I was running cards like Soul conduit and Repay In Kind to combo with paying almost all my life from Necropotence or Necrologia. Don't bother with them, they're just funny and not actually all that great.
As mentioned below Falkenrath Noble is the only other one you can run. I also like the suggestion of Shadows of the Past, something that'd be really powerful in this deck.
I'm not a huge fan of Filth. It doens't really work towards our end goal of draining opponents out. It's only "good" because you can discard it, but honestly we can just use discard to set up a creature to reanimate later, so I don't think we need fodder. I'd also say something a little similar for From Under the Floorboards. The card is good if you wanted to push the deck in a tribal zombie direction, but not as just "good to discard to Lilly". This could free up a little space for a couple early drops.
Ones I've mentioned previously Blood Pet, Fume Spitter, and Heap Doll offer fantastic utility. Soldevi Adnate is old tech that offers a sweet (and inexpensive, early drop) sac outlet. Not sure how good it is as I've not tried it myself, but it feels like a good alternative to expensive cards like Phyrexian Altar or Black Market.
I missed the Grimoire because it was under discard not draw. The card is nuts. Keep it.
I'm not a huge fan of Vengeful Pharaoh as it's not a may, and replacing a draw with a dead card that only kills things after they deal damage to you. Geth is an interesting pick but only likes opponent's creatures, when what we really want is our own creatures.
1) you can cut the silly kill myself combos. They're cute but unnecessary.
2) never cut blood artist or his friends. They're the lifeblood of the deck.
3) the more 1/2-drop self sacrificing creatures the better: Heap Doll, Blood Pet, and I'd even considered Fume Spitter. You just really want to have them in play and hit Lilliana on 3 to go right into the shenanigans.
4) Geth's Grimoire.
Hope this helps! Lemmie know if I can clarify anything and post how the deck does. I'll be interested to see another Lilly deck in action.
Heya, I've been toying with a Meren deck myself, and I'm wondering why you've included Bitterblossom here? It seems like it'd be more at home in a Mazirek deck where something like Seed Guardian would make some more sense here.
One general think I've been noticing is that while Meren makes for a nice reanimator commander I find that since I'm playing without a theme I'd rather move in on a commander that is more specific and put her into the main deck. I just can't help but want to argue with myself that Jarad is a better sac-to-kill commander (with a potential voltron finish) or Mazirek is a better tokens swarm commander (with another potential to voltron people out). Running these two in the main deck here splits this deck in two directions, but looking at your list it just feels like she's already branching out that way.
Don't get me wrong, she's the better reanimator commander, but if that's all we're going for then I'd be inclined to cut cards like Bitterblossom for more reanimator cards.
Just asking, how have you dealt with RiP/Leyline of the Void? Those effects really hurt Toshiro, and both of the forementioned cards are quite normal in my meta (aka if they play the right colours, they have at least one of them)... I noticed that your only enchantment-removal is Karn.
Not that this is a complete answer but he is also running All is Dust and Oblivion Stone. Also hi ISB! Been a while. We seem to do this a lot, as I also have a Toshiro deck I've been playing around with a lot.
One bad trick I've been trying to deal with cards such as these is to run [card]Elixir of Immortality/card] but I don't think this is a really good option since it'll only save your precious spells once.
Honestly I find that the best solution is to just know your weaknesses. Just as an aggro deck shouldn't overextend into a wrath, this deck can't "overextend" by filling it's graveyard too quickly. And if you're going to dump a bunch of cards in there, have one of those backups planned with something like Stinkweed Imp to refill once you've been hit.
Hey everyone, it's been forever since I posted a decklist here. I was hoping I could get some feedback on a deck I've had for a while now. This deck was built on a challenge from a friend who told me to try and build a deck in which every nonland card in it was gold. Not Multicolor mind you, specifically gold, so normal hybrid won't cut it.
The deck isn't meant to be super competitive, and it's quite durdly, but I really love the fact that it can play a different game basically every time.
I'm hoping that by posting this here I'll get some cards that I've overlooked to fill up some of the roles I'm lacking in the deck.
And that's the list! Remember to keep suggestions to gold cards only please! Let me know if you can think of cards that would help, particularly with mana acceleration in the early game.
I still might build it since I've never tried playing an orzhov deck and I'd like to know if I like the style. But seriously I currently have Aurelia and Thrun built. As I said long ago when we first encountered each other here,you air have excellent taste.
