#Dimir infect

[hikorzik]

Yesterday we had our pauper event fire off with a whole TEN people I'm very happy, it's the most we've been yet :) Before, we were mostly 4-6 people. These days we're more around 6-10, which is awesome

I was playing Dimir infect as you can see! The list is in the alt text.

This deck is a lot of fun, and in many ways more consistent than mono green. However, here were my match ups, went 1-2 overall.

VS Bogles, 1-2. Was on the draw, lost the 1st one cause I couldn't go quick enough. Second one, I resolve a stinger, put a 5/1 sticker on it t3, opp doesn't find an answer, scoop. Miss played g3 : I wanted to get some life back and offensively used unexpected fangs on my dude. However I had forgotten about Ram Through and my creature was removed. I was not quick enough to rebuild and I lost this way. This was very winnable however!

VS Boros synth, 1-2. Here I know opp has a lot of removals : journey to nowhere post board, but also 4 bolts, 4 galvanic and 3 foundry helix (I was lending the deck so I know the decklist very well ahah). I tried my best to protect my things, however I made several slight mistakes. Similarly I was on the draw and won one game by being able to pass through my opp unhindered. Last game I had a moment of confusion and tried to protect an attacker from a krark clan shaman with Apostle's blessing. However! I had other creatures and blessing is actually a card I should use on offense! I would've been able to win if I had done it like that. Too bad but we'll, I'm learning!

VS Boros, 2-0. My sole win of the evening! Same principle as the last match BUT I had just learnt from my mistakes so I made better plays. Opp was also unprepared for infect and had a hard time adjusting to the threat. Game 2 I just kept a kind of greedy hand : no creatures, yes! But island and 2 ponders... And you know what they say, island ponder = keep! And I was able to stack my deck in such a way that I never missed a land drop, got a creature, AND godly protection. 3 Apostle's blessing and 2 dispels, as well as 2 command performance! I had everything to shrug off my opp's removal and attack without fear, which just got him.

I had a lot of fun even tho I lost the two first matches. Now what I've got to do is get more experience with it, notably with sideboarding. I have a kind of hard time figuring out how to sideboard here because I feel like I can keep my entire deck ahah, everything is relevant! I have a lot of leeway for improvement.

Thanks for reading, I hope you too wherever you are, have enjoyed some pauper recently, or plan to!!

[pawsnifferpup]

the hot girl shit that I perform is sitting at my desk completely naked trying to remake a magic deck for two hours

[nightmarist]

DnD and Baldur’s Gate are of course properties of Wizards of the Coast. There’s already Magic: the Gathering 5e books.

Do you think Astarion would lose his mind to learn there are not only vampires in other realms but with wildly different characteristics

The four houses of Innistrad are probably the most familiar and like Faerun vampires but they’re still peculiar in that the full moon brings them distress, and each house has its own established abilities passed from their progenitors

Then you get to Ixalan vampires that not only withstand the sun but Worship the Eternal Sun as the very thing that gave them vampirism AND are seen as holy figures that protect their mortal citizens, an entire religion dedicated to drinking the blood of sinners after fasting into frenzy

Zendikari vampires spawned from an ancient infection that enslaved them but since became strong willed, perhaps remind him a bit of Lae’zel, yet only progenitor vampires can make more vampires if they drain only some blood whereas completely bloodless corpses become Null zombie-like creatures instead of vampires.

Ravnica Orzhov vampires being gifted eternal life but only because they were denied the gift of becoming eternal Spirits yet are allowed to walk amongst mortals as otherwise normal citizens, Dimir psionic vampires who use y to hear powers for subterfuge and secrecy so much so that people didn’t even believe Dimir existed.

Tarkir vampires are few and far between but frighteningly fearsome creatures that wear the faces of its victims as masks to hide its tusk-fangs and meter long tongue.

I want to drag Astarion across the multiverse and then plop him in a little vampire lord mansion never to be the same again <3

[danco110]

If you ever start thinking “Hey, maybe I have too many Commander decks,” let me tell you: you don’t. I do:

WARNING!!! EXTREMELY long post below, describing each deck and a brief summary of its strategy in overly abbreviated and nerdy Commander lingo. I mean, I’m talking a real wall of text, here. I mean it! Read more at your own risk!

——

——

THE A-TEAM: These decks have all been around for a while, and have all seen their fair share of wins.

-Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain. Artifact storm, and probably the closest I’ll ever come to cedh. WARNING: my Mana Crypt is in here!

Gisela, Blade of Goldnight. OHKO tribal. Seeks to blast people wide open with either Embercleave, Kaya’s Onslaught, or Uncaged Fury.

-Bruna, Light of Alabaster. Voltron that can either play nice and fetch Eldrazi Conscription, or not, and grab Spectra Ward.

-Sigarda, Heron’s Grace. Human tokens tribal, and the rightful recipient of my only Doubling Season.

-Admiral Beckett Brass. Pirate tribal. Taking commanders and wincons is fun. WARNING: somewhat unfun to play against!

-Gishath, Sun’s Avatar. Dino tribal.

-Hallar, the Firefletcher. Kicker tribal.

-Syr Gwyn of Ashvale. Knights and equipments and equip 0 Colossal Hammers.

-Nikya of the Old Ways. A creatures-only deck that probably has more interaction than most of my other decks!

-Atemsis, All Seeing. Azor’s Gateway / Twiddlestorm / Untap shenanigans. WARNING: somewhat unfun to play against!

-Gnostro, Voice of the Crags. Flicker tribal with a non-Narset commander so as to not draw too much heat.

-Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty. Cascade / big spells / Simic is broken change my mind / tribal

-Aragon, Roar of the World. Cat tribal, and my first-ever Commander deck!

——

THE B-TEAM: My decks with fairly good performance across their games, independent of wins and losses

-Halana, Kessig Trapper and Alena, Kessig Ranger (Partner). Big bodies / EtB tribal.

