Conditions Allow - Shisato, Whispering Hunter

Monomania - Tap Dancer

Heart of the Cards – Nicol Bolas, the Ravager

Commander Showdown - Ramos vs Niv-Mizzet Reborn

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meren of Clan Nel Toth" href="#" target="_blank">Meren of Clan Nel Toth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;artist=[%22Mark%20Winters%22]">Mark Winters</a>)</h6>
<h1>Creating in New Ways</h1>
<p>Hey everyone! Kya here once again! Welcome back to <em>Bringing Magic to Life,</em> the series where I appease my corporate overlords and justify my existence here on EDHREC. Here we're going to turn our gaming table into more than just a cardboard throwdown. Here we're going to bring our decks to life!</p>
<p>This month we're actually doing something a little different from what I normally do in this series. Typically we create some fun 3D models and print them out to add a little spice to our games. However, to limit our creations to just 3D printing would be unfair for some, so we're going to find more accessible ways to create small goodies for our table. Not going to lie, it took me a while to find something that didn't involve a 3D printer, paintingl or an anvil, but I think I found something pretty fun that will take anyone only an afternoon to complete! Before we get to that, though, we have to find a deck worthy of our creations!</p>
<hr />
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-32804" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/c4rd4r7_rOZ15npp3l.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="230" /></p>
<h2>The Return of the Dead</h2>
<p>It's amazing that after so many articles I still have decks that haven't been shared yet. We're getting close though, which is enough of a justification to buy more cards, as far as I'm concerned!</p>
<p>Today is a special article, as this is actually one of my most played EDH decks, especially when playing with people for the first time. I can't express enough how stressful it can be to try and make good first impressions. You never want to be that person who needlessly wipes the floor with everyone else at the table, but of course you want to have fun too! This is why I think it's important to own at least one deck that is resilient, but not reliant on immediate combos or overly oppressive win conditions. This deck is my go-to when unsure what I'll be facing and I'm trying to measure a pod for the first time. What is this magical deck I speak of you ask?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meren of Clan Nel Toth"></div></div>
<p>It's Meren, the girl with the zombie tattoo! As a dark-haired girl with a soft spot for Zombie Dragons, I couldn't help but fall in love with her when she was first released. I can't stress enough how impressed I was with her right out of the box. <em>Wizards</em> has done a great job with many of their Commander decks, but I would put Meren up there as one of the best precons ever created, especially since it can even hold its own against other more tuned decks. Adding even more joy, every piece to upgrade her always feels amazingly satisfying.</p>
<p>So what does she do? Okay, well all know what she does. She's one of the most popular commanders of all time. Trading death with experience counters, to place a creature back into play for free, is amazing. Even if you don't have the counters you can still get a creature back to your hand! Truly one of the few commanders that you'll always benefit from as long as she's on the field. I personally prefer her far more then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karador, Ghost Chieftain" href="#" target="_blank">Karador, Ghost Chieftain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Having to pay the mana cost to summon something from my graveyard? Uh, no. Meren has spoiled me far too much to pay for my creatures like some commoner. So how do we make a great (but not so nasty) Meren deck? Well we go with the basics.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Fear We All Know</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fleshbag Marauder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Plaguecrafter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Merciless Executioner"></div></div>
<p>Let's start with the soul of any Meren deck. Sometimes a girl needs to keep the boys at bay, and these three do a great job at just that! Insanely simple and effective. What's best is that Meren can keep bringing them back! It's surprising how greatly a single one of these cards can stall a pod's growth. Although you could argue that these are Stax cards, I've noticed that despite this, many don't find hard feelings when these cards continue to hit the battlefield. Best of all, I can control the length of their cruelty, based on how powerful the pod is that I ventured into.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spore Frog"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sakura-Tribe Elder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Caustic Caterpillar"></div></div>
<p>Absolutely no surprises here, and probably nothing you haven't seen before, but I wanted to highlight these cards to make a point. One of the top reasons I believe Meren is so popular is that she can take average cards and turn them into miniature gods, even over the simplest things. Keep reviving a Tribe Elder and get extra ramp every turn, all while gaining counters! Blow up someone's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> every turn, all while gaining counters! Make yourself invincible from combat damage, or even turn your Spore Frog into a political savior for someone else! All while gaining counters! The list goes on. By the way, I think we can all agree on one thing here: if you're not the Meren player, you hate that dumb frog!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Birthing Pod"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Protean Hulk"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Razaketh, the Foulblooded"></div></div>
