<p style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.daarken.com/">Daarken</a></span></i></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Skeletons are an integral part of getting into the Halloween spirit. Every year, when I was in elementary school, we would watch a cartoon version of Danse macabre, a symphonic poem by Camille Saint-Saens. It was a beautiful and haunting depiction of skeletons rising from their graves, playing music, and dancing, and it’s stayed with me ever since, inspiring today’s kindred build.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Drudge Skeletons"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kuro, Pitlord"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hypnotic Specter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Ritual"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first deck I ever built was Skeletons and Demons, using the regenerating <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drudge Skeletons" href="#" target="_blank">Drudge Skeletons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to clog up the ground while the foil <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kuro, Pitlord" href="#" target="_blank">Kuro, Pitlord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from my first-ever booster pack beat down. Like last week’s <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hypnotic Specter" href="#" target="_blank">Hypnotic Specter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, my first deck was powered by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s to enable the Demon beatdown plan. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Skeleton of that deck can make an interesting kindred Commander deck, but there are some holes to address when trying to make them a centerpiece. Small, regenerating creatures do a great job of defense, but there’s a reason I needed Demons for offense. If we’re going to cut the Demons, we need to have some sort of a plan.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is where our commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> comes in. While the name may evoke the humorous “French Mistake” dance sequence from Blazing Saddles, the card is no joke, and neither is this Commander deck tech.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake"></div></div>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Do?</span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reassembling Skeleton"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Skeleton Horror is a conglomeration of Skeleton pieces capable of reanimating itself from the grave, operating on a similar level to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It requires mana to activate this ability, as well as eight or more permanent cards in the graveyard. A threat that can return itself over and over is quite deadly, although it does enter with a finality counter that would exile it upon death if returned this way.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the most important elements of our commander is its raw stats. Most Skeletons only have one or two power, but our commander is a bunch of Skeletons bundled together, so it’s much bigger than any one body. No, our commander is a 6/4 with vigilance and menace, making it a powerhouse on offense and defense. Now we can beat in on opponents while holding the ground with regenerators.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how do we actually win? Armies of the undead tend to be slow and inevitable, but those types of decks, while good at winning, are rarely exciting. We could build this deck to use the regeneration with board wipes to outlast opponents, and that could be effective. This version, though, is much more grandiose: what if we did what <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does, but on a grander scale?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You see, there are other creature types that interact with the graveyard, like Zombies. How are Skeletons different from Zombies? Is the little bit of flesh that clings to Zombies enough to make them functionally unique from Skeletons?</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Millikin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deranged Assistant"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While Zombies tend to care about the graveyard, we’re going all-in. Since our commander cares about permanents in the grave, and we want to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on a massive scale, we need ways to fill the grave. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Millikin" href="#" target="_blank">Millikin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deranged Assistant" href="#" target="_blank">Deranged Assistant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are solid ways to fill the grave while ramping, enabling explosive starts.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Patriarch&#039;s Bidding"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Living Death"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once we have a full grave, we want to return all the Skeletons at once. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reassembling Skeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Reassembling Skeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is cute and has solid synergy with sacrifice effects, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Patriarch&#039;s Bidding" href="#" target="_blank">Patriarch&#039;s Bidding</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <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> are win conditions that can provide dramatic swings in momentum. These swings are what enables us to go wide while maintaining a solid defense.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadly Dispute"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vivisection"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Speaking of sacrificing, both black and blue have ways to sacrifice creatures for fun and profit. We can draw cards with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadly Dispute" href="#" target="_blank">Deadly Dispute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivisection" href="#" target="_blank">Vivisection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or remove creatures with Bone Shards and Bone Splinters. Either way, we get bodies into the grave without milling.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Tower"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crypt of Agadeem"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spawning Pool"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our nonbasic lands involve the grave, sacrificing, and even Skeletons! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crypt of Agadeem" href="#" target="_blank">Crypt of Agadeem</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are ways to generate large amounts of mana, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spawning Pool" href="#" target="_blank">Spawning Pool</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> happens to animate into a Skeleton and is another excellent way to follow up a board wipe.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commander Deck Win?</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our goal is to load our grave with Skeletons and then bring them all back in a glorious and horrifying display of necromantic power. We can bide time by clogging the ground with recursive defenders as we mill and sacrifice our way to a full grave.</span></p>
