Theme
This deck focuses around pumping the commander, Thraximundar, killing off creatures, and reanimation.
Sacrificing
Besides Thraximundar pumping himself up each time he attacks by forcing an opponent to sac on each attack there are many other ways to pump him up in the deck.
Ashling, the Extinguisher can be used for targeted sacrifices. It gets across unblocked with Shizo, Death's Storehouse or Nim Deathmantle unless there are black or artifact creatures, but black creatures wont be a problem with Sword of Light and Shadow when its added.
Mass sacrificing comes about from Butcher of Malakir, Fleshbag Marauder, Grave Pact, Killing Wave, and
Syphon Flesh
. Sheoldred, Whispering One adds an ongoing sacrifice each opponent's turn. Dictate of Erebos could be another way to add mass sacrificing, but unsure what to replace in the deck with it.
Sacrificing can also come from the player. Chronozoa adds a nice ramp for sacs that keep increasing. After the initial sac it can be brought back through one of the many different reanimate abilities in the deck to increase the sac engine that it creates. Victimize and Hell's Caretaker add to self sacrifices and also bring back creatures. Grimgrin, Corpse-Born can be used to sacrifice whenever the player wants while powering up the creature. Also when Grimgrin attacks it destroys another creature. Grave Titan, Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs, Lich Lord of Unx,
Syphon Flesh
, and Mimic Vat all create ways to fuel Hell's Caretaker's ability. They also create small chump blockers that can activate Butcher of Malakir or Grave Pact. Hoarding Dragon is my personal favorite for sacrifices since it helps pull out artifacts I need.
Killing
Besides the methods of sacrificing mentioned above there are other ways to put creatures in the graveyard for the purpose of reanimation, taking away your opponents offense and defense, or simply pumping up Bonehoard to make Thraximundar stronger.
There's single removal with Avatar of Woe and
Visara the Dreadful
. With Minamo, School at Water's Edge in play, Visara can take out 2 creatures a round. Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief can be used to take care of pesky indestructible creatures, or by using Sudden Spoiling to remove the indestructibility for a turn. (Bye bye Avacyn, Angel of Hope!) You could even drop Massacre Wurm on the same turn as Sudden Spoiling to completely wipe one opponents board of creatures if need be and have them lose some life as well and maybe gain some life from it with Sangromancer. And of course at the end of each turn if something died Reaper from the Abyss will take out another creature.
Or you could always just blow your load and kill everything off with Damnation.
Alas, sometimes it isnt a creature you want gone though, but thats okay because your old buddy Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker is there to help. Hell, hell even give you another creature if you ask for it. Dont know why he has such a bad reputation.
Reanimation
There arent many things that need explaining here.
Tutoring into your graveyard: Entomb, Buried Alive, Corpse Connoisseur,
Grimoire of the Dead
, and Liliana Vess +1 ability
Adding cards to your opponents graveyard: Crosis, the Purger and Lich Lord of Unx 2nd ability and does a little damage too
Reanimating your graveyard: Dread Return, Tempt with Immortality, Victimize, Zombify, Hell's Caretaker, and Sheoldred, Whispering One
Reanimating opponents graveyard: Sepulchral Primordial
Reanimating any graveyard: Reanimate, Beacon of Unrest, Havengul Lich,
Grimoire of the Dead
, and Liliana Vess Ultimate ability
Pseudo self reanimation: Nim Deathmantle, Marchesa, the Black Rose, and Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
Pseudo opponent reanimation: Lim-Dul the Necromancer
Peudo reanimation on anything: Mimic Vat and Dimir Doppelganger
Back to your hand: Phyrexian Reclamation and Sword of Light and Shadow
Dimir Doppelganger is great since it can remove creatures you never want to return and have them for yourself. Especially that annoying Phage the Untouchable sitting in an opponent's graveyard keeping you from using Grimoire of the Dead or Lilianna Vesss ultimate ability.
Other Cards
Creatures
Consecrated Sphinx: Good card draw and a 4/6 flyer. Whats not to like?
Necropolis Regent: Double up the power of any of my creatures that hit is always wonderful.
Phyrexian Metamorph: Having two of most of my creatures or equipments is marvelous. Or maybe one of yours. Oh, and it can come back through reanimation or Academy Ruins.
Rimescale Dragon
: Tapping down a creature indefinitely for 3 mana is very useful for offense or defense.
Spells
Tutors: Demonic Tutor, Beseech the Queen, Lim-Dul's Vault, and Increasing Ambition. Increasing Ambition is a personal favorite for EDH since I can pull out 3 things with one card slot.
Exsanguinate: Easy life gain and damage.
Artifacts
Ramp: Wayfarer's Bauble and Expedition Map. One for basics and one for non-basics.
Bonehoard: Great creature pump for a deck like this and comes out as a creature.
Darksteel Plate: Keep Sheoldred or Thraximundar alive from the hate that they usually receive when hitting the board.
Lightning Greaves: Same as Darksteel but for keeping things safe from target removal thats not destruction. Especially the dreaded Darksteel Mutation.
Loxodon Warhammer: Lifegain, trample, more damage. Nuff said.
Sensei's Divining Top: Always helps to draw the right card.
Umezawa's Jitte: So versatile <3
Combos
Ramp
Use Expedition Map to get Academy Ruins, then use the ruins to bring back the map to pull out Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and then Cabal Coffers. Or use Academy Ruins to get back Wayfarer's Bauble to continuing pulling out basic lands.
Sacrificing
With Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and Marchesa, the Black Rose out, when Fleshbag Marauder comes out you sac it to itself, it comes back immediately because of Mikaeuss Undying and you sac it to itself again. At the end of your turn it comes back because of Marchesas ability since it gains a +1/+1 counter from Undying then sac it again to itself. At the end of the next players end step it will come back again and you sac it again to itself. You get to do this each end step as long as Marchesa is still on the battlefield when you sac Fleshbag.
