DREDGEVINE IS BACK BABY...but with a new transformational sideboard trick!
As many of you are aware, Dredgevine is a modern deck based around using dredge cards like Golgari Grave-Troll to dump cards like
Bloodghast
and
Vengevine
into the yard and cheat them into play!
What makes this version different?
Well, most lists play red for Faithless Looting. Although this lets you have a bit more controlled tricks and can really dredge you later, adding a 3rd color can be much more powerful and I intend to make that clear. We play blue and replace Faithless Looting with Hedron Crab. It is less controlled, but more powerful.
Blue also gives us access to
Skaab Ruinator
. With delve we also have access to Gurmag Angler, but the flying that
Skaab Ruinator
has is extremely relevant.
Lastly, what makes this deck very interesting with blue is our sideboard plan. I believe we are all familiar with the Gifts Ungiven + Unburial Rites
combo. If not, here is how it works:
You cast Gifts Ungiven on your opponents endstep searching for just Unburial Rites and either Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite or Iona, Shield of Emeria. They both go to the yard and you reanimate on your turn! The great thing about this is that, since I am dredging through my deck anyways, this can happen without Gifts Ungiven. Gifts Ungiven can also put
Vengevine
in the yard and basically wins us the game!
This combo might deserve a mainboard slot, but Dredgevine is known to be a fairly tight list, and this is 6 slots. I like it as a sideboard option since it isn't necessary, nor relevant, against some matchups.
Engine Cards
Hedron Crab is a turn one play and why we play Darkslick Shores. Dumps lots to the yard.
Golgari Grave-Troll has dredge 6, need I say more?
Satyr Wayfinder helps us play less land and fills the yard.
Grisly Salvage is an instant, dumps to the yard, and gives us a creature or land? Yes please!
Lotleth Troll
Is an early beater and lets us discard the cards we need in the yard. Allstar of the deck!
Liliana of the Veil doubles as removal and discard. Playing this and a white splash makes me wonder if I should play Lingering Souls, but I'm not sure just yet. Most Dredgevine decks don't play liliana, but I find that with the lack of Faithless Looting, it fills a similar roll with also making opponents discard.
Wants in the yard
Vengevine
...well the deck is named after this card...
Bloodghast
comes back over and over and over!
Gravecrawler is our main way to get back
Vengevine
Beaters
Gurmag Angler is a 5/5 for . There is argument to run Tombstalker, but because you need to cast 2 creature cards to get back
Vengevine
, the requirement is a bit much.
Skaab Ruinator
is a 5/6 flier for 3! Ends the game quick all on its own.
Sideboard
We have our combo: Gifts Ungiven
+
Iona, Shield of Emeria
+
Unburial Rites
or Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
+
Gifts Ungiven
+
Unburial Rites
.
Gnaw to the Bone reads we beat burn and hyperaggressive decks (not infect though).
Spellskite is just one of the best sideboard cards in modern. Good against twin, bogles, burn, and more!
Thoughtseize helps us fight combo and deal with problem cards before they become a problem.
Scavenging Ooze is good in the mirror, any deck running Snapcaster Mage, and can even be relevant against burn,
Cards to consider
Lingering Souls is a great value card to dump into the yard with all of our engines.
Birds of Paradise accelerates us, which is relevant when playing the combo, but not as relevant otherwise. If I main the combo, I think we want 4 of these. It is also helpful as another one drop with
Vengevine
. Noble Hierarch is in the colors in this case, but the deck generally attacks with multiple creatures. And not being able to generate is pretty bad for this deck anyways.
Conclusion
This is Dredgevine 2.0! It has better matchups than the usual Dredgevine because it can beat creature decks with
Skaab Ruinator
as well as having room for Liliana of the Veil. Not to mention access to a combo that destroys many decks in the meta. I would love opinions and suggestions, +1 if you like!