I suppose Mr. Bones isn't much of a "deck" anymore though. I mean, I've played with this combo in various Commander decks over the years (the decks surrounding the combo are almost another topic entirely)
I am severely interested in any sort of list you might be able to share. Even if you feel like you never got to an optimized deck, know that you would at least make me very happy by allowing me to peruse it.
So i have been brewing this deck for a while now. It started out as a Zo-Zu the Punisher MLD deck, but it did not work and made me no friends at all! So i tried making a mono red deck with Joven as a meme commander, based on group draw and some draw tax boosted by Furnace of Rath and Dictate of the Twin Gods. But that kinda sucked too, mono red is weak i feel. So i had the idea to add black, since black is a super strong color, and then i stumbled over Mogis, God of Slaughter.
"But Mr. Sorcerer, i run Thought Vessel and Reliquary Tower, thereby slowing down your game?" you say. HA, this is why we have these cards in the deck as well!
"B-but Mr. Sorcerer what about your lands? If you play devastation you will be ****ed, no?". I thought of this, so i included mana rocks! in alphabetical order:
So that is the whole deck! I have two spare commanders for situations in my playgroup. One guy runs Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker, for that guy i run Olivia Voldaren and steal his commander when its in play. This other guy runs a Thraximundar deck that steals my *****, for him i run Xantcha, Sleeper Agent and give him Xantcha
then we have a big ass maybe-pile that i cant fit:
Any reason it is not on the usefull cards list? Many high value slivers are power 2 or less. His casting cost equals the Overlords tutoring ability cost, except it is theoretically possible to cast the recruiter before your commander is in play. Could potentially be a way of fixing your early game, or is it too janky?
Probably a decent include, but I'd probably run it in addition to Training Grounds. Training Grounds is so good that a second copy at 1 green mana more would be welcome.
Galerider Sliver - Flying for U is nice, but i am considering removing both this guy and Winged Sliver for some higher value cards Winged Sliver Quick sliver - MVP when the deck goes of, must have. Diffusion Sliver - This guy is also close to being swapped out, but it might simply be that i don't notice spells NOT targeting my Slivers. On the fence Victual Sliver - Can turn sweepers into life gain, but seems a little janky? also in danger of being swapped. Not proactive enough. Crypt Sliver - MVP, must have Heart Sliver - MVP, must have Crystalline Sliver - MVP, must have Muscle Sliver - Close to swapping, but sometimes bodies are just nice to have on the board. On the fence Sinew Sliver - If i cut muscle i will cut this guy too. Thinking of Ward Sliver and the coinflip Sliver to replace them maybe? Hibernation Sliver - Possibly the single most useful Sliver in my eyes. Won many games on this guy. Predatory Sliver - Same as muscle and sinew Gemhide Sliver - MVP, must have Manaweft Sliver - MVP, must have Syphon Sliver - MVP, must have Opaline Sliver - Nice value when its ability goes off, it rarely does though. I guess the deterrent factor is usefull? in doubt if this is proactive enough Necrotic Sliver - MVP, must have Harmonic Sliver - Up there with Hibernation Sliver. Massive MVP Dormant Sliver - Massive value! Huge MVP Telekinetic Sliver - A whole board of Maze of Iths? Yes please! Bonescythe Sliver - Saved my ass in an epic fight against a Stax deck. Love the guy Shifting Sliver - Awesome Finisher Essence Sliver - Stacks with Syphon Sliver, very useful! Root Sliver - Compliments Cavern of Souls. Highly useful in the right matchup. Pulmonic Sliver - Flying is nice, but the graveyard shenanigans is where it really shines. Even then, i wonder if its too slow? Sliver Queen - I took out the combo since i never got it off. she is good value on her own, but i wonder if we can find more value in another card? Then again, her and Legion on the same board is a severe threat. Thoughts? Might Sliver - Might swap. Same thoughts as Muscle Sliver and Sinew Sliver Brood Sliver - Baits removal instantly in my playgroup, so that's useful. Synapse Sliver - Good value Sliver Hivelord - Indestructible slivers? Yes please! Sliver Legion - Win con in itself. Won me many games.
Genestealer Cult (12):
Amoeboid Changeling - Only once did this guy help me out. Considering swapping Eternal Witness - Good value, deck needs the graveyard recursion. Does solid work, especially together with Sun Titan & Skullclamp Yavimaya Elder - Part of the draw and ramp package, solid card, Skullclamp target. Purphoros, God of the Forge - Even without the Sliver Queen combo he just lies there and pings. Ping ping ping. And then a Living Death resolves and everybody dies. MVP Academy Rector - Wonderfull card, i either get Omniscience or Journey to Eternity depending on gamestate. Solid card. Oracle of Mul Daya - Crazy card together with exploration. Great ramp! Karametra, God of Harvests - Just sits there and ramps. Ramp ramp ramp. Love it. Seedborn Muse - This list often comes down to "did you draw or tutor muse? You win. Did you not? You lose!" Maybe i fail to see all the lines of play possible? Acidic Slime - Such a nice card. Sun Titan - Again a fantastic card. Nice synergies with Journey and Eternal witness. All around value generator. Rune-Scarred Demon - Demonic Tutor on a stick. Nuff said. Kozilek, Butcher of Truth - Easily ramped into with Coffers and Itlimoc and whatever else ramp, good way of recurring your graveyard too. I don't see myself not running him.
Cult Leader:
Vivien Reid - Slots right in. Love this card. Her ult won me a couple games.
Sacred relics of the Adeptus Mechanicus stolen by the cult (9):
Skullclamp - Love this card, and this deck has several good targets. Even the not so good targets can just be recurred if you really need the draw. Chromatic Lantern - Mana fixing like no other. Darksteel Ingot - Target for Harmonic Slivers ability. Sol Ring - Duh. Vanquisher's Banner - The draw is nuts! MVP, must have. Sword of Feast and Famine - Fills the same role as Seedborn Muse. Stoneforge Mystic could raise my winrate by fetching it. Can grab the clamp too. I really want a Stoneforge Mystic. Burnished Hart - Unsure on this guy. Feel like other more powerful cards could fill the slot. Solemn Simulacrum - This guy however is always nice to draw. Crucible of Worlds - Needed for fetchlands in the yard.
Omniscience - Feels cheesy to get it on turn 5 with Academy Rector. Exploration - Ramp ramp ramp Into the Wilds - Ramp ramp ramp Journey to Eternity - Slots right in. if it ends in the yard, bring it back with Sun Titan. Trigger it with Necrotic. Wear opponent out with endless value. MVP, must have Growing Rites of Itlimoc - Fits right in. When i get my Cradle i think i will leave it in. Wonderful card. Phyrexian Arena - Classic, fits right in.
Mana (26):
10x Fetches
2x OG duals
5x GRN shocklands
1x Mountain
1x Island
2x Forest
1x Plain
1x Swamp
1x Gemstone Mine
1x Command Tower
1x Ancient Ziggurat
Utility Lands (9):
Buried Ruin - Unsure about this guy, point is to get Crucible and Sword back, but often a dead draw. Maybe Muldrotha instead? Sliver Hive - Nice fixing, the rare token, and flavour. Not bad but not insane either. Keeping it mostly for flavour. Cavern of Souls - Very good in certain matchups. Exotic orchard - This guy i just put in because multiplayer. Probably gonna swap. Cabal Coffers - Commander tax needs paying? The cabal's got your back! Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth - Coffers needs this guy. Strip Mine - Feelbad card for my opponent, feel good card for me. Maze of Ith - love this guy Volrath's Stronghold - The flavour is strong, but i feel its a bit slow. Unsure what to sub with though, and the flavour IS nice.
Maybe pile:
Distant Melody - Good draw. This deck can use the draw often i feel. But sometimes hard to get value out of this guy. What would be better draw? Loxodon Warhammer - Lifelink is nice, trample is nice. But maybe some other equipment is better? Assassin's Trophy - I feel like it is good removal, but i also feel like the ramp you give to your opponents is not negligible Profane Procession Repeatable removal that becomes mana fixing. Maybe too slow?
Hello! This primer has been a huge help to me, so thank you to the responsible parties for creating it!
I used the "Great Devourer" list but modified it a bit and would love to talk about my choices, and moreso, hear your thoughts on my choices. I will post the list later, i dont have acces to it right now as i am trapped in a boring class in school.
What really brought me to create a profile here is the following question:
Any thoughts on Biomancer's Familiar from the new set? Worth an include? Should it replace Training Grounds or compliment it? What slot should it replace if we include it?
I am severely interested in any sort of list you might be able to share. Even if you feel like you never got to an optimized deck, know that you would at least make me very happy by allowing me to peruse it.
I really like that guy, he's my new best friend!
So the basic plan is to have these cards in play:
Font of Mythos
Horn of Greed
Howling Mine
Iron Maiden
Otherworld Atlas
Skullcage
Temple Bell
Group Hug! The table will love you for it! But that only lasts until you play discard tax cards like
Liliana's Caress
Megrim
Sangromancer
Raiders' Wake
Fell Specter (this is filling in for Exquisite Blood until i get mail)
This is the moment where your game plan dawns on them and they start hating on you. At that point you should have drawn into these cards:
Wheel of Fortune
Reforge the Soul
Wheel of Fate
Dark Deal (i like to call this card Dark Wheel. Hehe, hehehe, heh.
