<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Return" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.sebmckinnon.com/illustration">Seb McKinnon</a>)</h6>
<h1>The One You Send to Kill the Boogeyman</h1>
<p>Greetings everyone, and welcome back to <em>Monomania</em>. In this article series we build mono-colored decks as a way to explore ramp and draw packages that are synergistic with our particular deck’s strategy. In these articles I try to challenge staples and misconceptions about the color pie. Today, we'll be stepping into the shoes of a professional assassin.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Toshiro Umezawa"></div></div>
<p>Enter Toshiro Umezawa, a meticulous assassin that uses everything at his disposal to fulfill his contracts. This commander’s effect is essentially card advantage, making our graveyard a well of resources. However, it includes a few important restrictions—most notably that it can only target instants. What’s more, we can only <em>Flashback</em> one instant for each creature that dies. This leads to a very particular strategy and identity inherent to this general. He’s resourceful, precise, and loves his dog.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-35009 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/jwdog2.gif" alt="" width="480" height="200" /></p>
<p>Obviously, we want a critical mass of instants to take full advantage of the effect, but we also want a variety of effects on those instants—from card advantage to removal to haymakers—so that we can respond to the game state appropriately. We also want to lean toward removing creatures one at a time. Board wipes, although necessary, will usually mean wasted triggers for us. One way that we are going to counteract this is by employing targeted removal. Another is that we are going to use the classic black big mana package with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Coffers" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Coffers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vesuva" href="#" target="_blank">Vesuva</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make enough mana to capitalize on multiple triggers.</p>
<p>The power here is the flexibility of the commander. We can be extremely reactive to the table. We can play with very specific timing. If any creatures die incidentally, we can choose if we have an apt instant for the moment in our graveyard. That being said, be wary. If your meta or playgroup is creature-light, a Toshiro deck can very easily have trouble getting off the ground. Luckily, we're playing a multiplayer format, so we're likely to have a minimum of one creature-based deck at the table.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Guns. Lots of Guns.</h2>
<p>To build <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toshiro Umezawa" href="#" target="_blank">Toshiro Umezawa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, our ramp package is contingent upon how we’re going to draw cards. So first let’s look at how we're going to maintain a full clip.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-35005 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/john-wick-gun.gif" alt="" width="480" height="200" /></p>
<p>We want draw spells that are also instants so we can flash them back later, or spells that can leverage the big mana that black is capable of. I've included a diverse selection of draw spells, some explosive and others piecemeal.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Diabolic Revelation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dregs of Sorrow"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Necrologia"></div></div>
<p>These explosive draw spells are cost-prohibitive, but have the potential to excel. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diabolic Revelation" href="#" target="_blank">Diabolic Revelation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dregs of Sorrow" href="#" target="_blank">Dregs of Sorrow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are both sorceries, but take advantage of big mana like very few other card advantage effects in black. If we can find <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Stronghold" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Stronghold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Coffers" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Coffers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, these X-spells become the best cards in our deck.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necrologia" href="#" target="_blank">Necrologia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only sees play in 20% of Toshiro Umezawa decks on EDHREC, but it should be a staple. Although it drains life and can only be played right before our discard phase, this instant is extremely valuable, allowing us to choose exactly how many cards we want to draw without any additional mana cost before discarding down to hand size.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Costly Plunder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Insidious Dreams"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moonlight Bargain"></div></div>
<p>These instant-speed effects are all powerful with our general, even though they draw a relatively restricted number of cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Bargain" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Bargain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Costly Plunder" href="#" target="_blank">Costly Plunder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, only net one card; however, it's the ability to flash these instants back that makes these cards so valuable. Because our graveyard is like a second hand for us, we don't mind stashing our instants there with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insidious Dreams" href="#" target="_blank">Insidious Dreams</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Bargain" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Bargain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonlight Bargain" href="#" target="_blank">Moonlight Bargain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Now that we know how we’re going to dig through our deck, let’s see how we’re going to ramp up for some truly spectacular values for X.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Everything’s Got a Price</h2>
<p>Our commander costs one generic and two black mana to cast, meaning without <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> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it will be nearly impossible to cast him earlier than turn three. As such, our ramp package won't focus on getting to any particular amount quickly, but rather to facilitate our spell-slinging strategy.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-35006 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/knife-fight.gif" alt="" width="480" height="200" /></p>
<p>We don't employ a curve in the traditional sense; we won't be trying to put pressure on the board from turn one. Instead of trying to reach six mana on turn four, we will rather be aiming to reach fifteen or more mana at a pivotal moments a few turns later.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crypt Ghast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magus of the Coffers"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Market"></div></div>
<p>First, we have a suite of big mana effects in black to complement <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Coffers" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Coffers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Stronghold" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Stronghold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Each of these can help us produce large amounts of mana to search for all of the best cards in our deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diabolic Revelation" href="#" target="_blank">Diabolic Revelation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or to reanimate our entire graveyard with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Finale of Eternity" href="#" target="_blank">Finale of Eternity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Market" href="#" target="_blank">Black Market</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is especially powerful for us because it benefits from our innately trigger-happy core strategy.</p>
<p>Everyone knows <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While it isn't necessarily at its best in Commander, it does perform well in Toshiro, sometimes allowing us to chain removal spells. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spoils of Evil" href="#" target="_blank">Spoils of Evil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, on the other hand, has been largely forgotten and is extremely underrated, seeing play in only 79 decks on EDHREC. Sure, the floor is low—in specific circumstances, it might only gain a few points of life. Graveyard-based decks are extremely popular, though, and if we sit down across from a necromancer, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spoils of Evil" href="#" target="_blank">Spoils of Evil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will produce a ridiculous amount of mana at some point in the game. On top of that, our strategy relies on filling our opponents’ graveyards, which in turn adds fuel for this card.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spoils of Evil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thought Vessel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jet Medallion"></div></div>
<p>Because we’re playing cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skeletal Scrying" href="#" target="_blank">Skeletal Scrying</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necrologia" href="#" target="_blank">Necrologia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necropotence" href="#" target="_blank">Necropotence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which only allow us to draw big before our discard phase, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thought Vessel" href="#" target="_blank">Thought Vessel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is perfect here. We want to avoid discarding cards, and as such, eliminating our maximum hand size is very desirable. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jet Medallion" href="#" target="_blank">Jet Medallion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also furthers our strategy, discounting our removal spells as well as the instants we recast. Since our deck is built to cast multiple spells in a turn, we will get the discount on each of them and the Medallion will easily outperform any other mana rock available.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Deck</h2>
<p>With a solid foundation for ramp and draw, let’s bring it all together with a decklist. Because this deck plays so aggressively with its life total as well as the cards in its graveyard, it can be fairly difficult to pilot, presenting us with important decision points on any given turn. Toshiro likes to be poised, reposed, and reactive, waiting for specific moments to strike. Among the other notable inclusions here, we have various packages to support our main strategy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Revel in Riches"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sangromancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exquisite Blood"></div></div>
