Technically Playable - Balthor the Defiled

Too-Specific Top 10 - Undead Legends

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spirit of the Night" href="#" target="_blank">Spirit of the Night</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Nielsen">Cliff Nielsen</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>We find ourselves in a transitory place. A place that marks the arrival, or the passing, of a great scholar or fabled ruler. This ephemeral land is heralded by the <em>qilin</em>, or Kirin. The Dragon Giraffe. They inhabit a duality of space, for the transmundane quickly descends back to grounded earth. For that brief auspicious hour that they do appear, they are arbiters of chiaroscuro perception - they are at once scaled in dazzling jewels, precious metals, and the fragments of stars - and modestly unadorned, armored by mud and the austere bells of mountain ascetics.</p>
<p>They are fearsome and exactingly just. They see guilt or innocence, good or evil, but not the humanity between.</p>
<p>Perfect for a <em>Dual Shot</em>.</p>
<p>And welcome to this latest experiment, where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck. Our Kirin commander today is not quite as auspicious as the myths would hold - this one has been twisted, its voice of bells now detuned. Our deck-within-a-deck is led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infernal Kirin" href="#" target="_blank">Infernal Kirin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it would have us play a proper divergence.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Infernal Kirin"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1>Any Color You Want... So Long as it's Black</h1>
<p>All of the <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=%28type%3Alegendary+type%3Akirin%29">Kirin Legends</a> want us doing multiple things. Most immediately in that manner particular (and parasitic) to Kamigawa, whereby Spirit and Arcane are lumped together. But then they each do something else. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bounteous Kirin" href="#" target="_blank">Bounteous Kirin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gains you life, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloudhoof Kirin" href="#" target="_blank">Cloudhoof Kirin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> mills. So firstly, you have the instances of overlap between <a href="https://edhrec.com/tribes/spirits">Spirit</a> creatures and Arcane spells.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Devouring Greed"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skullmane Baku"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kami of the Waning Moon"></div></div>
<p>Effects like <em>Splice</em> and <em>Soulshift</em> are very clearly predicated on this. But each Kirin allows us to go beyond this encouraged combination of subtypes. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infernal Kirin" href="#" target="_blank">Infernal Kirin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wants us to play <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/discard">discard</a>, and to that end, there are bridges to be seen through the mist.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kemuri-Onna"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="He Who Hungers"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Banshee of the Dread Choir"></div></div>
<p>As our commander's discard effect is quite specific, and targeted, it's not advisable to rely on that channel for hand hate, and indeed, one might consider utilizing the abilities of this Kirin - or any of its peers - in an incidental capacity. So although we're running several discard effects as Arcane sorceries or Spirit creature abilities, our discard payoffs are minimal. We look to prioritize our winning strategy through mass mana generation into something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinate" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and by generating a wide board state full of Spirits to sink into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Devouring Greed" href="#" target="_blank">Devouring Greed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. All the while nattering away at our opponents' longevity with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thief of Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Thief of Hope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or heavier guilts like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Choice of Damnations" href="#" target="_blank">Choice of Damnations</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the black classic <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>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Dragon Giraffe" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Infernal Kirin
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Kami of the Waning Moon
*1 Kyoki, Sanity&#039;s Eclipse
*1 Kemuri-Onna
*1 Skullmane Baku
*1 Thief of Hope
*1 He Who Hungers
*1 Balthor the Defiled
*1 Iname, Death Aspect
*1 Akuta, Born of Ash
*1 Spirit of the Night
*1 Banshee of the Dread Choir
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Ghost-Lit Stalker
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Graveborn Muse
*1 Hypnotic Specter
*1 Tergrid, God of Fright
*1 Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
*1 Orzhov Racketeers
*1 Orzhov Enforcer
*1 Pitiless Plunderer
*1 God-Eternal Bontu
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Charcoal Diamond
*1 Sundial of the Infinite
*1 Baku Altar
*1 Maskwood Nexus
*1 Nihil Spellbomb
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Cabal Ritual
*1 Goryo&#039;s Vengeance
*1 Horobi&#039;s Whisper
*1 Soulless Revival
*1 Hideous Laughter
*1 Broken Visage
*1 Songs of the Damned
*1 Seize the Soul
*1 Call for Blood