Barbed Shocker
thereby closing the game through heavy mass discard + discard tax.
But this is not a 100 card deck, so i added in some draw tax as well. Cards like:
Psychosis Crawler
Fate Unraveler
Underworld Dreams
Kaervek the Merciless and Polluted Bonds is there to be all around annoying and tax playing cards in general.
This is the core of the deck! To sustain the concept further we have:
Anger to give haste to cards like Barbed Shocker
Charmbreaker Devils to recur our wheels
Crystal Chimes to recur enchantments
Beacon of Unrest to recur artifacts and creatures
Midnight Recovery to recur creatures. (Waiting on a Yawgmoth's Will in the mail to put in this slot)
Also included is Demonic Tutor and Gamble for tutoring.
To manage the board a bit we have
Terminate
Plaguecrafter
Massacre Wurm
Chainer's Edict
Earthquake (This will be upgraded to a Damnation in the future)
Black Sun's Zenith
The Eldest Reborn sort of serves as both a bit of control and a bit of recursion, gotta love it.
"But Mr. Sorcerer, i run Thought Vessel and Reliquary Tower, thereby slowing down your game?" you say. HA, this is why we have these cards in the deck as well!
Vandalblast
Viashino Heretic
Devastation
"B-but Mr. Sorcerer what about your lands? If you play devastation you will be ****ed, no?". I thought of this, so i included mana rocks! in alphabetical order:
Caged Sun
Chromatic Lantern
Coalition Relic
Commander's Sphere (will replace this guy with Gauntlet of Might when blinging out the deck)
Darksteel Ingot (waiting on a Thought Vessel to replace this guy in the mail as i type this)
Doubling Cube
Extraplanar Lens
Gauntlet of Power
Sol Ring
Thran Dynamo
See? i thought of EVERYTHING!
All of these cards rock, but you really need to draw into a lot of them for their synergies to be useful. So i added draw!
Dark Prophecy
Dark Tutelage
Phyrexian Arena
Erebos, God of the Dead
Ruin Raider
You might think the core "Every player draws a card" shell might be enough draw, but it really is not in my experience.
Some of this draw kills you slowly, so i added in some weapons to give lifelink and other nifty effects:
Basilisk Collar
Illusionists Bracers
Lightning Greaves
Loxodon Warhammer
Umezawa's Jitte
You cant play cards without lands! And playing them from the graveyard is super nifty too, so we have Crucible of Worlds in the deck as well.
Akoum Refuge (Filling in for a Reliquary Tower)
Badlands
Blood Crypt
Bloodfell Caves
Bloodstained Mire
Buried Ruin
Cinder Marsh
Command Tower
Evolving Wilds
Geier Reach Sanitarium
Gemstone Mine
Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
Myriad Landscape
Rakdos Carnarium
Reflecting pool
Rogue's Passage
Snow-Covered Mountain x 7
Snow-Covered Swamp x 10 (3 of these will become a Cabal Coffers, Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, and a Cabal Stronghold once i get mail)
Strip Mine
Terramorphic Expanse
This is still not 100 cards, so we have
Burnished Hart
Solemn Simulacrum
Sanguine Bond
Journeyer's Kite (Waiting for a Liliana of the Dark Realms in the mail to replace this)
So that is the whole deck! I have two spare commanders for situations in my playgroup. One guy runs Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker, for that guy i run Olivia Voldaren and steal his commander when its in play. This other guy runs a Thraximundar deck that steals my *****, for him i run Xantcha, Sleeper Agent and give him Xantcha
then we have a big ass maybe-pile that i cant fit:
Vampire Nighthawk a bit of extra lifegain would be nice, maybe?
Hypnotic Specter the nostalgia!
Larceny some more discard! bit expensive CMC though.
Ruby Medallion & Jet Medallion Figured these two slots would not be worth, or would they maybe?
Godo, Bandit Warlord can fetch your much needed lifelink in certain situations, maybe?
Syphon Mind discard AND draw! Wow! But its not a permanent that you can keep triggering, and i really like those in a singleton format
Goblin Matron & Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker Not really enough potential for shenanigans, but then again maybe copying a massacre wurm can be good?
Chaos Warp more removal maybe?
Gilded Lotus more ramp maybe?
Fleshbag Marauder, Miasmic Mummy and Liliana's Specter nice multiplayer discard cards, but are they beefy enough?
Liliana of the Veil sick discard card, but what to cut?
Angrath, the Flame-Chained another sick discard card, but what to cut for it?
Liliana Vess discard and tutoring maybe?
Magus of the Wheel, Memory Jar, Runehorn Hellkite, Dragon Mage, Chandra Ablaze, MORE WHEELS FOR THE WHEEL-GOD!!! But how to fit them in? Cut the entire draw tax package maybe?
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth or some of the other big boi eldrazi, the deck dont really run threats like that, maybe it should?
Magus of the Will More Yawgmoth is more good stuff!
Painful Quandary or Spiteful Visions should fit right in right?
Rune-Scarred Demon, Vampiric Tutor & Imperial Seal we need to tutor those key enchantments to make the deck play, maybe?
Toxic Deluge & Blasphemous Act more boardwipes maybe?
Pain Magnification seems to fit right in right?
Rise of the Dark Realms & Insurrection cool finishers maybe?
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed badass recursion for the enchantments that we so desperately need. Maybe?
Torment of Hailfire Broken ass card
Sheoldred, Whispering One Broken ass card
Sword of the Animist do we need the ramp? Maybe?
Any input on the huge maybe pile and the deck in general is much appreciated!
Cheers
Any reason it is not on the usefull cards list? Many high value slivers are power 2 or less. His casting cost equals the Overlords tutoring ability cost, except it is theoretically possible to cast the recruiter before your commander is in play. Could potentially be a way of fixing your early game, or is it too janky?
My thoughts exactly.
As promised here is my list.
Hivemind:
Sliver Overlord
Tyranid Swarm (31):
Galerider Sliver - Flying for U is nice, but i am considering removing both this guy and Winged Sliver for some higher value cards
Winged Sliver
Quick sliver - MVP when the deck goes of, must have.
Diffusion Sliver - This guy is also close to being swapped out, but it might simply be that i don't notice spells NOT targeting my Slivers. On the fence
Victual Sliver - Can turn sweepers into life gain, but seems a little janky? also in danger of being swapped. Not proactive enough.
Crypt Sliver - MVP, must have
Heart Sliver - MVP, must have
Crystalline Sliver - MVP, must have
Muscle Sliver - Close to swapping, but sometimes bodies are just nice to have on the board. On the fence
Sinew Sliver - If i cut muscle i will cut this guy too. Thinking of Ward Sliver and the coinflip Sliver to replace them maybe?
Hibernation Sliver - Possibly the single most useful Sliver in my eyes. Won many games on this guy.
Predatory Sliver - Same as muscle and sinew
Gemhide Sliver - MVP, must have
Manaweft Sliver - MVP, must have
Syphon Sliver - MVP, must have
Opaline Sliver - Nice value when its ability goes off, it rarely does though. I guess the deterrent factor is usefull? in doubt if this is proactive enough
Necrotic Sliver - MVP, must have
Harmonic Sliver - Up there with Hibernation Sliver. Massive MVP
Dormant Sliver - Massive value! Huge MVP
Telekinetic Sliver - A whole board of Maze of Iths? Yes please!
Bonescythe Sliver - Saved my ass in an epic fight against a Stax deck. Love the guy
Shifting Sliver - Awesome Finisher
Essence Sliver - Stacks with Syphon Sliver, very useful!
Root Sliver - Compliments Cavern of Souls. Highly useful in the right matchup.
Pulmonic Sliver - Flying is nice, but the graveyard shenanigans is where it really shines. Even then, i wonder if its too slow?
Sliver Queen - I took out the combo since i never got it off. she is good value on her own, but i wonder if we can find more value in another card? Then again, her and Legion on the same board is a severe threat. Thoughts?
Might Sliver - Might swap. Same thoughts as Muscle Sliver and Sinew Sliver
Brood Sliver - Baits removal instantly in my playgroup, so that's useful.
Synapse Sliver - Good value
Sliver Hivelord - Indestructible slivers? Yes please!
Sliver Legion - Win con in itself. Won me many games.
Genestealer Cult (12):
Amoeboid Changeling - Only once did this guy help me out. Considering swapping
Eternal Witness - Good value, deck needs the graveyard recursion. Does solid work, especially together with Sun Titan & Skullclamp
Yavimaya Elder - Part of the draw and ramp package, solid card, Skullclamp target.
Purphoros, God of the Forge - Even without the Sliver Queen combo he just lies there and pings. Ping ping ping. And then a Living Death resolves and everybody dies. MVP
Academy Rector - Wonderfull card, i either get Omniscience or Journey to Eternity depending on gamestate. Solid card.
