This is a thread intended to fuse Monkey222 and ilovesaprolings's posts to form a more complete list of cards for Thantis.
Originally received many negative reviews, I think Thantis deserves a lot more credit, even if he's not a specific land-matter (or a spider-matter) commander. In fact, I think it's Thantis's strength that he's not a focused commander, which opens up many routes to take.
Thantis's strength in general:
1) Forcing opponents to use creature abilities (w/ tap) on their turn, or send them into battle.
2) Jund color offers good combat manipulation such as fog effect, regeneration, punishers, and rattlesnake like No Mercy.
3) Thantis grows +1/+1 counters on himself that could be utilized via cards such as Retribution of the Ancient.
Possible routes:
1) ilovesaprolings's take on Thantis is spider tribal. While Thantis himself isn't blatantly buffing spiders, he could still be an effective spider commander because spiders happen to have high toughness that'd survive well in combat; even better if they find a way to untap or gain vigilance (plenty in green).
2) Monkey222 mentioned that Thantis could take strength from both Hapatra, Vizier of Poison and The Scorpion God to apply a combined -1/-1 counter theme. It's a viable route because Thantis force everyone to battle, and death is a lot easier when opponents' creatures are drenched with -1/-1.
3) Thantis could still be a land commander, in an opposite sense. His ability to force battle means that if you manage to animate opponents' lands, they'd either have to attack with them or forced to tap out immediately. Turning lands into creatures also make them more vulnerable to -1/-1 counters and other destructions. Kamahl, Fist of Krosa is one example.
4) Tokens. Consistent production of tokens give Thantis an army to attack, and enough fresh blood to block opponents' offense, all the more deadly when they're granted death touch by cards like Archetype of Finality.
Below are lists of cards from Monkey222 and ilovesaprolings's thread, with some ideas of my own.
Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I don't see any reason to make "spider tribal" or -1/-1 counter synergy. Thantis has very little overlap with those.
animating lands is amusing, although since they're just going to tap out, I don't know that it's actually great except against heavy control decks. War's toll would do roughly the same thing. Too bad mana burn isn't a thing.
I don't see any reason to make "spider tribal" or -1/-1 counter synergy. Thantis has very little overlap with those.
I just found out that a couple of spiders are good with Thantis. Then i also found out that predator, flagship is very good with Thantis and, well, other spiders too.
I was skeptic about the -1/-1 counter theme too but i have to admit that during the first tests it looked very good.
I mean, you can make most strategies that aren't total garbage playable, even if the commander doesn't have synergy with them particularly. Which is fine if that's what you want to do. I'm not sure why, if you wanted to make a -1/-1 counter synergy deck you wouldn't just play hapatra, but I'm sure it's ok for Thantis.
My instinct with new commanders is usually to try to figure out what deck will make them look the best, though. And while Thantis seems fine for a goodstuff commander (or a non-related synergy commander, for that matter) I think there are some reasonable avenues for trying to exploit its abilities more specifically.
Another sort of thing that would be great with thantis - anything that makes deathtouch tokens post-combat, like ogre slumord and pharika, god of affliction. Pharika in particular is hilarious since you can give DT tokens to enemies to take profitable trades (although then attacks might come your way anyway, partially negating the point, so maybe use sparingly).
I'm confused how -1/-1 counters synergize with Thantis in any way other than the most nominal.
I could see Everlasting Torment just because Thantis makes a lot of combat happen. Besides that, BSZ is just a decent board wipe that often doesn't kill your own commander (who can even eventually recover with +1/+1 counters). Glistening Oil, Grafted Exoskeleton, Phyresis, and Tainted Strike all work on Thantis just because big creatures with infect do in fact make other people lose.
But all of the other -1/-1 synergy is useless and forced, and you're better off playing other cards that focus on combat more. Just play Hapatra or Scorpion God. I agree that there's not a great Jund commander for a -1/-1 counters deck that includes both of them, but Thantis is not going to fill that void and make the dream come true.
