Hey all, I'm here with a Merieke Ri Berit Control Deck. It is focused more on removal than counterspells. I wanna know what you guys think about it, so here we go:
Card Explanation
Anything you think is wrong or bad in this feel free to point out...
Lands:
Strip Mine: Pretty staple in any Commander deck for land control. Academy Ruins: Artifact recursion. If you are running artifacts and blue it's a staple. Minamo, School at Water's Edge: Untaping Merieke and maybe your opponents Commander is a very nice thing, doing it with a land that come into play untapped is even better. Bojuka Bog: Grave hate FTW. Flagstones of Trokair: Good land against Land destruction. Can act like a Fetch land but with the land coming into play tapped. Halimar Depths: Always good to know whats coming up next. Maze of Ith: You don't want to get attacked when you don't have anything to remove the creature. Reliquary Tower: No max hand size, Yes Please! Vesuva: Copy any of your non-legendary lands, or any of your oppnents. Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth: Get that swampwalk going and mana fix. Tolaria West: Search for any land, unfortunately no 0 cost spells on this deck. Volrath's Stronghold: Creature recursion is always very nice.
Building too hard around her is bad, but the Untap auras, fate stitcher, and hnbender tine are auto includes just because they are good on their own.
I honestly never thought of the benefit of using indestructible to save the guys I steal. Thanks for the tip. One thing to note though is Cauldron of Souls doesn't work the way you want it. Same reason as you can't blink a creature you steal with say Mistmeadow Witch. They both return to the owner.
I was trying to go for a less focused on merieke so it would not be so bad if the Hinder her or destroy her over and over so i wasnt focusing on untaping auras. I also had never thought on making the creatures indestructible to keep them, but though i like That Which Was Taken i think it is too mana intensive and easy to remove, o the other hand the Darksteel Plate is less mana intensive harder to be removed but only keep one safe at a time, but i still think i like it better. Another card that i really liked is the Ring of Brighthearth which synergises other cards in the deck.
And though i would like to add this cards I don't know what to take out any suggestions?
Also abut Intruder Alarm I was going to add this card to the deck but i realised that it could help the opponents to get rid of the big creatures I stole from them by just playing some weak ones with some effects that migth not work that well for me.
Thanks for the tips
edit: Also thinking of adding Havengul Lich what you think?
well, Pemmin's Aura is bananas in general because it makes any one of your creatures into a even better Morphing, and he's the superman for a reason. I can understand not including Freed, but with arcanis and other great tap creatures both are busted beyond belief.
Tuck isn't too prominent in my meta, as there is not much blue in my meta. If tuck is a problem I can certainly see the reason for not building around her as much, but putting a few cards in to make her better is still worth doing in my opinion.
Darksteel Plate is a 2-time awesomeness. It protects Merieke if you're not worried about killing the creature, and you just want to keep it, and it itself is indestructible making it hard to remove itself. it survives sweepers and is just all around great.
Rings of Brighthearth is amazing. There are TONS of ways to abuse it and get infinite mana should you choose to do so, but even without it it's rediculous.
Intruder Alarm is shenanagins, but be VERY careful with it. Keep note that each time a creature comes in, Merieke is forced to untap, causing whatever you took to die. It' makes her a slow Plague Wind. It can enable a lot of combos too, like Krenko or others. Just look at your metas decks before running it. It's a dangerous card.
Havengul Lich is better the lower your creature curve is. Your in 3 color so casting out of other's graves isn't too hard to do, but I'd rather use Geth, Lord of the Vault to do so as hit hits artifacts. For your own GY its decent, but it's mana demanding. You can do shenangins with him, because he gains the activated abilitys of the card you ping with it, making it a pay-as-you-go Necrotic Ooze, which can create combos on its own. Just assess how much you'd use it. It's not a bad card by any means, but most decks cant take full advantage of it like UB zombies can.
Yeah, I'll probably include Pemmin's Aura I now see it as a very versatile card, you can untap you can protect, you can even use as removal if you want, I also wanted to add Arcanis the Omnipotent, that would make it more versatile because it could be a draw engine as well.
Onto Intruder Alarm, I think it would be better for my opponent then for me.
Havengul Lich: Probably not gonna add it now, as you said the lower the creature curve the better, most of my creatures are 5 or 6 CC, and most don't have activated abilities which makes the Lich even worse. I already have some recursion so I don't think I would remove something for another one.
Now I'm tempted to remove Force of Will for some space, mainly because it is a 3 color deck so that is not that much blue for me to play it for free, also as s singleton format I don't think we can afford to exile our stuff in commander, what do you think?
Yes, and that's why i run a lot of enchant artifact and creature destruction. Also while i have a lot of answers there is only 9 of this cards of yours. Anyway, I like playing control and EDH is about fun!
I don't like force of Will for commander. It's 2 cards to stop one. At least with foil they're discarded, and not exiled. Rarely will you ever need a counter that bad, and or Esper 5 counters, maybe 6 should be enough. Black and white are the kings of on board removal, pack some 2for1 removal like Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust, Return to Dust and just all around good removal like Vindicate. You've got access to the best sweepers in the format, my favorite two being Austere Command and Merciless Eviction as they allow you to nuke the board but only the parts that need it.
Swiss army knives like Profane Command and Cryptic Command help you get your slots worth. Powerful planeswalkers like Liliana, tamiyo, jace, and jace are all fantastic at control as well. Esper is in my opinion the best shard for control.
I like the 2 fo one removal but i think they end up being too narrow, like Ashes to Ashes against a artifact heavy deck, Dust to Dust against few or no artifacts is better because there is no drawback, on the other hand Return to Dust is more broad because is artifacts or enchantments and is a may, is I play Dust to Dust and there is only one creature (I know its rare in multiplayer but just imagine), I would have to get rid of one of my creatures (don't really know if that's correct). So they have a drawback unlike vindicate other than being a sorcery which is not a big deal.
Never had heard of Merciless Eviction before (long time I don't play still getting used to the new sets) and it is indeed a very nice card, and I'm probably going to find a spot for it.
Ashes to Ashes is fantastic. Non-artifact is the best color restricted removal as they are most rare. If you've got a Karn or daagson in your group I'd reconsider hut other than that it's fantastic.
Dust to Dust is more narrow, but I find that next to creatures, artifacts are the second most popular permanent and it is efficient too. Exiking 2 sol rings to set opponents back is nothing to scoff at. Running both makes sure ashes downside I covered because dust to Dust hits artifact creatures too, and makes sad bot a trult sad robot.
Dust to Dust is a staple, and you can choose to only exile one thing if you choose to do so. Ashes and dust both require two targets, but I never find this to be an issue. It's a meta call at that point.
If black into heavy, Reckless Spite is a double doom blade for 3 and 5life like Ashes, this time at instant speed. Forbidden Orchard would be an awesome tech way to make sure these cards keep relevancy, and orchard makes lots of friends which Is great for a control deck.