<h2><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake" href="#" target="_blank">Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commander Decklist</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Bone Dragon
*1 Carrionette
*1 Champion of Stray Souls
*1 Clattering Augur
*1 Death Baron
*1 Death Tyrant
*1 Death-Priest of Myrkul
*1 Deranged Assistant
*1 Dimir House Guard
*1 Drudge Skeletons
*1 Emperor of Bones
*1 Ghastly Death Tyrant
*1 Gutless Plunderer
*1 Gutterbones
*1 Hunted Bonebrute
*1 Kathari Remnant
*1 Manor Skeleton
*1 Millikin
*1 Mortus Strider
*1 Ozox, the Clattering King
*1 Paragon of Open Graves
*1 Persistent Specimen
*1 Reassembling Skeleton
*1 Restless Dead
*1 Sanitarium Skeleton
*1 Scrabbling Skullcrab
*1 Screaming Swarm
*1 Skeletal Vampire
*1 Skeleton Crew
*1 Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
*1 Tenacious Dead
*1 Underworld Sentinel
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Cemetery Tampering
*1 Corpses of the Lost
*1 Out of the Tombs
*1 Oversold Cemetery
*1 Ripples of Undeath
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Altar of the Wretched // Wretched Bonemass
*1 Grimoire of the Dead
*1 The Grim Captain&#039;s Locker
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Another Chance
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Death Denied
*1 Eviscerator&#039;s Insight
*1 Nasty End
*1 Village Rites
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Bone Shards
*1 Bone Splinters
*1 Boneyard Parley
*1 Call of the Death-Dweller
*1 Command the Dreadhorde
*1 Dread Return
*1 Haunting Voyage
*1 Incarnation Technique
*1 Living Death
*1 Patriarch&#039;s Bidding
*1 Skulltap
*1 Victimize
*1 Vivisection
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Accursed Duneyard
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Crypt of Agadeem
*1 Hostile Hostel // Creeping Inn
*10 Island
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Phyrexian Tower
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Spawning Pool
*1 Spymaster&#039;s Vault
*20 Swamp
*1 Tomb Fortress
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div></span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conclusion</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Skeletons are a lot of fun as a support type, but even more so as a focus. Yes, they need some work to become a threat, but, once they get going, they can be truly frightening.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how would you build Skeletons? And is building around board wipes better than mass reanimation?</span></p>


Building Skeleton Kindred with Uchbenbak, the Great Mistake

From the Brim to the Trim - Budget Multiplicities for Opponents' Fatalities

From the Brim to the Trim - Melting opponents' faces with a Budget Reanimator Deck

From the Brim to the Trim - Smoldering Budget and Opponents Alike

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gisa and Geralf" href="#" target="_blank">Gisa and Geralf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.aaronjriley.com/">Aaron J. Riley</a>)</h6>
<h1>Open Casket</h1>
<p>Hello dear reader, and welcome to EDHREC’s <i>Precon Primer</i> series! In this series, we take a deep dive into the latest precon products by reviewing the new commanders, discussing deck strategies and how they play out of the box, and highlighting the best new cards and reprints. I’m Nick from the Scrap Trawlers, where we do EDH on a budget, and I’ll be your guide for this article.</p>
<p>It's no surprise that Commander is the most popular casual format. In fact, it's so popular that some people learn how to play the game through Commander! Due to this, <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> has created a new product series called Starter Commander Decks. There are five decks in total, each themed around an easy-to-play strategy, consist entirely of reprints, and can be purchased for around half the price of normal Commander decks.</p>
<p>One of the issues I had when I started playing Magic was that I couldn't play with all of my friends at the same time. Commander wasn't as prominent of a format as it is today, so I was stuck playing Standard. These decks are the solution to that problem! You can easily grab a few of your friends, purchase these decks, and begin your journey into the world of <em>Magic: the Gathering</em> together; all without spending a fortune!</p>
<p>Of the five decks, one that caught my immediate attention was Grave Danger, the Blue Black Zombies themed deck. Creature family strategies are popular among veteran players and newcomers alike, and for good reason! They're naturally synergistic and easy to understand. Plus, who doesn't like the idea of commanding an army of the dead?</p>
<h2>Family Reunion</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gisa and Geralf"></div></div>
<p>The face commander of this deck is the sinister sibling duo known as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gisa and Geralf" href="#" target="_blank">Gisa and Geralf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. When they enter the battlefield, you mill four cards. They also allow you to cast a zombie from your graveyard once per turn. As far as wizards go, they have a respectable power and toughness at 4/4. You may not be winning with commander damage, but you'll deter some unfavorable attacks. Since your graveyard will act as a second hand, mill four almost reads draw four! There are 26 zombies in the deck, so chances are good you'll hit at least one. Before we continue, let's take a look at the whole decklist in all its undead glory.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Starter Commander (Grave Danger)" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gisa and Geralf
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Grimoire of the Dead
*1 Heraldic Banner
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Unstable Obelisk
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dismal Backwater
*13 Island
*1 Jwar Isle Refuge
*1 Salt Marsh
*1 Submerged Boneyard
*1 Sunken Hollow
*18 Swamp
*1 Temple of Deceit
[/Lands]
[Sorceries]
*1 Army of the Damned
*1 Crippling Fear
*1 Deep Analysis
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Enter the God-Eternals
*1 Feed the Swarm
*1 Necromantic Selection
*1 Necrotic Hex
*1 Pilfered Plans
*1 Syphon Flesh
*1 Victimize
*1 Zombie Apocalypse
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Cruel Revival
*1 Lazotep Plating
*1 Murder
*1 Sinister Sabotage
*1 Undermine
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Curse of Disturbance
*1 Liliana&#039;s Mastery
*1 Open the Graves
