Spirits

This has been on my mind all day. Its going to be very difficult to get that CMC cost you want in Mardu. The only thing that came to mind was replacing Goblin Bombardment with Altar of the Brood and hopefully you can Mill your opponents. I mean it isnt an instant pinging death but you drop your CMC by

Other than that, I have no idea. I was trying to think of ways of incorporating one of these: Lion's Eye Diamond , Street Wraith , Yawgmoth's Will , Call to the Netherworld but i'm stumped. This doomsday pile is depleting all my brain juice forsure lol

Whoooops… just kidding. Guess that wouldn't work without a sack outlet lol! That went over my head.

Wait. Double scratch that. I dont even know what im talking about anymore. Im telling you. This is depleting my brain juices trying to figure this out. Cant even think straight. Haha sigh

Spirits

So, after finally getting some rest (averaging between 2-3 hours of sleep per night, crazy work shifts) I been thinking. Now correct me if i'm wrong here.

Doomsday Stack. From my understanding you're going to Dark Ritual into Doomsday . Now you need a card to draw into that stack. Thus, needing a card such as Night's Whisper , let's say this is in hand(or any other card as such); Now we can draw into the Doomsday pile, which then the stack will look like:

Faithless Looting

Street Wraith

Leonin Relic-Warder (Discard)

Animate Dead

Goblin Bombardment

that's a total of CMC5, . This is all assuming you're not going to wait until your next turn to draw into that stack. I was under the impression this is what will be done in 1 turn to end the game. Now if you are going to wait until your next turn to draw into the stack, then we can just dump this pile.

If you were to wait a turn to begin the draw, depending if there is a land in hand, you can replace Street Wraith with Magmatic Insight which will bring the stack to a total CMC6, . But now it comes with the a cost of trying to find a home for Magmatic Insight

Hi weezel

Yeah was trying to build a Doomsday stack on it's own, vs. a Doomsday + Night's Whisper .

My hope is Doomsday on it's own can get me there. If I'm trying to cast Doomsday and play a CMC5 stack, no way on same turn.

T1 Swamp + Dark Ritual + Doomsday

T2 Blood Crypt + whatever I draw in the pile ( Faithless Looting , or Night's Whisper ) << Total CMC5 max assuming I have a Mana Crypt or Chrome Mox something getting me enough mana.

Glad to see you broke and finally came around to Razaketh and Worldgorger Dragon.

Hi weezel,

Update from this weekends cEDH tournament.

Won all rounds, but probably should have lost to a Kess, Dissident Mage in round 2, had a Glen Elendra Archmage resolved. I managed to Toxic Deluge it but then they Thoughtseize my Grim Tutor so was waiting for a tutor to pull a Swords to Plowshares . Then they tapped out on casting a Pact of Negation on my Bloodgift Demon (At the time, I only had Reflecting Pool (luckily they had played a Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth which enabled it to be ) and they were trying to mitigate my draw. (Note: I kept a 0 land hand in that round because I had Mana Crypt , Arcane Signet , and Dark Ritual in hand. Soon as they had no , successfully resolved my combo (again), they had already Force of Will cast on me earlier.

Anyways, never used the Worldgorger Dragon at all, drew the Bogardan Hellkite in the last round, never played him. Each round got there the same way, Buried Alive + Reanimate . The last round I resolved a Razaketh, the Foulblooded , sac'd Kaalia of the Vast realized I didn't have enough , so had to wait a turn, then cast Kaalia of the Vast again, resolved an Avacyn, Angel of Hope , sac'd Kaalia of the Vast to pull a for Goblin Bombardment (post-combat) sacrifice all the Restoration Angel after casting Buried Alive + Reanimate .

Post the tournament, realized Demonic Consultation was too much of a dead draw, going to replace it with Plunge into Darkness , saw it played a couple times was not horrible, worst case just pulls a tutor usually.

Also worked that evening on replacing Worldgorger Dragon and Bogardan Hellkite but came up with nothing. I primary win-con all rounds, never went to Leonin Relic-Warder which is far safer secondary than Worldgorger Dragon . Still thinking a Doomsday is a better way to go, could do Doomsday + Night's Whisper and build a stack:

Night's Whisper

Faithless Looting

Leonin Relic-Warder (discard with Faithless Looting )

Animate Dead

Goblin Bombardment

That's CMC7 though .

