MTG Salvation

This is the first Commander deck I ever made. Not highly competitive (e.g. no infinite combos, no Sol Ring and some cool but not inherently powerful cards), but it should be able to win. It is meant for both 1-vs-1 and multiplayer.




Trollshroud – The primary tactic is of course slapping Auras onto Uril himself, but there will be time when he in not available. Having other creatures with trollshroud ready seems to be the next best thing, since they are quite happy to be pumped by one of the many Aura cards, too. Unfortunately, there are only very few creatures with that ability in Magic and half of them aren't that good. The playable ones however will stay in this deck forever (and contribute to the thread title).

Obsolete Double protection – They serve as trollshroud-stand-ins. Of course they can be hit by my opponents, but what will hit them is greatly restricted. They are not uncuttable though. Obsolete

Auras as removal – These were chosen over instants and sorceries, because they can be fetched with the already present Aura tutors and I will draw some cards through them if I have an Enchantress out.

Enchantresses – Speaking of which, these are my main draw engine. I don't want to go overboard with them though and don't like Verduran Enchantress and Mesa Enchantress much.

Mass LD – These cards may raise some eyebrows, but those effects really help in duels against more competitive Commander decks. They also work sooo well with the overall game plan. I didn't include Armageddon itself, because it is much more single-minded then the mass LD cards that I am running. A little problem may be that half my acceleration comes from putting more lands into play.


I already have some plans for modification, but have to get the cards first. If I am missing something or if I have cards on the Inclusions list that just shouldn't go in, please tell me.




List of changes (OUT >> IN):

Coalition Relic - Great mana fixing and acceleration
Expedition Map - Fetches any land.

nice list .
(also, the links seem to be not working when you click on them in your list)

Quote from Blackjack68

Coalition Relic - Great mana fixing and acceleration

Thanks, I missed that one. It should go in once I get one.

Quote from Blackjack68

Expedition Map - Fetches any land.

I know that it fetches any land, but with green as my main color, I would run Sylvan Scrying over it. The only land that I really like to have on a regular basis is Contested Cliffs. Not sure if I should cram even more noncreature cards into the deck just to get that card. Also, all that shuffling is quite annoying with such a huge deck. If they weren't so important in a three color deck, I would cut some fetchlands (like Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse) because of this.

Quote from Macius

nice list .
(also, the links seem to be not working when you click on them in your list)

Thanks. The links do work for me. Now at least. Maybe there was a problem with the site when you checked?

I think you need at least one or two Strip Mine effects. I'd start off with Strip Mine, and also add in Vesuva. It doubles as an extra fixing land as well as blowing up legendary lands. Especially if you're using BOTH Crucible & Loam!

I'd play both Sylvan Scrying and Expedition Map (and perhaps even Crop Rotation too). Contested Cliffs is clutch, but you also need to be able to tutor for Skarrg, the Rage Pits, Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion, Strip Mine and/or Maze of Ith/Kor Haven depending on the situation. Also, sometimes you just need to go in there for a Jungle Shrine or Reflecting Pool. You MUST make your first 5-6 land drops, and both the Map and the Scrying help you do this.

Sol Ring and Darksteel Ingot are better than the Borderposts by a fair margin. I'd look into acquiring those artifacts if you don't already have them.

I'd play with a couple more artifact/enchantment removal spells. Aura Shards is a slam dunk. Additionally, I'd consider Krosan Grip, Decimate and/or Return to Dust.

Flickerform is important from keeping Uril from getting wrecked by Hallowed Burial, Arena of the Ancients and the like. I'd consider adding that in over Elephant Guide. The 3/3 token isn't that impressive in EDH if Uril dies, and it doesn't give Uril protection OR evasion while it's sitting on him.

Pick up an Enlightened Tutor! It's the nutz in this deck.

With the creature suite you run, Reveillark would be very good. I'd run it over Tephraderm for sure.

With the land recursion collection you're using, I'd consider adding in the cycle of cycling lands. At least the 3 that cycle for a single mana if nothing else (Rhystic Cave, etc). They're good with Crucible, and great with Loam... and solid enough on their own.

I know Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep isn't the most popular of those lands, but it's been good at breaking through deathtouch, wither and infect.

I'd also consider at least 1 "extra combat steps" effect. I use Aggravated Assault (because it's an infinite combo with Bear Umbra :p) but the flashback one (Seize the Day) will do too. That way if you run into Invulnerability or Prahv, Spires of Order, you can still crash through with Uril.

..........