-Khorvath Brightflame and Sylvia Brightspear (Partner). Knights and dragons tribal.

-Virtus, the Veiled and Gorm, the Great (Partner). Quietus Spike / force block shenanigans. WARNING: somewhat unfun to play against!

-Linvala, Shield of Sea Gate. Azorius party aggro.

-Zagras, Thief of Heartbeats. Phantom Rakdos party control.

-Tazri, Beacon of Unity. 5C party +1/+1 counters.

-Kazarov, Senior Pureblood. “I can’t play against Krenko anymore today” Pyroclasm tribal.

-Liesa, Shroud of Dusk. Angel and demon tribal (NOTE: no synergy there, I just wanted to stick to the flavor of “alliance with a demon lord”)

-Orah, Skyclave Hierophant. Clerics tribal that always tries for an Angel of Destiny win before it (always) defers back to aristocrats.

-Bruna, the Fading Light. Angel tribal that tries to meld Brisela every game.

-Anafenza, the Foremost. +1/+1 counters tribal, and the deck that made me realize Outlast really should’ve been instant-speed.

-Samut, Voice of Dissent. Exert tribal with vigilance, untap, and extra combats.

-Juri, Master of the Revue. Sacrifice tribal, with a burn subtheme.

-Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas. Big tribal, and the deck that made me realize Experience counters were busted. Run Suncleanser, people!

-Quintorius, Field Historian. Reanimate and blow up your graveyard. Also, Purify the Grave is hilarious!

-Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire. Chaos warp tribal, and a Primal Surge deck that doesn’t have Primal Surge because that card is extremely boring.

-Ishkanah, Grafwidow. Spider tribal that seeks to make opponents forget about Ishkanah’s activated ability until it’s too late.

-Omnath, Locus of the Roil. Landfall and elementals.

-Savra, Queen of the Golgari. Grave Pact tribal. WARNING: somewhat unfun to play against!

-Feather, the Redeemed. Haha, combat tricks go brrrrrr!

-Adeliz, the Cinder Wind. Wizards spellslinger aggro. Also one of the few decks of mine that actually uses cantrips!

-Aryel, Knight of Windgrace. Knights tribal with a removal/control subtheme.

-Aurelia, Exemplar of Justice. Mentor + Double Strike tribal. I only built this deck because I pulled a borderless Outlaws’ Merriment, ok?

-Araumi of the Dead Tide. Self mill encore, and the deck that made me appreciate the singleton rule in Commander.

-Kaza, Roil Chaser. Big spells. BIG! I mean, Electrodominance for 10, into a Karn’s Temporal Sundering, big!

——

THE C-TEAM: My decks that just don’t cut it at a lot of pods, sometimes even against those at appropriate power levels. That being said, however, these tend to be my more storied decks, that I still enjoy playing.

-Syr Alin, the Lion’s Claw. Mono-White go wide, with commons and uncommons only. Part of my cycle of Eldraine uncommon legendary knight decks, 1/5.

-Syr Elenora, the Discerning. Mono-Blue Voltron + draw power, with commons and uncommons only, 2/5.

-Syr Konrad, the Grim. Mono-Black aristocrats...kind of...? It’s complicated, but with commons and uncommons only, 3/5.

-Syr Carah, the Bold. Mono-Red storm, with rares and mythics for Underworld Breach and Past in Flames, because I feel like storm needs those, 4/5.

-Syr Faren, the Hengehammer. Mono-Green infect, with rares and mythics for Phyrexian Swarmlord, because I really wanted a deck that could run that, 5/5.

-Jodah, Archmage Eternal. Avengers Assemble! legendary tribal. I had a lot of bulk legends at the time, and wanted to make something of them!

-Abomination of Llanowar. Literal elf ball. Built in response to my irritation at someone’s Lathril, Blade of the Elves deck.

-Licia, Sanguine Tribute. Lifegain is good, I swear, built in response to my disbelief at the $200 price tag on a store-built Licia deck. Mine costs maybe $100, if you count the sleeves and box?

-Thalisse, Reverent Medium. Tokens tribal that breaks Anointed Procession even further, which made me wonder why green gets all the token doublers *cough*adrixandnev*cough*

-Hamza, Guardian of Arashin. +1/+1 counters, with commons and uncommons only, built because someone at my store wanted to play commons and uncommons only with an uncommon Commander. Thanks for getting me into Artisan Commander, Will!

-Siona, Captain of the Pyleas. Enchantress, with a tokens subtheme. Built because I and a friend both commented that she looked like Wonder Woman.

-Mina and Denn, Wildborn (NOT Partner). Landfall aggro, with all the creatures that pump on landfall.

-Ghired, Conclave Exile. Populate and tokens. Built because I was bored one Saturday and saw I had an extra set of sleeves.

-Obuun, Mul Daya Ancestor. Landfall tribal, (again? Sheesh!) built the same lazy Saturday as Ghired, above.

-Armix, Filigree Familiar and Eligeth, Crossroads Augur (YES Partner). Artifact tribal, with a super janky 4-piece Marionette Master loop wincon! Built because Eligeth turns Preordain into “Draw 2 cards, then draw a card.”

-Akiri, Fearless Voyager. Equipment tribal, with an asymmetrical boardwipe subtheme. Built because I pulled an Akiri from a pack, and someone said “ooh, sorry,” from over my shoulder.

-Exava, Rakdos Blood Witch. Unleash counters tribal. Built because I found a Chaos Imps in my bulk!

——

THE MEME-TEAM: These decks...are. Yeah, they are. Not necessarily good or bad. Just...are.

-Kenrith, the Returned King. The game plan is “Get to Trostani’s Summoner, and either flicker it or make a bajillion copies of it.” One day, I found a card named Trostani’s Summoner, and it was love at first sight! My Demonic Tutor went in here!

