This deck was built out of the 2013 Commander precon 'Mind Seize' - it started as Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge, went through a transmogrification to a recursion/zombie build, and has more or less become a grixis goodstuff aggro build in its present state.
While there are probably more cutthroat commanders in Grixis colours (looking at you, Marchesa, the Black Rose), there are a few things that make me stick with Thraximundar as general:
- This deck doesn't NEED Thrax in play to be a threat.
- He's an unassuming fellow at 7 mana that a lot of people don't see as an immediate threat. Wait till he hits play and see the way the game state changes. He's your shock troops, your live hand grenade.
- This deck is a LOT of fun to play. It may not always win, but there are a lot of fun cards in here that play together well, and honestly there are enough variations in the deck that I don't know what will happen one game to the next. It's a very good time.
There are probably a few ways to play this general, and I've tried a few variations:
- Reanimator - this can really gouge your wallet. It's fun and effective, but I have enough reanimator decks that I don't need another.
- Attrition - This plays fairly well with a reanimator subtheme - and to be fair there is still an element of that here. There are better commanders out there for this though - Savra, Queen of the Golgari, Ghave, Guru of Spores etc.
- Zombie tribal - While there is some value in playing Thrax tribal (and there are a fair share of zombies here), Thrax gets no major benefit from tribal buffs, and there probably isn't a huge justification for it with Thrax as general. Personally I already have a Gisa and Geralf zombie tribal deck which does ok, and I don't feel the need for another.
- Aggro/Goodstuff - This is more of where this deck lies at present. The idea is to keep hitting the board with enough game state changing spells and abilities that by the time you're ready to cast Thraximundar and start swinging, he's causing heavy damage and your opponents are reeling. This has seemed the best fit for Thrax to me so far, and it's a super fun time.
And there it is. This is by no means a definitve guide to playing Thraximundar - I'm constantly updating this list. There are still places I can improve, and this is a work in progress. I'd like to add more value at the higher end of the curve, or work on reducing the curve, but haven't quite found anything that gives the explosive impact I want.
Feel free to give suggestions or comments.
Thanks!
Thanks for the cool remark! I agree that the curve is high. I'm more likely to run the signets than anything else from that list, simply because they filter colour too. If I'm adding any more rocks I'd prefer they didn't enter tapped. I know that adds a significant price to those rocks though.
I think if anything, I'd be just as happy to lower the curve. As it is, Thrax should really be closer to the top of the list with not a lot else there. Things like Bloodfire colossus and Molten Primordial, maybe Prince of Thralls are pretty high up the curve and could potentially be dropped for better value.
Have you tried Marchesa, the Black Rose as the general? Imo she is the best Grixis aggro general. Thrax is usually used as control or Zombie tribal.
No, partially because I don't have a copy, and partially because I'd rather see her in the 99. Thrax I like at the head because he sets a solid tempo to the game; you keep up or he rumbles you, and he seems to come out at just the right time to really cause some havoc. I'm pretty happy with him at the head, any further changes will be to the 99, not the 100th.
Idk man, I don't mean to rip your deck apart or anything mean like that. I'm just not sold on a 7cmc aggro general. I used to main Marchesa the Black Rose and all I can say is she's one of the best aggro generals in the format.
Idk man, I don't mean to rip your deck apart or anything mean like that. I'm just not sold on a 7cmc aggro general. I used to main Marchesa the Black Rose and all I can say is she's one of the best aggro generals in the format.
Thank you. I'll probably not change anyway, but thanks for the link anyway. As I said I already have a couple of recursion based decks, I'm not really interested in another.
I wanted to cut the curve down, and really ramp into Thrax earlier, and with more ruthless efficiency. Let's be honest, at 7 mana, he's up the curve a lot. So the rest of the deck needed fat trimming.
This should all lower the overall curve, trim some of the fat, make the deck run a little leaner and meaner, and still keep the sacrifice for benefit subtheme going.
Coalition Relic is great for skipping from 3 to 6 mana and it fixes your colors. Bojuka Bog is solid value for a land and you've already got the Expedition Map to find it and the Karoo lands to reuse it.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
You would never guess, at the terrifying sight of the man, that Hunding was as charming a companion as one could wish for.