<p>To supplement our deck's fun factor, we can try to steal a win with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Revel in Riches" href="#" target="_blank">Revel in Riches</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or stampede over our opponents with their own deceased creatures using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Betrayal" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Betrayal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>With all of the spells in our deck that cause incidental life loss, we need some way to gain it back. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sangromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Sangromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a decent effect that can gradually replenish our life total over the course of the game without appearing too threatening. In addition, we have other ways to incidentally drain life such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Massacre Wurm" href="#" target="_blank">Massacre Wurm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pontiff of Blight" href="#" target="_blank">Pontiff of Blight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>While these effects can help put our opponents within killing range, we have no way to abuse them; therefore, we will usually need something else to deliver the final stroke such as a supercharged <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torment of Hailfire" href="#" target="_blank">Torment of Hailfire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinate" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If all else fails, we can assemble the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sanguine Bond" href="#" target="_blank">Sanguine Bond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> + <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exquisite Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Exquisite Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> combo to finish the job.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="They Call Him Baba Yaga" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Toshiro Umezawa
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Blood Artist
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Falkenrath Noble
*1 Sangromancer
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Chainer, Dementia Master
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Magus of the Coffers
*1 Ogre Slumlord
*1 Harvester of Souls
*1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
*1 Massacre Wurm
*1 Pontiff of Blight
*1 Overseer of the Damned
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Cremate
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Defile
*1 Skeletal Scrying
*1 Tragic Slip
*1 Undying Evil
*1 Altar’s Reap
*1 Cabal Ritual
*1 Costly Plunder
*1 Grasp of Darkness
*1 Without Weakness
*1 Grim Return
*1 Ob Nixilis’s Cruelty
*1 Spoils of Evil
*1 Succumb to Temptation
*1 Sudden Spoiling
*1 Tribute to Hunger
*1 Vona’s Hunger
*1 Dark Bargain
*1 Insidious Dreams
*1 Price of Fame
*1 Tendrils of Corruption
*1 Moonlight Bargain
*1 Necrologia
*1 Thrilling Encore
*1 Wretched Confluence
*1 Fated Return
*1 Scour from Existence
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Exsanguinate
*1 Finale of Eternity
*1 Torment of Hailfire
*1 Mutilate
*1 Diabolic Revelation
*1 Dregs of Sorrow
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wayfarer’s Bauble
*1 Jet Medallion
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Nevinyrral’s Disk
*1 Primal Amulet
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Necropotence
*1 Black Market
*1 Exquisite Blood
*1 Revel in Riches
*1 Sanguine Bond
*1 Grave Betrayal
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Lighthouse
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Cabal Stronghold
*1 Detection Tower
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Reliquary Tower
*26 Swamp
*1 Thespian’s Stage
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Vesuva
*1 Zoetic Cavern
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<p>That's all for today. What do you all think of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toshiro Umezawa" href="#" target="_blank">Toshiro Umezawa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Have you seen him in action before? Do you think he shares an uncanny resemblance to Keanu Reeves? As always, please do comment with interactions I missed, your thoughts, and alternative directions for the commander. Remember to EDHREC responsibly: always dig a little beyond the statistics. Take care and I'll see you all on down the road.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-35007 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/keanu-thumb.gif" alt="" width="200" height="200" /></p>


Monomania – They Call Him Baba Yaga

Modern Horizons Set Review - Colorless

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramirez DePietro" href="#" target="_blank">Ramirez DePietro</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.studiofoglio.com/">Phil Foglio</a>)</h6>
<h1>What do we do with a drunken sailor?</h1>
<p>Hello again to all the Commander players out there! My name is Seth Crosss and I love writing about some of the most ridiculous deck ideas ever invented! Better yet, I love those decks led by uncommon legendary creatures, so welcome back to <i>Uncommonders, </i>where we talk about just that: uncommon commanders! My hype for this article is due to my excitement for <i>Modern Horizons</i>, where we've so many awesome new cards. I was lucky enough to write the review of the black cards of the set, which inspired today’s deck idea!</p>
<p>It feels like such an exciting time to be a <i>Magic: the Gathering</i> player, and even more so to be a fan of the Commander format. With every new set, it seems like we get a treasure trove of new goodies, from awesome legendary creatures to the supportive cards we need or want to build with some fun, silly ideas. For this article, we are heading back in time to an older uncommon legendary creature, a commander they call…</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Ramirez DePietro!</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ramirez DePietro"></div></div></p>
<p>I know. At first glance, you're probably thinking, “Wow, DM has lost his mind!” But follow me down the rabbit hole for a moment: I understand that a six-mana 4/3 with first strike does not immediately inspire anyone. However, the original idea behind picking Ramirez was that I wanted to build a blue-black Pirates deck. Thanks to <i>Ixalan</i>, the tribe has gotten quite the boost, and I figured it would be a fun idea, especially with some themed support cards to boot. When I was writing the black set review for <i>Modern Horizons</i>, though, I realized I was so hyped for the newly-printed Ninjas in the set, and something struck me like a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to the brain!</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Assassin’s. Creed. Black. Flag. Dot. Dek.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-34778 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ACBF.jpg" alt="" width="616" height="346" /></p>