-Phylath, World Sculptor. Landfall tribal...with 99 basic land cards.

-Rograkh, Son of Rogahh and Keleth, Sunmane Familiar. (Partner) Kill one guy and die tribal.

-Etrata the Silencer. The “I wanted a non-Koma Mirror Gallery deck” deck. Also with a guest appearance from flicker!

-Lazav, Dimir Mastermind. Literally just “Oops! All Control!” Draw, counter, and remove. WARNING: don’t play against this.

-Ravos, Soultender and Livio, Oathsworn Sentinel. (Partner) War of attrition, etb and control. WARNING: don’t play against this. It has like 15 boardwipes!

-Valki, God of Lies / Tibalt, Cosmic Imposter. (NOT Partner) “I want to piss off the table” tribal. It mills your opponents, it plays their stuff, and it removes the stuff it doesn’t play. WARNING: don’t play against this. It runs Jokulhaups, Obliterate, and Decree of Annihilation!

-Svella, Ice Shaper. Colossal Dreadmaw tribal, as in, anything that’s roughly 6/6 makes the cut! It’s actually won games!

-Brion Stoutarm. Hijack and fling tribal. “You know, I’ve never had an Eldrazi titan before. Can I borrow it? Well, see, I wasn’t exactly...asking...?”

-Grumgully, the Generous. Non-human “uno mas” tribal. Tries to run all the counters cards like Renata and the Rhythm of the Wild.

-Subira, Tuzuldi Caravaneer. Small tribal. Just think “mono-r blitz in Commander,” and you’ll get the gist.

-Neheb, the Worthy. Minotaurs and discard tribal. Not as oppressive as Tinybones, or as explosive as Nath, and that’s a good thing. Trust me.

——

THE ALL-RAVNICAN REJECTS: These decks are... *sniff* no longer with us. They were broken down for pieces, for sleeves, or because I slept through each time I played them.

-Najeela, the Blade Blossom. Boring warriors extra combat steps. Broken because I wanted her tri-lands, and I wanted some of her warriors for my party decks.

-Golos, Tireless Pilgrim. Maze’s End lands. Golos is broken and we all know it. Broken for sleeves, and because my first land tutor was always Field of the Dead because of the incoming hate, and not Maze’s End, and I wasn’t happy with that.

-Arcades, the Strategist. Walls. As it turns out, not a lot of decks can contest 3-mana 8/8’s. And against those that could, the deck was put in the ground extremely quickly. Broken because it just wasn’t fun to play.

——

THE DRAWING BOARD: These decks are in the works. Will they see the light of day, and the protection of sleeves? Well, we’ll see, will we not?

-Borborygmos. Go wide and SMASH! My first attempt at a pile of cards; I’m trying for a goblins/saproling hybrid tribal, because both make lots of tokens, but we’ll see how well that translates into actual play.

-Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer. Thopters and artificers and myr, oh my! All joking aside, I just wanted a deck that wants to run cards with Fabricate, because I thought it was a really cool mechanic!

-Garna, the Bloodflame. Reanimator/sacrifice, AKA corpse carousel. It’s a revolving door between the graveyard and the battlefield, yknow, and most of my store’s meta does not run graveyard hate.

I tried to warn ‘ya!

[markrosewater]

Things I'd like to see (a couple of which I'm pretty sure we're getting 😀 ): -legendary squirrel -black bordered squirrel -an un card that is truly nutty -good red devotion cards, esp for spell-focused decks -more Dominarian legendary creatures -Marit Lage -Koth -Jaya -a card like Torbran specifically for enchantments while we're on the one plane where that would make sense -the dimir grind mechanic "meets" infect/wither

Some of that might be coming your way. : )

[inventors-fair]

End of the Story pt. 1 ~

@ceta-maelstrom — Melek, Simic Amalgam

There are some weird things happening here - like, for example, how you don’t have a typeline? But I’ll chalk that up to a translation error, or maybe a submission mishap we did. Either way, let’s talk about what I assume to be a legendary Weird Ooze. Starting off, those stats for that cost aren’t very aggressive, and two toughness seals the deal for this being a write-off in commander at least. That last ability, while neat, asks some weird rules questions. Like, shuffling on the stack, Evolve triggers with a new creature there, P/T and counters with Evolve with all that happening — and it’s interesting, but potentially complicated. I wouldn’t have given Melek Evolve, personally.

@cultguildmage — Karn, Lord of Phyrexia

I actually like how he doesn’t gain infect until becomes engaged in combat. The mana cost and the abilities are a bit of a mess, though, IMO. I don’t personally like repeatable Phyrexian mana abilities. In a five-color artifact deck, stealing bombs at instant-speed and giving them infect for swinging, potentially for no mana (and ten life, but that’s negligible), is frighteningly powerful. I don’t think it would necessarily pass the gamut. In terms of story, I’m curious as to what your justification is for having corrupted Karn able to use all five colors.

@custommagiccards — Brimaz, the Exiled

Okay, sure, a black token deck. But man, I have the feeling that this card is either crazy overpowered or just weirdly unfun. That said, Rankle is a card as well, so maybe I’m just on the fence here. This card’s honestly decent. I think it’s interesting in story terms, although I don’t know why he’d potentially have himself sacrificed. That’s the weird part for me.

@dabudder — Baral, Voice of Passion

Neat, but odd. I think the first ability should just have “Spells can’t be countered” instead of the wording there. I don’t know how many people would quite understand the activated ability with the may. Frankly, I don’t know why it’s a may ability at all. Passion implies commitment, that you’re not necessarily thoughtful or planned in your approach, nearly impulsive in your eagerness. The flavor text is decent.