What you could do is throw in a whole bunch of combat tricks. Thantis makes Giant Growth more relevant than just a Lava Spike by forcing others to participate in combat. Things like Arcbond, Benefactor's Draught, Touch of Moonglove, and Virulent Swipe can set up mutually disagreeable blocks between your opponents when people invariably swing at anyone else rather than you because they've read Thantis and they're not stupid. Dictate of the Twin Gods and Repercussion are also worth considering.
For bait, you have to realize that people are going to want to swing anywhere else than into the deck built to take advantage of combat. Monarch is a very good bait, since it benefits you until someone attacks rather than trying to reward them for attacking, which they will always weigh against how much it also benefits you. Bloodchief Ascension is also very good in this regard, since you're the only one they can safely attack without giving it more counters.
Also you should probably throw in Slumbering Dragon, just on principle.
With Thantis you can have both the Scorpion God and Hapatra together
While not a direct sinergy, you can use -1/-1 counters to receive less damage from the opponents' contant attacks.
It's not a direct synergy but, as you said, Thantis doesn't have many build around options and it's kinda goodstuffy
Synergizes with vigilance, defender, flash, instant-speed token production, deathtouch, untapping, reach, things that trigger when you're attacked, things that trigger when anyone attacks, things that trigger when things die, fogs, voltron, things that trigger when players are dealt damage... That seems like quite a few options to be going on.
Obviously it's not like your mono-vigilance deck is going to be crushing cEDH anytime soon, but take some of the best from each of those categories and I think you'd have a reasonably synergistic deck that isn't pulling a random synergy out of a hat.
Just to clarify, I list cards not because all of them will be used, but to provide a visual on “options”.
I personally think Thantis works well with -1/-1 counters because: 1) Smaller opponent creatures make them die easier, and make their attack less effective against you. 2) Multiple -1/-1 cards synergizes with token creation and the aforementioned combat benefits, including and not limited by their death.
Other Jund commander could obviously use the same tricks to good effect, but Thantis is the only one that forces combat to happen.
I personally think Thantis works well with -1/-1 counters because: 1) Smaller opponent creatures make them die easier, and make their attack less effective against you. 2) Multiple -1/-1 cards synergizes with token creation and the aforementioned combat benefits, including and not limited by their death.
1) and less effective against the other players too, which Thantis was pushing them to attack instead of you already. I'd rather combat was more damaging rather than less if I'm playing thantis, since I'm already going to be pillowforting more than my opponents most of the time. 2) I count 3, and only one of them is any real good (hapatra, a 2 toughness creature with no protection). Good? yes. Worth including in the deck? maybe. Worth focusing the whole strategy around her? Nah. If you want hapatra build hapatra.
Having some convoluted "combo" cards like necroskitter+blowfly infestation+crumbling ashes may be a good way to not become the archenemy too easily. People will underestimate the cards when they are alone and when the "combo" will be assembled, it will be too late.
At least that's how my Gahiji deck works. It's nt as combat focused as Thantis, but it has its ways to strongly promote attacks between players.
Anyone who has ever seen a good Hapatra (or B or B/X infect) deck will know to kill on sight anyone running any of those cards.
Having some convoluted "combo" cards like necroskitter+blowfly infestation+crumbling ashes may be a good way to not become the archenemy too easily. People will underestimate the cards when they are alone and when the "combo" will be assembled, it will be too late.
At least that's how my Gahiji deck works. It's nt as combat focused as Thantis, but it has its ways to strongly promote attacks between players.
Anyone who has ever seen a good Hapatra (or B or B/X infect) deck will know to kill on sight anyone running any of those cards.
There are many kill-on-sight combos in EDH, this one requires three cards to take control of creatures only, and could be easily disrupted. Again, I doubt anyone (myself included) mentioning -1/-1 theme is trying to make this Thantis deck into a Jund-Hapatra, more because it's a interesting subtheme next to a warmongering main theme. Hell, I even thought about including a land-animation-death subtheme after this Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeperdeck, just for giggle and uniqueness.
honestly, i have yet to test the deck in a real situation, but i doubt every game opponents will go with "i don't the spider to grow, i'll never attack him!"...
You're correct. In fact it's much simpler than that. Instead they'll go with "I don't want my creature to die so I'm not going to swing into that large blocker." That's pretty much the first thing you learn about combat in Magic.
