Out: Iroas, God of Victory and Brave the Sands

In: Shared Animosity and Mana Echoes

• No mass removal seems wrong. Not even a Wrath of God or Blasphemous Act?

• You don't have a ton of draw power, so if you're depleting your hand really fast Olivia, Mobilized for War seems like she wouldn't do much here. Likewise, I'm not that much of a fan of Sangromancer: she doesn't trigger enough or do much within that.

• Everyone's saying to run the outlast lords, but I disagree. They suck pretty badly if you don't have a counter source out, and there will be games in which you don't.

• I honestly think that Iroas is better than Mana Echoes in this build. You don't have a ton of mana sinks (the only ones I can see are Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief and Mirror Entity), and Iroas is pretty awesome from an aggro standpoint.

• Omitting New Blood seems like a mistake.

Like this build a lot. Feels a lot more streamlined than my build. Do you think Stensia Masquerade is not worth it? I may just swap mine out with a tutor instead so I can just grab Stromkirk Captain instead.

Yes, mass removal is needed, I've quickly realized that after only a few games. Fortunately my grixis Marchesa deck can share. I'll add Blaspemous Act and/or Damnation but I typically start with the aggro end of things and whittle out underperformers.

Olivia's haste giving very rarely gets used here... she's just a very efficient evasive vampiric beatstick here. 3 mana 3/3 flyers are rather rare in these colors. You are spot on about lack of draw power... any suggestions? I'm not sure Greed or Erebos will get me there. Also Falconer is my only outlast creature and I've played roughly 10 games with the deck (probably closer to 15) and +1+1 counters haven't been an issue even once.

I'll give Mana Echoes a shot but you're probably right about lack of mana sinks. It helped fuel a few explosive plays but just sat there most of the time the 1 game I got it out.

New Blood I want but I didn't actually buy the precon, I ordered several singles from all the decks (except dragons I think) but omitted that one for whatever reason. I'll be attemting to trade for one asap because yes, it belongs here. I want to live the dream and jack someone's Sliver Queen or Utvara Hellkite lol.

@John - I'll probably eventually try Masquerade myself since I run Reconnaissance and first strike with that card is gross in fun ways. I've refused to buy a copy because I swear to Jebus I have one lying around... somewhere.

I had considered throwing Dolmen Gate into mine with all the attacling but can't figure out what I'd be willing to take out. But figured you might be able to put it somewhere.

I already have a better Dolmen Gate in Reconnaissance. It's cross between gate and a maze of ith that only works on my dudes but it's much more abusable (and more resilient in my meta... lots of artifact hate).

So far if I had to pick underperformers, it'd be Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet (eats removal fast and uses up a whole turns worth of mana), Door of Destinies (mainly due to lack of draw and gas to fuel it), and Mana Echoes (lack of mana sinks and causes me to empty my hand and over commit to my boardstate).

I'm lacking draw so I'm thinking either more draw power via Erebos, God of the Dead or hand hate like Pain Magnification (had this in here and liked it but it got dropped to test other cards).

Also thinking boardwipes as someone mentioned. I'm thinking either 1 or 2 since I can tutor for answers but I'm undecided between Blasphemous Act, Tragic Arrogance, and/or Damnation

Err not Tragic Arrogance, Toxic Deluge is what I meant. Granted I do have Austere Command and Merciless Eviction as options too. Reanimator and Gods are popular in my meta... Opinions?

Wow this is a really well done deck, it has the vampires I would look for and a good amount of answers to problems, I would add in one maybe two more reanimation cards just to keep win cons and key players safe

I'm going to add the white vampire from Ixalan when it comes out. Bishop of Rebirth. Very similar to Sun Titan but vampire centric and just returns creatures cmc 3 or less to the battlefield.

3WW Bishop of Rebirth - vampire

Vigilance

When Bishop of Rebirth attacks, you may return target creature card from your graveyard with cmc 3 or less to the battlefield.

3/4

Last_Laugh: Vampiric Rites may be up your alley if you want more card draw. Would also suggest Painful Truths and Night's Whisper if you want one-shot effects, or Asylum Visitor if you find yourself hellbent more often than not.

May also want to consider Mynea Frian, Dark Apostle from Ixalan when she drops. She's overperformed in testing.

Mynea Frian, Dark Apostle (2W)
Legendary Creature -- Vampire Cleric
Whenever one or more Vampire creatures you control attack, create a 1/1 white Vampire creature token with lifelink.2/2

Yeah, Mynea will find a spot I'm sure. Nice that you can stack Edgar's and her attack triggers so her token will get the +1+1 counters from Edgar attacking.