*1 Vampiric Rites
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Liliana, Untouched by Death
[/Planeswalkers]
[Creatures]
*1 Cemetery Reaper
*1 Champion of the Perished
*1 Diregraf Captain
*1 Eternal Skylord
*1 Fleshbag Marauder
*1 Geralf&#039;s Mindcrusher
*1 Gleaming Overseer
*1 Gravespawn Sovereign
*1 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
*1 Havengul Lich
*1 Josu Vess, Lich Knight
*1 Laboratory Drudge
*1 Lazotep Reaver
*1 Liliana&#039;s Devotee
*1 Liliana&#039;s Standard Bearer
*1 Lord of the Accursed
*1 Lotleth Giant
*1 Loyal Subordinate
*1 Midnight Reaper
*1 Mire Triton
*1 Overseer of the Damned
*1 Scourge of Nel Toth
*1 Spark Reaper
*1 Unbreathing Horde
*1 Undead Augur
*1 Vela the Night-Clad
*1 Vengeful Dead
*1 Vizier of the Scorpion
*1 Withered Wretch
[/Creatures]"></span></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Bring Out Your Dead</h2>
<p>The gameplan is simple: play zombie, send them into battle to die for the cause, and bring them back with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gisa and Geralf" href="#" target="_blank">Gisa and Geralf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for round two. Or three. Or four! Zombies are the most resilient creature strategy in magic. You may be slower than goblins, and you may not have the evasion of dragons, but nothing short of a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merciless Eviction" href="#" target="_blank">Merciless Eviction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is going to stop your army of darkness from taking over the game if it goes long. Normally, creature type strategies flounder in games with heavy removal. Zombies <em>thrive </em>in those environments, so much that you'll often sacrifice them yourself!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Champion of the Perished"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mire Triton"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Diregraf Captain"></div></div>
<p>Creatures with enters the battlefield or dies triggers are very important to provide incremental value over the course of the game. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Champion of the Perished" href="#" target="_blank">Champion of the Perished</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gets bigger. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mire Triton" href="#" target="_blank">Mire Triton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> mills for more zombies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diregraf Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Diregraf Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> slowly ticks away at opposing life totals. Those are just the tip of the unholy iceberg!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fleshbag Marauder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Necrotic Hex"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vampiric Rites"></div></div>
<p>What if you can't convince your opponents to block or attack you? Have no fear, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleshbag Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Fleshbag Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is here as a repeatable source of removal that will eventually remove all your opponents' creatures. Looking for something a little stronger? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necrotic Hex" href="#" target="_blank">Necrotic Hex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one half board wipe and one half army-in-a-can! If you want something more traditional, spending a couple mana into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampiric Rites" href="#" target="_blank">Vampiric Rites</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will help you keep pace with the rest of the table.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gray Merchant of Asphodel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Army of the Damned"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vengeful Dead"></div></div>
<p>Eventually you'll want to show your friends an early grave, and a few death loops from format all-star <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gray Merchant of Asphodel" href="#" target="_blank">Gray Merchant of Asphodel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a Ravnican <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lotleth Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Lotleth Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will get the job done. Don't have a high devotion to black? Don't worry about it! If zombies can sleep, then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Army of the Damned" href="#" target="_blank">Army of the Damned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the haymaker dreams are made of. With a big enough board presence, landing a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vengeful Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Vengeful Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vela the Night-Clad" href="#" target="_blank">Vela the Night-Clad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will make your opponents think twice about casting that <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>.</p>
<h2>How-To-Play</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lazotep Reaver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enter the God-Eternals"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cemetery Reaper"></div></div>
<p>For starting hands, a "perfect" 7 involves three lands and some mana acceleration like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With those four cards, you can play Gisa and Geralf on turn 3 and either begin casting zombies from your hand or graveyard. The early game will revolve around creating value engines involving your commander. This can be as simple as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazotep Reaver" href="#" target="_blank">Lazotep Reaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in combination with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spark Reaper" href="#" target="_blank">Spark Reaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to repeatedly gain life, draw a card, and grow a zombie army token. In the middle of the game, focus on protecting your engines with spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazotep Plating" href="#" target="_blank">Lazotep Plating</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sinister Sabotage" href="#" target="_blank">Sinister Sabotage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Slowing your your opponents' plans with removal in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feed the Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Feed the Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enter the God-Eternals" href="#" target="_blank">Enter the God-Eternals</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will keep them a step behind while you continue to accrue value. In the late game, if your graveyard is big enough you can come from behind with a devastating Zombie Apocalypse, or simply overwhelm your opponents with larger zombies with support from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cemetery Reaper" href="#" target="_blank">Cemetery Reaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord of the Accursed" href="#" target="_blank">Lord of the Accursed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana&#039;s Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana&#039;s Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>What's Old is New Again</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Liliana, Untouched by Death"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Havengul Lich"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Loyal Subordinate"></div></div>