Also was thinking maybe Silence or more of an interaction package, Red Elemental Blast + Pyroblast (probably the right ones). Also went down a though process on T1 enabling like Simian Spirit Guide .

What I really need is another Buried Alive best I can think of is Final Parting >> Leonin Relic-Warder + Animate Dead (to hand), but then still need a Goblin Bombardment . So the combo would be Final Parting + Goblin Bombardment or Animate Dead . So would be CMC9. Better than Doomsday CMC7 (stack) + = CMC10, and doesn't require a same turn enabler like Street Wraith . Still not right though. Hmm.

Cheers!

In decks where the commander is a huge part of the main strategy I tend to wonder, how would you recover from an opponent destroying Kaalia over and over again? I ask this because I have a deck that heavily revolves around the commander and my opponents always see it as a threat. They are always able to get rid of it and then my deck gets completely shut down.

Hi Bruhmaster,

Understand what your saying, most decks that rely on the commanders, usually once the commander resolves (caster maintains priority), it's too late, whatever it is that needs to get done, is done instant speed so removal is hard.

Some commanders like Kaalia of the Vast , that have to resolve, and then pass phases (into combat phase in this case), have a harder time. A few tricks we can use, 1) Grand Abolisher , 2) Silence , 3) Teferi's Protection , 4) Haste ( Dragon Tempest ) 5) Shroud ( Lightning Greaves ).

The way that i've configured this deck is 1) Primary win-con is Buried Alive + Reanimate , 2) Secondary win-con is Leonin Relic-Warder + Animate Dead + Goblin Bombardment , 3) still trying to figure it out, currently Worldgorger Dragon + Animate Dead + Dragon Tempest . None of these win-cons use Kaalia of the Vast .

Kaalia of the Vast gives me some high-synergies 1) Kaalia of the Vast + Master of Cruelties eliminates an opponent, 2) Kaalia of the Vast + Razaketh, the Foulblooded usually tutors the win-con. Kaalia of the Vast can also drop in Interactive ADD to solve issues. Definitively no reliance on resolving ADD for combat damage.

What commander do you play, can strategize some plans for you. In the cEDH tournament this weekend, only cast Kaalia of the Vast in 1 of the rounds.

Hi UR2L8,

Updated: I've added Thoughtseize to assist with the issue of drawing Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker or Restoration Angel to had. This is in addition to the Faithless Looting . It provides a discard outlet for , but also is handy if another player has tutored a couple times and need to disrupt their combo (since we don't have Counterspell , Dash Hopes doesn't cut it, and Red Elemental Blast and Pyroblast are a little too specific for me).

Always something useful to Thoughtseize , downside is that it puts you at a card disadvantage and only 1 other opponent, so 1v1 it's a good trade, in a 4-pod can be detrimental, but also provides the modular benefit of discarding your own cards in a pinch.

Spirits

I haven't been playing much. Work plus the holidays has taken too much of my time.

The last time I played, I unfortunately couldn't stay and complete the games, I had to leave after the first round but I did win on T3 with the Buried Alive + Reanimate combo before having to pack up and leave.

I have to get some shut eye so I can't get too much into great detail but thing's I've noticed are:

Have yet to use the Worldgorger Dragon combo, even having it in hand; I've personally had no need to use it. I almost feel as if the deck has to be built up a little more around it or making It almost one of it's primary combo's. I could be wrong, you'll have a better observation about this than I would.

Demonic Consultation as you stated, was also a dead card for me. Even having it in hand, I never once used it.

I know our decks are almost identical with the exception of only a few cards and I know I do not have Bogardan Hellkite in mine. I'll have to check over mine and see which cards I have that are different than yours.

Leonin Relic-Warder combo is my favorite. I feel they never see it coming when I use it. I've only used it a handful of times but there has been games where I intentionally dragged it on just so I can use it. lol, bad idea I know! but that's how much I enjoy it playing it.

