Needs tutors and Reanimate

Thanks for the help. Any ideas on which tutors it would need?

Vampirc and demonic

Blood Artist over Zulaport Cutthroat since the Artist procs off all creatures instead of just your own. If you like the mechanic, Falkenrath Noble can provide another source.

Thanks for the idea, I was just figuring that hitting each player at once was more efficient but hitting target for each death is also a really great way to go

I would recommend Yavimaya Elder over Sakura-Tribe Elder It's a little higher cost, but provides card draw and two lands to the one that Sakura-Tribe Elder provides. Also, some token generation is never a bad idea for a Meren deck. I use Ogre Slumlord since it triggers whenever anyone loses a creature, and deathtouch chump blockers are pretty useful.

Thanks for the ideasThe only reason I preferSakura-Tribe Elder over yavmiya due to the fact that it places it onto the battlefield.

Do you have any suggestions as to what to take out?

I can definitely see the whole straight onto the field thing. I would pull Evolving Wilds. It's generally more for mana-fixing than anything but you have a lot of lands that provide both so it shouldn't make a huge difference, especially with the ramp options that would be in there.

Allright. and any suggestions for what to cut forOgre Slumlord

I would pull either:

Catacomb Sifter or Viscera Seer - they have basically the same effect, Viscera Seer would probably be the one to drop since you have to sac specifically for the effect.

Reassembling Skeleton - The other option, you have quite a bit of recurrence in the deck already so playing it from your graveyard isn't hugely useful and besides that it's just a 1/1, which the Slumlord would provide anyways.

The reassembling is due to having effects that force me to sac every turn. Specifically Contamination which is a win condition that could be destroyed if my opponent wipes the field.

Nice deck!

I would suggest pulling Dictate of Erebos and maybe even Grave Pact. Yes, they are strong cards in the deck, but have some disadvantages.

1. They provide a continuous boardwipe, and locks down games and that is not fun to play against. And fun play and getting out all those expensive cards was the basics for EDH after all.

2. The best way to clear these cards is to kill the owner.

Also, cards like Skullwinder that brings creature cards back to your hand are a waste. Skip the hand and bring them directly into play using Meren or other options. Check my deck Meren's sideKicks for inspiration.

Is the deck capable of dealing with situations where the reanimate-machine doesn't work? Maybe get in some big guys like It That Betrays, Doomgape or Terastodon.

Hey, Tyr_W great ideas. I have been thinking aboutIt That Betrays for a while now. I am unable to take out the dictate effects due to this being my "mean" deck. I got really tired of decks that used dictates against me so this is my only deck based around the theme itself to deal with others like that. They also pair well with Woodfall Primus/Mikaeus, the Unhallowed for an instant win as long as one of my sac outlets is out. I generally agree with your decision for Skullwinder though I have it to return my non-creature permanents. If you have any ideas as to other ways to recur those permanents please let me know as I am not the happiest with that card in general. Any other ideas for things to take out for big creatures would be most helpful.

Sorry this took so long to get back to you, and thanks for your time.

As a whole I like the deck. A re animator Meren. As Meren is my favorite commander I support it.

Many of my concerns have been addressed by fellow Meren friends here.

So my issues to address are slow creatures and contamination. Ok so slow creatures are like Baloth Null and Kessig Cagebreakers that don't have any direct effect. Meren to me screams INSTANT effect lime ETB/LTB effects or board state effects. If you have to wait for an upkeep or a tap effect to make a trip around a board then the card is to slow in her for my view. That being said I shall now full hate on Contamination. For starters I hate heavy Stax as a build. This card is at the top of my black stax hate. In a full stax deck I would forget you had this card because that would be the decks strategy to slowly lock everyone out and grind a win. But with your deck you aren't locking everyone out with it. Just slowing down a game and annoying everyone at the table. As I read above this is your mean deck, fine be mean, but win with it instead of just annoy. And you said a win condition? This is just a road to making it easier to win. Not a win con. Take it out or go stax in my opinion.

