Zombify Your Opponents With This Budget Gisa, the Hellraiser Commander Deck

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zenos yae Galvus" href="#" target="_blank">Zenos yae Galvus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/mokhman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alexander Mokhov</a></em></p>
<p>Previews are now flooding in for <em>Magic's </em>upcoming <em>Universes Beyond - Final Fantasy </em>set. And with new previews comes new monocolored legends to fuel our deckbuilding frenzy here on <em>The Monolith</em>, the EDHREC series where it's all mono, all the time! Today we're delving into the murky swamps of mono-black to play a deck that your opponents are going to absolutely hate. Oh sorry, did I say opponents plural? I meant opponent singular. Introducing the monstrous new legend that'll be leading our deck today, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zenos yae Galvus" href="#" target="_blank">Zenos yae Galvus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zenos yae Galvus"></div></div>
<h2>What Does Zenos yae Galvus Do?</h2>
<p>For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> we get a 4/4 Human Noble Warrior that on entering the battlefield will choose exactly one creature that an opponent controls.</p>
<p>Once your "first friend" is chosen, all other creatures on the battlefield will get hit with a <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> style -2/-2. Now board wipes in the command zone have always been pretty decent, and very handy. Having repeatable access to a card like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Massacre Girl" href="#" target="_blank">Massacre Girl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't exactly fun and flashy but it can lock down a game of Commander for control minded players.</p>
<h3>Til Death Do Us Part</h3>
<p>But whilst the soft board wipe attached to our commander is cool and all, that's not why we're here. Oh no no no. Because Zenos has a hidden backside with an absolutely bonkers bit of rules text. One that will have Standard players asking, "Why is this even legal in our format?" and will have Commander players asking, "It does what?!"</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards only-back"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zenos yae Galvus"></div></div>
<p>When the enemy creature chosen as part of Zenos' ETB dies, our commander will immediately transform into its reverse side. Shinryu, Transcendent Rival is an 8/8 Dragon with flying that will have us instead choose a player as it transforms. Then, and here's nuts the part, when the chosen player loses the game, we win the game.</p>
<h2>The Game Plan for Zenos yae Galvus</h2>
<p>So the path is clear. In this deck we enter ourselves into mortal combat with one of the other players around the table. Our second and third opponents will no longer matter to us; all we care about is taking one player, and only that player, down. It's a fight to the death!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Compelled Duel"></div></div>
<p>Or at least, that's the most obvious way to build it. It's also the easiest way to completely telegraph your game plan to the rest of the table. And besides, we're playing mono-black. Why be honorable about it? Let's win the game in a far, far sneakier way.</p>
<h2>Whoever Loses, I Win</h2>
<p>Because the player we choose to hinge our efforts on is tied to the transform trigger on Zenos' backside, and because that trigger only comes into effect when our chosen creature leaves the battlefield, we have a horrible secret power up our sleeves: we can win the game on a combat trick.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sneak Attack"></div></div>
<p>In fact, playing Zenos this way is like taking part in a triple threat wrestling match and winning the champ's belt without even pinning them. We can win the game due to someone else's combat damage. We can win the game without even attacking.</p>
<p>Yes I did make this a wrestling reference, I'm sorry I don't know anything about <em>Final Fantasy. </em>That's about as close as I could get. Feel free to provide your own analogy in the comments.</p>
<h3>Trick Shot</h3>
<p>Here's the ideal scenario for winning the game at instant speed with Zenos on board. First, we need to have picked a creature when he entered. The ideal target for this is something that's difficult to kill but we have a spell in hand that can deal with it. For example, an indestructible creature that we can cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defile" href="#" target="_blank">Defile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Barbed Servitor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Defile"></div></div>
<p>That helps to prevent our opponents from killing the creature early, or the creature's controller chump blocking with it, before we're ready to make our choice. We want to be able to transform Zenos at the perfect moment.</p>
<p>Then we're going to wait for an opponent's life to be in danger. Maybe they're about to take more burn than they can handle. Or maybe an opponent is swinging in with a tonne of commander damage that they can't block. That's when we strike.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Booby Trap"></div></div>
<p>Wait until lethal damage is about to resolve and then kill the creature you chose when Zenos entered the battlefield with some instant speed removal. Doesn't matter if they die, bounce, or exile, as Zenos will transform when that creature leaves the battlefield. If it resolves without interference, Zenos will flip and you'll be able to choose the unlucky target as a dance partner, winning you the game as soon as they die.</p>
<h3>Force Their Hand</h3>
<p>The truly bonkers thing about all this is that we can force our opponents to accidentally kill each other using a perfectly timed combat trick. The thing about combat tricks is that most of them don't actually specify that they need to be used on a creature you control. For example, if an opponent is about to take unblocked damage from a creature with at least nine power, we can simply cast this:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tainted Strike"></div></div>
<p>Even when the other players at the table are perfectly aware of what we're up to and decide to swing on the player with the most health, we can add a lethal edge to their attacks with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tainted Strike" href="#" target="_blank">Tainted Strike</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Now, all of a sudden, their nine damage becomes ten poison counters.</p>
<p>And of course we can do this to our own creatures too! If you've got a big trampler to bundle in with (or your opponent does), watch as they hastily assemble a wall of chump blockers to soak up the damage and then whack some instant speed deathtouch onto the creature.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Touch of Moonglove"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Alchemist&#039;s Gift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lash of Thorns"></div></div>
<p>The absolute best example is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Touch of Moonglove" href="#" target="_blank">Touch of Moonglove</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will not only wipe out every creature with a single point of your trample damage each, but will also drain the blocking player for every blocker that dies in the process. This effectively increases your creature's power by one for every blocker, and then dealing damage as though it were never blocked.</p>
<h2>Backup Options</h2>
<p>Now this is all well and good but we don't want to spend the entire game just sitting around waiting for someone to die. The quickest and most effective way to cause someone to lose the game is to make them lose ourselves. Lucky for us, there's a nice collection of cards in black that do just that.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vorpal Sword"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summon: Primal Odin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phage the Untouchable"></div></div>
<p>That's right, mono-black is one of the best color identities we can be in if we want to make our opponents straight up lose the game. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vorpal Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Vorpal Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of my favorite dumb artifacts that I've wanted a good home for for a while. The activation is super expensive, but you're only one <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rogue&#039;s Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Rogue&#039;s Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> away from slicing down another player for good.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triskaidekaphobia"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska, Scheming Gorgon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Strixhaven Stadium"></div></div>
<p>What's extra great about these lose-the-game effects is that they're abilities that will go on the stack. You don't have to reveal your hand until that player is guaranteed to lose the game. Just look out for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stifle" href="#" target="_blank">Stifle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects!</p>
<p>Once it's on the stack, you can hold priority and cast your instant speed kill spell to trigger Zenos. This can be much more effective than using cards like the brand new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summon: Primal Odin" href="#" target="_blank">Summon: Primal Odin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card definitely seems like it was printed as an intentional combo piece with Zenos, but it's very telegraphed. The first chapter will achieve your transformation for you. But you'll have to wait a whole other turn for the effect you want on the creature to win the game.</p>
<h3>Consolation Prize</h3>
<p>In general this whole thing is pretty easy to interact with. Someone could hold up removal to kill Zenos. They could play the aforementioned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stifle" href="#" target="_blank">Stifle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to counter the transform or "lose the game" effect. Or they could just straight up counter the kill spell in the first place.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Counterspell"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stifle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Murder"></div></div>
<p>The thing is though, even if someone stops us winning the game, it's very likely we're still going to take a player out. If we have to win the old fashioned way, we're still one third of the way there. We can add a few additional payoffs to the situation though, to get the most bang for our kill-bucks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of Vengeance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elbrus, the Binding Blade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sengir, the Dark Baron"></div></div>
