MTG Salvation

"Lets watch the world burn together!"

The first time I saw a friend of mine run his Kaervek the Merciless deck I couldn’t believe the cards he ran. I always viewed Commander (EDH at the time) as a fun format and here my friend was running Mana Barbs and Price of Progress in a casual format. His deck rarely won as it ran so many symmetrical (and very horrible) spells that ruined people equally, which lead me to consider if I could use the same idea but cut down on the spiteful for the sake of being spiteful cards. It took a while, but the looks people give you when you manage to resolve Kaervek the Merciless and Mana Barbs (removed since posting) or Wound Reflection or both, are priceless. It has taken a while, but I believe I’ve managed to find the balance of hateful cards and control to not arouse instant aggression or insight that such 'unpleasant' cards herald a combo. However, I believe this style of play be pushed further without reaching too deeply into an 'easy' combo, although greater consistency, as black can achieve with tutors, always runs the risk of being too consistent and thus too easy to combo off.



Change Log

Why would you want to play Kaervek the Merciless?
Kaervek the Merciless is a deck for those who like to do powerful things and not play blue. As a commander, he forces people to consider whether the consequences for casting their spell or responding to a threatening board state are worth the cost in life or associated cost or loss. The title says it all, Kaervek, is a general that is the opposite of ‘group hug’ (even called 'group slug' by some), he hates everyone equally and frequently evokes the worlds, ‘I didn’t think anyone ran that card,’ before casting a crippling equalizer and ending the game or starting a spiral of triggers that leads to people's death's one by one. This is one deck that will be hated out a lot once people know what you run, but that is what you want and shows you success.

Why Kaervek the Merciless over other Black Red generals?
Despite his high cost of seven, Kaervek does a lot and has an immediate impact. To remove him, unless prepared they need to take pain. To make any big plays they need to need to remove him first or risk losing the position they sought to gain by casting the spell. Kaervek also speeds up games substantially, for you alone sometimes and for everyone the most of the time. The deck has been built around the ‘Lets end the game quickly’ idea with a lot of the chosen enchantments too, which can in combination just knock people down quickly. There is also not an abundance of other strong black/red commanders either, particular for a controlling game, which positions Kaervek highly for the style of play.

How do you win with Kaervek the Merciless?
Plan A
Control the board – this is straightforward, play your general and play powerful spells, planeswalkers, control magic and reanimation to finish everyone else. There are many wraths, graveyard hate, hand destruction, land destruction and minor artifact destruction. The deck aims to have an answer to everything the colours can provide.

Plan B
Play restrictive hateful cards that limit attacking you or the opponent's game plan – between Wound Reflection to increase damage, Leyline of the Void and Planar Void to hinder graveyard game plans, Heartless Hidetsugu to reduce the life resource, Ob Nixilis, Unshackled and Stranglehold to punish or prevent deck searching, Havoc Festival and Erebos, God of the Dead stops life being gained, Maralen of the Mornsong stops drawing cards, Sire of Insanity forces players to discard their hands at the end of each step.

This deck runs some generally not nice cards that hit everyone or just all of your opponents. Many of these cards can chain together to create a soft lock that just makes it too painful or too risky to respond to the board state. When Kaervek is out this is especially the case, Kaervek with many other of these cards, and especially Wound Reflection is a nightmare for a lot of decks.

Plan C
Sorin Markov – While unpleasant in the extreme, Sorin Markov is a strategy for winning unto himself. With Kaervek he is even more potent, and combos with Repay in Kind to bring everyone down to ten (even yourself!) and Acidic Soil or Price of Progress (both are removed again, but are valid options), cards few people expect.

Plan D
No one draws but you - Maralen of the Mornsong and Stranglehold means no one draws, they instead search and Strangehold means only you may search, therefore you have the option to take your time and finish them off however you like. A fun addition to this is forcing the loss of 10 life by Ob Nixilis, Unshackled when they search. This is dependent on the cards in the hand at the time of both being played though.

Plan E
Tutor up a combo -
1. Leyline of the Void + Helm of Obedience - This is the least fun combo, but the most efficient, I would only use this for highly competitive groups or if about to lose.
2. Wound Reflection + Havoc Festival or Heartless Hidetsugu or Sorin Markov Activation - Everyone has one more turn to live if they cannot deal with one of the enchantments (unless on an odd life total). This combo is very in the spirit of the deck and intentionally creates a window to respond. In regards to Sorin Markov the change of life total from the -3 ability that sets a player's life total to 10 also counts as a loss of life, which triggers for Wound Reflection.
3. Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood will trigger a player to die as you will gain life and they will lose life, until death, once damage is taken.

