MTG Salvation

Griffins for the Ages

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Look up in the sky it's a bird, it's a plan, it's fighting a dragon, it's actually a griffin. Throughout Magic the Gathering's history Griffins have always been a creature type the doesn't get the most love. But its time we make these flying creatures the terrors they really deserve to be. So welcome to the world of Monowhite Griffins. These $0.25 common Griffins have been printed in nearly every set they are never considered even good in EDH. But then Mirage gave us the greatest Griffin I have seen: Zuberi. This Griffin Godfather allows our griffins to fight dragons whether it be Spotted Griffin, Wild Griffin, or an Assault Griffin: Griffin's can now takeover the skies.

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I am a college student at NDSU. (Go Bison) Besides the point is I have been play magic since Zendikar and have been play EDH since the week I started playing magic. I have made over 50 some EDH decks and have lists for nearly every commander, whether the commander is considered playable or not. I am very much a Timmy/Johnny Player. I play a Mono-green Aggro Deck in Legacy so this this next piece of info shouldn’t be a surprise: I dislike playing already made decks. I really enjoy finding long janky combos or trying to adapt an old idea into something new. But even more than all of that I love playing tribal decks as they are where I can hit my stride. But rather than just any old tribe I love play obscure tribes such as Griffins or Monoblack Spirits.

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Now its time to talk about our 19 year old feathered overlord Zuberi. While we use this griffin as our commander, there are a few things we should know about him.

First off, Creature Type. Zuberi is a griffin so that really helps us for the fact we are building a griffin tribal deck. Being a Griffin both helps us in our Griffin count but also allows us to abuse our tribal support cards such as Cavern of Souls or Urza's Incubator on Zuberi.

Next the Converted Mana Cost: 5. While not being too high or too low at the cost of 3WW, this midranged cost allows us to build a boardstate and then drop Zuberi for maximum impact. I will talk about this more in the griffin card discussion section but him being a 5 drop greatly impacts how we build our deck as like I already mentioned we want him to make an impact when he hits the field.

Before I move on to Abilities and Potential I want to take a minute to talk about Age. Zuberi was printed in 1996. This might not seem important but it affects 2 major things: Power level and Availability. The power level change over time also known as Power Creep. This can really impact how Zuberi looks to a player as many of the newer legendaries seem much more mana efficient but do not dispair. Even with power creep affecting Zuberi, we still use him as he is the best at what he does still, boost all the griffins.

Availability is the second part of Age I want to chat about. Because Zuberi was printed back in 1996, he is subject to one of the Banes of newer players and old players alike, the Reserved List. For those who don't know, the Reserved List is a list of cards from Magics beginning days that Wizards claims to never reprint for the sake of the collectors. Now I don't know why they don't want to reprint Zuberi as he is a 50 cent card here in the United States but this affects his availability as he is a very hard card to track down. This can effect ones drive to play the deck but I can tell you, once you get a Zuberi, you'll never look back.

Now onto the abilities and potential. Zuberi has 2 abilities, one keyword and one lord ability. This balance has been seen in many early sets and still is used to this day.

The first ability I am going to cover is the lord ability. Zuberi reads:

• "Other Griffin creatures get +1/+1."

This lord ability boost our Griffins and opponent's Griffins alike. This is the primary reason he is our commander. Having a Crusade like effect in the command zone is very powerful as it allows for aggressive strategies to work more efficiently. However one thing to note is that this effect is a universal boost meaning it effect all Griffins. The universal boost is almost always onesided but changelings like Mirror Entity can lead to issues but that is normally far and few between.

The second ability is the keyword ability of Flying. Flying is a very powerful effect, if you don't believe that just look at the flying part of Delver of Secrets, Insectile Aberration and its impact on legacy and modern formats. The flying that Zuberi has gives him a source of evasion which allows for better chances of dealing some combat damage to players.

