A Lesson in Homicide

Commander / EDH* Aggro Control Mono-Black Reanimator Voltron

Killkow

Creature (26)

• 1x Archfiend of Depravity
• 1x Bloodgift Demon
• 1x Burnished Hart
• 1x Crypt Ghast
• 1x Crypt Rats
• 1x Dark Impostor
• 1x Erebos, God of the Dead
• 1x Geth, Lord of the Vault
• 1x Gonti, Lord of Luxury
• 1x Gray Merchant of Asphodel
• 1x Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
• 1x Massacre Wurm
• 1x Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
• 1x Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis
• 1x Nirkana Revenant
• 1x Phyrexian Obliterator
• 1x Razaketh, the Foulblooded
• 1x Reiver Demon
• 1x Sangromancer
• 1x Sepulchral Primordial
• 1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
• 1x Solemn Simulacrum
• 1x Squelching Leeches
• 1x Steel Hellkite
• 1x Vampire Hexmage
• 1x Vampire Nighthawk

Enchantment (2)

• 1x Black Market
• 1x Phyrexian Arena

Artifact (16)

• 1x Caged Sun
• 1x Darksteel Plate
• 1x Expedition Map
• 1x Gauntlet of Power
• 1x Inquisitor's Flail
• 1x Lashwrithe
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Nevinyrral's Disk
• 1x Perilous Vault
• 1x Pithing Needle
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Swiftfoot Boots
• 1x Sword of Body and Mind
• 1x Sword of Feast and Famine
• 1x Sword of War and Peace
• 1x Whip of Erebos

Land (36)

• 1x Cabal Coffers
• 1x Mystifying Maze
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Shizo, Death's Storehouse
• 31x Swamp
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Planeswalker (4)

• 1x Liliana, Death's Majesty
• 1x Liliana of the Dark Realms
• 1x Liliana Vess
• 1x Ob Nixilis Reignited

Commander (1)

Sorcery (10)

• 1x Beacon of Unrest
• 1x Beseech the Queen
• 1x Crux of Fate
• 1x Damnation
• 1x Decree of Pain
• 1x Demonic Tutor
• 1x Ever After
• 1x Increasing Ambition
• 1x Praetor's Grasp
• 1x Read the Bones

Instant (5)

• 1x Go for the Throat
• 1x Grip of Desolation
• 1x Hero's Downfall
• 1x Silence the Believers
• 1x Vampiric Tutor

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Maybeboard

Creature (11)

• 1x Dauthi Voidwalker
• 1x Grave Titan
• 1x Grief
• 1x Hex Parasite
• 1x Murderous Rider
• 1x Opposition Agent
• 1x Orcish Bowmasters
• 1x Rune-Scarred Demon
• 1x Sheoldred, the Apocalypse
• 1x Sidisi, Undead Vizier
• 1x Vilis, Broker of Blood

Planeswalker (5)

• 1x Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator
• 1x Liliana, Dreadhorde General
• 1x Liliana of the Veil
• 1x Professor Onyx
• 1x Vraska, Betrayal's Sting

Enchantment (3)

• 1x Cunning Rhetoric
• 1x No Mercy
• 1x Phyrexian Scriptures

Artifact (9)

• 1x Altar of Bhaal
• 1x Anduril, Flame of the West
• 1x Mimic Vat
• 1x Shadowspear
• 1x Sword of Hearth and Home
• 1x Sword of Light and Shadow
• 1x Sword of Sinew and Steel
• 1x Sword of Truth and Justice
• 1x Vorpal Sword

Instant (7)

• 1x Baleful Mastery
• 1x Hagra Mauling  ^Flip
• 1x Infernal Grasp
• 1x Malakir Rebirth  ^Flip
• 1x Sheoldred's Edict
• 1x Soul Shatter
• 1x Stinging Study

Sorcery (8)

• 1x Agadeem's Awakening  ^Flip
• 1x Mutilate
• 1x Night's Whisper
• 1x Overwhelming Forces
• 1x Profane Command
• 1x Sign in Blood
• 1x Torment of Hailfire
• 1x Toxic Deluge

Land (6)

• 1x Cabal Stronghold
• 1x Crypt of Agadeem
• 1x Dark Depths
• 1x Leechridden Swamp
• 1x Maze of Ith
• 1x Witch's Cottage

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Card Breakdown

Creatures

• Archfiend of Depravity: He can be a bit too slow for dealing with wide boardstates reactively, but there are a lot of decks he just shuts down- Goblins, Weenies, tokens, etcetera. A lot of the time he's just an incredibly reasonable threat that deters opponents from developing their board. Getting ahead on tempo in this deck can be a death sentence for the opponent(s).


• Bloodgift Demon: He's essentially Phyrexian Arena on a stick. I haven't had the privilege of killing someone with his ability yet, but beating in with a 5/4 flyer is no joke.