*1 Sickening Shoal
*1 Soul Shatter
*1 Price of Fame
*1 Doom Blade
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Devouring Greed
*1 Choice of Damnations
*1 Cranial Extraction
*1 Footsteps of the Goryo
*1 Swallowing Plague
*1 Sink into Takenuma
*1 Waking Nightmare
*1 Three Tragedies
*1 Kindred Dominance
*1 Languish
*1 Feed the Swarm
*1 Exsanguinate
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Black Market
*1 Dawn of the Dead
*1 Raiders&#039; Wake
*1 Bastion of Remembrance
*1 The Eldest Reborn
*1 Underworld Connections
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage
*1 Ob Nixilis Reignited
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Hagra Mauling
*1 Pelakka Predation
*25 Swamp
*1 Everglades
*1 Crypt of Agadeem
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Bottomless Vault
*1 Shizo, Death&#039;s Storehouse
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Field of Ruin
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Castle Locthwain
*1 Cabal Stronghold
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Transitory Lands</h1>
<p>Ah, speaking of lands, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crypt of Agadeem" href="#" target="_blank">Crypt of Agadeem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one part of a powerful and elaborate win condition for us. Elsewise, the lands in this list provide pretty typical utility and, uh, black mana, but together with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Songs of the Damned" href="#" target="_blank">Songs of the Damned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crypt of Agadeem" href="#" target="_blank">Crypt of Agadeem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can do some pretty vile things with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iname, Death Aspect" href="#" target="_blank">Iname, Death Aspect</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We can fuel <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exsanguinate" href="#" target="_blank">Exsanguinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swallowing Plague" href="#" target="_blank">Swallowing Plague</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if we need to deal with something, or we can pivot into something more traditionally aggressive with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Balthor the Defiled" href="#" target="_blank">Balthor the Defiled</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, with the hopes of creating a greatly asymmetrical board state in our favor. At a smaller scale, you can churn the dead souls of the past with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goryo&#039;s Vengeance" href="#" target="_blank">Goryo&#039;s Vengeance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dawn of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Dawn of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, playing with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sundial of the Infinite" href="#" target="_blank">Sundial of the Infinite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to cheat impermanence.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crypt of Agadeem"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infernal Kirin" href="#" target="_blank">Infernal Kirin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a good job of performing hand hate and disrupting combos, but we're not really trying to win with discard - instead, our general tends to glide more along the lines of interruption. Also, for one added boon, shout-out to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrgBD_tuz9f7qIiooB8LVLQ/featured">EDH Deckbuilding</a> for the Iname + Maskwood <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES6kHlqPEmU">idea</a>, which ricocheted into our Rogues and Specters and Gods becoming Spirits, pleasing our Kirin, and enabling Balthor to pump our whole board, since with Maskwood, everything is a Minion!</p>
<p>Even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be a Minion! Skittles is as robust an alternate win condition as ever, but everyone's favorite Dragon Skeleton costs half as much as THPS1+2 for the PS4 (or costs as much as half a copy, if you're in the market for something like THPS1+2-2).</p>
<p>I, uh... look, if you want to replace it, start by bolstering the discard strategy with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana&#039;s Caress" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana&#039;s Caress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or if you want to replace <em>that</em>, then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Megrim" href="#" target="_blank">Megrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Megrim"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Painful Quandary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tinybones, Trinket Thief"></div></div>
<p>You can go pretty nuts with upgrading the discard side of the deck, with big movers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Waste Not" href="#" target="_blank">Waste Not</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Painful Quandary" href="#" target="_blank">Painful Quandary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but then you run the risk of just streamlining, leaning hard into optimization, and turning into a Tinybones deck, and we wouldn't want that. <em>(Wait, wouldn't we?)</em></p>
<hr />
<h1>Conclusion</h1>
