Appreciate the responses, and jamesschlegel I'll check out your list too. I looked at the budget list in the primer a little while back, but the thing is, I'm just interested in taking the power level/speed down a tad to be more flexible with who I play with, I don't actually have a budget restriction, and I actually have pretty much all the expensive pieces already, so I'll be using most of them regardless (unless they just prove to be way too good). But I think slowing the deck down a tad might work well enough so I can still play with the sweet cards. Pretty much I want to be able to play at 75% tables without being overpowered/getting salt. Tho this kind of playstyle is definitely able to present less threat/power than the deck actually contains. I'm also going into a new, large meta so it's all kind of up in the air. I'll play around with the # of fast mana and see how it goes.

precociousapprentice what is your meta like? So I can get a feel in the future how I might diverge my list based on how my meta differs. Although with how many players my new meta will contain, I like the idea of being as generalist as possible.

Also, curious if you have ever tried Goblin Spymaster. Seems fun to me, encourages fighting, but might backfire unless I was very hard to attack, like if I had multiple Ghostly Prison effects out.

Is this the current list?

This is the most current list I have run. As you can see, the deck is more of a philosophy than a static list, so take the list as a loose guide.

Have been struggling in a few recent games when playing in pods with spellslinger/combo decks. I didn't do a whole lot for most of those games. Any suggestions on cards for tuning?

I do have Kambal, Red Elem Blast, Pyroblast, Mana Tithe, Lapse of Certainty, but I feel like I need to be a tad more proactive rather than twiddling my thumbs and hoping there's something I can interact with later.

My list is pretty similar to yours, with some adjustments. Does great when playing in pods with decks that build board states / use creatures etc but really slacks against combo. Similar enough you don't need to take a look, but here it is if you're curious: http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/01-12-19-marchesa-aikido/

I also sat a couple games at a cEDH leaning table just to see if I could keep up, and it was basically like I wasn't playing. They were playing Gitrog Food Chain stuff and 5c Niv Mizzet combo, I dunno how that really translates in cEDH power levels but it was very clear I was in a whole different style of play.

Sorry, forgot to add, but wanted to ask you about Serra Ascendant. I know it has been in and out of your list a few times before. What are your current thoughts? It is a great early play but have you had it draw you any heat with how good of a turn 1 play it is? Not to mention it is lackluster if not drawn early.

alexjustdoit what kind ofncombo decks are you talking about? is it possible to take out their combo pieces right before their turn or when theyre about to combo off?

i play against a Chulane deck and it goes off pretty consistently around turn 5/6 and i just play the waiting game. Usually others see the threat and are also ready with removal. Its annoying though because with a mother of runes, Chulane, and counter spells then you really have to plan your removal and assume that they have a counter spell so I am able to get around it. The key for me is waiting until the very last second to react, let your opponents react before you do and let them use their removal as well. Politics, as well. I make deals with the table saying Ill remove X piece from the board but it doesnt resolve Ill need you guys to remove it.

What kind of combo decks are you playing against?

Personal opinions: Unfortunately for us Queen Marchesa isn’t a particularly consistent deck to use at a competitive table, We certainly have the tools to hamstring them and (sometimes) steal a win with akido tactics but more often than not we will be heavily reliant on other players to take the strongest decks down.

Imo playing at a mixed table yields the best opportunity for a win. As a politics deck it’s to your benefit to shout and point at every key combo piece your opponents put down.

That being said we have some great hatebears in our colours and you should fully utilise them against a stronger table, Linvala, Keeper of Silence , Pithing Needle , Aven Mindcensor , Rest in Peace , Hushbringer , Containment Priest , Grand Abolisher , Rule of Law can completely house certain decks when played right and you have black to tutor them up

Of course, if you decide to go that route you’ll be playing a totally different deck and losing the soul of this beautiful deck but it is the price we pay to stay interactive. Maybe the best advise would be to have several decks that you can pick to match the tables power level, and remember that who you sit down to play with is ultimately your choice.

I wanted to drop by and mention a card that I didn’t see discussed and that is Arcbond . If you block any damage with a deathtouch creature, then it could wipe the board and works with the forger.

