I have a scarab god deck that does fairly well in my play group. It's not super powerful either but it is pretty fun and holds it own.
For lords I have: Lord of the Undead, Diregraf, Cemetary and Death Baron. Death Baron and Cemetary I would say are the most important of the 4 I use imo. In addition, I only run like 13 zombies total in my deck. To many board wipes to focus on them in my playgroup so I just steal from Gy's to make them from the creatures my opponents have die.
My deck also has several like steal stuff from gy cards. Cemetary Reaper, Scarab God, Coffin Queen, Beacon of Unrest, Gravespawn Sovereign, Geth, Phyrexian Delver, Animate Dead.
I think you would want a good amount of utility especially if their is a decent amount of board wipes as you mentioned. Using Paradox haze for two upkeeps makes Scarab god much more useful.. In addition, Sakashima to clone him. That's 2-4 triggers of his ability during upkeep. Can even use Copy Enchantment or Clever Impersonator to get more but that's kinda overdoing it. However, Clever Impersonator has a spot in my version of the deck he just has a lot of uses. Leyline of Anticipation > Vedalken Orrey. Same CMC but has a chance to come in free start of the game.
The only real combo/infinite I use in my deck is the Gravecrawler + Phyrexian Alter + Diregraf/plague belcher/vengeful dead. It's infinite life loss to opponents. I also have Paradox engine/Intruder alarm because I run mana rocks/Magus of the coffers and can get infinite mana to Exsanguinate for game too.
I personally have very little draw in my deck. I have several tutors and the scarab guy scry's like a champ.
The problem I keep seeing with the scarab god is people want to do too much with him. They want to go zombies, they want to gy steal, they want to go mill, they want to combo. Imo just pick 1 maybe 2 things and stick to it. Like I said my deck only has like 13 zombies it in. They are more so used for utility not as a tribal. My deck runs several board wipes, targeted removal and other cards to keep the board clear so I can steal there beats or just creatures with good abilities. If the game takes to long or I see I need to win soon. I just tutor and search for my infinites and hope for the best.
So my decklist is updated with what I play currently with it.... I have played quite a few games and 1v1 and multiplayer and so far I am having fun playing it. It's not super fast but it holds it own. I have only won twice without going infinite though which I would like to fix.
My budget is alright I guess to work with. I can probably drop 2-300 on the deck over time. In addition, I am trying to make it somewhat competitive. At least to keep up with my playgroup.
The first game I won going infinite with Gravecrawler, Phyrexian Arena and Diregraf Captain. Personally I don't like Bloodchief ascension and that other two card enchantment combo for the lifeloss/lifegain thingy. So I just don't want them in the deck. I also don't want to run counter spells which is why you don't see any in my list.
Yeah I have a few cards that are like PUT ME IN THE DECK! but I haven't put them in yet to try them out. I just got an Exsanguinate I need to fit in and that new blue enchantment that whenever I play an instant/sorcery I can copy it. From this Hours of Devastation set from the Pre-release.
I'm still play testing and tweaking the deck. I feel like I should add in a couple more zombies too. I only have 12 in the deck. So most the time I never feel like I get to use his Life loss/Scry ability. However, I did build this deck more of a Black Board control and GY steal.
Thank you for your advice. I will look into most of the stuff you suggested.
This is my take on the Scarab God so far. It doesn't emphasize on zombies as much. It's leaning more to a control/combo aspect. With a GY steal. Even your little guys become 4/4 zombies when I steal them which helps fuel the Scarab god. The goal is the preferably steal your creatures with good ETB abilities or useful abilities in general. All the while slowly killing you with them or combo out with Vengeful, Diregraf or Plague Belcher.
I have played 3 games with this deck so far. Each one seemed a tad slow but I am still trying to figure out how exactly to work it and what to Tutor for. I did win two of those 3 games. However, the matches weren't like the best. Krenko vs Scarab God vs Precon(that was two of the games) and Lavisa vs Scarab God vs Precon.. I won one of the matches against Krenko and the one against Lavisa.
The cards in my "Maybeboard" section are ones I have but haven't tried yet.... Few cards I know I want for the deck but do not own yet are.... Exsanguinate, Vengeful Dead and Training Grounds
Thank you all for your time and possibly help with making this a better deck.
