Instant (33)
- 1x Abrupt Decay
- 1x Ad Nauseam
- 1x Angel's Grace
- 1x Assassin's Trophy
- 1x Blink of an Eye
- 1x Brainstorm
- 1x Counterspell
- 1x Cyclonic Rift
- 1x Delay
- 1x Dimir Charm
- 1x Dramatic Reversal
- 1x Enlightened Tutor
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1x
Flusterstorm
- 1x Force of Will
- 1x Lim-Dul's Vault
- 1x Mana Drain
- 1x Memory's Journey
- 1x Mental Misstep
- 1x Muddle the Mixture
- 1x Mystical Tutor
- 1x Nature's Claim
- 1x Noxious Revival
- 1x Opt
- 1x Paradoxical Outcome
- 1x Reality Shift
- 1x Repeal
- 1x Shadow of Doubt
- 1x Silence
- 1x Swan Song
- 1x Vampiric Tutor
- 1x Whir of Invention
- 1x Winds of Rebuke
Sorcery (7)
Land (30)
- 1x Arid Mesa
- 1x Bayou
- 1x Bloodstained Mire
-
1x
Breeding Pool
- 1x Command Tower
- 1x Exotic Orchard
- 1x Flooded Strand
- 1x Forest
-
1x
Godless Shrine
-
1x
Hallowed Fountain
- 2x Island
- 1x Mana Confluence
- 1x Marsh Flats
- 1x Misty Rainforest
- 1x Morphic Pool
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1x
Overgrown Tomb
- 1x Plains
- 1x Polluted Delta
- 1x Savannah
- 1x Scalding Tarn
- 1x Scrubland
- 1x Swamp
- 1x Tropical Island
- 1x Tundra
- 1x Underground Sea
- 1x Verdant Catacombs
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1x
Watery Grave
- 1x Windswept Heath
- 1x Wooded Foothills
Enchantment (9)
Commanders (2)
Artifact (16)
- 1x Azorius Signet
- 1x Chrome Mox
- 1x Fellwar Stone
- 1x Grafdigger's Cage
- 1x Grim Monolith
- 1x Isochron Scepter
- 1x Mana Crypt
- 1x Mana Vault
- 1x Mox Amber
- 1x Mox Diamond
- 1x Mox Opal
- 1x Paradox Engine
- 1x Sensei's Divining Top
- 1x Simic Signet
- 1x Sol Ring
- 1x Talisman of Dominance
Creature (3)
The Primer may be out of date but the list is not
Latest Update Trying Paradoxical Outcome as a free draw spell/bounce of anti-synergy if needed on combo turn.
![](https://i.imgur.com/pJIVHrE.jpg"IntroBanner")
Overview
Humility is a strong blanket hoser against almost every deck. It shrinks aggro decks, stops combos, and blanks engine creatures. Windmill slamming Humility and being able to protect/recur it will likely buy the time needed to win comfortably.
Because of the namesake, win conditions and overall deck construction are restricted. Win conditions need to be able to work without creatures. The overall gameplan of the deck needs to function with Humility on the board.
This version plays a very heavy Draw-Go game, using main phases only to play ramp/engines and hate pieces. The general gameplan is to play grindy control, but the deck is able to adapt a faster combo gameplan if needed.
Running four colors does make mana a concern. To make matters worse, the color spread is pretty even. The deck is pretty consistent but if the manabase is directly attacked a couple times, getting the right colors to cast multiple spells can be tough. An unanswered Blood Moon is usually lights out too. Other versions of Humility decks can be:
HE-MAN - Lilbrudder has done a lot of work to improve the archetype and bring it to the cEDH meta. This list is more suited on the early turns with lower mana investment engines, as well as forsaking graveyard synergies to include the power of Rest in Peace. The list also runs less fetches to accomadate Suppression Field.
Zur Stax- Zur is a versatile stax engine that can put out hate pieces that work with the Humility gameplan.
Queen Marchesa Cataclysm- I am currently experimenting with the idea of a Queen Marchesa stax deck that works with Humility.
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Low CMC: Both Commanders are very cheap costed. This lets me cast them without tapping out or even getting them down early as a card draw engine for slower matchups. If they get removed, they are easily recasted without breaking the bank.
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Card Draw: T&T both draw cards. This frees up a lot of deck space for more interaction and ramp. Since I don't have to worry about making enough slots, I can be more consistent early on.
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Two Heads Are Better Than One: The partner mechanic is busted. I get to start the game with an "extra" card and they are both cheap. I can play more lands since 4 land hands are perfectly fine. Mana screw is a thing of the past!
The cons for playing T&T are:
- Small Bodies: Thrasios and Tymna won't be giving any sort of clock. They don't usually block well either. Tymna has lifelink but dies to almost anything. If I am swinging her to draw cards, it is usually at a player with no creatures.
Strengths
Adaptable Gameplan: This deck is able to switch between fast combo, grindy control, and hateful stacks in a moments notice. This is useful in a diverse meta with vastly differing pods.
Strong Matchups: Humility is effective versus almost every archetype. There are few matchups where I feel like the underdog.
Weaknesses
Blood Moon/B2B Decks: Blood Moon is very strong in cEDH. Especially against 4&5 color decks like this one. There is plenty of removal for these effects but a turn 2 Moon can effectively shut this deck down for a long time.
Storm Decks: Humility is not effective vs storm. Storm decks are hard to interact with and get tougher to beat in the long game. I have been tossing around ideas to best combat this but it is still a tough matchup.
![](https://i.imgur.com/8OZ2jcb.jpg"CardChoiceBanner")
Card Choices
These are cards that I have tried and found lackluster or cards that I am considering to slot in.
Jace, the Mind Sculptor: A card draw engine that also works with Counterbalance. Not playing it because of fragility and the lack of need for another card draw engine.
Torpor Orb: Another asymmetrical hate piece. Not playing it because it misses a lot of combos.
Suppression Field: Stops a lot of combos and slows the game down. Hurts fetches in this 4c manabase and engines like Life from the Loam and Counterbalance/ Sensei's Divining Top.
Rest in Peace: A very powerful hate piece that does fit the gameplan, but this verison is running too many graveyard synergies to warrant playing this.
Copy Enchantment: Can double up on card advantage engine or provide redundancy on hate pieces. Also a nice "combo" with Sterling Grove.
Yawgmoth's Will: Makes Intuition better and is a great recoup card. Conflicts with Seasons Past though.
Silence: Combo protection that makes looping carefree.
Tainted Pact: An all in tutor that combos with double scepter.
Ad Naus Windfall (Full Cost )
Ad Nauseam paired with Angel's Grace draws the entire deck. From there, cast Brainstorm to put Regrowth and any card on top. Windfall to draw the Regrowth. Regrowth the Windfall and cast that to draw all opponents out.
This is an insane amount of mana but drawing the deck will provide the mana positive rocks to help. Ad Nauseam is often used as an end step draw 20 to set up the Dramatic Scepter line anyway.
Dramatic Scepter (Full Cost and rocks generating +)
With Dramatic Reversal imprinted on Isochron Scepter I can generate infinite mana with rocks if they generate 3 or more mana. With that infinite mana, I have a few options. Easiest option is to use Blind Obedience to extort all opponents to death.
Seasons Past Loops: I can continually cast Seasons Past if I have a Demonic Tutor to fetch it up. From there I can cast any card in my graveyard as mana times as I like. If I Tutor or a second tutor, I can then play any card in my deck as many times as I like.
Thrasios' Noxious Memory Loop: If I am able to play and activate Thrasios, I can draw my entire deck. I can do a loop of casting any card I want using Memory's Journey, Noxious Revival, and the card I wish to cast. Sensei's Divining Top can impersonate Thrasios under a Humility.
Winds of Rebuke Mill: Play a nonland permanent. Cast Winds of Rebuke to bounce it. Loop back Winds. Repeat.
Nature's Claim Life: Play a rock. Nature's Claim. Loop them both back. Repeat.
Banana Ball: Beast Within each opponent's permanents. Then Reality Shift on the beasts to exile their decks.
Infinite Swans: Cast a spell. Counter it with Swan Song. Loop them both back. Repeat.
It is a good idea to follow up with Raven's Crime to empty the opponent's hand(s).
The deck remains mostly the same. Same combos, just a much worse mana base and loss of mana rocks.
![](https://i.imgur.com/8OGfBWd.jpg"GameplanBanner")
Gameplan
Gameplan vs Popular Archetypes
FlashHulk/Nooze: These fast combo decks demand early interaction. I would even avoid tapping out turn 2 for a card advantage engine. Later in the game, landing and protecting a Humility should mean victory.
Tasigur/Rashmi: It is important to keep Rashmi and Tasigur off the table. These decks will try to win through card advantage and their generals are powerful engines. Humility is also effective vs these decks. Loam/Crime is an engine that can effectively push Rashmi out of the game as well.
Stacks: These decks are a tough matchup. The biggest concern for these decks are the Blood Moon/Back to Basics effects. Try to be ready to answer these. Another issue is mana denial. Because this deck tries to be very reactive, it is important to have access to enough mana to be able to answer each opponent if able. Sometimes though, if mana denial is symmetrical, letting it stick may be the best course of action to slow down fast combo decks and storm.
Storm: This is probably the worst matchup. Storm is very hard to stop in the late game and Humility is not effective vs it. Attacking mana and cards is key to winning this matchup. Cards like Mystic Remora and Raven's Crime can secure card advantage. Attacking mana is possible with Strip Mine/Life from the Loam and artifact removal. Blind Obedience is also a solid stax piece vs non-tide versions. Graveyard hate in the form of Nihil Spellbomb can also be relevant vs Kess, dissident mage and Yawgmoth's Will
Assessing Threats
What to let go and what needs answered: One issue that players new to control make is using interaction on everything they can. It is important to realize that you do not have the resources to do this. Some spells are not impactful enough to waste mana/cards on. Learning what spells are important to certain strategies comes with time. See the "Playing With Counterbalance" section to learn more about this.
Protecting Hate Pieces: Typically, I want to protect my hate pieces. Countermagic and Sterling Grove are useful for that. Humility draws a lot of hate and opponents will come after it. Sometimes, if I suspect one of my opponents can win or make a big play, I may be forced to let Humility or another hate piece die in order keep interaction up. I can always Regrowth/Noxious Revival later.
Issues and Pitfalls
Piloting the deck can be difficult. Many situations have immense decision trees and it takes a long time to streamline the decision making process.
Mulligans can be wonky because the deck floats between control, stax, and fast combo. This leads to some weird opening hands.
Because of the hate pieces and Draw-Go style, it can sometimes be difficult to close a game out even if I have a good grip on the game. I have died to Mana Crypt on several occasions.
What Can Go Wrong: Stacks, Bad mulligan
Mulligans
One of the biggest pitfalls for mediocre players is improper mulliganing. They don't know how important it is and small misjudgments can make-or-break a game. Mulligans are influenced by a lot of things. What is my decks gameplan? How will my opponents strategies affect the viability of my opening hand? How will my opponents mulligan for me? I'll give you the breakdown on how to mulligan this deck properly.
The most important factor is color fixing. Do I have the proper colors to function? The deck leans more towards black and blue so having a couple lands that can produce that will normally do. Of course, this could be bad if my hand happens to be full of other color spells. As long as I am able to cast a couple cards I am usually confidant that I will draw into the other colors.
Because my commanders are cheap costed and can net early cards, I am able to keep more lands in my opener. Four lands usually feels bad for other control decks but it is workable in this deck.
As for functionality, I almost always need at least one interactive card (preferably countermagic) to be prepared for early locks like Blood Moon or Tangle Wire locks. I also want some form of card advantage or filtering. A Sylvan Library, Mystic Remora, or Brainstorm will do the trick. Lastly, a ramp spell helps tremendously. An early Sol Ring or Mox Diamond makes me feel much safer vs stacks decks. Turn 2 Tymna usually ensures a steady stream of cards.
Keeping in mind the matchup is important too. I don't want to keep a hand that has a lot of card advantage but no ramp if I am sitting with a group of stacks or fast combo decks. I would be more concerned with having some ramp and interaction.
Likewise, storm and control matchups affect mulliganing. I want to be able to attack their hand and/or mana if able. I would also like to string together a combo quicker in this case.
Good Hand Show
Bad Hand Show
Questionable Hand Show
Goals: Prevent opponents from winning and make them run out of gas
What Can Go Wrong: Over-control, Tapping out
Establishing Card Advantage
When the fast combo dust has settled, it is time to worry about card advantage. These are some of the engines I would look to deploy around this time:
Mystic Remora: The most powerful and easy to play card draw engine. It is very difficult for opponents to combat this without removal. Most opponents try to play through it and drown.
Scroll Rack/Land Tax: Literally Ancestral Recall every turn. Not too difficult to trigger Land Tax in multiplayer. Can use Strip/Loam if need be.
Thrasios, Triton Hero: Becomes very relevant in the late game. A useful mana sink in the command zone that can be the push needed to stabilize.
Life from the Loam: A resilient engine that ensures land drops. Very important for a slow grindy game.
Seasons Past: More late game, this mirrors Loam. It ensures an endless stream of spells with a tutor. Also used as a combo piece. High mana investment can be a burden though.
The mid game is all about control. It is very rare to launch a combo at this point. Most strong decks look to win around this time so keeping interaction handy is important around turns 4-6.
Over-controlling: Throwing removal and countermagic at the wrong stuff can lose me a game. It is important to not be tempted to use end step mana for a kill spell to stay on curve. If I feel safe from instant-wins, I'd rather use a Thrasios activation then kill a nonessential permanent.
Tapping Out: I want to avoid this if at all possible. Tapping out can let an opponent know the coast is clear to combo. Even if I somehow don't have interaction, I may choose to leave mana open to make a combo player hesitant. It may buy me a crucial turn.
What Can Go Wrong: Punting a combo, Attrition, Unexpected combos
Assembling Combos
Typically, I won't tutor for a combo until I happen to draw into one of the pieces. It is also best to wait until the opponents have either tapped out and/or I have countermagic backup.
Muddle the Mixture can grab pieces for the Dramatic Scepter combo. There will usually be enough rocks on board this late in the game.
Ad Nauseam can be used as an end step draw ~20. This will usually draw Angel's Grace and Regrowth or tutors for those cards. Ad Nauseam will also draw countermagic backup.
Lockdown
If I don't feel comfortable comboing or I have yet to draw the pieces, I may opt to assemble one of the late game engines:
Life from the Loam/Strip Mine: A great way to put a greedy 3+ color deck out of the game.
Life from the Loam/Raven's Crime: A slow, yet resilient engine that is great vs control and storm.
Counterbalance: Soft lock that works with many of the cards in the deck.
How and when to “assemble” Counterbalance: Counterbalance is a soft lock that requires constant attention. There are plenty of cards that interact with it.
Sensei's Divining Top: The most important card to pair with it. This works well with fetches and can put itself on top to counter a 1 drop.
Brainstorm: The easiest way of activating Counterbalance at instant speed.
Lim-Dul's Vault: This card is a decent tutor while also being a functional counterspell with Counterbalance.
Noxious Revival: Is part of an Intuition pile and Memory's Journey loop. A very nice gotcha card with Counterbalance.
Dimir Charm: Versatile enough to warrant a slot anyway, can also filter the top of the deck. Winds of Rebuke: A tricky bounce spell that messes up Doomsday and top deck tutors. Can be used to filter cards with Sensei's Divining Top.
Vampiric Tutor/ Enlightened Tutor: It’s not uncommon to use these tutors to fetch a combo piece that also counters.
Sylvan Library: Sadly at sorcery speed but given the density of 2/1 cmc cards, this works fine.
Reality Shift/ Memory's Journey: These are weird cases but can still work. I have cast Memory's Journey with no cards left in my library to counter a spell.
It is incorrect to use Counterbalance for every spell. I don’t want to reveal to counter an insignificant spell and then my opponents play around that cmc or know all my draws for little payoff. When an opponent cast a spell, I ask myself a couple questions:
Does this hinder me in a meaningful way: Opponents will sometimes destroy rocks or creatures as a mana sink or bait. I need to consider if saving my stuff is worth the mana/information. An opponent killing Thrasios is not a big deal when I can just recast him for 4 mana. Likewise, losing a mana rock may not be much of a setback.
Is this somewhat crucial to my opponent’s gameplan: Some spells are just too low impact to worry about. Cheap cantrips and dorky creatures may be tempting to counter, but are usually not worth the mana/card investment in countering.
Does pursuing a Counterbalance counter set me back too far: Using Counterbalance requires either cards to setup (Lim-Dul's Vault) or mana (Sensei's Divining Top). I may need the mana or card for something else and let some spells slip through.
As for blind flips, I typically never do this unless my opponent is trying to do something strong. Revealing the information can give away my gameplan or let my opponent know they have the all-clear to combo.
After experimenting with Intuition, I have since found it lackluster and have taken it out.
Still ironing out the kinks on Intuition, but it is really fun to use.
Tutoring: If I want a specific card I can pile Noxious Revival, Regrowth, and the card I want.
Double Entomb: More than half of the time I use Intuition, is to force an opponent to give me an answer (typically Mana Drain) and entomb Raven's Crime/Life from the Loam. These cards ensure that I have the fullest grip late game. A decent hoser versus storm decks too.
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| Top Ranked |
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| Date added | 7 years |
| Last updated | 6 years |
| Legality | This deck is not Commander / EDH legal. |
| Rarity (main - side) | 13 - 0 Mythic Rares 50 - 0 Rares 19 - 0 Uncommons 13 - 0 Commons |
| Cards | 100 |
| Avg. CMC | 1.80 |
| Tokens | Bird 2/2 U, Manifest 2/2 C |
| Folders | Unique EDH Lists, Card ideas, Interesting Commander Decks, like, 4c Control, EDH Variants, decks i like, Partner, -stuff, Primers |
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