As a disclaimer I should say that I honestly don't want to steal the spotlight. I'm sure there are plenty of others that are as interested in Evergreen's decklist as I am. This is merely an attempt to construct a deck, fabricated through scraps of information scattered across EDH forums, based upon the success of his list. Who knows? Maybe this deck will further evolve on its own; but if Evergreen feels like he deserves to hijack this thread to present his hyped list and write is overdue primer, then by all means please do so!
The basis of this deck, for those unaware, revolves around its general. Resolve Iname, Death Aspect to dump a slew of spirits from your deck, then use a mass reanimation spell to bring them all back into play, allowing you to end the game shortly after. Thanks to the versatile black spirits available to the deck, you have tons of options post reanimation to secure your victory.
Of course the deck's nemesis is graveyard hate. A single Tormod's Crypt in play completely denies Iname from comboing. The list, however, has two primary options to counteract the hate. The first is discard, of which this deck runs a ton of. The second is the use of nullifying artifacts, such as Damping Matrix to prevent the activations from Relic of Progenitus, Tormod's Crypt, and the likes.
Contrary to popular belief, this deck is capable of dealing with hate. Thanks to the density of tutors and the inherent speed of acceleration, Iname is able to strike fairly quickly and brutally. Though hardly infallible, Evergreen's success with the general is absolute testament that Iname can be and IS a powerful approach to mono black.
I would like to thank Surging Chaos and Khymera for helping me fill in some of the gaps for this list. While it would be nice to know what Evergreen has been piloting so successfully, I also want to examine the list and try to optimize it.
I am currently over by 3 cards. This is because I added Pithing Needle and the Helm/Leyline combo. Although I do not feel like the Helm/Leyline combo is necessary, with this density of tutors it's almost a waste not to. I'm also not sure about a few cards in here, namely:
- Does the removal package look right? Is it good enough to fight against some of the faster generals?
- Dark Confidant. Is that too greedy?
- Is that too many tutors? Do you think Liliana Vess could go? Or possibly Diabolic Intent?
Thanks for everyone's help and I'm looking forward to your responses.
List looks pretty damn good. My list has been going through a few months of playtesting and guidance from a few on here as well (Khymera and Evergreen). It seems you're missing a few cards that have been great for me.
Landbase
Axe 3 swamps and Cabal Coffers (its too slow in this deck. Everytime I've drawn it I wished it was a swamp) and add ...
The rest are more of a metagame call. I don't really play Kagemaro or Myojin. I play Midnight Banshee (Metagame has a good deal of token decks) and Akuta, Born of Ash instead.
Xenic Poltergeist is one of the very FEW ways (one of 3 possibly) to get rid of artifacts. It is also a spirit.
Other than that, your list looks really streamlined. Imperial Seal for me is Brainspoil since I don't want to shell out the money for one. My list isn't online
Removal looks good.
Dark Confidant has proven that its inclusion is warranted.
Drop Diabolic Intent. Its been terrible for me at least. I'd rather be saccing creatures for Clamp or Horror.
My artifact acceleration is a bit different than yours. I've tried to make sure I don't lock myself out with Null Rod. I have Extraplanar Lens and Jet Medallion. Lens is on the chopping block as I wouldn't want to get 2-for-1'd. But so far I haven't had that issue.
Edit: I'd also like to state that I won't go into any of the inherent synergies that I have not discovered myself unless I get the OK to do so. I assumed that anything else discussed with myself Khymera and Evergreen was in confidence and will remain as such until I get the all clear.
Evergreen plays Kuro/Akuta/Bloodghast/Krovikian Horror/Horobi/He Who Hungers/Kokusho/Spirit of the Night as his only spirits. I won't reveal any of his other secrets : ) However, if you want to be gangsta like Evergreen you have to play suicide tutors, particularly Demonic Consultation.
Hey guys, glad to see an Iname thread in these forums. I have had a lot of work and personal complications that prevented me from putting together my primer on playing Iname competitively, but now that I have more free time I'll be putting my primer up early this coming week, I promise. I really have a lot to say regarding the deck, but I am going to save that for the primer. I just wanted to post here to say that the MCR's list is very solid and well thought out, and that I am really flattered by all the interest in my deck. I have put a lot of time and effort into making Iname competitive and this makes it all worth it.
Hey guys, glad to see an Iname thread in these forums. I have had a lot of work and personal complications that prevented me from putting together my primer on playing Iname competitively, but now that I have more free time I'll be putting my primer up early this coming week, I promise. I really have a lot to say regarding the deck, but I am going to save that for the primer. I just wanted to post here to say that the MCR's list is very solid and well thought out, and that I am really flattered by all the interest in my deck. I have put a lot of time and effort into making Iname competitive and this makes it all worth it.
I just found out that Evergreen was actually one of my old friends from way back. I told him to build an EDH deck like two years ago and then quit Magic, leaving him all alone. Then I come back full force and there he is, all awesome with his Iname deck. Good times, small world!
The basis of this deck, for those unaware, revolves around its general. Resolve Iname, Death Aspect to dump a slew of spirits from your deck, then use a mass reanimation spell to bring them all back into play, allowing you to end the game shortly after. Thanks to the versatile black spirits available to the deck, you have tons of options post reanimation to secure your victory.