3 Merieke Ri Berit
Utility Lands
0 Strip Mine
0 Academy Ruins
0 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
0 Bojuka Bog
0 Flagstones of Trokair
0 Halimar Depths
0 Maze of Ith
0 Reliquary Tower
0 Vesuva
0 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
0 Tolaria West
0 Volrath's Stronghold
Mana Lands
0 Command Tower
0 Scrubland
0 Tundra
0 Underground Sea
0 Godless Shrine
0 Hallowed Fountain
0 Watery Grave
0 Flooded Strand
0 Marsh Flats
0 Polluted Delta
0 Arcane Sanctum
0 Drowned Catacomb
0 Glacial Fortress
0 Isolated Chapel
0 Snow-Covered Island (4)
0 Snow-Covered Plains (4)
0 Snow-Covered Swamp (3)
2 High Priest of Penance
2 Mistmeadow Witch
2 Snapcaster Mage
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Solemn Simulacrum
4 Restoration Angel
5 Ethersworn Adjudicator
5 Mulldrifter (3)
5 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
6 Duplicant
6 Consecrated Sphinx
6 Sun Titan
6 Grave Titan
6 Deadeye Navigator
7 Angel of Despair
7 Rune-Scarred Demon
7 Sheoldred, Whispering One
Sorceries
2 Demonic Tutor
3 Vindicate
4 Deep Analysis (2)
5 Rout
5 Promise of Power (9)
6 Terminus (1)
6 Austere Command
6 Merciless Eviction
8 Decree of Pain (5)
Instants
1 Path to Exile
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Brainstorm
2 Orzhov Charm
2 Momentary Blink (4)
3 Mortify
3 Esper Charm
3 Hinder
3 Spell Crumple
3 Dismantling Blow (6)
4 Cryptic Command
4 Mystical Teachings (6)
4 Fact or Fiction
4 Return to Dust
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Aura of Silence
3 Rhystic Study
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Pemmin's Aura
5 Future Sight
Artifacts
1 Sol Ring
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Expedition Map
2 Azorius Signet
2 Dimir Signet
3 Mimic Vat
3 Thousand-Year Elixir
3 Crystal Shard
3 Chromatic Lantern
3 Darksteel Plate
3 Rings of Brighthearth
Planeswalkers
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
5 Venser, the Sojourner
7 Karn Liberated
Card Explanation
Anything you think is wrong or bad in this feel free to point out...
Lands:
Academy Ruins: Artifact recursion. If you are running artifacts and blue it's a staple.
Minamo, School at Water's Edge: Untaping Merieke and maybe your opponents Commander is a very nice thing, doing it with a land that come into play untapped is even better.
Bojuka Bog: Grave hate FTW.
Flagstones of Trokair: Good land against Land destruction. Can act like a Fetch land but with the land coming into play tapped.
Halimar Depths: Always good to know whats coming up next. Maze of Ith: You don't want to get attacked when you don't have anything to remove the creature.
Reliquary Tower: No max hand size, Yes Please!
Vesuva: Copy any of your non-legendary lands, or any of your oppnents.
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth: Get that swampwalk going and mana fix.
Tolaria West: Search for any land, unfortunately no 0 cost spells on this deck.
Volrath's Stronghold: Creature recursion is always very nice.
Creatures:
Mistmeadow Witch: Blink ALL the creatures!!
Snapcaster Mage: Reuse that spells as you wish.
Phyrexian Metamorph: Best clone of all time.
Solemn Simulacrum: Land search and card draw on a stick.
Restoration Angel: Surprise blocker and blinker.
Ethersworn Adjudicator: Mortify on a stick with possible reuses. Can be a beater.
Mulldrifter: Card draw on a stick.
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir: No one bothers me on my turn and surprise creatures are always fun.
Duplicant: Creature removal, can achieve a huge body late game, and works well with blinking.
Consecrated Sphinx: Amazing card draw, especially on 4 player game.
Sun Titan: Reuse some creatures, artifacts, enchantments, and lands.
Grave Titan: Awesome beater, that beats multiple players at the same time with its tokens. Works good with Decree of Pain.
Deadeye Navigator: Best reusable blink.
Angel of Despair: Vindicate on a stick and good beater.
Rune-Scarred Demon: Tutors and beats. With Deadeye Navigator, turns into a instant speed blue demonic tutor.
Sheoldred, Whispering One: Get your creeps back late game and make your opponents sac theirs.
Sorceries:
Vindicate: Destroy anything.
Deep Analysis: Draw some cards, then draw again. Who cares about 2 life?
Rout: Ability to have a instant Wrath of God, Hell Yeah!
