I've been brewing around with [[Tormod, the Desecrator]] for a while and he can be an absolute house. I've seen him partnered mainly with blue for the selfmill, but I went with [[Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa]] to get Abzan colors for a more Aristocratsy approach
Withered Wretch is grave hate that also can target your own yard in a pinch to create a zombie every time.
I've also considered Colfenor, the Last Yew, because every 2/2 zombie brings back a 1 toughness creature. However, he is a bit expensive.
So far, the deck has been really fun, though I have run into one issue: Neither Commander actually helps you set up your engine in any way, so you need a lot of pieces. I've been trying to alleviate this with a robust tutor suite as all three colors contribute powerful pieces here. Furthermore, I've tried to focus on cards that play well with most other Aristocrats pieces by themselves and shied away from too many cards that require you to already have a big board. However, I still can't quite shake the feeling that what I've actually built is a Tevesh Szat deck...
Perhaps Tormod should go for more dredge than what I have built here. However, I have found that Tormod doesn't actually require many cards in the graveyard - his engines just need one Gravecrawler, or one creature with Gift of Immortality on the field.
How have you built Tormod? And would you have any suggestions for this deck in particular? Let me know!
1 Tormod, the Desecrator
1 Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa
Planeswalkers (3)
1 Vivien, Monsters' Advocate
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
Creatures (36)
1 Reassembling Skeleton
1 Recruiter of the Guard
1 Butcher of Malakir
1 Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
1 Ophiomancer
1 Karmic Guide
1 Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker
1 Smothering Abomination
1 Yawgmoth, Thran Physician
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Graveborn Muse
1 Withered Wretch
1 Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter
1 Dawntreader Elk
1 Mentor of the Meek
1 Protean Hulk
1 Hallowed Spiritkeeper
1 Caustic Caterpillar
1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
1 Cataclysmic Gearhulk
1 Gravecrawler
1 Ravenous Chupacabra
1 Pitiless Plunderer
1 Blood Artist
1 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
1 False Prophet
1 Wood Elves
1 Diligent Farmhand
1 Elvish Rejuvenator
1 Springbloom Druid
1 Sun Titan
1 Farhaven Elf
1 Viscera Seer
1 Eternal Witness
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Mitotic Slime
1 Eldritch Evolution
1 Diabolic Intent
Artifacts (7)
1 Sol Ring
1 Ashnod's Altar
1 Phyrexian Altar
1 Birthing Pod
1 Skullclamp
1 Arcane Signet
1 Spawning Pit
Enchantments (12)
1 Moldervine Reclamation
1 Aura Shards
1 Guardian Project
1 Fanatical Devotion
1 Awakening Zone
1 Phyrexian Reclamation
1 Tortured Existence
1 Evolutionary Leap
1 Growing Rites of Itlimoc // Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun
1 Gift of Immortality
1 Attrition
1 Doubling Season
Lands (38)
1 Khalni Garden
3 Forest
3 Plains
4 Swamp
1 Godless Shrine
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Canopy Vista
1 Exotic Orchard
1 Llanowar Wastes
1 Sandsteppe Citadel
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Temple Garden
1 Brushland
1 Indatha Triome
1 High Market
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Caves of Koilos
1 Tainted Field
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Woodland Cemetery
1 Tainted Wood
1 Isolated Chapel
1 Command Tower
1 Undergrowth Stadium
1 Vault of Champions
1 Brightclimb Pathway // Grimclimb Pathway
1 Bountiful Promenade
1 Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway
1 Terramorphic Expanse
These colors offer plenty of ways to abuse your tokens in addition to some really fun engines:
I've also considered Colfenor, the Last Yew, because every 2/2 zombie brings back a 1 toughness creature. However, he is a bit expensive.
So far, the deck has been really fun, though I have run into one issue: Neither Commander actually helps you set up your engine in any way, so you need a lot of pieces. I've been trying to alleviate this with a robust tutor suite as all three colors contribute powerful pieces here. Furthermore, I've tried to focus on cards that play well with most other Aristocrats pieces by themselves and shied away from too many cards that require you to already have a big board. However, I still can't quite shake the feeling that what I've actually built is a Tevesh Szat deck...
Perhaps Tormod should go for more dredge than what I have built here. However, I have found that Tormod doesn't actually require many cards in the graveyard - his engines just need one Gravecrawler, or one creature with Gift of Immortality on the field.
How have you built Tormod? And would you have any suggestions for this deck in particular? Let me know!