Singleton Shmingleton - Lhurgoyf

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons" href="#" target="_blank">Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.tylerjacobsonart.com/">Tyler Jacobson</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p>Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo, and this is <em>Epic Experiment</em>, a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally build our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</p>
<p>Let's talk about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons" href="#" target="_blank">Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons"></div></div>
<p>Cheap commanders are great. I love how they always give us a consistent curve. Hapatra's an amazing turn-two play, sometimes considered to be at her best in those earlier stages of the game, where she can reliably attack without having to worry about blockers. Attack opponent X, then put counters on opponent Y's creatures? Awesome! It's especially amazing that there are so <em>many</em> synergies Hapatra can make use of: counters, tokens, deathtouch... she can do a lot for such a cheap body.</p>
<p>-1/-1 counters can be harder to build around than +1/+1 counters, not just because we see more +1/+1 counter effects in <em>Magic </em>sets, but also because 'controlling an enemy board' has a smaller range than 'buffing up my own board'. However, -1/-1 counters don't have to our primary focus with Hapatra. Perhaps we could turn that into a subtheme instead and give her a new archetype that will greatly benefit from keeping a big board under control.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lolth, Spider Queen"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska, Golgari Queen"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garruk Relentless"></div></div>
<p>There are two big things that make Hapatra a great tool for controlling the board. First, shrinking enemy creatures is a natural part of her gameplan, and that will constantly make the most threatening creatures a lot less threatening. Second, we get deathtouch creatures as a reward whenever we do this! Those are amazing defensive creatures. That much potential for board control, on such a cheap body, is just <em>perfect</em> for a Superfriend strategy!</p>
<p>Vraskas, Garruks, Lolths, all these planeswalkers need good defenses for us to reach their amazing ultimate abilities. With Hapatra leading the charge, our turn-two commander will create a huge defensive line that keeps our 'walkers super safe, and super deadly.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Contagion Clasp"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smell Fear"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolution Sage"></div></div>
<p>Not only that, but both -1/-1 counter decks and Superfriends decks are strategies that naturally want to play a ton of cards with <em>Proliferate</em>! In Hapatra Superfriends, these cards get even more impressive, simultaneously acting as a defensive tool <em>and </em>speeding up the clock to help our 'walkers reach their ultimates more quickly. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Contagion Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Contagion Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Contagion Clasp" href="#" target="_blank">Contagion Clasp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great incremental value engines whose initial value goes into overdrive with our commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smell Fear" href="#" target="_blank">Smell Fear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be a strong removal spell, acting as a type of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doom Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Doom Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with powerful upside. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plaguemaw Beast" href="#" target="_blank">Plaguemaw Beast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is slow and clunky, but we're in no rush here, so having this consistent source of<em> Proliferate</em> is very much appreciated.</p>
<p>We protect our planeswalkers so well that we don't need to run a bazillion of them. They'll be super hard to kill regardless, so we can pick the very best 'walkers, and the ones we're playing pack plenty of power. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lolth, Spider Queen" href="#" target="_blank">Lolth, Spider Queen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Dreadhorde General" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Dreadhorde General</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great value planeswalkers with kits that mesh really well with our commander, from their static abilities to their ultimates. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garruk, Apex Predator" href="#" target="_blank">Garruk, Apex Predator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> continues to be one of the most exciting top-end Golgari planeswalkers out there, providing solid board control and creating more and more bodies. Even weird ones, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garruk, Unleashed" href="#" target="_blank">Garruk, Unleashed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, can act as a 'support' planeswalker, allowing our commander to get through pesky chump blockers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skinrender"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Banewhip Punisher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yawgmoth, Thran Physician"></div></div>
<p>While we're not trying to exclusively craft a -1/-1 counters deck, our deck still has the need for a solid -1/-1 counters package, so that Hapatra can get things started in the first place. Finding the right balance of these cards might be a bit meta-dependent, since creature-heavy environments might get more mileage out of cards that put -1/-1 counters onto every creature in play. My preferred approach is to avoid going in <em>too</em> deep with these effects because we really only need a handful of deathtouch tokens to fortify our Superfriends against a bevy of attackers.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yawgmoth, Thran Physician" href="#" target="_blank">Yawgmoth, Thran Physician</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be the best all-around card in the deck, providing an absolute amount of value and versatility (which includes a nasty combo). <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Affliction" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Affliction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wouldn't normally make the cut, but that additional <em>Proliferate </em>is just too dang good, making blockers and pumping up a 'walker. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Banewhip Punisher" href="#" target="_blank">Banewhip Punisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a good value creature, providing a solid delayed removal and a body to go with it. Heck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carnifex Demon" href="#" target="_blank">Carnifex Demon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is just crazy powerful when it hits in the mid-game! We care very little about the fact that it friendly-fires our own tokens, because Hapatra will just replace them!</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Hapatra Superfriends" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*Birds of Paradise
