That's a good way to look at it, but the way I see it they're really degrees of separation. The self-mill and opponent-creature-death-trigger are directly related to the commander, but the self-recurring creatures are only related to the self-mill. The pacts could also be seen as bridging the sacrifice fodder creatures back to the commander for synergy with the death triggers rather than an additional degree of separation.
it's not a perfect example, but I think it still holds up decently when you consider that bloodghast and co were my only non-commander creatures.
In general I think I've learned my lesson, though, so I don't have other better examples to pull from (or at least, not off the top of my head).
I think the first "deck drift" i experienced was with Brago, King Eternal.
I was about a few short years back into MTG and had just begun playing EDH. Conspiracy was just released and i instantly thought that Brago, King Eternal looked neat. So i got myself a copy and crammed in every single Clone variation, Primordial and the likes i could find. The avg. CMC must've been aweful and the deck - which included like 2 mana rocks... - didn't do a thing without my opponents boards and graveyards.
Over the course of a few months i realized i didn't enjoy the deck as much as i possibly could and that i'd need some change. I went for more value engines that worked by themselves, added more rocks, ... said drift was propably the first step on my way to becoming a better deck builder and player overall since returning to the game.
I think my most recent drift was Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist. I never had a (G/W) deck, because i didn't really like the commander options and would consider it one of the lesser exciting color combinations. Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist got spoiled and i felt like she'd be something i could work with. Due to the fact she more or less acts as a one-sided Silent Arbiter, i was opting for some combat tricks and aimed for a lower deck strength to extend my range of decks. My initial draft included stuff like Blinding Angel, Brontotherium, Galepowder Mage, Swooping Talon and so many other "stupid" big things. The deck did work (kinda), but i didn't click with it too much. I realized i played too many beat sticks and too few support cards, which resulted in a deck that didn't do much until i had the mana to cast big things, which i swung at peoples faces - if they were still there after the turn i dropped them.
Down the road the deck still has absurd things like Crash of Rhino Beetles, Copperhoof Vorrac or Giant Adephage, but the deck runs so much smoother if you add Mother of Runes, Behemoth Sledge, ... and various forms of CA to it.
As others have said, it can be hard to avoid pure good stuff lists if you drift too far into an optimized direction. Lucky that was never what i was drawn to.
Also consider antagonisms. I never use a card antagonistic to a Commander, though I am willing to let some antagonisms pass in the 99.
So, what's antagonistic? Well, if you're in tokens, that would be Wraths based on damage or -N/-N, and of course Ratchet Bomb and Aether Snap. But if you're playing Ghave or Marath, it also includes Akroma's Memorial (which I really only play if there's a really good synergy, like in Oros, the Avenger or any deck running Pestilence).
Ghave has had "little antagonisms" I'm willing to let slide. Like lieges or original guild champions and Mycosynth Lattice: When the latter comes down, I basically just won because I have either Aura Shards or Martyr's Bond out. Or any +N/+N effects and Sigil Captain, though these days I'm likely to pick any other option. (I'm fond of Ivy Lane Denizen and of course Cathars' Crusade.) Speaking of Cathars' Crusade, it's antagonistic with undying creatures, but highly synergistic with persist creatures.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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!
In general I think I've learned my lesson, though, so I don't have other better examples to pull from (or at least, not off the top of my head).
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 was about a few short years back into MTG and had just begun playing EDH. Conspiracy was just released and i instantly thought that Brago, King Eternal looked neat. So i got myself a copy and crammed in every single Clone variation, Primordial and the likes i could find. The avg. CMC must've been aweful and the deck - which included like 2 mana rocks... - didn't do a thing without my opponents boards and graveyards.
Over the course of a few months i realized i didn't enjoy the deck as much as i possibly could and that i'd need some change. I went for more value engines that worked by themselves, added more rocks, ... said drift was propably the first step on my way to becoming a better deck builder and player overall since returning to the game.
I think my most recent drift was Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist. I never had a (G/W) deck, because i didn't really like the commander options and would consider it one of the lesser exciting color combinations. Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist got spoiled and i felt like she'd be something i could work with. Due to the fact she more or less acts as a one-sided Silent Arbiter, i was opting for some combat tricks and aimed for a lower deck strength to extend my range of decks. My initial draft included stuff like Blinding Angel, Brontotherium, Galepowder Mage, Swooping Talon and so many other "stupid" big things. The deck did work (kinda), but i didn't click with it too much. I realized i played too many beat sticks and too few support cards, which resulted in a deck that didn't do much until i had the mana to cast big things, which i swung at peoples faces - if they were still there after the turn i dropped them.
Down the road the deck still has absurd things like Crash of Rhino Beetles, Copperhoof Vorrac or Giant Adephage, but the deck runs so much smoother if you add Mother of Runes, Behemoth Sledge, ... and various forms of CA to it.
As others have said, it can be hard to avoid pure good stuff lists if you drift too far into an optimized direction. Lucky that was never what i was drawn to.
So, what's antagonistic? Well, if you're in tokens, that would be Wraths based on damage or -N/-N, and of course Ratchet Bomb and Aether Snap. But if you're playing Ghave or Marath, it also includes Akroma's Memorial (which I really only play if there's a really good synergy, like in Oros, the Avenger or any deck running Pestilence).
Ghave has had "little antagonisms" I'm willing to let slide. Like lieges or original guild champions and Mycosynth Lattice: When the latter comes down, I basically just won because I have either Aura Shards or Martyr's Bond out. Or any +N/+N effects and Sigil Captain, though these days I'm likely to pick any other option. (I'm fond of Ivy Lane Denizen and of course Cathars' Crusade.) Speaking of Cathars' Crusade, it's antagonistic with undying creatures, but highly synergistic with persist creatures.
On phasing: