I am new here, have been playing MTG for about 8 months and currently have spent a small fortune on cards trying to get a feel for what and how things work and what I like to play. I think I enjoy the Golgari decks the most at the moment and my primary deck is below. I would appreciate any feedback you guys have on it. The goal on the deck is graveyard recursion. I have been struggling to beat a lot of decks where they use voltron or token strategies.
Please let me know if you think this would be horrible to play against too.
Welcome to the fourms, comrade! Thanks for posting your list in the Deck tags. It makes perusing your list much easier.
My first question: have you looked at the other Meren threads in MTGSalvation? There are two really good ones that I think you could get some inspiration from for sure. The link for gromgrom's Primer is here and the link for Airithne's Primer is here.
Right away I notice that there are some cards in your list that are quite lackluster for Commander. Rhizome Lurcher is an example of this. Sure, it can be a really big dude for cheap but I think you would benefit more from running Demon of Dark Schemes or Massacre Wurm. Hired Poisoner is VERY underwhelming in comparison to Spore Frog. You could also run Living Death as a WRath effect to get around your Voltron and Tokens problem as well.
Which decks do you consistently face that pose problems to you?
Thank you so much for coming back to me. I am trying to read up on all the guides, it is taking a few reads to start sticking though
Where to start. Easiest first I think. Spore frog is on the way, and will be replacing the hired poisoner when it arrives.
The decks I was struggling against were any. I know that sounds odd but there have been few times when my deck has done what was intended. Rather than optimise the deck I had, I was reacting to the decks I played so mine ended up being a mess of artefact and enchantment removable with a few synergies that were lucky to ever see the light of day. I realised what I had done and started again. What I have now is after a significant amount of research so I am rather happy you didn't come up with 99 changes
Lands.
I had Bojuka Bog and Dakmor Salvage instead of the 2 you mentioned, not sure why I swapped them out but will put them back in. I also have Vivid Marsh as an option too.
Steve has replaced the Rhizome Lurcher.
I don't have either Demon of Dark Schemes and Massacre Wurm yet but can include Ritual of Soot as an option whilst waiting for them to arrive.
I also saw Smothering Abomination as an option in the deck. I have a mint foil which looks awesome.
I don't have the other tutoring cards mentioned as yet, at least that I can see. If not I can get them. I understand what you are saying about them.
Thanks for the guidance, it is much appreciated.
I'll update as soon as I have the other cards in hand as one of the hardest things for me is realising what to swap out for the smaller advantages.
Find // Finality seems like a great way to get some recursion going while also being a Wrath effect against tokens when you need it. Being able to loop Find/Finality with Eternal Witness seems like a good time. For you...
I am new here, have been playing MTG for about 8 months and currently have spent a small fortune on cards trying to get a feel for what and how things work and what I like to play. I think I enjoy the Golgari decks the most at the moment and my primary deck is below. I would appreciate any feedback you guys have on it. The goal on the deck is graveyard recursion. I have been struggling to beat a lot of decks where they use voltron or token strategies.
Please let me know if you think this would be horrible to play against too.
1 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
Creature
1 Liliana, Heretical Healer
1 Lord of Extinction
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Caustic Caterpillar
1 Farhaven Elf
1 Llanowar Elves
1 Stitcher's Supplier
1 Doomed Dissenter
1 Ochran Assassin
1 Hired Poisoner
1 Pilfering Imp
1 Satyr Wayfinder
1 Filth
1 Savra, Queen of the Golgari
1 Yavimaya Elder
1 Acidic Slime
1 Crypt Ghast
1 Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
1 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
1 Tendershoot Dryad
1 Whisper, Blood Liturgist
1 Poison-Tip Archer
1 Infectious Horror
1 District Guide
1 Eternal Witness
1 Vulturous Zombie
1 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Golgari Findbroker
1 Glowspore Shaman
1 Plaguecrafter
1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
1 Magus of the Abyss
1 Underrealm Lich
1 Slum Reaper
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Butcher of Malakir
1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
1 Grave Pact
1 Dictate of Erebos
1 Gift of Paradise
Land
1 Miren, the Moaning Well
1 Dakmor Salvage
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Command Tower
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Golgari Rot Farm
1 High Market
1 Jungle Hollow
1 Tainted Wood
1 Vivid Grove
1 Foul Orchard
1 Overgrown Tomb
11 Swamp
9 Forest
1 Golgari Guildgate
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Thespian's Stage
1 Terramorphic Expanse
Artifact
1 Bontu's Monument
1 Bonehoard
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Skullclamp
1 Sol Ring
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Manalith
1 Phyrexian Altar
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Assassin's Trophy
1 Entomb
1 Songs of the Damned
1 Pulse of Murasa
Sorcery
1 Fork in the Road
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Dread Summons
1 Mulch
1 Barter in Blood
1 Vicious Rumors
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Reanimate
1 Buried Alive
Many thanks
My first question: have you looked at the other Meren threads in MTGSalvation? There are two really good ones that I think you could get some inspiration from for sure. The link for gromgrom's Primer is here and the link for Airithne's Primer is here.
Right away I notice that there are some cards in your list that are quite lackluster for Commander. Rhizome Lurcher is an example of this. Sure, it can be a really big dude for cheap but I think you would benefit more from running Demon of Dark Schemes or Massacre Wurm. Hired Poisoner is VERY underwhelming in comparison to Spore Frog. You could also run Living Death as a WRath effect to get around your Voltron and Tokens problem as well.
Which decks do you consistently face that pose problems to you?
UB Dralnu, Lich Lord
RBW [Primer]-Kaalia of the Vast
BUG [Primer]-Tasigur, the Golden Fang
GWU [Primer]-Arcades, the Strategist
WUB Primer-Aminatou, the Fateshifter
UBR Nicol Bolas, the Ravager
As bejameenbear pointed out already Demon of Dark Schemes and Massacre Wurm to help with go wide strategies.
Having access to a few more abilities that allow you to search your library will help you be a bit more reactive to the game at hand. So if a go wide token strategy is forming, then you can counter this with your own Tendershoot Dryad/Avenger of Zendikar and Butcher of Malakir with a sacrifice outlet (Viscera Seer).
So Survival of the Fittest and Fauna Shaman can do a lot of work in your deck.
No Meren deck can be complete without Steve..Sakura-Tribe Elder.
Some of your lands look pretty awful; Crumbling Vestige, Gateway Plaza.
Niv-Mizzet Reborn
Feather, the Redeemed
Estrid, the Masked
Teshar
Tymna/Ravos
Najeela, Blade-Blossom
Firesong & Sunspeaker
Zur the Enchanter
Lazav, the Multifarious
Ishai+Reyhan
Click images for decks->
-Prime Speaker Vannifar
---------------------Will & Rowan Kenrith
Thank you so much for coming back to me. I am trying to read up on all the guides, it is taking a few reads to start sticking though
Where to start. Easiest first I think. Spore frog is on the way, and will be replacing the hired poisoner when it arrives.
The decks I was struggling against were any. I know that sounds odd but there have been few times when my deck has done what was intended. Rather than optimise the deck I had, I was reacting to the decks I played so mine ended up being a mess of artefact and enchantment removable with a few synergies that were lucky to ever see the light of day. I realised what I had done and started again. What I have now is after a significant amount of research so I am rather happy you didn't come up with 99 changes
Lands.
I had Bojuka Bog and Dakmor Salvage instead of the 2 you mentioned, not sure why I swapped them out but will put them back in. I also have Vivid Marsh as an option too.
Steve has replaced the Rhizome Lurcher.
I don't have either Demon of Dark Schemes and Massacre Wurm yet but can include Ritual of Soot as an option whilst waiting for them to arrive.
I also saw Smothering Abomination as an option in the deck. I have a mint foil which looks awesome.
I don't have the other tutoring cards mentioned as yet, at least that I can see. If not I can get them. I understand what you are saying about them.
Thanks for the guidance, it is much appreciated.
I'll update as soon as I have the other cards in hand as one of the hardest things for me is realising what to swap out for the smaller advantages.
I'd also recommend a couple of creature sac outlets. Phyrexian Plaguelord, Viscera Seer, and Carrion Feeder all come mind.
Ravenous Chupacabra and Shriekmaw also seem like good additions, particularly since Shriekmaw can be evoked and trigger Meren immediately.
Some cards that immediately could be cut are: Ochran Assassin, Doomed Dissenter, and Infectious Horror.
Wood Elves is probably better than District Guide.
Find // Finality seems like a great way to get some recursion going while also being a Wrath effect against tokens when you need it. Being able to loop Find/Finality with Eternal Witness seems like a good time. For you...
Good luck to you, comrade!
UB Dralnu, Lich Lord
RBW [Primer]-Kaalia of the Vast
BUG [Primer]-Tasigur, the Golden Fang
GWU [Primer]-Arcades, the Strategist
WUB Primer-Aminatou, the Fateshifter
UBR Nicol Bolas, the Ravager