<p>These cards aren't exactly slam dunks but they do fit the theme of assassinating our opponents pretty well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Vengeance" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Vengeance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> feels like the best of the bunch due to its low cost and insidious nature. The target of the Curse isn't very likely to remove it as it doesn't actually do anything to them until they die. And at that point, who cares? Meanwhile, if we didn't win the game due to their loss, we're flooding our hand and our life points.</p>
<h2>My Last Friend</h2>
<p>If you want to end your EDH games a little bit quicker, or if you like picking one opponent at the table to absolutely bully, then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zenos yae Galvus" href="#" target="_blank">Zenos yae Galvus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be the deck for you. Just be warned that he's going to be an absolute lightning rod for removal. And I can foresee quite a lot of players not enjoying playing against this deck too much!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for reading <em>The Monolith </em>and I'll see you on the next issue for some more monocolored shenanigans. Until then have a lovely day, and why not check out some of these articles from the wonderful writers here at EDHREC.com:</p>
<p></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="SqyZxyU3rM"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/group-slugging-with-kefka-court-mage/">Group-Slugging With Kefka, Court Mage</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Group-Slugging With Kefka, Court Mage&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/group-slugging-with-kefka-court-mage/embed/#?secret=AM38pNo2Sj#?secret=SqyZxyU3rM" data-secret="SqyZxyU3rM" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="udBCrv3f6S"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/does-shantotto-work-as-a-pauper-commander/">Does Shantotto Work as a Pauper Commander?</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Does Shantotto Work as a Pauper Commander?&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/does-shantotto-work-as-a-pauper-commander/embed/#?secret=nFe3IdJyi5#?secret=udBCrv3f6S" data-secret="udBCrv3f6S" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>

Ruin a Player's Day With Zenos yae Galvus - Commander Deck Tech

Aetherdrift Set Review - Black

Foundations Set Review - Black

Duskmourn Set Review - Black

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Restart Sequence" href="#" target="_blank">Restart Sequence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/liesetiawan">Lie Setiawan</a>)</h6>
<h3><a href="https://commandersherald.com/assassins-creed-set-review-white/">White</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/assassins-creed-set-review-blue/?utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=article_preview">Blue</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/assassins-creed-set-review-black/?utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=article_preview">Black</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/assassins-creed-set-review-red/">Red</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/assassins-creed-set-review-green/">Green</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/assassins-creed-set-review-artifacts-lands/">Artifacts &amp; Lands</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/assassins-creed-set-review-allied-shards/">Allied Colors and Shards</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/assassins-creed-set-review-enemy-and-wedges/">Enemy Colors and Wedges</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/assassins-creed-set-review-reprints/">Reprints</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/assassins-creed-cedh-set-review/">cEDH</a></h3>
<h2>Nothing is True, Everything is.. meh</h2>
<p>Hello and welcome back to yet another set review! It's been so long since we had spoilers (by the time you're reading this, it's been 18 days since my <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/modern-horizons-3-set-review-enemies-wedges/">last set review</a>), I was beginning to think that maybe <em>Wizards</em> was in need of medical assistance. With only twelve new black cards, this is going to be a short review, so I have the space to give you a quick history of my torrid love affair with <em>Assassin's Creed:</em></p>
<p>When the first installment in the franchise came out, I was so excited. Such a unique game for its time. If you want to learn more about why, my friend Riley co-hosts an <a href="https://linktr.ee/goddamngamecube?fbclid=IwAR17mOH9XCFULgmaSSa7KJ0W_JnAAgt7HHAK6I1jJ7KpAWPF1G_KmCpDYVU">excellent gaming podcast</a>, with a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu2ESuk-fro">specific episode</a> about <em>Assassin's Creed</em>. Anyway, then they decided to split the second installment into three games, and I lost interest. I didn't even play <em>Assassin's Creed III</em> (or is it five?) and I moved off the franchise entirely. My interest came screaming back with <em>Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, </em>which focuses on my favorite place and time in history: early 1700s Caribbean, with all the Pirate-y goodness you could want. Then we got a new and (I'm guessing) mediocre game seemingly every year after that and I just couldn't keep up.</p>
<p>Why is that relevant? Well, when they announced the <em>Universes Beyond </em>crossover, I was very excited (<em>Assassin's Creed</em>) then got distracted by other stuff (<em>Assassin's Creed II and III</em>), then I got excited again by spoiler season (<em>Black Flag</em>) and now that I see what's in the set, it's all mediocre to me (all the rest). It's exactly like my experience with the video games, so I guess the crossover works in that regard. So let's get into these black cards, and fair warning: it won't be as upbeat as my set reviews usually are.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Mythics</h2>
<hr />
<p>No mythics to look at in black, which is the best foreshadowing I could ask for.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rares</h2>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Desmond Miles" href="#" target="_blank">Desmond Miles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Desmond Miles"></div></div>
<p>Our singular rare is at least a character I recognize. Desmond's obvious home is next to cards that care about surveilling, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dimir Spybug" href="#" target="_blank">Dimir Spybug</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirko, Obsessive Theorist" href="#" target="_blank">Mirko, Obsessive Theorist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Mirko is the head of an entire <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/revenant-recon/mirko-obsessive-theorist">surveil-based precon</a>, so Desmond might deserve a look if you're making changes. Unless he's your commander and you've built around both parts of the card, the Assassin text is most probably irrelevant. Having said that, I can imagine him at the head of a black <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/voltron">Voltron</a> deck that can make Desmond gigantic and take people out of the game while taking advantage of self-mill and reanimator cards. Losing out on blue for Equipment AND surveil synergies hurts that game plan, but it could certainly be tried.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Uncommons &amp; Commons</h2>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assassin Initiate" href="#" target="_blank">Assassin Initiate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Assassin Initiate"></div></div>
<p>This wouldn't be a terrible card to go into the aforementioned Desmond deck, since its activated ability can compliment any Auras or Equipment you're sticking on it. You also wouldn't mind milling it, because it's a terrible draw later in the game.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brotherhood Ambushers" href="#" target="_blank">Brotherhood Ambushers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brotherhood Ambushers"></div></div>
<p>Here's our first instance of freerunning, and it could be zero mana and I'm still not putting this card in my deck. Vanilla 6/3s aren't good in commander at any point outside of caring about high power, so maybe I could see this in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog, Ravenous Ride" href="#" target="_blank">Ribbit Rodeo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, but you can refer to <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brew-for-your-buck-gitrog-ravenous-ride-on-a-budget/">my article</a> for much better inclusions. NEXT!</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chain Assassination" href="#" target="_blank">Chain Assassination</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chain Assassination"></div></div>
<p>Chain Assassination is a good design for freerunning. If you can trade off a few creatures in combat while your commander sneaks through, you've got a cantripping <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infernal Grasp" href="#" target="_blank">Infernal Grasp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> without the life loss. It's less exciting at four mana, but since it's an instant, you can kill something and draw a card on an opponent's turn if you've got the mana up. Its floor is a four mana <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murder" href="#" target="_blank">Murder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Not ideal, but as we will see, this is one of the better cards in the list.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hemlock Vial" href="#" target="_blank">Hemlock Vial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hemlock Vial"></div></div>
<p>A black cantripping artifact that would be a borderline card in Limited. The only interesting thing about this card is that it gives your Equipment deathtouch. If you turn your Equipment into creatures with something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyberdrive Awakener" href="#" target="_blank">Cyberdrive Awakener</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or your deck is filled with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viridian Longbow" href="#" target="_blank">Viridian Longbow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s and friends, I guess you could include this? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kelsien, the Plague" href="#" target="_blank">Kelsien, the Plague</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a cool commander...</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Petty Larceny" href="#" target="_blank">Petty Larceny</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Petty Larceny"></div></div>
<p>This is pretty bad unless you're paying the freerunning cost, in which case it's a draw two from not your own deck and it refunds you a Treasure. Theft decks like the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gonti, Canny Acquisitor" href="#" target="_blank">Gonti</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or exile-matters decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prosper, Tome-Bound" href="#" target="_blank">Prosper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are where you could put this, but I think there are better choices for those decks.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phantom Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Phantom Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phantom Blade"></div></div>
<p>I'm kind of surprised this wasn't the name of a <em>Magic </em>card already. Giving enter-the-battlefield (ETB) triggers to Equipment certainly makes them better, and it's cool that in this case it's "modal" removal spell. If this had flash, I'd be in but sadly it doesn't, so I'm out.</p>
<p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: At this point in writing I realized that these are legal in Modern too, which is laughable given that we just saw how powerful <em>Modern Horizons 3</em> is. Who are these cards for outside of <em>Assassin's Creed</em> fans? I also realized this is supposed to sell in small packs like <em>March of the Machine: The </em><em>Aftermath</em>, which was one of the biggest product flops in recent years. Since <em>Wizards</em> cancelled a similar product for <em>Outlaws of Thunder Junction,</em> I'm guessing there wasn't enough time to change this one. Yikes.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Poison-Blade Mentor" href="#" target="_blank">Poison-Blade Mentor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Poison-Blade Mentor"></div></div>
<p>A 2/1, non-evasive creature that cares only about Assassins? It could go in Assassin decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramses, Assassin Lord" href="#" target="_blank">Ramses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but maybe not even there. With all the cards to choose from in our format, I have a hard time seeing this making the 99.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Restart Sequence" href="#" target="_blank">Restart Sequence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Restart Sequence"></div></div>
<p>Alright, they got me. I'm a sucker for reanimation spells. We don't usually get them even at four mana anymore, and this even has the option to cast for two. If you're playing Assassins or attacking a lot with your commander, this is a solid inclusion in one of your recursion slots over something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Persist" href="#" target="_blank">Persist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and certainly over <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zombify" href="#" target="_blank">Zombify</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I like this as a budget option as well, so consider it over <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animate Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Animate Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to save a few bucks. I'm pretty sure this is the best card in this list.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Roshan, Hidden Magister" href="#" target="_blank">Roshan, Hidden Magister</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Roshan, Hidden Magister"></div></div>
<p>What in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ratadrabik of Urborg" href="#" target="_blank">Ratadrabik</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s name is this? A <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> for Assassins? A support card for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer" href="#" target="_blank">Kadena</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Both? Morph Assassins is not something I thought I'd talk about in an article but here we are. Also cool with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scarblade Elite" href="#" target="_blank">Scarblade Elite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for your Assassins deck I guess, but what an odd design. There must be something here from a flavor perspective that I'm missing.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Revelations of Ezio" href="#" target="_blank">The Revelations of Ezio</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Revelations of Ezio"></div></div>
<p>With Ezio as the focus, is this Saga supposed to represent all three <em>Assassin's Creed II</em> games? If so, I get the first chapter which is just <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assassinate" href="#" target="_blank">Assassinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but the other two are lost on me. Again, if you're doing the Assassin thing with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramses, Assassin Lord" href="#" target="_blank">Ramses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mari, the Killing Quill" href="#" target="_blank">Mari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etrata, Deadly Fugitive" href="#" target="_blank">Etrata</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this seems like the set for you. Otherwise I suggest looking elsewhere for your revelations.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merciless Harlequin" href="#" target="_blank">Merciless Harlequin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Merciless Harlequin"></div></div>
<p>As with everything else, consider if you're building an Assassins deck. What blew my mind about this card is the name. I didn't know what harlequin meant, so I looked. Almighty Google defines it as: "a mute character in traditional <span class="AraNOb">pantomime</span>, typically <span class="AraNOb">masked</span> and dressed in a diamond-patterned costume." Harlequin. Harley Quinn. You learn something new every day.</p>
<hr />
<p>Yikes. In my opinion, just like the video game franchise, the <em>Assassin's Creed</em> set<em> </em>perfectly encapsulates the vibe of initial excitement and success being completely destroyed by product fatigue. Not something unfamiliar to us <em>Magic </em>players. I know it was a negative review, but I want to be honest with my suggestions and opinions for all you fine readers. If you're looking for more bubbly and excited writing from me, and/or you're interested in budget deck building, check out my usual series, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/brian-cain/"><em>Brew For Your Buck</em></a>.</p>
