Just came over and checked out your deck...very nice :)

Definitely looks like your meta is more competitive than mine so I appreciate the different selections you've put in the deck.

From your maybelist I would definitely consider adding Heirloom Blade and Fireshrieker. You have cats that care about being equipped. Heirloom blade basically ensures that you will always have a backup cat when one gets destroyed (and the power buff is great). Fireshrieker is a low cost double strike enabler.

I also like Berserk as it can be a surprise win or be used on an opponent's attacking creature when they attack someone else as a form of removal spell.

Pride of Lions from your maybelist is a surprise star in my deck. I know 5 mana for a 4/4 sounds really bad, but with him you KNOW your damage is getting through. They will be taking 7 damage with eminence (or 14 with double strike or Arahbo's second ability).

I ended up cutting Metallic Mimic. I usually only want 1 or 2 cats on the battlefield. Its single +1/+1 counter wasn't impactful enough. The mimic is great in "go wide" decks.

I also go back and forth on Lightning Greaves. It is a "non-bo" with Eminience. It does have value in protecting Arahbo himself when he is on the battlefield though.

Thanks MegaMatt13. Will digest and figure out what to cut to get them in.

Berserk has been in and out, I thought the same about the removal aspect of it too which is cool, especially if it's attacking an opponent in a Multi-Player pod. Have to find room.

Pride of Lions I keep going back and forth on, the idea is to tutor trample, Green Sun's Zenith into Rhonas the Indomitable or Steelshaper's Gift into Loxodon Warhammer, or Arahbo, Roar of the World last ability... so Trample overcomes all but the toughness of the blocker anyway, where Pride of Lions does that extra damage, but then gets killed probably without actually killing his blocker either (Because if the blocker can't kill him why did they block him in the first place, and he does no damage to the blocker). He's good, should find something to out for him.

Metallic Mimic is really borderline, I think about his interaction with Brimaz, King of Oreskos, Kemba, Kha Regent, Pride Sovereign + Regal Caracal (Especially for my Felidar Sovereign win-con), Ajani, Caller of the Pride. I originally had more, like White Sun's Zenith and some others, but there are less. Metallic Mimic on his own isn't that exciting 2/1 for . He's definitely high on the cut list.

Puresteel Paladin + Leonin Shikari makes Eminence and Lightning Greaves a viable option together, but its janky. I cut Sword of Light and Shadow and Sword of Feast and Famine already because of the same issues. It's really the haste more than the protection I want anyway since Selsnya is quite limited for haste.

Both suggestions Heirloom Blade and Fireshrieker are great, I'm struggling a bit with which cards to cut, and worried about getting too few cats.

Thanks for the feedback, MUCH appreciated.

I am curious how Pride Sovereign has been working for you. I am considering taking him out. I can't believe I'm thinking that because I thought he would be an auto-include in here. I just find that since I am only having one or two cats at a time, he is usually just a 2/2 or 3/3 with no evasion. I hardly ever use his exert trigger because that takes him away from attacking for too long. How do you use him? Are you finding him good?

Posting this Cats that don't suck list to research later, as MegaMatt13 commented, Pride Sovereign is a little weak, plus I find that 24 cats is a little short, although I've won games without playing a cat Stonehewer Giant + Puresteel Paladin + Grafted Exoskeleton.

I excluded many aggro cats because I feel that's not the right way to win in a multi-player format.

I'm sure I've missed some cats. I also have added some cats that do suck, but evaluating combos with them.

CMC1

Loam Lion, Sacred Cat, Trained Caracal, Wily Bandar

CMC2

Adorned Pouncer, Ajani's Pridemate, Ajani's Sunstriker, Felidar Cub, Fleecemane Lion, Hungry Lynx, Initiate's Companion, Leonin Arbiter, Leonin Relic-Warder, Leonin Shikari, Lost Leonin, Metallic Mimic, Qasali Pridemage, Scrounging Bandar, Sunspear Shikari, Whitemane Lion

CMC3

Brimaz, King of Oreskos, Fleetfoot Panther, Kemba, Kha Regent, Mirri, Cat Warrior, Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist, Mirror Entity, Pride Sovereign, Prowling Serpopard, Qasali Ambusher, Skyhunter Skirmisher, Stalking Leonin