This leads me to the final part of the deeper look at Zuberi, his power and toughness. Zuberi is a 3/3 which means it takes him 7 swings to kill a player with commander damage. This means majority of the time you wont be killing an opponent voltron style but if paired with the right equipment it is entirely possible. Otherwise Zuberi slow power and toughness will majority of the time keep him off other player's radars which allows you to build a boardstate and then drop him for maximum impact.

You may like this deck if:

• You enjoy tribal decks. This is a very tribal based list and you need to enjoy tribal decks to really find the true enjoyment in this list.
• You enjoy creature based strategies. Zuberi relies on killing players with Griffins 9 times out of 10 so enjoying these griffins is key.
• You enjoy the combat step. The deck uses abnormally strong Griffins as its main wincon so you better enjoy beating in on opponents with your dragon-sized Griffins.
• You want a more casual list. While this list can compete with some very powerful lists, it isn't going to show up in any tier system that commander seems to disagree on. The list while it can be powerful is more of a social list meaning it is more of a beer and pretzels type of magic over the no food or drink competitive tournament style decks.

You may dislike this list if:

• You dislike Monocolors, especially monowhite. Monowhite is considered the weakest monocolored deck often due to its inability to draw. I won't try to sugar-coat this fact, but card draw is an issue in this deck.
• You want a highly competitive deck. I mentioned this before but its worth reiterating: this deck isn't going to do well against dedicated Stax or Combo decks. It just isn't fast enough.
• You want to make an immediate impact on the board. This deck is very much a midrange option deck which focuses on building slowly to overwhelm the board. We rely on dropping lots of griffins and boosting these griffins for battle purposes which takes time.

There really aren't any other dedicated Griffin commanders but I will cover the next 3 commanders I would try for griffin tribal if I wasn't to use Zuberi. Now a decent disclaimer, I find each one of these as a weaker Griffin commander than Zuberi as they don't share the creature type nor do they give the lord effect but each one brings different abilities to the table so they shouldn't just be dismissed.

• Radiant, Archangel: This is the flying matters commander of Monowhite which all Griffins we play have flying so this would allow for a more voltron style griffin beatdown. But she lacks the boost to Griffins which is kind of key to our deck's plan.


• Isperia the Inscrutable:The most thought about flying matters commander. She would allows us to tutor for our Griffins and would allow Blue for Griffins like Balshan Griffin and Misthollow Griffin but there aren't too many Griffins in Blue and Isperia isn't a Griffin so she seems like a weaker choice even if she is in the color of card draw.


• Athreos, God of Passage: While the God of Passage doesn't seem like a Griffin Tribal commander he allows for 2 things: Reuse of our Griffins by his ability or blacks Reanimation spells and the ability to use Sentry of the Underworld, which is one of my favorite Griffins. but again he lacks the Griffin Creature type so I feel he is a weaker choice.

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To preface the deck a bit, some of the card choices may seem odd but they are a personal choice. I may not be running all the tutor effects or the most optimal land base and such. You are free to and I'll high light cards I would be playing if I had more money but alas I am a college student so I don't have the most disposable income around.

Also parts of the deck are quite expensive and you are honestly okay to run normal plains to cute quite a bit of cost along with some of the artifacts as the deck can run without them however it may impact the quality of game you play. I am not going to make a budget list as the deck is fairly cheap if you cut some of the more expensive cards, I mean heck I foiled all the Griffins that can be foiled for 10 bucks. But if you have any budget concerns please ask away and I can answer them to the best of my ability.




Okay so here are cards I'm considering:
I'd love to hear any ideas others have for the deck.

I am always looking for a way to run the Griffin Canyon combo in a deck. So far, I haven't fit it in. I'm not sure you need to replace two cards just to do it, but the Awaken spells make it a lot easier, and really, looking at them, they're all decent for EDH - especially a fun, casual deck like this one. I think I'd run Planar Outburst over the others. Then just throw in something like Runed Stalactite, and you're good to go. Especially good right after you've used Outburst, because there will be no blockers for your arbitrarily large griffin/land monstrosity!

