While this deck is very similar to Sultai Whip, the change from Whip of Erebos to Corpseweft fundamentally changes the direction of the deck. The big mana haymakers like Hornet Queen are no longer necessary as Corpseweft gets just as much gas from a lowly Satyr Wayfinder as it does any 7 drop. This lets you lower the curve and run more early pressure, such as Rakshasa Deathdealer, making you more able to seize the initiative against decks like Esper Dragons. Corpseweft also gives you a leg up on enchantment removal such as Dromoka's Command, since you will be unlikely to activate Whip the turn you cast it, where with Corpseweft you will be able to make at least one large creature in response to them destroying your enchantment.
The large presence of this archtype is probably the strogest reason to play Sultai Corpseweft. The matchup often comes down to one thing and one thing only: resolve a Corpeseweft. I have tested this matchup extensively, and things have to go very wrong for you for Esper to beat an active Corpseweft. It is just nearly impossible for them to beat a seemingly infinite supply of endstep 4/4s. Their only real hopes to beat Corpseweft are an early Ojutai that they are able to protect for long enough to kill you or a perfectly timed Ugin. Deathdealer is great here because they have very few ways to get around regeneration, and with enough mana he can attack through any of their blockers and swing for large chunks of damage. Thoughtseize is great here for obvious reasons.
Here you pretty much want to gum up the ground, trade as much as possible, and kill Fleecemand Lions on sight. Later on the goal is to gain control of the board with Dragonlord Silumgar after you have exhausted their removal or get Corpseweft online. Corpseweft will beat any ground assault if given the small window of time it needs to do its thing. Herald of Torment can be great here to provide evasion to Sidisi to swing for large chunks in the air while you produce 2/2 chump blockers to win the race.
SB Guide
+2 Ashiok, + 2 Bile Blight
-2 Sultai Charm, -1 Thoughtseize, -1 Rakshasa Deathdealer
The argument could be made here to leave in the Thoughtseize to strip removal or Rhinos. I guess you would shave more Deathdealer as they are somewhat of a liability against Abzan Charm. You could also argue against Bile Blight as it has limited scope here, but you really want extra removal for the Lions so you can save Downfalls and Cuts for Rhinos and Anenza. Bile Blight is also good here as a combat trick as long as you don't they can blow you out with removal.
RED AGGRO/ REDgreen AGGRO
Mainboard MVPs
Courser of Kruphix
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
Satyr Wayfinder
Game one is really tough here. Wayfinder can trade with many of their attackers while while making sure you hit your land drops, and Sidisi can make multiple bodies to stop them from winning from going wide. Courser is obviously great here to block and gain life. Don't be afraid to use your Deathdealers to trade with an attacker early get much better games 2 and 3 when you gain Bile Blight and Minister of pain to deal with early threats or token hordes.
SB Guide
+4 Bile Blight, +2 Minister of Pain
-3 Thoughtseize, -2 Deagonlord Silumgar, -1 Corpseweft
If you suspect anthem effects add the 2 Reclamation Sage with potential cuts being Corpseweft, Herald of Torment, and Sidisi, Undead Vizier.
Their Seige Rhinos are a lot less threatening than the aggro version as they aren't spreading your removal as thin. Undead Vizier is great here as he tangles favorably with all of their creatures while searching out whatever answer or threat you may need. Being able to steal an Elspeth or Rhino with Silumgar can be absurd, and he has a better chance of sticking than you would first believe since you present them with so many must-answer threats. Corpseweft should easily outpace them late game.
SB Guide
+1 Corpseweft, +2 Disdainful Stroke
-1 Rakshasa Deathdealer, -2 Sultai Charm
Bringing in the 4th Thoughtseize for a Courser, Deathdealer, or Caryatid would also be reasonable.
All the large fliers can be tough to deal with if you have a removal light draw, but Silumgar is s huge trump here as Crater's Claws is their only out to it.
SB Guide
- 2 Rakshasa Deathdealer
+2 Disdainful Stroke
Adding Ashiok over 2 Thoughtseize is an option, but I would rather be able to strip their Crater's Claws to take over the game with Silumgar. You would just remove some creatures for the Ashioks, but you need to keep the creature count high for Sidisi and Corpseweft
GREENwhite DEVOTION
Mainboard MVPs
Dragonlord Silumgar
Sultai Charm
Herald of Torment
Whisperwood Elemental can take over the game easily if you don't have an answer for it, as can Drokoma. Dragonlord Silumgar is great here since it is very hard for them to answer. Herald of Torment is great since they have a hard time dealing with fliers. Game 2 and 3 get much easier since you gain more enchantment removal and Torrent Elemental to stop them from blocking. Since the board gets so gummed up the games usually come down to either deck's signature enchantment taking over the game- unles you find your Torrent Elemental which completely changes the dynamic of the game.