*Elves of Deep Shadow
*Festering Mummy
*Banewhip Punisher
*Evolution Sage
*Carth the Lion
*Skinrender
*Yawgmoth, Thran Physician
*Plaguemaw Beast
*Carnifex Demon
*Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider
[/Creature]
[Planeswalker]
*Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
*Garruk Relentless
*Garruk, Unleashed
*Sorin the Mirthless
*Vraska, Golgari Queen
*Lolth, Spider Queen
*Nissa, Vital Force
*Nissa, Who Shakes the World
*Ob Nixilis Reignited
*Vraska the Unseen
*Wrenn and Seven
*Garruk, Cursed Huntsman
*Liliana, Dreadhorde General
*Ugin, the Ineffable
*Vraska, Relic Seeker
*Garruk, Apex Predator
*Karn Liberated
*Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
[/Planeswalker]
[Enchantment]
*Oath of Nissa
*Crumbling Ashes
*The Meathook Massacre
*Blowfly Infestation
*Nest of Scarabs
[/Enchantment]
[Artifact]
*Skullclamp
*Sol Ring
*The Ozolith
*Contagion Clasp
*Lightning Greaves
*Swiftfoot Boots
*Sword of Truth and Justice
*Contagion Engine
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*Malakir Rebirth
*Nature&#039;s Claim
*Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*Infernal Grasp
*Grim Affliction
*Khalni Ambush
*Hagra Mauling
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Farseek
*Nature&#039;s Lore
*Rampant Growth
*Smell Fear
*Three Visits
*Bala Ged Recovery
*Cultivate
*Kodama&#039;s Reach
*Toxic Deluge
*Damnation
*Skyshroud Claim
*Turntimber Symbiosis
*Black Sun&#039;s Zenith
*Agadeem&#039;s Awakening
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Blooming Marsh
*City of Brass
*Command Tower
*Darkbore Pathway
*Ghost Quarter
*Grasping Dunes
*Ifnir Deadlands
*Karn&#039;s Bastion
*Llanowar Wastes
*Mana Confluence
*Nesting Grounds
*Nurturing Peatland
*Overgrown Tomb
*Phyrexian Tower
*Rogue&#039;s Passage
*Shizo, Death&#039;s Storehouse
*Tainted Wood
*Tectonic Edge
*Temple of Malady
*Twilight Mire
*Undergrowth Stadium
*Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*Woodland Cemetery
*Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
*6 Forest
*6 Swamp
[/Land]"></span></div>
<hr />
<div id="mtgh_f554a" class="mtgh">
<div class="header">
<p>There are so many cool support cards for counters strategies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crumbling Ashes" href="#" target="_blank">Crumbling Ashes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a staxy way of dealing with problematic creatures without having to over-commit with our counters. Spreading this effect around is always better for our <em>Proliferate</em> triggers. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nest of Scarabs" href="#" target="_blank">Nest of Scarabs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great redundant piece for our commander, although it has the potential to create more tokens with cards like <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>, we don't really invest all that much on these massive counter-placing spells.</p>
</div>
<hr />
<div class="header">
<h2>Methodology</h2>
</div>
</div>
<p>For opening hands, we're mainly looking for some early ramp and a planeswalker or two. Our mana curve might be a bit higher than other decks, what with all these planeswalkers, but since we have such a cheap commander, we can easily get our early game covered. Hapatra can snipe some early mana dorks an utility creatures, but even if we can't find another creature to put a -1/-1 counter onto, don't be afraid to put one onto Hapatra herself! Those deathtouch blockers are instrumental to protecting our planeswalkers once they start to arrive.</p>
<p>By the mid-game we should have at least one or two Snakes, which means the planeswalker arrival can finally commence! It will start a little slow, but with every 'walker we cast, we'll keep up with our enemies and the speed of our clock will increase. It's great to keep Hapatra in play if we can, but we don't need to be too afraid of losing her, because her cheap mana cost means we can always get her back really easily.</p>
<p>The late game often is kind to us, barring explosive aggro or combo decks. Very often, we can reach a post-Wrath board state that leads into a minor game stall-out, and at that moment, if we manage to land a planeswalker like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska, Relic Seeker" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska, Relic Seeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even plain <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis Reignited" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis Reignited</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we can take control the pace of the game. Importantly, our deck does not have 'explosive' plays - we're not casting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tooth and Nail" href="#" target="_blank">Tooth and Nail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torment of Hailfire" href="#" target="_blank">Torment of Hailfire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for a sudden victory, for instance - but with a little bit of scrappiness and clever timing, our slow-and-steady gameplan will be almost impossible for our enemies to dismantle.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<p>There's always room for improvement and adaptation for a list like this! Since this is a two-themed deck, we certainly run into that classic issue where, by the time we are finished including lands and general-purpose staples, we're somewhat card-slot-starved. It's entirely possible to choose to focus on one of those themes more than the other or to try a more middle-of-the-road approach.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Chain Veil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smokestack"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Chain Veil" href="#" target="_blank">The Chain Veil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerful card in Superfriends lists, allowing for two (or even more) activations on the same turn. I thought it felt a smidge clunky in this deck, but you could totally choose to use it if you want extra planeswalker power!</p>
<p>Another powerful planeswalker staple I didn't include in this list is <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>, which arguably could increase our explosive potential. I chose to omit this card because ultimately I think opponents are more likely to focus on taking you down if they know your deck has a <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> that can auto-ultimate planeswalkers. This could be a meta call, though! If you like doubled loyalty and doubled Snake tokens, this is another exciting staple you could try.</p>
<p>And of course, you could make this alternative Hapatra brew even <em>more </em>alternative! If you'd like to go for a more Stax-oriented shell, that might be another powerful way to protect a board of planeswalkers, while we lose nothing but a few spare Snake tokens. We'd probably have to play fewer payoff cards (for instance, losing some of the <em>Proliferate</em> cards), but overall I think this themes and our commander could mesh pretty well if you're interested in making the deck a bit more vicious!</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment</em>! What do you think of this list? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which did you not? Was this Epic Experiment a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