<p>For those of you who may not know or even just not remember, <i>Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag</i> was based around pirates and the British Navy duking it out in the Caribbean. The main character is Edward Kenway, a pirate who finds himself rolled up in the war between the Assassins and the Templars, who were battling for yet another mystical artifact. Eventually, Kenway became one of the Assassins himself. While Ninjas are not the exact same as an Assassin, I figure the concepts of stealth and killing one’s opponent with a swift, precise strike translates well enough on their own.</p>
<p>So that is the idea for today. We are going full theme and meme, and I personally cannot wait. I do want to make a disclaimer that some of the cards included are for theme purposes. If I wanted to make a “real” or “better” Ninjas deck, it would be completely different, down to the commander. I hope we can put aside power levels for just today and have some fun!</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Privateers</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidisi, Undead Vizier"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ingenious Infiltrator"></div></div></p>
<p>Whenever I brew a deck according to theme, I tend to dive deep in relating certain cards back to places, situations, special items, and people. With a deck based on such a well-received game like <i>Black Flag, </i>I doubled down to ensure I had as many of my bases covered as possible. There are many characters to cover from the game, so unfortunately not everyone made it in, but I included what I felt were the biggest names from <i>Black Flag</i>.</p>
<p>My favorite character from the game, aside from Kenway himself, was James Kidd, a.k.a. Mary Read. A friend to Kenway, she was a pirate who was also part of the Assassin’s order, so I felt it was appropriate to have her represented by a Ninja for the deck. Mary was cool, confident, and very crafty as an Assassin, so I chose <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as her manifestation. Two of Kenway’s other pirate compatriots were Edward “Blackbeard” Thatch and Benjamin Hornigold. I chose <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pitiless Plunderer" href="#" target="_blank">Pitiless Plunderer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for Hornigold, who eventually changes sides to the Templars. For Blackbeard and his belief that there was power in being a scary spectacle, I chose <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dire Fleet Ravager" href="#" target="_blank">Dire Fleet Ravager</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for a big, bursty effect on the life totals of the game.</p>
<p>The last of the big pirate crew was Charles Vane, who eventually fell victim to his own greed and anger and went crazy by the end of the game. While he was a pirate throughout most of the story, he becomes a traitor and a prisoner, so I chose something that illustrates his different phases while also helping the deck: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Changeling Outcast" href="#" target="_blank">Changeling Outcast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p>Another major character from <i>Black Flag</i> was the sage Woodes Rogers. Woodes was the key to finding the mystical artifact of the story, so my first thought was an artifact tutor. However, when I remembered that the “mystical artifact” of <i>Black Flag</i> was a place, not an object, I knew that meant the card would need to be able to find lands as well. I finally settled on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidisi, Undead Vizier" href="#" target="_blank">Sidisi, Undead Vizier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to both illustrate Rogers’ cutthroat nature in sacrificing others, while also still being the key to finding whatever we need. The last character I made sure to represent was Adewale, Kenway’s quartermaster. Initially, I was going to use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadeye Quartermaster" href="#" target="_blank">Deadeye Quartermaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for the obvious connection both to being a quartermaster as well as finding Kenway’s ship, the <i>Jackdaw</i>. However, I remembered that Adewale eventually joins the Assassins, and thus chose to use a Ninja to represent him. Adewale is big on working as a group and supporting those he believes in, so <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ingenious Infiltrator" href="#" target="_blank">Ingenious Infiltrator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> felt like a great fit for him.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Gear Makes the Assassin</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Conqueror&#039;s Galleon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Quietus Spike"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Temple Bell"></div></div></p>
<p>A staple of the <i>Assassin’s Creed</i> series is collecting pieces of gear, as well as keys to get a legendary suit of Assassin armor. I figured the best way to represent these themes in the deck was by including Equipment cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quietus Spike" href="#" target="_blank">Quietus Spike</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great option for the famous wrist blades, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prying Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Prying Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is solid as Kenway’s sword, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whispersilk Cloak" href="#" target="_blank">Whispersilk Cloak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> represents the hood of Kenway’s outfit, which he normally pulls on when going into stealth mode.</p>