I'll try add more soon, but I'm interested in people's feedback on my deck. I win most of games if someone isn't faster, but sometimes despite dying make the game go vastly quicker by almost killing everyone.

Strategic Exclusions
I choose not to run poison to avoid conflict between different expectations among players, hence why Tainted Strike and Grafted Exoskeleton are not being used, but would certainly be valid in a poison tolerant metagame.

Upcoming Action
Pursuing to include: Scalding Tarn, and Arid Mesa.

Valid Options Not Used That I would Recommend:
Dictate of the Twin Gods - The instant speed pushes this card into playability, although there is some risk since it is symmetrical.
Molten Disaster - If the Kicker cost is not paid, the ways to stop the damage are much fewer, hence why previous iterations of the deck ran this card and why it is a good finisher.

Quote from MiffedMoogle

KiL0's DeckMagic OnlineOCTGN2ApprenticeBuy These Cards

General (1) 1 Kaervek, the Merciless Artifacts (9) 1 Coalition relic 1 Darksteel Ingot 1 Mimic Vat 1 Mind’s Eye 1 Relic of Progenitus 1 Rakdos Signet 1 Sensei’s Diving Top 1 Sol Ring 1 Thran Dynamo Equipment (4) 1 Basilisk Collar 1 Lightning Greaves 1 Loxodon Warhammer 1 Whispersilk Cloak Creatures (16) 1 Avatar of Woe 1 Coffin Queen 1 Deepfire Elemental 1 Duplicant 1 Geth, Lord of the Vault 1 Heartless Hidetsugu 1 Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker 1 Mephidross Vampire 1 Myojin of Night’s Reach 1 Necrotic Ooze 1 Nezumi Graverobber 1 Puppeteer Clique 1 Sheoldred, Whispering One 1 Solemn Simulacrum 1 Stuffy Doll 1 Triskelion

Enchantments (9) 1 Enslave 1 Leyline of the Void 1 Manabarbs 1 No Mercy 1 Painful Quandry 1 Phyrexian Arena 1 Spiteful Visions 1 Underworld Dreams 1 Wound Reflection Instants (6) 1 Bituminous Blast 1 Into the Core 1 Reverberate 1 Sudden Death 1 Vampiric Tutor 1 Wild Ricochet Land (38) 1 Badlands 1 Blackcleave Cliffs 1 Blood Crypt 1 Bloodstained Mire 1 Bojuka Bog 1 Cabal Coffers 1 Dragonskull Summit 1 Dust Bowl 1 Graven Cairns 1 High Market 1 Lavaclaw Reaches 1 Maze of Ith 1 Miren, the Moaning Well 1 Mystifying Maze 6 Mountains 1 Rakdos Carnarium 1 Reliquary Tower 1 Reflecting Pool 1 Spinerock Knoll 1 Strip Mine 1 Shizo, Death’s Storehouse 8 Swamp 1 Temple of the False God 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth 1 Vesuva 1 Volrath’s Stronghold

I had finished a Kaervek deck recently, but mine has more cards and sorceries.

I would like to see your complete list to compare and get ideas.

Quote from KiL0

I had finished a Kaervek deck recently, but mine has more cards and sorceries.

I would like to see your complete list to compare and get ideas.

Love how you're the only one to call me on that, thanks. It's up now.

I somehow missed them when copying.

You should probably check out Donald's Kaervek thread. But then again, I see plenty of hidden gems that you probably found from that thread anyways.

Either way, two things. You mention Price of Progress, yet it isn't in your list. I would also say that it's folly not to run Bloodchief Ascension and Obliterate, cause that combination of cards has allowed me the last chance to pull a win after everyone is done hating on me.

Quote from MCR

You should probably check out Donald's Kaervek thread. But then again, I see plenty of hidden gems that you probably found from that thread anyways.

Either way, two things. You mention Price of Progress, yet it isn't in your list. I would also say that it's folly not to run Bloodchief Ascension and Obliterate, cause that combination of cards has allowed me the last chance to pull a win after everyone is done hating on me.