If another opponent doesn't have a suitable blocker, they're going to swing that way instead. If the opponent does have a blocker, they'll still swing that way because, all other things being equal from their perspective, they don't want to give your spider the +1/+1. Even then, odds are decent they can convince that opponent to take the hit if the creature being swung is pretty small, as unlike the Thantis player, the other opponent might be sympathetic about also being forced to attack.
The only creatures that are going to be attacking into Thantis are creatures bigger than Thantis, evasive/deathtouch creatures, lethal swarms of tokens that go wide past Thantis, or creatures that literally have no other choice. Those are the situations you should prepare for.
Fixed. Added Avatar of Slaughter and Fumiko the Lowblood. Avatar is a tricky card because it'd be bad to have it out without proper defense, but the brutality is clear.
you are kinda oversemplifying imnho. Emotion, politics and alliances have a big role at some tables, it's not always "the most optimal move is to do X, so i'll do X". Sometimes you do Y just to piss off someone.
I'm not. It's not even about the most optimal move, it's about not being stupid and running a Jace's Archivist into a 6/6 blocker by reason of "hah, that'll show you!"
If someone isn't awful at magic, they'll understand why attacking with two 2/2's into a 3/3 blocker with both players at 20 life is a terrible move, unless they have a combat trick in hand or gain some added benefit out of the 2/2 dying (for example, you can be sure a lot of Solemn Simulacrums are going to wander into Thantis). That's all that's required. Not intense analysis and mindful optimization of every move. Just a basic understanding of how combat works.
It looks complicated when spelled out in words, but it's very intuitive in practice.
If you think I'm going to steer my 5/5 flying demon token into your Thantis just to watch it die, rather than into the other guy with no flying blockers, you're just fooling yourself.
So the other player with no flying blocker maybe can retaliate massively and will kill you for that 5 damage?
Instead you could have sacrificed your demon to thantis to team with the other player and kill me together.
It may not be the optimal move but i have seen that multiple times with my Gahiji deck.
As i said you are oversemplifying.
another player might swing into the demon player for lack of a better target, but I have rarely seen someone retaliate for a nearly-forced attack like that. Maybe if thantis is way ahead and the other player is almost dead, but otherwise it seems unlikely to me.
What do people think about Bestow and additional Totem Armor cards in a deck like Thantis? Both type serve to keep creatures on your side of the field and provide Thantis (or others) with better offense. Boon Satyr makes a surprise blocker or a surprisingly big blocker.
Consider Thantis is not a cEDH general, would people add cards like Pyroblast and Red Elemental Blast in such deck?
Would Akroma's Memorial possibly be useful? I always wonder when a deck runs black or red, and this runs both, but it would make your creatures immune to Earthquake and Pestilence effects, and give you vigilance (and flying, first strike, haste, and trample).
Beyond that, obviously Whispersilk Cloak, Rogue's Passage, and Prowler's Helm let you attack and not be blocked. (Obvious Arcades Sabboth and changelings exceptions for the last are obvious.)
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
This is a thread intended to fuse Monkey222 and ilovesaprolings's posts to form a more complete list of cards for Thantis.
Originally received many negative reviews, I think Thantis deserves a lot more credit, even if he's not a specific land-matter (or a spider-matter) commander. In fact, I think it's Thantis's strength that he's not a focused commander, which opens up many routes to take.
Thantis's strength in general:
1) Forcing opponents to use creature abilities (w/ tap) on their turn, or send them into battle.
2) Jund color offers good combat manipulation such as fog effect, regeneration, punishers, and rattlesnake like No Mercy.
3) Thantis grows +1/+1 counters on himself that could be utilized via cards such as Retribution of the Ancient.
Possible routes:
1) ilovesaprolings's take on Thantis is spider tribal. While Thantis himself isn't blatantly buffing spiders, he could still be an effective spider commander because spiders happen to have high toughness that'd survive well in combat; even better if they find a way to untap or gain vigilance (plenty in green).
2) Monkey222 mentioned that Thantis could take strength from both Hapatra, Vizier of Poison and The Scorpion God to apply a combined -1/-1 counter theme. It's a viable route because Thantis force everyone to battle, and death is a lot easier when opponents' creatures are drenched with -1/-1.
3) Thantis could still be a land commander, in an opposite sense. His ability to force battle means that if you manage to animate opponents' lands, they'd either have to attack with them or forced to tap out immediately. Turning lands into creatures also make them more vulnerable to -1/-1 counters and other destructions. Kamahl, Fist of Krosa is one example.
4) Tokens. Consistent production of tokens give Thantis an army to attack, and enough fresh blood to block opponents' offense, all the more deadly when they're granted death touch by cards like Archetype of Finality.
Below are lists of cards from Monkey222 and ilovesaprolings's thread, with some ideas of my own.
International politics:
1 Bitter Feud
1 Curse of Bloodletting
1 Curse of Bounty
1 Curse of Chaos
1 Curse of Disturbance
1 Curse of Opulence
1 Curse of Predation
1 Curse of Shallow Graves
1 Curse of Stalked Prey
1 Curse of the Nightly Hunt
1 Trove of Temptation
1 Vow of Lightning
1 Vow of Malice
1 Vow of Wildness
1 Akroan Horse
1 Beast Within
1 Death by Dragons
1 Forbidden Orchard
1 Hunted Dragon
1 Hunted Horror
1 Hunted Troll
1 Genesis Chamber
1 Goblin Spymaster
1 Rite of the Raging Storm
1 Seed The Land
1 Sylvan Offering
1 Terastodon
1 Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor
1 Varchild's War-Riders
1 Waiting in the Weeds
1 Besmirch
1 Disrupt Decorum
1 Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
Come for the Crown
1 Crown-Hunter Hireling
1 Custodi Lich
1 Entourage of Trest
1 Garrulous Sycophant
1 Marchesa's Decree
1 Regal Behemoth
1 Skyline Despot
1 Thorn of the Black Rose
War
1 Avatar of Slaughter
1 Fumiko the Lowblood
Preparation for war:
1 Bedlam
1 Dolmen Gate
1 Gorm the Great
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Virtus the Veiled
1 War Cadence
Defense
1 Constant Mists
1 Crawlspace
1 Druid's Call
1 Echo Circlet
1 Elephant Grass
1 Fog
1 Glacial Crevasses
1 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
1 Koskun Falls
1 Moment's Peace
1 Sandwurm Convergence
1 Spike Weaver
1 Sunstone
1 Swarmyard
1 Vanguard's Shield
1 Yavimaya Hollow
Vigilance
1 Akroma's Memorial
1 Batterskull
1 Forebear's Blade
1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1 Sight of the Scalelords
1 Sigiled Sword of Valeron
1 Vorapede
Tokens
1 Arachnogenesis
1 Bitterblossom
1 Dragonlair Spider
1 Ishkanah, Grafwidow
1 Ogre slumlord (DT)
1 Ophiomancer (DT)
1 Overseer of the Damned
1 Pharika, God of Affliction (DT)
1 Spider Spawning
-1/-1
1 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Blight Sickle
1 Blightwidow
1 Blowfly Infestation
1 Contagion Clasp
1 Contagion Engine
1 Corrosive Mentor
1 Crumbling Ashes
1 Curse of Death's Hold
1 Decimator Beetle
1 Everlasting Torment
1 Flourishing Defenses
1 Glistening Oil
1 Grafted Exoskeleton
1 Grim Affliction
1 Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons
1 Incremental Blight
1 Juvenile Gloomwidow
1 Midnight Banshee
1 Necroskitter
1 Nest of Scarabs
1 Obelisk Spider
1 Phyresis
1 Quillspike
1 Tainted Strike
1 The Scorpion God
1 Triumph of the Hordes
1 Blade of the Bloodchief
1 Death's Presence
1 Forgotten Ancient
1 Hardened Scales
1 Kresh the Bloodbraided
1 Necropolis Regent
1 Ob Nixilis, Unshackled
1 Retribution of the Ancients
1 Reyhan, Last of the Abzan
1 Slumbering Dragon
1 Vigor
Damage
1 Charging Cinderhorn
1 Crimson Honor Guard
1 Goblin Bombardment
1 Impact Tremor
1 Pestilence
1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
1 Pyrohemia
1 Repercussion