<p>If you're excited about this set, I'd love to hear about it. Change my mind! Or maybe you agree with everything I said and we can commiserate together. Either way, drop me a line in the comments or give me a follow on Twitter @BrewForYourBuck. I'll see you next time!</p>


Assassin's Creed Set Review - Black

Outlaws of Thunder Junction Set Review - Black

Technically Playable - Mikaeus, the Unhallowed

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Screeching Scorchbeast" href="#" target="_blank">Screeching Scorchbeast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://isnino.artstation.com/">Nino Is</a>)</h6>
<hr />
<h3><a href="https://commandersherald.com/fallout-set-review-white/">White</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/fallout-set-review-blue/">Blue</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/fallout-set-review-black/">Black</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/fallout-set-review-red/">Red</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/fallout-set-review-green/">Green</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/fallout-set-review-artifacts-lands/?utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=article_preview">Artifacts &amp; Lands</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/fallout-set-review-allied-shards/">Allied &amp; Shards</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/fallout-set-review-enemy-colors-and-wedges/">Enemy &amp; Wedges</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/fallout-set-review-cedh/">cEDH</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/fallout-reprint-review/">Reprints</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-over-under-predicting-the-popularity-of-fallout-commanders/">Over/Under</a></h3>
<hr />
<h2>A Theoretical Degree in Physics</h2>
<p>Welcome back to set review season! I'm Brian, your usual host of <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/brian-cain/"><em>Brew For Your Buck</em></a> and fortunately I love writing set reviews, because it's seemingly <strong>ALWAYS</strong> set review season. I'm also a big fan of the <em>Fallout</em> franchise. While I started with <em>Fallout 3</em>, and <em>Fallout 4</em> really hits home for me as someone that frequents Boston, I still think <em>New Vegas</em> is my favorite installment. The Old West theme plus the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battle of Hoover Dam" href="#" target="_blank">Battle of Hoover Dam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as the dramatic conclusion really made it a fun game for me. While we're going through the cards, I'll try to comment on flavor as well as function, but I haven't played the first two games so forgive my lack of knowledge there. Anyways, let's get into everyone's favorite apocalyptic <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasteland" href="#" target="_blank">Wasteland</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with everyone's (without any bias at all) favorite color in <em>Magic</em>: Black!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Mythics</h2>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/maxresdefault.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-124116" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/maxresdefault.jpeg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/maxresdefault.jpeg 1280w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/maxresdefault-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/maxresdefault-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/maxresdefault-768x432.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px" /></a></p>
<p>We have no mythics to look at this time around for black, but does rarity <em>really</em> matter for precons?</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rares</h2>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feral Ghoul" href="#" target="_blank">Feral Ghoul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feral Ghoul"></div></div>
<p>We jump right in with one of the more iconic enemies in the franchise. Some of the scariest times I've had playing these games are sneaking into buildings full of these guys. Even the art looks like what I see after I panic-jump into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="V.A.T.S." href="#" target="_blank">V.A.T.S.</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to save my skin. This has an obvious home in <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/aristocrats">Aristocrats</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/typal/zombies">Zombie-typal</a> lists, where you're probably already sacrificing your creatures to grow this into a huge threat. Once you're ready, pop this to irradiate your opponents for a huge amount. For clarity, here's how rad counters work:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Radiation"></div></div>