I have Red Elemental Blast and Pyroblast in my Prossh, Skyraider of Kher deck and to be honest, I have never used them but they're in there still, I guess it's more for safe keeping, because well you just never know. I would use Silence personally over those in this deck. I might just have to add it in and see how it work's out but I don't know, do you feel you need cards as such in the deck?

I seen you put Dockside Extortionist how has it been working for you? You find ways to loop it or abuse it with Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker ? I've fooled around with it in some other decks that I have but I felt it's more valuable if you can flicker it, other than that, I've had it in hand a few games where I've held onto it until T4 before it would become of any value and by that time i'm already set up to win.

Simian Spirit Guide might be a better addition than Dockside Extortionist ? I have it in every deck that contain's It is one of the more recent cards that I put in this deck but unfortunately I have yet to use it.

Maybe dockside > Worldgorger? Maybe Vice versa? Maybe Simian > Both of them?

I agree 100% that a second Buried Alive interaction would be of better value. I'll look into it more and get back to you if I come up with anything of value. The whole Doomsday thought was just giving me a headache, trying to find line's for that was making me grow gray hairs lol. So I gave up.

until next time!

Hi weezel,

Quick reply. I'll wait for your other comments and differential list.

I added Worldgorger Dragon in and took Reveillark out, Reveillark was not working, thought Worldgorger Dragon would give me a line with Dragon Tempest so it's another possible draw ( Goblin Bombardment or Dragon Tempest ), but I've never used it honestly. It also led to Bogardan Hellkite (he's AWFUL, but instant {flash} win with WGD) and Thoughtseize and Necromancy additions.

After this weekend's tournament, I was talking with my friend about getting away from a third line, Buried Alive + Reanimate is line 1, Leonin Relic-Warder + Animate Dead (or Necromancy ) + Goblin Bombardment is line 2, Worldgorger Dragon + Animate Dead (or Necromancy ) + Dragon Tempest or Bogardan Hellkite is line 3.

I was thinking, double down on Line 1 and Line 2, throw away line 3, this is how I was thinking to do it.

Add: Imperial Recruiter , he can tutor Leonin Relic-Warder for line 2, also strengthens Diabolic Intent for line 1, and Mausoleum Secrets also for line 1. He can also tutor Master of Cruelties synergy. Replace Worldgorger Dragon .

Add: Recruiter of the Guard , same, tutor Leonin Relic-Warder for line 2, strengthen Diabolic Intent and Mausoleum Secrets for line 1. Replace Bogardan Hellkite

Add: Dockside Extortionist , I just added him after the tournament, so have never actually played him yet to know how good he is. I'm thinking 3 mana? Maybe 4 mana? The reason I went him, is to also strengthen Diabolic Intent and Mausoleum Secrets for line 1. PS: Simian Spirit Guide would strengthen Mausoleum Secrets but not Diabolic Intent , and also increase your Turn 1 probability and possibility. I'll let you know how he works out (if I end up keeping him to play). This replaced Demonic Consultation it doesn't work, I was planning on trying Plunge into Darkness but feel will have similar challenges as Demonic Consultation but haven't tried it yet keep flip-flopping on what to try next.

With no Worldgorger Dragon frees up the Thoughtseize slot, could be a Silence , Fellwar Stone , Night's Whisper , or Fire Covenant hmm. Honestly I would make it a Mox Diamond or Chains of Mephistopheles if I owned either of them, which I do not sadly. Hoping for a good Q2 bonus and get some Mox Diamond s.

Aven Mindcensor should be in the deck, but with no Worldgorger Dragon or Bogardan Hellkite worried I may need to up my ADD count by 1 or 2, Sire Of Insanity maybe.

Necromancy and Yawgmoth's Will could come out for high CMC, but think need the redundancy/recursion, even with no WGD.

Imperial Recruiter and Recruiter of the Guard have Infinite combo lines too, but they get so far outside of the scope. I feel like these guys can tutor good stuff too, like Dockside Extortionist , Dark Confidant , Serra Ascendant , etc.

Spirits

I practice a lot with my pod and that's where I do alot of deck revising. Even though my pod is competitive, the decks still vary and are different compared to tournament play. So it's always a battle of which cards to keep or switch out.