<p>The Starter Commander decks don't contain any new cards, but there's a few noteworthy reprints! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Untouched by Death" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Untouched by Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is effectively a second copy of your commander, with bonus removal tacked on. Normally Planeswalkers are less effective in commander since you'll lose creatures trying to keep them alive, but you'll have plenty of blockers to defend her that you really don't mind sending to the graveyard! There's also <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Havengul Lich" href="#" target="_blank">Havengul Lich</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a great way to reanimate a creature from anyone's graveyard, and maybe steal some abilities along the way. Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Loyal Subordinate" href="#" target="_blank">Loyal Subordinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> sees its first ever reprint. Anyone who's played against this card knows how annoying and effective it is at lowering life totals. In this deck it's even harder to remove! If your opponents aren't packing exile removal, this subordinate is here to stay.</p>
<h2>Dearly Departed</h2>
<p>So is Grave Danger worth picking up? For what this product is attempting to accomplish, I'd say yes. While this may not be as strong as the Undead Unleashed precon from Midnight Hunt, it's a fraction of the cost. It's a great start to fill out your Zombie collection, with a solid foundation of interaction, ramp, and card draw that's easily built upon if desired. There’s plenty of ways to take this deck to the next level, but if you’re looking to do it on the cheap, check out the upgrade article right here on EDHREC! If you’d like to see more from the Scrap Trawlers you can find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/ScrapTrawlers">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/ScrapTrawlers">YouTube</a>, and <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers">Twitch</a>.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


Grave Danger - Precon Primer

Archetune-Up - Spirited Away

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rude Awakening" href="#" target="_blank">Rude Awakening</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.mtgpics.com/illus?art=351&amp;reprints=1">Ittoku</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>"Rude awakening." That's a strange idiom, isn't it? There's the intended meaning of a harsher realization casting a cold, hard shadow on one's naive preconceptions. This plays on the lyrical image of someone being shaken awake, as from a pleasant slumber or a daydreaming doze. The feeling of a sudden turbulence, a dramatic change in one's state of mind (or board), is likely a familiar one for all of us.</p>
<p>And though it can certainly be unpleasant, why is politeness factored into the discussion at all? Is it somehow a breach of decorum to alert someone, even roughly, to the truth of wakefulness?</p>
<p>Wake up, sheeple! Or, wake up sheeple? Oh, uh, Gyrus can actually do that. Commas can be fun.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gyrus, Waker of Corpses"></div></div>
<p>And the sad truth is that although there is a distant and tertiary theme of Dragon tribal in this brew, this <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/reanimate">Reanimate</a> deck inside a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/sacrifice">Sacrifice</a> deck has no method by which to grant Human as an additional creature type to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nyx-fleece Ram" href="#" target="_blank">Nyx-fleece Ram</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, although I'm sure that's possible in another deck.</p>
<p>Without too much more rambling in the hillsides of madness, I welcome you to the latest edition of <em>Dual Shot</em>, where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Hidden in the Depths</h2>
<p>We're back to a split more closely approximating 80/20, as was established in <em>Dual Shot</em>'s pilot studies. Actually, sometimes it feels like you have to really dig for the reanimation subtheme to rear its head, even with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyrus, Waker of Corpses" href="#" target="_blank">Gyrus, Waker of Corpses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at the helm. But these two themes enjoy a sort of natural synergy: sacrificing creatures puts them into the graveyard, and in this case, apparently, they're only mostly dead, as your Hydra alarm clock is clamorous enough to get them up and out of their deathbed.</p>
<p>And while we're going to be running cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Victimize" href="#" target="_blank">Victimize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <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>, the payoffs are primarily in the shape of sacrifice triggers - in fact, in our 99 lurks a king cursed with gluttony: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Korvold, Fae-Cursed King" href="#" target="_blank">Korvold, Fae-Cursed King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Korvold almost functions as a hidden commander, fueled by the rest of the deck and either drawing you into an out or turning sideways, himself. Reanimating one of our draconic threats - cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund" href="#" target="_blank">Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atarka, World Render" href="#" target="_blank">Atarka, World Render</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, can easily knock a single player out of the game, but you'll need to rely on the pressure of recursion and card draw in order to eke out a victory - especially with a card as common as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bojuka Bog" href="#" target="_blank">Bojuka Bog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> essentially hitting you like it's a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Walk" href="#" target="_blank">Time Walk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if you're in a lane for reanimation.</p>