<p>Know the best part of not having a combo in your deck? Absolutely zero temptation to do something completely degenerate. There's actual fun in killing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Protean Hulk" href="#" target="_blank">Protean Hulk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and looking through the deck, trying to find something relevant to the actual board state or at the very least just putting creatures on the field. Then do it again and again with Meren! Even with famous combo-searchers like the cards show above, we don't have to be tempted into combos if we don't want to be.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Greater Good"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hermit Druid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadbridge Chant"></div></div>
<p>Another fun and common mechanic with Meren is the oddball way you can build your graveyard into a second hand. That, or play with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Greater Good" href="#" target="_blank">Greater Good</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to add even more value in death triggers. Although I do have a few more direct tutors, it's exciting to always have plenty to access, but at the same time enjoy the surprise of not knowing for sure what's coming.</p>
<p>Also, in games where I'm not sure what to expect, I can change the tempo of how quickly I need to win as I want, within reason. This sounds like a strange middle ground to tutoring for you fancy blue players, but us Golgari girls enjoy our methods.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred, Whispering One"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kokusho, the Evening Star"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hornet Queen"></div></div>
<p>Finally, the absolute best aspect of Meren! You can completely curate how you want to win, which is rare for EDH decks. Do you want to just play a bomb and slowly control the board? Drop a Sheoldred and amass your graveyard to the field. Do you want to just consume peoples' life totals while adding to your own? Kokusho or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gray Merchant of Asphodel" href="#" target="_blank">Gray Merchant of Asphodel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would be happy to help! You want to just token spam and sting people to death with a bunch of Hornets? Well, the Queen has your back! Heck, I even have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demon of Dark Schemes" href="#" target="_blank">Demon of Dark Schemes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to do some massive work with energy counters of all things! Energy counters! In EDH! Where else but Meren?</p>
<p>Oh. And if you want to be a jerk, we can <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindslicer" href="#" target="_blank">Mindslicer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for days. I'm not saying "don't swing at me." I'm just saying if that 1/1 even glances in my direction I will bring us back to the stone age quicker than you can say "Nel Toth." That's all.</p>
<p>As briefly mentioned already, this isn't an article to share anything we haven't seen before. Outside my fangirling, it actually had a purpose. With the recent update from the Rules Committee of Rule 0, I thought this article would be a small contribution to my support of it. Commander is a casual format and sometimes we forget that. I'd like to think that with Meren still being on top, many players have also found that fair balance of enjoying engaging games that are not overly stressful or a waste of time due to excessive durdling. Below is the decklist to represent that mentality:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Girl with the Zombie Tattoo" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Hermit Druid
*1 Spore Frog
*1 Puppeteer Clique
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Wurmcoil Engine
*1 Catacomb Sifter
*1 Corpse Connoisseur
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Wood Elves
*1 Massacre Wurm
*1 Undercity Informer
*1 Noxious Gearhulk
*1 Merciless Executioner
*1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
*1 Caustic Caterpillar
*1 Shriekmaw
*1 Phyrexian Plaguelord
*1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
*1 Kjeldoran Dead
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Viridian Emissary
*1 Mycoloth
*1 Su-Chi
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Viridian Zealot
*1 Protean Hulk
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Grave Titan
*1 Fleshbag Marauder
*1 Terastodon
*1 Avenger of Zendikar
*1 Butcher of Malakir
*1 Demon of Dark Schemes
*1 Mindslicer
*1 Plaguecrafter
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Putrefy
*1 Altar&#039;s Reap
*1 Grisly Salvage
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Bone Splinters
*1 Jarad&#039;s Orders
*1 Casualties of War
*1 Black Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Victimize
*1 Buried Alive
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Birthing Pod
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Nim Deathmantle
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Eldrazi Monument
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Golgari Signet
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Deadbridge Chant
*1 Greater Good
*1 Evolutionary Leap
*1 Grave Pact
*1 Journey to Eternity
*1 Dictate of Erebos
*1 Black Market
*1 Vampiric Rites
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Vraska, Relic Seeker
*1 Vraska the Unseen
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Woodland Cemetery
*1 Hissing Quagmire
*1 Command Tower
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Golgari Rot Farm
*1 Tainted Wood
*1 Polluted Mire
*1 Slippery Karst
*1 High Market
*1 Blooming Marsh
*1 Grim Backwoods
*11 Forest
*12 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-32849" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/fb5d93d99e8e45a6c23cfb21fbccbd61.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="185" /></p>
<h2>Birth From the Grave!</h2>