Hope all that is helpful! I've won my share of games with Uril in EDH already, and I'm starting to learn his ins and outs. Let me know how the deck runs, and I'll be happy to give you the best info I can!

Good luck and have fun smashing face with Uril!

wtwlf has some great advice, I agree with everything he said with the exception of Shinka which I found to be unnecessary. One mass ld spell I like is Razia's Purification as Cataclysm jr. which costs more for a weaker effect but is less single minded than something like Global Ruin. Wildfire & Devastating Dreams also fall in this category but with your creature count so much higher than mine it will probably be a little less effective here. I like how they clear out blockers for your troll shrouded beatstick. Lastly a really effective enchantment that deals with creatures is Parallax Wave. This can also play double/triple duty by protecting Uril, abusing ETB abilities (Eternal Witness!), waving out your guys before Cataclysm, protect your team from wraths and the little Parallax trick of waving out there guys and smashing Wave in response. I like it a lot more than 1 shot effects like Prison Term. Runes of the Deus from your adds should probably make the list as well as it makes Uril so huge.

Thanks, wtwlf and Donald!

*smack* That's the sound the palm of my hand made when it connected with my forehead once I realized I hadn't thought about Parallax Wave. This card is truly a must have for my deck.

Aura Shards is rather interesting with the amount of creatures that I run.

I was surprised about the Darksteel Ingot suggestion (maybe because I know that this card is not so hot in cube). It makes sense with all the Akroma's Vengeance and Austere Command and stuff running around though. I will include it.

I'm not a huge fan of Flickerform. It does nothing unless I allways keep four (!) mana open.

I've seen Reveillark in your list, wtwlf, but decided against including it. On the other hand, I have quite a few creatures that would profit from it. I will give it a try.

I already run many, many etb tapped lands, so the cycling lands (Forgotten Cave and friends) aren't that alluring.

I had Seize the Day in my "maybe pile" when I built the deck, but included more creatures instead.

Runes of the Deus was in my "maybe pile", too. I didn't include it, because it only works on Uril himself and not on the other creatures, since I'm only splashing red. It works so good on Uril though, that it should go in anyway.

I thought about Wildfire, which would be great in this style of deck, but the double red is quite prohibitive.

Enlightened Tutor or Idyllic Tutor? Or none? There isn't a single enchantment that I absolutely need to have. This may change with the inclusion of the Wave though.

Decimate is interesting in a multiplayer format like this. Since most of the local players use sideboards for Commander duels, I could take this card out if I play one on one.

I haven't seen a reason to include Strip Mine and Wasteland, yet. Almost everybody seems to run them in this format, but I'm not that interested. To get rid of annoying nonbasics, I have the mass LD cards.*

Same for Expedition Map and Sylvan Scrying. Everybody runs them, they are the nuts in this format, etc. I don't care. I don't find them that necessary in this deck. Running less tutors wil make the games less repetitive and more interesting.*

* Please don't take these statements personally, wtwlf. They are aimed against those cards, not against you suggesting them.


Here is a list of the upcoming changes:

I would NOT cut Unquestioned Authority. It's very good in this deck.

Quote from Star Slayer »

Enlightened Tutor or Idyllic Tutor? Or none? There isn't a single enchantment that I absolutely need to have.

What? Of course there is! You need to be running both of these cards, because you need to be fetching enchantments. Getting in for 21 with Uril is your primary win condition. The other creatures are just basically going to be blockers in this deck (which is why most other Uril decks have a much lower creature count than you do). They tutor for creature removal, artifact and enchantment answers, and cards that make you win with Uril. You should maximize your enchantment tutors.

Quote from Star Slayer »

Aura Shards is rather interesting with the amount of creatures that I run.

It's really good no matter how many creatures you run. Just playing your General more than once justifies its inclusion.

..........

I wouldn't rely on just your mass LD to remove problematic nonbasics. You may need to remove lands from time to time, and there's nothing better at doing that than Strip Mine/Wasteland. Plus, it gives you fantastic utility with Loam/Crucible. There's no reason NOT to run at least one of those effects. The only thing that suffers is you.

Quote from Star Slayer »

Same for Expedition Map and Sylvan Scrying. Everybody runs them, they are the nuts in this format, etc. I don't care. I don't find them that necessary in this deck. Running less tutors wil make the games less repetitive and more interesting.*

Land Tutors are clutch. They look unimpressive, but you have no idea how important getting your cornerstone lands and securing land drops really is. It's good to hear you say "I don't care" though, because at least you're not trying to argue against the strength of the cards, you're just saying that using them isn't important to you. Which is fine... so long as you're aware that you're missing out on some fantastic (and critically important) cards.