CMC4

Ajani's Chosen, Alms Collector, Balan, Wandering Knight, Chameleon Colossus, Felidar Guardian, Jazal Goldmane, Leonin Abunas, Leonin Battlemage, Seht's Tiger, Taj-Nar Swordsmith, Temur Sabertooth

CMC5

Arahbo, Roar of the World, Changeling Hero, Changeling Titan, Pride of Lions, Qasali Slingers, Regal Caracal

CMC6

Felidar Sovereign, Jareth, Leonine Titan, Jedit Ojanen of Efrava, Nacatl War-Pride, Nazahn, Revered Bladesmith

CMC7

Phantom Nishoba, Raksha Golden Cub, Spirit of the Hearth

Please recommend any cats i've missed!

Great deck! +1

Can't wait to read the compendium. =)

Hi Hipparchos,

Thanks for the comment, working on it a little bit everyday! Finding some cat combos and synergies has been challenging, but I've been trying to hone down on a winning strategy. I know Arahbo, Roar of the World is a Tier4, so he can't be a Tier1, but I'm going to find a way to keep him competitive.

Keep an eye out, it's a very fluid process and I try and add updates every other day. I'm looking/testing a land destruction model right now to see how that performs as a secondary strategy.

Thx Spirits, your deck helped me a lot doing mine. There are really some nice cards out there I didnt know.

I included in mine a lot of board wipes, as I found it better then just going for the kill, especially in multiplayer. Also because of some really nasty artifacts deck, it made me auto include some artifact hate in it.

I also found it enjoyable putting out just a one drop swinging for 5dmg and having no aggro face on :).

I got away from equip as much as I could, because the flavor its just not so nice with cats (beasts) and again, it's also a nice challenge to make something different.

Would be much appreciated if you could check it out at Cat tribal, not wide, no equip.

Again thx and enjoy the game

You should definitely add Krosan Vorine. Untap a creature, force it to block, and Vorine can't be blocked by more than one creature - combine those elements with Arahbo and anything below 4 power is liable to become cat food.

Thanks for the suggestion Acute19,

I've added him to my maybeboard to think about. My initial reaction on him was:

1) He should be for a 3/2, or for 4/3, not for 3/2, even if he was 3/3 maybe. Something seems off.

2) Most of my plan/strategy for this particular build, is evasion, ie: Trample, Protection, Etc. He does have only block-able by 1, so he's got some evasion which I like, but for the cost he's really a removal creature as you mention. If I'm trying to win turn 5-7 should I focus on removal? I see you play him in your deck, I assume he's had great success in the longer games?

3) Is he better than Ulvenwald Tracker who enables any cat to be removal?

Have to think more on him, because he's a cat, he can be an attacker (with his only blockable by 1), and his built in removal, for a little bit of a mana premium. Hmm.

I've been trying to get Sensei's Divining Top back into the deck too, I originally didn't like it because it conflicts with Sylvan Library, but not sure what to lose for that. Not sure which creature can come out for Krosan Vorine either.

By itself, Krosan Vorine is hot garbage, no doubt about it. However, with Arahbo, Vorine is an absolute monster. In this deck, it might as well read, ": destroy target creature with power and toughness equal or less than 4/4." That's an insane ability! Then it gets completely out of control if buffed any further. With Hammer of Nazahn, it'll take down an 8/8, and it's pretty much game-over if you can also give it Hexproof somehow.

Even without equipment, just think about the COUNTLESS smaller creatures in EDH that only exist for their overpowered abilities, not to mention commanders. People never plan on attacking or blocking with those weenies, just using their abilities. Well, they all become lunch for as long as Vorine is allowed to roam the battlefield. Not even tapping can save them!

My playgroup has learned to fear the Krosan Vorine. The first time I played it, they shrugged and so I proceeded to kill Animar, Soul of Elements on the following turn. Now it draws instant removal in most games lol. I now try to hold it until I have an equipment with Indestructible/Hexproof. It'll win you games if allowed to run wild - easily one of the strongest cats in the deck.

I would just cut Sylvan Library in favor of Sensei's Divining Top. I've cut all my enchantments to maximize the impact of Leonin Abunas and Austere Command (targeting creatures and enchantments). There are also a bunch of sourceries that "destroy all enchantments" that you could include.