<p>So yes, you can add this to the list of things that win the game in conjunction with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravecrawler" href="#" target="_blank">Gravecrawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or any other ways to generate <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/search/?q=ci%3Ablack+result%3A%22Infinite+death+triggers%22">infinite death triggers</a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div id="3490-4050-4505" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="3490-4050-4505" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Feral%20Ghoul%22%2C%22Animation%20Module%22%2C%22Phyrexian%20Altar%22%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20%2B1%2F%2B1%20counters%20on%20Feral%20Ghoul%22%2C%22Infinite%20death%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20ETB%22%2C%22Infinite%20LTB%22%2C%22Infinite%20mill%22%2C%22Infinite%20rad%20counters%20for%20opponents%22%2C%22Infinite%20sacrifice%20triggers%22%2C%22Near-infinite%20lifeloss%22%5D&id=3490-4050-4505&color=B&extraRequirementCount=1"></script></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor" href="#" target="_blank">Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hancock, Ghoulish Mayor"></div></div>
<p>As the mayor of Goodneighbor, Hancock is welcoming to all wasteland types so long as they abide by the rules. That's well represented by his ability to anthem up any other Zombies and Mutants you have lying around, though you do need to get some work to get there. Interestingly, we don't have an existing Zombie or Mutant commander that cares about counters, so if you're looking to overlap those two themes I think Hancock is your best bet. Otherwise, this seems like a great card for its precon that cares about exactly those things. He also is an X/1 with Undying<em>,</em> something that I'm sure makes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yawgmoth, Thran Physician" href="#" target="_blank">Yawg</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> players look up from their loops. Also, Do we ever find out his first name? I bet it's Herbie.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nuclear Fallout" href="#" target="_blank">Nuclear Fallout</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nuclear Fallout"></div></div>
<p>Hey! That's the name of the game! While still outclassed by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxic Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Toxic Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and maybe <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnation" href="#" target="_blank">Damnation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I think this card is actually really good compared to most other black board wipes. As far as wiping the board goes, it's a half-off <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Sun&#039;s Zenith" href="#" target="_blank">Black Sun&#039;s Zenith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bane of the Living" href="#" target="_blank">Bane of the Living</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With all the indestructible going around these days, giving creatures -X/-X instead of destroying them is almost always upside. It also comes with the bonus of self-mill which helps your <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/reanimate">Reanimator</a> deck, opponent mill which helps your <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/mill">Mill</a> deck, and even some damage which helps your <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/group-slug">Group Slug</a> deck! Clearly there's a lot of good use cases, so check your board wipe slots to see if it makes the cut.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Screeching Scorchbeast" href="#" target="_blank">Screeching Scorchbeast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Screeching Scorchbeast"></div></div>
<p>This one I don't remember from the games and honestly I'm glad because it looks like a pain in the butt to fight. I'm assuming from the art and the card mechanics that it breathes radiation and brings <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feral Ghoul" href="#" target="_blank">Feral Ghoul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s back to life or something. In <em>Magic</em>, it doesn't seem that bad to face down. Giving each player rad counters is going to help, but limiting it to only one 2/2 per turn is a little sad, especially for a six mana play. Perhaps it was too oppressive otherwise, but compared to some other plays at this point on the curve, it's a little less impactful than I would hope. It still seems great for its precon and maybe you can prove me wrong in a mill deck like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidisi, Brood Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Sidisi, Brood Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="V.A.T.S." href="#" target="_blank">V.A.T.S.</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="V.A.T.S."></div></div>
<p>For those of you unfamiliar with the games, the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System or V.A.T.S. is the defining combat feature of the <em>Fallout</em> franchise. It allows you to (more or less) stop time and choose enemy (or friendly) targets depending on your equipped weapon, including specific body parts. You can use it to hit extremely small targets like combat controllers on robots, or a readied grenade in the hand of a raider. You can also use it target multiple enemies and take them out in quick, uninterrupted succession. This <em>Magic</em> card is basically the perfect representation of V.A.T.S. in our game. <em>Split second</em> is the ideal mechanic to use, giving your opponents no chance to stop it. I'm not sure how well the "equal toughness" clause plays, but this probably nabs a large amount of the opposing creatures on the board. This card looks powerful and is just a 10/10 flavor-wise, nice job Wizards<em>.</em></p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vault 12: The Necropolis" href="#" target="_blank">Vault 12: The Necropolis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vault 12: The Necropolis"></div></div>