<p>One other thing to be wary of is the fact that Gyrus puts a creature token onto the battlefield tapped and attacking - which means that although the creature <em>is</em> attacking, it was never declared as an attacker while moving into to phase (when you declared Gyrus as an attacker) - this means that any tokens you create with on-attack triggers do not trigger. No surprise bonus mana from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Savage Ventmaw" href="#" target="_blank">Savage Ventmaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, sadly. But let's take a look at the pile of cards and see what <em>does</em> work.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Gyrus and the Circle of Corpses" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gyrus, Waker of Corpses
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Paradise Druid
*1 Leyline Prowler
*1 Sorcerer&#039;s Broom
*1 Rapacious Dragon
*1 Izoni, Thousand-Eyed
*1 Demanding Dragon
*1 Thrashing Brontodon
*1 Syr Konrad, the Grim
*1 Catalyst Elemental
*1 Battle Rampart
*1 Korvold, Fae-Cursed King
*1 Mayhem Devil
*1 Atarka, World Render
*1 Darigaaz Reincarnated
*1 Malfegor
*1 Tymaret, the Murder King
*1 Swift Warkite
*1 Lyzolda, the Blood Witch
*1 Plaguecrafter
*1 Gorging Vulture
*1 Hope of Ghirapur
*1 Goblin Cratermaker
*1 Bladewing the Risen
*1 Keeper of Fables
*1 Priest of Forgotten Gods
*1 Gluttonous Troll
*1 Judith, the Scourge Diva
*1 Savage Ventmaw
*1 Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Murder
*1 Bake into a Pie
*1 Gang Up
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Fling
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Gild
*1 Tormenting Voice
*1 Hull Breach
*1 Taste of Death
*1 Painful Lesson
*1 Sign in Blood
*1 Mana Seism
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Portent of Betrayal
*1 Savage Twister
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Bloodsoaked Altar
*1 Golden Egg
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Rakdos Cluestone
*1 Gruul Cluestone
*1 Golgari Cluestone
*1 Witch&#039;s Oven
*1 Altar of Shadows
*1 Kolaghan Monument
*1 Golgari Locket
*1 Rakdos Locket
*1 Gruul Locket
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Bloodfire Infusion
*1 Shade&#039;s Form
*1 Moldervine Reclamation
*1 Dark Heart of the Wood
*1 Burning Sands
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Angrath, Captain of Chaos
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Command Tower
*1 Guildmages&#039; Forum
*1 Jund Panorama
*1 Savage Lands
*1 Geothermal Crevice
*1 Rocky Tar Pit
*1 Mountain Valley
*1 Bloodfell Caves
*1 Jungle Hollow
*1 Rugged Highlands
*1 Timber Gorge
*1 Foul Orchard
*1 Cinder Barrens
*1 Golgari Guildgate
*1 Temple of Malady
*1 Cryptic Caves
*1 Sapseep Forest
*1 Rakdos Carnarium
*1 Gruul Turf
*5 Swamp
*4 Mountain
*7 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>So you might have noticed that this is a shakily modified Korvold Brawl deck. As well, this particular <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dual Shot" href="#" target="_blank">Dual Shot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is still in the early stages of development. You'll want good utility from your sacrificial lambs, er, Dragons, or whatever weird thing you'll be delivering to the gods. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spore Frog" href="#" target="_blank">Spore Frog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are must-includes, and although we want our creatures dying for the cause, a good pair of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be nice for Gyrus, though I'm not exactly sure it's the boot-wearing type. Sandals, maybe. In any case, Gyrus dying to removal isn't the worst thing in the world, as his commander tax can be worked into his casting cost rather elegantly. For example, the first time you cast him, say you make X=3, so you cast him for 6 mana in total. He dies, and then you recast him with X equaling 1, you pay the tax of 2, and you've... spent 6 mana in total. Your clangorous Hydra still enters with six +1/+1 counters. That's the sort of recursion that any Timmy or Tammy could love.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spore Frog"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ashnod&#039;s Altar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lightning Greaves"></div></div>
<p>Then some obvious cards to connect our adjacent themes at play: <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>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Victimize" href="#" target="_blank">Victimize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <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> - and a few other <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-esque cards (like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, perhaps) to get the infrastructure of our thematic bridge up to code.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buried Alive"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Victimize"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dread Return"></div></div>
<p>While you're cleaning up your mana base - replacing the taplands, gainlands, and lockets with any sort of fetch, even things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolving Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Evolving Wilds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terramorphic Expanse" href="#" target="_blank">Terramorphic Expanse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for fixing and sacrifice triggers - you may also tidy up some of the rest of the chaff. While all-stars like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <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>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog Monsters" href="#" target="_blank">The Gitrog Monsters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all very interested in what we're doing, simpler upgrades (read: removal suite) take priority. How did a regular old <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murder" href="#" target="_blank">Murder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> find its way in here? Gods, it's like I'm asleep when I add the removal to these decks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doom Blade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Storm&#039;s Wrath"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reclamation Sage"></div></div>