Thanks! Coalition relic would make a good addition. For colour fixing as well as ramp. Might be a good idea to track down a copy. Bonuka big I'm pretty sure I have somewhere, I could probably squeeze it in.
Mana fixing. Will also be looking at swapping out for Cascading Cataracts if I pull it over the weekend. There's not a lot else for Thrax in Amonkhet yet. HoD may bring new things, especially with confirmation of a new Bolas. Fingers crossed for then.
I pulled apart my Wort, Boggart Auntie deck to build Krenko, Mob Boss so had a few goodies left over. The additions should smooth out the draw, the curve and the colour fixing somewhat. In a big flavour win, also exchanged all of the basic lands with full art amonkhet lands complete with Bolas horns. Seemed appropriate, and they look sweet.
In: Harsh Mentor - Low on the curve, and it hurts for interfering with what I'm doing. Heopfully it doesn't draw too much attention - that being said if you want to waste removal on a 2 drop, go right ahead.
Out: Bloodfire Colossus - I really like this card. It's a ticking time bomb that guaranteed will not hit Thrax. But it's very expensive to cast.
Had an interesting game last night; 1v1 vs. Omnath, Locus of Rage. I pretty much had no impact on the game, as I couldn't afford to compete with any of the elementals in play. I searched through the deck afterwards and realised that I had one card that could give me an opening - Sudden Spoiling. It certainly wouldn't have been a big enough opening either.
So, I need some non removal answers. I like the idea of adding something like Rakdos Charm as a deterrent to swarms, but some bounce would be really good too. It'd be nice to have it on a creature - Man-O'-War could do as its cheap, but ideally something like Barrin, Master Wizard would be excellent. I have the token support to make his ability really count, and he would fit in just nicely. In a pinch, Nightscape Master could also make it happen, as could Neurok Replica.
This is probably as much of a nod to tutoring as I'm willing to head towards here: This deck needs the 3 CMC artifacts: Ashnod's Altar, Phyrexian Altar or Coalition Relic - one of the three, depending on the point at which I'm playing the Trophy Mage. By comparison the Hart is slow, big ramp. Which isn't the worst thing in the world, but it doesn't quite serve as well as it could in other decks.
Have you considered Rooftop Storm? I know you're not too heavy on Zombies but being able to cheaply and repeatedly jam out Thrax even if your opponents answer him can be pretty strong.
I have considered it. In the end it turns out to be too costly just to enable a single card. That being said, I have some crazy good sac-ramp spells in here now - Coalition Relic, Phyrexian Altar and Ashnod's Altar are legitimately some of the best early game mana boosts available.
While there are probably more cutthroat commanders in Grixis colours (looking at you, Marchesa, the Black Rose), there are a few things that make me stick with Thraximundar as general:
- This deck doesn't NEED Thrax in play to be a threat.
- He's an unassuming fellow at 7 mana that a lot of people don't see as an immediate threat. Wait till he hits play and see the way the game state changes. He's your shock troops, your live hand grenade.
- This deck is a LOT of fun to play. It may not always win, but there are a lot of fun cards in here that play together well, and honestly there are enough variations in the deck that I don't know what will happen one game to the next. It's a very good time.
There are probably a few ways to play this general, and I've tried a few variations:
- Reanimator - this can really gouge your wallet. It's fun and effective, but I have enough reanimator decks that I don't need another.
- Attrition - This plays fairly well with a reanimator subtheme - and to be fair there is still an element of that here. There are better commanders out there for this though - Savra, Queen of the Golgari, Ghave, Guru of Spores etc.
- Zombie tribal - While there is some value in playing Thrax tribal (and there are a fair share of zombies here), Thrax gets no major benefit from tribal buffs, and there probably isn't a huge justification for it with Thrax as general. Personally I already have a Gisa and Geralf zombie tribal deck which does ok, and I don't feel the need for another.
- Aggro/Goodstuff - This is more of where this deck lies at present. The idea is to keep hitting the board with enough game state changing spells and abilities that by the time you're ready to cast Thraximundar and start swinging, he's causing heavy damage and your opponents are reeling. This has seemed the best fit for Thrax to me so far, and it's a super fun time.