Epic Experiment - Hapatra Superfriends

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lathril, Blade of the Elves" href="#" target="_blank">Lathril, Blade of the Elves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/carolinegariba">Caroline Gariba</a>)</h6>
<h1></h1>
<h1>Epic Preparation</h1>
<p>Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo Melibeu, and this is <em>Epic Experiment</em>, a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally build our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</p>
<p>For this article, we'll be taking a look at one of the two commanders from the <em>Kaldheim</em> Commander product: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lathril, Blade of the Elves" href="#" target="_blank">Lathril, Blade of the Elves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lathril, Blade of the Elves"></div></div>
<p><strong>Menace</strong></p>
<p><strong>Whenever Lathril, Blade of the Elves deals combat damage to a player, create that many 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature tokens.</strong></p>
<p><strong>{T}, Tap ten untapped Elves you control: Each opponent loses 10 life and you gain 10 life.</strong></p>
<p>Observation 1</p>
<p>Lathril is a powerful Elf commander. It has a bunch of powerful synergies that get out of hand fast if left unchecked.</p>
<p>Observation 2</p>
<p>Lathril has two strong abilities. The first is a powerful token-making ability that can go completely crazy with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alpha Status" href="#" target="_blank">Alpha Status</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coat of Arms" href="#" target="_blank">Coat of Arms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The second is a big life drain effect that is a great source of reach for the archetype as a whole.</p>
<p>Observation 3</p>
<p>The first ability, while strong, offers a bit of a challenge. In order for it to be effective, we need to build around it, which makes the Elfball-style list a bit less consistent.</p>
<p>Observation 4</p>
<p>The second ability is easier to integrate into standard Elfball strategies. It's very easy to turn Lathril's activated ability into a combo finisher; cards like <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="Quest for Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Quest for Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can single-handedly finish a table.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Old Formula</h2>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Lathril-Sig.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-63610" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Lathril-Sig-1024x519.png" alt="" width="616" height="312" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Lathril-Sig-1024x519.png 1024w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Lathril-Sig-300x152.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Lathril-Sig-768x389.png 768w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Lathril-Sig.png 1229w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 616px) 100vw, 616px" /></a></p>
<p>It's no surprise that most lists out there are tribal-focused. Lathril is an exciting commander with plenty of room to work with.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fireshrieker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gaea&#039;s Embrace"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rime Transfusion"></div></div>
<p>Both Lathril's kit and the Elf archetype want the same thing: to swarm our board with cheap creatures and to eventually use them to leverage a win, either by play big haymakers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or by using effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shaman of The Pack" href="#" target="_blank">Shaman of The Pack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While this gameplan usually involves playing creatures cards, Lathril provides an alternative: beating our opponents to make our army. By investing in this beatdown path, not only do we get the obvious Voltron win condition, we also get two secondary win conditions: token beatdown and life drain. Usually in Voltron, there are three key elements that we need to balance: Power, Evasion, and Protection. We lack all those elements, which means that our Voltron suite needs to be as versatile as possible in order to cover more ground as quick as possible.</p>
<p>Most of our cards grant power since it's the stat that our commander most cares about, but there are a few that are specifically here for it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grafted Wargear" href="#" target="_blank">Grafted Wargear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rosethorn Halberd" href="#" target="_blank">Rosethorn Halberd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> work pretty similarly, they're both cheap spikes in power that can be Equipped for free. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fireshrieker" href="#" target="_blank">Fireshrieker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inquisitor&#039;s Flail" href="#" target="_blank">Inquisitor&#039;s Flail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are some of the most effective ways to pump our commander, while in most cases they work the same way, there are a few instances where having first strike damage makes all the difference, such as with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alpha Status" href="#" target="_blank">Alpha Status</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coat of Arms" href="#" target="_blank">Coat of Arms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fallen Ideal" href="#" target="_blank">Fallen Ideal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great top deck later on when it can act as a combo finisher or even as a source of grind.</p>
<p>Evasion is also crucial for our commander; after all we need to connect to get our Elves. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haunted Cloak" href="#" target="_blank">Haunted Cloak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Vengeance" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Vengeance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give us a bunch of keywords, but most importantly they give Lathril trample. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Embrace" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Embrace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerful Aura that not only is very cost-effective, granting three power and flying for three mana, but it can be played from the graveyard. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rune of Might" href="#" target="_blank">Rune of Might</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a cool new addition: two mana for one extra power and trample that even cantrips; it's also a bit safer than the average Aura because it can target a Equipment piece instead of Lathril</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Champion&#039;s Helm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Commander&#039;s Plate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spider Umbra"></div></div>
<p>Since we plan on having our commander stick around, protection is a must-have. One thing to note is that, out of those three elements, this one scales the best in multiples. Sure, we need a lot of Power to knock people out and make our tokens, but there are a few damage threshold (like 7/11/21 power) that limit our clock. But when we get to mix indestructible, hexproof, <em>Totem Armor</em>, and <em>Regenerate</em>, it gets exponentially harder to remove our commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Champion&#039;s Helm" href="#" target="_blank">Champion&#039;s Helm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swiftfoot Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Swiftfoot Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alpha Authority" href="#" target="_blank">Alpha Authority</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Canopy Cover" href="#" target="_blank">Canopy Cover</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all give hexproof, which is usually step one into getting our commander to stick around. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Commander&#039;s Plate" href="#" target="_blank">Commander&#039;s Plate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Fire and Ice" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Fire and Ice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Truth and Justice" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Truth and Justice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give us protection against white, blue, and red (having protection from either of our colors is a bit dangerous because we risk losing our Auras).</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Lathril Voltron" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Lathril, Blade of the Elves
[/Commander]
[Artifact]
*Cliffhaven Kitesail
*Commander&#039;s Plate
*Rosethorn Halberd
*Shadowspear
*Sol Ring
*Inquisitor&#039;s Flail
*Swiftfoot Boots
*Champion&#039;s Helm
*Fireshrieker
*Grafted Wargear
*Haunted Cloak
*Sword of Fire and Ice
*Sword of Truth and Justice
*Sword of Vengeance
*Hammer of Nazahn
*Coat of Arms
[/Artifact]
[Creature]
*Birchlore Rangers
*Boreal Druid
*Elves of Deep Shadow
*Elvish Mystic
*Fyndhorn Elves
*Heritage Druid
*Llanowar Elves
*Devoted Druid
*Incubation Druid
*Priest of Titania
*Elvish Archdruid
*Ezuri, Renegade Leader
*Timberwatch Elf
*Toski, Bearer of Secrets
*Seedborn Muse
*Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
*Regal Force
*Craterhoof Behemoth
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*Concordant Crossroads
*Rancor
*Spider Umbra
*Alpha Authority
*Canopy Cover
*Rime Transfusion
*Rune of Might
*Alpha Status
*Beastmaster Ascension
*Demonic Embrace
*Fallen Ideal
*Snake Umbra
*Vow of Malice
*Vow of Wildness
*Bear Umbra
*Gaea&#039;s Embrace
*Gift of Doom
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*Summoner&#039;s Pact
*Malakir Rebirth
*Nature&#039;s Claim
*Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*Chord of Calling
*Hero&#039;s Downfall
*Khalni Ambush
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Agadeem&#039;s Awakening
*Bala Ged Recovery
*Toxic Deluge
*Damnation
*Natural Order
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Blooming Marsh
*City of Brass
*Command Tower
*Darkbore Pathway
*Llanowar Wastes
*Mana Confluence
*Overgrown Tomb
*Temple of Malady
*Twilight Mire
*Undergrowth Stadium
*Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*Woodland Cemetery
*17 Snow-Covered Forest
*7 Snow-Covered Swamp
[/Land]"></span></div></p>

