MTG Salvation

Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire, or VV2 for short. (Vaevictis Version 2)

For the longest time, Jund is a brutal power first and control second, the new Vaevictis succeeded this trait with added bonus of cheating things in. For Jund EDH, every new commander is compared to Prossh, Skyraider of Kher, and while Vaevictis may not match Prossh in raw power, it provides more directions in deck building.

The direction I’m thinking of is based on the infamous Lantern Control deck. For those who’re unfamiliar, Lantern Control is a deck using Lantern of Insight to know everyone’s top card, then using cards like Ghoulcaller’s Bell to ensure your opponents don’t get it. Vaevictis take this concept to the next level, where you could arrange your library and disrupt your opponents’ library, to cheat permanents in. And, due to EDH’s near limitless card trove, we could use ancient cards like Soldier of Fortune to force a player to shuffle.

Green also brings forth cards like Reclaim and Noxious Revival, both let you get permanents back from graveyard (mayhap sacrificed through Daretti, Scrap Savant or Goblin Welder), and Revival ensures one of your opponent only gets a useless permanent. Black Tutors that let you search and put a card on top of your library will also aid Vaevictis in your scheme of cheating out big stuff.

And, unlike many new cards, Vaevictis can KILL lands.

I will update this list with everyone’s suggestions.



Other Directions

1) Portcullis style low creature count deck with permanent controls. Portcullis ensures creature cards revealed via Vaevictis would put into play but immediately exiled.



2) Bottom of library style, maximize library manipulation with Grenzo, Dungeon Warden.



3) Doomsday combo, provided by Darrenhabib, adding a kick to the deck on the side of VV2's effect.

A. Bedlam Reveler, Food Chain, Eternal Scourge, Purphoros, God of the Forge, whatever, requires 2G

B. Bazaar of Baghdad, Worldgorger Dragon, Animate Dead, Spikeshot Elder, whatever, requires 1B

C. Grenzo, Dungeon Warden, Treasonous Ogre, Metallic Mimic, Murderous Redcap, Skirk Prospector, requires 2 mana and 18 life

Let’s brew!

Quote from Dragoon91 »

Madblind Mountain !

Added, and a bunch of other cards.

While Sensei's Divining Top is good, Scroll Rack is mandatory.

I also like various other recursion elements, ranging from Coffin Queen to Crucible of Worlds
Trading a land up, then replaying it in particular seems good. Token generators are also likely to provide strong value. Tireless Tracker in particular seems good.

As a creature with an attack trigger, and without Haste, I would play at least Lightning Greaves. Maybe a few other enablers as well.

I do like the idea of playing it similar to a Lantern shell to better control the trigger for your opponents, I think this is going to be predominantly a big-mana deck, similar to Maelstrom Wanderer. Play a large quantity of permanent-based mana acceleration, and high cost threats. Said acceleration provides both the means of casting your threats, and sacrificial fodder for Vaevictis Asmadi.

Various Sacrifice and death triggers are also useful. In addition to the various Gravepact effects you mentioned, I would also look at things like Smothering Abomination

When working on the mana base, do not forget Volrath's Stronghold.

Quote from Muspellsheimr »

While Sensei's Divining Top is good, Scroll Rack is mandatory.

I also like various other recursion elements, ranging from Coffin Queen to Crucible of Worlds
Trading a land up, then replaying it in particular seems good. Token generators are also likely to provide strong value. Tireless Tracker in particular seems good.

As a creature with an attack trigger, and without Haste, I would play at least Lightning Greaves. Maybe a few other enablers as well.

I do like the idea of playing it similar to a Lantern shell to better control the trigger for your opponents, I think this is going to be predominantly a big-mana deck, similar to Maelstrom Wanderer. Play a large quantity of permanent-based mana acceleration, and high cost threats. Said acceleration provides both the means of casting your threats, and sacrificial fodder for Vaevictis Asmadi.

Various Sacrifice and death triggers are also useful. In addition to the various Gravepact effects you mentioned, I would also look at things like Smothering Abomination

When working on the mana base, do not forget Volrath's Stronghold.

Thanks for the suggestion. I see Vaevictis could go artifact routes or creature route, or a little bit of both. It's inevitable some artifact utility (including Clues) must persist to maintain control, but Jund has more affinity towards creatures. Perhaps artifact creatures/PWs would be nice here, such as Junk Diver, Myr Retriever, Scrap Trawler, and both Daretti, Scrap Savant and Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast. Hell, even GGrenzo, Dungeon Warden would be a good fit with all the library manipulation.

plow under
This is pretty brutal...

oops nevermind, i thought Vaevictis reveal until the first permanent.

Quote from another505 »

plow under
This is pretty brutal...

oops nevermind, i thought Vaevictis reveal until the first permanent.

No, it's JUSTICE, and goes well with Painful Memories and Agonizing Memories.

Let's add Stunted Growth and Primal Command to this madness. Amazing how these supposedly punishing cards could turn into your advantage by targeting yourself (not Painful Memories, of course).

Bloodghast is good. Provides a repeatable source of permanents to sacrifice.

Also, Mirri's Guile to adjust the top card of your deck.

Quote from XeroxedFool »

Bloodghast is good. Provides a repeatable source of permanents to sacrifice.

Also, Mirri's Guile to adjust the top card of your deck.

Got it, will add. Also Spine of Ish Sah.

I personally don't think you want to get too cleaver with the deck, the fact is that Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire ability is crushing even with a random element. Being able to remove each opponents most relevant card each turn, even if it is replaced at random, is going to be too much for opponents over a few turns. Statistically speaking they are going to hit lands or an instant or sorcery a fair amount of the time, and not many times will a better card come into play, as you are choosing their best. Being able to get around hexproof and shroud is incredible as well.

So I'd be more focused on simply being able to cast him and protect him a bit. 6 mana is expensive and it will be the number one threat by the other opponents. Not one of them doesn't get effected, so if they have removal it will be used on him.
So it's going to pay to be vanilla and run land ramp and some extra mana rocks.

Sure put in cards where you can manipulate your own library. Back this up with Courser of Kruphix, Oracle Mul Daya.

Probably look to some of the lands which produce token creatures, as a renewable source of fodder for your own Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire permanent to sacrifice: Kher Keep, Springjack Pasture, Westvale Abbey.

Quote from darrenhabib »

Being able to get around hexproof and shroud is incredible as well.

I think VV2 (short for Vaevictis Version 2) ability still has a target requirement, though it does get around indestructible since your opponent will be sacrificing it.

Quote from darrenhabib »

So I'd be more focused on simply being able to cast him and protect him a bit. 6 mana is expensive and it will be the number one threat by the other opponents. Not one of them doesn't get effected, so if they have removal it will be used on him.
So it's going to pay to be vanilla and run land ramp and some extra mana rocks.

Sure put in cards where you can manipulate your own library. Back this up with Courser of Kruphix, Oracle Mul Daya.

Probably look to some of the lands which produce token creatures, as a renewable source of fodder for your own Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire permanent to sacrifice: Kher Keep, Springjack Pasture, Westvale Abbey.

Will add, thanks for the suggestions. I want to be clever because with all the top of library agenda VV2 would make a great political tool as well. You could negotiate for attack or no attack, Noxious Revival or no, in exchange for opponent's cooperation in group game. In my testing, I've taken of saccing and recurring cards like Acidic Slime to pretty much nullify whatever opponent puts into play, and with M19 there will be Meteor Golem that will destroy anything.

The haste lands are all good: Hanweir Battlements, Flamekin Village, Hall of the Bandit Lord.

More fodder: Goblin Rabblemaster, Reassembling Skeleton

I like this "Scry" idea that you have for maximum benefit from his ability. It makes for a very interesting deck especially considering it's a Jund deck and there is no Blue!

I'm definitely considering building a deck like yours, but it will probably play out more like Traditional Jund decks, with a lot of good removal, tough creatures, ramp, and recursion.

I need some help with the way DTAs work. What happens if you control a Golgari Thug and attack with Vaevictis Asmadi, choosing to sacrifice the Thug. Will the Thug's trigger resolve first or will the DTA after everyone fulfills the requirement of sacrificing their permanent trigger first?

I assume that Asmadi's trigger resolves first, but just checking because it's a super neat interaction if Thug resolves first.

Quote from Torkon »

I need some help with the way DTAs work. What happens if you control a Golgari Thug and attack with Vaevictis Asmadi, choosing to sacrifice the Thug. Will the Thug's trigger resolve first or will the DTA after everyone fulfills the requirement of sacrificing their permanent trigger first?

I assume that Asmadi's trigger resolves first, but just checking because it's a super neat interaction if Thug resolves first.

VV2’s ability will fully resolve first before other triggers happen.

I'm pretty sure there will be a number of Doomsday piles that will win you the game on the spot.

You get to put the first card into play off VV2, so it'll be the key one to getting those cards and getting mana.

I don't know what they are yet, but this sort of puzzle solving is right up my alley. So hopefully come up with some stuff where the cards have some value by themselves.

At this stage I'm thinking Protean Hulk because VV2 has an inbuilt sacrifice ability.

[EDIT]
Got a few piles.

Bedlam Reveler, Food Chain, Eternal Scourge, Kalastria Healer, whatever
Requires 2G

Bazaar of Baghdad, Worldgorger Dragon, Animate Dead, Spikeshot Elder, whatever
Requires 1B

Grenzo, Dungeon Warden, Treasonous Ogre, Metallic Mimic, Murderous Redcap, Skirk Prospector
Requires 2 and 18 life

Quote from darrenhabib »

I'm pretty sure there will be a number of Doomsday piles that will win you the game on the spot.

You get to put the first card into play off VV2, so it'll be the key one to getting those cards and getting mana.

I don't know what they are yet, but this sort of puzzle solving is right up my alley. So hopefully come up with some stuff where the cards have some value by themselves.

At this stage I'm thinking Protean Hulk because VV2 has an inbuilt sacrifice ability.

[EDIT]
Got a few piles.

Bedlam Reveler, Food Chain, Eternal Scourge, Kalastria Healer, whatever
Requires 2G

Bazaar of Baghdad, Worldgorger Dragon, Animate Dead, Spikeshot Elder, whatever
Requires 1B

Grenzo, Dungeon Warden, Treasonous Ogre, Metallic Mimic, Murderous Redcap, Skirk Prospector
Requires 2 and 18 life

A great list of combo with Doomsday, will add. :3

Dark-Dweller Oracle, great card in any deck, even better when VV2 dedicates himself to know what's on top of the library.

Can't believe I forgot all the "impulse-draw" cards when I categorize them. That, and token routes.

Quote from darrenhabib »

Bedlam Reveler, Food Chain, Eternal Scourge, Kalastria Healer, whatever
Requires 2G

I fail to see how this works.
Replace Kalastria Healer with Purphoros, God of the Forge or similar.

Added some phoenixes to the list. I love phoenixes, and they work well with VV2's ability.

Quote from Muspellsheimr »

Quote from darrenhabib »

Bedlam Reveler, Food Chain, Eternal Scourge, Kalastria Healer, whatever
Requires 2G

I fail to see how this works.
Replace Kalastria Healer with Purphoros, God of the Forge or similar.

Oh yeah, I failed to read the ally part lol. Purple-Os is perfect. Any ETB effect that does something is fine.

Quote from ToPonder »

Want to add Wand of Denial to the list. Loving the concept of this deck!

Thank you! Now that you said it, Vexing Arcanix would be awesome for getting cards into my hand as well! (Or opponent’s graveyard, since I could see it with Goblin Spy and such.

These are ones I'm considering for mine. Let me know what you think. Hope they help!

-False Mourning - Sorcery speed Reclaim.
-Awakening Zone - Mana acceleration, then fodder to sac to Vaevictis.
-Haunted Crossroads - Volrath's Stronghold's effect as an enchantment.
-Tel-Jilad Justice - Artifact removal with Scry.
-Conch Horn - a total of 3 colorless mana to draw 2 cards then put one from your hand back to the top of your library. A nice set up for Vaevictis if you don't have Scroll Rack out yet.
-Mortuary - Not sure how good this would be, but one can even put Vaevictis itself on top of the library and cast it again the next turn for 6. Plus, the usual shenanigans of stacking your library.
-Ugin's Nexus - Jund time warp!
-Viridian Revel - Get rid of your opponents artifacts to draw cards. May depend on the local meta.
-Grim Flayer - Can help set up the top cards of your library.

Quote from SweetZombijesus »

These are ones I'm considering for mine. Let me know what you think. Hope they help!

-False Mourning - Sorcery speed Reclaim.
-Awakening Zone - Mana acceleration, then fodder to sac to Vaevictis.
-Haunted Crossroads - Volrath's Stronghold's effect as an enchantment.
-Tel-Jilad Justice - Artifact removal with Scry.
-Conch Horn - a total of 3 colorless mana to draw 2 cards then put one from your hand back to the top of your library. A nice set up for Vaevictis if you don't have Scroll Rack out yet.
-Mortuary - Not sure how good this would be, but one can even put Vaevictis itself on top of the library and cast it again the next turn for 6. Plus, the usual shenanigans of stacking your library.
-Ugin's Nexus - Jund time warp!
-Viridian Revel - Get rid of your opponents artifacts to draw cards. May depend on the local meta.
-Grim Flayer - Can help set up the top cards of your library.

Thank you for your suggestions! Awakening Zone is certainly a great card to use in this deck. False Mourning may be overshadowed by Reclaim and Noxious Revival, and a third copy of similar effect may not be as good as your other choices, such as Haunted Crossroads and Mortuary. I will add all into the brainstorm list.

While I love the concept of what you guys are brewing, there are a lot of cards being discussed here that don’t do much or anything on their own. However you end up building it, beware too not make it a glass cannon that does not work without VV2.

Also surprises no one mentioned It That Betrays yet. If there’s one card that combo’s with VV2 it’s that

I didn't notice until now that Imperial Seal isn't listed.
It is quite pricey but there is the foil one that is a bit more down to earth in terms of price.

Also, Hua Tuo, Honored Physician can fix up your library's first card. Not sure why I didn't think of it before.

Quote from Ertai Planeswalker »

While I love the concept of what you guys are brewing, there are a lot of cards being discussed here that don’t do much or anything on their own. However you end up building it, beware too not make it a glass cannon that does not work without VV2.

Also surprises no one mentioned It That Betrays yet. If there’s one card that combo’s with VV2 it’s that

Hmm, maybe something like Call of the Wild and/or Zoologist in case VV2 is too expensive to cast? They only work for creatures but that may be fine.
Also, if VV2 dies, he can be Reclaimed to the top then put back into play for 4 mana
Also, now that I think of it, Command Beacon would be great in this.

I do like It That Betrays, especially since it can be cheated out for very little mana. It's so rare it can get used efficiently in EDH, I find, but for Vaevictis it may work really well.