<p>Now that we went over one of my favorite decks, it's time we got to work on how we're bringing it to life... or perhaps unlife! I originally thought of making a sculpture of a Zombie Dragon or of Meren herself with a step by step tutorial. However, I thought that would be too much work for everyone to follow along from just a simple article. For those who have followed my series before, I like to keep these craft projects relatively easy and simple. Some of the more artistically inclined might scoff, but it's tough to make gold from a wave of the hand and expect others to do the same! Another reason I went away from the sculptures is because, truthfully, it's not just Meren we love here. It's all the things she allows us to do in the graveyard! So with that said, let's build a graveyard worthy of her praise!</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-32885" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/59358923_393957421195569_2267585497830260736_n.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="257" /></p>
<p>First thing we're going to grab is some clay! For my purposes I got this non-hardening clay for other projects, but it would be advised to get some that will harden to ensure your graveyard doesn't break apart easily. Especially if you're going traveling with this to show off to your friends! Clay is very cheap, so this whole adventure should only cost you a few dollars.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-32879" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/58606320_449490639192214_5525420382003134464_n.jpg" alt="" width="227" height="300" /><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-32883" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/58713300_336873757013627_5608757298894733312_n.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="300" /></p>
<p>Next thing we're going to do is flatten out our clay to make it nice and even. Want to know a secret? It doesn't need to be perfectly flat. After all, spooky graveyards are rarely on even ground. With that said, do make some effort to ensure that the cards can at least rest on it.</p>
<p>After that we're going to lay down a card we don't care about on the clay. Let's just throw down this filthy blue card, because who needs those? After this we're going to use an X-ACTO knife to cut around the card, giving some room on each side. Got to make sure we give enough room for sleeves! Feel free to use a ruler to make your cuts straight, and if you're under 18, make sure you're asking an adult for help before handling sharp tools.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-32881" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/58635826_321420515221185_4794446390224748544_n.jpg" alt="" width="295" height="300" /><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-32880" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/58608360_296970264577187_334354893231882240_n.jpg" alt="" width="308" height="300" /></p>
<p>Now we're going to start making some crosses and tombs to put around our graveyard, to keep the cards still. Keep these limited, as you want room for your fingers to be able to easily and casually dig through your graveyard throughout the game.</p>
<p>Using the knife, we're going to cut some rather sloppy crosses out. They're old so it makes since they're a little warped! If you screw up, it's clay! Just try again and again. It doesn't need to be perfect, and you can always shape out whatever error you make. Then we're going to add a big tombstone for Meren herself, to give the command zone something special! Using the knife, we're going to engrave her name into her slot.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-32882" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/58654649_2328585247410445_5348612684554174464_n.jpg" alt="" width="238" height="300" /><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-32878" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/57338753_1188512371309845_7373855262592991232_n.jpg" alt="" width="295" height="299" /></p>
<p>Now lets fit everything together! Just smashing those pieces into the ends, we can rub up the clay around the joints to make them stick easy. I wish 3D parts got along so easily.</p>
<p>I also added a small thin roll with a very small space between Meren's tombstone and the graveyard. This allows us to prop Meren up. Let's use a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mortify" href="#" target="_blank">Mortify</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to test out her chair. Goodness knows I have enough of them if the card didn't fit, and got bent out of shape.</p>
<p>Now for the final test! Lets add in the real deck with the sleeves to see if everything fits. Good! Now it's time for painting!</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-32884" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/59286228_679601225794465_4150160596714651648_n.jpg" alt="" width="218" height="202" /> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-32886" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/59473410_2273672969359786_5096613677553942528_n.jpg" alt="" width="374" height="203" /></p>
<p>First, we'll give it a quick primer spray of black. After that, we're going to paint the tombstones our nice stone colors and a simple brown for the crosses. We could get fancy, but again, this is just a quick project for some fun! If you do want to go more involved, I would recommend 2-3 shades of green for the grass, which will look great with the black under. Maybe at the very end a few small flowers near the Meren prop to keep her up and look pretty!</p>
<p>Now we're all set! Let's look at the game field. That's a cool little graveyard if you ask me! A simple prop that will make your graveyard feel just a little more special!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p>So what does everyone think? Don't quit my day job? Stick to 3D modeling? That's fair, but the graveyard was a blast to make. Hopefully this will encourage others to add some crafts to their battlefields as well. Small little additions to these are especially nice because they do not take up a lot of space or become an obnoxious centerpiece. They complement the theme of your deck and highlight what your commander is all about!</p>
<p>Also everyone finally knows my go to deck if they ever run into me. If I see a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rest in Peace" href="#" target="_blank">Rest in Peace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> now, I'm taking it personally!</p>
<p>Until next time,</p>
<p>Kya</p>


Bringing Magic to Life - Unburying the Dead!