Great build! Ich wonder why Longtusk Cub hasn't been mentioned yet. Looks superior to Pride Sovereign to me since it benefits from doublestrike and is cheaper. Would be great if you could commment on this!

Maybe Wily Bandar for Trained Caracal?

Hi rofldiekatz,

Pride Sovereign is definitely right at the top of the evaluation cut list, I'm trying to determine if the exert is just too slow for him. His benefit is that he gets bigger based on other Cats, and he can create Lifelink cats which helps with blocks, Felidar Sovereign, etc. But exert is slow. I've been thinking lately he should be a Sensei's Divining Top or another Tutor, like Eldrich Evolution or something along that lines.

I'm not sure Longtusk Cub is the right guy though. Nothing else in the deck produces or uses energy, he'd be alone. for a 2/2 isn't that good a deal. If he entered with 2 energy making him a 3/3 you might have a good case. Then he has to damage a players life before he can get +1/+1, that's way to slow of a migration, as slow or slower than the Pride Sovereign exert!

It's a delicate balance, I feel like I'm at a critical low point on having enough "Cat" creatures for Arahbo, Roar of the World and Felidar Sovereign is definitely on the weaker side of that (I would never Tutor him), but on the other hand Longtusk Cub isn't going to improve it.

A full on Aggro strategy (which is where I first went with this deck) was a colossal failure, only after moving into Tutor, Infect and Mid-range combo stabilization did it start effectively working.

Sorry rofldiekatz,

Should have replied to the other comment too.

Trained Caracal is a 1/1 for , the key is his Lifelink. A Turn 1, 1/1 Lifelink +3/+3 Eminence (4 damage + 4 life = 8 life differential) seems like an early, and easily removable threat. Often a Terminate or of that nature will remove him early, which means Lost Leonin has 1 less removal to contend with.

Wily Bandar is a 1/1, with Emminence, he can output 4. He also has built in protection for (ridiculously high), which makes him less of a threat and target. Not going to waste a removal on a 1/1 with 4 life differential. not going to waste a removal on a 1/1 that can dodge it (for CMC3), so doesn't draw it out early removal, whereas an unchecked Trained Caracal can get a decent differential left unchecked. Mid-range, he would be a much better blocker, but without flying or reach not sure how useful he would be, but more so than Trained Caracal. A turn 8 Trained Caracal is not exciting don't get me wrong, but if I can lifelink 4 or 5 progressing towards a Felidar Sovereign that's ok. You could make the argument Trained Caracal can go, and I have considered removing him too, but not for Wily Bandar. I think maybe a Scrounging Bandar that can pump an Infect guy (hes CMC2 though), or a Whitemane Lion to combo. My sub-theme is life, like my infinite life mid-range combo, trying to Chord of Calling in a Felidar Sovereign at opponents EOT, so he kind of supports that too.

This deck is a work in process for sure, and LOVE the suggestions, if you have more. I've tried these guys earlier on when I was going aggro, so found out the challenges with them the hard way. I know this deck can get better!

i was wondering what your thought is about Renegade Rallier seen it in a deck or twice and has a little bit of synergy with Temur Sabertooth. what would your opinion be on it?

Thanks for the comment TzickyT.

He's a 3/2 for CMC3, so he's decently in scale. He is not a cat, so can't use the Eminence with him. He does have built-in recursion. In my build, he only has 10 targets (that's pretty low), but Lost Leonin, Puresteel Paladin, Qasali Pridemage, Swiftfoot Boots, Sylvan Library, Umezawa's Jitte all pretty high value targets.

Because he's not a cat, and because he doesn't have enough targets (10), I wouldn't run him in this deck, plus I think he is built for being abused (which I like, but is not the goal of this build).

If you want to build around him, I think he would be great.

Renegade Rallier + Saffi Eriksdotter + Blasting Station (or Altar of Dementia any sac outlet basically) looks like Infinite Damage to me.

Can't think of anyone else off the top of my head he combos with, but:

Saffi Eriksdotter + Sun Titan or Karmic Guide or Reveillark all work.

Also enables Fiend Hunter + Sun Titan or Karmic Guide.

Another tool in the Saffi Eriksdotter combo wheelhouse. I'm testing Archangel of Thune + Spike Feeder | Infinite Life + Infinite +1/+1 Counters of which neither are Cats, so really bothers me. It plays on my Life gain Sub-Theme, but it's still not right.