<p>You'll also have fun slotting in things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anger" href="#" target="_blank">Anger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramunap Excavator" href="#" target="_blank">Ramunap Excavator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleshbag Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Fleshbag Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feldon of the Third Path" href="#" target="_blank">Feldon of the Third Path</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pitiless Plunderer" href="#" target="_blank">Pitiless Plunderer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This reanimation catalogue, though not particularly fleshed out (accidental pun with our Zombie Warrior friend), ends up looking more Mardu than Jund - insofar as it's combat-centric. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyrus, Waker of Corpses" href="#" target="_blank">Gyrus, Waker of Corpses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bladewing the Risen" href="#" target="_blank">Bladewing the Risen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atarka, World Render" href="#" target="_blank">Atarka, World Render</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is wonderfully stupid and probably doesn't even work the way I want it to (remember, when creatures are made to enter the battlefield tapped and attacking, they were never declared as attackers, so "when ~ attacks" triggers don't hit the stack). At any rate, if you need another Dragon, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prossh, Skyraider of Kher" href="#" target="_blank">Prossh, Skyraider of Kher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has got your back. I can only assume that means he has your back, and most of the rest of you, in his mouth, but, hey, free sacrifice outlet.</p>
<p>As it stands, this list is really more of a 90/10 split, but that's owing to one simple truth: that this was just a Korvold deck at first. The Brawl precon got retooled into an EDH deck that looked a little bit too much like many other recs for the Fae-Cursed King. That there was a good deal of overlap in the sacrifice and reanimation themes (and any graveyard strategy, really) led to this becoming an early <em>Dual Shot</em> candidate. And even in its fledgling form, this list hearkens back to <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/dual-shot-dynamic-stall/">an earlier <em>Dual Shot</em></a> experiment, one with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> front and center. By this I mean that a much closer split seems very feasible. As long as you can reliably fill your graveyard (self-mill, sacrifice outlets, big threats eating spot removal), you have fuel for reanimation. If you can secure payoffs for both filling <em>and</em> emptying your yard, then perhaps by some metrics, you've brewed two decks at the same time...<em> in one deck</em>... aaaand <em>Catchphrase!</em></p>
<p>That's all for today. If I'm to field a question to you folks, then it has to be about graveyard synergy. What lists have you played with that did more than one thing with the old lichyard? Were you bringing back lands and maybe hoping for a heavy ping with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lotleth Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Lotleth Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Let us know in the comments. Till next we meet.</p>


Dual Shot - Rude Awakening

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rise of the Dark Realms" href="#" target="_blank">Rise of the Dark Realms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.komarckart.com/index.html">Michael Komarck</a>)</h6>
<h1>What Is Dead May Never Die</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Diabolic Intent</em>, where we build decks around iconic villains and their diabolical schemes! This week's featured guest hails from a TV show often noted for its heart-wrenching and gory deaths, the most notable of these being the tragic final season deaths of the show's fanbase, character arcs, and cultural impact. This makes my resurrection of the exceptionally dead conversation around Game of Thrones rather appropriate, given our guest's penchant for similarly necromantic activities.</p>
<p>The Night King's ultimate goal was a bit of a bummer, in that it involved a lot of eternal winter and darkness. In spite of this rather misanthropic campaign strategy, his ideology swayed many loyal recruits from a historically underrepresented base: dead people! Fortunately for us, swampy mages have been championing the right for dead people to serve in private militias since 1993, giving us a wide range of cards to choose from.</p>
<p>Obligatory Spoiler Warning: I'd say I don't want to ruin the ending, but the show kinda beat me to the punch there. (Follow up warning: like many fans, I found the ending of this show maddeningly unsatisfying, and as much as I've tried to forget and move on with my life like everyone else over the past nine months, my pent-up emotions make themselves apparent a few times here.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>Commander - Varina, Lich Queen</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Varina, Lich Queen"></div></div>
<p>Varina is a good choice for those seeking a little variation from the standard Dimir or mono-black Zombie deck. We're looking for a <em>lot </em>of variation, in that we're only running 15 creatures (half the average amount for her), and only 5 of them are even Zombies! Those numbers belie the utility we'll end up getting from Varina's ability, but it's safe to say that we're not leaning all that aggressively into Zombie tribal. Ironically, all of our noncreature Zombie-related cards are black, but the flavor gods demand blue and white for reasons explained below. More ironically still, the next section has none of the white cards.</p>
<hr />
<h2>White Walkers</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chainer, Dementia Master"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Scarab God"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Geth, Lord of the Vault"></div></div>
<p>Mr. Freeze's inner circle was populated by a number of fellows with a similar contempt for the concept of death. Note the common feature of these particular reanimators being that they can make use of creatures in our <em>opponents' </em>graveyards. Rather than packing our own Zombies, our primary strategy will be to fill the yards by slaughtering our enemies with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnation" href="#" target="_blank">Damnation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Life&#039;s Finale" href="#" target="_blank">Life&#039;s Finale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, then follow up with our suite of necromancers to bring them back on the cheap!</p>
<p>We also have the option to preempt our wipes with <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> or <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>, giving us our creatures immediately. Note that it's cards like these (and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Scarab God" href="#" target="_blank">The Scarab God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) that give us our value with Varina, since they add the Zombie creature type.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Nigh-Invulnerable</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Plate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shielded by Faith"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hammer of Nazahn"></div></div>