<p>In the game, players could also upgrade their ships to have a diving bell in order to find treasure in the ocean, and it honestly looked like a gigantic <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Temple Bell" href="#" target="_blank">Temple Bell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so I added that as well. For Kenway’s ship, the <i>Jackdaw</i>, I chose <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conqueror’s Galleon" href="#" target="_blank">Conqueror’s Galleon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I realize that a Galleon is much bigger than Kenway’s small ship, but I liked that this Galleon can transform into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conqueror’s Foothold" href="#" target="_blank">Conqueror’s Foothold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which represents the pirate base of Nassau.</p>
<p>I tossed in some other goodies like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thaumatic Compass" href="#" target="_blank">Thaumatic Compass</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (because every sailor needs to know how to find their way!) and I felt <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Key to the City" href="#" target="_blank">Key to the City</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could work according to that theme as well, since throughout the game you pick many locks and steal many keys. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cover of Darkness" href="#" target="_blank">Cover of Darkness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also fit, as every good Assassin does their best work in the dark. For Wrath effects, I was lucky to be able to find a connection for <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>, as there are many instances while sailing wherein you must avoid waterspouts. Speaking of spouts, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherspouts" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherspouts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works here as well, alongside <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Devastation Tide" href="#" target="_blank">Devastation Tide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wash Out" href="#" target="_blank">Wash Out</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>The truth is that I could name every card in this deck and where I saw it represented in the game. I spent hours cutting, substituting, researching game information, looking up weird cards, looking at different decklists, and just overall trying to make this deck perfect. But if I detailed the entire process from start to finish, we would never see the list! So let us cut to the good part:</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Kenway and Crew" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div><br />
[Commander]<br />
*1 Ramirez DePietro<br />
[/Commander]<br />
[Creature]<br />
*1 Baleful Strix<br />
*1 Burnished Hart<br />
*1 Changeling Outcast<br />
*1 Dire Fleet Ravager<br />
*1 Fallen Shinobi<br />
*1 Graveshifter<br />
*1 Higure, the Still Wind<br />
*1 Ingenious Infiltrator<br />
*1 Invisible Stalker<br />
*1 Mistblade Shinobi<br />
*1 Moonblade Shinobi<br />
*1 Ninja of the Deep Hours<br />
*1 Phantom Ninja<br />
*1 Pitiless Plunderer<br />
*1 Sakashima's Student<br />
*1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier<br />
*1 Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive<br />
*1 Thassa, God of the Sea<br />
*1 Throatseeker<br />
*1 Walker of Secret Ways<br />
*1 Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow<br />
[/Creature]<br />
[Sorcery]<br />
*1 Devastation Tide<br />
*1 Merchant Scroll<br />
*1 Sign in Blood<br />
*1 Stolen Identity<br />
*1 Treasure Cruise<br />
*1 Wash Out<br />
[/Sorcery]<br />
[Enchantment]<br />
*1 Coastal Piracy<br />
*1 Cover of Darkness<br />
*1 Cunning Evasion<br />
*1 Kindred Discovery<br />
*1 Unnatural Selection<br />
[/Enchantment]<br />
[Instant]<br />
*1 Aetherspouts<br />
*1 Cyclonic Rift<br />
*1 Dig Through Time<br />
*1 Go for the Throat<br />
*1 Murder<br />
*1 Opt<br />
*1 Price of Fame<br />
*1 Reality Shift<br />
*1 Swan Song<br />
[/Instant]<br />
[Artifact]<br />
*1 Aetherflux Reservoir<br />
*1 Bident of Thassa<br />
*1 Bolas's Citadel<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Conqueror's Galleon<br />
*1 Dimir Locket<br />
*1 Dimir Signet<br />
*1 Fellwar Stone<br />
*1 Hedron Archive<br />
*1 Key to the City<br />
*1 Mind Stone<br />
*1 Prying Blade<br />
*1 Quietus Spike<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Swiftfoot Boots<br />
*1 Talisman of Dominance<br />
*1 Temple Bell<br />
*1 Thaumatic Compass<br />
*1 Vanquisher's Banner<br />
*1 Whispersilk Cloak<br />
[/Artifact]<br />
[Land]<br />
*1 Cavern of Souls<br />
*1 Command Tower<br />
*1 Darkwater Catacombs<br />
*1 Dreadship Reef<br />
*1 Drowned Catacomb<br />
*1 Halimar Depths<br />
*12 Island<br />
*1 Jwar Isle Refuge<br />
*1 Lonely Sandbar *<br />
*1 Remote Isle<br />
*1 Rishadan Port<br />
*1 Rogue's Passage<br />
*1 Scavenger Grounds<br />
*1 Submerged Boneyard<br />
*1 Sunken Ruins<br />
*9 Swamp<br />
*1 Tainted Isle<br />
*1 Underground River<br />
*1 Watery Grave<br />
[/Land]<br />
[/Deck]<br />
</p>
<hr />
<p>A tough thing about flavor-based or theme decks is that it can obstruct your ability to use solid staple cards in EDH. Luckily, there are a few that still fit into this flavorful build: <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>, for example, can represent Kenway’s wedding ring he gave to the wife that left him; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burnished Hart" href="#" target="_blank">Burnished Hart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of many creatures you can hunt in the game; rocks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dimir Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Dimir Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are useful to represent the treasures and gems that Kenway is always trying to steal away. If you're clever, you can find connections for just about everything!</p>
<p>Before we wrap up, per tradition, let's tune in to the comments from last week’s <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tiana, Ship’s Caretaker" href="#" target="_blank">Tiana, Ship’s Caretaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> article. The article received many great comments, especially over on the /r/EDH subreddit. This made it very hard to pick one to respond to in today’s article, but I think my favorite was from /u/Gluttony4, who wrote:</p>