Here's the list:
7 Thraximundar
Creatures
1 Gravecrawler
2 Apprentice Necromancer
2 Baleful Strix
2 Nether Traitor
3 Burnished Hart
3 Doomed Necromancer
3 Feldon of the Third Path
3 Shadowmage Infiltrator
3 Vial Smasher the Fierce
3 Pawn of Ulamog
3 Fleshbag Marauder
3 Merciless Executioner
4 Stunt Double
4 Treasure Keeper
4 Dack's Duplicate
4 Solemn Simulacrum
4 Sifter of Skulls
4 Smothering Abomination
4 Whisper, Blood Liturgist
5 Havengul Lich
5 Night Incarnate
5 Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
5 Mulldrifter
5 Grimgrin, Corpse-Born
5 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
5 Kraum, Ludevic's Opus
6 Duplicant
6 Grave Titan
6 Flayer of the Hatebound
6 Champion of Stray Souls
7 Sheoldred, Whispering One
12 It that Betrays
3 Windfall
5 Beacon of Unrest
5 Living Death
8 Decree of Pain
9 Blasphemous Act
9 In Garruk's Wake
9 Skull Storm
Instants
2 Rakdos Charm
3 Chaos Warp
3 Sudden Spoiling
3 Vona's Hunger
4 Fact or Fiction
Planeswalker
5 Liliana Vess
5 Tezzeret the Seeker
8 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Enchantments
3 Phyrexian Arena
3 Necropotence
5 Mindmoil
5 Dictate of Erebos
Artifacts
1 Sol Ring
2 Thought Vessel
3 Chromatic Lantern
3 Phyrexian Altar
3 Mimic Vat
3 Rings of Brighthearth
3 Ashnod's Altar
4 Helm of Possession
4 Bident of Thassa
5 Eldrazi Monument
6 Island
11 Swamp
6 Mountain
1 Ash Barrens
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Spirebluff Canal
1 Crumbling Necropolis
1 Temple of Epiphany
1 Dimir Aqueduct
1 Command Tower
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Blood Crypt
1 Crypt of the Eternals
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Academy Ruins
And there it is. This is by no means a definitve guide to playing Thraximundar - I'm constantly updating this list. There are still places I can improve, and this is a work in progress. I'd like to add more value at the higher end of the curve, or work on reducing the curve, but haven't quite found anything that gives the explosive impact I want.
Feel free to give suggestions or comments.
Thanks!
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate
I think if anything, I'd be just as happy to lower the curve. As it is, Thrax should really be closer to the top of the list with not a lot else there. Things like Bloodfire colossus and Molten Primordial, maybe Prince of Thralls are pretty high up the curve and could potentially be dropped for better value.
Kraum, Ludevic's Opus
Out:
Molten Primordial
Temporary creature advantage for permanent card advantage. And lower curve.
BChainer, Dementia Master(Big Mana/Reanimator)
BRRakdos, The Showstopper (Mass Life Loss/Ramp)
BUThe Scarab God (Zombie Tribal/Control)
BWKarlov of the Ghost Council (Life Gain)
BGJarad, Golgari Lich Lord (Stompy/Dredge)
BRGProssh, Skyraider of Kher (Tokens/Non-infinite Combo)
No, partially because I don't have a copy, and partially because I'd rather see her in the 99. Thrax I like at the head because he sets a solid tempo to the game; you keep up or he rumbles you, and he seems to come out at just the right time to really cause some havoc. I'm pretty happy with him at the head, any further changes will be to the 99, not the 100th.
I'm just gonna put this here if you're interested at all: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/multiplayer-commander-decklists/562460-solrunes-marchesa-the-black-rose-flipping-thrones
Good luck!
BChainer, Dementia Master(Big Mana/Reanimator)
BRRakdos, The Showstopper (Mass Life Loss/Ramp)
BUThe Scarab God (Zombie Tribal/Control)
BWKarlov of the Ghost Council (Life Gain)
BGJarad, Golgari Lich Lord (Stompy/Dredge)
BRGProssh, Skyraider of Kher (Tokens/Non-infinite Combo)
Thank you. I'll probably not change anyway, but thanks for the link anyway. As I said I already have a couple of recursion based decks, I'm not really interested in another.
I wanted to cut the curve down, and really ramp into Thrax earlier, and with more ruthless efficiency. Let's be honest, at 7 mana, he's up the curve a lot. So the rest of the deck needed fat trimming.
