My reasoning behind Devout Invocation, Wolfbriar Elemental, and White Sun's Zenith is that later in the game the provide a large outlet for either combat damage (haste) or burst with Purphoros, God of the Forge. I've never had an issue meeting their casting requirements, but I will test out some of your recommendations. ^.^
My Lovisa deck runs a combination of Warrior, Berserker, and Barbarian tribal because my general pretty much demands it. I also used to run tribal vampires with Olivia Voldaren at the helm.
Sudden Spoiling and Godsire are probably my two current favorites. Sudden spoiling just answers so many things, and Godsire because he's a fatty that spawns other fatties, and tends to win games if he isn't answered.
My Kresh deck is built to absolutely abuse Sneak Attack. In Varolz, Lord of Extinction is, more often than not, involved in my wins whether I scavenged him out for counters or flung him with Jarad.
I tend to focus more on commanders I enjoy (flavor, art, abilities, power, ect.) more than deck mechanics. While I do try to keep them somewhat unique from each other, combat is a wincon that comes up fairly frequently.
For example: I currently have two graveyard based decks, Varolz, the Scar-Stripped and Kresh the Bloodbraided. With Varolz, I use things like Entomb and Buried Alive to thrown creatures I can scavenge out into my graveyard. The rest of my creatures generally have some sort of mechanic that makes them worthy of being scavenged on to. My Kresh build wants to use something like a Sneak Attack + Phyrexian Reclamation combo, preferably with a sac outlet, to get as many ETB and Death triggers as possible, all while pumping Kresh to lethal. Some people in my playgroup question how I can stand using two graveyard based decks, but to me they are very different.
Now that I think about it, artwork may be my biggest factor in choosing a general.
My strategy is going to be a little different than yours, as most of the time I'm not intending to reanimate the cards, but I suppose the theory is the same. You want to grab things that will either help you from the graveyard like Incarnations, or things you can use fairly soon, depending on how much graveyard hate is in your meta. Bloodghast and Reassembling Skeleton are good choices if you don't have a reanimation spell in hand, otherwise I would grab one of those two and then maybe something bigger.
These are the generals I run/have run this year. I can't speak for other members of my play group, as I don't know if any if them will end up on the forums.
My reasoning behind Devout Invocation, Wolfbriar Elemental, and White Sun's Zenith is that later in the game the provide a large outlet for either combat damage (haste) or burst with Purphoros, God of the Forge. I've never had an issue meeting their casting requirements, but I will test out some of your recommendations. ^.^
Marath: Mirari's Wake, Dragonmaster Outcast, Purphoros, God of the Forge, the previously mentioned Luminarch Ascension, Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, and Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite.
Kresh: Mostly just Gravepact, Sneak Attack, and Sheoldred, Whispering One here. Not much else is scary enough on it's own.
I will say that any time one of the Praetors hits the field, that player is going to recieve a bit of hate, generally.
For example: I currently have two graveyard based decks, Varolz, the Scar-Stripped and Kresh the Bloodbraided. With Varolz, I use things like Entomb and Buried Alive to thrown creatures I can scavenge out into my graveyard. The rest of my creatures generally have some sort of mechanic that makes them worthy of being scavenged on to. My Kresh build wants to use something like a Sneak Attack + Phyrexian Reclamation combo, preferably with a sac outlet, to get as many ETB and Death triggers as possible, all while pumping Kresh to lethal. Some people in my playgroup question how I can stand using two graveyard based decks, but to me they are very different.
Now that I think about it, artwork may be my biggest factor in choosing a general.
My strategy is going to be a little different than yours, as most of the time I'm not intending to reanimate the cards, but I suppose the theory is the same. You want to grab things that will either help you from the graveyard like Incarnations, or things you can use fairly soon, depending on how much graveyard hate is in your meta. Bloodghast and Reassembling Skeleton are good choices if you don't have a reanimation spell in hand, otherwise I would grab one of those two and then maybe something bigger.
Kresh the Bloodbraided
Olivia Voldaren
Lovisa Coldeyes
Varolz, the Scar-Stripped
Skullbriar, the Walking Grave
Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
Oona, Queen of the Fae
These are the generals I run/have run this year. I can't speak for other members of my play group, as I don't know if any if them will end up on the forums.