SB Guide
+1 Torrent Elemntal, +2 Reclamation Sage, +2 Disdainful Stroke, +1 Minister of Pain, +1 Corpseweft
-1 Courser of Kruphix, -1 Herald of Torment, -3 Rakshasa Deathdealer, -2 Thoughtseize
If they run lots of Hornet Queen it's a safe bet to add the second Minister or a Bile Blight. Possibly correct to leave in more Thoughtseize- but don't know what else to remove- have not tested this matchup too extensively- but it has seemed in our favor so far- tho the sample size is too limited to be sure.
Torrent Elemntal is lackluster vs the two most played archtypes (Esper and Red). The reanimation is just not necessary with the amount of bodies Corpseweft provides late game. It's just redundant. He is only really wanted in matchups where you want to stop them from blocking which is mostly just the green devotion decks and anything with Hornet Queen/Hornet Nest. If these decks become more prevelant he will get the nod mb. It's possibls that he is necessary enough in these matchups to warrant mb inclusion but Elsewhere he is just overcosted a lot of the time. If you test the deck and see what Corpseweft is capable of you'll see it is not at all like the classic Whip decks and vs most decks he is just win-more, where early game threats and interaction are just more important. Corpseweft really gives you just about the best late-game out there- so more of the same just isn't needed mb.
If you are set on playing him the best cut is the Herald of Torment, as they serve a similar function, but through testing I have come to prefer Herald for the pseudo haste and option to be played turn 3, which can be important against the red decks as a blocker. When played for the same mana cost, Herald also comes back for free without having to exile him first- which is important because the deck is relatively mana hungry.
I'd play with two Tasigur and maybe up the corpsewefts to three. Have you tried out Nyx Weaver? If anything you can use it to bring a corpse weft back from your graveyard. Also if you plan on maindecking four copies of Sidisi, Brood Tyrant maybe you could try some utility hand disruption such as Sibsig Icebreakers which you can use to discard the duplicate legendary creatures you may have in your hand.
DarklingScribe - you could run a 2nd Tasigur but you would want to drop a Murderous Cut if you did because you don't want too much delve since it can take away from Corpseweft. Icebreakers is just not a good card. 4 copies of Sidisi is never an issue as it's the card you most want to draw early and she dies relatively easy. With Corpseweft in play it can even be worth it to cast the second one just to get creatures in the yard and the zombie token- it's rare tho that the first one doesn't die anyway- in combat if nothing else. Nyx Weaver also isn't that great on its own- it is synergistic with Sidisi and Corpseweft- but I havnt really had any trouble fueling it between Wayfinder, Sidisi, and just creatures dying on their own- and would rather run cards that carry their weight without help. Yo would have to cut Deathdealers or Silumgars for it and both of those cards are capable of winning the game- where Weaver is pretty much never going to be better than mediocre.
The 3rd Corpseweft is in the board for more controlling/attrition based matchups. I don't think you want the 3rd MB because the second copy doesn't do anything and vs some decks (like red deck wins) the game pretty much gets decided before you would ever even play it. There are also the 2 Undead Viziers to tutor for it- I havnt really ever had trouble finding it once I need it. The 3rd copy in the board tho is definitely needed for Esper and Abzan control where it is so clutch and will win the game on its own. But vs faster decks drawing too many could definitely be a liability.
Tself55 - There is no Urborg because you need at least 2 basic swamps for the Polluted Delta and Evolving Wilds, and you want the other black sources to produce other colors to meet your mana requirements. Not once have I regretted not having Urborg- with Sylvan Caryatid there are 21 black sources and Satyr Wayfinder helps you find them as well. It isn't like you need all the lands to produce black- you most often won't ever need more than BB in a single turn anyway.
Meecht - I have taken your advice and added Torrent Elemental to the main. While I believe Herald of Tormenf is better in most matchups, when Torrent Elemental is good it's a slam dunk- so I came to the conclusion having the silver bullet main is better than the overall more solid card since it is a 1x that can be tutored for and it then frees up a sideboard slot.