• Burnished Hart: It's my belief that Burnished Hart is one of the most underrated commander staples. I *try* to include it in all of my decks. It's especially good when you have access to recursion. Serious ramp for colors that might not otherwise have access to it, and spending turn 3&4 accelerating is totally fine for us, given the power at the top end. See "Basic Combos" for more info.


• Crypt Ghast: One of the many ways of mana 'doubling' in this deck. The extort ability is also a subtle way of edging your way back into a multiplayer game after some early beats.


• Crypt Rats: This guy was originally filler, but then I found out about all of his SICK synergies. One of my favorite cards in this color now, and a permanent resident in this deck. Sometimes he's just a board wipe, which is reasonable. Sometimes he's enough burn to finish off the opponent, which is also fine. Other times he's an incrediibly broken C-C-C-Combo piece! Check out "Basic Combos" for more info.


• Dark Impostor: This is a rough version of Drana #2. He's probably not going to kill you, but exiling fatties unconditionally is great. Plus, if those fatties have an activated ability we can use, things can get *really* cute


• Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief: I Have Drana listed here since she's not always my commander, though she's always the best option (I get sick of winning so easily, no joke). Drana's a one man army, felling fatties, consuming the meek, and singlehandedly bringing down all opponents who dare stand before me. Even when She doesn't helm my forces, she usually is responsible for the victory anyway. Sheoldred, Whispering One is her lesbian life partner.


• Erebos, God of the Dead: Erebos does serious work. Stopping Oloro decks, or stymieing opponents' recovery is very real, and that's just the static ability! With the mana we generate, and the board advantage we achieve so quickly, his expensive Greed effect is an incredibly viable way to ensure we stay ahead.Merchants, Whips, and Swords can quickly recoup the life lost from his effect.


• Gray Merchant of Asphodel: We're mono black. Of course there's a Gary! He seriously impacts life totals in multiplayer, and occasionally he kills people. There are a few ways to recur him, if that's how we're feeling.


• Massacre Wurm: Beats goblins, can beat some Melira combos, and sometimes just deals with all of our opponents weak utility creatures. 6/5 is deceptively big, too.


• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed: Mikaeus protects from board wipes, provides a nearly universal anthem effect for us, and is 5 uncontestable damage against many decks. Oh, and has No Mercy for humans, but that's never come up before.


• Mogis's Marauder: Pushes through a stalled boardstate. (He won't be in here much longer)


• Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis: He doesn't seem very imposing, but when you've dealt with all of your opponents non-hexproof creatures, Nefarox can start dealing with the solitary Greaved gentleman they've tried so hard to protect. The Abyss is very real, and very hard to play against.


• Nirkana Revenant: More mana doubling? Sure it comes down later, but it's got a built in mana dump too! They have to block 80% of the time. Representing 16 damage is just too large of a chunk to let through.


• Ob Nixilis, the Fallen: Another deceptive creature. "5 mana 3/3? What is this guy doing with his life?" The best run he's had was assembling Sheoldred, Whispering One and Burnished Hart with him on the field. at least 6 life per turn, and 6 counters? He gets to be out of hand very quickly.


• Phyrexian Obliterator: Obliterator, my beloved. He's the best blocker in the deck, since THEY JUST WON'T SWING INTO HIM. Alternatively, giving him a flail or a sword means quick beats that they don't want to block.


• Reiver Demon: Just wow. 6/6 flyer for 8 would be fine by old magic standards, but against a vast majority of decks, he throws out a one sided board wipe. I'm fine with paying 8 mana for something like that.


• Sangromancer: She's been taken out and thrown back in over vast quantities of testing. My general consensus is that I like her. As far as 4 mana creatures go, she's fairly solid, and there are enough decks that discard or sac, for her to be real. Plus, I'm never hesitant about dropping her right before I board wipe. Huge gains for the home team!


• Sepulchral Primordial: This guy's almost always a blowout. People usually end up with Artisan of Kozilek, Phyrexian Metamorph, Iona, Shield of Emeria in their graveyards toward the later game, so the value is extreme. Primordial with Mikaues is sweet, too. 5/4 evasive incidental beats is worth noting as well.


• Sheoldred, Whispering One: Drana's lesbian lover. Sheoldred doesn't usually get to stick around, since people throw all of their removal at her immediately. She's about as oppressive as black cards get. The Abyss AND Reanimate every turn, all wrapped up in a sexy Phyrexian spider body, with Swampwalk to boot! Suddenly Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth just got even better!


• Solemn Simulacrum: Dat staple, doe.


• Sorceress Queen: Queen's mostly filler, but she does a reasonable job at protecting me in the early game, or holds a sword to get early triggers. She has a cute interaction with Drana, making our opponents' minions bow before their execution.


• Squelching Leeches: Just a great 4 drop. At the end of the day, yes, he's basically a big ass vanilla creature, but damned if he doesn't punish opponents that take too long to set up. A late game 10/10 is bigger than a lot of things.