I still haven't had any time to play or look through the deck; but wanted to comment still just on my experience which I'm sure is different than yours.

You stated you switched out Reveillark for Worldgorger Dragon and that you have yet to use the Worldgorger Dragon combo and the same is with me. I have yet to use it and feel as of now, its taking up slots. I want to say, I have used Reveillark while it was in the deck. So based off these two cards alone and nothing else, I would add Reveillark back just based off the fact I've used it and have yet to use Worldgorger Dragon

After stating that, I am 100% behind buffing up Line 1 or Line 2. With the addition of Imperial Recruiter and Recruiter of the Guard although it looks great on paper, seeing the capabilities they'll add, it does in fact take you way outside your scope; they are incredibly great tutors but I feel the synergy lacks, by that meaning there is no snowball It's a One and Done deal. Let's say you do add in these two in place of WGD and BHK. What is the probability of you drawing into them? If you draw into a Demonic Tutor on T2 are you really going to tutor for either one of those cards? I dont think so, I feel they are cards that will be useful midway in your game or if the first 2 lines are disrupted.

I use Imperial Recruiter in my Prossh, Skyraider of Kher deck but that's because it synergizes so well. Allowing me to tutor for one goblin, after another, after another allowing them to hit the battlefield that same turn with their low CMC and act as enablers. Thus, ending the game that turn.

You have more experience and you know this deck a hell of a lot more than I do. So that is also where things might make more sense to you as to me. I'm still learning it, so my opinions might not make sense.

I have Mox Diamond in the deck and it has worked greatly. I wouldn't think twice about taking it out. If you're able to do so, I would highly suggest adding it. Also you added Aven Mindcensor , why the addition of Chains of Mephistopheles ? which synergizes with Mausoleum Secrets but is it to Prevent additional card draw for the low CMC it provides? Act as a Thoughtseize if you're stuck with Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker allowing you to discard? If you have Aven Mindcensor why not go the route of adding in Stranglehold and/or even Maralen of the Mornsong . Why not test out that route? Instead of trying to get away with adding Imperial Recruiter and Recruiter of the Guard . I understand you're trying to stay in the lines of comboing and trying to go off but It's just a thought.

I have Sire Of Insanity in the deck, one game I got Kaalia of the Vast out and swinging on T2 dumping Sire Of Insanity onto the field. That completely disrupted the game. I drew into Avacyn, Angel of Hope on T3 and everyone ended up scooping by T6. Luck of the draw, I thought it was quite fun and funny. By doing so, I had no intentions of any combos which is why I played it to begin with.

There was also one point where I had added Altar of the Brood and Felidar Guardian . Using the Buried Alive Combo but instead dumping Karmic Guide , Restoration Angel and Felidar Guardian . I understand there is an additional step by having to dump Altar of the Brood onto the field making it a step slower but with its low CMC cost, it's not that difficult. Also, I would only tutor up that combo if Altar of the Brood was in my opening hand. I also would pull it off after they were expecting the Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker combo, so it added a bit of confusion.

As with anything in this game, you just got to throw things in and play the games out. That's really the only way you'll get any idea if it'll work or not. seeing it on paper looks nice but how well will it actually perform? It's just time consuming because it isn't like we can play 100 games back to back to figure out what cards can stay and go.

I'm definitely going to try and get some games in over the holidays, i'll get back to you with what cards I have in that are different to yours. Let me know your thoughts and suggestions. Keep us updated.

Hi weezel,

You're right Imperial Recruiter and Recruiter of the Guard need a Sneak Attack line to make sense. I'll do some more research next week, see if there's something else.

I'm hoping for a Mox Diamond maybe for Xmas, also sold some more prize pack cards, getting close. Need 3 Mox Diamond for decks, and still needing a Gaea's Cradle . Chains of Mephistopheles is nice, if I had one would play it, it's low on the acquireboard though with it's price tag.

Aven Mindcensor hoping to slow down other players tutoring, we'll see how it goes.

