<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lim-Dûl the Necromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Lim-Dûl the Necromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.cavotta.com/">Matt Cavotta</a>)</h6>
<h1>Technically Playable - Lim-Dûl the Necromancer</h1>
<p>Welcome to <em>Technically Playable</em>, where our mission statement is "Every commander is <em>Technically</em> playable" (the best kind of playable).</p>
<p>The way this works is every article will have a commander generated using EDHREC's random button, I'll talk through the card and then write about how we can build around it!</p>
<p>This week's random commander is: <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lim-Dûl the Necromancer"></div></div></p>
<p>It's no secret that I'm a massive fan of reanimation, and recently I've begun dipping my toes more and more into theft effects. That way, the power level of my deck is often on a similar (or sometimes lower) power level to the rest of the table therefore, theoretically, ensuring I am never playing a deck that is completely mismatched with the others.</p>
<p>With that in mind, let's jump into talking about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lim-Dûl the Necromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Lim-Dûl the Necromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a commander that works on both of those facets.</p>
<h2>Reanimating Your Opponents' Creatures</h2>
<p>The way that makes the most sense to play this deck (at least in my mind) is the same way people used to play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet" href="#" target="_blank">Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in Standard.</p>
<p>By landing Lim-Dûl or Kalitas with the mana to remove creatures you give yourself the ability to not only keep yourself alive and your opponent's boards less dangerous but also give yourself the ability to build your own board over time.</p>
<p>Of course, Lim-Dûl is a little harder since you need the mana for the removal and Lim-Dûl's ability but you can get around that with some cheap removal like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Defile" href="#" target="_blank">Defile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or even free removal spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snuff Out" href="#" target="_blank">Snuff Out</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>The other way of getting around the high cost of Lim-Dûl is to run redundancy, the main version of this is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Betrayal" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Betrayal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as this gives you effectively a second version of your commander that doesn't require you to pay an additional two mana every time a creature dies.</p>
<p>This works particularly well with some of the more powerful boardwipes like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Decree of Pain" href="#" target="_blank">Decree of Pain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Money" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Money</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that give you a benefit as well as wiping the board meaning you will not only have a one-sided boardwipe thanks to Grave Betrayal[/el] but you will get a ton of resources from the spell itself as well.</p>
<p>Obviously, the boardwipes and removal that have a low cost or an extra benefit are ideal in this deck due to Lim-Dûl's extremely high cost but realistically any removal works well in this deck.</p>
<p>Boardwipes in particular are great because of the way that death triggers work. Even if Lim-Dûl is in play if he dies to the boardwipe at the same time as other creatures he still "sees" them die. This means you will get a trigger for each creature and it will allow you to pick and choose how to use your mana based on which creatures you want to save.</p>
<p>The ideal situation here is playing Lim-Dûl and then using a board wipe the next turn because if you have something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnation" href="#" target="_blank">Damnation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you will almost definitely have enough mana to return two creatures. But you can also use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Coffers" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Coffers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> together to have tons of mana to be able to play Lim-Dûl <em>and</em> hold up mana to reanimate creatures.</p>
<p>Of course, this also makes Lim-Dûl great against opposing board wipes as well as long as you have some mana lying around to use.</p>
<p>But we don't have to rely on Lim-Dûl and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Betrayal" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Betrayal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to take our opponent's creatures, we have plenty of ways to rip them straight out of our opponent's decks.</p>
<p>If you read my last article about <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> you'll know I've been really hot on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brainstealer Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Brainstealer Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It is a very expensive creature to play but I think it has a really high ceiling in terms of power level, if you can keep it alive for a turn cycle it can really quickly take over a game.</p>
