I do like the idea of including more threats, but I really want to avoid turning the deck into mono-black goodstuff. I think I will include Grave Titan and Elbrus, but Bitterblossom + Contamination is a little out of my price range for a casual deck. I did take a look at your list though, and there are certainly some bits I'm considering adding. Thanks for the suggestions!

No problem!

The issue I ran into with using Phage as the ultimate wincon in the deck is the condition is just SO conditional. I've lost by casting her SO many times when a blue player has Cryptic Command and just bounces my Torpor Orb or Platinum Angel. Or worse a red player has any one of many shatter type spells at instant speed and I'm just left going "huh..." so Phage resolves and I'm done. The ONLY safe bet for getting her out is Sundial of the Infinite. So you have to cast Sundial and Phage in a timely manner which is not always easy as I'm sure you're aware.

So all that to say Mono Black Phage NEEDS to be mono black good stuff as well Phage wins. Protect your combo and fish it out as quickly as possible, but you need a secondary wincon and a real force to be reckoned with which black offers.

I definitely agree that the deck has some massive flop potential. I think I want to try it out with my playgroup as is, because they tend not to run any big power cards, and the worst threat would be from whatever form of Naturalize comes down. If I know I'm against those decks, I find Thrull Wizard or Withering Boon instead, and grab Phage through graveyard play. While I do want to avoid goodstuff, I acknowledge that it will very easily become that if it doesn't work out as I want it to :/

Dash Hopes is another way to counter Phage. Panic button maybe?

Life is way too cheap in commander. Any opponent could make me lose the game by paying five life, so Dash Hopes is a no-go.

Nevermind, I thought that said "unless it's that spell's controller pays 5 life"

Haunted Crossroads might be better graveyard recursion than March of the Returned.

Thanks for the suggest VarolzInTheDirt. I'll swap it out.

Why not Phyrexian Reclamation instead to avoid the card disadvantage?

I like it even better! Thanks for the suggestion, sonnet666

I've had some luck running Fleetfeather Sandals for a quick evasion boost and haste. Also, Sword of Vengeance is amazing once equipped. It basically becomes game over if it can get an attack through. Otherwise, I like how your deck looks. Good work!

Assault Suit for them politics

Who would actually decide to do you the favor and take out your other targets? It is nice for the cannot sacrifice clause though.

Phyrexian Processor

umm hate to burst your bubble, but if you play phage from the command zone, you instantly lose

he knows that, that's why its called "phage the unplayable".

Hoccestars go ahead and read the description. I've added some clever solutions that get around her lose the game clause.

Prowler's Helm is an easy way to make sure she hits. +1 from me!

You have a pretty high devotion count in this deck, maybe running Abhorrent Overlord or Gary could be fun.

what about using snow-covered swamps and rime infusion?

Here's one more fun idea for casting Phage: Abyssal Persecutor + Gauntlets of Chaos . It's probably a bit too much effort, and probably takes up to much space in the deck, but it's still pretty funny.

i thought phage is BANNED as a commander.

@funnyMTGplayer: You were probably thinking of Braids, Cabal Minion, same storyline and all. Also, they got rid of the whole "banned as a commander" thing; now it's just banned/unbanned.

Guardian Beast to protect your artifacts, still doesn't protects against bounce, but makes blowing them up not an option, because as you know people love to blow things up in this format

That seems really good, but $50 is a lot to shell out for a proof-of-concept deck.