Decided to give Dockside Extortionist a go, I'm worried he'll be too slow, but if he can pull me 4-6 mana on T2 will be ok, have to see. I've committed to the testing of him, threw Corpse Dance in there to get the Dockside Extortionist + Corpse Dance + Goblin Bombardment line (a 4th). Hoping he works. If he works, but Corpse Dance too high CMC, I'll have to decide if he viable on his own, I suspect he is.

Reveillark combod with Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker but as you know Buried Alive + Reanimate or Animate Dead is the primary win-con and almost exclusively used unless stopped somehow. Most games, just go for it, if stopped, probably no time to get another shot as someone else will combo same/next turn.

Still haven't used the Worldgorger Dragon , it's a little more mana friendly than Reveillark in it's Entomb + Animate Dead . It can generate the infinite mana to play a Razaketh, the Foulblooded (from hand) and Kaalia of the Vast to sac for a Leonin Relic-Warder win-con. He also works with guys like Rune-Scarred Demon to draw whole library, or Angel of Despair to destroy all opponents permanents, then kill herself before she kills all your permanents, Karmic Guide return all your creatures. Also, can instant tutor up a Bogardan Hellkite to win. I dunno though, it's a 3rd line. It annoys me if pushed a CMC3 recurssion, in Necromancy into the deck, and with Corpse Dance for the Dockside Extortionist test, CMC getting out of control. Still working on rounding it out for the new test cards.

Hoping for a Mox Diamond but also just sell a few more cards, so it's imminent. Play Chains of Mephistopheles if you have one.

Giving up on Doomsday , cheapest non- Kaalia of the Vast is CMC6. Some play Insidious Dreams as an instant alternative, but CMC4, as well as have to have cards to discard, can't see it being fast enough.

Made quite a few wholesale changes to test,

1. Replaced all (except Hall of the Bandit Lord lands that were not Turn 1 | Dragonskull Summit , Isolated Chapel , Reflecting Pool

2. Adding Dockside Extortionist for testing, including infinite combo with Corpse Dance

3. Replacing Off-Color () lands that do not work with Worldgorger Dragon | Sacred Foundry still thinking on Sunbaked Canyon

4. Testing lower CMC draw spells | Night's Whisper , Ransack the Lab

Spirits

What's happening on your end; I see quite a bit of changes. How's everything been working out? I have yet to play with the deck, so unfortunately I do not have any thoughts in regards to its performance . I did go to a tournament today but I didn't partake. I watched and had a bunch of practice plays with two other decks I been in the works of.

I seen Dockside Extortionist doing work in a flicker/Cycling theme deck, which surprisingly was a very well constructed deck. That card is just stupid good when blinked. Wondering if you had any chances with it yet?

Noticed your land swaps, ever thought of Meteor Crater ? but then again, I guess it's almost similar to Reflecting Pool which some will argue any basic land is better than Reflecting Pool .

Or even Forbidden Orchard ? will giving an opponent a 1/1 really be that detrimental? as long as it gets you to go off quicker.

or Possibly even go as far as adding a Spire of Industry ? Hmm, maybe switching out a Swamp and Plains for a Vault of Whispers and Ancient Den adding a Mox Opal ; trying to bring up the artifact count.

Previously you mentioned adding Final Parting as a means of another Buried Alive but then having to find a way to get Goblin Bombardment What about Diabolic Revelation , tutoring one over having to discard? I guess with the outcome, they're both one of the same.

Have you thought about Scheming Symmetry ? Almost another Imperial Seal but then your opponent also get's an advantage. Can maybe work in conjunction with Night's Whisper , Faithless Looting , Ransack the Lab , Street Wraith but so can Mishra's Bauble as well, which has an added benefit of working off a Vampiric Tutor

Of course everything said is just being thrown out there. At this point, I almost feel you've been exhausting all the options so it's almost reached the point of "well how about this even though it's ehh" lol. Such as, for draw at a low CMC you have Burning Inquiry but that in itself is a super gamble.

Anyways, hope you got some game's in!

Hey uninvited,

Things have been good, deck is performing very well in tournament play considering Kaalia of the Vast being ranked in Tier 4 (high power). Won all three rounds again this weekend.