I saw his list and made some changes based off it, but I disagree with direction he goes. I don't like killing permanents, just making it hard for people to actually play spells, why no Death Cloud or mass LD at this time. I want to build up board position rather than just bringing everyone down to mine. So different ideas and I guess execution as result.

As to your questions, my mana base is too toxic for Price of Progress, I ran it once, but really, it hurts me a lot and my meta has a lot of mono colour decks, Acidic Soil (which I knew about before Donald), does more. I had to take Blood Moon out even when I realised I liked my mazes too much to lose. Secondly, I don't run LD, I may run Decree of Annihilation eventually, but I need Crucible and some other changes first to capitalise on it I imagine.

I've made the following changes. After experience with green and the power of ramp, I realised that I wasn't enough ramp or a good enough quality in a lot of my decks (including the three I have posted lists for). As a result, I added Gilded Lotus and upgraded a few card choices. Painful Quandry is still an option, as is LD, but I'll try this version for now. I also included Godo, Bandit Warlord to increase Kaervek's survival rate and help grant my generally useful creatures haste more of the time.

So the changes are:
Deepfire Elemental -> Gilded Lotus
Painful Quandry -> Vicious Shadows
Coffin Queen -> Godo, Bandit Warlord
Blackcleave Cliffs -> Command Tower

Lately I've seen this style of deck to be rising in popularity and I am interested in what people of the changes and direction of this build currently. My playgroup dislike LD, so I'm currently trying to work out a good medium for it before I try it.

A new set has come out and I've added: Charmbreaker Devils, Bloodgift Demon and Blasphemous Act (for great synergy with Stuffy Doll).

Other notable changes were added a fetch land and switing out Praetor's Grasp for a tutor in Diabolic Tutor.

For those who follow Kaervek deck lists, I'm interested in your results so far and maybe ideas on this version. I'm moving closer to playing LD and Crucible, but striving to streamline deck further first.

I really like the punish archenemy theme of the deck..In my meta I always seem to draw a boatload of hate. Most of it is because of my decks (Jhoira, Infect, and Sharuum's combo ability). I'm going to give this deck a shot and I'll give feedback after this weekend of playing with my group.

Quote from Greeeek

I really like the punish archenemy theme of the deck..In my meta I always seem to draw a boatload of hate. Most of it is because of my decks (Jhoira, Infect, and Sharuum's combo ability). I'm going to give this deck a shot and I'll give feedback after this weekend of playing with my group.

Thank you! Tell me how it works out for you. It's fun in a different way to just winning, you get the hate but you also get to do lot to everyone before you go down and sometimes you even win.

Yeah you usually have to walk a thin line between keeping things annoying enough that they all attack you and locking things down into an unfun mire.

Also with Manabarbs I like to combo Citadel of Pain which is dumb and awesome, sadly it cannot be used on MTGO since they refuse to put out the wildy overpowered masques block

What I've noticed after playing about 5 games.
The Ghave deck got out Aura shards every game and destroyed my mana rocks and enchants. Need to find some way to get rid of enchants for the deck. Once those mana rocks get destroyed you get slowed down pretty hard. In games Ghave wasn't played I was in it until the end, actually won the game with a Heartless Hidgetsu + Acidic Soil + Molten Disaster. I would have won another game, I tutored for Insurrection and forgot about it and Boldyr Heavyweights were played and I got a creature when I should have just left it be. I like the deck just need to get some enchantment destroyers in.

Quote from Greeeek

What I've noticed after playing about 5 games.
The Ghave deck got out Aura shards every game and destroyed my mana rocks and enchants. Need to find some way to get rid of enchants for the deck. Once those mana rocks get destroyed you get slowed down pretty hard. In games Ghave wasn't played I was in it until the end, actually won the game with a Heartless Hidgetsu + Acidic Soil + Molten Disaster. I would have won another game, I tutored for Insurrection and forgot about it and Boldyr Heavyweights were played and I got a creature when I should have just left it be. I like the deck just need to get some enchantment destroyers in.

Perhaps O-Stone will do it? It is hard in these colours.

I changed a couple of cards, like taking Kiki-Jiki out as she really had not enough targets and replacing Praeor's Grasp and Enslave with: Price of Progress, Diabolic Tutor and Bloodgift Demon..

I had a game where Acidic Soil would've drawn, if it hadn't been countered, whereas Price of Progress would've won it for me, so need to play to outs. i may need to increase basics too, so I'll be working out which non-basics to take out for it.