<hr />
<p>We have an array of silver bullets (and a tutor suite to fetch them) that can support us in all sorts of board states. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great at finishing off one or two players in a single attack, and the extra tokens that we get are also pretty nice if the game goes on longer. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ezuri, Renegade Leader" href="#" target="_blank">Ezuri, Renegade Leader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great grinding finisher, providing a solid source of protection and a constant anthem effect that, if left unchecked, can take over the game. <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> is really powerful; in fact, once we get enough creatures to activate Lathril, it's basically one kill per turn cycle! Finally, there's <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>, a secondary Voltron threat that's always nice to have, and the fact that it has built-in haste helps out a lot.</p>
<p>We are packing an Elfball mana package for two reasons: we need the extra mana to play our commander, which is quite expensive for a Voltron commander, and our Equipment; and the fact that our commander appreciates the extra Elves in play. Most of our one-mana dorks are the usual <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Llanowar Elves" href="#" target="_blank">Llanowar Elves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> variant, with the exception of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Birchlore Rangers" href="#" target="_blank">Birchlore Rangers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heritage Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Heritage Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which are, quite frankly, crazy mid-game mana sources that, unlike <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Archdruid" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Archdruid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Priest of Titania" href="#" target="_blank">Priest of Titania</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, don't need to wait a full turn cycle for us to get their value's worth.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Methodology</h2>
<p>For opening hands, we're mostly looking for an early mana piece and a few Voltron pieces; we should prioritize either evasion or protection.</p>
<p>In the early game, our priorities are to develop our mana and prepare our board for our commander. Having a four-mana commander is a bit awkward with all of our one-mana acceleration, but we can use downtime to put some Equipment into play. Once Lathril is in play, we need to look for a target to focus on. That choice might be one of convenience, like choosing the player that's open, but we need to make sure that we find the right target.</p>
<p>By the mid-game, we should have our gameplan going. Our tokens can put a lot of work at this point in the game, and they help us mitigate some of that classic Voltron problem of being only able to deal with one opponent at a time. While they probably won't eliminate someone from the game, if we lower their life low enough we might not even need to do the full 21 points of commander damage later on.</p>
<p>Our late game isn't all that exciting, to be honest. However, we do have a few aces in our sleeves, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toski, Bearer of Secrets" href="#" target="_blank">Toski, Bearer of Secrets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that can help us grind out the last part of the game. Hopefully, by this point we should have eliminated a player or two, so we only need to care about one opponent.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enchantress&#039;s Presence"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancestral Mask"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Quest For Renewal"></div></div>
<p>Card draw is a bit lacking so going for a more enchantress-focused build might be something worth looking into. We also get the benefit of having some dedicated pay-off cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Mask" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Mask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Investing a bit more on the tap ability might be a way to cover some of our deck's weakness, but it might also make it a bit less consistent. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quest for Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Quest for Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or even common token-doublers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Parallel Lives" href="#" target="_blank">Parallel Lives</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can make our Plan B that much more efficient.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment</em>! What do you think about this list? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which did you not? Was this <em>Epic Experiment</em> a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