<p>Indestructible has proven to be an exceptionally useful keyword for writing about villains because of how perfectly it captures the Achilles' Heel aspect of so many popular villains' invulnerability. The Nightman and his compatriots were immune to most relevant forms of physical and magical attack, and even outside our (important) flavor concerns, it is in our best interests to limit the weaknesses of our White Walker cards listed above. This means that, in their particular case, exile removal is a stand-in for "dragonglass" (obsidian), Valyrian steel, and characters with whom they have no previous dramatic involvement leaping out of the shadows with a knife.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zombie Master"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boneknitter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lim-Dûl, the Necromancer"></div></div>
<p>While the Boss Zombies' resistances to traditional violence were based on preventing it, their wight soldiers were something of an opposite in that they took inordinate amounts of punishment but could also mostly ignore it. Along with the aforementioned <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>, we'll throw in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zombie Master" href="#" target="_blank">Zombie Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boneknitter" href="#" target="_blank">Boneknitter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to represent these subordinates' unstoppable shambling.</p>
<p>It's worth noting that the unfortunate title of the Regenerate mechanic frequently confuses players about how it actually works, in that it's less "regeneration" and more "death prevention", but that's actually kind of perfect for our flavor needs.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Iceman Cometh</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blustersquall"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Frost Titan"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Time of Ice"></div></div>
<p>While reanimation was their most notable signature, our wrinkly lads were also quite famous for their wintry demeanor, complementing the literal winter surrounding them at all times. Blue has a long standing tradition of Letting It Go, which manifests mechanically in tapping down creatures. These cards will turn out to be remarkably practical, not just for incidentally screwing with our opponents' plans, but in some cases letting us completely blow out late-game creature gridlocks with our Zombies!</p>
<p>I've put in most of what I consider to be the most valuable freeze/tap cards, but it would be inappropriate to include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wall of Frost" href="#" target="_blank">Wall of Frost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The Wall stands in definitive opposition to the Night King, and were it not for the exceptional luck of encountering a dragon to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it may have proven to be an unbeatable opponent (considering that waiting on Dragon Delivery Express was his only plan that we know of).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Winter&#039;s Rest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Winter&#039;s Chill"></div></div>
<p>Also on the snow topic, you better believe we're cramming in snow-covered lands instead of basics, so let's throw in some snow tech for fun and profit. Who the hell thought <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter&#039;s Chill" href="#" target="_blank">Winter&#039;s Chill</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was a good idea? It's terrible, I love it.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Darkness, No Parents</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darkness"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cover of Darkness"></div></div>
<p>Rarely is a section so explicitly necessitated by our villain's actual name, but here we are. (Get it? He's called The Night King because he brought The Long Night! But there's also a case to be made that it's the show writers' <a href="https://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/12392">confused butchering of a different character's name from the books</a>.) These are both solid cards besides, and we've got a consistent tribe to declare for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cover of Darkness" href="#" target="_blank">Cover of Darkness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Breaker of Toys</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Disenchant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dismantling Blow"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aura of Silence"></div></div>
<p>These are realistically all cards that we should toss in anyway, but I'd like to call specific attention to the fact that they translate well into that totally sick thing White Walkers do where they just grab someone's sword and freeze it so it SHATTERS (god, this show used to be so COOL, pun definitely intended). <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disenchant" href="#" target="_blank">Disenchant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is pretty much the best value there is, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aura of Silence" href="#" target="_blank">Aura of Silence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> disrupts the entire enemy toy production process, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dismantling Blow" href="#" target="_blank">Dismantling Blow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was accidentally stapled to a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Divination" href="#" target="_blank">Divination</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Fixer-Upper</h2>
<p>Alright, it may be time to disembark the Flavor Train and see about putting in some synergies.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Killing Stuff is Cool</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harvester of Souls"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Market"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overseer of the Damned"></div></div>
<p>The EDHREC pages for our board wipes and White Walkers recommend all manner of goodies to take advantage of how much we love to watch our enemies die. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overseer of the Damned" href="#" target="_blank">Overseer of the Damned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is of particular note in that it's almost a White Walker in its own right.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Freezing Stuff is Cooler</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sunblast Angel"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Verity Circle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Theft of Dreams"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Verity Circle" href="#" target="_blank">Verity Circle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an absolute must-have in this deck. Like holy god, can you imagine that with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blustersquall" href="#" target="_blank">Blustersquall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Disgusting. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Theft of Dreams" href="#" target="_blank">Theft of Dreams</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fills a similar role and has some bonus flavor for the dream infiltration that our King does to Bran. (Final gripe: why didn't they just clarify that the Bran crossing the Wall with the dream mark thingy was the reason the Night King could pass the Wall? Someday I will process the grief of the ten years I lost to this show but perhaps it is not this day.) And our potential value with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sunblast Angel" href="#" target="_blank">Sunblast Angel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is just too good to pass up!</p>
