Your argument for not including Sol Ring might make sense if it weren't for the fact that you have Ancient Tomb mainboard. As is, it's a bit illogical.

How do you feel about the inclusion of Forbidden Orchard as another tri-land here? I know you've been running it in Derevi and I don't see why it wouldn't be just as good in this deck as it is there.

Eldritch Evolution seems like an easy addition, do you agree? Do you think Thalia, Heretic Cathar has any chance in this deck?

I've added Eldritch Evolution in my list and it's pretty sweet so far. I'm still far from optimized though... trying to find a spot for Thalia, Heretic Cathar right now....

Why no Elves of Deep Shadow? Aren't all the 1cmc elves great?

Needs more Leonin Relic-Warder

how consistently is this combo able to get assembled? In anyone's experience, does it usually require aggressive mulligans? Would anyone modify this list for further consistency?

You ever thought of running Anafenza, the foremost?

For this deck, he's running karador to recover if his combo is disrupted. Anafenza can be competitive, but she's more of a 1v1 general.

Red_dog567, i don't run this exact list (lacking a few cards for budget reasons), but i can give you some idea. Thanks to the possibility to draw two different hands of 7 before you take actual mulligans, a deck like this has no trouble getting a good opener. There are plenty of tutors to assemble Academy Rector + sac outlet or some other way to start the combo. So if you absolutely want to force it as fast as possible, it will work by turn 3-5 relativley reliably (i would estimate >75%, assuming no interaction). If your goal is to maximize speed, a few more tutors (Altar of Bone, Chord of Calling, Sylvan Tutor) as well as even more acceleration (Elves of Deep Shadow, Lotus Petal, Gemstone Caverns) might be helpful.
However, the current build of this deck doesn't try to race to the combo every game, its primary plan is disruption, then finish via combo once the board is stable.

Anafenza, the Foremost can be used as a hatebear in the 99, certain graveyard based decks have trouble beating her (this one included). If your metagame requires it, she can also be the general. Casting Karador isn't easy anyway sometimes, and while he is a great value card, he isn't really essential to the game plan.

I just meant in the 99 I understand why he runs Karador I run pretty much an identical deck. I've been testing it and it shuts down most scion, daretti and other fast re-animator decks.

@cobblepotHi, I'm really excited to build a variation of your deck, but I'd like to wait for your next batch of updates to it. I was wondering if the Reddit competition was over and you had already made the changes, or if you know when it will end.Thanks!

I'm a little lost as to why Eldritch Evolution is good cobblepott

EE can find either Academy Rector or Viscera Seer/Carrion Feeder to start the combo, but also gives access to all the hatebears. It costs you a creature and is weak to countermagic, but usually it's quite powerful, for example to get an early stax creature like Kataki, War's Wage or an unexptected combo kill.

Emzed

I see, thank you for your explanation. I failed to notice that it said "or less." lol

Why not play Zulaport Cutthroat? Seems like good redundancy, and it bypasses Leyline of Sanctity effects.

Your karador build is phenomenal! I have been placing top 4 in the past two tournaments recently. Just wanted to know if you are going to update the deck.

angel of glory's rise plus fiend hunter is a good safeguard since most creatures in here are human

actually nvm there aren't that many

If you're running Tainted Pact you should replace a Forest, Plains and Swamp with Snow-Covered Forest, Snow-Covered Plains and Snow-Covered Swamp. It would then be impossible to repeat a card.

@cobblepott

Hey, I've been following your list for a while, made a lot of alterations of my own to the list, which I've seen your latest changes have somewhat incorporated.

I suspected that the shift to a more Tax strategy with Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and other similar effects have somewhat hindered the decks own capabilities by making reanimation and tutors cost more, and had inverse effect against creature based strategies; Hence why I (And I assume you) swapped to Winter Orb and Hokori, Dust Drinker

I feel that the only problem I currently have with the list is that once you've dropped your hand, recovering without Karador is quite a hassle, especially without enough draw effects in the deck, but I'm not sure what other cards could be included to help draw more cards.

How has Blind Obedience and Thalia, Heretic Cathar worked for you in your deck? I've considered these effects for a while but am not sure if they're worth the slots as of yet.

Likewise, I cut Kataki, War's Wage and Eidolon of Rhetoric, as I felt they were underwhelming most of the time, and instead put in Grand Abolisher, but perhaps that's a meta call.

Not sure if you've noticed the interaction, but Leonin Relic-Warder can go infinite with Dance of the Dead and Animate Dead without a sac-outlet, provided Blood Artist is on field. Useful, as no-one ever sees it coming, which is why I've opted to put Necromancy back in.

Looking forward to a response!

Sorry, double post;

In regards to the draw-power issue, I've recently added Land Tax (with 6 basics) and Life from the Loam in addition to Weathered Wayfarer to help with hitting land drops (bonus points to synergy with Sensei's Divining Top and Sylvan Library). Have you considered including either of those? I've replaced a Tax slot and Grim Haruspex with those 2, as I felt Haruspex wasn't pulling enough weight.

Whats up with tainted pact? It does not seem very fitting for the deck...

@Mr.Bubbles11

Tainted Pact can effectively be an instant speed Demonic Tutor if you build your deck correctly. As with most tutors, you should usually reserve them until you have a particular card in mind that you want to get (even though this deck will usually blow its first 2 tutors or so to get Survival of the Fittest or some draw power + a Winter Orb effect)

To that end, Tainted Pact is useful in the sense that you can tutor for anything you need, in a pinch. It's a common addition in Food Chain combo decks.