<p>Here's where I know my franchise knowledge fails me, since a quick perusal of <a href="https://fallout.fandom.com/wiki/Fallout_Wiki">Nukapedia</a> reveals that Vault 12 only appears in the first game. If you have an opinion on the flavor let me know in the comments, but this card really encapsulates how good <em>Magic, </em>and more specifically Sagas, can tell a story. I think we get the gist: a radiation spill (probably intentional knowing Vault-Tec), leading to residents becoming <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feral Ghoul" href="#" target="_blank">Feral Ghoul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, which then get stronger with all the rads. This looks like one of the finishers for the Mutant Menace precon, because that second and third chapter can end the game in a hurry. It's a little slow, but also very on-theme for the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Endless Ranks of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">endless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> assault that is usually associated with Zombies, so look for it those decks too. In fact, if you're running a Zombie-typal list, that precon seems like a pretty good buy.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasteland Raider" href="#" target="_blank">Wasteland Raider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wasteland Raider"></div></div>
<p>Lumping all the raiders together in one card is probably the best way to do it, since there are usually a lot of them, represented here by <em>Squad</em>. It might seem like the best <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleshbag Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Fleshbag Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> we've seen, but it gets prohibitively expensive rather fast, so you really want to have other creatures of your own to trade up into 4/3s to make this truly effective for that price. A pretty generic card for a pretty generic enemy.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Uncommons &amp; Commons</h2>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloatfly Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Bloatfly Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloatfly Swarm"></div></div>
<p>A four mana 5/5 flyer is not a bad place to be, this thing can even do additional damage with the rad counters. It irradiates everyone when the counters are removed, so whoever trades with this in combat might even evoke the ire of your other opponents. Quick rules note: players only get rad counters based on the number of +1/+1 counters that are removed, so don't think you can <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> this to give everyone thirteen rads. Unless of course you're in some kind of counters matter deck with ways to add +1/+1 counters like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winding Constrictor" href="#" target="_blank">Winding Constrictor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If that's the case, go nuts!</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Butch DeLoria, Tunnel Snake" href="#" target="_blank">Butch DeLoria, Tunnel Snake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Butch DeLoria, Tunnel Snake"></div></div>
<p>The 1950's Americana culture represented in the games really shines with Butch here, and he's actually a really neat card. If you were looking for your Snake/Rogue typal commander, here you go. Otherwise I think he fits in to the 99 of either of those decks as a potentially large, hard-to-block threat. He can even give your other creatures an easier way to get through, which those type of decks generally want as well. Not super exciting, but he has some potential.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infesting Radroach" href="#" target="_blank">Infesting Radroach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Infesting Radroach"></div></div>
<p>Oh look! More irradiated Insects. I like this one better than the Bloatflies, only because of it's last ability that works well with all of the "creature card leaves your graveyard" stuff we've been getting lately. Managing to pump this up turns it into a pretty big threat too, since the opponent that gets hit with this is milling and taking radiation damage too. I think radiation is another great flavor-win for the set, the milling + damage just feels like being irradiated (not that I ever had been, at least not more than normal).</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ruthless Radrat" href="#" target="_blank">Ruthless Radrat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ruthless Radrat"></div></div>
<p>The final card on our list shows another use of Squad<em>, </em>and the fact that it's not a mana payment makes this an interesting one to watch out for. The usual token synergies can be used to amplify the effectiveness of this card, and I think this slams straight into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Konrad, the Grim" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Konrad, the Grim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> decks for it's ability to drain your opponents on cast and then make a bunch of bodies to drain again</p>
<hr />
<p>Well, that was a quick one since we're only looking at precons, but I hope you still liked it anyway! If you have any thoughts or comments about the cards, drop them in the comments or hit me up on <a href="https://twitter.com/BrewForYourBuck">Twitter</a>. I'm off to fire up <em>Fallout 4</em> and do what I usually do during my playthroughs: never finish the main story since I'm doing all the side quests!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


black