Maybe remove Godo, bandit warrior since we're not running other samurai and no real significant equipment. Perhaps throw a Quietus Spikein for basilisk collar.

Quote from Greeeek

What I've noticed after playing about 5 games.
The Ghave deck got out Aura shards every game and destroyed my mana rocks and enchants. Need to find some way to get rid of enchants for the deck. Once those mana rocks get destroyed you get slowed down pretty hard. In games Ghave wasn't played I was in it until the end, actually won the game with a Heartless Hidgetsu + Acidic Soil + Molten Disaster. I would have won another game, I tutored for Insurrection and forgot about it and Boldyr Heavyweights were played and I got a creature when I should have just left it be. I like the deck just need to get some enchantment destroyers in.

Sounds like you'll never win again because zedruu owns that table.

Quote from Drizzle

Sounds like you'll never win again because zedruu owns that table.

Good thing the Zedruu player rages and loses focus.

Quote from Greeeek

Maybe remove Godo, bandit warrior since we're not running other samurai and no real significant equipment. Perhaps throw a Quietus Spikein for basilisk collar.

He was intended as a tutor with a bonus, but he is very expensive, I'll follow your advice and change Godo for O-Stone.

I'll consider changing the collar, but both are there due to positive lifelink synergy with Heartless Hidetsugu and and Kaervek. It's rare to connect to half the life total, although I suppose it isn't impossible.

Quote from therestless »

Ah, Kaervek! He is a good man. My version runs 3 creatures aside from Kaervek himself, one of which really must go on your list. Can't have the haterade right without some Massacre Wurm.

All is Dust happens to be my prefered way of dealing with enchantments. It's worth noting that my deck's design (including its distinct lack of creatures) is to support Repercussion and a slew of other creature hate (Spreading Plague, Torpor Orb) as well as some all-purpose don't-do-anything-till-I-burn-you-out cards (Chains of Mephistopheles, Stranglehold).

I can see why some version would seek to run less, my version likes to retain control with creatures and there is some nice synergy with the ones I do have. I'm particularly fond of Stuffy Doll and Geth, Keeper of the Vault.

I have seen version with Strangehold, which regretably my deck searches too much to use, but Chain is out of my price range currently. All is dust is quite legit and may be worth including as well as O-Stone. I'll try the stone (which can be returned with some cards in deck) first and then see if I can squish in AID.

As for Massacre Wurm, I always put it in and then take it out. Do you protect yours? Or just use it to wipe out weenie hordes?

Massacre wurm is huge! Thanks for that recommendation. Yesterday was my favorite play with this deck yet. I was playing a Oona mill deck and he traumatized me while I had Leyline out, so half my deck was gone. He tapped out doing this and I had Helm of Obedience in my hand. Needless to say I milled his entire library and felt complete satisfaction didnt care how the game ended.

Quote from Greeeek

Massacre wurm is huge! Thanks for that recommendation. Yesterday was my favorite play with this deck yet. I was playing a Oona mill deck and he traumatized me while I had Leyline out, so half my deck was gone. He tapped out doing this and I had Helm of Obedience in my hand. Needless to say I milled his entire library and felt complete satisfaction didnt care how the game ended.

Not that this changes much but Leyline of the Void only affects your opponent(s).

Quote from Greeeek

Massacre wurm is huge! Thanks for that recommendation. Yesterday was my favorite play with this deck yet. I was playing a Oona mill deck and he traumatized me while I had Leyline out, so half my deck was gone. He tapped out doing this and I had Helm of Obedience in my hand. Needless to say I milled his entire library and felt complete satisfaction didnt care how the game ended.

Helm is rough way to win, I try avoid it unless I'm going to die (hence why it's not in this deck outside SB), but yeah it's a good easy combo to achieve in any black deck.

Edit: Wurm is now in over Ooze. Both are conditional, but Wurm is at least passive. I'm also devising way to include Talisman of Indulgence.

I thorougly enjoy playing my Kaervek. Nothing speeds up games like a Sorin Markov then a Repay in Kind to lower everyone to 10. Kaervek and my Braids cause great chaos games and always end differently. Have you thought about adding Sadistic Sacrament? It's mean and stops combo decks.

Quote from bobthefunny

I'm starting to build a Kaervek so I'm looking through your list and finding a bunch of cool gems.

Is there a reason you don't run the Grafted Exoskeleton? Seems to be brutal on Kaervek.

His special ability then comes in as infect damage which can kill indestructibles.