Since you're playing creatures I recommend Skullclamp. Slate of Ancestry seems pretty decent here, too.

Quote from reltastic »

I am always looking for a way to run the Griffin Canyon combo in a deck. So far, I haven't fit it in. I'm not sure you need to replace two cards just to do it, but the Awaken spells make it a lot easier, and really, looking at them, they're all decent for EDH - especially a fun, casual deck like this one. I think I'd run Planar Outburst over the others. Then just throw in something like Runed Stalactite, and you're good to go. Especially good right after you've used Outburst, because there will be no blockers for your arbitrarily large griffin/land monstrosity!

I love this idea! I am going to have to cram this into the deck.

Quote from Hunding Gjornersen »

Since you're playing creatures I recommend Skullclamp. Slate of Ancestry seems pretty decent here, too.

With both clamp and Runed stalctite I am now going to cram by Stoneforge mystic into the deck with Batterskull and have to find space now for Slate also.

Thank you both so much for your ideas!

Please, let me know if you ever pull it off! It's on my EDH bucket list - I just don't have a deck that it fits in very naturally.

Come to think of it, I do have an extra Zuberi in my binder...

No Terrain Generator? No mono-colored deck should leave home without one.

Quote from Ulka »

I love this idea! I am going to have to cram this into the deck.

I should say, Mirror Entity might be better than Runed Stalactite, because it's also an overrun effect. You could run both, I suppose.

Underpowered griffins they are, very underpowered. Mentor of the meek rather likes underpowered things, though, and you could use a bit of card draw. Reveillark may not be bad, either.

okay So I'm supper pumped for Stoneforge Masterwork. Thsi should allow Zuberi, golden Feather to voltron games while allowing me to focus my other griffens on other players. This may lead to me adding a bit more of an equipment package to the deck but I'm still trying to figure everything out still. I feel this is exactly what the deck needed to push it from a casual deck to a surprising competitive deck.

But currently this deck has become a dark horse in my meta as a standard of deck quality. If you lose to the Griffens deck your deck is kinda bad. Im honestly taking 1 in every 4 games I play which has been a lot of fun to wreck people with Griffens.

The deck isn't half bad. How does it pilot besides the obvious "cast a griffin and done". Are there any cards you're considering cutting or adding?

The Deck pilots quite well honestly. I have never really had a mana issue but rather have been having issues if I can't get a draw engine up before turn 8 or so my changes recently are reflecting of that. I honestly cut every card that was on the cutting block at the moment and will try to find under-performers in the coming weeks so others can see where im coming from.

Without further ado, The Changes:
Gift of Estates Karmic Guide: More reanimation that I had sitting around. Also gives Pro-Black in the air which has been increasingly relevant.
Harsh Mercy Planar Outburst: Allows for the combo and gives me another boardwipe.
Shared Triumph Skullclamp: More draw and also gives me a benefit if someone boardwipes.
Ghostly Prison Leyline of Sanctity: Ghostly was needed in my cube and I had leyline laying in a binder.
Griffin Guide Sword of the Animist: Ramp stapled onto an artifact. This is the kind of ramp I need more of not the mana rocks.
Mind Stone Slate of Ancestry: Draw has been very needed and ramp hasn't been so I figure this should help fix that.
Fellwar Stone No need for as much ramp as I have been using as I often have way too much mana. Mentor of the Meek provides more draw so I can start snowballing creatures. I'm worried if I have Mr. Golden Feather out the boost will negate nearly all the draw aspects he gives me but I need to test this more.
Gauntlet of Power Quest for the Holy Relic: Passive equipment support that often eats removal over the equipment it would grab.
Griffin Rider Stonehewer Giant: More equipment and hes a nice blocker also so there is that.
Teremko Griffin Relic Seeker: Adding more equipment and I sold my Stoneforge Mystic so why the Hell not use the budget replacement one.