Quote from Star Slayer »

I'm not a huge fan of Flickerform. It does nothing unless I allways keep four (!) mana open.

Really? It does nothing? It gives Uril a boost, and it protects you from the cards that wreck you the most. Hallowed Burial and Arena of the Ancients are bombs against Uril, and Flickerform is a fantastic answer to both. Not to mention that it's fantastic against all other mass removal too (which is rampant in this format, and critical that you have protection from).

..........

And don't worry about wanting to play Auras on your non Uril creatures. Just make Uril lethal and win. That's the only game plan.

I haven't seen a reason to include Strip Mine and Wasteland, yet. Almost everybody seems to run them in this format, but I'm not that interested. To get rid of annoying nonbasics, I have the mass LD cards.*

You'll probably run across them eventually. The main offenders are things like Volrath's Stronghold, Academy Ruins, Gaea's Cradle, Cabal Coffers, Maze of Ith (no so bad for this deck:p) and even things like Kher Keep can be a nuisance. I'd run Stripmine at minimum.

Same for Expedition Map and Sylvan Scrying. Everybody runs them, they are the nuts in this format, etc. I don't care. I don't find them that necessary in this deck. Running less tutors wil make the games less repetitive and more interesting.*

* Please don't take these statements personally, wtwlf. They are aimed against those cards, not against you suggesting them.

Skipping on tutors will make your deck less consistent, your toolbox weaker but most importantly makes it more difficult to access your silver bullets. This is already a 100 card highlander format so even with tutors your deck won't be really consistent. Think of it this way, you're fine running land tutors like fetchlands to avoid mana screw. Well you run spell tutors to avoid spell screw and getting stuck with useless cards in your hand or find yourself in a situation where you just don't have the right answers. Shuffling is annoying but something you'll get used to eventually.

Thanks again, wtwlf and Donald. Sorry for not posting earlier.

Quote from wtwlf123 »

I would NOT cut Unquestioned Authority. It's very good in this deck.

I thought someone suggested cutting it in your thread, but maybe I was wrong. And your right, it is quite good. I will cut Griffin Guide instead. Worse evasion and an extra card is better than getting a measly 2/2 flyer in this format

I'm shying away from Strip Mine and Wasteland, because they are yet more lands that produce only colorless mana in a three colored deck. I also have no more Strip Mines lying around.

Quote from Donald

Think of it this way, you're fine running land tutors like fetchlands to avoid mana screw. Well you run spell tutors to avoid spell screw and getting stuck with useless cards in your hand or find yourself in a situation where you just don't have the right answers.

And that's actually it: I'm fine with lands searching for lands and with spells searching for spells, but I don't want to run spells that search for lands. Those take away precious spell slots. If I would run all those cards that I should run, there is just no place anymore for the cards that I want to run.

Here is the list of swaps I made since my last post (OUT >> IN):
Elephant Guide >> Runes of the Deus
Firewild Borderpost >> Darksteel Ingot
Wildfield Borderpost >> Coalition Relic
Tephraderm >> Reveillark
Flametongue Kavu >> Parallax Wave
Great Sable Stag >> Worldly Tutor
Paladin en-Vec >> Enlightened Tutor
Silhana Ledgewalker >> Mesa Enchantress
Eiganjo Castle >> Snow-Covered Plains
Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers >> Snow-Covered Forest
Kitchen Finks >> Aura Shards
Evolving Wilds >> Jungle Shrine

Those are good changes!

Quote from Star Slayer »

I'm shying away from Strip Mine and Wasteland, because they are yet more lands that produce only colorless mana in a three colored deck.

You should replace one of the other colorless lands with it then, or cut a non-land card for it.

Quote from Star Slayer »

I thought someone suggested cutting it in your thread, but maybe I was wrong.

If they did, then they were wrong.

Quote from wtwlf123

Those are good changes!

Thanks! Now I'm waiting for some of the missing essential cards (like Winds of Rath) to arrive by mail.

Quote from wtwlf123

You should replace one of the other colorless lands with it then, or cut a non-land card for it.

Which one of

• Nantuko Monastery
  
• Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
  
• Skarrg, the Rage Pits
  
• Mouth of Ronom
  
• Contested Cliffs

would you cut? (I'm guessing the Monastery?)

Quote from wtwlf123

If they did, then they were wrong.