• Steel Hellkite: A powerhouse of a card. He's treated similarly to Sheoldred, in that he usually eats removal nigh immediately, but if he gets to sit, he goes to work- dealing with things black normally has trouble dealing with. Colorless creatures are relevant when Prot colors are floating around.


• Vampire Hexmage: Answers planeswalkers, and niche problems. (She's not long for this deck now that planeswalker commanders have lost their popularity)


• Vampire Nighthawk: People shame me for running nighthawk, but I've never been bummed about him before. Incremental lifegain, evasiveness, and trading with most late game things is a lot to find in a 3 drop. Plus, once it get's equipped, the lifegain is real.

Enchantments

• Painful Quandary: Incredibly oppressive, and draws a lot of hate. Many games end up with this dealing something around 30+ damage to my opponents, and discarding 3-9 cards. That being said, it's a political nightmare, and in games where I can't assuredly back it up, it usually just sits in my hand. (It will be cut eventually)

Artifacts

• Caged Sun: Mana doubling + anthem? Exactly what this deck likes. taking a turn off once I get to 6 mana can be a steep cost, but it's usually just worth it.


• Darksteel Plate: Indestructible is a serious keyword. Investing the resources to equip this is usually well worth it, considering how rampant old fashioned board wipes are in this format. This + Greaves on something decent like Sheoldred, Hellkite, or Drana is usually just a slow autowin, since removal options are very narrow by that time.


• Expedition Map: Finds Cabal Coffers. Already had it? Finds Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth. Already had them? Finds Mystifying Maze. You get the point. In the early game it's basically a second copy of Demonic Tutor


• Gauntlet of Power: 5 mana for doubling and anthem. Who cares if it's universal to all basics, and all black creatures? We make better use of it than most other decks could.


• Inquisitor's Flail: Instant threat, just add creature! Enable easy commander kills from Drana, or vastly shortens the clock on opponents when it's put onto one of the various 5+ power flyers in the deck.


• Lashwrithe: Kinda like Squelching Leeches #2, but much, much better. Usually it just goes directly on Drana, or whatever other big thing I have to swing for lots of damage.


• Lightning Greaves: Staples: that was easy.


• Nevinyrral's Disk: All clear for things mono black usually has problems with. Enchantments, artifacts, etc. Funny how people are afraid to develop their board while it's on the table.


• Perilous Vault: Basically a more potent Nev's disk. Deals with hexproof, indestructible, anti-sacrifice boards like a champ. Plus, it seriously hinders reanimator strategies with the exiling.


• Pithing Needle: Answers many of the commanders, or otherwise oppressive cards out there.


• Sol Ring: Staples: That was easy.


• Spine of Ish Sah: Targeted answer for annoying noncreature things (Can hit creatures too, but why bother, with something like Drana as commander?). Frequent targets are Maze of Ith or Akroma's Memorial. 7 mana isn't so bad once we get to the late game, generating 20+ mana per turn. Increasing Ambition into Spine is a relatively frequent occurrence.


• Swiftfoot Boots: Lightning Greaves #2. Sometimes the 1 mana is relevant, but sometimes Hexproof rather than shroud is relevant to. Drana drinking her own blood is definitely a thing.


• Sword of Body and Mind: This is mostly in for the colors, and sometimes I'm wary about equipping it, just because I don't love milling my opponent for 10 when they run reanimation cards. I do love that it creates a body though.


• Sword of Feast and Famine: Easily the best sword in commander IMO. Generating stupid amounts of mana, and then untapping to generate stupid amounts more? I'd run this 8 days a week if I could. Oh, also they discard cards. V-V-V-VALUE.


• Sword of Vengeance: Sword of Akroma is more like it. First Strike Vigilance, Trample, and Haste with +2/+0, makes any creature much scarier.


• Sword of War and Peace: Again, mainly for the colors, though incremental life swing can be relevant.


• Whip of Erebos: Team lifelink is great, but whipping back some of my scary ETB friends? That's potent. It's Crypt Rats best friend, and does great work with Massacre Wurm, Gary, and more.

Sorceries

• Beacon of Unrest
• Crux of Fate
• Decree of Pain
• Demonic Tutor
• Increasing Ambition
• Life's Finale
• Praetor's Grasp
• Read the Bones
• Rise from the Grave
• Sadistic Sacrament
• Temporal Extortion

Instants

• Dismember
• Go for the Throat
• Grip of Desolation
• Silence the Believers
• Vampiric Tutor

Planeswalkers

• Liliana of the Dark Realms
• Liliana Vess
• Ob Nixilis Reignited

Date added	10 years
Last updated	1 year
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	17 - 0 Mythic Rares 33 - 0 Rares 16 - 0 Uncommons 3 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	4.22
Tokens	Emblem Liliana of the Dark Realms, Emblem Ob Nixilis Reignited, Human 2/2 G, Phyrexian Germ 0/0 B, Wolf 2/2 G, Zombie 2/2 B
Folders	Watch, Decks to beat, bootylicious, EDH, EDH Ideas, Testing, EDH, EDH