Main Idea
I'm pretty new to commander, but have spent a lot of time fiddling with decklists on Archidekt. I own a copy of Kresh the Bloodbraided, but haven't yet built a deck around him, and recently had the idea of using him in a forced combat deck with something like Fumiko the Lowblood or Agitator Ant and similar effects. I like the idea that it would create a fast paced, frenetic, and sometimes suicidal game. However, I'm not sure how to reliably get Kresh's ability to trigger on my own while maintaining that same kind of fast paced, high risk feel. I know that Jund colors have access to Thantis the Warweaver, but most strategies with her seem to focus on being a kind of pillow fort which just seems wildly out of character for Jund, and I haven't seen any games where she really produces that kind of effect.
Issues
I see three main problems with this approach:
This 'strategy' relies on everyone having creatures with which to spread around the damage, which is kind of at odds with Kresh wanting everything to die. Maybe things will just die through combat, and people will be motivated to keep playing creatures by the continual threat of being attacked. Or maybe they'll just board wipe, which brings me to point 2.
It's vulnerable to board wipes. I may be able to get around this by holding back a few aggressive creatures in hand and having adequate draw on death triggers, plus some instant speed bounce back effects like Supernatural Stamina.
I suspect that everyone would be eager to concentrate their attacks on me, as I'm the person who is forcing them to stuff that may put them in a disadvantaged position. I certainly don't mind being attacked since that's part of the feel, but if there's a natural way to spread the attacks around more evenly, I'd be very interested to hear it.
If Kresh isn't the right commander for this kind of deck, I'd be interested to know of a good alternative with a similar feel.
If I wasn't asking enough...
Maybe this is trying to stuff in too many ideas, I realized that Kresh and Massacre Girl make for a mean combo to kill everything and boost Kresh at the same time. I'd be glad to If there's a way to combine all three of these ideas in a reasonably consistent way, and on a budget. I suspect that these things work too much at cross purposes to really function well, but I'd like to see if anyone has any inspiration.
Kresh + Massacre Girl doesn't work the way you want. MG kills creatures by giving them =X/=X, meaning they'll probably die as a 0/0 and not put any counters on Kresh because their power is 0 when he sees them die. You'll only get counters from creatures whose base power is greater than their toughness.
I suspect that everyone would be eager to concentrate their attacks on me, as I'm the person who is forcing them to stuff that may put them in a disadvantaged position. I certainly don't mind being attacked since that's part of the feel, but if there's a natural way to spread the attacks around more evenly, I'd be very interested to hear it.
If Kresh isn't the right commander for this kind of deck, I'd be interested to know of a good alternative with a similar feel.
And some of the better/more on-theme cards:
Goad cards: Bloodthirsty Blade, Disrupt Decorum, Geode Rager, Grenzo, Havoc Razer, and Marisi, Breaker of the Coil - Goad is forced combat without the drawback of everyone attacking you. It loses that protection once you're down to the last opponent, but you will have accomplished your goal of "a fast paced, frenetic, and sometimes suicidal game." Kardur, Doomscourge - pseudo-Goad and life drain/gain. Also, pair it with Skull Collector for repeat triggers Duelist's Heritage - You can give doublestrike to a creature not attacking you on each player's combat Blood Frenzy and Berserk - You can pump an opponent's creature attacking another opponent and then remove the creature Assault Suit Brutal Hordechief - If you're already forcing combat, controlling blocks can give you an advantage Xantcha, Sleeper Agent
I'm pretty new to commander, but have spent a lot of time fiddling with decklists on Archidekt. I own a copy of Kresh the Bloodbraided, but haven't yet built a deck around him, and recently had the idea of using him in a forced combat deck with something like Fumiko the Lowblood or Agitator Ant and similar effects. I like the idea that it would create a fast paced, frenetic, and sometimes suicidal game. However, I'm not sure how to reliably get Kresh's ability to trigger on my own while maintaining that same kind of fast paced, high risk feel. I know that Jund colors have access to Thantis the Warweaver, but most strategies with her seem to focus on being a kind of pillow fort which just seems wildly out of character for Jund, and I haven't seen any games where she really produces that kind of effect.
Issues
I see three main problems with this approach:
- This 'strategy' relies on everyone having creatures with which to spread around the damage, which is kind of at odds with Kresh wanting everything to die. Maybe things will just die through combat, and people will be motivated to keep playing creatures by the continual threat of being attacked. Or maybe they'll just board wipe, which brings me to point 2.
- It's vulnerable to board wipes. I may be able to get around this by holding back a few aggressive creatures in hand and having adequate draw on death triggers, plus some instant speed bounce back effects like Supernatural Stamina.
- I suspect that everyone would be eager to concentrate their attacks on me, as I'm the person who is forcing them to stuff that may put them in a disadvantaged position. I certainly don't mind being attacked since that's part of the feel, but if there's a natural way to spread the attacks around more evenly, I'd be very interested to hear it.
If Kresh isn't the right commander for this kind of deck, I'd be interested to know of a good alternative with a similar feel.If I wasn't asking enough...
Maybe this is trying to stuff in too many ideas, I realized that Kresh and Massacre Girl make for a mean combo to kill everything and boost Kresh at the same time. I'd be glad to If there's a way to combine all three of these ideas in a reasonably consistent way, and on a budget. I suspect that these things work too much at cross purposes to really function well, but I'd like to see if anyone has any inspiration.
(W/U)(B/R)GForm of Progenitus, Shape of a Scrubland
BRGJund Tokens with Prossh, the Magic Dragon Foil
URGAnimar, the RUG CleanerFoil
RRRFeldon of the Third Path 2.0 Foil
BG(B/G)Not Another Meren DeckFoil
UR(U/R)Mizzix, Y Control and X Burn Spells
(W/U)(B/R)GHarold Ramos - The 35 Foot Long Twinkie (In +1/+1 counters)
UB(U/B)Dragonlord Silumgar
(W/U)(B/R)GForm of Progenitus, Shape of a Scrubland
BRGJund Tokens with Prossh, the Magic Dragon Foil
URGAnimar, the RUG CleanerFoil
RRRFeldon of the Third Path 2.0 Foil
BG(B/G)Not Another Meren DeckFoil
UR(U/R)Mizzix, Y Control and X Burn Spells
(W/U)(B/R)GHarold Ramos - The 35 Foot Long Twinkie (In +1/+1 counters)
UB(U/B)Dragonlord Silumgar
Here are some decklists for ideas:
My Marisi Goad deck
JuiceBOX's O-Kagachi Rattlesnake deck
precociousapprentice's Queen Marchesa Politics, Akido, Control deck
rshizz's Queen Marchesa Rattlesnakesdeck
Also Google "You did this to yourself MTG deck" - there are several builds that could have ideas for you
And some of the better/more on-theme cards:
Goad cards: Bloodthirsty Blade, Disrupt Decorum, Geode Rager, Grenzo, Havoc Razer, and Marisi, Breaker of the Coil - Goad is forced combat without the drawback of everyone attacking you. It loses that protection once you're down to the last opponent, but you will have accomplished your goal of "a fast paced, frenetic, and sometimes suicidal game."
Kardur, Doomscourge - pseudo-Goad and life drain/gain. Also, pair it with Skull Collector for repeat triggers
Duelist's Heritage - You can give doublestrike to a creature not attacking you on each player's combat
Blood Frenzy and Berserk - You can pump an opponent's creature attacking another opponent and then remove the creature
Assault Suit
Brutal Hordechief - If you're already forcing combat, controlling blocks can give you an advantage
Xantcha, Sleeper Agent
You can also discourage attacks at yourself with damage redirection cards: Boros Reckoner, Mogg Maniac, Spiteful Sliver, Spitemare, Truefire Captain, Stuffy Doll, Blazing Sunsteel, Brash Taunter, Wall of Souls
Deflecting Palm and Batwing Brume each punish your opponent for swinging at you
Delirium can also be used to redirect damage or simply make a creature hit its controller
2023 Average Peasant Cube|and Discussion
Because I have more decks than fit in a signature
Useful Resources:
MTGSalvation tags
EDHREC
ManabaseCrafter