If there is any more information you want me to add to this deck, just shout out!

Thanks for taking the time to do this. Looking through your list I see some of the upgrades I've made to mine are on the right track at least. Thanks again.

DSHoyt: No problem. Looked through your list again and was surprised at how similar they were!I'd remove Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse. In your deck they basically read "Swamp - Enters the battlefield tapped".

Deckthinning is a myth! The tempo you lose from running fetch lands that ETB tapped is a HUNDRED times more relevant than having two less lands in your deck!

I'll take them out. No time today but it'll get done :)

I actually wrote an article about building budget mike back on the old mtgdeckbuilder.net. Unfortunately that site has been discontinued and I don't have access to that deck any more :( this is the non-budget version obviously, and it looks pretty good. One thing I have found though, is that wherever possible, it is best to use sacrifice outlets that win you the game so you do not need four cards to combo, only three. For example, ashnods alter is a great sac outlet, but even with mike and a persist guy in play it doesn't win you the game, you need a blood artist or something in play too, where you could use a sac outlet like Fallen Angel that acts both as a win con and a sac outlet. Pretty much saying to try and keep it to 3 card combos, there are plenty of cards that pull double duty like that.

RoarMaster: I have a deck built entirely on that premise, you should check that one out. Mikaeus, Extreme Sub $20 Budget EDH. The problem with Fallen Angel and cards like it however is that they don't win you the game either, they just kill one player! So I have found it more viable to use cards that are good in and of themselves that can also combo, and of course all the "kill everyone" combos I can find.

There are many ways to get 3 card I win combos in this deck, and the 4 card combos typically give infinite mana / draw so that you can get the last piece you are missing.

The website is still up however! It was supposed to be shut down 2 days ago but you can still access it. The Sub $20 Mikaeus deck was actually first made on mtgdeckbuilder!

RoarMaster I found it: break-into-formats-not-banks

Sleazebag nice! Yeah I saw the post about it shutting down April first, but now I wonder if that was a tasteless April fools joke, lol.

Reading that article brings me back alright, thanks. Lol, looking at the deck list now makes me cringe a little though, there's quite a few changes I'd make at this point. A lot can change in two years I guess.

I've checked out your budget version too, and I'd make suggestions, but when under such tight budget restrictions I'd have to price each card before suggesting it, and I'm just too lazy to do that really ;P that and I'm on a tablet so it's a bit more of a pain.

On an alternate note, a formatting suggestion. Maybe make custom categories for your cards? It would make it easier to see the combo pieces and all. Basically you could have 'sac outlets', 'sac-able creatures', 'ramp', ect ect. It's pretty quick and easy to do, and both gives the deck a unique look, and makes it easier to see what's going on in it.

Thank you for making this. I really appreciate it!

Been playing Mikaeus for a long time now and i can say that i am very attached to it even when i tought of making a new deck i always want him on the deck but my main issue with the deck is speed, i haven't tried this upgraded version yet but i'm wondering is the speed improved? cause i really want to win as soon as i can summon him to the field.

The_Kazekyo: Sorry for the late reply, for some reason I thought I had already done it.

I wouldn't say this deck is that much faster than the cheaper version. Obviously it has the potential to win faster due to a better manabase, but this deck focuses far more on being able to resolve your win-combo, and not folding to hate as easily. This deck for example does not have as hard a time dealing with Nevermore naming Mikaeus, due to other win conditions and plenty more tutors.

So while you won't be comboing out earlier, you will be comboing more consistently and reliably (and instead of only killing one player you will kill them all). Now that I consider it, this deck is probably way faster for this reason. You kill everyone at once, instead of spacing it out between turns.

Sweet shit man. Lovein' it more than the Golden Arches.

Hello, been looking at both of these decklists and it feels a Little incomprehensive what upgrades are most vital. What do you think are the first changes that are most important? Ive got about 100$ to blow and a necropotence in my binder.

pianist1119: I guess adding a section for that would make sense!

For now though, I'll just give you a list.

1: Cabal Coffers2: Demonic Tutor3: Vampiric Tutor4: Contamination5: Grim Monolith

After this its a bit up to the meta and which combination of cards you want to run, but Phyrexian Arena and Ashnod's Altar is amazing if you have Kokusho, Gray Merchant, Grave titan, Wurmcoil (and other good creatures) etc.

Many of the cards are also relatively cheap like Mana Vault, Urborg, Expedition Map etc

I've decided, that with my higher budget but not this high, I'm going to take a turbo-tutor control version. Its going to run as many tutors as I can afford and fill the rest of the slots with board wipes and removal in place of ramp/unblockability (because removal, and because mikaeus is good at making creatures dodge boardwipes)

pianist1119: That is a very viable strategy. The more expensive the deck, the more reliably you can delay the game and stay alive until you find the perfect opportunity to combo out and instantly win, instead of going for a more aggressive approach and hoping that nobody can stop you. With enough tutors you always have the combo pieces you want, so you don't need many at all.

Actually I run the same amount of combo piece too :P The control is in for the ramp and evasion, because you don't need those if you can remove blockers and delay the game.

Have you considered Damnable Pact for extra card draw? It could be better than Sign in Blood or Night's Whisper with all the extra mana the deck can produce. Yawgmoth's Will could also be pretty nutty with all the mana the deck can produce as well.

Ob Nixilis, Unshackled

the problem with Ob Nixilis is that he doesn't make the creature die by himself, he depends on a sac outlet and a fodder apart form him, so at the end its just a more expensive and worse Devouring Swarm

Alayjo95: The reason I run cards like Sign in Blood and Night's Whisper is to give you some earlygame card draw that you can play without making yourself a target and to strengthen your hand.

Damnable Pact is only useful when you have a LOT of mana, and at that point I'd rather be tapping out for a win.

Yawgmoth's Will is an insane value card indeed, unfortunately it also stops the deck from winning the turn it is played as it shuts down undying. Cards can't enter the graveyard that turn!

maximegirard: As Stelmeiria pointed out, Ob Nixilis can't sacrifice creatures on his own. What he ends up as is a big expensive card that punishes tutoring, but doesn't achieve much else in this deck. At 6 mana, you need more impact in this kind of deck.

Sleazebag I'm pretty sure that the "infinite scry" from Viscera Seer will only scry you the top card of your deck, infinitely, I could be wrong though.

tcooke2: You are right. However, since Scry 1 lets you put the top card on the bottom of the library, you can repeat scrying the top card until it is the one you want!

Simple question: do you actually own this deck? Also i would like to recommend Mana Crypt best ramp in the game IMO. The reason i ask if you own it is due to my recommendation. The card adds about a 1/3rd of your deck in value and if your not wanting to spend tons i wouldnt add it. If the deck is just a net thing i feel it deserves a spot. Love both your decks and +1 to both.

I promise i did read your description and see it in there but still feel its a add worthy card.