@dim3trodon — Subterranean Kirin

Card’s fine, story’s fine, wording isn’t quite there. “Whenever......spell, each player returns all permanent cards with the same converted mana cost as that spell from their graveyard to the battlefield. They gain haste. Each player sacrifices all permanents returned this way at the beginning of the next end step.” I think that does it, right? I think this could have been just for you, not your opponents, and made it much more grokable.

@dimestoretajic — Tajic, Blade of the Night

Something tells me that blue/black getting seven hexproof power for four mana is a little crazy on curve. I mean, what does two toughness do as a downside if it can’t be targeted and, best case scenario, can’t be blocked? Get cheap other creatures, swing in, and your opponent is on a three-turn clock, dead turn five if you’re playing aggressively. I feel that this card is lopsided more than it is volatile. I kind of like how it’s utilizing flavor and mechanics together.

@dovin-baan — Prime Speaker Lazav

Now I really want to see what on earth happened for someone like Lasav to rise through the ranks of the Simic. That’s one of my nitpicks with this card? It’s good and all, but it still feels like Lazav as he was in the Dimir a good bit. I’m seeing him snagging old experiments (from the graveyard) and cloning their dead parts to attach to himself. Is that...just me? Am I being weird about this? I do enjoy how you limited the triggers/activations, although some combo players are gonna be mad about it. This is a great commander card.

@follower-of-liliana — Noyan Dar, Roil Tamer

You’re gonna have to explain how “taming” the roil and “shaping” the roil are extremely different from one another. Mechanically, the two Noyan Dar cards (yours and WotC’s) aren’t doing a whole lot different from one another. Lands are being turned into creatures, just with a different trigger. Mechanically, of course it’s cool and balanced and a massive bomb in limited. I just don’t feel right now that it’s significantly different than the Noyan we had previously. Also, hey — if you’re gonna be an admin, that means you’re an observer and a judge, not a contestant! Get, shoo, back behind the curtain! /s :P

[creepy-crowleys]

Mission Log: Mortal Sins

Objective: Investigate Halt Orochi operation “the Breach”. Halt Vampire Crusade. Recover subject “Emma Stone” - still missing

Location: Carpathian Mountains, Romania - Points of Interest: Harbaburesti (village), Iazmăciune (village, cursed), Roman Baths, Network of Soviet-era bunkers (Red Hand)

Timeline of Contributing Events:

- Pre-First Age(?): Gaia Engine formed/installed beneath region    - Pre-Fourth Age, Likely Pre-Third    - Lilith is born    - Cucuvea and sister are born    - Moșul is born    - Lilith kills Cucuvea’s sister        - Cucuvea and Lilith spend Ages hunting each other    - Lilith creates vampires and werewolves Fourth Age: Current Age, The Age of Fear - Approx. 100 AD: Roman Empire conquers region    - Roman Baths are established while searching for Engine        - Octavian arrives with or soon after     - Octavian slaughters Roman legionnaires before Engine can be located        - Octavian is cursed/punished with immortality by Lilith after unknown period    - Cucuvea settles in region around this time    - Moșul has taken human form by this point - Early 1400’s: Worship of Lilith as the First Mother continues in region, churches built in her name - Mid 1400’s: Vlad III Dracula and Mara are married    - Dracula retakes region from Lilith’s cultists        - Some cultists escape notice in his court    - Due to ongoing military conflict, Mara is relocated to castle in the Carpathians        - Allesandro “Callisto” Farussi is requested by Dracula to keep Mara company    - Lilith encounters and courts Mara    - Cernunnos, local forest god, recalls his earliest memories to around this point - 1462: Lilith turns Mara into a vampire, then Mara turns Callisto    - Dracula refuses to be turned and flees the region        - Vampires conquer region in his absence - 1476: Dracula returns to liberate region with Cucuvea, Octavian, and early Drăculești - 1477: Dracula fails to kill Mara, takes his own life    - Mara flees region to escape Dracula’s allies    - Cucuvea binds Lilith’s followers (Deathless) and forges Truce between region’s inhabitants        - Drăculești reject terms, become nomadic monster hunters        - Relative peace persists for several hundred years - 1944: Soviet Union occupies Romania     - Occult division, the Red Hand, is established        - Construction of laboratory and military bunkers begins        - Tasked with construction of super soldiers - 1945: Red Hand complete their largest facility; begin research into unusual energy spikes in region    - Discovery of anima and “anti-anima” (Filth)       - Divert research on space travel to research on “inner-outer reaches” - See “Halina Ilyushin”    - Red Hand unintentionally open Hell Breach        - Minor conflict ignites - 1949: Lilith and husband, Samuel Chamdra, found the Orochi Group - 1958: Soviet Union withdraws, Red Hand continue working alone - 1960’s: Facility-9 (anima/anti-anima) shuts down following the deaths of employees/subjects    - Ilyushin and facility AI remain inside    - Facility-10 continues work on super soldier program        - Expands work to include vampires        - Tracks source of vampire bloodline to Mara        - Mara provides Facility-10 with test subjects - 1970-80’s: USSR eventually commits to covering up Red Hand activities; all facilities locked down    - Super soldiers never become viable - 2012: Dimir family begin killing nonhumans for food    - Causes unrest between human and nonhuman populations - 2015: Emma Stone is acquired as prime subject for Orochi’s “Virgula Divina” project - 2018: Orochi acquire site in the Carpathian Mountains - the Breach    - Digging operations begin    - Orochi begin research on local creatures as dig becomes more dangerous - Circa June 2018: Tokyo Incident    - Cucuvea’s hold on Deathless weakens    - Roman Baths/Zana Springs flood with Filth    - Filth-Infected spores release from Breach    - Hell Breach reopens    - Lilith orders Mara to raise army - 2019: Vampires launch assault on region    - Orochi lose control of Breach to vampires    - Truce breaks down        - Some nonhumans (faun, blajini, Cernunnos) remain allied with humans    - Emma is made to unlock Gaia Engine chamber at the Breach        - Escapes to safe house with guardians during attacks        - Under Phoenician surveillance by Lilith’s orders        - Disappears; guardians presumed dead        - Alive, but lost; Dreaming    - Morninglight group arrive to meet with vampires as allies        - Morninglight were expecting Third Age explosive from Egypt - See “Black Sun, Red Sand”        - Members are sent after other artifacts in region        - Mara orders Morninglight group killed    - Hell Civil War escalates    - Drăculești return to the region