<blockquote><p>I love Tiana, and I quite like your take on her, especially because most of the (admittedly few) people I've seen talk about her always go right for the Equipments and tend to forget that good Auras exist!</p>
<p>Swap out just a few cards (coughTeferi'sProtectioncough) and maybe simplify the land base a little, and your list is also pretty great for players on a budget!</p></blockquote>
<p>They suggested a bunch of other awesome stuff for Tiana, and you can read the full comment <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/EDH/comments/bvxznj/how_to_make_a_boros_deck_look_golgari/eptjhsf?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web2x">here</a>. I loved this reply for several reasons. First, I enjoy that people recognize Tiana has two possible tracks, since Tiana is often stuck with just Equipment; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valduk, Keeper of the Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Valduk, Keeper of the Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> suffers from the same kind of stereotyping. The second reason I loved this comment is the attention it gives to people playing on a budget. Any time anyone has some ideas for budget options for my lists, I thoroughly enjoy hearing them! I try to build my lists with a lower budget in mind, if only to ensure new players can enjoy them relatively easily and cheaply.</p>
<p>Alright, <i>Assassin’s Creed</i> faithful, how did I do? Is there anything in the list that makes no sense to you? Feel free to let me know in the comments below and I will try to explain my thinking for the included cards! As I said earlier, I could go over each card selection, but I think the article would run out of room! I hope you enjoyed this week’s fun theme, and I hope I find room to do more of these in the future. If this article was especially interesting to you, let me know that in the comments, too!</p>
<p>In the meantime, remember you can <a href="https://www.twitter.com/DM_Cross">follow me on Twitter</a> and enjoy all of my daily Commander and <i>Magic: the Gathering </i>ramblings! I also stream twice a week on the <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/praetormagic">Praetor Magic Twitch channel</a> and we do gameplay videos and more over on our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/praetormagic">YouTube channel</a>. Our podcast comes out on basically every podcast platform if you search “Praetor Magic” or “Reflections of the Council”. Of course, you can join us on our public <a href="https://discord.gg/CrNHmTE">Praetor Magic Discord server</a>, too! Until next time, though…</p>
<p>Keep assassinating those opponents! Bombs away!</p>


Uncommonders - Sneaking on the High Seas

Modern Horizons Set Review - Gold

Modern Horizons Set Review - Green

Too-Specific Top 10 - Cheap as Free

The 600 - Predicting the Popularity of Modern Horizons Commanders

Modern Horizons Set Review - Red

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yawgmoth, Thran Physician" href="#" target="_blank">Yawgmoth, Thran Physician</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://markwintersart.com/">Mark Winters</a>)</h6>
<h1>Commander Horizons</h1>
<p>I know, it's cheeky to call the <em>Modern Horizons </em>set "Commander Horizons" instead, but let's be honest, there are some extremely cool cards coming up in this set that we EDH players should be very excited for! We have returning mechanics, awesome lore characters, and even support for cool tribes.</p>
<p>Today I'm lucky to talk about the very best cards from <em>Modern Horizons. </em>Why are they the very best? Because these are the black cards, and black cards are the best! Let's get digging.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Mythics</h2>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Yawgmoth, Thran Physician</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yawgmoth, Thran Physician"></div></div></p>
<p>Hold on, I am trying to collect my thoughts that do not just jumble together into drool over this card. It's rare to see a card that checks so many boxes. He's powerful, he's a value engine, and he's a Vorthos home-run, right down to the protection from Humans.</p>
<p>As a card in the 99, expect to see him follow a similar trajectory to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yahenni, Undying Partisan" href="#" target="_blank">Yahenni, Undying Partisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Commanders like <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> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teysa Karlov" href="#" target="_blank">Teysa Karlov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are always happy to have additional sacrifice outlets, especially when those sacrifice outselts also help draw cards, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons" href="#" target="_blank">Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> couldn't be happier to see all those -1/-1 counters.</p>
<p>At the helm of the 99, look to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder" href="#" target="_blank">Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and friends for inspiration. Creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ophiomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Ophiomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pawn of Ulamog" href="#" target="_blank">Pawn of Ulamog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> present excellent choices for sacrifice fodder. Of course, Yawgmoth isn't one to be pigeonholed into a singular strategy. Yawgmoth can turn tokens into card advantage, but with that <em>Proliferate </em>ability, he can also become a home for mono-black superfriends, or a very dastardly <em>Infect </em>commander. I fully expect him and Urza to battle for the #1 spot on the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders#pastmonth">Top Commanders</a> pages for quite some time.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rares</h2>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Cabal Therapist</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cabal Therapist"></div></div></p>
