<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erinis, Gloom Stalker" href="#" target="_blank">Erinis, Gloom Stalker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://ioannisfiore.artstation.com/">Ioannis Flore</a></h6>
<h2>Background Check</h2>
<p>Every once in a while I check out the top commanders of Pauper on PDHREC, and pretty often, something catches me unaware. This time, it was the realization that the second most-played commander and Background is the pairing of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erinis, Gloom Stalker" href="#" target="_blank">Erinis, Gloom Stalker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Street Urchin" href="#" target="_blank">Street Urchin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Huh? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Street Urchin" href="#" target="_blank">Street Urchin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wants you to sacrifice artifacts or creatures, and Erinis resurrects lands. What is this deck supposed to do? Sacrifice exclusively artifact lands? I mean, I've heard of worse strategies, but surely that's not strong enough to justify the high ranking.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Erinis, Gloom Stalker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Street Urchin"></div></div>
<p>It wasn't until I read that Erinis has deathtouch that I realized what was going on. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Street Urchin" href="#" target="_blank">Street Urchin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> specifies that it's your commander who has the ability to deal direct damage, meaning that Erinis is able to one-shot any creature for just a single mana and a sacrifice. Ohhhh. Yeah, that's pretty strong, and I now I really want to build this deck!</p>
<p>But while the strongest part of the deck is the ridiculous removal ability, its main appeal to me is the wide variety of things we can do.</p>
<p>We want to be sacrificing lands, creatures, and artifacts, so we're leaning into some graveyard themes, but we also want to use Erinis to recur lands, so we have a bit of a ramp going as well. And of course, for Erinis to trigger, we've got to attack with him, so we'll have to commit a bit to a combat theme.</p>
<p>And yeah, this sounds like a lot to cram into one deck, but because these are all fairly popular themes, there's a significant amount of overlap between them all.</p>
<p>For instance, take <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldvein Pick" href="#" target="_blank">Goldvein Pick</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's perfect here, because we're going to ensure that Erinis is always gonna have a means of attacking and dealing damage, which will trigger the Pick and fuel <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Street Urchin" href="#" target="_blank">Street Urchin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Or, there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Springbloom Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Springbloom Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will ramp us, feed the graveyard for Erinis, and later be something to sacrifice. Most of our goals are actually pretty easy to accomplish, and that's going to make this a powerful deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goldvein Pick"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Springbloom Druid"></div></div>
<h2>Good Eye, Sniper</h2>
<p>Let's start with the main theme, using deathtouch and Street Urchin to mow down the board. I mean, all we really need here is a bunch of creatures and artifacts to sacrifice. Treasures, Food, 1/1 tokens, anything will do here.</p>
<p>Stuff like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Writhing Chrysalis" href="#" target="_blank">Writhing Chrysalis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul&#039;s Hatcher" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul&#039;s Hatcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great, of course, making an absolute load of tokens, but to really find the best cards to use, we have to think about other aspects of this deck.</p>
<p>Take <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rapacious One" href="#" target="_blank">Rapacious One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It has the potential to make a ton of tokens, but it rarely gets through to deal combat damage because it's so obviously a threat.</p>
<p>But if we consider the fact that we're gonna be running a ton of evasion for Erinis anyways, we can make the assumption that we'll have a bit spare for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rapacious One" href="#" target="_blank">Rapacious One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it becomes an incredible card in this deck.</p>
<p>It's the same for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sporemound" href="#" target="_blank">Sporemound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elfsworn Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Elfsworn Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who'll be churning out a ton of tokens because of Erinis recurring lands. Also, there are all the artifact lands, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tree of Tales" href="#" target="_blank">Tree of Tales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Great Furnace" href="#" target="_blank">Great Furnace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slagwoods Bridge" href="#" target="_blank">Slagwoods Bridge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that we can theoretically sacrifice over and over again.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Writhing Chrysalis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rapacious One"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sporemound"></div></div>
<p>Of course, most of our sacrifice fodder is going to be pretty typical, just cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Patron of the Arts" href="#" target="_blank">Patron of the Arts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that'll make a few tokens on its own. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mogg War Marshal" href="#" target="_blank">Mogg War Marshal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impulsive Pilferer" href="#" target="_blank">Impulsive Pilferer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Big Score" href="#" target="_blank">Big Score</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it's all the usual suspects.</p>
<p>Between those cards and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beamtown Beatstick" href="#" target="_blank">Beamtown Beatstick</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldvein Pick" href="#" target="_blank">Goldvein Pick</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prying Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Prying Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will all make a Treasure upon contact, we should be able to trigger Street Urchin plenty.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Patron of the Arts"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Impulsive Pilferer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Beamtown Beatstick"></div></div>
<h2>Turning the Earth</h2>
<p>Then we have to worry about having lands in the graveyard for Erinis to bring back. For this bit, I decided to just accomplish the task with card advantage pieces. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demand Answers" href="#" target="_blank">Demand Answers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is perfect, letting us discard a land or sacrifice an artifact we might have laying around.</p>