<p>That's it for this experiment. Finding cards that act as powerful bridges between themes is integral when trying to do everything a busy commander might have you doing. You can easily (and perhaps responsibly) pilot <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alela, Artful Provocateur" href="#" target="_blank">Alela, Artful Provocateur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a flying tribal or Faerie tribal commander, and rely on her <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/dual-shot-true-duality/">other abilities</a> for incidental value - you were going to run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Banishing Light" href="#" target="_blank">Banishing Light</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> anyway, right? But finding cards that ford those rivers allows room for interesting, undiscovered synergies - not to mention added elegance and enjoyment of the game.</p>
<p>Here, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baku Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Baku Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kemuri-Onna" href="#" target="_blank">Kemuri-Onna</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> proved to be capable unifiers, where <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akuta, Born of Ash" href="#" target="_blank">Akuta, Born of Ash</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> seems an obvious first cut. And the interplay between <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iname, Death Aspect" href="#" target="_blank">Iname, Death Aspect</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maskwood Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">Maskwood Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows us to get a lot stranger with this list. Just keep in mind that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infernal Kirin" href="#" target="_blank">Infernal Kirin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> rewards a variety of converted mana costs (or, mana values). What unexpected synergies have you gleaned from pseudotribal commanders like the Kirin? What about from abilities generally considered to be parasitic, like <em>Splice</em>? Let us know in the comments! Til next time.</p>


Dual Shot - The Dragon Giraffe

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | By <a href="https://diterlizzi.com/">Tony DiTerlizzi</a>)</h6>
<h1>The Little Negate that Could</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>The Toolbox!</em> Here, we take a look at underplayed cards and evaluate where they ought to see more play. Today we’re taking a look at a neglected <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that can be played in quite literally any deck: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Null Brooch"></div></div>
<p>Don't be surprised if you've never heard of this <em>Exodus </em>card before; it <em>is</em> over 20 years old at this point. For those that weren't playing the game before I was alive, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is so interesting because it's a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that can just sit on board. The drawback with Brooch is that you also have to discard your hand when countering a spell. This makes it a difficult card to work with, but, as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Confidant" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Confidant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s flavor text says, "Greatness, at any cost."<i data-stringify-type="italic"> </i>So, let's take a look at the top commanders from EDHREC to see where <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is played!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hazoret the Fervent"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malfegor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcum Dagsson"></div></div>
<p>This is going to be one of the most hotly contended articles that I have written just due to the cost of discarding your hand to counter a single spell. The thing is, there are certain decks, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hazoret the Fervent" href="#" target="_blank">Hazoret the Fervent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that actively want to discard their hand, so having a way to do this <em>and</em> interact at the same time is a huge bonus. There're also decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malfegor" href="#" target="_blank">Malfegor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> where the drawback becomes pretty irrelevant after you've cast him, as he clears your hand anyway.</p>
<p>Then there's the final of the top three commanders, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcum Dagsson" href="#" target="_blank">Arcum Dagsson</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While this may not seem like a great fit with the overall gameplan of the deck, there is some logic for including it. For instance, using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcum Dagsson" href="#" target="_blank">Arcum Dagsson</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to turn a Thopter token into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to counter a problematic <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merciless Eviction" href="#" target="_blank">Merciless Eviction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be a game-winning play. Brooch is definitely more limited in this deck, but I understand why some are choosing to include it.</p>
<p>In Commander, having an empty hand is very dangerous, considering how much a game state can change in just a single turn cycle. I do think that there are some decks that can work around or even benefit off of this 'drawback', though, so let's get into it!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Minions!</h2>
<p>I have not played against many <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Balthor the Defiled" href="#" target="_blank">Balthor the Defiled</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> decks, but they are always interesting to play against! For those who haven't seen Balthor in action, he aims to be a repeatable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Living Death" href="#" target="_blank">Living Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that doesn't wipe the board. He also gives a buff to Minions, but this is pretty minor compared to the power of his activated ability. Let's take a look at why I think Balthor should be playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Balthor the Defiled"></div></div>