Oracle of Mul Daya - Crazy card together with exploration. Great ramp!
Karametra, God of Harvests - Just sits there and ramps. Ramp ramp ramp. Love it.
Seedborn Muse - This list often comes down to "did you draw or tutor muse? You win. Did you not? You lose!" Maybe i fail to see all the lines of play possible?
Acidic Slime - Such a nice card.
Sun Titan - Again a fantastic card. Nice synergies with Journey and Eternal witness. All around value generator.
Rune-Scarred Demon - Demonic Tutor on a stick. Nuff said.
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth - Easily ramped into with Coffers and Itlimoc and whatever else ramp, good way of recurring your graveyard too. I don't see myself not running him.
Cult Leader:
Vivien Reid - Slots right in. Love this card. Her ult won me a couple games.
Sacred relics of the Adeptus Mechanicus stolen by the cult (9):
Skullclamp - Love this card, and this deck has several good targets. Even the not so good targets can just be recurred if you really need the draw.
Chromatic Lantern - Mana fixing like no other.
Darksteel Ingot - Target for Harmonic Slivers ability.
Sol Ring - Duh.
Vanquisher's Banner - The draw is nuts! MVP, must have.
Sword of Feast and Famine - Fills the same role as Seedborn Muse. Stoneforge Mystic could raise my winrate by fetching it. Can grab the clamp too. I really want a Stoneforge Mystic.
Burnished Hart - Unsure on this guy. Feel like other more powerful cards could fill the slot.
Solemn Simulacrum - This guy however is always nice to draw.
Crucible of Worlds - Needed for fetchlands in the yard.
Instants (2):
Vampiric Tutor - Tutoring at opponents endstep is nice.
Cyclonic Rift - Such a classic.
Sorceries (3):
Primal Surge - Combos with Omniscience. Such fun.
Merciless Eviction - One of the best sweepers in the format.
Living Death - Great yard recursion/sweeper
Enchantments (6):
Omniscience - Feels cheesy to get it on turn 5 with Academy Rector.
Exploration - Ramp ramp ramp
Into the Wilds - Ramp ramp ramp
Journey to Eternity - Slots right in. if it ends in the yard, bring it back with Sun Titan. Trigger it with Necrotic. Wear opponent out with endless value. MVP, must have
Growing Rites of Itlimoc - Fits right in. When i get my Cradle i think i will leave it in. Wonderful card.
Phyrexian Arena - Classic, fits right in.
Mana (26):
10x Fetches
2x OG duals
5x GRN shocklands
1x Mountain
1x Island
2x Forest
1x Plain
1x Swamp
1x Gemstone Mine
1x Command Tower
1x Ancient Ziggurat
Utility Lands (9):
Buried Ruin - Unsure about this guy, point is to get Crucible and Sword back, but often a dead draw. Maybe Muldrotha instead?
Sliver Hive - Nice fixing, the rare token, and flavour. Not bad but not insane either. Keeping it mostly for flavour.
Cavern of Souls - Very good in certain matchups.
Exotic orchard - This guy i just put in because multiplayer. Probably gonna swap.
Cabal Coffers - Commander tax needs paying? The cabal's got your back!
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth - Coffers needs this guy.
Strip Mine - Feelbad card for my opponent, feel good card for me.
Maze of Ith - love this guy
Volrath's Stronghold - The flavour is strong, but i feel its a bit slow. Unsure what to sub with though, and the flavour IS nice.
Maybe pile:
Distant Melody - Good draw. This deck can use the draw often i feel. But sometimes hard to get value out of this guy. What would be better draw?
Loxodon Warhammer - Lifelink is nice, trample is nice. But maybe some other equipment is better?
Assassin's Trophy - I feel like it is good removal, but i also feel like the ramp you give to your opponents is not negligible
Profane Procession Repeatable removal that becomes mana fixing. Maybe too slow?
Cards i haven't got yet, but want in the deck:
The rest of the OG duals
5x RNA shocklands
Gaea's Cradle
Patriarch's Bidding
Training Grounds
Biomancer's Familiar
Muldrotha, the Gravetide
Stoneforge Mystic
Survival of the fittest
Would love to hear you guys thoughts on this!
I used the "Great Devourer" list but modified it a bit and would love to talk about my choices, and moreso, hear your thoughts on my choices. I will post the list later, i dont have acces to it right now as i am trapped in a boring class in school.
What really brought me to create a profile here is the following question:
Any thoughts on Biomancer's Familiar from the new set? Worth an include? Should it replace Training Grounds or compliment it? What slot should it replace if we include it?