Hey I'm confused, is this an actual deck, or a list of cards to consider when building? I clicked the cardkingdom list and there was a 120ish cards.

cheeseycrackers thats cause theres a sideboard of 14 that would get added to the list if you use the CK link

jamesschlegel spell combo decks - I also probably just don't know the exact times I should interact with combo decks

ThaneGarrus thanks for the list of cards, I think I'm gunna slot Aven Mindcensor and Hushbringer back in, and maybe a Deafening Silence

I think all the discussion on this deck has been right on track. The Deck needs to be modified a bit to really keep up in a cEDH pod, mostly because it was designed originally in a creature and combat heavy meta. The most recent list has done pretty well in cEDH, but I think that is due to my play as much as the deck. The deck strongly slurs toward the MAD Farm model, hence the reintroduction of some life gain into the deck. It has run a strong hatebears theme, and definitely was strong, but played way differently than my classic aikido style. I think the best place for this deck at the moment is not in a cEDH meta, but back in the creature heavy metas it was born in. This does not mean that it has no chance to compete in a cEDH pod, just that you have to be on your game and surgically excise the immediate threats and wincons before they are brought online. This is not the usual play of this deck, and to do so, you need to bring stronger wincons yourself, because you can't count on theirs to win it for you. The deck can play, but is definitely in need of some modification to do so, and in doing, it is in danger of losing the soul of the deck. I would love to hear about how people have made the deck competitive in cEDH while keeping the soul. For me, I just pull out Najeela, Krenko Combo, Selvala, or Meta Pod if I really need to dominate in a cEDH pod and keep this for more combat centered tables.

For anyone running ad naus + angel's grace, do you only ever cast ad naus when you have angel's grace and go the sickening dreams route? Or do you ever cast ad naus and not draw your whole deck (no angel's grace in hand)? I wonder if I should be more aggressive with it.

Overall, adding ad naus + angel's grace + sickening dreams has been nice, though it requires a decent chunk of mana, especially if I want to cast silence as well. I've noticed it has altered my play style however. Just knowing that I have the combo available means I tend to play more like a combo deck, which I'm not sure I prefer. But it does give me a clearer path to victory I suppose.

I tend to use it when I can, and don't always wait until I have Angel's Grace. I won't do it when it doesn't make sense, but I don't always need Angel's Grace. Sometimes a huge Ad Naus that I get to drop Children of Korlis out of is game winning as well.

Another question for the group, but particularly for precociousapprentice. Do you feel like getting a sunforger into hand, or getting it out and equipped, is difficult? Many of my games it doesn't make an appearance. Often I have a chance to tutor for it, but given the 6 mana it takes to get it out and equipped, then the 2 mana to hold up for it, I tend to tutor for something more immediately usable. I was toying with the idea of trying out Stoneforge Mystic to help with this, or even to go so far as Fervent Champion for the free equip, though I'm wary of the latter - a 5/1 first striker is great but it's a dead card without sunforger. I'm not convinced it would be worthwhile unless I have a more reliable way of always having a sunforger ready to go.

While traveling, I played at a new store last night with a completely different meta than my home store (or maybe it was just that only the diehards go to play EDH on Christmas Eve...) and the Ad Naus pieces helped. The decks I played against were a lot more competitive than my home meta - more combo, more stax. I had a tough time navigating, and didn't win a single game, though I got really close to winning off Angels Grace + Ad Naus + Sickening Dreams through Knowledge Pool but was short the 1 mana needed to cast something after Sickening Dreams in order to cast it out of the Knowledge Pool. One more land or one more Mox would have gotten me the game. I definitely was still a bit slow in general however.

My list has been slowly coming back around to being more and more similar to the list here - probably a result of my trying to slim it down and make it more versatile in competitive pods.

precociousapprentice I'm also curious to hear if you have thoughts on any cards that have been over- or under-performing in your current list. Thaumatic Compass has been in and out for me a few times, currently it is out - has just been too slow. How has Dualcaster/Twinflame been for you? I haven't yet decided to run it, but I might. How have Bruse and Tymna been? Have you had issues connecting 3 attackers each turn to get max value off Tymna?