Edit:

Also of the other cards spoiled for Oath the other two to catch my eye besides the Masterwork are:
Sea Gate Wreckage
Stone Haven Outfitter

I have a massive change coming. Basically the deck got a bit of an overhaul and Im still messsing with the land base but here are the solid changes


Changes:
Cuts

• 1 Boreal Griffin
  
• 1 Fledgling Griffin
  
• 1 Harrier Griffin
  
• 1 Peregrine Griffin
  
• 1 Razorfoot Griffin
  
• 1 Karmic Guide
  
• 1 Mentor of the Meek
  
• 1 Darksteel Ingot
  
• 1 Marble Diamond
  
• 1 Sensei's Divining Top
  
• 1 Unstable Obelisk
  
• 1 Crown of Awe
  
• 1 Crib Swap
  
• 1 Enlightened Tutor
  
• 1 Wrath of God
  

Adds

• Austere Command
  
• Karmic Justice
  
• Staff of Nin
  
• Torpor Orb
  
• Stoneforge Masterwork
  
• Scroll Rack
  
• Crucible of worlds
  
• expedition map
  
• mind's Eye
  
• Gauntlet of Power
  
• Lightning Greaves
  
• Burnished Hart
  
• Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
  
• Courier Griffen
  

I just have to know if you've pulled off the Griffin Canyon combo yet.

Quote from reltastic »

I just have to know if you've pulled off the Griffin Canyon combo yet.

I have actually pulled it off twice... It was stupid. But I am planning on adding Runed Stalactite the moment I get one via PucaTrade. But also I plan to explain my changes more soon but I gotta finish a Grad School App.

Quote from Ulka »

But also I plan to explain my changes more soon but I gotta finish a Grad School App.

Don't do it! You'll never play Magic again!

Since most of your creatures are small and share a creature type, Coat of Arms could do some good work here. Haunted Fengraf is a way to squeeze just a little bit more value out of your lands, though it is at odds with Scrying Sheets.

I finally got around to talking about my recent additions and further on some possible future adds:
The changes:
Austere Command: A mixed boardwipe. I'm debating on replacing a few things for this.
Karmic Justice: this card really helps me protect the few pieces that really allow me to blow out and if someone kills things I get to nuke thier lands which is lots of fun.
Staff of Nin: Currently in here for the draw but I am looking at other cards in its spot currently.
Torpor Orb: This little guy has been helping me deal with all the ETB for value decks that popping up periodically in my meta.
Stoneforge Masterwork: The tribal equipment that has let me voltron with Zuberi twice now. The card is moving up the list as the MVP of majority of the games I end up seeing it. It turns any small griffin into a much larger menace which is how the deck wants to work.
Scroll Rack: this plus Land Tax makes for a fantastic draw engine.
Crucible of worlds: I took apart my lands deck so I had this laying around and it should help me recur my important lands.
expedition map: Between Emeria, Nykthos, and Cavern of Souls I nearly always have a land I want to grab.
Mind's Eye: I picked up a Portuguese one from my LGS for cheap so I figured eh why not.
Gauntlet of Power: I no longer have a Monoblack using this so I figured I can move it into here now.
Lightning Greaves: Haste is something that I have needed several times int his deck and I alck it. I feel this will help with that issue and helps with my semi-equipment theme.
Burnished Hart: cheap and easy ramp which I can't complain with.
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite: allows my griffins a larger pump while dropping other's creatures so most things can't face my griffins in the sky.
Courier Griffen: I have found that the smaller griffins are the ones that are more effective as they come down earlier to deal with early aggro decks and can be chained out late game when I have more pumps out.


There are a few cards Im looking at for future adds which are:

Nahiri, the Lithomancer: I feel she is one walker that most don't worry when she isn't the commander and is typically low on the threat level.