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Enlightened Master" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Enlightened Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.magali-villeneuve.com/">Magali Villeneuve</a>)</h6>
<h1>Just a Pinch</h1>
<p>In a <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/edhrecast-ep54-the-saltiest-cards-in-edh-ft-bennie-smith/">recent episode of the EDHRECast</a>, co-hosts Joey, Matt, and Dana sat down with Star City Games writer <a href="http://www.starcitygames.com/articles/tags/BennieSmith">Bennie Smith</a> to discuss... salt. No, not the delicious spice that supplies iodide (a necessary nutrient); I mean <em>salt</em>: the feeling you get when the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mizzix of the Izmagnus" href="#" target="_blank">Mizzix of the Izmagnus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> player combos out a turn before your victory; the emotion inspired by a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zur, the Enchanter" href="#" target="_blank">Zur, the Enchanter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> pillowfort deck that you just <em>can't</em> get through to; the prickling sensation of a player who just resolved <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armageddon" href="#" target="_blank">Armageddon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>... with no win condition in hand (or in mind).</p>
<p>It's easy for me to recall specific moments where a card made me salty, but it is much more challenging to judge whether a single card is inherently "salty". How do you quantify a card's "salt potential"? The answer, it turns out, is "with lots of help."</p>
<p>This April, we at EDHREC presented a survey to you, our lovely readers, listeners, and users. In the span of 3 days, you contributed over <em>500,000</em> votes on the saltiness of various cards, rated on a scale from 0 (sodium-free) to 4 (drinking a bottle of soy sauce while swimming in the Dead Sea). With all that data, we created a <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/salt">Top 100 list</a> of the most salt-inducing cards in Commander.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-32905 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/salty-cards.png" alt="" width="614" height="362" /></p>
<p>In browsing this list, clear patterns emerge of what cards are most likely to conjure up some good-old NaCl. Sitting pretty at #1 is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stasis" href="#" target="_blank">Stasis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a low-effort method of making players skip their untap steps. Stasis is the namesake of an entire genre of decks that prevent you from using your resources, and some of its best friends populate the list: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (#3), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Static Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Static Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (#11), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hokori, Dust Drinker" href="#" target="_blank">Hokori, Dust Drinker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (#26), and so on. Living at the #2 slot is the tried-and-true land destruction spell <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armageddon" href="#" target="_blank">Armageddon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Similar cards that destroy, bounce, exile, or otherwise Do Bad Things to your lands make up a whopping <em>20%</em> of the Top 100 list. Smaller categories represented in the list include: cards that say "can't" (such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iona, Shield of Emeria" href="#" target="_blank">Iona, Shield of Emeria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), spells that result in multiple extra turns (à la <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Expropriate" href="#" target="_blank">Expropriate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), notable win-conditions (like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), and frightening commanders (e.g. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Enlightened Master" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Enlightened Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<hr />
<h2>Saltcrusted Steps to Building Decks</h2>
<p>Empowered with this new salt-flavored knowledge, how can we take advantage of it to reduce or– Keftnet forbid– increase, the saltiness of our decks? The wizards of the EDHREC team have you covered, with what we're calling the Salt Early Warning System*.</p>