<p>The main distinguishing factor between Balthor and other options, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chainer, Dementia Master" href="#" target="_blank">Chainer, Dementia Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, is that Balthor aims to go much wider in his reanimation. The reason I bring this up is because discarding a hand filled with <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>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abhorrent Overlord" href="#" target="_blank">Abhorrent Overlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Razaketh, the Foulblooded" href="#" target="_blank">Razaketh, the Foulblooded</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is way better with Balthor at the helm since he can just reanimate them all at once. Having <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a discard outlet also gives the opportunity for the deck to have more play at instant speed through Brooch itself, and reanimating a bunch of threats out of nowhere! Once <em>Hellbent</em>, Brooch can also just be used as a repeatable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to counter any pesky <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merciless Eviction" href="#" target="_blank">Merciless Eviction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s that would otherwise wipe the board permanently.</p>
<p>To some, this may seem like a bit of a stretch, but I think it’s genuinely worth the inclusion. Having a mass discard outlet that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s something seems way better than just cycling a card with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necromancer&#039;s Stockpile" href="#" target="_blank">Necromancer&#039;s Stockpile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! If you haven't had the pleasure to see a deck like this in action, taking a look at the decklist may be the best place to see all the great value you can get with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Monster Mash" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Balthor the Defiled
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Abhorrent Overlord
*1 Apprentice Necromancer
*1 Ayara, First of Locthwain
*1 Corpse Connoisseur
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Cryptbreaker
*1 Doom Whisperer
*1 Doomed Necromancer
*1 Fleshbag Marauder
*1 Golgari Thug
*1 Grave Titan
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Harvester of Souls
*1 K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth
*1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
*1 Magus of the Coffers
*1 Mogis&#039;s Marauder
*1 Ob Nixilis, Unshackled
*1 Overseer of the Damned
*1 Plaguecrafter
*1 Razaketh, the Foulblooded
*1 Rune-Scarred Demon
*1 Scion of Darkness
*1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
*1 Shriekmaw
*1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Stinkweed Imp
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Undead Gladiator
*1 Vilis, Broker of Blood
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Cast Down
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Darkblast
*1 Force of Despair
*1 Mausoleum Secrets
*1 Price of Fame
*1 Songs of the Damned
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blood for Bones
*1 Buried Alive
*1 Diabolic Tutor
*1 Dread Return
*1 Living Death
*1 Morality Shift
*1 Ransack the Lab
*1 Reanimate
*1 Rise of the Dark Realms
*1 Stitch Together
*1 Victimize
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Caged Sun
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Null Brooch
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Thran Dynamo
*1 Worn Powerstone
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Animate Dead
*1 Arguel&#039;s Blood Fast
*1 Liliana&#039;s Contract
*1 Necromancer&#039;s Stockpile
*1 Phyrexian Arena
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Liliana, Untouched by Death
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Cabal Stronghold
*1 Crypt of Agadeem
*1 Dakmor Salvage
*1 Desert of the Glorified
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Memorial to Folly
*1 Witch&#039;s Cottage
*28 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>Graveyard? More like Extended Hand!</h2>
<p>If you haven't read Andrew's edition of <em><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/ultra-budget-brews-damia-sage-of-stone/">Ultra Budget Brews</a> </em>that highlights why <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works so well with Damia, you should definitely take a look! This is actually where I got the inspiration for going with Damia over <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Muldrotha, the Gravetide" href="#" target="_blank">Muldrotha, the Gravetide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, even though I think that Brooch would work well with either of them. For those that haven't seen this Gorgon, she loves drawing cards so much that in your upkeep she refills your hand to a full seven cards! She's also Sultai and has deathtouch, but the draw is the important part. Why would she want a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Damia, Sage of Stone"></div></div>
<p>Having Damia refill your hand every turn makes discarding actively beneficial to dig even deeper into your deck. The timing on pitching your hand with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is very important, though, because Damia getting hit by a removal spell is backbreaking with her mana cost. So viewing it more as an onboard way to always have some piece of interaction to protect Damia, and as a reset button for your hand, makes it much more justifiable.</p>
