"I'll do whatever it takes"
Meh, another Meren's deck
Welcome to probably the nastiest Meren's deck out there. The strategy is simple: get value from enter the battlefield abilities and then recycle them like most of the decks. But she's MerenTutor, you can do whatever once you know the deck and wich card you need in every moment. I want to build the most competitive and nastiest Meren's deck possible so suggestions will be appreciated! This deck is not a graveyard-focusing (yes, it could be better but you'll suffer when you see an exile graveyard for 0). This deck is made for being fast. You are not going to win turn 4 (unless you have luck or a Demonic Tutor), but at turn 7-10 this deck can finish a game without problems if you know what to do. Is actually my main deck so i'm always looking on how to improve the deck.
Note: im going to add Razaketh. That's why there are 99 cards.
Known combos
Meren + Spore Frog + Grave Pact. Uses to be win condition against decks like Kaalia of the Vast wich relies on combat phases and big creatures. You'll gain time to look for a Grave Pact for example, and then just focus on finish as soon as possible.
Meren + Fleshbag Marauder/Merciless Executioner. Similar to Spore Frog, is a pain in the ass and gives you time and experience.
Something that let you infinite sacrifice + Mikaeus/Mazirek + persist creature. You'll have an infinite combo. What you get depends on the sacrifice method and the sacrificed Puppeteer Clique.
Avenger of Zendikar + Birthing Pod/Eldritch Evolution. Could be a finisher combo. Just sacrifice with Birthing Pod the avenger and put in the battlefield a Craterhoof Behemoth. Do this the turn before avenger gets onto the battlefield! Plants have sickness.
Avenger of Zendikar + Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest + somethig that let you sacrifice. I don't think it could be a combo... But putting 7 +1/+1 counters on each creature you control is like a mini Craterhoof Behemoth
Buried Alive + Living Death. This is the most powerful combo you can perform. It can be done in turn 4-5, even turn 3 with luck. You place in your graveyard Mikaeus/Mazirek, Woodfall Primus and a Viscera Seer/Dimir House Guard (not neccesary if you already have an Ashnod's Altar for example, but i won't recommend the Sadistic Hypnotist. If you have an Ashnod's Altar, put a Puppeteer Clique so you'll also steal the destroyed creatures). Later, you cast Living Death and let your oponents without creatures and you put the infinite combo onto the battlefield. Now you do the retarded woodfall combo and your opponents should aplause.
Note that there's no competitive Meren's deck for duel commander. Yes you can see an elves focused and some others that look fast but the reality is that Meren is a tier 2. She doesn't have a turn 4 win like Karador, Ghost Chieftain or Narset Transcendent. But in EDH can make miracles and win you many games. I have played duel against kaalia with a 30-45% win rate so even being one of the most aggresive commanders, this deck still have a chance due to tutors, Spore Frog and the non targeted removals. Iona is a gg against Meren but in EDH is not so problematic. There's a lot of ways to freeze the table. Meren becomes a monster at turn +7 so your goal should be gaining time removing your opponent's stuff and ramp. Then look for combos or big stuff, most of the times they can respond.
Rulings of the persist combo here!
702.78a Persist is a triggered ability. Persist means When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no -1/-1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owners control with a -1/-1 counter on it.
702.92a Undying is a triggered ability. Undying means When this permanent is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, if it had no +1/+1 counters on it, return it to the battlefield under its owners control with a +1/+1 counter on it.
121.3. If a permanent has both a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter on it, N +1/+1 and N -1/-1 counters are removed from it as a state-based action, where N is the smaller of the number of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on it. See rule 704.
Resuming: If you do a persist combo with Mazirek, when the creature dies it gets a +1/+1 counter and when it comes again to the battlefield enters with a -1/-1 counter on it. If it dies again a +1/+1 counter will negate the -1/-1 counter it had so the creature can be persisted infinitely.
If you do an undying combo with Mikaeus, when the creature with persist dies, you can choose if the creature comes again to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter or a -1/-1 counter.
I reccomend Mazirek over Mikaeus due to infinite counters (and is a 5 mana cost!) on her (also she flies) and the other creatures = gg next turn. Mikaeus is an anti human creature and can save you from Kaalia of the Vast and is useful if you don't have a combo yet to protect your creatures.