I've worked out a couple combos with Cats, but nothing really concrete yet. Renegade Rallier is a bit too far away from my goal, but a pretty amazing guy, I like him. He feels more Trostani, Selesnya's Voice or Karametra, God of Harvests or 100% Saffi Eriksdotter to me. It's easily tutorable combo in . With a Greater Good can tutor for the Blasting Station or whatever damage outlet you need.

If you decide to run him, I would build some synergy around him with a recursive sub-theme.

maybe another few cards i have a thought about Hunting Grounds, The Mending of Dominaria, Fanatical Devotion, Natural Balance

Dude. Krosan Vorine. Card is insane in this deck.

Hi TzickyT & Acute19,

Thanks for the comments.

Hunting Grounds is not bad, I don't play any large CMC creatures, CMC3/4 is my average. Lurking Predators is in similar fashion, but gets the "draw". If it could cheat in a Nazahn, Revered Bladesmith on Turn 3, would be all-star, but I'd have to play cards like Grisly Salvage (and others similar, like The Mending of Dominaria) and such to make it viable. In the current build, even with 30 creatures, I'm not sure how fast I would get to Threshold to make it viable. I like the concept not prepared to try and go down that graveyard building road just yet. I do have the Fetch lands, so I'm 1/2 way there already!

Even though my guys are small, I don't usually aggro to make Fanatical Devotion extremely valuable (how I play anyway). I'll resolve enablers, like Puresteel Paladin + Lost Leonin together, but wouldn't usually play Lost Leonin + Adorned Pouncer together, I hold the Adorned Pouncer back incase Lost Leonin gets killed, since I only have the 1 Eminence trigger. It's an interesting one though, might be worth play testing to save key creatures like Stonehewer Giant (but he just pulls protection on himself as needed anyway). Very interesting though.

Natural Balance a little slow, is a form of land destruction though, could shut down some decks. I'm usually the one mana ramping though, so I might lose lands in the transaction, and give lands to opponents. I'll try and keep an eye out on T3/4 when this would be cast, to see where I am comparatively. If it's played early, it ramps the opponents too, whereas in I'm pretty efficient at ramping just myself (and not opponents) already. There are lots of other great ramps not already in here.

I am testing Krosan Vorine right now in my Mirri, Little Kid Aggro EDH deck to see if he's viable here. My concerns with him are 1) No Trample 2) Trying to infect kill early with Lost Leonin and Doublestrike he doesn't help that. I do think he's valuable for killing/sniping creatures later as a control card with Eminence, especially greasy creatures that try to hide. I agree with you, have to get him in there. I have lots of cards under eval to replace, I'll need to pickup another copy of him at the store.

Cheers,

Spirits Vorine is hot garbage in a Mirri deck. It's ONLY good because of Arahbo's Eminence trigger, but with that trigger it's an absolute monster. Anything 4/4 or smaller is forfeit to Vorine's voracious appetite. Not even tapping can save them. Throw on another buff of some sort and it'll take down just about anything. Card is busted in this deck and horrible everywhere else haha.

sorry if i am talking again for some cards ... but its building this deck too at some point and its intrsting to hear your thought about it Remember the Fallen and Retribution of the Meek and Blackblade Reforged

Hey TzickyT no worries, the community is here to help each other out!

Remember the Fallen would be great if you're building a Hunting Grounds / The Mending of Dominaria / Satyr Wayfinder / Mulch / Crucible of Worlds type deck (and others). At CMC3 it's pretty good, it returns a creature and an artifact, so it turns 1 card into 2 cards, just need a way to get the cards in the graveyard. Eternal Witness would be awesome in this build too. CMC3 is a bit slow for my strategy, and because it returns to the hand, and it's a sorcery, I wouldn't run it. If it was Instant, probably. Or if it was CMC2. If it slows me down a turn, it's not good for this build, have to fast infect and punch through (in this particular build).

