MTG Salvation

Mildly themed around Nicol Bolas, this is a Grixis control deck that aims to slow the game down until ultimating Nicky B to win the game. Deliver Unto Evil is the signature spell because it's pretty good (and also because the art is 10/10). Being able to recur a tutor to go find The Elderspell and then win the game seems pretty good and you can do so without blatantly announcing your intention to do so from the command zone, and outside of that getting back the most relevant cards in your graveyard seems really strong.

I haven't played a single game of Oathbreaker, and I likely won't until I move, but I wanted to go ahead and get some meaningful feedback before I assembled the list in paper. I know the format is faster than EDH so I included a bevy of cheap wipes, hopefully they're enough? I also think the deck would be better with a more diversified win condition suite, but I honestly enjoy the idea of Nicky B being the only way to win. It just seems right.

EDIT: Whoops, I can't count. Added in Torment of Hailfire as an additional late game win condition.

I'm at exactly your amount of expertise. There's a lot of conversation about the format around here and a severe lack of actual decks.

I was going to use more ramp in my version, use all the appropriate dual swamps and swamp doublers, and run it more as MBC with some splashes. You're going to be pretty mana hungry. I was also thinking Pentad Prism, Dark Ritual, Basal Thrull and other ways to play Nicol turn 3, but I suspect that might be a mistake with people being more likely to draw kill cards.

Im working on a Discard variant because Shrieking Affliction is my fav magic card but its too slow for 40 life regular commander. My logic is that Bolas'+1 has synergy with a discard strategy as its +1 makes people exile noncreature perms if they have no hand and if you can wipe the board of creatures. Would you be interested in me posting the list once I finish it?

Quote from Fajen Thygia »

I was going to use more ramp in my version, use all the appropriate dual swamps and swamp doublers, and run it more as MBC with some splashes. You're going to be pretty mana hungry. I was also thinking Pentad Prism, Dark Ritual, Basal Thrull and other ways to play Nicol turn 3, but I suspect that might be a mistake with people being more likely to draw kill cards.

I'm thinking of taking a more Machiavellian approach. Sure, you know I'm playing Grixis colors and I'm not your friend, but I'm also the one keeping Mr. Jace with Mana Severance and Mr. Gideon with Armageddon at bay. I'm the raid boss, not the trash mobs.

Quote from FearDReaper »

Im working on a Discard variant because Shrieking Affliction is my fav magic card but its too slow for 40 life regular commander. My logic is that Bolas'+1 has synergy with a discard strategy as its +1 makes people exile noncreature perms if they have no hand and if you can wipe the board of creatures. Would you be interested in me posting the list once I finish it?

Sure.

You might reconsider Forge of Heroes (I made the same mistake with Sarkhan), Oathbreakers are not specifically speaking "commanders". There's a lot of ambiguity in what this actually does in this format. By RAW, it's a non-basic Wastes, though.

Quote from 3drinks »

You might reconsider Forge of Heroes (I made the same mistake with Sarkhan), Oathbreakers are not specifically speaking "commanders". There's a lot of ambiguity in what this actually does in this format. By RAW, it's a non-basic Wastes, though.

https://weirdcards.org/oathbreaker-rules

13. If an effect refers to your “Commander” then it instead refers to your “Oathbreaker”.

It could be super greedy in such a colored mana hungry deck, though.

Perfect. I can use it just the same, which means it's even easier to get my 7 loyalty. Kinda, I mean it still adds 1 to the cmc. Neat to know though.

Have you considered Contagion Clasp or Contagion Engine? At the very least, Karn's Bastion would be great for a controlling deck.

I would use the elderspell instead.

Quote from Gashnaw II »

I would use the elderspell instead.

I like Deliver Unto Evil a lot more... it does more things than the Elderspell.

Big fan of the deck! I'm building my own Bolas/Deliver Unto Evil deck; I'm definitely taking your inclusions into consideration.

Quote from Creedmoor »

Quote from Gashnaw II »

I would use the elderspell instead.

I like Deliver Unto Evil a lot more... it does more things than the Elderspell.

Big fan of the deck! I'm building my own Bolas/Deliver Unto Evil deck; I'm definitely taking your inclusions into consideration.

You'll have to let me know how it goes. I just moved and unfortunately had to leave the bulk of my collection behind so it looks like I won't be able to build this any time soon.