Black Sun's Zenith: Considering due to Melira, Sylvok Outcast which offers a one sided wrath effect.
Dimir House Guard: Have slotted in before, like it as another tutor and sac engine. Besides that fairly bland creature and can only have meren return to hand if have less than 4 experience counters.
From Beyond: Similar to Awakening Zone, this is a possible third enchantment token generator. Tokens are slightly better but card is one higher CC and we need to use an eldrazi in deck to make use of other ability.
Krosan Tusker
: An old favorite. It's cycling is why to use, and at 7CC pretty easy for meren to return to hand. By same token that's a lot of mana to spend to get value.
Melira, Sylvok Outcast: Was using with Cauldron of Souls, then realized Cauldron can't make infinite loop as new creatures lose the persist after die first time
Pattern of Rebirth: Great and fun card. This ends up working like a souped up one time
Recurring Nightmare
. Favorite targets include Sheoldred, Whispering One and Avenger of Zendikar.
Attrition: Not sure about keeping this here, don't have a lot of token generators and meren only returns one per turn. Does give additional value to grave pact enchantments, but the "non black" limitation is a big drawback
Bitterblossom
: Great if get early, tokens don't autosac but they have flying which deck has very few instances of. Great with Skullclamp
Dictate of Erebos: Essentially a second Grave Pact, has benifit of Flash and only in casting cost, but also is 1CC higher
Primal Growth
: Great mana ramp card. At worst its three mana for 1 extra land but most of time can get 2 lands and best part they come in untapped. So can usually cast something else after as well on turn three. Removed for more creature ramp
Regrowth: Willing to concede this is worth it because the cost is so low. At worst I've used to replay a fetch land to save me from a land screw situation. Along with Eternal Witness we have two cards, and one recurring, that can help get our non-creature cards back to our hand.
Sylvan Scrying: Used to fetch some of the key lands depending on situation.
Pox: Trusting this is worth playing more than having seen use so far.
Death Cloud
seems more controllable but can see it's mana cost being prohibitive. Would want to have Titania, Protector of Argoth out ideally or at least card like Grave Pact before casting.
Kokusho, the Evening Star: Part of drain pair with Gray Merchant of Asphodel. Worth noting this is one of only two flyers in deck currently, definitely one of the weaknesses of the deck. With three opponents alive this is +15 life and -5 around the table. Great card and due to death trigger perfect choice for Birthing Pod
Smothering Abomination: Is another flyer and offers potentially huge draw potential with tokens that Grim Haruspex does not, and also gives me something to fetch (and worthwhile) with From Beyond and potentially immediate card draw in that case from saved up scions. Trying out Rune-Scarred Demon instead again instead
Diligent Farmhand
: Good all around, 1CC can ramp and sacrifice itself.
Fyndhorn Elves: Another 1CC mana elf
Joraga Treespeaker
: Interesting card, the level up cost can be immediately returned through tap ability. Currently count ~9 elves in deck currently, so final level could be useful if have nothing else to invest in
Carrion Feeder: A second Viscera Seer, also can become a threat and can be useful potentially with Necrotic Ooze due to the +1/+1 counters
Avenger of Zendikar: Our primary token generator. Already worth using but our more landfall/sac focus of deck this could make a ton of tokens and make them enormous. Another reason don't mind not using Grave Titan as would want to go for Avenger most of the time anyway. Should attract board wipe.
Sheoldred, Whispering One: If not removed, and quickly, this could hand you the game. My favorite creature to get early with a Pattern of Rebirth. Combining both an auto Grave Pact and doubling Meren's ability in one card seems almost unfair.
Rune-Scarred Demon: It's a very nice creature, even though do already have Sidisi, Undead Vizier as a creature tutor, and at 7CC it can be dead card if drawn too early. Swapping back in for Smothering Abomination as was using that mostly for flying and this is better flyer and possible good target for Pattern of Rebirth.
Necroplasm: Not crazy about this, replacement for Massacre Wurm. Bad synergy with Titania, Protector of Argoth and other token generators. On flip side removes tokens regardless of size, and can be returned via dredge. But could backfire if can't sacrifice quickly.
Puppeteer Clique: Currently both only card for mirror match and also used for infinite combos from persist. Goes infinite with both Melira, Sylvok Outcast and Mikaeus, the Unhallowed. Important to note it only can recurse opponent's creatures and also exiles at end of turn for better or worse.
Solemn Simulacrum: Most expensive ramp card in deck. Used largely due to birthing pod: it helps fill the weak 4CC spot and offers a card with both ETB and on death triggers.
Farhaven Elf: Another 3CC ramp, can fetch swamps. Nothing special.
Ophiomancer: No other card in deck makes snakes, so it will make a snake every turn if none around. Wouldn't have noticed it said "beggining of EACH upkeep" if hadn't been pointed out to me. The deatchtouch snake is good for blocker if nothing else, or with a Viscera Seer have easy way to build lots of experience counters quickly.
Bloodghast: Landfall/destruction is a secondary theme. Compared to other self recurring creatures it costs no mana to recur. With all the ramp, fetch lands, and Titania, Protector of Argoth should be able to recur easily. Good use with Ashnod's Altar
Zulaport Cutthroat: The Triskelion of the deck. Cheap and easy to get out and unlike Blood Artist it hits all opponents at once. Not a very threatening card in of itself so could stay out and provide some decent life gain, which we need more than ever with lots of lifeloss cards. Can work with several infinite combos that involve persist/undying. Great way to take advantage of Necrotic Ooze combos
Bane of Progress: Trying out, essentially replacing Acidic Slime. While we have other enchantment/artifact removal it can only be recursed once a turn or possibly hit infinite combo (then should often win anyway). Facing an artifact heavy deck (or enchantment one to lesser extent) that can ramp and drop hand quick can be an issue for us as only
Pernicious Deed
can really wipe multiples at once. Bane is intriguing as it can shift the balance of power so quickly, wiping out an opponent's field and giving you a massive creature all at once. Follow up with a Disciple of Bolas and that could be game. On negative side we play a lot of enchantments and several artifacts. One big advantage of this card is it does bypass shroud effects, only indestructible gets around it.
Lightning Greaves: There are some cases I could see where using Swiftfoot Boots would be better. But Meren is main target either way and she doesn't really need to be targeted usually. The 0 cost is main seller.
Crucible of Worlds: Since we are using Titania, Protector of Argoth, Dryad Arbor, 8-10 sac lands, and
Sylvan Safekeeper
this seemed perfect to slot in. I consider it at worst a 3CC Sylvan Ranger hopefully fetching me a land from grave turn comes into play. This and a Dryad Arbor can pay for a Contamination alone, and every fetch card would get me a 5/3 with Titania out. The most powerful effect would be Strip Mine every turn, and on flip side protecting me from mirror effect or Armageddon. If you have a copy certainly worth it IMO.
Ashnod's Altar: Great sacrifice engine. Better than viscera seer but less likely to access in game and costs 2 more. If we were to be using X cards like Black Sun's Zenith, Exsanguinate, or
Death Cloud
becomes much more useful.
Golgari Signet: Mainly used due to Contamination, and can be cast now turn one with Ancient Tomb or Mana Crypt
Mana Crypt: Only negative is chance to die to this from upkeep life loss. Our commander has 2 generic in CC so can help rush her out.
Cauldron of Souls: Trying this out, looks like can generate lot of value. It can also help protect cards and Meren from wipes. Since adding this also added Melira, Sylvok Outcast to open up whole range of infinite combos. Its ability to be left untapped and played defensively is what helps keeps it in the deck. At minimum can start doubling ETB effects as it operates like a once a turn Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
