I have been fascinated with the idea of having Gonti, Lord of Luxury helm a deck which just aims to disrupt what everyone else is doing and then do a Nim Deathmantle + Ashnod's Altar win. I want the deck to capitalize on Gonti as a sac target, so the deck has to have some sac outlets and a lot of reanimator spells, as well as cards that give value when sacrificing Gonti. In order to pull this off, the deck has to have a lot of mana rocks with some rocks able to produce any color of mana (for activated abilities). I'd like to keep the deck cost to under $200, so expensive rocks like Mana Crypt as well as expensive lands like Cabal Coffers are immediately out of the picture.
I did try to have some sort of "reanimate fatties" kind of strategy but ultimately didn't like it. I want the deck to be as disruptive as possible and to mess with hoe people play with their deck. Once I have the core cards for the strategy identified, I
Here is the list of core cards I'm considering. Do note that this is more of an exhaustive list and can be cut down to what is really wanted for the deck.
Sac Outlets
Thoughtpicker Witch - exile the best of 2 cards off the top of the library and has no timing restriction
I think you want Genesis Chamber to help your Ashnod's Altar / Nim Deathmantle combo, but keep in mind that your opponents will get double the tokens when Panharmonicon is in play.
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and Cauldron of Souls work well together. Just saw the price on Mikaeus... sorry for the suggestion... it is being reprinted in UMA though!)
Zulaport Cutthroat is okay.... I would play it or I would play Gray Merchant of Asphodel... otherwise after exiling all of your opponents' best cards, the game can drag on. You need a way to close it.
For Sac Outlets, I kinda like Anowon, the Ruin Sage for this. Sac Gonti on your upkeep, edict your opponents..
I think you have a nice shell, and should probably fill the rest of the deck with card draw, ramp and removal. Don't forget Crypt Ghast!
I think you want Genesis Chamber to help your Ashnod's Altar / Nim Deathmantle combo, but keep in mind that your opponents will get double the tokens when Panharmonicon is in play.
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and Cauldron of Souls work well together. Just saw the price on Mikaeus... sorry for the suggestion... it is being reprinted in UMA though!)
Zulaport Cutthroat is okay.... I would play it or I would play Gray Merchant of Asphodel... otherwise after exiling all of your opponents' best cards, the game can drag on. You need a way to close it.
For Sac Outlets, I kinda like Anowon, the Ruin Sage for this. Sac Gonti on your upkeep, edict your opponents..
I think you have a nice shell, and should probably fill the rest of the deck with card draw, ramp and removal. Don't forget Crypt Ghast!
What is your card draw and tutoring, other than Skullclamp and Razaketh? You can play Grim Haruspex. I like Ob Nixilis Reignited. Phyrexian Arena may be out of budget but I think it goes in every control deck that plays black.
I have been fascinated with the idea of having Gonti, Lord of Luxury helm a deck which just aims to disrupt what everyone else is doing and then do a Nim Deathmantle + Ashnod's Altar win. I want the deck to capitalize on Gonti as a sac target, so the deck has to have some sac outlets and a lot of reanimator spells, as well as cards that give value when sacrificing Gonti. In order to pull this off, the deck has to have a lot of mana rocks with some rocks able to produce any color of mana (for activated abilities). I'd like to keep the deck cost to under $200, so expensive rocks like Mana Crypt as well as expensive lands like Cabal Coffers are immediately out of the picture.
I did try to have some sort of "reanimate fatties" kind of strategy but ultimately didn't like it. I want the deck to be as disruptive as possible and to mess with hoe people play with their deck. Once I have the core cards for the strategy identified, I
Here is the list of core cards I'm considering. Do note that this is more of an exhaustive list and can be cut down to what is really wanted for the deck.
Sac Outlets
Kindly share your suggestions. Thanks!
RBW Mardu Reveler
Commander:
UW Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper - One-Punch Griffin || UR Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain - Historic Tribal Superfriends
GR Omnath, Locus of Rage - Turbo Lands Spellslinger || WURBG Scion of the Ur-Dragon - Living Death Reanimator
BGonti, Lord of Luxury - Gonti's Midnight Party
Under Construction:
WGU Rubinia Soulsinger - Enchantress || RBGU Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder - Cascading Artifacts
RU Jhoira of the Ghitu - Dragonstorm Eldrazi || RU Mizzix of the Izmagnus - Spellslinger
WURBG The Ur-Dragon - Cloning for the Win || WGU Roon of the Hidden Realm - Creature Toolbox
RBGU Vial Smasher the Fierce Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix - Lots'a Combos || BW Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim - Reanimator Combo
WBGU Atraxa, Praetors' Voice - Modified Precon
BUR Nekusar, the Mindrazer || U Arcanis the Omnipotent - Artifact "Storm"
https://www.mtgsalvation.com/decks/3281-by-hook-or-by-crook
Nice read. Thanks!