Epic Experiment - Lathril Voltron

Archetune-Up - An Undercity Tradition

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steam Vents" href="#" target="_blank">Steam Vents</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.robalexander.com/">Rob Alexander</a>)</h6>
<h1>Safety Valve</h1>
<p>Welcome to <em>EDH Political Science</em>! This series is where politics, warfare, history, and the data of EDHREC all inform us how to adjust our deck design and gameplay decisions to fit this multiplayer format.</p>
<p>The government sits within a sealed capsule on top of a growing inferno of political pressure. Every day we see headlines featuring grave failure by the hands of leaders that we expected to help. Regardless of political leaning or geographic location, you are undoubtedly frustrated by something happening in the political landscape. We either need to quell the fire or we will split at the seams, breaking the whole system.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Steam Vents"></div></div>
<p>There is a solution. Closed systems are designed to not split at the seams. Pressurized boilers and governments have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steam Vents" href="#" target="_blank">Steam Vents</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or, more accurately, “safety valves”. These devices are built-in insurance to prevent system collapse. A system without these cannot function properly without serious risk. One of the best parts about multiplayer games, like EDH, is that they too have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steam Vents" href="#" target="_blank">Steam Vents</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>The late political scientist Lucius Barker developed the idea that the United States Supreme Court is a political safety valve for the government. They can handle sensitive minutiae that Congress cannot. This safety valve analogy has been attributed to a great number of systems within government. Organizations that provide outlets of resistance are safety valves, like the Better Business Bureau’s ability to resolve conflict between consumers and companies. Also, the First Amendment does plenty for granting pressure releases when other places cannot. In the words of Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis, “[F]ear breeds hate… hate menaces stable government… the path of safety lies in the opportunity to discuss freely supposed grievances and proposed remedies; and the fitting remedy for evil counsels is good ones.” Sounds an awful lot like George Lucas was a Supreme Court buff. I wouldn’t doubt it if Brandeis hid a lightsaber under his robe, too.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/louis-brandeis-lightsaber.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-52647 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/louis-brandeis-lightsaber-300x244.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="244" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/louis-brandeis-lightsaber-300x244.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/louis-brandeis-lightsaber.jpg 500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>
<hr />
<p>Safety valves are placed throughout the game of <em>Magic: the Gathering</em> to give players a chance to battle against what otherwise could be oppressive mechanics or playstyles. A seven-card hand limit is a safety valve against heavy control or combo strategies. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boil" href="#" target="_blank">Boil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Acid Rain" href="#" target="_blank">Acid Rain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> were placed into the game to ensure that there were ways to fight oppressive playstyles in enemy segments of the color pie. These safety valves didn’t always work well, but early <em>Magic</em> sets printed these in such quantity that it became easy to find a way to fight back against anything, but not everything at once.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Acid Rain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Circle of Protection Red"></div></div>
<p>Multiplayer, itself, is a safety valve. The more players at the table, the less likely it is that any one person can take over the game. EDH also has a safety valve card: your commander. You almost always have access to play your commander. What’s most fun about EDH is that eventually everyone will either peter out or succumb to the pressure of the game and burst at the seams. Let’s talk a bit about the best ways to utilize these safety valves.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Playing to Safety Valve Tactics</h2>
<p>Games of EDH may often stagnate at some point. They can reach a standstill with few spells cast and fewer attacks made. Often, players are worried about crackback or future retaliation, and for good reason. After being disadvantaged by targeted removal, clawing your way back can feel insurmountable. You want to keep on top of managing the pressure, but retribution is menacing. Three ways you can adjust your play to take advantage of these safety valves include using your right to free speech, maintaining your defenses, and knowing when to switch gears.</p>
<p>Facing down political pressure can be difficult, but you have your voice and your actions. Attacks and removal speak louder than words, but you need balance. No one thing can solve all the problems. You have to have multiple tools available at your disposal. Normalize in-game banter and logical decision-making. When you’re attacking in with an early <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Electromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Electromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into an empty board, make sure your voice is heard. Tell them you’re keeping the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erebos, God of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Erebos, God of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> player from using their life as resource later. If the others at the table understand your logic early in the game, it will keep them from questioning you later in the game. You can feel like you have more room to speak up about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a problem across the table. Giving yourself the freedom to talk and convince others of your rationale is, like the First Amendment, the most important safety valve. Your word is sacred. The more you cultivate your voice as one of reason and honesty, the more you can use it to make thoughtful observations for others.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Electromancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Erebos, God of the Dead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skullclamp"></div></div>
<p>Defense is better than offense. Now, dedicated readers may notice that this is the part of the article where I mention how you should be attacking more. However, due to the mechanics of the game, defenders get to choose where damage is dealt, and, assuming that your defenders survive, you’re dealing that damage without leaving yourself vulnerable to others. That is a huge advantage. Know when to use it. If the table is getting heated, please stay back. Move against the grain. You’re not going to be doing yourself any favors by throwing gas on the fire of a pressurized situation.</p>
<p>Parity is any moment of relative peace. That peace is precarious and ethereal. It will burst at the seams suddenly and often without warning. If that parity is not clearly giving you the largest advantage at the table, then you need to be doing everything in your power to find your advantage in the situation. With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grismold, the Dreadsower" href="#" target="_blank">Grismold, the Dreadsower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as we will detail more later, parity may come up plenty, but you're always looking for your way out. Use your available resources, including your opponents, to break up parity. Make a move with the resources that you have to disadvantage the person. Yes, attacks and removal may not be profitable, but if someone else is gaining from you not attacking, then you need to make a stink about it. If that’s not in your available resources, find out what you can do.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Building with Safety Valves</h2>