So MB the change is -1 Herald of Torment, +1 Torrent Elemental.
And in the SB -1 Torrent Elemental, +1 Duress
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4 Satyr Wayfinder
3 Rakshasa Deathdealer
4 Courser of Kruphix
1 Herald of Torment
4 Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
2 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
2 Dragonlord Silumgar
1 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
3 Thoughtseize
3 Murderous Cut
2 Hero's Downfall
2 Sultai Charm
2 Corpseweft
2 Temple of Malady
1 Temple of Mystery
2 Evolving Wilds
3 Polluted Delta
4 Llanowar Wastes
2 Yavimaya Coast
2 Forest
2 Swamp
1 Island
1 Corpseweft
4 Bile Blight
2 Minister of Pain
1 Thoughtseize
2 Disdainful Stroke
2 Reclamation Sage
1 Torrent Elemental
2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
While this deck is very similar to Sultai Whip, the change from Whip of Erebos to Corpseweft fundamentally changes the direction of the deck. The big mana haymakers like Hornet Queen are no longer necessary as Corpseweft gets just as much gas from a lowly Satyr Wayfinder as it does any 7 drop. This lets you lower the curve and run more early pressure, such as Rakshasa Deathdealer, making you more able to seize the initiative against decks like Esper Dragons. Corpseweft also gives you a leg up on enchantment removal such as Dromoka's Command, since you will be unlikely to activate Whip the turn you cast it, where with Corpseweft you will be able to make at least one large creature in response to them destroying your enchantment.
MATCHUP GUIDE
ESPER DRAGONS
Mainboard MVPs
Corpseweft
Thoughtseize
Rakshasa Deathdealer
The large presence of this archtype is probably the strogest reason to play Sultai Corpseweft. The matchup often comes down to one thing and one thing only: resolve a Corpeseweft. I have tested this matchup extensively, and things have to go very wrong for you for Esper to beat an active Corpseweft. It is just nearly impossible for them to beat a seemingly infinite supply of endstep 4/4s. Their only real hopes to beat Corpseweft are an early Ojutai that they are able to protect for long enough to kill you or a perfectly timed Ugin. Deathdealer is great here because they have very few ways to get around regeneration, and with enough mana he can attack through any of their blockers and swing for large chunks of damage. Thoughtseize is great here for obvious reasons.
SB Guide
+1 Corpseweft, +1 Thoughtseize, +2 Disdainful Stroke,
-2 Sultai Charm, -2 Murderous Cut
ABZAN AGGRO
Mainboard MVPs
Dragonlord Silumgar
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
Corpseweft
Here you pretty much want to gum up the ground, trade as much as possible, and kill Fleecemand Lions on sight. Later on the goal is to gain control of the board with Dragonlord Silumgar after you have exhausted their removal or get Corpseweft online. Corpseweft will beat any ground assault if given the small window of time it needs to do its thing. Herald of Torment can be great here to provide evasion to Sidisi to swing for large chunks in the air while you produce 2/2 chump blockers to win the race.
SB Guide
+2 Ashiok, + 2 Bile Blight
-2 Sultai Charm, -1 Thoughtseize, -1 Rakshasa Deathdealer
The argument could be made here to leave in the Thoughtseize to strip removal or Rhinos. I guess you would shave more Deathdealer as they are somewhat of a liability against Abzan Charm. You could also argue against Bile Blight as it has limited scope here, but you really want extra removal for the Lions so you can save Downfalls and Cuts for Rhinos and Anenza. Bile Blight is also good here as a combat trick as long as you don't they can blow you out with removal.
RED AGGRO/ REDgreen AGGRO
Mainboard MVPs
Courser of Kruphix
Sidisi, Brood Tyrant
Satyr Wayfinder
Game one is really tough here. Wayfinder can trade with many of their attackers while while making sure you hit your land drops, and Sidisi can make multiple bodies to stop them from winning from going wide. Courser is obviously great here to block and gain life. Don't be afraid to use your Deathdealers to trade with an attacker early get much better games 2 and 3 when you gain Bile Blight and Minister of pain to deal with early threats or token hordes.
SB Guide
+4 Bile Blight, +2 Minister of Pain
-3 Thoughtseize, -2 Deagonlord Silumgar, -1 Corpseweft
If you suspect anthem effects add the 2 Reclamation Sage with potential cuts being Corpseweft, Herald of Torment, and Sidisi, Undead Vizier.