Just looked it up: Darklich528 suggested that you could cut Unquestioned Authority, since trample would serve almost the same purpose. That's why I thought about cutting Authority for Gaea's Embrace. After playing the deck a few times, I changed my mind though. Authority is great! Embrace will come in in addition to it.

I would easily cut Monastery, probably followed by Mouth of Ronom though I do really like the card. Unquestioned Authority is in fact quite silly. I'd play it even if didn't cantrip.

Agreed. I'd cut Monastery or Mouth. Don't cut Skarrg, Sunhome or Cliffs form this deck. Like, ever. Extra trample and double strike are always welcome, and repeatable removal is insane.

Quote from Star Slayer »

Just looked it up: Darklich528 suggested that you could cut Unquestioned Authority...

I know he did. I don't agree though. Max your trample abilities, yes. But cut the unblockable because it's perhaps redundant? No. It also stops wither, infect and deathtouch from hurting him and he's completely unblockable. And it draws you a card.

I made these changes (OUT >> IN):

Explore >> Snake Umbra
Griffin Guide >> Gaea's Embrace
Terramorphic Expanse >> Highland Weald
Wurmcoil Engine >> Kor Spiritdancer
Mystic Enforcer >> Winds of Rath
Worship >> Greater Good

Nantuko Monastery may come out, but I will keep Mouth of Ronom. It works with Life from the Loam and Crucible of Worlds and I like to be able to search for dual lands and removal with Into the North.

I'm pondering if I should run the whole Enchantress engine and add Verduran Enchantress or if I stay with the smaller, more splashable part of the engine and cut Mesa Enchantress. Three mana - including double color - for a 0/2 without protection sucks, but drawing cards is always nice.

You should get yourself a Krosan Verge. That land is nutty.

Quote from Star Slayer

I made these changes (OUT >> IN):

Explore >> Snake Umbra
Griffin Guide >> Gaea's Embrace
Terramorphic Expanse >> Highland Weald
Wurmcoil Engine >> Kor Spiritdancer
Mystic Enforcer >> Winds of Rath
Worship >> Greater Good

Nantuko Monastery may come out, but I will keep Mouth of Ronom. It works with Life from the Loam and Crucible of Worlds and I like to be able to search for dual lands and removal with Into the North.

I'm pondering if I should run the whole Enchantress engine and add Verduran Enchantress or if I stay with the smaller, more splashable part of the engine and cut Mesa Enchantress. Three mana - including double color - for a 0/2 without protection sucks, but drawing cards is always nice.

I think that is an update overall however I am not a fan of Kor Spiritdancer. Even with the number of auras you run it still doesn't draw you cards off your regular enchantments and how often do you usually enchant it? Verduran Enchantress is probably well worth the extra mana.

I made the following changes to the deck (OUT >> IN):

Plains >> Krosan Verge
Oblivion Ring >> Decimate
Nantuko Monastery >> Wasteland

I've cut Oblivion Ring because there are quite a few mass removal spells that kill enchantments, giving your opponent a threat on an almost empty board. Decimate on the other hand is great in this format. It's like it was specifically made for it.

Still looking for a Strip Mine and a Verduran Enchantress. Yes, I've decided to go full Enchantress. Drawing lots of cards is just too good to pass up.

Two more changes (OUT >> IN). The deck is now almost where I want to have it.

Aura Gnarlid >> Verduran Enchantress
Wasteland >> Nantuko Monastery

Yes, I reversed the Wasteland / Nantuko Monastery swap. While this may shake some heads and probably makes the deck worse, there are two reasons why I did it:
1) This deck runs a few mass land destruction spells that help to seal the game once Uril is out and running wild. Adding the Crucible of Worlds + Wasteland (or, heavens forbid, Strip Mine) combo was just too annoying. People got frustrated, ganged up on me, you name it. Without Wasteland (and any similar cards), Crucible and Life from the Loam are mainly used to recover from land destruction, which is a much more defensive use that doesn't draw that many hate.
2) I noticed that this deck wins through normal damage almost just as much as through commander damage, so adding a 4/4 manland advances this route to victory even further. Achieving threshold has never been a problem.

Quote from yugular

Do you play this in kitchen table? If you do I would add Mayael's Aria, it would be fun to steal a game with that

I've thought about this card, but I would find it a bit cheap winning this way. Also, it would paint a giant bullseye on my head if Uriel is already huge enough. And if I don't have a huge Uril / creature out, it would do almost nothing.