Hello and welcome! You seem to have most of the pieces in place, most of what I'd suggest really boils down to personal taste. The one thing that makes some noise to me is Harsh Mercy. IMHO it's one of those cards that look great on paper, but once you play it you don't get anywhere as much bang for your buck as you thought you'd get. Either there are better picks for this slot, or it requires a very wise and shrewd player to deploy it wisely. I won't claim I'm one
In my modest experience, vampirism isn't a thing your slivers will profit greatly from. Considering just how eager your opponents will be to nuking your swarm, I don't think they'll be able to stick around for long to enjoy those counters if they get them, Hivelord Sliver and similar shenanigans notwithstanding. On the other hand, you can't have enough lifelink - and Syphon's ability STACKS with that of Essence's if you have them both in play.
Also, for the love of the Queen, get or buy or borrow or steal a Hibernation Sliver! You'll be amazed at the plays enabled by having that sleepy fellow on the board.
To be honest, I feel there are better uses for the slot it would take up. Sure, having two Gaea's Cradles would be awesome, but there are easier ways to achieve that (Vesuva or Thespian's Stage jump to mind).
Plus, I think of the requirements to trigger the transformation. I only have 4 creatures in play when the rest of the board doesn't have countermeasures to turn the battlefield into a smoking crater. It's not a rare thing for the opposition to nuke the table when I have 3 (or even 2!) slivers in play. I do pack thralls myself, which kind of mitigates the threat, but only to a certain extent. You have made it a point not to field anything other than slivers, so the fear factor of your decklist ought to be bigger.
Good list. How's your budget? Patriarch's Bidding would probably work better than Empty the Catacombs. A few really powerful slivers that aren't currently in your list are Manaweft Sliver, Galerider Sliver, and Sliver Hivelord. I'm not wild about your slivers that only pump their toughness - they should always win in combat and kill people because you're almost always attacking with Sliver Legion or evasion. And though not important against Edgar, counter magic can hurt you, I'd probably play Root Sliver. But I think your list will perform well, I think the biggest missing piece is Manaweft Sliver to help you with ramping up your sliver production.
Since our archmage overlord here has suggested Patriarch's Bidding, in the same vein you could also try Eerie Ultimatum. Harder to cast, but if you bring in Manaweft Sliver to complement Gemhide Sliver as he said, you shouldn't have any issues. Except, of course, that the opposition is going to freak out and try to tear you a new one.
Also, since we're at it, what do you fellow servants of the Swarm think of companion legends? I just noticed Jegantha, the Wellspring and dug the rest up.
*The Queen stirs from her slumber and sleepily regards the newcomer that just walked into her chamber, then bids him to come closer with a gesture of her claws*
By all means, do keep us posted! I'm kind of out of date with the more recent editions, so I'm intrigued to see how you're building your deck.
Fellow servants of the Hive, I require your aid! Just got myself a foil Spiteful Sliver, and it's a throwback to ancient days when I had built, just for fun, a ridiculous burn deck that shipped delicious stuff like Mana Flare, Repercussion and Furnace of Rath. (Mind you, when I say 'ancient days', I mean 'back in the time when mana burn was still a rule'.)
How do I break this little monster? I can use ideas!
Updated the aggro decklist to account for the inclusion of The First Sliver.
I've been thinking that having it around is kind of like having a permanent-based Primal Surge. I mean, if you can somehow sculpt your library to your leisure (Scroll Rack, anyone?), you can pretty much achieve similarly explosive effects. Opinions?
Welcome to the ranks of the Hive, JCZero Iliurgul here took care of whatever criticism I could have contributed. Mined The Immortal Sun from your deck and added it to the useful cards list as a nice shenanigan - it's lockdown, card advantage and aggro engine put together into a single card. Also good as removal bait.
Oracle text about unearth: If a creature returned to the battlefield with unearth would leave the battlefield for any reason, it’s exiled instead — unless the spell or ability that’s causing the creature to leave the battlefield is actually trying to exile it! In that case, it succeeds at exiling it. If it later returns the creature card to the battlefield (as Oblivion Ring or Flickerwisp might, for example), the creature card will return to the battlefield as a new object with no relation to its previous existence. The unearth effect will no longer apply to it.