I've been making changes, some have worked out, some not so much. Still having the same challenge getting the Avg Win Turn down to 4 or below, however, I have seen the combo win-% go up dramatically, almost never kill with combat damage anymore ( Rakdos the Defiler and Kaalia of the Vast + Master of Cruelties are the exceptions).

Giving Dockside Extortionist a fair test, so far no feeling either way, hasn't been stellar, hasn't been a disappointment. I put Corpse Dance in to give him an Infinite Combo so he has the best opportunity to impress me, we'll see. He is not my style of card, anything that relies on my opponents doing something, I generally avoid, but still evaluating what he is, recently added.

I've actually removed every (except Hall of the Bandit Lord ) non-T1 land, so Meteor Crater won't meet my criteria. Also trying to cut down on the # of non- Worldgorger Dragon effective lands where I can too (like Sacred Foundry ), that way if I T1 Worldgorger Dragon can make infinite with "most" lands.

I still need to go down 1 land, probably Sunbaked Canyon for Mox Diamond whenever I can get my hands on one (saving up store credit at card kingdom selling stuff I don't need still.

Reflecting Pool , Dragonskull Summit (all check lands), and others have been eliminated, hate not having a on T1. I do like having Swamp and Plains , also note I've added Snow-Covered Swamp as well, to mitigate Blood Moon type effects, and utilize the Path to Exile and Assassin's Trophy (and some other ramp spells) benefits.

Forbidden Orchard is good, but doesn't work great with Master of Cruelties which I still play, mana sourcing is still quite good and consistent anyway, so no need to go the Forbidden Orchard or Tarnished Citadel routes anyway unless makes strategic sense.

Mox Opal just never going there, I ran another Mox Opal probability table this past weekend for a Kess, Dissident Mage friend, I just don't like it, I won't share the whole table, but here is some reasons why. Also, keep in mind, this probability is only the probability of drawing 3 artifacts (assuming you draw a Mox Opal whats the chance you have 2 others), if I were to do P(Drawing 3 artifacts) union P(drawing Mox Opal ) would be VERY low.

T1 with 18 artifacts is only 11%. By turn 5 (ignoring additional draw for now) is only 32%. At 24 artifacts T1 is 22% and T4 (want to win on or before this turn) 52%. 28 artifacts gets close to a good playability at T1 31% and T4 58%, but I feel if Kaalia of the Vast has 28 artifacts, just to engage a Mox Opal you should probably be playing a different commander, because their just aren't that many utility artifacts for Kaalia of the Vast .

Final Parting would allow for a Animate Dead tutor and a Worldgorger Dragon GY, but also need something to do with the infinite mana or have a damage outlet ( Dragon Tempest or Bogardan Hellkite ). So at CMC7 ( Animate Dead is CMC2), I'm better off running a Doomsday pile, which I've also decided is too high CMC.

Diabolic Revelation too much mana. Insidious Dreams is viable, others use it, but for me it's too high CMC again.

Scheming Symmetry is tempting ( Sensei's Divining Top also works), but still don't have enough draw to make it viable. With I think could be viable, but I've also seen it removed by players with draw attached to their commanders, it's just too risky, basically gives your opponent the ability to stop you and then win themselves, likely. If Scheming Symmetry was Instant it could work with Mishra's Bauble and would be a playable/fantastic tutor, but drawing your card on their turn isn't good because our Infinite combos are sorcery speed (you can build an instant speed, but it starts degrading synergy).

Thoughtseize has been fantastic and very useful, plus it's modular ability to get Worldgorger Dragon out of my hand, it's helped me avoid walking into chaos by seeing the control players hand and either knowing or removing a catastrophic play.

Right now pretty sure I need Simian Spirit Guide , the is blah, but he gives me the for Animate Dead on T1, and gives me an Animate Dead target to stop the Worldgorger Dragon loop and play out my hand, hopefully tutors or a Razaketh, the Foulblooded in a perfect scenario. So like Swamp + Entomb + Chrome Mox / Lotus Petal + Simian Spirit Guide + Animate Dead + something to do with mana (tutor probably, don't have Cut in my build) is another T1 win outlet. Tutor Razaketh, the Foulblooded , then sac Simian Spirit Guide to get Leonin Relic-Warder into Dance of the Dead and tutor up a Goblin Bombardment and a Necromancy with infinite tutor (bound by life but it's T1 and only need 2 tutors = 4 life), and then infinite damage. Hoping it will just give me another T1 path to win, which should inevitably lower my Avg win turn at some point.