Um... I am amazed at the new set spoilers. Underworld Breach will likely have a home in this deck. That and replacing a single card with Lion's Eye Diamond would be another wincon with cards already in the deck, and each is good on it's own. There are other things in the deck that are likely more meta specific, but that card is nuts.

I am totally rethinking the future of the deck to see if I can both put it back more like it was before tuning it more to cEDH, as well as incorporate the new Underworld Breach with synergies that would create a wincon finish. I could ditch the newer cards that are not as synergistic and draw red flags, keep a compact combo finish, and use cards that have fit in the deck before. I am thinking of going Smothering Tithe instead of LED, since that is strictly a combo piece in this deck.

precociousapprentice I look forward to an updated list and primer. I put this deck together and played it over the weekend. I usually play things like T&T, Tasigur, Muldrotha, Zur etc. When I pulled this deck out it was so far from my norm that I was asked if I was ill haha.

A lot of what I face in my play group is combos, or attrition damage with konrad or the like so I was a little lost how to win. I ended up putting a Goblin Extortionist into the deck and played it after one of my appointments had a mycosynth lattice out, then twinflaming it for 200+ treasures that I used to extort the board to death, buuuut that was more an extremely lucky series of events.

It is probably because I have only played the deck a few times now but how to win in many situations still eludes me, though I have fun each time so that is nice. When reading through the primer there are many cards you talk about that are not reflected in the deck list you updated (or reverted) to. I understand you are very busy so it may be some time before you are able to work on it but there is at least one fan (this guy) of your deck that looks forward to your progress. Thanks for all your hard work!

precociousapprentice

What do you think about the new combo with Heliod and Walking Balista ? It could be a cool alternative wincon.

If you already try to play underworld breach as a combo tool, it can also become a way to recycle pieces of your combo from your graveyard if you loose Heliod for exemple or the balista. By adding authority of the consul, Heliod becomes a really solid way to builld up your board without using many ressources.

Would love to hear your feedback regarding a more budget-friendly deck I put together that’s inspired by some of these principles.

Queen Marchesa: Rabble Rouser

Commander / EDH DugDaniels

SCORE: 1 | 28 VIEWS

Wow, this deck is a bomb, very fun to play and very strong at the same time, it is rare for this to happen. I love Queen Marchesa, I also have my own list for her, designed for more casual tables than this (Queen Marchesa: better not to attack her).

I'm liking the looks of Kunoros, Hound of Athreos and am intending to test a copy. My meta doesn't run enough graveyard decks to warrant a Rest in Peace but this doggo is multipurpose - holds a sunforger very well, has evasion, has lifelink, low cmc, and acts as anti-grave tech. Vigilance may be relevant occasionally too.

Love the primer! Building my own based off this and some other lists. First revision will be pretty combat focused with Rite of the Raging Storm, Crown of Doom & War's Toll type effects combined with rattlesnake/pillowfort to attempt to keep opponents fighting among themselves. List is here:

https://archidekt.com/decks/355534#LongMaySheReign

Sideboard is strong considerations/over budget cards. Maybeboard consists of lesser considerations. Would love some guidance/criticism - there are just SO many options available.

Has anyone tested Sudden Spoiling in this deck? Seems like it could lead to some serious blowouts if cast at an opportune time.

Seabody

Sudden Spoiling is a great fog effect and even shuts down creature based combos. I’ve won games because of it.

Thanks for the response Abzkaban, I'll definitely give it a shot. Good point on the creature combo. Not very much combo in my meta, but that's certainly something to keep in mind.

I'm still working my way through the pages and pages of comments so apologies if this has been previously discussed - but what does everyone's wishboard look like? I'm planning on starting out with both Burning Wish & Mastermind's Acquisition so prioritizing soceries in the board. First revision:

Besmirch, Exsanguinate, Merciless Eviction, Vandalblast, Vindicate, Wheel of Fortune

Thoughts? What do other people prefer?

Can't wait to try this out - hopefully next week.