<p>One of the first cards previewed for the set, this card is designed more for Modern than Commander, where it's much more realistic to blindly guess cards your opponents have in hand. It's possible Therapist could find a spot in metas who know each other's decks very well, or in some <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Telepathy" href="#" target="_blank">Telepathy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-inclusive <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sen Triplets" href="#" target="_blank">Sen Triplets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> builds, but it's not really a card for EDH.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Cordial Vampire</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cordial Vampire"></div></div></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> sits as the second most popular commander built in the <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders#past2years">past two years</a>, and with new cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cordial Vampire" href="#" target="_blank">Cordial Vampire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I can only imagine he'll maintain that popularity. Not only will your army get bigger as enemy creatures die, but Vampires have many sacrifices outlets built into their decks, which makes this a very deadly new addition. Consider him also for decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elenda, the Dusk Rose" href="#" target="_blank">Elenda, the Dusk Rose</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yahenni, Undying Partisan" href="#" target="_blank">Yahenni, Undying Partisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Dead of Winter</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dead of Winter"></div></div></p>
<p>Most of us have probably seen snow-covered lands a time or two, especially when someone uses them in conjunction with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Extraplanar Lens" href="#" target="_blank">Extraplanar Lens</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to collect value no one else can take advantage of. Well, now snow decks also have a variant of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutilate" href="#" target="_blank">Mutilate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one that can work in a multicolored deck with lots of snow-covered basic lands.</p>
<p>I want to believe there is a solid snow deck to be made, but the sad truth is that there are only 40 total snow creatures in the game, so there are very few options to run that will withstand your own <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dead of Winter" href="#" target="_blank">Dead of Winter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Regardless, I can still accept this as a cheaper, more splashable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutilate" href="#" target="_blank">Mutilate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Endling</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Endling"></div></div></p>
<p>The end of a cycle! From <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Morphling" href="#" target="_blank">Morphling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torchling" href="#" target="_blank">Torchling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thornling" href="#" target="_blank">Thornling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brightling" href="#" target="_blank">Brightling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> we can rejoice at the tying up of loose threads. This is a solid battering ram against other creatures. With deathtouch and menace, it will be extremely difficult for your enemies to interact with this creature favorably in combat. Add in the <em>Undying </em>and it's even more of a nuisance. Unlike several others in this cycle, Endling isn't just a Shapeshifter, but has a second creature type: Zombie. As such, this may see play in some classic Zombie tribal decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gisa and Geralf" href="#" target="_blank">Gisa and Geralf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as an efficient beater and an especially irksome blocker.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Force of Despair</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Force of Despair"></div></div></p>
<p>Speaking of cycles, the black part of the “Force of” cycle is a doozy. The timing restrictions make it a worse rate than a traditional <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hero&#039;s Downfall" href="#" target="_blank">Hero&#039;s Downfall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can kill a creature regardless of when it entered the battlefield, but this is certainly an efficient answer to combos like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker" href="#" target="_blank">Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> + <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pestermite" href="#" target="_blank">Pestermite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a huge influx of tokens. Look out, bursty token decks! Otherwise, though, this is a niche meta call if you're often up against aggressive decks that summon tons of creatures in one turn, but black has many other removal spells that will occupy this slot and be more effective in the majority of traditional games.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Everything Else</h2>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Ninjas</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Throatseeker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azra Smokeshaper"></div></div></p>
<p>The community has been hungry for more Ninja cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> decks, and <em>Modern Horizons </em>has delivered! Yuriko is very aggressive, often not able to leave blockers behind, which means she can be targeted pretty easily. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throatseeker" href="#" target="_blank">Throatseeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> helps mitigate some of that life loss, a welcome addition. Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azra Smokeshaper" href="#" target="_blank">Azra Smokeshaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a tricky card that helps protect Yuriko in the combat phase. Yuriko has climbed up to the #3 most-built Dimir commander slot, and with the help of these great new Ninjas, I won't be surprised if she eventually sneaks all the way up to #1.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Zombies</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Undead Augur"></div></div></p>