<p>* Note: no one is actually calling it the Salt Early Warning System.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-32904 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cyclonic-salt.png" alt="" width="209" height="360" /></p>
<p>If you make a visit to the card page for one of our salty friends like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you'll notice a little salt shaker icon at the bottom-left corner of the card image, warning you that this card is likely to cause salt. This icon will follow the card no matter where you view it on the site. The salt shaker also appears on lists of decks (like the "Recent Decks" section on <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/atraxa-praetors-voice">Atraxa's page</a>.) As exemplified by <a href="https://edhrec.com/listofdecks/scion-of-the-ur-dragon">Scion of the Ur-Dragon's page</a>, you can even sort lists of decks by their salt score, to find the lowest- or highest-sodium ways to play that commander.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Shake It Till You Make It</h2>
<p>Now that we know saltiest cards on the block, it's only fair that we put our salt where our mouth is. With assistance from the Top 100 list, let's try to make the saltiest deck we can manage. In the spirit of my budget deckbuilding series, <em><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/author/walkingatlas/">Low Market</a>,</em> I'm also going to cap myself at $100.00 – this is notably higher than the average cost of a Low Market deck, but salt doesn't come cheap in this economy.</p>
<p>There are approximately 20 viable commanders in our Top 100, when you exclude banned cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leovold, Emissary of Trest" href="#" target="_blank">Leovold, Emissary of Trest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Of these, a scant <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=%28%22Iona%2C+Shield+of+Emeria%22+OR+%22Vorinclex%2C+Voice+of+Hunger%22+OR+%22Jin-Gitaxias%2C+Core+Augur%22+OR+%22Hokori%2C+Dust+Drinker%22+OR+%22Grand+Arbiter+Augustin+IV%22+OR+%22Narset%2C+Enlightened+Master%22+OR+%22Gaddock+Teeg%22+OR+%22Emrakul%2C+the+Promised+End%22+OR+%22Ulamog%2C+the+Ceaseless+Hunger%22+OR+%22Atraxa%2C+Praetors%27+Voice%22+OR+%22Elesh+Norn%2C+Grand+Cenobite%22+OR+%22Ulamog%2C+the+Infinite+Gyre%22+OR+%22Zur+the+Enchanter%22+OR+%22Kozilek%2C+Butcher+of+Truth%22+OR+%22Avacyn%2C+Angel+of+Hope%22+OR+%22Linvala%2C+Keeper+of+Silence%22+OR+%22Derevi%2C+Empyrial+Tactician%22%29+USD%3C10">six Legendary Creatures</a> can be found for under $10.00 USD (at time of writing). Two options immediately jump out at me: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Enlightened Master" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Enlightened Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (#36), and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Derevi, Empyrial Tactician" href="#" target="_blank">Derevi, Empyrial Tactician</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Both of these commanders offer many colors to work with, and play into at least one major theme we identified in our most salty cards. Narset is focused on free casts of noncreature spells, while also being a great card advantage engine when <em>someone</em>–not going to name any names–has blown up everyone's lands. Derevi, meanwhile, is a means to untap permanents that might, <em>theoretically</em>, be locked down by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stasis" href="#" target="_blank">Stasis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects. Since I am a bit more familiar with her operation, I've decided to tackle Narset Land Destruction.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sunder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Narset, Enlightened Master"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Global Ruin"></div></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>That makes our gameplan pretty straightforward: stick Narset, cripple our opponents through land destruction, and find some method of killing them. I selected a healthy quantity of land destruction spells from our salt list: note that some of these cards also destroy creatures, so we'll need means of protecting Narset.</p>