<p>There are also the synergies available with the aforementioned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Muldrotha, the Gravetide" href="#" target="_blank">Muldrotha, the Gravetide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramunap Excavator" href="#" target="_blank">Ramunap Excavator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This deck is so sweet, and it's open to customization to be tuned to exactly what you want! If you don't believe that this card is worth a slot, take a look at the decklist!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Monster Mash 2" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Damia, Sage of Stone
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Acidic Slime
*1 Avenger of Zendikar
*1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Coiling Oracle
*1 Consecrated Sphinx
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Laboratory Maniac
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Muldrotha, the Gravetide
*1 Nyxbloom Ancient
*1 Oracle of Mul Daya
*1 Ramunap Excavator
*1 Reclamation Sage
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Seedborn Muse
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
*1 Thassa&#039;s Oracle
*1 The Gitrog Monster
*1 Wayward Swordtooth
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Beast Within
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Growth Spiral
*1 Krosan Grip
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Putrefy
*1 Sultai Charm
*1 Swan Song
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Casualties of War
*1 Cultivate
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Emergent Ultimatum
*1 Explosive Vegetation
*1 Farseek
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Skyshroud Claim
*1 Torment of Hailfire
*1 Toxic Deluge
*1 Villainous Wealth
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Null Brooch
*1 Simic Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Burgeoning
*1 Exploration
*1 Leyline of Anticipation
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Sylvan Library
*1 Wilderness Reclamation
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Vraska the Unseen
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Command Tower
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Golgari Rot Farm
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*1 Opulent Palace
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*1 Temple of Mystery
*1 Temple of the False God
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Woodland Cemetery
*1 Zagoth Triome
*5 Island
*3 Swamp
*10 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>Wheels on the Bus</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rielle, the Everwise" href="#" target="_blank">This sweet grandma</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> just wants to make sure that you've had enough cards to draw. Rielle has got to be one of my favorite cards from Ikoria; she just refills your hand as soon as you discard for the first time each turn. You don't mess with her, though: she gets extremely powerful from all the instants and sorceries in the bin.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rielle, the Everwise"></div></div>
<p>With Grandma wanting to give you more cards when you discard, discarding your hand to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> acts as a wheel. Rielle is already commonly running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forbid" href="#" target="_blank">Forbid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolarian Winds" href="#" target="_blank">Tolarian Winds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. An activation of Brooch with Rielle out is quite literally just a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolarian Winds" href="#" target="_blank">Tolarian Winds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stapled to a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and for half the mana!</p>
<p>This deck is all about constantly just clearing your hand to buff Rielle, and Brooch being a repeatable, colorless source of discard that stays on the field is great for when you just draw a hand of lands. At worst, you can just discard it to something else anyway! If you don't believe me, take a look at how sweet this decklist is!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Have Some Cookies" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rielle, the Everwise
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Baral, Chief of Compliance
*1 Brallin, Skyshark Rider
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Glint-Horn Buccaneer
*1 Jace&#039;s Archivist
*1 Laboratory Maniac
*1 Magus of the Bazaar
*1 Magus of the Wheel
*1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun
*1 Psychosis Crawler
*1 Surly Badgersaur
*1 Thassa&#039;s Oracle
*1 The Locust God
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Channeled Force
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Dangerous Wager
*1 Fateful Showdown
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Firestorm
*1 Foil
*1 Forbid
*1 Frantic Search
*1 Izzet Charm
*1 Muddle the Mixture
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Narset&#039;s Reversal
*1 Negate
*1 Rites of Refusal
*1 Swan Song
*1 Thrill of Possibility
*1 Tolarian Winds
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Breakthrough
*1 Burning Inquiry
*1 Careful Study
*1 Cathartic Reunion
*1 Chandra&#039;s Ignition
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Gamble
*1 Gitaxian Probe
*1 Ponder
*1 Reforge the Soul
*1 Turbulent Dreams
*1 Wheel of Fortune
*1 Windfall
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Library of Leng