About some cards
*Winding Constrictor i found it useful but only with experience couters. Maybe it's broken with Mazirek idk... i don't find it a should go in this deck.
*Gonti, Lord of Luxury is a card i'm actually testing. I'm surprised how well it does against retarded aggro decks so i'm giving him a chance.
*Beast Within is a card i have to have. In my meta sometimes i see Ionas and is a nice card so... why not.
*Shriekmaw is a core card. However, i found too many decks with so i prefered Beast Within even being a 1 use card most of times.
*Attrition is an amazing card, i love it. But people plays so...
*Why Demon of Dark Schemes? Massacre Wurm is a very nice card yes, but this deck is not like others wich have Mycoloth or Eldrazi Monument... you know, not a full tokens. It's better to have this because flies and the resurrect ability is damn powerful.
*Why not Cabal Coffers? because is good at turn +7 and as you can see most of lands are "fast". It makes the deck more slow.
I don't really like tutors... but they're broken.
Matchups
Kaalia of the Vast: in EDH you'll be happy because people focus her.
-Avoiding her to enter the battlefield. You will need fleshbag or merciless or land removal like beast within or crucible of worlds/life from the loam + strip mine or the other. Don't worry about the lands, you can ramp but most of the times this step is not neccesary, the others will perform well this task. Also destroy her enchantments and artifacts if you can.
-Keep calm and make your board: ramp, look for a grave pact or a merciless, Mikaeus... This is like ignore her but having some things against her.
-Protecting you: spore frog, kokusho, demon of dark schemes. The late against her is all about protecting you or removing her lands, you choose. She can destroy you with an armaggedon, wrath of god, terminus... so if you can destroy her lands better (acidic slime, woodfall primus...) a living end in hand can save you too. That's why you should focus her. Shes amazingly strong in early and can win simply with an armaggedon.
The most efficient cards against her are removal, spore frog and steal graveyard.
Retraxa: Man... when i saw the spoiler i got like... why i prefered to make a Meren's deck? This commander is next to Breya the most seen in meta actually (followed by Meren and Oloro). You can find two kind of Atraxa's deck: Planeswalkers or infect (at least i see them the most deadly).
-Against a retraxa planeswalkers deck: You are fucked. I mean... you don't have planeswalker removal and your early creatures are shit. So... the best you can do is to avoid atraxa to ETB, or destroy her, and use mass counter removal: Thief of blood, vampire hexmage and AEther snap are your best choices. If you can survive her, remove her lands as fast as you can. Let her without resourses fast. If you can Woodfall primus combo gg. You could use a Terastodon too.
-Against retraxa infect: Another shit... The good part is you have creature removal and can resurrect creatures. The bad part is that infect is op. Mikaeus is your best friend... Remember undying and persist combo? Gonti could also help you by stealing an op card or taking advantage over her. Grave pact and creatures to sacrifice for the board control and pray. Finish as fast as possible the game, you don't want to see a late atraxa. If you can, add Melira, Sylvok Outcast to the deck.
Whenever you can, let the opponent without resources. If you don't you'll make a mistake.
Breya, Etherium Shaper: artifacts... Man, use spore frog and when she has 20 artifacts use Bane of progress. She's an artifact human (Mikaeus, caustic caterpillar etc.), that's the good part and everything are artifacts. Win her as fast as you can, you should have early advantage against her.
Meren of Clan Nel Toth: nice question... this should be a funny matchup. There are a lot of kinds of Meren. We have eldrazi, ETB (very similar to this one), dredge, and i have seen Meren with elves. This deck in a 1vs1 should win if you know how to play it. I would recommend to cast grave pact as soon as you can (you have the advantage of tutors) so the only thing he will cast will be to destroy your enchantment. Other thing that fucks Meren are flying creatures (exactly, demon of dark schemes or mazirek op). Gonti should be op too. It's all about advantages. Take advantage over her and gg. It's not so hard for this deck to win another Meren. Also you can use a relic of progenitus blah blah but i don't find it neccesary. If you need to remove something like a triskellion (yes, the combo) you have the reanimate, animate dead, necromancy (instant will exile it) and puppeteer clique to negate that. Dredge Meren against this deck is a suicide.