So, if I am not missunderstanding it, in both cases your revived slivers stay in the battlefield: In case of Teferi's Protection, triggers of "at the beginning of the next end step" misses target cause your slivers are phased out; in case of Ghostway is the same example case of Oblivion Ring or Flickerwisp. I think I saw Animatou decks using this already.
As I said some weeks ago, you can naturally get this effect of perma-unearth with 50% chance with Frenetic sliver.
What is everyone’s thought on Sliver Queen with Lavabelly Sliver and Basal Sliver? Probably won’t make many friends but seems like a strong win condition. Would this be easier to assemble with reanimation themes or using Sneak and Show tactics?[/card]?
You just named one of my all-time favorite win cons. Basal Sliver is a game ender to the point that, whenever it lands, my pod mates usually know it's time to scoop - mostly because it never gets fielded without one or more layers of defense to screen threats. My current decklist has Living Death and Patriarch's Bidding to reanimate them, but usually I just tutor and cast. My meta is too heavy on graveyard hate to risk it.
If I read Dregscape Sliver correctly, and the more expert players who like to hang around here may correct me if I'm wrong, using either card means they're gone forever. You set up an unearth play, it has to go off all at once on the same turn, or you lose your pieces for good.
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
If you don't mind, would you be willing to consider these small changes?
- Clot Sliver
+ Sedge Sliver
The replacement pick's ability is cheaper (albeit somewhat color restrictive), and it boasts a small passive bonus.
- Vampiric Sliver
+ Syphon Sliver
In my modest experience, vampirism isn't a thing your slivers will profit greatly from. Considering just how eager your opponents will be to nuking your swarm, I don't think they'll be able to stick around for long to enjoy those counters if they get them, Hivelord Sliver and similar shenanigans notwithstanding. On the other hand, you can't have enough lifelink - and Syphon's ability STACKS with that of Essence's if you have them both in play.
Also, for the love of the Queen, get or buy or borrow or steal a Hibernation Sliver! You'll be amazed at the plays enabled by having that sleepy fellow on the board.
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
Plus, I think of the requirements to trigger the transformation. I only have 4 creatures in play when the rest of the board doesn't have countermeasures to turn the battlefield into a smoking crater. It's not a rare thing for the opposition to nuke the table when I have 3 (or even 2!) slivers in play. I do pack thralls myself, which kind of mitigates the threat, but only to a certain extent. You have made it a point not to field anything other than slivers, so the fear factor of your decklist ought to be bigger.
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
Since our archmage overlord here has suggested Patriarch's Bidding, in the same vein you could also try Eerie Ultimatum. Harder to cast, but if you bring in Manaweft Sliver to complement Gemhide Sliver as he said, you shouldn't have any issues. Except, of course, that the opposition is going to freak out and try to tear you a new one.
Also, since we're at it, what do you fellow servants of the Swarm think of companion legends? I just noticed Jegantha, the Wellspring and dug the rest up.
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
By all means, do keep us posted! I'm kind of out of date with the more recent editions, so I'm intrigued to see how you're building your deck.
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
Absolutely LOVED Spreading Plague. Added it along with a few other picks to the useful cards list.
I agree that either Pestilence or Pyrohemia would be nuts. I'll try them out myself.
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
Adding also Grothama, All-Devouring to the thrall list.
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
How do I break this little monster? I can use ideas!
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
I've been thinking that having it around is kind of like having a permanent-based Primal Surge. I mean, if you can somehow sculpt your library to your leisure (Scroll Rack, anyone?), you can pretty much achieve similarly explosive effects. Opinions?
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
Today's ban list update is interesting: Paradox Engine is banned!
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
Welcome to the ranks of the Hive, JCZero
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
I stand corrected. @Iliurgul: you have my thanks.
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG
You just named one of my all-time favorite win cons. Basal Sliver is a game ender to the point that, whenever it lands, my pod mates usually know it's time to scoop - mostly because it never gets fielded without one or more layers of defense to screen threats. My current decklist has Living Death and Patriarch's Bidding to reanimate them, but usually I just tutor and cast. My meta is too heavy on graveyard hate to risk it.
If I read Dregscape Sliver correctly, and the more expert players who like to hang around here may correct me if I'm wrong, using either card means they're gone forever. You set up an unearth play, it has to go off all at once on the same turn, or you lose your pieces for good.
[Horde] Phyrexia ascendant - The Virus
WUBRG - [Primer] Sliver Overlord - The Swarm - WUBRG