<p>Back <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/lets-brawl-breaking-parity/">when I wrote about the Brawl format</a>, one big point that I had was that you needed parity-breakers. These are the tools that you need to have at your disposal to keep a game from getting away from you. If you are at parity, like we discussed earlier, or if pressure is mounting, you have about a one-in-four chance of being the one to break the parity. Important parity-breakers include, but are certainly not limited to, the following: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, planeswalkers, and mass removal.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can turn a bad situation into a great situation. However, sometimes I would rather see basic land ten turns into the game than [my el]Overrun[/el]. Building your deck with a couple of outs to bad situations is a good idea. Any list can run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crown of Doom" href="#" target="_blank">Crown of Doom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and most colors have something to pump the team. If you’re using card draw and removal with creatures attached, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mulldrifter" href="#" target="_blank">Mulldrifter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reclamation Sage" href="#" target="_blank">Reclamation Sage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (and you should be), then you can be setting yourself up to dominate with one lucky top deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overrun"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reclamation Sage"></div></div>
<p>Planeswalkers are contentious. Plenty of people denote the worst-case scenario when discussing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner" href="#" target="_blank">Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dack Fayden" href="#" target="_blank">Dack Fayden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and they should. You don’t want to play cards that sometimes fail. Worst-case scenarios are rare in my experience, and planeswalkers almost always break up gameplay. Of course, you want to be running the high-impact planeswalkers; almost every ‘walker that costs five or more does something huge on entering. Even in the case that they’re dealt with immediately, it still cost your opponent something to do so. An attack at your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the air still leaves you with creatures on the ground and that opponent more vulnerable. Similar to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, don’t play many, but play some planeswalkers and play the important ones.</p>
<p>Appropriate removal can be difficult to find, especially when it almost always leaves you at a disadvantage compared to three other players. For this reason, mass removal becomes important. This is not to say that you should always just run more <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-style removal spells. What can be just as important is running effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pyroclasm" href="#" target="_blank">Pyroclasm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golden Demise" href="#" target="_blank">Golden Demise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These partial mass removal spells can be used early to halt a quick start, and they can also be used later to make a powerful turn with removal followed by a threat. Higher-costed targeted mass removal, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Casualties of War" href="#" target="_blank">Casualties of War</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, can be used to turn the tides of battle in a more significant way than anyone would have guessed. That is, if included sparingly.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Grismold Control" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Grismold, the Dreadsower
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Den Protector
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Winding Constrictor
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Corpsejack Menace
*1 Species Specialist
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Vigor
*1 Grave Titan
*1 Craterhoof Behemoth
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Tainted Strike
*1 Bile Blight
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Beast Within
*1 Krosan Grip
*1 Sudden Spoiling
*1 Curious Herd
*1 Dark Bargain
*1 Deadly Rollick
*1 Hatred
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker
*1 Windgrace&#039;s Judgment
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Cultivate
*1 Golden Demise
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Witch&#039;s Vengeance
*1 Circuitous Route
*1 Massacre
*1 Migration Path
*1 Triumph of the Hordes
*1 Dark Petition
*1 Shamanic Revelation
*1 Casualties of War
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Seasons Past
*1 Decree of Pain
*1 Find // Finality
*1 Black Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Gaze of Granite
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Hardened Scales
*1 Retribution of the Ancients
*1 Bitterblossom
*1 Attrition
*1 Bastion of Remembrance
*1 Mind Slash
*1 Song of the Dryads
*1 Deathreap Ritual
*1 Parallel Lives
*1 Doubling Season
*1 Moldervine Reclamation
*1 Primal Vigor
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Garruk Relentless
*1 Garruk Wildspeaker
*1 Garruk, Primal Hunter
*1 Garruk, Cursed Huntsman
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Blighted Woodland
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Bonders&#039; Enclave
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Foul Orchard
*11 Forest
*1 Golgari Guildgate
*1 Hissing Quagmire
*1 Labyrinth of Skophos
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Temple of Malady
*13 Swamp
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>This Grismold list is unlike the standard one you'll find on EDHREC. You are looking to go tall, like normal, with options to go wide or drain the table with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bastion of Remembrance" href="#" target="_blank">Bastion of Remembrance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. However, it does not use enchantments like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Virulent Plague" href="#" target="_blank">Virulent Plague</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to grow Grismold. It’s all about control. Granting the other players threat-means (see my <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/edh-political-science-political-positions/">previous articles</a> for more information on Political Position Theory) buys you valuable time while granting you an important resource that you can pull the trigger on at any time. You will be pumping out more tokens than the other players with <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>-effects while holding onto sorcery and instant removal, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bile Blight" href="#" target="_blank">Bile Blight</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to shift positions at your whim.</p>
<p>This list gives plenty of safety valves. Our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triumph of the Hordes" href="#" target="_blank">Triumph of the Hordes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and "tall" cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hatred" href="#" target="_blank">Hatred</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are important to swinging a losing game in our favor. We get plenty of ways to remove threats big, small, and difficult-to-handle. We ideally can take on any situation and outlast any anyone with our card advantage engine of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seasons Past" href="#" target="_blank">Seasons Past</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plus <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Petition" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Petition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triumph of the Hordes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hatred"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Season&#039;s Past"></div></div>
<p>Lucius Barker's work within the civil rights community is as important today as it was thirty and fifty years ago. Understanding your right to protest is crucial to keeping that system from bursting at the seams. Support those who need your help the most, and continue to voice yourself when injustice is seen. This advice can be taken to the game table, the city streets, local town halls, and it's great advice for life generally.</p>


EDH Political Science - Safety Valve

Archetune-Up - Glissa, the Friendly

Conditions Allow - Chevill, Bane of Monsters

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<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> | Art by <a href="https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/lukacs/">Chuck Lukacs</a>)</h6>
<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome to another installment of <em>Lore Seeker, </em>an article series devoted to the legendary creatures to whom <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> forgot to give a story. I’ll guide you through each aspect that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them a little extra background attention. This time around I’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos, Unchained" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos, Unchained</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Polukranos, Unchained"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>Polukranos, known as the World Eater, fell to Theros from its celestial lair during the battle between Purphoros and Heliod, where he was quickly sealed under the Nessian Forest. Elspeth was tasked by Heliod to defeat the Hydra, who had recently escaped its stasis and was ravaging the land. Polukranos was defeated and, in death, was locked away in the Underworld. As we see in his recent depiction, however, Polukranos is back, freed from his chains and angrier than ever.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heliod, God of the Sun"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<hr />
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosName.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45677 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosName.jpg" alt="" width="289" height="65" /></a></p>
<p>Polukranos loosely translates from Greek to "many heads." More accurately, it means "many helmets," but I think we know what <em>Wizards</em> was going for. An apt name for a Hydra, and a good direction to go for the deck, but more on that later.</p>
<p>Chains seem to be a large trope in <em>Theros Beyond Death</em>. Looking through the creatures, specifically those with <em>Escape</em>, the majority have some element of chains hanging from them. The imagery of chains, especially in conjunction with their attachment to manacles, gives the underworld a much stronger prison feel than it previously had in my mind.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosCost.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45676 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosCost.jpg" alt="" width="87" height="58" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Black:</strong> Amorality and pragmatism; no waste, no qualms, and no feelings.</p>
<p><strong>Green:</strong> Survival of the fittest, pure and simple. What lives will die.</p>
<p><strong>Golgari (green/black): </strong>The colors of the graveyard, rot, and necromancy. As we explored in <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/lore-seeker-creepy-kraul-y/">my last article</a>, the Golgari are interested in recycling. Specifically, the Golgari necromancers make use of the dead, bringing back others to do their bidding for them. In the case of Polukranos, he is his own necromantic master.</p>
<p>I initially wanted to avoid doing creatures of the same color identity back-to-back in this series, but I made an exception because this black-green deck is going to use the graveyard in a very different way than the previous installment. In order to fuel our commander, this is a self-mill deck, so we're going to see a lot of cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stitcher&#039;s Supplier" href="#" target="_blank">Stitcher&#039;s Supplier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that actively put cards in the graveyard, not to revive them like Meren, but to exile them and keep Polukranos around.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hermit Druid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satyr Wayfinder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nyx Weaver"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Art:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosArt.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45675 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosArt.jpg" alt="" width="488" height="325" /></a></p>
<p>As we can see, the head that was destroyed in the battle with Elspeth has regenerated in the underworld into two new heads, zombified, discolored, and horrible. It's interesting to me that Polukranos still has faces. <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/lore-seeker-murder-king-fury-road/">When we explored Theros last</a> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tymaret, the Murder King" href="#" target="_blank">Tymaret, the Murder King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we discovered that the Zombies in the underworld lose their faces, adopting clay masks created in the underworld to hide their disfigurement and then replaced with the gold ones forged when they escape and become Returned. We also see Elspeth exempt from this mutation; likely her spark protected her (we also see her with a gold mask presumably still in the underworld, but I'll leave that rant for another day.)</p>
<p>Does this mean Polukranos has the power of a planeswalker, or are the rules just different for beasts of his nature? We will likely never know, but it does seem like a missed opportunity to put some rad gold Hydra masks on him.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosType.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45679 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosType.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="67" /></a></p>
<p>The Hydra originated from Greek mythology in the tale of Heracles (most commonly known as Hercules, the Roman adaptation). Heracles was tasked with a set of labors to redeem himself for prior actions. The Hydra was destroyed with the help of an ally and, more importantly, a golden sword that the goddess Athena bestowed upon him.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Godsend"></div></div>
<p>As a Greek-themed set, we can see a lot of the tropes of this story adapted in to <em>Magic</em>. Elspeth acts as Heracles, having been given a weapon from a God (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Godsend" href="#" target="_blank">Godsend</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) and tasked with defeating the Hydra. The biggest difference between <em>MTG</em> Hydras and those in Greek myths is their amphibious nature; the Lernaean Hydra of myth lived in a lake. We see a lot of large beasts in the water, like Leviathans, so I'm guessing they didn't want to add another big creature to blue's roster.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosRules.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45678 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosRules.jpg" alt="" width="461" height="255" /></a></p>
<p>Removing all six heads from the beast kills it, sending it to the underworld once more. We are going to imagine each head as a +1/+1 counter for the remainder our discussion here. Since the Hydra will create a new head for each removed, the fact that Polukranos comes back with twelve heads (counters) is extremely flavorful. This rationale falls apart when we get to his ability when being dealt damage removes counters, but does not regenerate heads on its own.</p>
<p>Let's introduce Polukranos to his new best friend: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vigor" href="#" target="_blank">Vigor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The way replacement effects work is beneficial to us in this case, so instead of losing the counters, Polukranos will gain that many heads. Problem solved!</p>
<p>I want Polukranos to recreate that scene in the Disney version of Hercules. I want so many heads on this beast that they take up the entire sky.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hydraHeads.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45904 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hydraHeads.jpg" alt="" width="488" height="325" /></a></p>
<p>How do we accomplish this? <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> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpsejack Menace" href="#" target="_blank">Corpsejack Menace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are the key pieces. With one in play, Polukranos enters with 12 from a normal casting or 24 with <em>Escape</em>. With both on the field, the fun really begins, giving us 24 heads from a normal cast or 48 with <em>Escape</em>. That's more like it!</p>
<p>Now, there are a few other options to add additional counters to creatures, but because these are really only interacting with the commander and not any other cards in the deck, two will be plenty.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Corpsejack Menace"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<hr />
<p><em>Theros Beyond Death</em> introduced a new style of basic land: the Nyx basics (or the Pokelands.) I am not a fan of these, whether for this deck or any other. The only place I think I would consider them is in a deck helmed by one of the Therosian Gods or in an enchantress deck. For this particular deck, I was having a hard time nailing down exactly what type of basic fits, but I decided to take this as an opportunity to talk about some of my favorite basics. These two were both done by my favorite <em>Magic</em> artist, <a href="http://www.johnavonart.com/">John Avon</a>. I love the saturation and depth of these two pieces, and the old border looks more like dirt, perfect to fill our graveyard with.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosBasics.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-46170 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosBasics.jpg" alt="" width="520" height="311" /></a></p>
<p>This deck is running a shockingly low number of lands, but we have a work around that I learned from the <a href="https://www.commandersbrew.com/">Commanders Brew</a> podcast. The idea in question is to lower the land count and instead run a bunch of those single-mana spells that tutor for a land, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lay of the Land" href="#" target="_blank">Lay of the Land</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Traverse the Ulvenwald" href="#" target="_blank">Traverse the Ulvenwald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The reason we want these here is to fill our graveyard with the instants/sorceries that only exist to find the land we need. Because Polukranos doesn't care what type of card is in the graveyard and simply wants a larger number of cards in there, we can use these to both fix our mana and fill the graveyard. It's a neat trick that I have wanted to incorporate in a meaningful way for some time.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Second Labor" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Polukranos, Unchained
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Walking Ballista
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Stitcher&#039;s Supplier
*1 Bloodghast
*1 Glowspore Shaman
*1 Hermit Druid
*1 Lotleth Troll
*1 Millikin
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Satyr Wayfinder
*1 Nyx Weaver
*1 Prowling Serpopard
*1 Splinterfright
*1 Springbloom Druid
*1 Stinkweed Imp
*1 Acolyte of Affliction
*1 Brawn
*1 Corpsejack Menace
*1 Erebos, God of the Dead
*1 Polukranos, World Eater
*1 World Shaper
*1 Cavalier of Thorns
*1 Doom Whisperer
*1 Underrealm Lich
*1 Nemesis of Mortals
*1 Vigor
*1 Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
*1 Ghoultree
*1 Molderhulk
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Horizon Spellbomb
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Altar of Dementia
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Perpetual Timepiece
*1 Talisman of Resilience
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Ancient Stirrings
*1 Attune with Aether
*1 Caravan Vigil
*1 Lay of the Land
*1 Traverse the Ulvenwald
*1 Dread Summons
*1 Mulch
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Night&#039;s Whisper
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Ransack the Lab
*1 Regrowth
*1 Sylvan Scrying
*1 Winding Way
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Damnation
*1 Increasing Ambition
*1 Traverse the Outlands
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Decree of Pain
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Veil of Summer
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Corpse Churn
*1 Evolution Charm
*1 Grapple with the Past
*1 Grisly Salvage
*1 Beast Within
*1 Harrow
*1 Moonlight Bargain
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crop Sigil
*1 Vessel of Nascency
*1 Greater Good
*1 Doubling Season
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Blooming Marsh
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*9 Forest
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Nurturing Peatland
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*6 Swamp
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Woodland Cemetery
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>If you're a fan of big creatures and a deck full of two-for-ones, this is the build for you. I'm very intrigued by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos Unchained" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos Unchained</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. That which at first looks like just a big creature leads to some interesting deckbuilding decisions. A big thanks to Tom, EDHREC's resident Greek expert, for giving me some insight into the name of Polukranos and some other general tidbits for this article.</p>
<p>Thank you for reading! As always, let me know which legendary characters you’d like to see get the story spotlight in the future!</p>