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mana Crypt
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Null Brooch
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Thought Vessel
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Ominous Seas
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Teferi&#039;s Ageless Insight
*1 Underworld Breach
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Narset, Parter of Veils
*1 Teferi, Master of Time
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Cephalid Coliseum
*1 Command Tower
*1 Desolate Lighthouse
*1 Fiery Islet
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Lonely Sandbar
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*11 Island
*7 Mountain
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2>Null</h2>
<p>Thank you all for your continued support of the series! I hope that you all enjoyed reading this installment, and I hope that you have found a new home for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Do you think these commanders pair well with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Null Brooch" href="#" target="_blank">Null Brooch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Do you think I’m overestimating this card, or do you agree it’s highly underrated? What other cards are you hoping to see get their place in the limelight? Let’s talk about it in the comments below. Everyone please stay safe and have a great week!</p>


The Toolbox - Null Brooch

<h6 style="text-align: right;">( <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> | <a href="http://www.tylerjacobsonart.com/">Tyler Jacobson</a> )</h6>
<h1>It’s My Necromancy and I Need It Now</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, and as a way to challenge staples and misconceptions about the color pie.</p>
<p>Today, we’re calling a lawyer for uncivil arbitration with a gaggle of seriously gnarly Demons. Once all parties are at the table, we’ll work something out.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Balthor the Defiled"></div></div>
<p>Balthor is serious business. At first glance, this bomb seems awkward as a commander because of how fast commander tax stacks up because of his one-shot effect. Seeing play at the head of only 106 decks, however, there is certainly some room for exploration. His effect is certainly extremely powerful; asymmetrical mass resurrection can and will end games. Imagine having a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Living Death" href="#" target="_blank">Living Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the command zone and all the possibilities that entails. While a win would be more certain if we were to run two-card combos, why not pursue a more fragile plan that is much more fun?</p>
<p>Namely, why not try to resolve the dispute surrounding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana’s Contract" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana’s Contract</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Living Death"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana’s Contract"></div></div>
<p>Liliana’s Contract is one of my favorite cards in EDH, and not because I’ve won with it. I haven’t. I love this card because it's an efficient draw spell with the faint promise of an unexpected win. There's a faint rush of adrenaline you get when sleeving it up, seeing all the possible lines of play that could lead to winning with this card. In this deck, however, we have the distinct chance to make fulfilling that promise a little more tangible. Balthor is a simple Dwarf with simple desires: he wants to fill the graveyard with beefy Demons, then bring them all back. Coincidentally, shadow-dropping multiple Demons onto the board just before our turn is also exactly how Liliana’s Contract will most efficiently win the game. If we can’t arrange this win condition, it might just be good enough to grind out our opponents with an array of massive Demons.</p>
<p>With all that said, let’s seek the legal advice of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Balthor the Defiled" href="#" target="_blank">Balthor the Defiled</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> who specializes in head injuries, diet pill lawsuits, and issues of soul custody.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Are You Suffering Injuries Related to Demonic Consultation?</h2>
<p>To fully juice our strategy, we want to both reanimate fat creatures from our graveyard and produce enough mana to cast these creatures for retail price, if necessary. As such, I’ve included a variety of ramp effects to supplement the traditional Big Mana Black package that we associate 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> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crypt Ghast" href="#" target="_blank">Crypt Ghast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pawn of Ulamog"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sifter of Skulls"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bog Witch"></div></div>
<p>First, we have a few creatures with the potential to power out a lot of mana in our particular strategy: <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="Sifter of Skulls" href="#" target="_blank">Sifter of Skulls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both produce Eldrazi creature tokens that we can cash in for some fast mana. These two cards will allow us to sandbag mana to make big plays later in the game.</p>
