Just chiming in because I noticed a card that you might like while re-tuning my deck in light of the Sylvan Primordial banning.

Twilight Shepherd interacts well with Greater Good if you happen to have them both in play and some other creatures. It also provides a sort of passive protection against wrath effects unless I'm reading it wrong. Even if it doesn't trigger to your benefit the first time it enters the battlefield, I feel like the second trigger off of persist is worth it.

Of course, it could get exiled, tucked, etc. So can everything else...

Oh and MaelstromHobo, occasionally bad draws followed by poor mulligans leave me out of the running vs. quick decks, especially in 1 vs 1 duels. Any deck that wins a duel on turns 3-5 is usually going to stop a Mayael deck, I think. I find that green ramp and degenerate cards like Sylvan Library , Survival of the Fittest , and Tooth and Nail keep me in the running vs. even very fast decks most of the time (multiplayer). Mayael is pretty fun because you can actively choose to attempt to win by a slowish, fun strategy instead of an unfair or controlling one while still having both options and counting on a little luck.

TL:DR, Find a way to exploit Naya's ramp, removal, tutors, and card advantage to compete with unfair combo decks, aggressive voltron strategies, etc. Always mulligan aggressively so that your opening hand contains answers to likely early game threats.

mayael fo' sho'

@MaelstromHobo I usually play the passive diplomatic guy, using my removal to make sure that no one player gets too far ahead. Then when I can just take over I usually strike then. I don't play 1v1, so I've never really had decks go under me. though when that one douche guy play Maralen Black Storm/Turn 3 Combo, you better have removal in hand lol.

@musichate Twilight Shepherd is neat, but I don't want them back in my hand. From there it takes so much to get them all back down. Putting them all in the GY I can recycle them with the Eldrazi, and find them with Mayael again. And I totally agree with your assessment of ways to play Mayael.

I'll be updating the deck soon with the recent changes.

When playing Cavern of Souls , what creature type do you find yourself naming most often?

If people are consistently denying me Mayael, I'll name Elf. Otherwise I'm usually naming Angel or Eldrazi.

Interesting noone has mentioned this yet...Iroas, God of Victory !!!!

What to replace rather than whether or not it fits I think. Cheap, flippable and win conditiony...me likey

Most definitely Iroas, God of Victory will be put in! I haven't actually played this deck in a while, it was too dominant so I switched it up to a Riku deck. But I'll probably put this back together after Journey releases and I have me a shiny new Iroas!

Same with the new Ajani, for the both of them I'd probably take out Time of Need and Spellbreaker Behemoth ?

Ajani seems intriguing too. I don't know what to think about him though. The +1 counters don't seem particularly relevant but drawing cards is always nice. Whatever the form.

I was looking at Time of Need and I kind of like it to be honest, between the gods, girls like Avacyn and Gisela, and scary guys like Vorinclex...you've got lots of good targets. It's really dependent on your board state though. Spellbreaker Behemoth is totally metagame dependent too. If you've moved away from your control-heavy meta it's probably not necessary.

Do you have that Riku deck posted?

They also spoiled two new hydras.

A Journey into Nyx one for 4GG 7/7 that has monstrosity for XXG and when it does, you put X X/X Green Hydra Creatures in play.

The M15 one is XGG and tutors for a nonland permanent with converted mana cost of X or less, and gets X +1/+1 counters.

Would you play them and what would they replace?

I might play the 7/7, but not either one is especially enticing. The M15 one definitely doesn't fit, since I can't hit it off Mayael.

What is your thoughts on both Hellkite Tyrant and Sun Titan? Both can be very helpful in their own ways

Bearer of the Heavens ?

You can get Avacyn and this... plus a sac engine like birthing pod or greater good. Destroy everyone's lands and board state.

@WHyFLy Both are great depending on your meta, and who you play against. Hellkite Tyrant is great if you face Sharuum and such. Sun Titan is great to recur important support cards if people remove your stuff, but I found that people were more worried about my dudes, and left my things alone.

@SSR_Komamura For me that's too situational, and only good if I have Avacyn and either Birthing Pod or Greater Good already. It could reset the game, but I rarely want to do that.

*Note I do have to update my list, the deck was shortly taken apart to make some trades for modern.

I also like it with Worldly Tutor , Twilight Shepherd and Mayael the Anima

How do you feel about Elvish Piper ? I want to like her but i feel like she is too easily dealt with.

SSR_Komamura: I'd asked about that same card a while ago, but ChiefWannaHacka wasn't sure. I put it in anyway to try it and to find out about how it would've been dealt with. People just didn't seem to notice until I actually tapped it and copied with Rings of Brighthearth . That's when it got removed.

I think Elvish Piper has its biggest impact when you can drop it with five mana and a haste outlet. I often find myself holding onto it in my deck because it's so vulnerable. A lot can happen in one turn cycle. It's definitely a strong card with stuff like Rings or Illusionist's Bracers though.

So I dont know about you guys, but the new card Scourge of the Throne from conspiracy is for sure going in my mayael deck. A creature with base 5 power that gets bigger and gives me more attack steps for free? The only reason I never used aurelia was becasue of her power so Im super stoked for this card. That pretty, new art Exploration too if I can get my hands on one.

It's a neat Dragon. Dragon's are always welcome. What do you guys think of Dethrone as an ability?

In a 1v1 it is strong... other than that i dont see it being extremely useful. Not being able to attack who you want is a big penalty.

Yeah. There will be lots of times it's essentially vanilla.

I like the dragon for that time where you kill 2 people off, then untap and kill the last guy. Also the new exploration I want in foil sooooo bad lol.

dethrone counts yourself.... its super bad.

Have you guys seen the M15 creature, Siege Dragon? You can see it on Mythic Spoiler:

Siege Dragon, 5RR

Creature - Dragon

Flying

When Siege Dragon enters the battlefield, destroy all Walls your opponent controls.

Whenever Siege Dragon attacks, if your opponent control no Walls, it deals 5 damage to each creature without flying defending player controls.

5/5

If the spoiled text on that card is accurate, it will be amazing. Deal 5 damage to all non flyers your opponent controls when it attacks? Yes please! To be honest, wall creatures are not going to be an issue in commander, and i see it as better then Balefire Dragon : It essentially does the same thing, cause Balefire only hits non-flyers anyway (If they have a flyer, lets be honest, they're gonna block), except Balefire only does the damage to the creatures if it does the damage to the player. Siege Dragon does the damage when it swings :) The difference between 5 and 6 damage might be an issue, but the sheer consistency of the damage dealing is better.

What do you guys think?

Hm. +1 and I would suggest Serra Ascendant just because it's a one drop that has most of the time: Flying, lifelink and is a 6/6. I wouldn't know what to take out but still it's just a suggestion :)

@TehRazorBack I totally agree with that switch! That dragon is sick.

@PhoenixElite Serra Ascendant isn't really what this deck is looking for, and in EDH it's simply a beatstick. My deck aims to pump out huge dudes, most with utility of some sort. Then I support them with an array of sweet cards in my colors.