Either way +1 for a good Meren build.

Hey thanks for the comments Stonewaul to explain, my meta doesn't use black.... Making contamination an auto win against them. And I full hearted agree about Baloth Null and shall be removing it for Puppeteer Clique. When it arrives

Auto win? Not even close. Any artifact/creature can still tap for colors. So one green mana dork let's Nature's Claim end it. And running an auto I win card is meh. I find it unrewarding. It is like playing Felidar Sovereign in the first few turns. No real feeling of a worthy win.

But great addition choice. Love Puppeteer Clique.

Check my deck if you like.

Enjoy

You asked me about finding a spot for Abhorrent Overlord.

Here are my suggested cards that are free for any card cuts you want.

For artifact/enchantment removal you have 3 cards. Caustic Caterpillar, Reclamation Sage, and Viridian Zealot. Remove one. Over redundant.

Reassembling Skeleton does nothing but chump block/recur. Yes ramping Meren's EXP counters is big but it becomes useless semi quick. Most folks decks need only 8 counters. Some 12. But this happens fast from our sac outlets/board wipes. This card is only good early on. And I am not one that thinks defensively with Meren. Your goal is to take away others resources so you can slowly creep ahead. This card does little for board impact.

Kessig once again...same as above. No direct impact/threat. And there is a chance you could be attacking with 0 cards in the yard. Just cut.

Bloodthrone Vampire is a sac outlet. But not one of value. She gets big. Great! Does she have trample? Can you give her trample? Does her size stay? Find a better sac outlet. This is more just like Nantuko Husk, a 60 card good card. Not enough value in EDH.

Baloth Null. DONE. You already said you planned to swap him out.

Outside the creatures I would say Contamination again. But I beat that dead horse. So I will mention two cards that some will hate on for my opinion. Others have the same view I do.

Birthing Pod----I did just say this! Birthing Pod fits best in a deck built for it. Not as a good stuff card. Have you checked your CMC curve in depth to see this will have always a great target? Yes it allows one creature to become another. My issue is when the game has gotten later on and you pull this will there still be viable targets in your library? To often I found the cards I wanted were already in my yard, hand or battlefield making Birthing Pod less desirable. Early game the card is better. But I want the cards to hold value whenever I pull them.

Eldrazi Monument is nice. But I run less of a token strategy than most. Without sac fodder this card can threaten your team. And one board wipe (Cyclonic Rift or Curse of the Swine) can force this card to just fizzle. It is powerful. But I would prefer Akroma's Memorial over the monument. But this is on the user. The cost of the card and its impact proved less than effective. I ran it for the first few months but it just underperformed for me.

Hope this helps you find the space for that card and maybe another card like Grave Titan, Reanimate, or It That Betrays

Thanks man, the total rundown has shown me a few cards that I can definetly see removing for some new upgrades that will pair with Abhorrent Overlord to make interesting combos.

And kessig will be coming out as well most likely for it that betrays

Want an evil combo that my play group does not allow because of MLD? Run Death Cloud with It That Betrays. Yep!

...that is mean, I will be looking into that for my deck as soon as I can get an It That Betrays

Stonewaul what is your thoughts on Summoner's Egg?

I will be doing the same as I will be moving soon and who knows what my next meta will allow or how they will play.

Holy shit I never thought about Strionic Resonator with Meren! I also really like the synergy with Spore Frog haha. +1!

Thanks IronChewbacca. and good luck with your deck. Id love to see what route you take yours

Crypt of Agadeem isn't bad for once for Meren decks. You only need four black creatures (out of your 30 something) in your grave for it to be a positive. After that it's excellent pump.

Loving your stax additions. Might as well and go hard with the Smokestack. Also, can't miss out on the Grave Titan. Gives you another piece for the infinite token/mana combo -> Abhorrent Overlord + Ashnod's Altar + Nim Deathmantle

Your deck definitely out does mine. But I am fine with that.