Promise of Power: 5 mana 5 cards, and maybe a demon?
Terminus: Tucking their general was never so easy pairing this with Mystical Tutor and such.
Austere Command: Best board wiper useful for wwhat you want, when you want.
Merciless Eviction: Almost an Austere Command that exiles, but you can choose only one.
Decree of Pain: Card drawing never been so fun. And maybe an instant -2/-2.
Instants:
Swords to Plowshares: Same as above but may help you with health instead.
Mystical Tutor: Search for the spells you need.
Vampiric Tutor: Search for anything you like. 2 Life? Meh.
Brainstorm: draw and put that Terminus on top.
Orzhov Charm: Bounce yours, destroy theirs.
Momentary Blink: Blink, twice.
Mortify: Broader Murder.
Esper Charm: Destroy, draw, or make them discard.
Hinder: Tuck the general, or just counter that big spell.
Spell Crumple: Same as above.
Dismantling Blow: Destroy and draw.
Cryptic Command: Very versatile counter, drawer, bouncer and tapper.
Mystical Teachings: Fetch those creatures when Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir is out, or just fetch him when he is not. The instants may help, I don't know.
Fact or FictionMake them choose what they want to crush them.
Return to Dust: Destroy those pesky enchantments and artifacts twice.
Enchantments/Artifacts/Planeswalkers:
Aura of Silence: Delay your opponents artifacts and enchantments and when they get through it destroy them.
Rhystic Study: Draw cards so you don't let the next spell go so easy.
Phyrexian Arena: Extra card draw is always nice.
Pemmin's Aura: Untap your stuff, protect your stuff, or jus kill theirs.
Future Sight: Extremely good with Sensei's Divining Top, but very good overall.
Sol Ring: 2 for 1.
Sensei's Divining Top: Choose what you can. take what you need.
Expedition Map: Search for the needed land.
Azorius Signet: Mana fixing.
Dimir Signet: Same.
Mimic Vat: Great with Merieke and many other creatures on the deck as well as your opponents.
Thousand-Year Elixir: Haste Merieke and double steal if you want.
Crystal Shard: Bouncing made easy.
Chromatic Lantern: The best mana fixing.
Darksteel Plate: Protect your best creeps.
Rings of Brighthearth: Double the fun!
Jace, the Mind Sculptor: Brainstorm, choose what anyone draws, and maybe just kill one player.
Venser, the Sojourner: Bounce everything, take no blockers and then destroy everything.
Karn Liberated: Exile what you want, what they want and then win the game with their stuff.
Hope you liked it, any critics are welcome.
Thanks!
Edits:
1- Removed : Avatar of Woe, Force of Will, Diabolic Edict, Rite of Replication,
Orzhov Signet
Added : Rings of Brighthearth, Pemmin's Aura, Merciless Eviction, Darksteel
Plate, Chromatic Lantern
Pemmin's Aura is about the best untapper engine for Merieke as it also protects her. It is a must IMO.
Also, Intruder Alarm sets up a situation where people essentially just can't play creatures for fear of losing them.
The Mimeoplasm
Maga, Traitor to Mortals
Rhys the Redeemed
Merieke Ri Berit
Nekusar, the Mindrazer
Cromat Wurm Tribal
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Looking for Green friendly EDH players/groups in the Toronto area. PM me if this is you.
Freed from the real is an easy way to abuse her.
rings of brighthearth, fate stitcher unbender tine and one of my favorite personal teks is Toils of Day and Night , which could allow you to take 3 creatures if you stack the triggers accordingly. She is dumbly powerful in the right hands.
Darksteel Plate, Cauldron of Souls and That Which was taken all will let you keep your creatures when she untapped.
Building too hard around her is bad, but the Untap auras, fate stitcher, and hnbender tine are auto includes just because they are good on their own.