<p>With a tribe as deep and potent as Zombies, there's always a risk that the tribe is already overcrowded and any new cards won't be able to fight their way into decks. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undead Augur" href="#" target="_blank">Undead Augur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is basically <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Prophecy" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Prophecy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on legs, is potentially amazing but also potentially dangerous. Zombies are always hungry for card advantage, which could easily push this over the top, but lack of control over this ability makes me think there are better options for Zombies.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Goblins</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sling-Gang Lieutenant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warteye Witch"></div></div></p>
<p>Whenever I see “Goblin” on the type line, I become very interested. Most Goblin synergies wind up in red, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grenzo, Dungeon Warden" href="#" target="_blank">Grenzo, Dungeon Warden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wort, Boggart Auntie" href="#" target="_blank">Wort, Boggart Auntie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have well-known followings. Grenzo in particular probably represents the best synergies; Grenzo loves to sacrifice creatures, then put them on the bottom of his deck from the graveyard with things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reito Lantern" href="#" target="_blank">Reito Lantern</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and cheat them right back into play with his bottom-of-the-library ability. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warteye Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Warteye Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works amazingly well here too, since she can help scry fun new targets to the bottom of the deck for Grenzo!</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Shapeshifters</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Graveshifter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Changeling Outcast"></div></div></p>
<p>The Shapeshifters of this set pique my interest more than usual. This set has Goblins, Ninjas, Zombies, Vampires, and then some. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Changeling Outcast" href="#" target="_blank">Changeling Outcast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> work amazingly well to enable <em>Ninjutsu </em>and to trigger Yuriko, a welcome addition. There are probably better options for recursion in black, but it's not impossible that a few tribes would enjoy a tribal <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravedigger" href="#" target="_blank">Gravedigger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to recur their fallen soldiers, like sacrifice-happy Vampires or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inalla, Archmage Ritualist" href="#" target="_blank">Inalla, Archmage Ritualist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s ETB-triggering Wizards.</p>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">Spells</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Defile"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mind Rake"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return from Extinction"></div></div></p>
<p>Of the remaining spells, the three above strike me as the most interesting in EDH. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defile" href="#" target="_blank">Defile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has already gotten attention in Pauper, but a single-target version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mutilate" href="#" target="_blank">Mutilate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for one black mana at instant speed seems great for most mono-black decks, possibly as a supplement or a replacement for the occasional <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tragic Slip" href="#" target="_blank">Tragic Slip</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mind Rake" href="#" target="_blank">Mind Rake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s <em>Overload </em>ability is fun in a deck primed to abuse it, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nath of the Gilt-Leaf" href="#" target="_blank">Nath of the Gilt-Leaf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, though it's notable that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Delirium Skeins" href="#" target="_blank">Delirium Skeins</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only shows up on about 600 total decks on EDHREC. Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Return from Extinction" href="#" target="_blank">Return from Extinction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a decent recursion spell in tribal decks thanks to its low mana cost, possibly budging out any decks still playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aphetto Dredging" href="#" target="_blank">Aphetto Dredging</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. For these three cards, I predict the order of popularity, from highest to lowest, is the same order the cards are displayed above.</p>
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<h2>The Night is Darkest Just Before the Dawn</h2>
<p>What are your favorite black cards from <em>Modern Horizons</em>? What cards are you putting into your decks? Are there any spicy cards I missed above? What cards are on your radar? Let me know in the comments below!</p>


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