[experimentkraj]

Battalion EDH

A long time ago, @first-interplanar-bank created this really cool EDH variant format called Battalion EDH. I thought that idea was really cool, and so we made a discord server for discussion of the format. It occurred to me today that the rules and banlist of the format needed to be condensed down to a single post, so here we go:

As per normal EDH rules, you have a commander (or partner commanders) and, counting them, a total of 100 cards in your deck. Your deck must match the color identity of your commander(s). You can have any number of each basic land in your color identity, and one of any nonbasic land in said color identity. 

Here’s where it gets interesting.

For noncreature spells, you can only have one of each in your deck, as normal. However, any noncreature spells in your deck must have a converted mana cost of exactly 1 (so no 0 cost noncreature spells, like Chalice of the Void, the Pacts, etc).

For creatures, you pick up to five creatures that have a converted mana cost of exactly 1 (same as above) and you can have any number of each one in your deck. So let’s say I chose Accursed Centaur and Akrasan Squire as my two creatures (you can pick up to five, so you don’t need all five slots to be filled) - I could have 20 copies of each of them in my deck.

Because of the unique ways this format works, a few generalities before we get to the banlist: Anything that punishes your opponents for playing multiples of a card is banned (e.g. Dragonlord Kolaghan), anything with infect or that gives poison counters is banned (e.g. Glistener elf), anything that has a blanket -X/-X effect is banned (e.g. Elesh Norn). If there are any such effects out there we did not catch and put on the banlist, please let us know. We also have a “watchlist”, which are cards that aren’t banned yet but that could be problematic and that we are keeping a close eye on.

Banlist:  Serra Ascendant Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon Ascendant Evincar Crovax, Ascendant Hero Dragonlord Kolaghan Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant Circu, Dimir Lobotomist Alhammaret, High Arbiter Glistener Elf Vector Asp Virulent Sliver Braids, Cabal Minion Griselbrand Leovold, Emissary of Trest Emrakul, the Aeons Torn Spore Frog Varolz, the Scar-Striped Cabal Therapist

Watchlist (again, these cards are not *currently* banned at the time of this writing): Champion of the Parish Ezuri, Claw of Progress Celestial Kirin Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary

Finally, we have a discord! If this format interests you, feel free to drop by to leave your thoughts on the format, potential problem cards, new brews, whatever.

https://discord.gg/P4R2PpX

[phar1ka]

32 Commander Challenge

Colorless: Kozilek, the Great Distortion

White: Takeno, Samurai General

Blue: Unesh, Criosphinx Sovereign

Black: Gonti, Lord of Luxury

Red: Feldon of the Third Path

Green: Ayula. Queen Among Bears

Azorious: Noyan Dar, Roil Shaper

Dimir: Phenax, God of Deception

Rakdos: Rakdos, Lord of Riots (Demon Tribal)

Gruul: Ulrich of the Krallenhorde

Selesnya: Trostani, Selesnya's Voice

Orzhov: Karlov of the Ghost Council

Izzet: Okaun, Eye of Chaos + Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom

Golgari: Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons

Boros: Firesong and Sunspeaker

Simic: Ezuri, Claw of Progress

Bant: Tuvasa the Sunlit

Esper: Sydri, Galvanic Genius

Grixis: Mishra, Artificer Prodigy

Jund: Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire

Naya: Mayael the Anima

Abzan: Anafenza, the Foremost

Jeskai: Zedruu the Greathearted

Sultai: Sidisi, Brood Tyrant

Mardu: Queen Marchesa

Temur: Surrak Dragonclaw

Yore: Akiri, Line-Slinger + Silas Renn, Seeker Adept

Glint: Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder (Storm)

Dune: Saskia the Unyielding

Ink: Ink-Treader Nephilim (ik he's not legal but theres two of these guys)

Witch: Atraxa, Praetor's Voice (Infect)

WUBRG: General Tazri

[tir0]

So i want to make a deck in every color combination

99% of these decks were found on mtggoldfish, but i’ll alter them to fit.

Below the cut are 32 decks i (may eventually) want to build, and what colors they’ll fit in.

Format: Modern

Colorless - Tron Mono White - Soul Sisters Mono Blue - Merfolk Mono Black - Zombies Mono Red - Burn Mono Green - Stompy? I did this one last and idrk Azorius - Affinity Dimir - Mill Rakdos - Aggro? Gruul - Tron? Titan Shift? Selesnya - Tron Boros - Burn Izzet - Storm Orzhov - Eldrazi & Taxes Golgari - Lantern Control? Elves? Simic - Infect Bant - Spirits? Eldrazi? Esper - Affinity Grixis - Delver Jund - Jund Goyf Naya - Burn? Tron? Kiki Chord? Mardu - Mardu Spells Temur - U/R Gifts Storm + Green Abzan - Abzan Goyf? Elves? Jeskai - Cheerios Sultai - Infect Whiteless - Dredge? Living End? Blueless - Death’s Shadow Blackless - Knightfall + Red? Infinite Kiki Chord? Amulet Titan? Redless - Elves? Greenless - Ad Nauseam 5 Color - i heard 5-color Tron was going to be a thing now?

[hikorzik]

Looking at beginning to build a UB gates infect stickers pauper deck. The one that did good in a paupergeddon side event (top 16 out of 146). I have the list but goldfishing I kind of don't see it 🤔 I wish there was a primer or something on how I should approach this gameplay. Here's the list BTW :

I take any advice on it!