<p>While these are both powerful cards, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bog Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Bog Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be the sleeper in this deck. Everything about this card facilitates our strategy—discarding a choice reanimation target in order to produce three black mana is exactly what we want to be doing. This card only sees play in 441 decks on EDHREC and deserves a higher rate of play. Bog Witch doesn’t just fit in mono-black, either; consider her for any reanimation strategy with a low color commitment that also wants the ability to hard cast its bombs.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Market"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Revel in Riches"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="K’rrik, Son of Yawgmoth"></div></div>
<p><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> and <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> both fit perfectly in our strategy. While <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> produces the most mana in the long term, <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> is also extremely potent, even if we’re not pursuing its alternate win condition. Whenever a creature dies, we’ll net one extra black mana every turn with Black Market. While Revel makes Treasure only when a creature dies under an opponent's control, the Treasure it produces is much more flexible. We can choose when to crack each and every Treasure, allowing us to better administer our mana on our turn as well as on our opponents’ turns.</p>
<p>Finally, the man of the hour: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K’rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">K’rrik, Son of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is just the man for this deck. Most of the cards we'll be dropping onto the battlefield include a few black pips in their cost, and Yawgmoth’s kid will accelerate our deck’s most powerful, explosive turns. Phyrexian mana is, indeed, a demented fever dream turned reality, and we’ll be able to abuse its power particularly well.</p>
<hr />
<h2>You May be Entitled to Boundless Power</h2>
<p>The best thing about the Demons we most want to reanimate with Balthor is that they all have some sort of card advantage attached. This means that when we do spend resources reanimating creatures, they'll propel us forward, sifting through our deck for even more bombs. Whether its <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vilis, Broker of Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Vilis, Broker of Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harvester of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Harvester of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, most of our Demons are certain to net us at least a card or two for our trouble.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodgift Demon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Razaketh, the Foulblooded"></div></div>
<p>I'll highlight two Demons that exemplify this principle: though perhaps one of the weakest of these effects, basically functioning as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Arena" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Arena</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> copied and pasted onto a five-mana Demon, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodgift Demon" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodgift Demon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the cheaper Demons in our list, and it deserves a spot both for its playability and its ability to be reanimated. Razaketh, on the other hand, is the most powerful card advantage effect available to us. A repeatable tutor will not only allow us to dig, but also find exactly what we want and need for the moment. Need to review the fine print? Go grab <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana’s Contract" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana’s Contract</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Is the board a bit cluttered? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Decree of Pain" href="#" target="_blank">Decree of Pain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is only a search away. Time to trawl up every creature in the graveyard? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rise of the Dark Realms" href="#" target="_blank">Rise of the Dark Realms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Bargain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Final Parting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oversold Cemetery"></div></div>
<p>While we’re on our way toward those bigger creature-based draw effects, though, we can also leverage other ways to gain card advantage. <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> is an underrated draw effect in black, seeing play in only 589 decks. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ambition’s Cost" href="#" target="_blank">Ambition’s Cost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is included in 3,353 decks, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Craving" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Craving</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in 2,718. <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> is better, in my opinion. While you only get to keep two of the three cards you see with Dark Bargain, it is an instant and it puts a card directly into your graveyard, a definite upside with Balthor. I’d take that deal any day.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Final Parting" href="#" target="_blank">Final Parting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, another underrated card from<em> Dominaria</em>, is also very powerful here. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entomb" href="#" target="_blank">Entomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diabolic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Diabolic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stapled together may not seem amazing, but it is strong. Any time two good effects are packaged together on one card, the result is worth consideration. Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oversold Cemetery" href="#" target="_blank">Oversold Cemetery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is incredible in EDH. Every turn, we’ll be able to return a utility creature from our graveyard to our hand to further fuel our plan. This type of card is the engine that keeps a reanimator strategy chugging along.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Deck</h2>