Of course the deck's nemesis is graveyard hate. A single Tormod's Crypt in play completely denies Iname from comboing. The list, however, has two primary options to counteract the hate. The first is discard, of which this deck runs a ton of. The second is the use of nullifying artifacts, such as Damping Matrix to prevent the activations from Relic of Progenitus, Tormod's Crypt, and the likes.
Contrary to popular belief, this deck is capable of dealing with hate. Thanks to the density of tutors and the inherent speed of acceleration, Iname is able to strike fairly quickly and brutally. Though hardly infallible, Evergreen's success with the general is absolute testament that Iname can be and IS a powerful approach to mono black.
1 Nether Traitor
1 Bloodghast
1 Graveborn Muse
1 Krovikan Horror
1 Horobi, Death's Wail
1 He Who Hungers
1 Kagemaro, First to Suffer
1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
1 Myojin of Night's Reach
1 Spirit of the Night
1 Kuro, Pit Lord
Win Conditions
1 Living Death
1 Patriarch's Bidding
1 Twilight's Call
1 Balthor the Defiled
Alt Win Conditions
1 Phyrexian Processor
1 Leyline of the Void
1 Helm of Obedience
Tutors
1 Imperial Seal
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Diabolic Intent
1 Grim Tutor
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Dimir House Guard
1 Liliana Vess
1 Duress
1 Thoughtseize
1 Distress
1 Hymn to Tourach
1 Mind Shatter
1 Last Rites
1 Persecute
Removal
1 Hero's Demise
1 Devour in Shadow
1 Rend Flesh
1 Snuff Out
1 Brainspoil
1 Damnation
1 Oblivion Stone (All is Dust)
Card Draw / Dig
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Night's Whisper
1 Sign in Blood
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Plunge into Darkness
1 Skullclamp
Nullification
1 Null Rod
1 Damping Matrix
1 Defense Grid
1 Pithing Needle
Utility
1 Shred Memory
1 Victimize
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Sadistic Sacrament
1 Sorin Markov
1 Dark Ritual
1 Songs of the Damned
1 Soldevi Adnate
1 Cabal Ritual
1 Mana Vault
1 Grim Monolith
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Expedition Map
Lands
1 Lake of the Dead
1 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Crystal Vein
1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Bosejiu, Who Shelters All
1 Strip Mine
1 Wasteland
27 Swamps
I would like to thank Surging Chaos and Khymera for helping me fill in some of the gaps for this list. While it would be nice to know what Evergreen has been piloting so successfully, I also want to examine the list and try to optimize it.
I am currently over by 3 cards. This is because I added Pithing Needle and the Helm/Leyline combo. Although I do not feel like the Helm/Leyline combo is necessary, with this density of tutors it's almost a waste not to. I'm also not sure about a few cards in here, namely:
- Does the removal package look right? Is it good enough to fight against some of the faster generals?
- Dark Confidant. Is that too greedy?
- Is that too many tutors? Do you think Liliana Vess could go? Or possibly Diabolic Intent?
Thanks for everyone's help and I'm looking forward to your responses.
One-Eyed Black | Orzhov Combo | Ooze Reanimator | Mindwheeling Pain
Landbase
Axe 3 swamps and Cabal Coffers (its too slow in this deck. Everytime I've drawn it I wished it was a swamp) and add ...
Volrath's Stronghold
Peat Bog
Ebon Stronghold
City of Traitors
There is also no reason to not run the fetches.
Bloodstained Mire
Polluted Delta
Verdant Catacombs
Marsh Flats
Creatures
You're pretty spot on save one creature that I have found (after being told and come to the realization that this is correct) to be underwhelming.
- Graveborn Muse
+ Dark Confidant or Xenic Poltergeist
The rest are more of a metagame call. I don't really play Kagemaro or Myojin. I play Midnight Banshee (Metagame has a good deal of token decks) and Akuta, Born of Ash instead.
Xenic Poltergeist is one of the very FEW ways (one of 3 possibly) to get rid of artifacts. It is also a spirit.
Other than that, your list looks really streamlined. Imperial Seal for me is Brainspoil since I don't want to shell out the money for one. My list isn't online
Removal looks good.
Dark Confidant has proven that its inclusion is warranted.
Drop Diabolic Intent. Its been terrible for me at least. I'd rather be saccing creatures for Clamp or Horror.
My artifact acceleration is a bit different than yours. I've tried to make sure I don't lock myself out with Null Rod. I have Extraplanar Lens and Jet Medallion. Lens is on the chopping block as I wouldn't want to get 2-for-1'd. But so far I haven't had that issue.
Edit: I'd also like to state that I won't go into any of the inherent synergies that I have not discovered myself unless I get the OK to do so. I assumed that anything else discussed with myself Khymera and Evergreen was in confidence and will remain as such until I get the all clear.
I'd consider cutting the following for better/other cards:
I'd definitely include:
Evergreen plays Kuro/Akuta/Bloodghast/Krovikian Horror/Horobi/He Who Hungers/Kokusho/Spirit of the Night as his only spirits. I won't reveal any of his other secrets : ) However, if you want to be gangsta like Evergreen you have to play suicide tutors, particularly Demonic Consultation.
d.g
I just found out that Evergreen was actually one of my old friends from way back. I told him to build an EDH deck like two years ago and then quit Magic, leaving him all alone. Then I come back full force and there he is, all awesome with his Iname deck. Good times, small world!
One-Eyed Black | Orzhov Combo | Ooze Reanimator | Mindwheeling Pain
Altered:4, Foil:2 Foreign:1