<p>And the payoff is drawing two cards! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Big Score" href="#" target="_blank">Big Score</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unexpected Windfall" href="#" target="_blank">Unexpected Windfall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seize the Spoils" href="#" target="_blank">Seize the Spoils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all lie in the same vein, filling out our card advantage section very nicely.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Demand Answers"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unexpected Windfall"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seize the Spoils"></div></div>
<p>But there's still more! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grapple with the Past" href="#" target="_blank">Grapple with the Past</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cache Grab" href="#" target="_blank">Cache Grab</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malevolent Rumble" href="#" target="_blank">Malevolent Rumble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stock our graveyard directly, then get a card back. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malevolent Rumble" href="#" target="_blank">Malevolent Rumble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> even makes a token for Street Urchin! See what I was saying about all our different themes feeding each other?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, this set of cards isn't living up to its full potential, as we only have recursion for lands, but that should be good enough, and I think they still have a spot in this deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grapple with the Past"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cache Grab"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malevolent Rumble"></div></div>
<p>Finally, there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Orcish Lumberjack" href="#" target="_blank">Orcish Lumberjack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a card that's been nuts since it was first printed in <em>Ice Age</em>. I mean, it adds three mana just for sacrificing a land that Erinis will get right back. That's about as perfect as it gets.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Orcish Lumberjack"></div></div>
<h2>Swingin' Away</h2>
<p>Finally, we'll turn our attention to letting Erinis attack. The fact that he has deathtouch should go a long way in letting him attack, but just to be safe, we'll toss in a number of wings, from the cobbled ones to the ones that show hubris. And of course, we can't forget <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whispersilk Cloak" href="#" target="_blank">Whispersilk Cloak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Since we're on the subject of Equipment to put on Erinis, we might as well talk about a few other garments. How about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snake Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Snake Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Yup, that enchantment lets us draw a card every single time we activate street Urchin. Then we've got <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>, which is effectively a backup of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Street Urchin" href="#" target="_blank">Street Urchin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cobbled Wings"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Whispersilk Cloak"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Snake Umbra"></div></div>
<p>For one more layer of security, we'll make sure Erinis is well defended by tossing in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gaea&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">Gaea&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping" href="#" target="_blank">Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ranger&#039;s Guile" href="#" target="_blank">Ranger&#039;s Guile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snakeskin Veil" href="#" target="_blank">Snakeskin Veil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Better safe than sorry, right? Those cards will win the game if you wait long enough to use them.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gaea&#039;s Gift"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ranger&#039;s Guile"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Pauper Commander - Erinis, Gloom Stalker and Street Urchin" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Erinis, Gloom Stalker
*1 Street Urchin
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Arbor Elf
*1 Eldrazi Repurposer
*1 Elfsworn Giant
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Emrakul&#039;s Hatcher
*1 Fyndhorn Elves
*1 Genasi Enforcers
*1 Generous Ent
*1 Goblin Anarchomancer
*1 Impulsive Pilferer
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Masked Vandal
*1 Mogg War Marshal
*1 Orchard Strider
*1 Orcish Lumberjack
*1 Patient Naturalist
*1 Patron of the Arts
*1 Rapacious One
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Sporemound
*1 Springbloom Druid
*1 Tavern Scoundrel
*1 Writhing Chrysalis
*1 Yavimaya Elder
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Beamtown Beatstick
*1 Cliffhaven Kitesail
*1 Cloak of the Bat
*1 Cobbled Wings
*1 Experimental Synthesizer
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Goldvein Pick
*1 Haunted Cloak
*1 Heaped Harvest
*1 Ichor Wellspring
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Nimblewright Schematic
*1 Prized Statue
*1 Prying Blade
*1 Viridian Longbow
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
*1 Wings of Hubris
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Cabaretti Courtyard
*1 Command Tower
*1 Darksteel Citadel
*1 Escape Tunnel
*1 Evolving Wilds
*8 Forest
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Great Furnace
*1 Haunted Fengraf
*8 Mountain
*1 Riveteers Overlook
*1 Slagwoods Bridge
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Tranquil Thicket
*1 Tree of Tales
[/Lands]
[Instants]
*1 Big Score
*1 Cache Grab
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Demand Answers
*1 Gaea&#039;s Gift
*1 Grapple with the Past
*1 Lightning Bolt
*1 Moment&#039;s Peace
*1 Ranger&#039;s Guile
*1 Return to Nature
*1 Snakeskin Veil
*1 Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping
*1 Unexpected Windfall
*1 Vines of Vastwood
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Edge of Autumn
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Glimpse the Impossible
*1 Malevolent Rumble
*1 Seize the Spoils
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crawling Infestation
*1 Goblin War Drums
*1 Shiny Impetus
*1 Snake Umbra
*1 Sticky Fingers
*1 Utopia Sprawl
*1 Wild Growth
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>
<p>On paper, I would never have expected this deck to work... which is why I'm going to play with it in <em>MTG Arena</em>! Haha, just kidding.</p>
<p>But the point is, I'm glad I tried this deck out, because it's really cool. There's a lot of stuff to do, and it has a ton of variation in gameplay between games, in comparison to other decks.</p>
<p>One moment, you might be focused on getting Erinis to attack, the next you could be sniping creatures with Street Urchin. There's a lot of fun to be had here, and I'm gonna have all of it.</p>


Pauper Commander - Erinis, Gloom Stalker and Street Urchin

Singleton Shmingleton - Fireball

Endless Punishment Upgrade Guide - Duskmourn

Endless Punishment Precon Review - Duskmourn

Most Wanted - Thunder Junction Precon Upgrade Guide

Forgotten Harvest - Non-Combat Feather

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood" href="#" target="_blank">Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/igorkieryluk">Igor Kieryluk</a>)</h6>
<h1>Let the Hate Flow Through You</h1>
<p>Boy, howdy! Has it been two weeks already? That must mean it's time to read some <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>! This week, in our never-ending quest to highlight cards that see play in 300 decks or less on EDHREC, we're taking a look at the color pairing of black and red, otherwise known as Rakdos. For those of you unfamiliar, the following gif should help to clarify what it means to be Rakdos:</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-38450 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/tenor.gif" alt="" width="320" height="160" /></p>
<p>Looking through the Rakdos commanders, I came across this neglected fellow in need of some love. His name is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood" href="#" target="_blank">Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and he only sees play in a measly 262 decks (both as commander and in the 99):</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood"></div></div>
<p>Based on Kazarov's text box, we want this deck to do two things: deal lots of damage to our opponents' creatures, and clear a path for a supersized Kazarov to deal 21 to the dome. To achieve this, we'll need to supplement the deck with both enough mana ramp to support our expensive general and proper Equipment to protect him, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the like. Additionally, it'll be great to have some ways to give some creatures to our opponents, like with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunted Horror" href="#" target="_blank">Hunted Horror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroan Horse" href="#" target="_blank">Akroan Horse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so we always have something for Kazarov to bite.</p>
<p>But those cards are plenty popular. Let's get into some underplayed cards that could use more notoriety!</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Needlers</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fire Ants"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thrashing Wumpus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Subterranean Spirit"></div></div>
<p>First, let's look at some of the permanents that can repeatably ping opposing creatures. My favorite of them has to be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire Ants" href="#" target="_blank">Fire Ants</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (59 decks). I love the imagery here of unleashing a swarm of bitey Insects to pester other creatures. Plus, the fact that the Ants don't damage themselves is a huge bonus.</p>
<p>The first walking <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pestilence" href="#" target="_blank">Pestilence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to be printed, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrashing Wumpus" href="#" target="_blank">Thrashing Wumpus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us exactly what we're looking for. It can function as a means to slowly ping creatures and build up Kazarov, but it can also be used to wipe the board should things begin to look hairy. It only sees play in 148 decks, but that number should be higher.</p>
<p>When working on this deck, I looked long and hard at creatures with protection from red and from black to help preserve the team while the rest of the board is soaking up all the untargeted damage. But I'll leave talk of protection to <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/author/elijah-klein/">Elijah</a> and his article today on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Earnest Fellowship" href="#" target="_blank">Earnest Fellowship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Instead, I'll only bring up <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Subterranean Spirit" href="#" target="_blank">Subterranean Spirit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In just 35 decks, it's yet another wide pinger that, in this case, saves itself from all red damage.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magmatic Core"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Circle of Flame"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Noxious Field"></div></div>
<p>I've talked about our next card in previous articles, and I'll continue to talk about it until its numbers increase from the paltry 20 decks that run it right now. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magmatic Core" href="#" target="_blank">Magmatic Core</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> needs your love, folks! It's a wonderful card that, when played right, can function as a repeatable one-sided board wipe. It fits perfectly into what Kazarov is trying to do. Pitter patter!</p>
<p>With this deck not always wanting to deal lethal damage to opposing creatures (if they die, then Kazarov can't get bigger until more hit the battlefield), it's tough to find a deterrent to keep opposing creatures from attacking. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Circle of Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Circle of Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (281 decks) does a great job of that. It basically reads, "If you attack, Kazarov gets huge." Such a great deterrent.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noxious Field" href="#" target="_blank">Noxious Field</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plays much the same role as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fire Ants" href="#" target="_blank">Fire Ants</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Subterranean Spirit" href="#" target="_blank">Subterranean Spirit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> do, laying out a fine layer of single-point damage on everything. This <em>Prophecy</em> card only sees play in 65 decks, but it offers this damage-dealing deck some excellent redundancy. Plus, all this damage won't kill off the land it enchants, making this a reliable source of damage.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Damage Done</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Widespread Brutality"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slice and Dice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wail of the Nim"></div></div>
<p>In addition to all of the options for repeatable damage sources, there are many instants and sorceries that help the cause, too. For instance, the recently printed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Widespread Brutality" href="#" target="_blank">Widespread Brutality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is only seeing play in 104 decks, but it can cut a wide swath through each of the other creatures, making a token to boot. For me, this card feels undercosted for the ability, which is why I'm shocked it doesn't see more play.</p>
<p>Next up is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slice and Dice" href="#" target="_blank">Slice and Dice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <em>Onslaught</em>. While I'll rarely play it for the full six mana, the <em>Cycling</em> effect is a great way to grow Kazarov while replacing itself, and all at instant speed. It only sees play in 203 decks, but it's a critical inclusion in this deck.</p>
<p>Another card with built-in versatility, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wail of the Nim" href="#" target="_blank">Wail of the Nim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can save our board from a wipe or pump up our Vampire commander. Ideally, it's going to do both every time thanks to <em>Entwine</em>. Given its 111 deck count on the site, it is a bit of a niche effect, but I'm always looking for an excuse to play it, and I'm happy to have one here.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Radiating Lightning"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Electrickery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Barrage of Boulders"></div></div>
<p>Moving into instants and sorceries also means that we can find options that only damage opposing creatures. For instance, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Radiating Lightning" href="#" target="_blank">Radiating Lightning</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> throws some damage around on the opposing side of the field, both to a player and their creatures. It currently sees play in just 162 decks on EDHREC.</p>
<p>Instead of targeting a specific player, we could always try to hit everything, again at instant speed. For this, it doesn't get much better than an <em>Overload</em>ed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Electrickery" href="#" target="_blank">Electrickery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Appearing in 226 decks, this instant can be a great combat trick to jump an unblocked Kazarov to lethal quite unexpectedly.</p>
<p>The king of these damage spells for Kazarov has to be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cosmotronic Wave" href="#" target="_blank">Cosmotronic Wave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Dealing damage across the board to opposing creatures AND ensuring that Kazarov is going to go unblocked is the dream! Sadly, it sees play in 316 decks, which is 16 too many decks to meet my super-scientific requirements. However, its cousin, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Barrage of Boulders" href="#" target="_blank">Barrage of Boulders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, clocks in at 173 decks, so I can talk about that instead! For one less mana, we see the same damage to all opposing creatures, with a <em>Ferocious </em>rider that prevents creatures form blocking. Kazaorv will definitely qualify for that rider!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Damage Utility</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Frilled Deathspitter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shield of the Realm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unstable Footing"></div></div>
<p>There are a few other cards that don't quite fit in under the categories above, but will still help get our Kazarov big and unblockable. The first of these is features an entire mechanic that's built around similar concept: <em>Enrage</em> fits this deck's theme quite well, turning minor bits of damage to our creatures into big effects. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frilled Deathspitter" href="#" target="_blank">Frilled Deathspitter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great prehistoric example of this, and sees play in only 286 decks. Adding on two extra damage to all these spells and effects is certainly going to add up over time.</p>
<p>With all this global damage floating around, it may become necessary to prevent that damage to one of our own utility creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shield of the Realm" href="#" target="_blank">Shield of the Realm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (161 decks) can certainly help with that. This is one of those cards that I'm shocked doesn't see more play; it has such a wide variety of applications, and its usefulness in Equipment decks alone should have those numbers spiking.</p>
<p>There are other times, however, when you're going to want to make sure your damage gets through. For those moments, there's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unstable Footing" href="#" target="_blank">Unstable Footing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, played in 119 decks on the site. I prefer this option over something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Everlasting Torment" href="#" target="_blank">Everlasting Torment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as I want to have control over when damage can and can't be dealt. Plus, <em>Wither</em> will lead to the death of opposing creatures. That being said, we don't want them dying, necessarily, just neutralized.</p>
<p>How about we snag a peek at the full decklist?</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Kazarov Damages Everything" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div></p>
<p>[Commander]<br />
*1 Kazarov, Sengir Pureblood<br />
[/Commander]</p>
<p>[Creatures]<br />
*1 Hunted Horror<br />
*1 Burnished Hart<br />
*1 Fire Ants<br />
*1 Frilled Deathspitter<br />
*1 Goblin Spymaster<br />
*1 Plague Spitter<br />
*1 Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor<br />
*1 Akroan Horse<br />
*1 Rakdos, Lord of Riots<br />
*1 Sangromancer<br />
*1 Solemn Simulacrum<br />
*1 Hunted Dragon<br />
*1 Kulrath Knight<br />
*1 Subterranean Spirit<br />
*1 Thrashing Wumpus<br />
*1 Harvester of Souls<br />
*1 Mephidross Vampire<br />
*1 Silverclad Ferocidons<br />
[/Creatures]</p>
<p>[Instants]<br />
*1 Electrickery<br />
*1 Unstable Footing<br />
*1 Magmaquake<br />
*1 Terminate<br />
*1 Arcbond<br />
*1 Bedevil<br />
*1 Chaos Warp<br />
*1 Wail of the Nim<br />
*1 Radiating Lightning<br />
[/Instants]</p>
<p>[Sorceries]<br />
*1 Blazing Volley<br />
*1 Vandalblast<br />
*1 Demonic Tutor<br />
*1 Mire in Misery<br />
*1 Barrage of Boulders<br />
*1 Cosmotronic Wave<br />
*1 Widespread Brutality<br />
*1 Slice and Dice<br />
[/Sorceries]</p>
<p>[Artifacts]<br />
*1 Basilisk Collar<br />
*1 Blade of the Bloodchief<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Wayfarer's Bauble<br />
*1 Dowsing Dagger<br />
*1 Lightning Greaves<br />
*1 Rakdos Signet<br />
*1 Shield of the Realm<br />
*1 Tablet of the Guilds<br />
*1 Caltrops<br />
*1 Chromatic Lantern<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Loxodon Warhammer<br />
*1 Pristine Talisman<br />
[/Artifacts]</p>
<p>[Enchantments]<br />
*1 Vampiric Link<br />
*1 Circle of Flame<br />
*1 Dragon Shadow<br />
*1 Eternal Thirst<br />
*1 Phyresis<br />
*1 Dauthi Embrace<br />
*1 Noxious Field<br />
*1 Endless Whispers<br />
*1 Magmatic Core<br />
*1 Pestilence<br />
*1 Pyrohemia<br />
[/Enchantments]</p>
<p>[Lands]<br />
*1 Blood Crypt<br />
*1 Bloodstained Mire<br />
*1 Command Tower<br />
*1 Desert<br />
*1 Dragonskull Summit<br />
*1 Forbidden Orchard<br />
*1 Graven Cairns<br />
*1 Luxury Suite<br />
*14 Mountain<br />
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx<br />
*1 Rogue's Passage<br />
*1 Smoldering Marsh<br />
*11 Swamp<br />
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth<br />
[/Lands]</p>
<p>[/Deck]</p>

<hr />
<h2>Damage Assessment</h2>
<p>That about does it for Kazarov and his mighty damage-makers. What did you think of the article? Any questions, comments, or snide remarks? If so, leave them in the comments below. I'll be down there to rant and rave yet again about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magmatic Core" href="#" target="_blank">Magmatic Core</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or about how I included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this deck, but failed to talk about it in the article. Are there any neglected commanders or cards you'd like me to talk about? So long as they see play in 300 decks or less on the site, I'm game to write about them. See you next time!</p>


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