For boardwipes I think I'm going to try Toxic Deluge (this may change for reasons mentioned below) and Austere Command. And for card draw I think I'll start with Greed due to the lower activation cost (again might change for the same reason).

The problem I'm foreseeing is I may be too aggressive with my life total. 10 cards gain me life and 9 cost me life. Then there's all 9 fetches I can run and 3 shocklands. That totals to 22 life loss cards and that will add up fast. I might need to make room for Exquisite Blood and more lifegain or substitute some cards I'm running. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the suggestion

I do not see the appeal to ' Olivia Voldaren or Drana, Liberator of Malakir.

Furthermore I would suggest Utter End or Vindicate unless you feel that Anguished Unmaking is enough.

Consider a Bojuka Bog for some GY removal

Also consider a Vindictive Lich or Havengul Lich for some recurrence

I would remove Heirloom Blade and put in Kindred Boon - it is so nice against board wipes

Regards

I'm confused and feel like that post was half trolling and half serious.. thus the confusion. Vindictive Lich doen't involve recursion and Havengul Lich has blue so I can't even use it.

Drana is amazing here. I'm on the fence about both Olivias to be honest but going tribal doesn't leave me many options. Heirloom Blade has actually been nice, it's a power buff and pseudo skullclamp rolled into one, I've been happy with the card.

As far as more catch-all spot removal goes it's a very real possibility but that will be based on more games played and finding under performers and weaknesses.

Really liking the deck, and look to use much of it in my own build. One card I've been looking at is Cryptic Gateway which seems to work great with Markov's ability. Play a cheap vamp, get a token, tap both to drop a pricey vamp onto the board.

Phyrexian Tower and Volrath's Stronghold are good cards to have. You might want to consider Anointed Procession and Purphoros, God of the Forge as well. Having all your vampires dome everyone for 6 is just fantastic. Add in Bontu's Monument and you have a nice little engine going. X-spell or two would be good if you add Cabal Coffers in there as well as Nirkana Revenant or Crypt Ghast.

Is your meta tribal central? If not Patriarch's Bidding will probably be good as well! Best of luck

I brainfarted there sorry for the confusion. I meant Bloodline Necromancer and not Havengul LichWhat I wanted to ask was if you thought of some more bringing back from graveyard such as Unburial Rites, Beacon of Unrest or are you going to leave your GY alone

@mir - I'd like to eventually get Nirkana Revenant and Volraths Stronghold in here. Phytexian Tower I'd run if I ever go the Grave Pact/Dictate of Erebos route, but that's a significant change. I've considered the monument but don't have room and I run Herald's Horn for the pseudo draw instead.

@me2tal - For now the gy is getting left alone. I'll be adding Bishop of Rebirth when Ixalan comes out though and I'm trying to pick up Bloodline Necromancer (bought singles, not the deck).

I'm really diggin' the deck, man. It's super aggressive and seems like it'd kick some serious ass in action. However, I've noticed you've sorta gone all in on the aggro theme, which is cool but it also leaves you vulnerable in other places. I would suggest, as others already have, adding in either more boardwipes, or something like Attrition, or at least more spot removal. I'm always a huge fan of Grave Pact and Dictate of Erebos to keep the opposition from getting too far ahead.
Also, I don't know how set you are on the Vampires tribal theme, but you might want to consider putting Mentor of the Meek in for card draw. I tested him out in my deck, and he actually performed quite well with Edgar Markov's ability. If not the Mentor of the Meek, then perhaps something like Skeletal Scrying, Damnable Pact, or Ambition's Cost. Card draw is always beneficial. Awesome deck though, seems really solid.

If Reconnaissance hits $5 I'm going to spam all of your decklists. Just saying...

Wonderful build, made me go and get a Reconnaissance for my own Edgar deck. Nice.

In my 1v1-oriented Edgar build I once stole a Progenitus with New Blood by getting out an Overwhelming Splendor and cursing the Progenitus player with it first. It was lulzy. New Blood does bonkers things. Definitely an inclusion.

Enjoy this deck. I want to face you some time, perhaps over Cockatrice? My hand on there is Lil_Kalki . Add me, dude! You seem cool (and thanks again for the pointers with regards to Reconnaissance!)

~Lil Kalki

Np on the advice and ty for the compliment. Sorry I don't actually play online though (unless you go back like 10+ years to forum typed out games lol... uud anyone?)

im surprised no one else has recommended Whip of Erebos useful card and gives you a reanimation for a turn.

So, what WOULD you do to optimize this build competitively?