<p>We also have access to some older ways to steal cards from decks. While we don't have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bribery" href="#" target="_blank">Bribery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> we do have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Praetor&#039;s Grasp" href="#" target="_blank">Praetor&#039;s Grasp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card is particularly flexible because it can act as a silver bullet to remove a combo piece, find an answer to the current board, or even just grab someone else's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to help pay for Lim-Dûl's commander tax.</p>
<p>Lastly is mono-black <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (yes I'm still dying on this hill), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breach the Multiverse" href="#" target="_blank">Breach the Multiverse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. One of the best ways to take cards from our opponent's decks as it allows us to hit each player, including ourselves while also fuelling graveyards which we could use as a resource since we're playing black.</p>
<p>What is funny is playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breach the Multiverse" href="#" target="_blank">Breach the Multiverse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and then casting an opponent's Etali, or even an opponent's Breach to start a hilarious chain.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Snuff Out"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grave Betrayal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Damnation"></div></div>
<h2>Reanimating Your Own Creatures ("Keep your hands off my graveyard!" -My opponents probably)</h2>
<p>Lim-Dûl is great at using other people's decks against them, but we might want to have our own threats in case our seven-mana value commander doesn't last very long (spoiler: that will be often).</p>
<p>But we can still keep the deck on theme and go with a powerful reanimation package. These tend to be made up of two parts:</p>
<p>The first is getting stuff into your graveyard.</p>
<p>The second is making sure those cards are threatening enough to either act as a lightning rod for removal to keep something else alive <em>or</em> are threatening enough to simply end the game.</p>
<p>For filling our graveyard there are as many options as there are decks that want the effect. In black we have arguably the best options out there. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buried Alive" href="#" target="_blank">Buried Alive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entomb" href="#" target="_blank">Entomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are probably the two best cards you can play.</p>
<p>Both allow you to search for the exact cards you want in your graveyard and being a low mana value means you can start to set up in the earlier turns of the game, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entomb" href="#" target="_blank">Entomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> even allowing some really powerful plays as early as turn two.</p>
<p>The other benefit of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entomb" href="#" target="_blank">Entomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is that it allows you to search for any card, not just creatures.</p>
<p>This means you can even search for something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dakmor Salvage" href="#" target="_blank">Dakmor Salvage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a flashback card like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dread Return" href="#" target="_blank">Dread Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. But these two aren't the only ways to fill our graveyard.</p>
<p>I'm personally a huge fan of dredge and being able to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buried Alive" href="#" target="_blank">Buried Alive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golgari Thug" href="#" target="_blank">Golgari Thug</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stinkweed Imp" href="#" target="_blank">Stinkweed Imp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets you turbo-fill your graveyard with tons of threats that you can then bring back en-masse with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Living Death" href="#" target="_blank">Living Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or even do it at instant speed with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twilight&#039;s Call" href="#" target="_blank">Twilight&#039;s Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>When it comes to the actual reanimation, again black gives us the best options in the game. I've already mentioned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dread Return" href="#" target="_blank">Dread Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> which is amazing because you can <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entomb" href="#" target="_blank">Entomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> it, but even if you draw it, being able to use this spell twice can swing some games in your favor very quickly.</p>
<p>We can also use the reanimation auras. The best of these are <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="Necromancy" href="#" target="_blank">Necromancy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, since they are cheap, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necromancy" href="#" target="_blank">Necromancy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, has the ability to be cast at instant speed which definitely makes up for the cost of having to get rid of the creature at the end of the turn since you can just reanimate something with a powerful effect when it enters.</p>
