghoul
1x Plague Belcher
1x Razaketh, the Foulblooded
1x Relentless Dead
1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
1x Shepherd of Rot
1x The Scarab God
1x Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
1x Undead Warchief
1x Wayward Servant
Artifact (8)
1x Ashnod's Altar
1x Desecrated Tomb
1x Eldrazi Monument
1x Expedition Map
1x Mana Crypt
1x Phyrexian Altar
1x Sol Ring
1x Wayfarer's Bauble
Planeswalker (1)
1x Liliana, Untouched By Death
1x Anguished Unmaking
1x Brainstorm
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Disallow
1x Dromar's Charm
1x Fact or Fiction
1x Forbid
1x Forbidden Alchemy
1x Hero's Downfall
1x Lim-Dul's Vault
1x Muddle the Mixture
1x Mystical Teachings
1x Mystical Tutor
1x Pact of Negation
1x Path to Exile
1x Return to Dust
1x Shadow of the Grave
1x Swan Song
1x Swords to Plowshares
1x Utter End
Sorcery (7)
1x Buried Alive
1x Decree of Pain
1x Dread Return
1x Living Death
1x Treasure Cruise
1x Unburial Rites
1x Vindicate
things i'm looking for:
1) cheap zombie generation, especially in turn 1-3
2) disposable mana acceleration. i recently took out the signets to have wayfarer's bauble and expedition map instead, as they can help me ramp for a t3 varina and are completely disposable in the graveyard. thought about fast mana, lotus petal, dark ritual and cabal ritual but i'm still undecided on those.
3) i feel like i'm not using many cards that care to be discarded (eg, madness) or that can be used from the graveyard.
4) would like to make space for reconnaissance, it's probably better than phyrexian arena in here as it allows me to attack with my commander as well.
5) i feel that cards like psychosis crawler and chasm skulker might have a place here, as well as cards that care about discarding bunch of cards and/or gain life.
Also, if you're going to skip Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor it doesn't hurt to explain it.
GWUBAtraxa, Praetor's Voice PrimerGWUB
GWURoon Bant Blink WhateverGWU
BRGLord Windgrace LandsBRG
about demonic and vampiric tutor, i am just not willing to buy another copies for this deck. besides, i'm not that fond of vampiric tutor when lim dul pulls so much more work here.
you do have a point in the focus of the deck. the idea of choosing varina for a control deck is that the commander can take care by almost herself of card filtering, life gain and token production, giving much more space for control spells. how would you reduce the creature package, considering i'd want at least some lords and the combo, even if not that redundant?
yes, but what would you remove from the list?
i think i can be able to handle gy hate not being too greedy and by intentionally discarding ulamog before my graveyard becomes scary. the main form of gy hate i see is bojuka bog. even then, unless a rest in peace effect is in place, i think this deck would not be as blocked as other graveyard matter decks.
Most commander players are more into tribal, but it's good to see that you've come to the same conclusion as me, that it's better to spread out your Zombie count.
I'll probably post a list in a couple of weeks.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
Adding all the stifle effect i could find for protecting me from dying from the mastery and for protecting my graveyard.
I added Morality Shift and laboratory maniac for the lols.