MTG Salvation

'Cause I would die for you
Look into my eyes and see it's true
Really, I could never lie to you

~ Antique

My philosophy

I play Commander for its social and psychological aspects. I prefer games to last for a while and to be full of interesting interactions and surprising situations. Whenever I feel like playing to win, I play some other format instead. Multiplayer is all about having fun with your friends. My CMD decks tend to be slow and defensive and combos are coincidental (if any).


The deck's philosophy

The primary keyword here is resilience. The aim is that no matter how bad the situation gets, there's always a potential comeback just around the corner. The variety of cards and strategies ensures it's exceptional to be low on options.

The numbers in front of nonlands are converted mana costs, which I think is a nice (and probably not too confusing) way of packing some extra information into singleton format deck lists.




What the deck actually looks like


The name

All of my CMD decks are named after Eurovision Song Contest entries. For those of you from other continents, it's the world's biggest annual music event, and one of the longest-running and most varied, too. Imagine a cross between the Olympics and X-Factor and you're very close to the essence of ESC.

Why this habit? Well, first of all, I've been a huge ESC fan since I was five. And I guess this naming convention was really born when I realized Vampires Are Alive is a perfect name for an Anowon, the Ruin Sage deck

My Karador deck takes after one of the biggest international ESC hits of the 00's, (I Would) Die for You with Antique (Greece 2001). It was an easy choice as we're dealing with things dying and going to the graveyard (and Dieser Traum darf niemals sterben would have been a bit long for a deck name...).


Changelog

I must say I really like that you "linguify" your decks. That sounds like a very interesting way to pimp out your deck. I like to get alternate language versions of my cards but only after I have an english version because there are so many new players at my card store who don't know what my cards do.

Quote from celerus

I must say I really like that you "linguify" your decks. That sounds like a very interesting way to pimp out your deck. I like to get alternate language versions of my cards but only after I have an english version because there are so many new players at my card store who don't know what my cards do.

Thats what's so great about Internet on your phone. Allows you the access to show people what cards are that they may not know when ya play them.

Quote from celerus

I must say I really like that you "linguify" your decks. That sounds like a very interesting way to pimp out your deck.

Indeed. After all these years, foils still just look tacky and pokémonish to me. All that unnecessary reflection induces headache, too

It seems deck linguification is presently on the verge of becoming something of a fashion here in Finland where everybody speaks multiple languages anyway. These days, most players buy their singles on websites whose selections are abundant in European languages. German is probably the most popular one, and little wonder, with words like these:




If I had to name my own favorite card name right now, I'd probably say Anjo Exterminador do Mal (Portuguese BS Angel) because it's so utterly delicious to pronounce I also have especial fondness towards the French tendency to change characters' names. For example, Yaugzebul (Yawgmoth) and Wöhlrajh (Volrath) sound much better in French (even though the latter doesn't make much phonotactic sense).

Quote from celerus

I like to get alternate language versions of my cards but only after I have an english version because there are so many new players at my card store who don't know what my cards do.

Sometimes there's some explaining to do if there are new people around but in most of those cases, I'd have to explain an English card the same. The only real problem with the approach is that only experienced (or linguistically advanced) players can borrow my decks.

This is neat. Really people around me just look for the Japanese cards.

That vampire song is ----ing hysterical xDDDD. Love it. I'm now seriously considering following the Eurovision Song Contest.

Quote from Sanity"s_Eclipse

That vampire song is ----ing hysterical xDDDD. Love it. I'm now seriously considering following the Eurovision Song Contest.

Haha ESC does have a dedicated following across the Atlantic as well, even though the American public in general has heard little about it.

The next contest will be held in May 2013 in Malmö, Sweden. I have already booked a hotel to spend two weeks on-site for the contest and all the festivities that go with it. In the meantime, there are 57 years of history to browse through. The one and only time my country has won so far, it was with horror metal

Pretty cool! Those German names sure are a mouthful.

Anyway, in these colors, Captain Sisay gets my highest recommendations. She's usually the first thing I use my black and green tutors for, even over Primeval Titan. With her I grab Volrath's Stronghold to protect her and ensure my next land drop, and after that Hall of the Bandit Lord for another land drop and haste for the upcoming creatures. Then you go for the win with something like Myojin of Night's Reach, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite + Kamahl, Fist of Krosa, or Akroma, Angel of Wrath. In a pinch she can protect you with Gaddock Teeg, Linvala, Keeper of Silence, or Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker. She defines versatility and resilience.

You might also want a Hermit Druid. It would let you get Karador out quickly and give him lots of options to revive, while getting you land drops. It's also insane with Life from the Loam, which you already have.

As much as I enjoy discussing languages and Eurovision, thank you for the first deck-related reply!

Quote from Giodante

Anyway, in these colors, Captain Sisay gets my highest recommendations. She's usually the first thing I use my black and green tutors for, even over Primeval Titan. With her I grab Volrath's Stronghold to protect her and ensure my next land drop, and after that Hall of the Bandit Lord for another land drop and haste for the upcoming creatures.

In a five-player game (which is what my CMD decks are first of all designed for), anything powerful that doesn't do its thing straight away usually doesn't live to see that next turn. With eight potential targets in the deck, Sisay's ability would come handy but she would probably be prematurely removed most of the time. This is the reason I cut Defense of the Heart, for example, and have been considering doing the same to Fauna Shaman.

In comparison, Primeval Titan brings forth that Stronghold at once, as well as the superstar that easily wins me the greatest number of games (in this deck as well as in others): Maze of Ith

Quote from Giodante

Then you go for the win with something like Myojin of Night's Reach, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite + Kamahl, Fist of Krosa, or Akroma, Angel of Wrath.

I just cut Kamahl at the last minute before publishing this list. He was in primarily as an anti-boardwipe strategy and only secondarily as a win condition because alpha strikes rarely win multiplayer games. He's still on the "potential returnees" list, though.

Quote from Giodante

Linvala, Keeper of Silence

Linvala is one of my pet cards. She's been rearing to go in for some time and is the next on the list should I need more combo hosers.

Quote from Giodante

Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker

That's one interesting card that I've missed, suits my play style perfectly. I'm not sure if this is the right deck for her but I'm definitely ordering one right now. In Japanese, of course

Quote from Giodante

She defines versatility and resilience.

My vote in the resilience race goes to Dauntless Escort. Never leave home without one.

Quote from Giodante

You might also want a Hermit Druid.

In addition to the aforementioned waiting problem, this is one of the exclusions I've made in order not to rely too much on the graveyard. Again, one of the four opponents is more than likely to draw a hoser, and the Karador player always gets to be the first target.

Through exhaustive research and testing, I've done a considerable overhaul of the deck, with raising the power level as the main objective. I chose to cut most of the fast effects and concentrate on the deck's inherent strengths. I also tried to make it a bit faster, which also seems to have worked.

I realized the deck had too many tutors and too little to tutor for. So I cut some utility and added meat.

Acidic Slime, Angel of Finality, Defense of the Heart, Entomb, Expedition Map, Gift of Immortality, Harmonic Sliver, Jarad's Orders, Mindslicer, Natural Order, Scavenging Ooze
Angel of Serenity, Asceticism, Horobi, Death's Wail, Karametra, God of Harvests, Massacre Wurm, Pharika, God of Affliction, Privileged Position, Reclamation Sage, Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter, Yosei, the Morning Star

Another update as I realized the deck needs not only more creatures but more cheap creatures. I cut a whole load of sorceries to make room. I also shifted the focus of mass removal towards exiling and tucking because that's simply so often required.

Ashen Rider, Barter in Blood, Damnation, Farseek, Horobi, Death's Wail, Innocent Blood, Life From the Loam, Nature's Lore, Phyrexian Arena, Sheoldred, Whispering One, Three Visits, Toxic Deluge, Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger, Wrath of God
Athreos, God of Passage, Aven Mindcensor, Crucible of Worlds, Fauna Shaman, Final Judgment, Hallowed Burial, Harmonic Sliver, Linvala, Keeper of Silence, Resolute Archangel, Reveillark, Saffi Eriksdotter, Scavenging Ooze, Terminus, Viscera Seer

The first update in 11 months it seems! In this one, I added even more cheap creatures. There never seem to be enough of them.

Asceticism, Athreos, God of Passage, Austere Command, Enlightened Tutor, Final Judgment, Hallowed Burial, Harmonic Sliver, Karametra, God of Harvests, Massacre Wurm, Oracle of Mul Daya, Pharika, God of Affliction, Privileged Position, Reveillark, Terminus, Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter, Worldly Tutor, Yosei, the Morning Star
Aura Shards, Deathrite Shaman, Dictate of Erebos, Entomb, Erebos, God of the Dead, Grand Abolisher, Grim Haruspex, Kataki, War's Wage, Life From the Loam, Martyr's Bond, Merciless Eviction, Merciless Executioner, Sidisi, Undead Vizier, Viridian Zealot, Weathered Wayfarer

Some tuning, even more focus on cheaper (and more) creatures.

Angel of Serenity, Avenger of Zendikar, Buried Alive, Craterhoof Behemoth, Deathrite Shaman, Disciple of Bolas, Grand Abolisher, Martyr's Bond, Spike Weaver, Viridian Zealot
Academy Rector, Dauntless Escort, Karametra, God of Harvests, Mother of Runes, Phyrexian Revoker, Riftsweeper, Satyr Wayfinder, Shriekmaw, Sylvan Safekeeper, Voidstone Gargoyle

The first update in two years. This time, the development was again towards more creatures.

Academy Rector, Dauntless Escort, Entomb, Erebos, God of the Dead, Green Sun's Zenith, Karametra, God of Harvests, Linvala, Keeper of Silence, Pernicious Deed, Phyrexian Revoker, Riftsweeper, Sidisi, Undead Vizier, Sol Ring, Solemn Simulacrum, Tempt With Discovery, Voidstone Gargoyle
Avenger of Zendikar, Craterhoof Behemoth, Diabolic Intent, Disciple of Bolas, Kami of False Hope, Meren of Clan Nel Toth, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, Protean Hulk, Ramunap Excavator, Reveillark, Skullwinder, Spike Weaver, Spore Frog, Withered Wretch, Worldly Tutor, Zulaport Cutthroat

My playgroup did a challenge where everybody had to build a deck according to rules set by the other players, with the aim that everybody would have to do something they normally wouldn't. Mine was to make a combo deck, and the first thing I thought about was the first (and last) time I played a combo deck in a tournament: a Reveillark combo in a German Highlander tournament some ten years ago. The experience was traumatic, so I thought it might be therapeutic to revisit the concept through this challenge.

The design philosophy of this version was simply to put in as many combos and tutors as possible.



Unsurprisingly, I prefer the original version, but this one does work, too. Perhaps I could have chosen a more creative concept, but it was useful to try this out.