<p>If don't want to risk running into enchantment removal you can also use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, probably the best reanimation spell in the game (I mean, the archetype is named after it) and if you're looking to return non-legendaries you can use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Persist" href="#" target="_blank">Persist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> which also has an incredibly low mana value.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buried Alive"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reanimate"></div></div>
<p>Now onto the fun part, the reanimation targets.</p>
<p>Personally, I've always been a fan of being able to reanimate huge legendary creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheoldred, Whispering One" href="#" target="_blank">Sheoldred, Whispering One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vilis, Broker of Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Vilis, Broker of Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and of course <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Griselbrand" href="#" target="_blank">Griselbrand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (but obviously this one is banned sadly...).</p>
<p>Duskmourne also gives us <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valgavoth, Terror Eater" href="#" target="_blank">Valgavoth, Terror Eater</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a huge nine mana 9/9 that gives you another Lim-Dûl that allows you to pay life instead of mana to bring back dead creatures.</p>
<p>But recently we've seen more and more non-legendaries making <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Persist" href="#" target="_blank">Persist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> particularly good. If you look to the past of course you have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sepulchral Primordial" href="#" target="_blank">Sepulchral Primordial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, old-timey beaters that really start to show my age.</p>
<p>But in recent years you've had cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodletter of Aclazotz" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodletter of Aclazotz</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>[ and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archon of Cruelty" href="#" target="_blank">Archon of Cruelty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> who really put the threats we used to worry about to shame.</p>
<p>My favorite thing about adding a reanimation package to your deck is that you can completely tailor it to the power level of your playgroup, are they running high-powered decks?</p>
<p>Play something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheoldred, Whispering One" href="#" target="_blank">Sheoldred, Whispering One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archon of Cruelty" href="#" target="_blank">Archon of Cruelty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Is your playgroup lower-powered? Maybe go with a Zombie theme and run stuff like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undead Warchief" href="#" target="_blank">Undead Warchief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Headless Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Headless Rider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Being able to be so flexible means you could even run a sideboard of reanimation targets, shuffle them, and add a randomized selection to your deck every game.</p>
<p>The goal is just to make sure everyone has a good time!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred, Whispering One"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archon of Cruelty"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valgavoth, Terror Eater"></div></div>
<p>As with all <em>Technically Playable</em> articles, this was a very quick look at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lim-Dûl the Necromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Lim-Dûl the Necromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a commander, and a few of the cards that can really make a deck with Lim-Dûl as the commander tick.</p>
<p>Let me know in the comments below if you play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lim-Dûl the Necromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Lim-Dûl the Necromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, if you want to build a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lim-Dûl the Necromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Lim-Dûl the Necromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, or even if you just enjoyed this article!</p>
<hr />
<h4>Read more:</h4>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="3VSGhOfX9f"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/from-the-brim-to-the-trim-targeting-opponents-and-budgets-alike/">From the Brim to the Trim - Targeting Opponents and Budgets alike</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;From the Brim to the Trim - Targeting Opponents and Budgets alike&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/from-the-brim-to-the-trim-targeting-opponents-and-budgets-alike/embed/#?secret=AD8DbKkF2i#?secret=3VSGhOfX9f" data-secret="3VSGhOfX9f" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="0zVyccCROx"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/technically-playable-mikaeus-the-unhallowed/">Technically Playable - Mikaeus, the Unhallowed</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Technically Playable - Mikaeus, the Unhallowed&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/technically-playable-mikaeus-the-unhallowed/embed/#?secret=xZUlTKiHiA#?secret=0zVyccCROx" data-secret="0zVyccCROx" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Technically Playable - Lim-Dûl the Necromancer

From the Brim to the Trim - Targeting Opponents and Budgets alike

Duskmourn Set Review - Black

Technically Playable - Mikaeus, the Unhallowed

Brew For Your Buck - Build a Budget Mono-Black Deck

Singleton Shmingleton - Fleshbag Marauder

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rankle, Master of Pranks" href="#" target="_blank">Rankle, Master of Pranks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/burmak">Dmitry Burmak</a>)</h6>
<h1>Unlimited Power</h1>
<p>Did you know that EDHREC has an <a href="https://edhwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page">EDH Wiki</a>? Go check it out, if you haven’t already; it’s written by the community for the community, and there’s a lot of cool stuff in there! <em>Deep Analysis</em> is series where we learn about an archetype using its Wiki page, then apply this new knowledge to build a deck.</p>
<p>In this article we'll be covering the Discard archetype.</p>
<blockquote>
<h4>"Discard is a control archetype built around forcing opponents to discard cards from their hand, often gaining additional benefits when opponents discard cards and/or when opponents have no cards in hand."</h4>
</blockquote>
<p>Discard is a proactive control archetype, which means that it deals with threats before they hit the field. Usually, when we think about discard spells, we think of cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thoughtseize" href="#" target="_blank">Thoughtseize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. However, having one-for-one trades like this both lacks an overall punch for most of our payoffs and is extremely inefficient when in a multiplayer setting. This means that we need both constant sources of discard, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necrogen Mists" href="#" target="_blank">Necrogen Mists</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and/or high impact, one-shot discard spells, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mind Rake" href="#" target="_blank">Mind Rake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Color Identity</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Mono-Black</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tinybones, Trinket Thief"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tergrid, God of Fright"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rankle, Master of Pranks"></div></div>
<p>Mono-black is the baseline for Discard-themed decks. It contains all the important pieces and has some interesting commanders to choose from.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Rakdos</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kroxa, Titan of Death&#039;s Hunger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Neheb, the Worthy"></div></div>
<p>Red is a great addition to the archetype. It gives us access to wheel effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reforge the Soul" href="#" target="_blank">Reforge the Soul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and we can complement our strategy with some aggressive hate pieces that allow will allow us to keep constant pressure on our opponents.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Orzhov</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kunoros, Hound of Athreos"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liesa, Shroud of Dusk"></div></div>
<p>Orzhov is a bit of an oddball for the strategy, but white gives us access to tax effects can slow down the game enough to buy us enough time for our discard effects to kick in. We do lose a lot in commander quality, with most of our choices being more of a compromise than anything else.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Commander Choice</h2>
<p>Our first major choice is whether we want an enabler or a payoff to be in the command zone. Having an enabler as a commander guarantees a degree of consistency in executing our plan and allows us to focus a bit more on the payoff elements of our strategy. On the other hand, having a payoff in the command zone is really powerful and, more often than not, can be something to build our deck around, which is always fun. In this case in particular, consistency seems like a key aspect for our strategy, so having a reliable commander, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rankle, Master of Pranks" href="#" target="_blank">Rankle, Master of Pranks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, seems like a perfect choice for this.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rankle Discard" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div></p>
<p>[Commander]</p>
<p>*Rankle, Master of Pranks</p>
<p>[/Commander]</p>
<p>[Creature]</p>
<p>*Bloodsoaked Champion<br />
*Gutterbones<br />
*Bloodghast<br />
*Burglar Rat<br />
*Elderfang Disciple<br />
*Elvish Doomsayer<br />
*Miasmic Mummy<br />
*Nether Traitor<br />
*Rotting Rats<br />
*Skyclave Shade<br />
*Tinybones, Trinket Thief<br />
*Demon's Disciple<br />
*Haakon, Stromgald Scourge<br />
*Liliana, Heretical Healer<br />
*Murderous Rider<br />
*Plaguecrafter<br />
*Fell Specter<br />
*Sadistic Hypnotist<br />
*Scourge of Nel Toth<br />
[/Creature]</p>
<p>[Enchantment]</p>
<p>*Phyrexian Reclamation</p>
<p>*Quest for the Nihil Stone<br />
*Shrieking Affliction<br />
*Animate Dead<br />
*Liliana's Caress<br />
*Waste Not<br />
*Bottomless Pit<br />
*Megrim<br />
*Necrogen Mists<br />
*Oppression<br />
*Words of Waste<br />
*Raiders' Wake<br />
*Larceny<br />
*Painful Quandary<br />
[/Enchantment]</p>
<p>[Instant]</p>
<p>*Heartless Act</p>
<p>[/Instant]</p>
<p>[Planeswalker]</p>
<p>*Liliana of the Veil<br />
*Ugin, the Ineffable<br />
*Ugin, the Spirit Dragon</p>
<p>[/Planeswalker]</p>
<p>[Artifact]</p>
<p>*Everflowing Chalice<br />
*Skullclamp<br />
*Sol Ring<br />
*The Rack<br />
*Wayfarer's Bauble</p>
<p>*Guardian Idol</p>
<p>*Jet Medallion<br />
*Lightning Greaves<br />
*Mind Stone<br />
*Swiftfoot Boots<br />
*Darksteel Plate<br />
*Phyrexian Totem<br />
*Wheel of Torture<br />
*Geth's Grimoire<br />
*Hedron Archive</p>
<p>[/Artifact]</p>
<p>[Sorcery]</p>
<p>*Reanimate<br />
*Feed the Swarm<br />
*Smallpox<br />
*Dead of Winter<br />
*Mind Rake<br />
*Toxic Deluge<br />
*Damnation<br />
*Syphon Mind<br />
*Command the Dreadhorde<br />
*Tasigur's Cruelty<br />
[/Sorcery]</p>
<p>[Land]</p>
<p>*Cabal Coffers<br />
*Castle Locthwain<br />
*Faceless Haven<br />
*Ghost Quarter<br />
*Mutavault<br />
*Tectonic Edge<br />
*Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth</p>
<p>*30 Snow-Covered Swamp</p>
<p>[/Land]</p>
<p>[/Deck]</p>