As an aside will you be running the new vampire that was just spoiled when it comes out, cause he was basically what made me think of building something like this.
ISB are we the same person. We always seem to build the exact same decks! I was actually just considering a deck along these exact lines since I hadn't seen anything quite like it so far. Then here you go stealing my thunder!
Since I'm likely not gonna build this (hate feeling like I'm copying someone) I'm curious how you've been finding Skeletal Scrying. I've never had much success with this card.
I'm also curious why you didn't include Crypt Ghast. Feels like he'd fit the curve and style of this deck well.
Wow, Tajic is even worse than I thought he'd be. I should have know that he'd have battalion, but +5/+5 to himself is just nothing. I guess for some people he'll be fast enough, but ... just look what all the others do. Most are just so better.
I feel the same way. Couldn't possibly give his bonus to other guys for balance in standard, but in every way I would prefer any other commander in RW to him. Sad that even Argos is better :S
If you see someone complaining about mill in an EDH forum, I'd put them ~90% on trolling/8% on being extremely new to the format.
Besides, a goal of R&D is to not be 'too strong' or 'too weak' but they'll almost always err on the side of safety. This means quite a few cards are simply unplayable in any format. This is one of them. As the Dimir part of a rather hyped cycle, of course people are going to be annoyed.
I have been wanting to do Golgari voltron commander for a while now, and Skullbriar was never quite good enough. Varolz is flippin sweet; I'm building this one for sure.
I thought the same thing! My first thoughts were Survival of the Fittest and Lord of Extinction plus some sweet Riftsweeper action. Gotta get me some of this guy. Seems like a good way to transform my Thrun deck into something a little more interesting / interactive. I'd be interested in possibly doing a little build together if you're game.
As mentioned below Falkenrath Noble is the only other one you can run. I also like the suggestion of Shadows of the Past, something that'd be really powerful in this deck.
I'm not a huge fan of Filth. It doens't really work towards our end goal of draining opponents out. It's only "good" because you can discard it, but honestly we can just use discard to set up a creature to reanimate later, so I don't think we need fodder. I'd also say something a little similar for From Under the Floorboards. The card is good if you wanted to push the deck in a tribal zombie direction, but not as just "good to discard to Lilly". This could free up a little space for a couple early drops.
Ones I've mentioned previously Blood Pet, Fume Spitter, and Heap Doll offer fantastic utility. Soldevi Adnate is old tech that offers a sweet (and inexpensive, early drop) sac outlet. Not sure how good it is as I've not tried it myself, but it feels like a good alternative to expensive cards like Phyrexian Altar or Black Market.
I missed the Grimoire because it was under discard not draw. The card is nuts. Keep it.
I'm not a huge fan of Vengeful Pharaoh as it's not a may, and replacing a draw with a dead card that only kills things after they deal damage to you. Geth is an interesting pick but only likes opponent's creatures, when what we really want is our own creatures.
http://www.commandercast.com/deckbuilders-spotlight-15-sams-liliana-heretical-healer-deck
Looking back there's a few things I'd note.
1) you can cut the silly kill myself combos. They're cute but unnecessary.
2) never cut blood artist or his friends. They're the lifeblood of the deck.
3) the more 1/2-drop self sacrificing creatures the better: Heap Doll, Blood Pet, and I'd even considered Fume Spitter. You just really want to have them in play and hit Lilliana on 3 to go right into the shenanigans.
4) Geth's Grimoire.
Hope this helps! Lemmie know if I can clarify anything and post how the deck does. I'll be interested to see another Lilly deck in action.
One general think I've been noticing is that while Meren makes for a nice reanimator commander I find that since I'm playing without a theme I'd rather move in on a commander that is more specific and put her into the main deck. I just can't help but want to argue with myself that Jarad is a better sac-to-kill commander (with a potential voltron finish) or Mazirek is a better tokens swarm commander (with another potential to voltron people out). Running these two in the main deck here splits this deck in two directions, but looking at your list it just feels like she's already branching out that way.
Don't get me wrong, she's the better reanimator commander, but if that's all we're going for then I'd be inclined to cut cards like Bitterblossom for more reanimator cards.
Thanks for the input!