It's funny I don't run any board-wipe in my build, this one is good because most cats can dodge it (before eminence). For CMC3 its very good. It's going to miss a bunch of creatures you really want to get rid of though, that something like Wrath of God will, could be a dead draw against certain commanders (tokens notably). It depends on your build, I don't see a Arahbo, Roar of the World in your public decks, but in my build, I use evasion (Sword of Feast and Famine, Sword of Fire and Ice, Trample, Doublestrike) to overcome blockers, I don't need to clear the board. I thought about Divine Reckoning as well, but I really dislike situational cards that may miss the real target. I'd probably also want protection, like Faith's Reward and abuse that infinitely, or Make a Stand / Rootborn Defenses / Teferi's Protection that type of effect to go along with it. I'm even contemplating taking out more protection / control to get more tutor, like Eldritch Evolution into the deck.

Blackblade Reforged with it's Equip 7 is too much. In my build, I'm not equipping Legendary creatures, Lost Leonin, Skyhunter Skirmisher, Adorned Pouncer etc. And rarely cast Arahbo, Roar of the World. There are some cool Legendary cats to equip, like Mirri, Weatherlight Duelist but I don't have enough Legendary to make it viable. It really needs Sigarda's Aid / Hammer of Nazahn / Puresteel Paladin / Balan, Wandering Knight / Stonehewer Giant / Stoneforge Mystic / Balan, Wandering Knight along with land enablers Cultivate / Kodama's Reach / Oreskos Explorer / Sword of the Animist / Nissa's Pilgrimage / Burnished Hart / Traverse the Outlands / Crucible of Worlds / Etc. A slight modification to this build could make it very effective. Because it doesn't have Trample, Haste, Lifelink, Draw, or Infect built in, it's not a priority. I'd still much rather have a Grafted Exoskeleton or a Steelshaper's Gift (or the likes) to Tutor my Grafted Exoskeleton, than draw a Blackblade Reforged. You'll also notice i've removed duplicate effects like I have Loxodon Warhammer but no Behemoth Sledge because they do the same things. I'd just rather tutor the better one Loxodon Warhammer in this case, than have 2 cards that do the same thing. Just my way of playing, I like consistency over force. I could see this with some nice Legendary creatures and enablers working out very well though, especially with Doublestrike/Trample mechanics. Imagine casting Berserk on a cat wielding this sword!! I do like this type of mechanic, and with you can overload the heck out of it, Lashwrithe is one of my favorites, nice too cause it's a living weapon. Would also be good on a Commander that does Commander damage as a strategy (Arahbo, Roar of the World doesn't do Commander damage)

All these are viable if properly supported in the deck. Like you wouldn't play a Prowling Serpopard in a Retribution of the Meek build, and Kemba, Kha Regent would be in a Blackblade Reforged build, as examples.

They all are too much protection, or potentially too slow / high CMC for me. I'm still testing whenever I can, deck is still not functionally perfect yet, but I do consistently pull my Lost Leonin + Eminence + Doublestrike enabler though, which is the goal! Much of the reason I don't play Lightning Greaves because I need to abuse the Eminence trigger.

i got almost the same deck as u at this moment but i don't have the swords / arcangel and spike feeder ? any idea what i could add to the deck to replace these?

TzickyT,

Bloodforged Battle-Axe + Behemoth Sledge + Sigarda's Aid + Krosan Vorine would be a great replacement 4 cards. I've been playing Bloodforged Battle-Axe in my Mirri, Little Kid Aggro EDH and it can get out of hand sometimes!

Sterling Grove is great, I don't have many Enchantments which is why I ended up removing it, but the ability to tutor Sylvan Library is powerful. Sylvan Library is very important in winning with Arahbo, Roar of the World.

Cultivate + Kodama's Reach + Mirari's Wake + Raksha Golden Cub or Jazal Goldmane (And activate him 2x or 3x) could also be good.

You could try the Blackblade Reforged + Sword of the Animist + Sigarda's Aid + Stoneforge Mystic or Burnished Hart, and replace the fast mana fetches like Nature's Lore and Three Visits and Green Sun's Zenith with Cultivate + Kodama's Reach to get more lands, throw in a Traverse the Outlands to ensure you win. Tutor your Blackblade Reforged and with a Doublestrike or Trample would be an effective weapon. Throw a Taj-Nar Swordsmith in there too since the sword is only . Rhonas the Indomitable will be awesome in this build, with all that land he can trigger his ability to give Trample to the Blackblade Reforged Cat.

from the cards i see u talk about and seeing my deck evolve i wil go with the plan of blackblad reforged and try it out. wil see what my cards wil say to me when i get friday my order busy whit mono red and mono white in the meantime so thank you for the time.