1 Warstorm Surge
1 Vicious Shadows
Protection/Buff
1 Eldrazi Monument
1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
Deathtouch
1 Archetype of Finality
1 Bow of Nylea
1 Hornet Queen
Assassination
1 Attrition
1 Kiku, Night's Flower
1 Royal Assassin
Rattlesnakes
1 Assembled Alphas
1 Caltrops
1 Circle of Flame
1 Dread
1 Engulfing Slagwurm
1 Hornet Nest
1 No Mercy
1 Silverclad Ferocidons
1 Vindictive Lich
1 Wall of souls
Airstrike
1 Chaosphere
1 Flying carpet
1 Predator, Flagship
1 Stingerfling Spider
1 Whiptongue Hydra
1 Whirlwind
1 Expedition Map
1 Lifespark Spellbomb
1 Kamahl, Fist of Krosa
1 Pir's Whim
1 Quirion Druid
1 Spike Tiller
1 Sylvan Scrying
1 Tempt with Discovery
1 Ulvenwald Hydra
Untap
1 Bear Umbra
1 Nature's Will
1 Quest for Renewal
1 Seedborn Muse
And spoils of war:
1 Death Pits of Rath
1 Deathreap Ritual
1 Dictate of Erebos
1 Grave Betrayal
1 Grave Pact
1 Malicious Affliction
1 Reaper from the Abyss
1 Skirsdag High Priest
1 Deathrender
1 Demon of Dark Schemes
1 Gleancrawler
1 Reincarnation
1 Thrilling Encore
Life Drain
1 Blood Artist
1 Bloodchief Ascension
1 Falkenrath Noble
1 Massacre Wurm
1 Poison-Tip Archer
1 Zulaport Cutthroat
1 Cryptolith Rite
1 Doubling Season
1 Jund Charm
1 Shaman of Forgotten Ways
1 War's toll
Spider Tribal, with some repeats:
1 Arachnus Web
1 Blightwidow
1 Deadly Recluse
1 Dragonlair Spider
1 Giant Trap Door Spider
1 Ishkanah, Grafwidow
1 Juvenile Gloomwidow
1 Kindred Dominance
1 Kindred Summons
1 Mwonvuli Beast Tracker
1 Obelisk Spider
1 Silklash Spider
1 Spider Spawning
1 Swarmyard
1 Stingerfling Spider
1 Urza's Incubator
Let's brew!
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
On phasing:
animating lands is amusing, although since they're just going to tap out, I don't know that it's actually great except against heavy control decks. War's toll would do roughly the same thing. Too bad mana burn isn't a thing.
Tokens seems fine, although you get similar effect for less effort with vigilant creatures. vorapede, ruric thar, the unbowed (VERY good here), gorm the great (virtus the veiled seems like he'd be able to get in too, nice pair for this deck), batterskull, sigiled sword of valeron,and forebear's blade all seem pretty strong here.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
My instinct with new commanders is usually to try to figure out what deck will make them look the best, though. And while Thantis seems fine for a goodstuff commander (or a non-related synergy commander, for that matter) I think there are some reasonable avenues for trying to exploit its abilities more specifically.
Another sort of thing that would be great with thantis - anything that makes deathtouch tokens post-combat, like ogre slumord and pharika, god of affliction. Pharika in particular is hilarious since you can give DT tokens to enemies to take profitable trades (although then attacks might come your way anyway, partially negating the point, so maybe use sparingly).
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
I could see Everlasting Torment just because Thantis makes a lot of combat happen. Besides that, BSZ is just a decent board wipe that often doesn't kill your own commander (who can even eventually recover with +1/+1 counters). Glistening Oil, Grafted Exoskeleton, Phyresis, and Tainted Strike all work on Thantis just because big creatures with infect do in fact make other people lose.
But all of the other -1/-1 synergy is useless and forced, and you're better off playing other cards that focus on combat more. Just play Hapatra or Scorpion God. I agree that there's not a great Jund commander for a -1/-1 counters deck that includes both of them, but Thantis is not going to fill that void and make the dream come true.