Not that this is a complete answer but he is also running All is Dust and Oblivion Stone. Also hi ISB! Been a while. We seem to do this a lot, as I also have a Toshiro deck I've been playing around with a lot.
One bad trick I've been trying to deal with cards such as these is to run [card]Elixir of Immortality/card] but I don't think this is a really good option since it'll only save your precious spells once.
Honestly I find that the best solution is to just know your weaknesses. Just as an aggro deck shouldn't overextend into a wrath, this deck can't "overextend" by filling it's graveyard too quickly. And if you're going to dump a bunch of cards in there, have one of those backups planned with something like Stinkweed Imp to refill once you've been hit.
That's my two cents.
The deck isn't meant to be super competitive, and it's quite durdly, but I really love the fact that it can play a different game basically every time.
I'm hoping that by posting this here I'll get some cards that I've overlooked to fill up some of the roles I'm lacking in the deck.
so without further ado, here's the list:
CREATURES
1 Nivix Guildmage
1 Savageborn Hydra
1 Vitu-Ghazi Guildmage
1 Zhur-Taa Druid
1 Dimir Doppelganger
1 Dune-Brood Nephilim
1 Hypersonic Dragon
1 Maelstrom Archangel
1 Mercurial Chemister
1 Riku of Two Reflections
1 Crosis, the Purger
1 Dragon Broodmother
1 Progenitor Mimic
1 Rith, the Awakener
1 Angel of Despair
1 Damia, Sage of Stone
1 Hellkite Overlord
INSTANT
1 Eladamri's Call
1 Rakdos Charm
1 Selesnya Charm
1 Bant Charm
1 Counterflux
1 Esper Charm
1 Mortify
1 Naya Charm
1 Perplex
1 Putrefy
1 Treva's Charm
1 Mystic Genesis
1 Prophetic Bolt
SORCERY
1 Breaking // Entering
1 Hull Breach
1 Reborn Hope
1 Savage Twister
1 Treasured Find
1 Consult the Necrosages
1 Supply // Demand
1 Debt to the Deathless
1 Exploding Borders
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Frenzied Tilling
1 Urban Evolution
1 Merciless Eviction
1 Vengeful Rebirth
1 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Violent Ultimatum
1 Necrogenesis
1 Sterling Grove
1 Trace of Abundance
1 Aura Shards
1 Detention Sphere
1 Pernicious Deed
1 Mirari's Wake
ARTIFACT
1 Fieldmist Borderpost
1 Firewild Borderpost
1 Mistvein Borderpost
1 Veinfire Borderpost
1 Wildfield Borderpost
PLANESWALKER
1 Vraska the Unseen
1 Sarkhan the Mad
LAND
1 Plains
1 Island
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Snow-Covered Plains
1 Snow-Covered Island
1 Snow-Covered Swamp
1 Snow-Covered Mountain
1 Snow-Covered Forest
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Watery Grave
1 Blood Crypt
1 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
1 Godless Shrine
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Breeding Pool
1 Steam Vents
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Drowned Catacomb
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Woodland Cemetery
1 Hinterland Harbor
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Vivid Grove
1 Vivid Marsh
1 Vivid Creek
1 Command Tower
1 Reflecting Pool
1 City of Brass
1 Grand Coliseum
1 Tendo Ice Bridge
1 Krosan Verge
1 Desolate Lighthouse
And that's the list! Remember to keep suggestions to gold cards only please! Let me know if you can think of cards that would help, particularly with mana acceleration in the early game.
As an aside will you be running the new vampire that was just spoiled when it comes out, cause he was basically what made me think of building something like this.
Since I'm likely not gonna build this (hate feeling like I'm copying someone) I'm curious how you've been finding Skeletal Scrying. I've never had much success with this card.
I'm also curious why you didn't include Crypt Ghast. Feels like he'd fit the curve and style of this deck well.
I feel the same way. Couldn't possibly give his bonus to other guys for balance in standard, but in every way I would prefer any other commander in RW to him. Sad that even Argos is better :S
Sooooo, the remaining 2% are?
Feather for Commander 2013!
I thought the same thing! My first thoughts were Survival of the Fittest and Lord of Extinction plus some sweet Riftsweeper action. Gotta get me some of this guy. Seems like a good way to transform my Thrun deck into something a little more interesting / interactive. I'd be interested in possibly doing a little build together if you're game.