A Junk Midrange/Lifegain/Reanimator deck designed to exploit ETB triggers and gain life.
The core of the deck is designed to control the early game with Drown in Sorrow, Golgari Charm, and removal, and then to outrace other decks using Trostani, Selesnya's Voice and Whip of Erebos. Rather than being super-combo-y and running uncastable cards like Prime Speaker Zegana with no blue mana or Giant Adaphage, this deck is designed to win with Armada Wurm, Archangel of Thune, and Obzedat, Ghost Council.
Card Decisions:
Armada Wurm over card: Giant Adaphage or Abhorrent Overlord: Wurm brings the most guaranteed power to the table with 10 trample. Overlord probably brings more, but the tokens aren't as popular with Trostani.
Archangel of Thune: Dies to card: Doomblade and isn't uber-threatening on her own, but her ability to make a board huge fast with Whip of Erebos in play justifies her inclustion.
Centaur Healer vs Voice of Resurgence vs Lotleth Troll vs Pack Rat: All are tempting. Healer doesn't get wiped out by Drown in Sorrow and the three life and three toughness is key vs aggro. Pack Rat is... pack rat. He offers a discard-pump, and a really fast game. Voice of Resurgence is huge vs control, and Trostani loves dem tokens. Lotleth Troll wants more than 19 creatures and can be killed by Bile Blight, but like Pack Rat can offer a surprisingly fast alternate game plan. We're going with Voice for now.
Deathrite Shaman vs Elvish Mystic vs none of the above: This deck loves big mana, but leans on Drown in Sorrow a bit too hard to run four dorks with under three toughness. Two Shamans should be perfect.
Grisly Salvage vs Commune with the Gods Read the Bones vs Underworld Connections: With only two shamans, filling the graveyard with land is good but not critical. I think four Grisly Salvage is the right number of filtering/draw cards. With Whip, is virtual card advantage, and while Commune can help get the whip, the option to grab land is too good to pass up. I'm not sure than 1-3 Connections or Bones would be a bad plan though, but I'm not sure what to cut.
Elspeth, Sun's Champion vs Vraska the Unseen vs none of the above: 1-2 of either would be really nice, especially since Obzedat's Aid can grab them, but I can't seem to make space. Trostani loves Elspeth.
Rescue from the Underworld vs Obzedat's Aid vs Whip of Erebos: All are nice. Multiple whips are redundant, Aid is pricy, and Rescue is really cute, so 1x Rescue (just to say we can), 2x Aide (it's awesome late-game), an 2x Whip (it's just awesome).
Obzedat, Ghost Council, Trostani, Selesnya's Voice: Key players, but they're legendary and need support to really shine. 3x Obzy, 2x Trostani.
Removal: Putrefy is easier to cast than Hero's Downfall, and it gets rid of Pithing Needle and others. Abrupt Decay kills Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver, Domri Rade, Scavenging Ooze, and all kinds of other things we don't like. 1x Selesnya Charm does all kinds of things. Hero's Downfall sits in the sideboard for Garruk, Caller of Beasts, Elspeth, Sun's Champion, and other big walkers; Golgari Charm comes in for Pack Rat, Underworld Connections, and x/1 aggro creatures.
Hate: Golgari Charm vs Connections or Soldier of the Pantheon, spear, and buddies. Blood Baron of Vizkopa vs white or black. Voice of Resurgence, Connections, and Sin Collector vs control. Lifebane Zombie and Downfall vs Bant or Gruul. Sylvan Primordial vs Gruul and MBD.
Land: super super slow. God I miss buddy-lands.
I really enjoy playing this deck, but it clearly needs more refining if it's ever going to be competitive. I'm not 100% on the balance of creatures, tool, or removal.