Personally I think Rhystic study would be too good to pass up. I understand what you are saying how you feel mid/late game it might not do as much as people will have plenty of mana but that isn't always the case either. They might of just drawn of a bunch of cards themselves they want to play but can't if they want to deny draw. Also if they are paying the extra mana to deny the draw they aren't playing as many spells so it's win-win. In addition, you are running blue so if you were to like Cyclonic Rift even mid/late game. They would have to start playing everything again having to decide if they want to get as much out as possible or deny card draw and play less.
Sakashima the impostor That clone as well. She can clone your locust god giving you twice as many tokens.
These are much more janky idea's but like the Onslaught block Words of warWords of wind If you have tons of extra mana and don't want to draw at the moment due to thinking you might deck or just don't need to draw that much right then.
What about that blue enchantment Training grounds? That would make all those abilities on creatures cost less.
One of the other cards I was considering in my build is Intruder Alarm(Not as good as Paradox engine but similar). I was thinking that with a way to constantly bring a creature into the field I can keep untapping my creatures or like Magus of the coffers to generate infinite mana to Exsanguinate
I actually really like this deck idea. I plan to use the theme you built for my own but with some changes to it as I start getting the cards. I was curious on one rules interaction that you had stated.
Sakashima coming in as a clone of the Scarab lord. If she is dies. I does she actually go back to the hand at the beginning of the next end step? I know she can if you pay the mana for the ability she keeps. I am just asking because it specifically says "When the scarab god dies" But she keeps her name and ability stays worded "when the scarab god dies". I'm not to great with the rules. Just trying to find out.
For lords I have: Lord of the Undead, Diregraf, Cemetary and Death Baron. Death Baron and Cemetary I would say are the most important of the 4 I use imo. In addition, I only run like 13 zombies total in my deck. To many board wipes to focus on them in my playgroup so I just steal from Gy's to make them from the creatures my opponents have die.
My deck also has several like steal stuff from gy cards. Cemetary Reaper, Scarab God, Coffin Queen, Beacon of Unrest, Gravespawn Sovereign, Geth, Phyrexian Delver, Animate Dead.
I think you would want a good amount of utility especially if their is a decent amount of board wipes as you mentioned. Using Paradox haze for two upkeeps makes Scarab god much more useful.. In addition, Sakashima to clone him. That's 2-4 triggers of his ability during upkeep. Can even use Copy Enchantment or Clever Impersonator to get more but that's kinda overdoing it. However, Clever Impersonator has a spot in my version of the deck he just has a lot of uses. Leyline of Anticipation > Vedalken Orrey. Same CMC but has a chance to come in free start of the game.
The only real combo/infinite I use in my deck is the Gravecrawler + Phyrexian Alter + Diregraf/plague belcher/vengeful dead. It's infinite life loss to opponents. I also have Paradox engine/Intruder alarm because I run mana rocks/Magus of the coffers and can get infinite mana to Exsanguinate for game too.
I personally have very little draw in my deck. I have several tutors and the scarab guy scry's like a champ.
The problem I keep seeing with the scarab god is people want to do too much with him. They want to go zombies, they want to gy steal, they want to go mill, they want to combo. Imo just pick 1 maybe 2 things and stick to it. Like I said my deck only has like 13 zombies it in. They are more so used for utility not as a tribal. My deck runs several board wipes, targeted removal and other cards to keep the board clear so I can steal there beats or just creatures with good abilities. If the game takes to long or I see I need to win soon. I just tutor and search for my infinites and hope for the best.
I took out. Jace, Heartstone, Strionic resonator and Copy Enchantment.
The first game I won going infinite with Gravecrawler, Phyrexian Arena and Diregraf Captain. Personally I don't like Bloodchief ascension and that other two card enchantment combo for the lifeloss/lifegain thingy. So I just don't want them in the deck. I also don't want to run counter spells which is why you don't see any in my list.
Yeah I have a few cards that are like PUT ME IN THE DECK! but I haven't put them in yet to try them out. I just got an Exsanguinate I need to fit in and that new blue enchantment that whenever I play an instant/sorcery I can copy it. From this Hours of Devastation set from the Pre-release.