<p>Since Narset's main jam is casting noncreature spells, I wanted a noncreature method of closing out the game, and landed on Aura-based Voltron. This choice is, in part, thematically driven: I've killed a few people with Narset after stacking a few Auras on her, and those folks were <em>definitely</em> salty afterwards. Being in white gets us Auras that grant indestructible, addressing our above need, and also gives us several convenient cards that tutor for Auras such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Three Dreams" href="#" target="_blank">Three Dreams</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>With the advent of commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and more recently <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord Windgrace" href="#" target="_blank">Lord Windgrace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, there are far too many decks that actively <em>want</em> lands in their graveyard. We're compensating for this strategy with a meaty collection of budget graveyard hate effects: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silent Gravestone" href="#" target="_blank">Silent Gravestone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sentinel Totem" href="#" target="_blank">Sentinel Totem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scavenger Grounds" href="#" target="_blank">Scavenger Grounds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Silent Gravestone"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sentinel Totem"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scavenger Grounds"></div></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The remainder of our deck is filled out with standard Narset fare. We've stuffed in a dozen mana rocks and reduced our land count a hair, since lands are useless when exiled by our commander. A couple topdeck manipulation spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="" href="#" target="_blank"></a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>Brainstorm<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="" href="#" target="_blank"></a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> prevent high-CMC spells from living in our hand, and lay the foundation for explosive attacks. Finally, we've a handful of straightforward card draw spells for when Narset is unavailable for help with card advantage.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Checking Out</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="High-Salt Narset (By Themes)" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
* Narset, Enlightened Master
[/Commander]
[Land Destruction and Hate]
* Armageddon
* Boom // Bust
* Cataclysm
* Catastrophe
* Decree of Annihilation
* Epicenter
* Global Ruin
* Impending Disaster
* Obliterate
* Rising Waters
* Ruination
* Sunder
[/Land Destruction]
[Aura Subtheme]
* Aqueous Form
* Auramancer&#039;s Guise
* Battle Mastery
* Eldrazi Conscription
* Faith&#039;s Fetters
* Flickerform
* Gift of Immortality
* Indestructibility
* On Serra&#039;s Wings
* Open the Armory
* Overwhelming Splendor
* Plea for Guidance
* Shielded by Faith
* Spirit Mantle
* Three Dreams
* Unquestioned Authority
[/Aura Subtheme]
[Topdeck]
* Contingency Plan
* Dream Cache
* Foresee
* Long-Term Plans
* Mystical Tutor
* Penance
* Taigam&#039;s Scheming
* Tamiyo&#039;s Epiphany
[/Topdeck]
[Card Advantage]
* Brainstorm
* Deep Analysis
* Frantic Search
* Precognitive Perception
* Treasure Cruise
* Ugin&#039;s Insight
[/Card Advantage]
[Ramp]
* Azorius Signet
* Boros Signet
* Darksteel Ingot
* Dreamstone Hedron
* Expedition Map
* Firemind Vessel
* Gilded Lotus
* Izzet Signet
* Jeskai Banner
* Mana Geode
* Mind Stone
* Unstable Obelisk
[/Ramp]
[Removal, Hate, Countermagic]
* Arcane Denial
* Divine Reckoning
* Insidious Will
* Oblation
* Sentinel Totem
* Silent Gravestone
* Torpor Orb
* Winds of Rath
* Winter Orb
[/Removal, Hate, Countermagic]
[Recursion]
* Bond of Insight
[/Recursion]
[Lands]
*5 Plains
*5 Island
*5 Mountain
* Desert of the Fervent
* Desert of the Mindful
* Desert of the True
* Desolate Lighthouse
* Evolving Wilds
* Gateway Plaza
* Grixis Panorama
* Irrigated Farmland
* Mystic Monastery
* Rogue&#039;s Passage
* Rupture Spire
* Scavenger Grounds
* Slayers&#039; Stronghold
* Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
* Terramorphic Expanse
* Transguild Promenade
* Vivid Crag
* Vivid Creek
* Vivid Meadow
* Warped Landscape
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>When the Salt Settles</h2>
<p>At the end of the day, our High-Salt Narset Land Destruction deck checks out for approximately $100.00 by TCG Mid pricing, and our oh-so-critical salt score is 115.96. You can also find this decklist on <a href="https://archidekt.com/decks/72300#EDHREC_-_High-Salt_Narset">Archidekt</a>. In a departure from the norm, I sincerely hope that <em>as few of you as possible</em> build this salt-inducing deck. If you'd like to tell me about the saltiest deck you own or have faced, track me down on Twitter, <a>@Walking_Atlas</a>, or leave a comment below. Until next time, here's hoping that our new features get you your daily recommended allowance of sodium.</p>


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