[nightmarist]

Two more MtG Decks, but not two I play often

My “Get Outta My Face” MtG Dimir deck

Creatures:

1x Avatar of Woe

1x Liliana’s Reaver

1x Deathgaze Cockatrice 

1x Pulse Tracer

1x Vampire Lacerator

2x Child of Night

2x Typhoid Rats

2x Vampire Nighthawk

2x Frost Lynx

2x Mnemonic Wall

2x Wall of Frost

2x Returned Centaur

Sorceries/Instants

1x Blue Sun Zenith

1x Traumatize

2x Disperse

2x Unsummon

2x Voyage’s End

2x Sleep

4x Tome Scour

Enchantments

3x Phyresis

2x Encrust

Planeswalker

Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver

Lands: 

9x Swamps

11x Islands

“Phyrebzan” - Phyrexian/Infect deck with Abzan colors

Creatures:

1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

2x Rot Wolf

3x Lost Leonin

3x Priests of Norn

3x Blight Mamba

3x Viridian Betrayers

4x Glistener Elf

Sorceries/Instants:

1x Consume Strength

1x Reap What is Sown

1x Common Bond

2x Profit and Loss

2x Grotesque Mutation

2x Oppressive Ways

2x Titanic Growth

2x Awaken the Bear

3x Abzan Charm

Enchantments/Artifacts:

1x Phyrexian Unlife

1x Contagion Engine

2x Contagion Clasp

2x Banishing Light

Lands:

2x Llanowar Wastes

2x Soured Barrens

2x Evolved Wilds

2x Swamps 

6x Plains

6x Forests

Two decks I dont use often but they’re fun

[millennium-labyrinth]

9 28 34

9. How do you go about building your deck? What’s the process? 

For commander I normally just put down all the cards I want to play in the deck, along with everything on EDHrec, and make cuts from there. Once I have a list I go out and try to trade for the cards I don’t have, don’t really like playing decks where it’s not the list I have in mind? I try to focus on non-lands because I can always just throw basics in. For Modern it’s pretty much the same thing, just I won’t play until I have the mana-base as well.

28. What’s your favorite mechanic? Least favorite? 

I really love flip cards. Least favorite is probably infect or dredge.

34. Black Zombies or Blue Zombies?

(expanding brain) dimir zombies

[planarchaosproject]

Planar Chaos: Chapter Twenty-Four

 Herding a Hydra

"Blast!" Brock cursed. The large spider construct had brought him back to where he'd left Kyari's hydra, but the beast was nowhere in sight. "I specifically told it to not wander off."

A nagging voice in the back of his mind that sounded suspiciously like Marthel asked if he really had. To be honest, Brock couldn't actually remember what he'd said in the tense moments that was escaping a rampaging hydra. He just knew that if he was to ever repair his relationship with Kyari the hydra must be found, and he desperately wanted to repair it. Unlike some of the other acquaintances Marthel had introduced him to over their years of friendship, Kyari was level-headed, intelligent, and overall more understanding than even Sa'Raah could be. Yes, he and the Envoy of Dragonfire had both found the closest thing they had to a home by accident and had the same experience of being under the direct tutelage of their dragonlords, but he didn't feel the same level of connection with her as he did with Kyari.

"I'm not giving up," Brock said to nobody. Maybe he spoke to the construct that was currently serving as his mount. They were incredibly obedient machines, easily directed and more suited to be tools than guardians. He looked around for any trace of the hydra before choosing the direction that, to him, seemed the most logical.

0000000

"Did I ever tell you about how I met the ghost of Szadek?" Lisandra said, stroking Abby's feathery crest. Kyari, Marthel, and Vilhelm were each browsing books in the general area.

"How did you manage that?" Marthel asked.

"He presided over the events that turned me into a vampire." She tickled the abomination under its chin. "I'm surprised Ashleigh didn't mention it when she told you all about me."

"We didn't get much farther than 'psychic vampire working for the Dimir' before all of this distracted us." Marthel gestured to the mountains of books around him. A small pile was growing in the middle next to Lisandra, all supplemental material for the thesis she and Marthel had uncovered earlier in the day.

"Speaking of Ashleigh," Kyari began, "has anyone seen her? From what I know she doesn't like to be away from Abby for long."

"Odom says she's been doing fine here on Xerex," Marthel replied. He gave the silent Vilhelm a quick glance. Something about the other vampire in the room didn't sit right with him. "I haven't seen Odom in a bit, and Sverre ran off after translating a document for us. I never thought having someone who actually grew up on Dominaria and experienced the Mending could be so useful. I mean, sure, I knew that he'd come in handy, especially for learning about the way things were before, but he can actually just read some of these texts."

"Marthel," Kyari said with a giggle, "I think your nerd flag is showing."

"Oh, like you aren't excited?"

"Incredibly so, but I think we ought to wait until everyone is gathered together to reveal our huge discovery."

"You only know a summary of it, Kyari," Marthel responded. "When Sverre comes back from wherever he went, he can read it to us again and you'll see what I mean about it being fantastic.

Vilhelm continued to browse tower after tower of books in silence, collecting whatever information he could about this grand discovery. He needed to be the first to access whatever secrets lay in this maze in order to put his grand plan into motion.

000000

"Odom, I have amazing news," Sverre said. He stumbled over a small pile of books, righted himself, looked around to see if anyone else noticed his blunder, and dusted off his black cloak. "We found something fantastic. This confirms our theories about this maze. The center is where a grand invention, something potentially even greater than the Legacy of Urza, awaits."

Odom's shoulders slumped. "It's a piece of artifice, isn't it?"

"I can't believe you didn't consider the possibility, knowing what we know about the man," Sa'Raah sighed.

"Sa'Raah, you don't understand," Sverre chuckled. "Artifacts tend to explode around Odom. He wasn't always so...attractive."

"Ash likes me just fine, thank you, flaming eyebrow and all. Besides, you wouldn't look half this good if you were blown to pieces and put back together by a chaotic form of magic."

"Izzet vanity," Sverre said to Sa'Raah. "It infects the whole guild."

"I'm standing right here, you know." Odom put his hands on his hips.

"I know."

Both planeswalkers broke out into a fit of laughter so contagious Sa'Raah had no choice but to join in.

"But anyway, where's Ashleigh? We need to convene everybody so that we can go over this text we found," Sverre asked. "I know you're not that much of a ladies' man and she doesn't tend to share well, so she can't be far from here."

"Actually," Sa'Raah said, "Ashleigh is back that way. Rinok and Vilhelm cornered me after I...remembered something about my past. About my spark. She told us to go away while she talked to them. That was over an hour ago. I dropped off Abby with Lisandra and we've been wandering around waiting for her to finish whatever she's doing."

"So you left the basket case alone with the warmonger and the other vampire?"

"Hey. She's not a basket case, Sverre. You sound like Brock," Odom said.

Sa'Raah cut in, "The point is, Ashleigh looked particularly angry and we weren't about to test her temper. I was a little shaken, so rather than fighting her, I listened to her and left. I don't know what transpired, or if it's even finished. She'll find us when she's ready, though, right Odom?" Odom nodded, but Sverre interjected with "The last time you waited until she was ready, she was MIA for, what, three years? How is this any different?"

"The difference is, Sverre, we're confined to this plane and can't get out unless we all sit down, shut up, and work together. The sooner all of us realize that the sooner we can progress. It's mutually beneficial for everyone. Rhyne gets out of his cage, I get out of artificer hell, Sa'Raah gets back to amassing a dragon army, and everyone can get on with their lives." Odom crossed his arms. "I thought you would at least understand that. I thought you were our friend."

"I am your friend, which is why I'm worried about her. I don't trust Vilhelm or Rinok as far as I can throw them. I have this gut feeling Vilhelm is hiding something, and Rinok isn't being straightforward with us either," Sverre explained. "So we need to find Ashleigh, even though that's going to be harder than herding a hydra."

000000

"There you are, you stupid beast," Brock said, approaching the hydra. It was remarkably docile and probably extremely hungry. The bags of food that had been tied around its necks were entirely gone. "I hope you understand all the trouble you've caused me. Why can't you just be like this all the time. Are you domesticated or aren't you?"

Another voice that sounded suspiciously like Kyari told him that no hydra could be truly domesticated. He sighed, sidling up to the beast on the back of his spider construct mount.

"This thing has to have rope or something, spiders makes webs, don't they?" Brock said, examining the construct's back. Near the base of its abdomen was what appeared to be some sort of hook or locking mechanism. A moment's fiddling freed it and another few moments revealed lengths of thin, yet strong filament. One was tied around his waist in case he fell. He took another of the filaments in his right hand, braced himself, and jumped onto the back of the hydra. His arms and legs locked around its closest neck and the creature began to thrash and buck like a horse. It seemed to Brock as though the filament should snap, but by some miracle he was able to fasten it around the hydra's neck.

"Can you please calm down?" Brock asked the hydra. "I'm trying to take you home, to Kyari."

At the mention of Kyari's name, three of the hydra's heads turned to look at Brock.

"Okay. You recognize her name. Not as stupid as I thought," Brock muttered to himself. He continued louder, "Kyari's worried about you. I need to lead you home but to do that you need to calm down."

Through some more talking, Brock was able to calm the hydra enough to start the long and arduous task of leading it back through the maze. Having the spider construct to help increased their pace immensely, but it was still slow going. The hydra resisted some of their path choices, insisting on making its own.

"You're just a stubborn thing, aren't you?" Brock was sadly growing used to dealing with bullheaded creatures who refused to see the reason in his ways. He smirked. There had been a time in his youth when he too was just as stubborn. Living among the Soratami had taught him that stubbornness and other "human" qualities were something to be suppressed in favor of the greater harmony with their world and the Kami. They had their places, though, as he had discovered since leaving the monasteries of Tarkir. "I suppose it's not such a bad thing."

[creepy-crowleys]

Mission Log: Mortal Sins

Objective: Investigate Halt Orochi operation “the Breach”. Halt Vampire Crusade. Recover subject “Emma Stone” - still missing

Location: Carpathian Mountains, Romania - Points of Interest: Harbaburesti (village), Iazmăciune (village, cursed), Roman Baths, Network of Soviet-era bunkers (Red Hand)

Investigation Summary (2 of 3):

Week 7: Forest of Hunters (August 20 - August 26)

Once Facility-9 was secure, I returned to work on the region-wide ward with Zaha.  It was completed on August 21 and remained stable for the duration of the assignment.

With the farmlands protected, I proceeded through Bacaș Tunnel to the forest where the rest of the Drăculești camped.

Much of the week was spent familiarizing myself with the people and area while the Drăculești’s leader, Milosh, attempted to find more information regarding the prophecy on which their order was founded.  During this time, I came across another of Zorlescu’s Morninglight members that he’d abandoned in the field, Alina Florea, and convinced her to join me at the Drăculești camp as a medic in exchange for our protection.

Week 8: Rot and Decay (August 27 - September 2)

The week continued much the same as the previous week ended, focusing heavily on acquainting myself with the Drăculești and surrounding forest.

One of the areas I investigated was the home of Olga and Silviu Dimir, mother and son farmers and butchers.  Exploration of their land and the Soviet bunkers beneath revealed them to have abandoned traditional livestock in favor of butchering supernatural creatures - ghouls mostly, though captive and deceased fauns and blajini were also discovered on the grounds, as were human remains in the ghouls’ feeding troughs.  

The decision was made to shut down their operation. Olga and Silviu remain unaccounted for.

Towards the end of the week, I was informed of the existence of possible unfamiliar creatures spreading through the forest seemingly alongside the infection that had been reported earlier.  Of particular concern was that they were beginning to encroach on the local power and water purification plants.

The creatures were determined to be a previously unidentified Filth strain that manifests through fungi to create more animalistic and, more importantly, mobile forms.  Both infection sites were cleansed of their presence and returned to normal function.

Week 9: In Memoriam (September 3 - September 9)

The next areas of interest I pursued were the nearby Drăculești graveyard where several of Dracula and some of his most loyal followers were buried and the cursed village Iazmăciune.  The village, once a seat of Dracula’s power, was lost to Lilith and Mara’s followers after he failed to kill Mara the first time.  Dracula slaughtered all of the village’s inhabitants when he returned and they were sealed to their fates as Deathless by Cucuvea in the aftermath.  

Like the other locations Cucuvea had sealed, the wards on the village were beginning to fail.

Much of the week was spent containing and pacifying the souls at both sites, during which I also recovered the key to what was believed to be Dracula’s tomb.

On September 4, I learned that two of the Drăculești I had been working with went missing the night before.  They were discovered to have been captured by werewolves.  While we were able to bring both of them home, one had contracted lycanthropy and was unable to be treated.  Andrash Blaga was euthanized in the early morning of September 5.

Week 10: Apa Sâmbetei (September 10 - September 16)

Using the key I recovered from Iazmăciune, I returned to the Drăculești graveyard to open the tomb marked with the same emblem, believing it to be Dracula’s.  Upon entering though, the tomb was discovered to be empty of remains.  The tomb did contain a reference to Dracula’s prophecy however in the form of a carved stone book.  

I took a photo of the book to a woman staying across the lake from the Drăculești camp, Anastasia, and the sapient wagon she travelled in to have the text translated.  The text explained that, in order to defeat Mara, Dracula would need to be called back from death using the combined power of the Apa Vie and Apa Moartă - the Waters of Life and Death.  The Apa Vie was traced to a nearby spring, but the Apa Moartă proved more difficult to locate.

During the course of my search, I encountered the Iele, a Romanian legend, and assisted her in protecting parts of the forest from the fungal Filth that had begun to spread there. I discovered the Apa Moartă spring not far from the area.

I delivered both waters to Dracula’s true tomb beneath the chapel of the Drăculești graveyard only to discover that I was still missing a crucial element: half of a silver egg that Dracula had entrusted to the so-called Eagle of the old legend.

Week 11: Requested Time Off (September 17 - September 23)

See attached permissions.

Returned to active duty September 22 to assist with removing Alina Florea and other lapsed Morninglight members from their systems.

Week 12: Myths and Legends, Angels and Demons (September 24 - September 30)

I received a tip from Cern early in the week about two possible candidates for the missing Eagle as well as the site of another possible disaster, the village of Rândul Jadului.

The village was gone by the time I arrived, a Hell incursion burning through most of it and the demon army destroying what was left.  I was able to successfully repel most of the invading force and close the rifts they came through, though a large rift under the village’s tavern remained.  I crossed through it in hopes of requesting Theodore Wicker’s assistance in closing it and to get updates on his war efforts in Hell.

The civil war was still raging on my arrival, and I offered Wicker my assistance in taking back the Infernal city of Sheol.  The battle culminated in a confrontation with the fallen angel, Eblis, whom I successfully defeated.  Despite the victory, Wicker and his followers have since disappeared.

With the Hell situation relatively stabilized, I returned to working through a number of local stories in hopes of tracking down the missing pieces of Dracula’s prophecy.

On September 30, I learned that the leader of the Drăculești had information relating to the identity of the Eagle and kept it from me out of personal dislike of the man.  I met with the Eagle, Octavian, later that day.  

Octavian initially refused to assist in defeating Mara, citing his frustration with his role and desire to finally be allowed to die.

Week 13: The Trials of the Dragon (October 1 - October 7)

In search of alternate methods to defeat Mara, I decided to attempt the Drăculești’s Trials of the Dragon.  Attempts ran into the next week and all I gained was official certification as a vampire hunter.  

I also may have activated a natural global defense system with the Iele’s help.  Research as to what exactly I accomplished is ongoing - See file on ‘Singing Stones.’

Week 14: The Dragon’s Egg Completed (October 8 - October 14)

On October 9, Emilia, the daughter of the Drăculești’s leader, went missing.  It was eventually discovered that’d she’d gone to Octavian herself in hope of convincing him to help.  She succeeded.

With the second half of the silver Dragon’s egg, I returned to Dracula’s tomb and collected his soul from the Apa Sâmbetei, then proceeded to the foot of the Carpathian Mountains in my pursuit of Mara.  I was quick to learn that the mountains were the heart of the vampire’s operations, and began work to destabilize them.

[creepy-crowleys]

Dimir farm is sitting on top of a Cold War bunker with several of its defense systems still active.

Exploration of the lower levels revealed a partially flooded prison.

Six cells, controlled by the console above, all still in use. 

Not all captives were still alive.  

When wicked forces invaded the sacred forest, families of Blajini sought refuge in the village. They want their homes back. They abhor war, but are willing to help those who will help them fight back. The Kindly Ones know old magic, and this has served them in surviving these dark days. Their arts are connected to nature, to growing things, to cleanse water, and to enact illusions, tricks, and chicanery. 

Infection and disease have taken their toll on the survivors. At count 8 blajini, 2 fauns, 15 ghouls. Working on getting the non ghouls out first.  They’re in worse shape and I don’t trust the ghouls not to exploit that. 

One of the fauns has been helping me disable the defenses on the way out.  The facility seems to be constructed in a large loop, so we should be getting close.