RBW Mardu Reveler
Commander:
UW Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper - One-Punch Griffin || UR Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain - Historic Tribal Superfriends
GR Omnath, Locus of Rage - Turbo Lands Spellslinger || WURBG Scion of the Ur-Dragon - Living Death Reanimator
BGonti, Lord of Luxury - Gonti's Midnight Party
Under Construction:
WGU Rubinia Soulsinger - Enchantress || RBGU Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder - Cascading Artifacts
RU Jhoira of the Ghitu - Dragonstorm Eldrazi || RU Mizzix of the Izmagnus - Spellslinger
WURBG The Ur-Dragon - Cloning for the Win || WGU Roon of the Hidden Realm - Creature Toolbox
RBGU Vial Smasher the Fierce Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix - Lots'a Combos || BW Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim - Reanimator Combo
WBGU Atraxa, Praetors' Voice - Modified Precon
BUR Nekusar, the Mindrazer || U Arcanis the Omnipotent - Artifact "Storm"
Bitter Ordeal fits into the deck pretty well. Also Sadistic Sacrament, Praetor's Grasp, Nightmare Incursion..
You may also want Black Market to get extra mana.
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and Cauldron of Souls work well together. Just saw the price on Mikaeus... sorry for the suggestion... it is being reprinted in UMA though!)
Zulaport Cutthroat is okay.... I would play it or I would play Gray Merchant of Asphodel... otherwise after exiling all of your opponents' best cards, the game can drag on. You need a way to close it.
For Sac Outlets, I kinda like Anowon, the Ruin Sage for this. Sac Gonti on your upkeep, edict your opponents..
I think you have a nice shell, and should probably fill the rest of the deck with card draw, ramp and removal. Don't forget Crypt Ghast!
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers
Thank you! I think Black Market may be too cute for ramp when the deck plays Sifter of Skulls/Pawn of Ulamog. I might be wrong though, so it's definitely on the maybe list. Anyway, for ramp, I'm thinking of Crypt Ghast, Cabal Stronghold, Crypt of Agadeem, and Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx(just so happens I already have this card).
Anowon, the Ruin Sage seems like a good option alongside Dawn of the Dead. I'm bringing Chainer, Dementia Master in to maybe help enable this nasty synergy.
I forgot to include it in the initial list but Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Kokusho, the Evening Star, Sepulchral Primordial, and Puppeteer Clique are in the short list. Though I don't know if reanimating opponent's creatures is what I want to be doing.
Anyway, here is the list of creatures that helps to produce tokens that can gum up the board, ramp, or be sac fodder:
What do you think?
RBW Mardu Reveler
Commander:
UW Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper - One-Punch Griffin || UR Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain - Historic Tribal Superfriends
GR Omnath, Locus of Rage - Turbo Lands Spellslinger || WURBG Scion of the Ur-Dragon - Living Death Reanimator
BGonti, Lord of Luxury - Gonti's Midnight Party
Under Construction:
WGU Rubinia Soulsinger - Enchantress || RBGU Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder - Cascading Artifacts
RU Jhoira of the Ghitu - Dragonstorm Eldrazi || RU Mizzix of the Izmagnus - Spellslinger
WURBG The Ur-Dragon - Cloning for the Win || WGU Roon of the Hidden Realm - Creature Toolbox
RBGU Vial Smasher the Fierce Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix - Lots'a Combos || BW Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim - Reanimator Combo
WBGU Atraxa, Praetors' Voice - Modified Precon
BUR Nekusar, the Mindrazer || U Arcanis the Omnipotent - Artifact "Storm"
As for ramp, pleases be sure to include things like Mind Stone, Thought Vessel, Hedron Archive.... and probably another 4-5 rocks.
What is your card draw and tutoring, other than Skullclamp and Razaketh? You can play Grim Haruspex. I like Ob Nixilis Reignited.
Phyrexian Arena may be out of budget but I think it goes in every control deck that plays black.
I like Sign in Blood and Read the Bones to make sure I can dig for lands early.
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers
Mana Rocks:
Card Draw/Tutors:
RBW Mardu Reveler
Commander:
UW Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper - One-Punch Griffin || UR Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain - Historic Tribal Superfriends
GR Omnath, Locus of Rage - Turbo Lands Spellslinger || WURBG Scion of the Ur-Dragon - Living Death Reanimator
BGonti, Lord of Luxury - Gonti's Midnight Party
Under Construction:
WGU Rubinia Soulsinger - Enchantress || RBGU Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder - Cascading Artifacts
RU Jhoira of the Ghitu - Dragonstorm Eldrazi || RU Mizzix of the Izmagnus - Spellslinger
WURBG The Ur-Dragon - Cloning for the Win || WGU Roon of the Hidden Realm - Creature Toolbox
RBGU Vial Smasher the Fierce Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix - Lots'a Combos || BW Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim - Reanimator Combo
WBGU Atraxa, Praetors' Voice - Modified Precon
BUR Nekusar, the Mindrazer || U Arcanis the Omnipotent - Artifact "Storm"