What you could do is throw in a whole bunch of combat tricks. Thantis makes Giant Growth more relevant than just a Lava Spike by forcing others to participate in combat. Things like Arcbond, Benefactor's Draught, Touch of Moonglove, and Virulent Swipe can set up mutually disagreeable blocks between your opponents when people invariably swing at anyone else rather than you because they've read Thantis and they're not stupid. Dictate of the Twin Gods and Repercussion are also worth considering.
For bait, you have to realize that people are going to want to swing anywhere else than into the deck built to take advantage of combat. Monarch is a very good bait, since it benefits you until someone attacks rather than trying to reward them for attacking, which they will always weigh against how much it also benefits you. Bloodchief Ascension is also very good in this regard, since you're the only one they can safely attack without giving it more counters.
Also you should probably throw in Slumbering Dragon, just on principle.
- Rabid Wombat
Obviously it's not like your mono-vigilance deck is going to be crushing cEDH anytime soon, but take some of the best from each of those categories and I think you'd have a reasonably synergistic deck that isn't pulling a random synergy out of a hat.
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
I personally think Thantis works well with -1/-1 counters because: 1) Smaller opponent creatures make them die easier, and make their attack less effective against you. 2) Multiple -1/-1 cards synergizes with token creation and the aforementioned combat benefits, including and not limited by their death.
Other Jund commander could obviously use the same tricks to good effect, but Thantis is the only one that forces combat to happen.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
Anyone who has ever seen a good Hapatra (or B or B/X infect) deck will know to kill on sight anyone running any of those cards.
There are many kill-on-sight combos in EDH, this one requires three cards to take control of creatures only, and could be easily disrupted. Again, I doubt anyone (myself included) mentioning -1/-1 theme is trying to make this Thantis deck into a Jund-Hapatra, more because it's a interesting subtheme next to a warmongering main theme. Hell, I even thought about including a land-animation-death subtheme after this Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper deck, just for giggle and uniqueness.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
If another opponent doesn't have a suitable blocker, they're going to swing that way instead. If the opponent does have a blocker, they'll still swing that way because, all other things being equal from their perspective, they don't want to give your spider the +1/+1. Even then, odds are decent they can convince that opponent to take the hit if the creature being swung is pretty small, as unlike the Thantis player, the other opponent might be sympathetic about also being forced to attack.
The only creatures that are going to be attacking into Thantis are creatures bigger than Thantis, evasive/deathtouch creatures, lethal swarms of tokens that go wide past Thantis, or creatures that literally have no other choice. Those are the situations you should prepare for.
- Rabid Wombat
(U/B)(U/B)(U/B) JUMP IN THE LINE, ROCK YOUR BODY IN TIME
(R/W)(R/W)(R/W) RISING FROM THE NEON GLOOM, SHINING LIKE A CRAZY MOON
(U/R)(R/G)(G/U) STEALIN' WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUYIN'
Fixed. Added Avatar of Slaughter and Fumiko the Lowblood. Avatar is a tricky card because it'd be bad to have it out without proper defense, but the brutality is clear.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
If someone isn't awful at magic, they'll understand why attacking with two 2/2's into a 3/3 blocker with both players at 20 life is a terrible move, unless they have a combat trick in hand or gain some added benefit out of the 2/2 dying (for example, you can be sure a lot of Solemn Simulacrums are going to wander into Thantis). That's all that's required. Not intense analysis and mindful optimization of every move. Just a basic understanding of how combat works.
It looks complicated when spelled out in words, but it's very intuitive in practice.
If you think I'm going to steer my 5/5 flying demon token into your Thantis just to watch it die, rather than into the other guy with no flying blockers, you're just fooling yourself.
- Rabid Wombat
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
Consider Thantis is not a cEDH general, would people add cards like Pyroblast and Red Elemental Blast in such deck?
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Beyond that, obviously Whispersilk Cloak, Rogue's Passage, and Prowler's Helm let you attack and not be blocked. (Obvious Arcades Sabboth and changelings exceptions for the last are obvious.)
On phasing: