In honor of our return to Dominaria, I'm currently working on a custom scheme deck that pits the team against Yawgmoth and the Phyrexian Invasion of Dominaria. The players will be utilizing custom EDH decks they built for the Bolas archenemy stuff we did (they use planeswalkers as commanders and built very flavorful decks around them), as I felt as though it'd be nice to give these decks a second life.
So far, I have come up with these schemes, and debating on creating more or just just adding duplicates of some of them;
The Invasion Begins
Ongoing Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion and at the start of your turn, put a 2/2 horror creature token into play. Any opponent may choose to sacrifice two creatures or discard three cards during their upkeep to force you to abandon this scheme.
His Grand Design
Ongoing Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, draw two cards. Each of your spells with Phyrexian in their name, artifact spells and black creature spells you cast have their cost reduced by 1. Each time you cast one of these spells, each opponent loses 1 life. At the beginning of your opponents' upkeep, they may each choose to sacrifice a creature and/or discard 2 cards to force you to abandon this scheme.
Eternal Evolution
Ongoing Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, each opponent discards a card. At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a creature, you may exile target creature or an artifact card that is in an opponent's graveyard and put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control.
The Portals Awaken
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion put a Phyrexian Portal artifact token into play with "At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a creature or artifact, then put that card into play tapped and shuffle the rest of the revealed cards into your library".
Centuries of Planning
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, for each opponent, chose and exile a nonland permanent that player controls. If you exiled at least one permanent, draw a card.
Specialized Killer
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion choose an opponent. Put a 4/1 black horror assassin creature token into play with protection from that player. It attacks that player or a planeswalker they control each turn if able.
Spreading Corruption
Ongoing Scheme
At the end of your opponents' turn, one of them must sacrifice a land or each of them takes 2 damage. One of them may choose and discard three cards at any time to force you to abandon this scheme.
Sleeper Agent
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, choose a creature an opponent controls. You gain control of that creature and it becomes black addition to its other colors. If there are no creatures to gain control of, choose an opponent and that player reveals cards off the top of their library until they reveal a creature. Put that creature into play under your control (it is black in addition to its other colors) and put the rest of the revealed cards into their owner's graveyard.
Plague Will Cover the Land
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, each opponent sacrifices two lands and creatures they control each receive a -1/-1 counter.
A Battle of Numbers
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, each opponent that controls fewer creatures than you takes damage equal to the difference in creatures you both control. Each player that takes damage in this way chooses to sacrifice a creature or give you control of a land they control of your choice.
A Greater Purpose
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, gain control of target artifact an opponent controls. If there are no artifacts to gain control of in this way, draw 2 cards.
Part of His Glorious Perfection
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, for each opponent, return a creature from that player's graveyard to the battlefield tapped under your control. Those creatures are black in addition to their other colors.
Phyrexian Battle-Host
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, put 3 2/2 black horror creature tokens and a 3/3 construct artifact creature token with flying all into play tapped.
The Stronghold
Ongoing Scheme
Your opponents cannot cast spells during your turn, and their creatures receive -1/-0 until end of turn when they attack you. At the end of your opponents' turn, if you were attacked by at least one creature from each of them, abandon this scheme.
Rath's Overlay
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, each opponent sacrifices a land and discards a card. Your creature spells cost 2 less and lands your opponents control produce C instead of their normal type and amount when tapped for mana until your next turn.
I am going to be a building a non-EDH deck that is large and full of duplicates, running most of the classic Phyrexian stuff from Ice Age block through Invasion block (and likely a lot of duplicates). I may even splash a few cards from scars block, but avoiding overly Mirran cards and anything with infect as that was not a refined strategy until that point in time. I am sticking to thematic for deck building.
Looking for deck inclusions to maintain the classic Phyrexian theme as well as opinions on the strength of the schemes.
So far, I have come up with these schemes, and debating on creating more or just just adding duplicates of some of them;
Ongoing Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion and at the start of your turn, put a 2/2 horror creature token into play. Any opponent may choose to sacrifice two creatures or discard three cards during their upkeep to force you to abandon this scheme.
His Grand Design
Ongoing Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, draw two cards. Each of your spells with Phyrexian in their name, artifact spells and black creature spells you cast have their cost reduced by 1. Each time you cast one of these spells, each opponent loses 1 life. At the beginning of your opponents' upkeep, they may each choose to sacrifice a creature and/or discard 2 cards to force you to abandon this scheme.
Eternal Evolution
Ongoing Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, each opponent discards a card. At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a creature, you may exile target creature or an artifact card that is in an opponent's graveyard and put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control.
The Portals Awaken
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion put a Phyrexian Portal artifact token into play with "At the beginning of your upkeep, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a creature or artifact, then put that card into play tapped and shuffle the rest of the revealed cards into your library".
Centuries of Planning
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, for each opponent, chose and exile a nonland permanent that player controls. If you exiled at least one permanent, draw a card.
Specialized Killer
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion choose an opponent. Put a 4/1 black horror assassin creature token into play with protection from that player. It attacks that player or a planeswalker they control each turn if able.
Spreading Corruption
Ongoing Scheme
At the end of your opponents' turn, one of them must sacrifice a land or each of them takes 2 damage. One of them may choose and discard three cards at any time to force you to abandon this scheme.
Sleeper Agent
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, choose a creature an opponent controls. You gain control of that creature and it becomes black addition to its other colors. If there are no creatures to gain control of, choose an opponent and that player reveals cards off the top of their library until they reveal a creature. Put that creature into play under your control (it is black in addition to its other colors) and put the rest of the revealed cards into their owner's graveyard.
Plague Will Cover the Land
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, each opponent sacrifices two lands and creatures they control each receive a -1/-1 counter.
A Battle of Numbers
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, each opponent that controls fewer creatures than you takes damage equal to the difference in creatures you both control. Each player that takes damage in this way chooses to sacrifice a creature or give you control of a land they control of your choice.
A Greater Purpose
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, gain control of target artifact an opponent controls. If there are no artifacts to gain control of in this way, draw 2 cards.
Part of His Glorious Perfection
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, for each opponent, return a creature from that player's graveyard to the battlefield tapped under your control. Those creatures are black in addition to their other colors.
Phyrexian Battle-Host
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, put 3 2/2 black horror creature tokens and a 3/3 construct artifact creature token with flying all into play tapped.
The Stronghold
Ongoing Scheme
Your opponents cannot cast spells during your turn, and their creatures receive -1/-0 until end of turn when they attack you. At the end of your opponents' turn, if you were attacked by at least one creature from each of them, abandon this scheme.
Rath's Overlay
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, each opponent sacrifices a land and discards a card. Your creature spells cost 2 less and lands your opponents control produce C instead of their normal type and amount when tapped for mana until your next turn.
I am going to be a building a non-EDH deck that is large and full of duplicates, running most of the classic Phyrexian stuff from Ice Age block through Invasion block (and likely a lot of duplicates). I may even splash a few cards from scars block, but avoiding overly Mirran cards and anything with infect as that was not a refined strategy until that point in time. I am sticking to thematic for deck building.
Looking for deck inclusions to maintain the classic Phyrexian theme as well as opinions on the strength of the schemes.