<p style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain N&#039;ghathrod" href="#" target="_blank">Captain N&#039;ghathrod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/kuzinskiy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrey Kuzinskiy</a></span></i></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Continuing with our Halloween theme for the past few weeks, we have one of the spookier creature types today: the Horrors. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Horrors have been part of </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Magic</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for quite a while, but <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/dsk" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Duskmourn</em></a> gave the creature type a much-needed boost. Our commander, however, hails from the criminally-underrated <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/clb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate</em></a> set, and was recently given a <em>Secret Lair</em> reskin with the <em>Iron Maiden</em> release.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Captain N&#039;ghathrod"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain N&#039;ghathrod" href="#" target="_blank">Captain N&#039;ghathrod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, hereafter referred to as “the Captain,” is a rare legendary Horror, and one of the few that offers support to the creature type. But how do Horrors work in <em>Magic</em>? And, like Specters, how can we make what they do palatable despite the preconceptions? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These are the questions this Commander deck tech will look to answer.</span></p>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain N&#039;ghathrod" href="#" target="_blank">Captain N&#039;ghathrod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first bit of text that jumps out about the Captain is that he gives Horrors menace. Menace is the latest in black fear-related keywords, following in the vein of fear and intimidate. All of these abilities make blocking difficult for opponents, and granting one of them to the entire team can be backbreaking. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Menace, in particular, makes it so that opposing blockers have to team up to block.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Consuming Aberration"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While being able to connect easier is a strong ability, the Captain’s second ability adds tremendous power to those connections. Whenever a Horror we control deals combat damage to a player, that player mills that many cards. “That many” is a potent phrase, as lifelink and <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=oracle%3Asquirrellink+%28game%3Apaper%29" target="_blank" rel="noopener">squirrellink</a> have shown. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Milling equal to our combat damage can get out of hand easily, especially with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Consuming Aberration" href="#" target="_blank">Consuming Aberration</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. That card could even one-shot a player!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Milling is a tricky ability, however. Politically, players tend not to like having their cards put into a position where they can’t use them. And if we can’t close the door quickly enough, we run the risk of attracting a lot of salt. How can we avoid playing with our food? Well, it involves using another controversial ability.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At the end of our turn, we can reanimate an artifact or creature card that was milled this turn onto the battlefield under our control. So, while the Horror aspect of our commander rips opponents’ memories from their minds, the Pirate aspect turns their worst intentions into our offense.</span></p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain N&#039;ghathrod" href="#" target="_blank">Captain N&#039;ghathrod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Mindskinner"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zellix, Sanity Flayer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nemesis of Reason"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Horrors tend to care about the graveyard by either filling it, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Mindskinner" href="#" target="_blank">The Mindskinner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zellix, Sanity Flayer" href="#" target="_blank">Zellix, Sanity Flayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or by counting it, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nemesis of Reason" href="#" target="_blank">Nemesis of Reason</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Guiltfeeder" href="#" target="_blank">Guiltfeeder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the latter of which is a Premodern all-star. These cards are supercharged with our commander granting our Horrors the ability to mill.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Animate Dead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Beacon of Unrest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rise from the Grave"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Where our commander could use some help is with the reanimation. The Captain is one of a rare breed of cards that can reanimate opponents’ creatures, along with staples <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animate Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Animate Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beacon of Unrest" href="#" target="_blank">Beacon of Unrest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We can even pick up some awesome bulk bin pieces in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rise from the Grave" href="#" target="_blank">Rise from the Grave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Path of the Schemer" href="#" target="_blank">Path of the Schemer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to use our opponents’ threats against them.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ravenous Chupacabra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pongify"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The other way Horrors can fill the grave is by killing things. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ravenous Chupacabra" href="#" target="_blank">Ravenous Chupacabra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a nasty example of this, as it’s a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flametongue Kavu" href="#" target="_blank">Flametongue Kavu</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> variant that kills the target. We use removal like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pongify" href="#" target="_blank">Pongify</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to put threats into the grave for our reanimation spells, which is a pretty nasty synergy.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spellskite"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Negate"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Horrors can also protect our board, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spellskite" href="#" target="_blank">Spellskite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The Captain is quite terrifying, so it stands to reason that he’d attract negative attention and removal. Fighting through <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spellskite" href="#" target="_blank">Spellskite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects makes it likely that, once we’ve sunk mana into getting our commander out, it’ll actually stick around.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nephalia Drownyard"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jidoor, Aristocratic Capital"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since we want graves full, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nephalia Drownyard" href="#" target="_blank">Nephalia Drownyard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jidoor, Aristocratic Capital" href="#" target="_blank">Jidoor, Aristocratic Capital</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can power our synergies. Mill may be a controversial strategy, but it tends to go over better when we're clearly building to reanimate the threats and not to deny them. Still, when an ability is this entrenched in what the deck does, it’s good to let the table know in Rule Zero conversations.</span></p>
<h2>How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain N&#039;ghathrod" href="#" target="_blank">Captain N&#039;ghathrod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We aim to fill graves by any means necessary: killing, milling, or countering (sorry that didn’t rhyme), and then reanimating key threats, or just taking advantage of the piles of bodies.</span></p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain N&#039;ghathrod" href="#" target="_blank">Captain N&#039;ghathrod</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander Deck List</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Captain N&#039;ghathrod Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Captain N&#039;ghathrod
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Ancient Cellarspawn
*1 Brainstealer Dragon
*1 Chasm Skulker
*1 Consuming Aberration
*1 Dauthi Horror
*1 Forgotten Creation
*1 Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar
*1 Grell Philosopher
*1 Guiltfeeder
*1 Horrid Shadowspinner
*1 Hullbreaker Horror
*1 Hunted Horror
*1 Illithid Harvester // Plant Tadpoles
*1 Mind Flayer
*1 Nemesis of Reason
*1 Nighthowler
*1 Phyrexian Rager
*1 Phyrexian Revoker
*1 Ravenous Chupacabra
*1 Sewer Nemesis
*1 Silent Hallcreeper
*1 Sludge Monster
*1 Spellskite
*1 The Mindskinner
*1 Uchuulon
*1 Vashta Nerada
*1 Wharf Infiltrator
*1 Woe Strider
*1 Zellix, Sanity Flayer
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Beacon of Unrest
*1 Endless Obedience
*1 Extract from Darkness
*1 Feed the Swarm
*1 From the Catacombs
*1 Necromantic Summons
*1 Path of the Schemer
*1 Psionic Ritual
*1 Rise from the Grave
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Animate Dead
*1 Quest for the Necropolis
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Baleful Mastery
*1 Counterspell
*1 Curtains&#039; Call
*1 Deadly Rollick
*1 Didn&#039;t Say Please
*1 Don&#039;t Make a Sound
*1 Fated Return
*1 Go for the Throat
*1 Grisly Spectacle
*1 Infernal Grasp
*1 Negate
*1 Pongify
*1 Psychic Strike
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Swan Song
*1 Thought Collapse
*1 Withering Torment
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Command Tower
*1 Creeping Tar Pit
*1 Crypt of Agadeem
*15 Island
*1 Jidoor, Aristocratic Capital // Overture
*1 Nephalia Drownyard
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Phyrexian Tower
*1 Restless Reef
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*15 Swamp
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div></span></p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Horrors are as terrifying to face as they are to look at. They thrive off of causing fear and drink in the memories they pour out of the skulls of their victims. If that’s for you, I hope you have a Happy Halloween!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how would <em>you</em> build Horrors? And how do you and your playgroup feel about milling?</span></p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
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<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Building Skeleton Kindred with Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-skeleton-kindred-with-uchbenbak-the-great-mistake/embed/#?secret=SssQZdbjB2#?secret=LRWnhmBhGu" data-secret="LRWnhmBhGu" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="bxAhBGAfHm"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-specter-typal-with-urgoros-the-empty-one/">Building Specter Typal with Urgoros, the Empty One</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Building Specter Typal with Urgoros, the Empty One&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-specter-typal-with-urgoros-the-empty-one/embed/#?secret=3h6PmaIReA#?secret=bxAhBGAfHm" data-secret="bxAhBGAfHm" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="SQVQL8pGKG"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-ninja-typal-with-taeko-the-patient-avalanche/">Building Ninja Typal With Taeko, the Patient Avalanche</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Building Ninja Typal With Taeko, the Patient Avalanche&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-ninja-typal-with-taeko-the-patient-avalanche/embed/#?secret=lKGi3GHknu#?secret=SQVQL8pGKG" data-secret="SQVQL8pGKG" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


horror kindred

Building Horror Typal with Captain N'ghathrod