I'm still play testing and tweaking the deck. I feel like I should add in a couple more zombies too. I only have 12 in the deck. So most the time I never feel like I get to use his Life loss/Scry ability. However, I did build this deck more of a Black Board control and GY steal.
Thank you for your advice. I will look into most of the stuff you suggested.
This is my take on the Scarab God so far. It doesn't emphasize on zombies as much. It's leaning more to a control/combo aspect. With a GY steal. Even your little guys become 4/4 zombies when I steal them which helps fuel the Scarab god. The goal is the preferably steal your creatures with good ETB abilities or useful abilities in general. All the while slowly killing you with them or combo out with Vengeful, Diregraf or Plague Belcher.
I have played 3 games with this deck so far. Each one seemed a tad slow but I am still trying to figure out how exactly to work it and what to Tutor for. I did win two of those 3 games. However, the matches weren't like the best. Krenko vs Scarab God vs Precon(that was two of the games) and Lavisa vs Scarab God vs Precon.. I won one of the matches against Krenko and the one against Lavisa.
The cards in my "Maybeboard" section are ones I have but haven't tried yet.... Few cards I know I want for the deck but do not own yet are.... Exsanguinate, Vengeful Dead and Training Grounds
Thank you all for your time and possibly help with making this a better deck.
The Scarab God
1x Avatar of Woe
1x Cemetery Reaper
1x Clever Impersonator
1x Coffin Queen
1x Crypt Ghast
1x Death Baron
1x Diregraf Captain
1x Erebos, God of the Dead
1x Fleshbag Marauder
1x Geth, Lord of the Vault
1x Gravecrawler
1x Gravespawn Sovereign
1x Havengul Lich
1x Lich Lord of Unx
1x Lord of the Undead
1x Magus of the Coffers
1x Nirkana Revenant
1x Ogre Slumlord
1x Phyrexian Delver
1x Plague Belcher
1x Rune-Scarred Demon
1x Sakashima the Impostor
1x Solemn Simulacrum
1x Grave Titan
Enchantment (12)
1x Animate Dead
1x Attrition
1x Dictate of Erebos
1x Grave Pact
1x Intruder Alarm
1x Leyline of Anticipation
1x Paradox Haze
1x Phyrexian Arena
1x Rhystic Study
1x Grave Betrayal
1x Training Grounds
1x Swarm Intelligence
1x Brainstorm
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Hero's Downfall
1x Pongify
1x Rapid Hybridization
1x Vampiric Tutor
Planeswalker (2)
1x Liliana of the Dark Realms
1x Liliana Vess
Land (35)
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Cabal Coffers
1x Choked Estuary
1x Command Tower
1x Darkslick Shores
1x Drowned Catacomb
1x Evolving Wilds
1x Fetid Pools
1x Halimar Depths
7x Island
1x Polluted Delta
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Sunken Hollow
12x Swamp
1x Terramorphic Expanse
1x Underground River
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Watery Grave
Artifact (9)
1x Chromatic Lantern
1x Dimir Signet
1x Lightning Greaves
1x Paradox Engine
1x Phyrexian Altar
1x Sensei's Divining Top
1x Sol Ring
1x Swiftfoot Boots
1x Thought Vessel
1x Beacon of Unrest
1x Beseech the Queen
1x Damnation
1x Decree of Pain
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Innocent Blood
1x Life's Finale
1x Ponder
1x Bontu's Last Reckoning
1x Exsanguinate
Sakashima the impostor That clone as well. She can clone your locust god giving you twice as many tokens.
These are much more janky idea's but like the Onslaught block Words of war Words of wind If you have tons of extra mana and don't want to draw at the moment due to thinking you might deck or just don't need to draw that much right then.
One of the other cards I was considering in my build is Intruder Alarm(Not as good as Paradox engine but similar). I was thinking that with a way to constantly bring a creature into the field I can keep untapping my creatures or like Magus of the coffers to generate infinite mana to Exsanguinate
Sakashima coming in as a clone of the Scarab lord. If she is dies. I does she actually go back to the hand at the beginning of the next end step? I know she can if you pay the mana for the ability she keeps. I am just asking because it specifically says "When the scarab god dies" But she keeps her name and ability stays worded "when the scarab god dies". I'm not to great with the rules. Just trying to find out.