<p>Now that we’ve examined our ramp and draw strategies for this commander, let’s see how it looks all together. It's important to note that this style of deck has some serious weaknesses, chief among them being vulnerability to graveyard hate. Even so, it's also a lot of fun to pilot. Built as it is with a decent amount of powerful ramp effects, we should still be able to play fairly if somebody decides to nuke our graveyard.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crook of Condemnation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Golgari Thug"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Finale of Eternity"></div></div>
<p>Among the other notable inclusions here, we have a few different auxiliary strategies to support our main game plan. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crook of Condemnation" href="#" target="_blank">Crook of Condemnation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> finds a place here alongside <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bojuka Bog" href="#" target="_blank">Bojuka Bog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nihil Spellbomb" href="#" target="_blank">Nihil Spellbomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Although Balthor only returns black and red creatures to the battlefield, we want to ensure that this effect is as asymmetrical as possible. These cards will all help ensure that we benefit the most from our mass reanimation.</p>
<p>To fill our graveyard, we also have a suite of effects including <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golgari Thug" href="#" target="_blank">Golgari Thug</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stinkweed Imp" href="#" target="_blank">Stinkweed Imp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dakmor Salvage" href="#" target="_blank">Dakmor Salvage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stitcher’s Supplier" href="#" target="_blank">Stitcher’s Supplier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buried Alive" href="#" target="_blank">Buried Alive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Beyond Balthor, we also have several other mass resurrection effects such as <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="Rise of the Dark Realms" href="#" target="_blank">Rise of the Dark Realms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Living Death" href="#" target="_blank">Living Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In conjunction, these cards should help us dump our library into our graveyard and spit it all back up onto the battlefield. Here’s what I came up with; as always, season to taste.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Balthor and Associates, Attorneys at Law" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Balthor the Defiled
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Stitcher&#039;s Supplier
*1 Doomed Dissenter
*1 Golgari Thug
*1 Reassembling Skeleton
*1 Bog Witch
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Grim Haruspex
*1 Midnight Reaper
*1 Pawn of Ulamog
*1 Stinkweed Imp
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Dread Presence
*1 Sifter of Skulls
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Bloodgift Demon
*1 Corpse Connoisseur
*1 Doom Whisperer
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Magus of the Coffers
*1 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
*1 Ogre Slumlord
*1 Grave Titan
*1 Harvester of Souls
*1 Kothophed, Soul Hoarder
*1 Ob Nixilis, Unshackled
*1 Abhorrent Overlord
*1 K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth
*1 Overseer of the Damned
*1 Rune-Scarred Demon
*1 Razaketh, the Foulblooded
*1 Vilis, Broker of Blood
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Dark Bargain
*1 Price of Fame
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Finale of Eternity
*1 Stitch Together
*1 Buried Alive
*1 Victimize
*1 Blood for Bones
*1 Dread Return
*1 Final Parting
*1 Living Death
*1 Decree of Pain
*1 In Garruk’s Wake
*1 Rise of the Dark Realms
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Nihil Spellbomb
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Crook of Condemnation
*1 Spawning Pit
*1 Ashnod’s Altar
*1 Oblivion Stone
*1 Phyrexian Altar
*1 Nevinyrral&#039;s Disk
*1 Caged Sun
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Tortured Existence
*1 Oversold Cemetery
*1 Dark Prophecy
*1 Black Market
*1 Liliana&#039;s Contract
*1 Revel in Riches
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Cabal Stronghold
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Crypt of Agadeem
*1 Dakmor Salvage
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Phyrexian Tower
*1 Polluted Mire
*1 Scavenger Grounds
*22 Swamp
*1 Thespian’s Stage
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Vesuva
*1 Westvale Abbey
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<p>What do you think of Balthor? Are there any notable omissions—bombs, facilitators, or alternative strategies? Do you tend to build around alternative win conditions? Let me know in the comments below! Remember to EDHREC responsibly: always dig a little beyond the statistics. I’ll see you all on down the road.</p>


balthor the defiled

Technically Playable - Balthor the Defiled

Too-Specific Top 10 - Undead Legends

Dual Shot - The Dragon Giraffe

The Toolbox - Null Brooch

Monomania – Balthor and Associates, Attorneys at Law