ABZAN CONTROL
Mainboard MVPs
Sidisi, Undead Vizier
Corpseweft
Dragonlord Silumgar
Their Seige Rhinos are a lot less threatening than the aggro version as they aren't spreading your removal as thin. Undead Vizier is great here as he tangles favorably with all of their creatures while searching out whatever answer or threat you may need. Being able to steal an Elspeth or Rhino with Silumgar can be absurd, and he has a better chance of sticking than you would first believe since you present them with so many must-answer threats. Corpseweft should easily outpace them late game.
SB Guide
+1 Corpseweft, +2 Disdainful Stroke
-1 Rakshasa Deathdealer, -2 Sultai Charm
Bringing in the 4th Thoughtseize for a Courser, Deathdealer, or Caryatid would also be reasonable.
RED/GREEN DRAGONS
Mainboard MVPs
Dragonlord Silumgar
Murderous Cut
Hero's Downfall
All the large fliers can be tough to deal with if you have a removal light draw, but Silumgar is s huge trump here as Crater's Claws is their only out to it.
SB Guide
- 2 Rakshasa Deathdealer
+2 Disdainful Stroke
Adding Ashiok over 2 Thoughtseize is an option, but I would rather be able to strip their Crater's Claws to take over the game with Silumgar. You would just remove some creatures for the Ashioks, but you need to keep the creature count high for Sidisi and Corpseweft
GREENwhite DEVOTION
Mainboard MVPs
Dragonlord Silumgar
Sultai Charm
Herald of Torment
Whisperwood Elemental can take over the game easily if you don't have an answer for it, as can Drokoma. Dragonlord Silumgar is great here since it is very hard for them to answer. Herald of Torment is great since they have a hard time dealing with fliers. Game 2 and 3 get much easier since you gain more enchantment removal and Torrent Elemental to stop them from blocking. Since the board gets so gummed up the games usually come down to either deck's signature enchantment taking over the game- unles you find your Torrent Elemental which completely changes the dynamic of the game.
SB Guide
+2 Reclamation Sage, +1 Torrent Elemental, +2 Ashiok
-3 Thoughtseize, -1 Courser of Kruphix, -1 Rakshasa Deathdealer
SULTAI WHIP
SB Guide
+1 Torrent Elemntal, +2 Reclamation Sage, +2 Disdainful Stroke, +1 Minister of Pain, +1 Corpseweft
-1 Courser of Kruphix, -1 Herald of Torment, -3 Rakshasa Deathdealer, -2 Thoughtseize
If they run lots of Hornet Queen it's a safe bet to add the second Minister or a Bile Blight. Possibly correct to leave in more Thoughtseize- but don't know what else to remove- have not tested this matchup too extensively- but it has seemed in our favor so far- tho the sample size is too limited to be sure.
If you are set on playing him the best cut is the Herald of Torment, as they serve a similar function, but through testing I have come to prefer Herald for the pseudo haste and option to be played turn 3, which can be important against the red decks as a blocker. When played for the same mana cost, Herald also comes back for free without having to exile him first- which is important because the deck is relatively mana hungry.
The 3rd Corpseweft is in the board for more controlling/attrition based matchups. I don't think you want the 3rd MB because the second copy doesn't do anything and vs some decks (like red deck wins) the game pretty much gets decided before you would ever even play it. There are also the 2 Undead Viziers to tutor for it- I havnt really ever had trouble finding it once I need it. The 3rd copy in the board tho is definitely needed for Esper and Abzan control where it is so clutch and will win the game on its own. But vs faster decks drawing too many could definitely be a liability.
Tself55 - There is no Urborg because you need at least 2 basic swamps for the Polluted Delta and Evolving Wilds, and you want the other black sources to produce other colors to meet your mana requirements. Not once have I regretted not having Urborg- with Sylvan Caryatid there are 21 black sources and Satyr Wayfinder helps you find them as well. It isn't like you need all the lands to produce black- you most often won't ever need more than BB in a single turn anyway.
Meecht - I have taken your advice and added Torrent Elemental to the main. While I believe Herald of Tormenf is better in most matchups, when Torrent Elemental is good it's a slam dunk- so I came to the conclusion having the silver bullet main is better than the overall more solid card since it is a 1x that can be tutored for and it then frees up a sideboard slot.
So MB the change is -1 Herald of Torment, +1 Torrent Elemental.
And in the SB -1 Torrent Elemental, +1 Duress