Out:
Prince of Thralls
Nezumi Graverobber
Spawning Bed
Deadeye Navigator
Retreat to Coralhelm
Mortician Beetle
Voidmage Husher
Wild Ricochet
Reign of the Pit
Cruel Ultimatum
Sepulchral Primordial
Chronozoa
In:
Sudden Spoiling
Blood Artist
Strionic Resonator
Spinerock Knoll
Mana Geyser
Sengir Autocrat
Soldevi Adnate
Stunt Double
Vampire Hexmage
Promise of Power
Flameshadow Conjuring
Chandra, Pyromaster
Hedron Archive
This should all lower the overall curve, trim some of the fat, make the deck run a little leaner and meaner, and still keep the sacrifice for benefit subtheme going.
In
Liliana Vess
Out:
Bloodgift Demon
Really this is all about swapping a phyrexian arena for a pseudo-tutor. I need a sac outlet or specific lands, so it makes sense to me.
In:
Aether Hub
Out:
Swamp
Mana fixing. Will also be looking at swapping out for Cascading Cataracts if I pull it over the weekend. There's not a lot else for Thrax in Amonkhet yet. HoD may bring new things, especially with confirmation of a new Bolas. Fingers crossed for then.
In:
Cascading Cataracts
Falkenrath Aristocrat
Phyrexian Arena
Out:
Terramorphic Expanse
Spinal Embrace
Chandra, Pyromaster
I pulled apart my Wort, Boggart Auntie deck to build Krenko, Mob Boss so had a few goodies left over. The additions should smooth out the draw, the curve and the colour fixing somewhat. In a big flavour win, also exchanged all of the basic lands with full art amonkhet lands complete with Bolas horns. Seemed appropriate, and they look sweet.
In:
Harsh Mentor - Low on the curve, and it hurts for interfering with what I'm doing. Heopfully it doesn't draw too much attention - that being said if you want to waste removal on a 2 drop, go right ahead.
Out:
Bloodfire Colossus - I really like this card. It's a ticking time bomb that guaranteed will not hit Thrax. But it's very expensive to cast.
In:
Vial Smasher the Fierce - Good value low CMC creature that hurts. Also opens up the opportunity to play this as a partner deck with Kraum, Ludevic's Opus
Coalition Relic - As far as colour fixing goes, this is a great addition.
Out:
Flameshadow Conjuring - This may come back in at some point as it has some pro's.
Chancellor of the Forge - Out due to CMC.
So, I need some non removal answers. I like the idea of adding something like Rakdos Charm as a deterrent to swarms, but some bounce would be really good too. It'd be nice to have it on a creature - Man-O'-War could do as its cheap, but ideally something like Barrin, Master Wizard would be excellent. I have the token support to make his ability really count, and he would fit in just nicely. In a pinch, Nightscape Master could also make it happen, as could Neurok Replica.
Work in progress...
Rakdos Charm - All modes are relevant.
Out:
Gem of Becoming - Slow, slow ramp. I have better options now.
In:
Barrin, Master Wizard
Out:
Soldevi Adnate
Nice control element that will be very valid and is a far better sacrifice element than the adnate.
In:
Phyrexian Altar - So definitely need a Trophy Mage in here now.
Rakdos Signet
Out:
Stunt Double
Void
These two just weren't performing, so they go for mana and colour fixing.
In:
Trophy Mage
Out:
Burnished Hart
This is probably as much of a nod to tutoring as I'm willing to head towards here: This deck needs the 3 CMC artifacts: Ashnod's Altar, Phyrexian Altar or Coalition Relic - one of the three, depending on the point at which I'm playing the Trophy Mage. By comparison the Hart is slow, big ramp. Which isn't the worst thing in the world, but it doesn't quite serve as well as it could in other decks.
In:
Apprentice Necromancer - fits the sac theme with Thrax, and haste for the reanimated is legit.
Doomed Necromancer - Not quite as good, but still fun.
Dawn of the Dead - with the altars this is right at home.
Out:
Blood Artist
Dread Return
Torrent of Souls
In:
Demon of Dark Schemes
Crypt of the Eternals
Dread
Soul's Fire
Out:
Butcher of Malakir
Cascading Cataracts
Etherium-Horn Sorcerer
Twisted Justice