Lore Seeker - The Hydra

Dual Shot - There Can Only Be One

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mausoleum Secrets" href="#" target="_blank">Mausoleum Secrets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.adampaquettemtg.com/2018/12/10/mausoleum-secrets">Adam Paquette</a> )</h6>
<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome to another installment of <em>Lore Seeker, </em>an article series devoted to the legendary creatures to whom <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> forgot to give a story. I’ll guide you through each aspect that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them a little extra background attention. This time around I’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest" href="#" target="_blank">Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>Mazirek, now dead, was a Golgari death priest from the plane of Ravnica. He was a powerful necromancer and the leader of the Kraul, an insectoid race that dwells in the undercity. Mazirek's power swells simply from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Death&#039;s Presence" href="#" target="_blank">proximity to death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. He temporarily allied with Vraska to overthrow the previous Golgari guild leader, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord" href="#" target="_blank">Jarad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the undead Elf lich, so Vraska could take control. Soon after this change in leadership, Mazirek allied himself with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nicol Bolas" href="#" target="_blank">Nicol Bolas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which eventually lead to his demise at the hands of one of his own creations.</p>
<p>His most notable claim to fame is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awaken the Erstwhile" href="#" target="_blank">raising the Erstwhile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the lead-up to <em>War of the Spark</em>. The Erstwhile are a dead faction of Devkarin Elves, laid to rest in a deep mausoleum long ago. The most powerful of these undead Elves is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storrev, Devkarin Lich" href="#" target="_blank">Storrev, Devkarin Lich</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who became the de facto leader of the Erstwhile. Though the Erstwhile could not disobey a direct order from Mazirek, Storrev (with assistance from Vraska and motivated by his anger at being enslaved) tricked Mazirek into the trap that killed him.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Awaken the Erstwhile"></div></div>
<p>Awaken the Erstwhile is the primary build-around for the deck; it's a symmetrical effect, so we're going to look for ways to break the symmetry by keeping fewer cards in our opponents' hands. When possible, we're looking for discard outlets that are repeatable and that rely on sacrificing creatures to interact favorably with Mazirek's ability.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cabal Therapist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sadistic Hypnotist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mind Slash"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<hr />
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekName.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-43348 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekName.jpg" alt="" width="471" height="89" /></a></p>
<p>The title of Priest carries a connotation of religious affiliation; they're figures that possesses the authority to perform rites and administer sacraments. The rites of the Golgari Swarm are likely sacrificial in nature. Though not from Ravnica, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whisper, Blood Liturgist" href="#" target="_blank">Whisper, Blood Liturgist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> illustrates the exact flavor we're looking for here; a liturgist, a practitioner of religious worship, whose particular brand of worship involves sacrifice. Her flavor text puts it best: <em>"Look how they beg for the knife!" </em>These are the kind of devout followers Mazirek needs for his church of death.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Whisper, Blood Liturgist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodghast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vindictive Lich"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekCost.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-43345 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekCost.jpg" alt="" width="151" height="110" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Black:</strong> Amorality and pragmatism; no waste, no qualms, and no feelings.</p>
<p><strong>Green:</strong> Survival of the fittest, pure and simple. What lives will die.</p>
<p><strong>Golgari (green/black):</strong> The colors of the graveyard, rot, and necromancy. The Golgari appreciate the natural cycle more than anyone else; what dies can and will be brought back and re-purposed it <em>will</em> live once more.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Art:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekArt.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-43367 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekArt.jpg" alt="" width="572" height="418" /></a></p>
<h6 style="text-align: center;">(Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/artwork/KRlEG">Mathias Kollros</a>)</h6>
<p>Decay and rot are the Golgari way. Mazirek has transformed his section of the undercity into a fungus-ridden hive, perfect for necromantic experimentation. Kraul are an alien race to begin with, but it seems that Mazirek has intensified the dissimilarity by adopting some plantlike qualities. Perhaps this comes from self-experimentation? Perhaps this is not his first body, and the betrayal of Storrev was not the first time he has died. Whether the ground around him regrew his body or he grew a clone from the loam, something is very off. Nevertheless, this is a strong indicator of his power, and another direction for the deck to travel down. Golgari is very graveyard-focused, and it would be an incredible handicap to avoid abusing it. With the amount we want to sacrifice creatures, we'll need just as many ways to get them back as we can find.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred, Whispering One"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reanimate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Living Death"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekType.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-43350 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekType.jpg" alt="" width="622" height="86" /></a></p>
<p>The Kraul are the insect humanoids we have only seen on Ravnica. They identify largely with the Golgari, but exclusively so affiliated; some instead choose to remain unaligned. The rest of the guilds of Ravnica generally avoid the Kraul, and the Kraul rarely attempt to venture to the surface. It is this not-so-subtle mutual avoidance that pushes them into the arms of the Golgari Swarm.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Golgari Signet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Golgari Locket"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekRules_2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-43362 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekRules_2.jpg" alt="" width="620" height="200" /></a></p>
<p>True to his story blurb, Mazirek makes himself and his followers more powerful by simply witnessing death. It is very possible to knock people out with Commander damage, but it'll be a grind. We're going to be more reliant on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Pact" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Pact</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-like effects to control the board and slowly accrue value, letting the counters propagate and accumulate naturally. There are easy cuts that could be made to some of the flavor inclusions, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mausoleum Secrets" href="#" target="_blank">Mausoleum Secrets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for classic Mazirek cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hardened Scales" href="#" target="_blank">Hardened Scales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <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>; these I would recommend trying to squeeze into your builds.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grave Pact"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dictate of Erebos"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Winding Constrictor"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Flavor Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekFlavor.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-43346 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekFlavor.jpg" alt="" width="529" height="99" /></a></p>
<p>Mazirek did a lot for the Kraul, regardless of how corrupt or evil he was. He was their leader because they wanted him to be, not because he asked for it. We know on a meta level that Mazirek was evil; he sided with Bolas in the end and raised and enslaved the Erstwhile. Was he evil when he was placed in the position of death priest, or did his power overtake and corrupt him? I don't think we'll ever get an answer, but I'd like to believe the latter.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><em>"Power tends to corrupt;<br />
absolute power corrupts absolutely"<br />
-Lord Acton</em></h3>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekBasics.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-43428 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/mazirekBasics.png" alt="" width="530" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>Whenever I build a deck around a character from Ravnica, I have a hard time finding better basic lands to use than the Guild Kit basics, and this deck is no exception. They're specially-made to represent the guild, and they even have a watermark of the guild symbol.</p>
<p>This build has a lot in common with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nath of the Gilt-Leaf" href="#" target="_blank">Nath of the Gilt-Leaf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck: discard for profit and work towards an advantageous opportunity to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awaken the Erstwhile" href="#" target="_blank">Awaken the Erstwhile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I took a lot of inspiration from the EDHREC pages for <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/nath-of-the-gilt-leaf">Nath</a>, <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/meren-of-clan-nel-toth">Meren</a>, and <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/mazirek-kraul-death-priest">Mazirek</a>. I find that searching through similar decks, even if their only similarity is that they share the same colors, doing so helps to more quickly find the high-impact cards. I ignored the Elf tribal cards on Nath's page and instead focused on the discard synergies, Meren's page provided aristocrats synergies, and Mazirek's page featured primarily counter synergies (which I mostly ignored) but also had sacrifice synergies. The biggest discovery came from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wave of Vitriol" href="#" target="_blank">Wave of Vitriol</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and its interaction with Mazirek. This is a fantastic way to get through a pillowfort player's defenses while simultaneously adding an immense amount of power to the board, whether we lose a lot or not. I included a few more nonbasic lands in the list because we want to sacrifice them and replace them with the wave. Really, it acts like an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Golgari Swarm" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Hangarback Walker
*1 Cabal Therapist
*1 Caustic Caterpillar
*1 Blood Artist
*1 Bloodghast
*1 Burglar Rat
*1 Gyre Sage
*1 Miasmic Mummy
*1 Rotting Rats
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Fleshbag Marauder
*1 Ophiomancer
*1 Pawn of Ulamog
*1 Plaguecrafter
*1 Springbloom Druid
*1 Undercity Informer
*1 Weaponcraft Enthusiast
*1 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
*1 Rankle, Master of Pranks
*1 Vindictive Lich
*1 Whisper, Blood Liturgist
*1 Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
*1 God-Eternal Bontu
*1 Nath of the Gilt-Leaf
*1 Sadistic Hypnotist
*1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
*1 The Haunt of Hightower
*1 Abhorrent Overlord
*1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
*1 Myojin of Night&#039;s Reach
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Spawning Pit
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Golgari Locket
*1 Eldrazi Monument
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Reanimate
*1 Dark Deal
*1 Eldritch Evolution
*1 Victimize
*1 Pir&#039;s Whim
*1 Awaken the Erstwhile
*1 Living Death
*1 Wave of Vitriol
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Mausoleum Secrets
[/Instants]
[Enchantment]
*1 Phyrexian Reclamation
*1 Waste Not
*1 Mind Slash
*1 Necromancy
*1 Pernicious Deed
*1 Grave Pact
*1 Tombstone Stairwell
*1 Dictate of Erebos
*1 Death&#039;s Presence
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Vraska, Golgari Queen
[/Planeswalker]
[Lands]
*1 Blast Zone
*1 Blighted Woodland
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Field of Ruin
*10 Forest
*1 Golgari Guildgate
*1 Golgari Rot Farm
*1 High Market
*1 Memorial to Folly
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Nurturing Peatland
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Petrified Field
*1 Phyrexian Tower
*1 Strip Mine
*11 Swamp
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Woodland Cemetery
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>Overall I think Nath would make a more effective commander for this deck, but the flavor is what it's all about! If you enjoy the list, I would check Mazirek out. This was yet another reader suggestion, and I'm always on the lookout for more, so let me know which legendary characters you’d like to see get the story spotlight in the future!</p>
<p>Thank you for reading!</p>


golgari