<hr />
<h2>Discard</h2>
<p>This is what our deck is all about. We have two types of discard cards: consistent, and one-shot.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Consistent</h3>
<p>These are great for keeping our opponents' options low, but unless we have a few of them out, they can be a bit too slow to really make a difference.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Larceny"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bottomless Pit"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oppression"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sadistic Hypnotist" href="#" target="_blank">Sadistic Hypnotist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bottomless Pit" href="#" target="_blank">Bottomless Pit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Larceny" href="#" target="_blank">Larceny</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necrogen Mists" href="#" target="_blank">Necrogen Mists</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oppression" href="#" target="_blank">Oppression</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Painful Quandary" href="#" target="_blank">Painful Quandary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raiders&#039; Wake" href="#" target="_blank">Raiders&#039; Wake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Words of Waste" href="#" target="_blank">Words of Waste</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Heretical Healer // Liliana, Defiant Necromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Heretical Healer // Liliana, Defiant Necromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana of the Veil" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana of the Veil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">One-Shot</h3>
<p>One-shot effects are perfect to get the ball rolling, and they come in all shapes and forms. In this build, we're focusing on bodies that have a discard effect stapled into them. They aren't all that explosive, but they do help us provide some synergy with other cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Burglar Rat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smallpox"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tasigur&#039;s Cruelty"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burglar Rat" href="#" target="_blank">Burglar Rat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elderfang Disciple" href="#" target="_blank">Elderfang Disciple</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Doomsayer" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Doomsayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Miasmic Mummy" href="#" target="_blank">Miasmic Mummy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rotting Rats" href="#" target="_blank">Rotting Rats</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mind Rake" href="#" target="_blank">Mind Rake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smallpox" href="#" target="_blank">Smallpox</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syphon Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Syphon Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tasigur&#039;s Cruelty" href="#" target="_blank">Tasigur&#039;s Cruelty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Discard Payoff</h2>
<p>Aside from the obvious benefit of leaving our opponents <em>Hellbent</em>, we have a selection of aggressive payoffs that put the pressure on our opponents once we've established our hand disruption.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Act of Discard</h3>
<p>These cards punish our opponents for discarding their cards. They're not only great for our own discard effects, but also because they can hose some other strategies, like Wheels and <em>Cycling</em>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Geth&#039;s Grimoire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana&#039;s Caress"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Waste Not"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Geth&#039;s Grimoire" href="#" target="_blank">Geth&#039;s Grimoire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fell Specter" href="#" target="_blank">Fell Specter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tinybones, Trinket Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Tinybones, Trinket Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana&#039;s Caress" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana&#039;s Caress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Megrim" href="#" target="_blank">Megrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raiders&#039; Wake" href="#" target="_blank">Raiders&#039; Wake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Waste Not" href="#" target="_blank">Waste Not</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Empty Hand Payoff</h3>
<p>These cards help us keep the pressure once we manage to lower our opponents' hand sizes. These effects are usually a bit lacking, but since we have an aggressive shell, they complement our gameplan.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Rack"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Quest for the Nihil Stone"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Rack" href="#" target="_blank">The Rack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wheel of Torture" href="#" target="_blank">Wheel of Torture</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quest for the Nihil Stone" href="#" target="_blank">Quest for the Nihil Stone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shrieking Affliction" href="#" target="_blank">Shrieking Affliction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Recursive Creatures</h2>
<p>This is where our build diverges a bit from the usual. There are many sources of discard that are symmetrical, like our commander, so by having a bunch of aggressive recursive creatures allows us to break the parity and get some value from our discards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodghast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodsoaked Champion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nether Traitor"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodghast" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodghast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodsoaked Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodsoaked Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gutterbones" href="#" target="_blank">Gutterbones</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haakon, Stromgald Scourge" href="#" target="_blank">Haakon, Stromgald Scourge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nether Traitor" href="#" target="_blank">Nether Traitor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scourge of Nel Toth" href="#" target="_blank">Scourge of Nel Toth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skyclave Shade" href="#" target="_blank">Skyclave Shade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<blockquote>
<h4>"If discard decks do not find 'payoff' cards that synergize or deal damage to their enemies after cards have been discarded, the lack of cards in players' hands can stall the game in a way that is not usually enjoyed by most players.</h4>
<h4>"It is very easy for graveyard-based commanders to avoid the negative downsides of discard effects, as discard players may accidentally provide those players with the fuel their decks need to win the game.</h4>
<h4>"Discard decks can be less effective against aggro strategies that already plan to quickly play all the cards in their hand in the first place, leaving them with little to discard. Because so many cards in discard decks affect players' hands, rather than the battlefield, this can leave the discard player vulnerable to on-board threats."</h4>
</blockquote>
<p>Given that we are building a synergy-based deck, where we need to find both enablers and payoff, there'll be games where we might only draw "one half" of our deck. I chose to have access to a consistent discard outlet in the command zone. However, this can lead to games where we don't see enough payoffs for this to be worthwhile. One easy way to circumvent this would be choosing a payoff commander (such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tinybones, Trinket Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Tinybones, Trinket Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) who does not cause the discard itself, but which does reward us when we cause discard to happen.</p>
<p>This is one of our deck's weakness: both Reanimator and Self-Mill can leverage our discard spells. One easy way to avoid such nuisances is to include a few graveyard hate cards. Don't get me wrong, they'll still be a hard match-up, but at least they give us a fighting chance.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reanimate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bojuka Bog"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soul-Guide Lantern"></div></div>
<p>One of the benefits of taking in an aggressive route is that we have plenty of bodies and damage to try to compete with them. One thing to note is that we won't be winning any friends by playing a discard-heavy strategy, so we'll need to deal with them on our own.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Which Card? Discard</h2>
<p>And that’s it for this article. Now I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts on this list or on Discard-based decks in general. What archetype do you want to see covered next?</p>
<p>While this series will focus on just archetypes, <a href="https://edhwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page">there’s a ton of other cool community-built content in the Wiki</a>. Check it out, and feel free to contribute, if you’d like!</p>


Deep Analysis - Discard

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Archetune-Up - Knight of the Living Dead

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mono black