Stoneforge Mystic: I traded mine away recently but Im looking to get one back in here as it could help with a variety of cards

Sword of Feast and famine: I own one but its in my Red deck but I am planning on moving it into here in the next edit but I want to find and try some more cards before I make any changes to my list currently.

DECK UPDATES

Cuts:
Staff of Nin
Commander's Sphere
Leyline of Sanctity
Stonehewer Giant
Thespian Stage
Mutavault
4 Snow-covered plains

Adds:
Umezawa's Jitte
Sword of Feast and Famine
Sensei's Divining Top
Mox Diamond
Marsh Flats
Ancient Tomb
Strip Mine
Flooded Strand
Windswept Heath
Sea Gate Wreckage


So Changes explained: I finally decided to semioptimize the deck. I'm cutting some of the lesser equipemnt tutors and pushing better equipment. I was able to pick up a Japanese Jitte for $20 at my LGS so I decided to upgrade this deck. The Landbase got upgraded a bit with some of the Fetches I had floating around. Im excited to try out Sea Gate Wreckage as it should be pretty good.

Okay so the deck in the OP is finally updated and in case you didn't the the OP before this, Im currently in the process of writing up a Primer for this deck now so please if you notice any typos, areas that could be expanded on, areas that you don't like, ect please PM me about that.

Although -1/-1 counters are especially painful on low-power creatures, Cauldron of Souls keeps the team from getting swept up by common sweepers and random things like Avacyn flipping. Also, what's the rational for taking Mutavault out of the deck? It seems like the perfect compliment to the obscure tribal strategy.

On Mutavault: I don't know where mien is actually. I think I may have traded it a few weeks ago when I was getting a Verdant Catacombs and Marsh Flats and I wasn't keeping track of every single thing that I was trading away. But I plan to add it back in once I find another one.

And on Cauldron of Souls: I find that I just let things get wiped normally as I have many ways of recurring griffins such as Sigil of the New Dawn, Emeria Shepherd, ect. However I will probably test one if I can get my hands on one.

So I'm back at playing this deck which means some massive changes coming in so bear with me.

So recently We have had a Few sets come and go with out griffins so I am going to cover each set for its top 3 card of support cards to look at changes.

Ixalan:
Pillar of Origins: A mana rock that helps me keep our overcosted griffins more afordable. Can't complain about this too much but honestly fellwar stone may be better in most games as it can cast both griffins and non girffins but wont always be the correct color of mana but that debate is for later.

vanquisher's banner: Mother of God. Goodbye Mind's Eye I have a more tribal focused card advantage card that gives me hope for the deck.

Field of Ruin: I love land Destruction especially in the deck that isn't as mana intensive. I will rep[lace a utility land with this most likely as it doesn't screw me out as much.

Commander 2017
Herald's Horn: Holy mother of Tribal. I love this horn it provides Card advantage and Ramp Heck top the yes!

Mirror of the Forebears: while not as cool and I'll talk about why in a second in the Hour of Devastation section, it can make additional copies of griffins which is surprisingly effective.

Heirloom Blade: Mother of God. I love this card also. It makes griffins hit harder and is like skullclamp as it rewards us in their deaths.

[c]Kindred Boon[c/]: Indestructible griffins. Enough said.



Hour of Devastation:
Mirage Mirror: This is why Forebears mirror is meh because copying any artifact land or enchantment or creature is way better. I will try both however as making 2 copies of quality griffins is great.


Amonkhet:
Forsake the Wordly: Veritile removal is always welcome. I have been debating on adding Abolish also but until I do that this will do for now.

Oketra's Monument: A pearl medallion for griffins and a body on the ground?!?! sign me up!


So my changes from the decklist on file is as such:


CHANGE LOG

Well I tore this apart and rebuilt it recently. I will eventually get around to adjusting the changelog (or not IDK). Anywho the Main post with decklist has been updated.

Im excited to be able to play my most timmy deck outsides of wurms tribal so I may have a game report later today.