Talisman of Conviction is on the potential cutting block, it's great net rock, but no .

I'm thinking of abandoning the combat damage line, so Gisela, Blade of Goldnight would go, but not quite there yet. Most don't like Avacyn, Angel of Hope , as removal is usually exile, hand or changes it's board state, rarely destroy, but gives an option from destroy effects, so I don't know yet. I took Balefire Dragon out, think I still need him, he probably could be a Fire Covenant but I like my control on my ADD, my interaction package is a little light I know that, only because I prefer to just try and win, opposed to trying to stop others from winning, just a philosophy, don't think it costs me wins.

Running out of ideas, doing research on Discord, going to look through a bunch more decks, already did comparisons to the Primers there, I'm never going Stax Ob Nixilis, Unshackled or maybe Aven Mindcensor / Chains of Mephistopheles maybe ill win the lotto one day / Stranglehold as far as I'll go if I do go that route.

Cheers.

Spirits

I see where you're coming from. It's going to be very difficult as Mardu doesn't have much options available with low CMC for filtering your deck out.

Simian Spirit Guide will also work with Mausoleum Secrets could be very valuable. I have it in every single one of my decks that contain . Try it out, it's the only way you'll know.

If you're abandoning the combat line and aren't really winning with combat damage then there's no need for Gisela, Blade of Goldnight . Balefire Dragon Can be viable against tokens or stax creatures. Kind of use as a backup? It's better than having to pay life with one time uses such as Fire Covenant and Hatred but maybe Avacyn, Angel of Hope might be the better route to take, especially if you're relying on your permanents to win.

Chains of Mephistopheles I can see being situational, it affects you as well. I like Stranglehold alot but I dislike the , it's too costly for what you have going on. Aven Mindcensor being slightly better but still at it's like Ehh, definitely makes Chains of Mephistopheles the better option only at You also have Spirit of the Labyrinth which is in someway a poor mans chains, only at

I agree about getting a Mox Diamond that is almost a must! Should be next on your list in regards to high ticket cards to get

Spirits

Have you thought of possibly replacing Necromancy with Shallow Grave ? It's not as versatile as Necromancy but it is CMC cheaper. Just a thought, never hurts reducing mana costs. Did you get any games in playing with the revisions you made?

Simian Spirit Guide needs to exile itself if you're using it for mana, so that part won't work with Mausoleum Secrets. However, if you're running a full suite of loot/ rummage spells then you can weave the extra value by pitching it in that way.

Hi uninvited,

Didn't get any games in this weekend, plus trying to make a plan for Thassa's Oracle , not going to be able to keep Red Elemental Blast or Pyroblast out anymore with Flash and Protean Hulk T1/T2 now. Not sure I'm ready for the stax of Hushbringer . Abeyance or Silence don't seem to do anything. Praetor's Grasp to high CMC for me, been happy with Thoughtseize . Angel's Grace and Ad Nauseam back in? Burnout probably has to go in, need 3 spots. I'm not even sure if an efficient instant draw spell to target the opponent would be useful, if one existed.

Necromancy works with Worldgorger Dragon and Leonin Relic-Warder , but I have Dance of the Dead in temporarily testing it. I also have Corpse Dance in testing with Dockside Extortionist . Deciding if Dockside Extortionist is good enough on own without the Infinite interaction with Corpse Dance , if the combo is viable (i don't think so, still needs sac outlet), or whether Dockside Extortionist is just a little too slow and frees up 2 slots. No room for Shallow Grave ATM, need to find the above interaction slots as well.