UBRSedris, the Necromancer KingUBR
I honestly never thought of the benefit of using indestructible to save the guys I steal. Thanks for the tip. One thing to note though is Cauldron of Souls doesn't work the way you want it. Same reason as you can't blink a creature you steal with say Mistmeadow Witch. They both return to the owner.
The Mimeoplasm
Maga, Traitor to Mortals
Rhys the Redeemed
Merieke Ri Berit
Nekusar, the Mindrazer
Cromat Wurm Tribal
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Looking for Green friendly EDH players/groups in the Toronto area. PM me if this is you.
And though i would like to add this cards I don't know what to take out any suggestions?
Also abut Intruder Alarm I was going to add this card to the deck but i realised that it could help the opponents to get rid of the big creatures I stole from them by just playing some weak ones with some effects that migth not work that well for me.
Thanks for the tips
edit: Also thinking of adding Havengul Lich what you think?
Tuck isn't too prominent in my meta, as there is not much blue in my meta. If tuck is a problem I can certainly see the reason for not building around her as much, but putting a few cards in to make her better is still worth doing in my opinion.
Darksteel Plate is a 2-time awesomeness. It protects Merieke if you're not worried about killing the creature, and you just want to keep it, and it itself is indestructible making it hard to remove itself. it survives sweepers and is just all around great.
Rings of Brighthearth is amazing. There are TONS of ways to abuse it and get infinite mana should you choose to do so, but even without it it's rediculous.
Intruder Alarm is shenanagins, but be VERY careful with it. Keep note that each time a creature comes in, Merieke is forced to untap, causing whatever you took to die. It' makes her a slow Plague Wind. It can enable a lot of combos too, like Krenko or others. Just look at your metas decks before running it. It's a dangerous card.
Havengul Lich is better the lower your creature curve is. Your in 3 color so casting out of other's graves isn't too hard to do, but I'd rather use Geth, Lord of the Vault to do so as hit hits artifacts. For your own GY its decent, but it's mana demanding. You can do shenangins with him, because he gains the activated abilitys of the card you ping with it, making it a pay-as-you-go Necrotic Ooze, which can create combos on its own. Just assess how much you'd use it. It's not a bad card by any means, but most decks cant take full advantage of it like UB zombies can.
UBRSedris, the Necromancer KingUBR
Onto Intruder Alarm, I think it would be better for my opponent then for me.
Havengul Lich: Probably not gonna add it now, as you said the lower the creature curve the better, most of my creatures are 5 or 6 CC, and most don't have activated abilities which makes the Lich even worse. I already have some recursion so I don't think I would remove something for another one.
Now I'm tempted to remove Force of Will for some space, mainly because it is a 3 color deck so that is not that much blue for me to play it for free, also as s singleton format I don't think we can afford to exile our stuff in commander, what do you think?
Thx.
Swiss army knives like Profane Command and Cryptic Command help you get your slots worth. Powerful planeswalkers like Liliana, tamiyo, jace, and jace are all fantastic at control as well. Esper is in my opinion the best shard for control.
UBRSedris, the Necromancer KingUBR
Never had heard of Merciless Eviction before (long time I don't play still getting used to the new sets) and it is indeed a very nice card, and I'm probably going to find a spot for it.
Dust to Dust is more narrow, but I find that next to creatures, artifacts are the second most popular permanent and it is efficient too. Exiking 2 sol rings to set opponents back is nothing to scoff at. Running both makes sure ashes downside I covered because dust to Dust hits artifact creatures too, and makes sad bot a trult sad robot.
Dust to Dust is a staple, and you can choose to only exile one thing if you choose to do so. Ashes and dust both require two targets, but I never find this to be an issue. It's a meta call at that point.
If black into heavy, Reckless Spite is a double doom blade for 3 and 5life like Ashes, this time at instant speed. Forbidden Orchard would be an awesome tech way to make sure these cards keep relevancy, and orchard makes lots of friends which Is great for a control deck.
UBRSedris, the Necromancer KingUBR