I actually do run both Loxodon Gatekeeper and Thalia, Heretic Cathar mainboard. They're spectacular both on their own and when paired with Stasis, Static Orb, and other untap attackers. I feel those two are the only ones worth using.

Extract is in the hypothetical sideboard because it hoses Prossh (gets Food Chain), Zur (gets Lab Man), and several other top-tier decks. The sideboard is mainly to give people ideas for tailoring to their meta.

Totally love this deck, and considering playing this at GP Denver instead of my roon of the hidden realms combo deck. What are your opinions on which one would hold up better?

Oh my God Linvala, Keeper of Silence and Living Plane are too hilarious together lolol

Derevi is significantly better than Roon in almost all situations. They often run similar decklists and strategies, but Derevi is just so much more effective.

Would you mind taking a look at my list if you have time? I might just make derevi my commander

What do you think of Blade of Selves? Seems like it would be super effective.

NarejED, what's your experience been with Mystic Remora? I wasn't thrilled with it in earlier implementations of my Derevi list, but as it now more closely resembles many T1 lists I'm thinking I ought to give it another chance. Just curious to see how it's played out for you.

It depends both on when it's played, and what your meta looks like. This list is geared towards competitive EDH, where storm and fast combo decks are frequent. It's not uncommon to draw 3+ cards off of a turn 1 Remora. It's basically an auto-include for me. Its power scales somewhat with that of the group's, so you'll get much different results in a low-power meta than in a competitive one.

My meta is almost there, 93% competitive if I were to put a number on it. Though most of the decks I play against are other stax or midrange stax lists. I surmise it's all situational, but it sounds like Remora only lives a turn or two. I'll give it another playtest, thanks for the insight.

Wanted to ask this too, but not being able to edit comments sucks. Have you been liking Tamiyo, Field Researcher? I originally compared her to JTMS and preferred the digging power and non-reliance on the combat step to draw (especially since I see Spore Frog). Though since she +'s to draw there's potential to Omniscience. Another card I may give another shot at, wanted to hear your thoughts.

Do you use Sanctum prelate only for wrath prevention (cost of 4)? or are there any other target costs to use it

A lot of the time Prelate is either played on 1, 2, or 3. 1 does massive damage to storm and other fast combo decks. 3 gets a lot of decks' win conditions like Food Chain and Doomsday.

How do you feel about ephara God of the polis for a draw engine?

No Jin-Gitaxias? I know he's mostly a reanimation target, but he ususally wins the game if he sticks. Also, how has Shaman of Forgotten Ways been for you?

@Hbot4life: Ephara is pretty low impact for her cost. Tamiyo/Bident already fairly borderline at CMC 4, and they're almost always drawing at least twice as many cards per turn cycle. I wouldn't recommend her.

@Van9750: Jin was in the original list, but he was cut shortly after the mulligan rule change. While he can indeed potentially win the game, all too often he ended up sitting dead in hand. Having him in openers felt awful, as did topdecking him at any point before turn 5. For game-ending Praetors, Elesh Norn is usually enough.

Shaman is phenomenal. Early game he's a fairly relevant mana dork. Late game, he wins matches. Overloaded Cyclonic Rift on opponent's endstep or Willbreaker followed up by his ability is quite effective for cleaning out anyone who hasn't already scooped.

Why does this deck not run Food Chain? With Derevi and Food Chain on the battlefield you only need two mana to get infinite mana/untaps/taps at instant speed for the rest of the game.

For example: you have 2 mana (1W, 1U), Deveri and food chain on the battlefield. You sac Deveri for 4G and use 1W, 1U and 2G to recast her untapping a land that produces W. (Mana Remaining: 2G, 1W.) You sac her for 4U and use 1G, 1W and 2U to recast untapping a land that produces white. (Mana Remaining: 1G, 1W, 2U.) You sac her for 4G and recast her (2G, 1U, 1W) untapping a land that produces white. You now have 3G, 1U and 1W as well as Derevi, sac-able for any color you want. Just keep generating more mana.

@MoxProxy: Derevi's ability to be put into play for 4 mana flat doesn't count as casting. Therefor, mana Food Chain can't be used to activate it.

The food chain combo works if you use mist hollow griffin to make infinite creature mana and then filter it by casting derevi and untapping lands. But then your building a derevi storm list and not this tier 1 stax list

How do you feel about academy rector to get living plane

I like rector in a lot of GWx stax/midrange builds. The problem with him here is that Living Plane nor any of the other enchantments being run are terribly critical to the deck winning. Where Karador and Marath have Pattern of Rebirth and Splinter Twin respectively, both of which are core win conditions, the closest Derevi has are probably LP or Bident of Thassa. Additionally, Derevi doesn't run many sac outlets. Birthing Pod and Eldritch Evolution are the main ones. Even if you do have something worth running Rector for, you'll find yourself hard-pressed to kill him once he comes down.

If Wizards ever gets round to printing something like Viscera Seer in Bant colors, Rector will be put in for Boonweaver combo. Until then, I don't see a justification.

What do you think of Rashmi, Eternities Crafter

Derevi doesn't run enough instant-speed spells to justify Rashmi sadly.

Derevi's ability triggers when he enters the battlefield. Not when he is cast. Could you please elaborate on why Food Chain doesn't work?

Does Food Chain not work if he goes to the command zone instead of exile?

MoxProxy it doesn't work because you can only use the mana to cast creatures, and most of the time you're using her ability to get her out.

Oh ok. Thanks :)