Need to find a way to win on T2 consistently as well, might have to keep increasing my T1 win draw probability, and T2 and sacrifice T3-T5 to try and get there faster. Changes are costing me efficiency on Diabolic Intent , will not be good if I lose that. Mox Opal cheap now, but the probabilities numbers still don't make sense to contribute to enough T1 wins vs. T1 dead draws. Wishclaw Talisman could help with good artifact count.

Angel of Despair may come out for the instant since she stops Show and Tell + Omniscience but not Thassa's Oracle . Might be her time. Balefire Dragon , Avacyn, Angel of Hope , move away from a damage line Gisela, Blade of Goldnight . Have about 12 cards on my potential cut list anyways, just have to decide how to stop the fish. Other than the efficiency of The Gitrog Monster , all the top commanders are , they need to stop printing OP cards, but let's ban CMC9 Iona, Shield of Emeria because it's no fun, but let's make win on T1 more consistently, just such strange thinking IMHO.

Will keep you posted on how things go.

Thanks Bad_Dog,

Your right, Simian Spirit Guide doesn't seem right then. Going to sub him back out for interaction cards.

Spirits

Completely looked over the exiling effect of Simian Spirit Guide , was thinking discard this whole time. that blows.

Any new cards catching your eye? Was thinking as for drawing and/or discarding you have: Thrill of Possibility which is similar to Night's Whisper without the loss of life, also allowing you to dump a piece such as Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker .

I noticed Funeral Rites which seems to be the offspring if Night's Whisper and Ransack the Lab had a kid. You'd get Funeral Rites lol just some cards I noticed that might be replacements or even additions.

Hey uninvited,

Thrill of Possibility is quite good, very modular and draw, works great with Worldgorger Dragon , Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker , Karmic Guide even a Razaketh, the Foulblooded is a great recursion target and wins the game. It's on my maybe, still evaluating what comes out for it. Hoping to get a really good evaluation of Dockside Extortionist today.

Funeral Rites too high CMC, and it is uncontrolled, Ransack the Lab is nice because it let's you control what the discard is (no throwing away a Reanimate or Demonic Tutor ).

I need to get Abeyance in for sure to stop Thassa's Oracle - Protean Hulk , doesn't stop Thassa's Oracle - Demonic Consultation though sadly, so not sure. Pyroblast and Red Elemental Blast should probably go in to move toward cEDH.

I'm trying to decide if I should abandon a damage line (currently combo/synergy/combat damage), since I almost exclusively win with Buried Alive + Reanimate right now, and solid secondary in Leonin Relic-Warder line and tertiary with Worldgorger Dragon and strong synergies in Razaketh, the Foulblooded (pulls the Leonin Relic-Warder combo) and Master of Cruelties .

Some cards I'm considering cutting for Abeyance (at least) and Thrill of Possibility , Avacyn, Angel of Hope , Balefire Dragon , Gisela, Blade of Goldnight , Mother of Runes which would make Diabolic Intent and Mausoleum Secrets worse and maybe unplayable, Steelshaper's Gift although a haste/shroud Kaalia of the Vast into a Razaketh, the Foulblooded into a win is very good, Talisman of Conviction but feel pretty low in mana sources as-is, plus Mox Diamond isn't in my printed deck (saving up store credit at Card Kingdom), Yawgmoth's Will . I did put Aven Mindcensor in for Serra Ascendant , changes the type of pressure I can put on early. May decide to take him out, usually my strategy is put in more tutors/go for win and try and win first but the Fish is just too fast and too low CMC and too hard to disrupt. Not going as far as Burnout

Hushbringer shuts down so much of my deck (and combos), it's tough to get around, then I'll have to find removal for my own creature, but maybe Diabolic Intent it for Buried Alive and then Mausoleum Secrets for Reanimate off her, but the mana cost is too much.

Lot's to think about, likely needed Pyroblast and Red Elemental Blast in too, but until Jan 24th (think that's when it becomes legal to play), not in a rush. In reality all the top commanders are anyway and piggyback on similar combos.

Spirits I'm working on a new Kaalia take with a couple of other guys main mission being to break in cantrips and forbidden tutors because that's more or less the biggest weakness of the deck in a comp setting. I can keep you in the loop if you'd like and given that you're on a two card combo (kiki) this will actually help your list quite a bit.