<p>Whoomp, there it is! Check out the final decklist!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Uh Done Wannit feat. Sheez McQueen" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Varina, Lich Queen
[/Commander]
[Lands]
*1 Arcane Sanctum
*1 Command Tower
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Morphic Pool
*1 Sea of Clouds
*8 Snow-Covered Island
*7 Snow-Covered Plains
*12 Snow-Covered Swamp
[/Lands]
[Enchantments]
*1 Animate Dead
*1 Aura of Silence
*1 Black Market
*1 Cover of Darkness
*1 Gift of Doom
*1 Grave Betrayal
*1 Ice Over
*1 Indestructibility
*1 Quiet Contemplation
*1 Shielded by Faith
*1 Time of Ice
*1 Verity Circle
*1 Winter&#039;s Rest
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Bond of Discipline
*1 Borrowing 100,000 Arrows
*1 Cleansing Nova
*1 Damnation
*1 Day of Judgment
*1 Deadly Tempest
*1 Fumigate
*1 Life&#039;s Finale
*1 Necromantic Selection
*1 Reanimate
*1 Rise from the Grave
*1 Rise of the Dark Realms
*1 Sleep
*1 Theft of Dreams
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Blustersquall
*1 Cryptic Command
*1 Darkness
*1 Despark
*1 Disenchant
*1 Dismantling Blow
*1 Giant Killer // Chop Down
*1 Go for the Throat
*1 Icy Blast
*1 Murderous Rider // Swift End
*1 Thoughtweft Gambit
*1 Utter End
*1 Winter&#039;s Chill
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*1 Bone Miser
*1 Boneknitter
*1 Chainer, Dementia Master
*1 Frost Titan
*1 Geth, Lord of the Vault
*1 Harvester of Souls
*1 Lim-Dûl the Necromancer
*1 Niblis of Frost
*1 Overseer of the Damned
*1 Royal Assassin
*1 Subjugator Angel
*1 Sunblast Angel
*1 Tempest Caller
*1 The Scarab God
*1 Zombie Master
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Darksteel Plate
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Grimoire of the Dead
*1 Hammer of Nazahn
*1 Helm of Kaldra
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>What do you think? Is Winter coming for some of these cards, or do you Hear them Roar? Is the decklist Growing Strong, or is Yours The Fury at some of my inclusions? Would a revision see these cards Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken, or Did We Not Sow ourselves a cohesive list? And whose nefarious designs should I reconstruct in the next installment of <em>Diabolic Intent</em>?</p>
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Diabolic Intent - The Long Night

The Knowledge Pool - Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Olivia, Mobilized for War" href="#" target="_blank">Olivia, Mobilized for War</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.ericdeschamps.com/">Eric Deschamps</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p> <span id="m_7985745279735501680gmail-docs-internal-guid-971aaafd-7fff-35c2-bef7-2bbb00875c9e">Hello, EDHREC! 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 play 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.</span></p>
<p> In this article, we'll be exploring the second appearance of Olivia Voldaren, a card that has a very powerful effect, but it got outshined by the release of Edgar Markov: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Olivia, Mobilized for War" href="#" target="_blank">Olivia, Mobilized for War</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p> Let's start by taking a quick look at her kit:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Olivia, Mobilized for War"></div></div>
<p> <strong>Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may discard a card. If you do put a +1/+1 counter on that creature, it gains haste until the end of turn, and it becomes a Vampire in addition to its other types.</strong></p>
<p> Observation 1: She's kind of funny, because with that kind of ability (granting +1/+1) one would expect her to be good in go-wide strategies. In fact, it's the opposite, since we probably won't be able to discard cards for every creature we play. She really cares about card quality.</p>
<p> Observation 2: She's decent as a <em>Dredge</em> support; she can have all the black graveyard goodies with the explosive red enablers.</p>
<p> Observation 3: She's interesting as a tribal lord because, while she can give some extra power to her tribe, she benefits non-Vampires even more! Her contribution to the tribe is the ability to add other quality cards while still garnering tribal bonuses.</p>
<hr />
<h1>The Old Formula</h1>
<p>With that in mind, let’s see how this vampire queen is usually built:</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-31914" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Olivia-Top.png" alt="" width="688" height="360" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-31913" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Olivia-Sig.png" alt="" width="695" height="355" /></p>
<p>It's not a complete shock that most of her cards are Vampires. If we delve a little deeper, we can see a trend that distinguishes her from other Vampire commanders: the discard/<em>Madness</em> theme. Both enablers and payoffs are heavily represented in those lists.</p>
<hr />
<h1>The Epic Ingredients</h1>
<p>It's gonna sound obvious, but outside of Vampire tribal, there are two main advantages to using her as a commander: haste enabler and +1/+1 counters. It seems simple enough, but the key here is finding a shell that cares about both of them. We need to see past our Rakdos color identity and take a glimpse into the future, where machines dominate and there's almost no need for colored mana.</p>
<p>We're building an artifact deck!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcbound Ravager"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hangarback Walker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Animation Module"></div></div>
<p>Artifact creatures are naturally drawn into counters, as with the ability <em>Modular,</em> or simply by gaining counters when entering the battlefield, and because of that, many of them have ways to use those counters to our advantage. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcbound Ravager" href="#" target="_blank">Arcbound Ravager</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcbound Crusher" href="#" target="_blank">Arcbound Crusher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steel Overseer" href="#" target="_blank">Steel Overseer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are efficient ways to gain a large amount of counters. When combined with the <em>Proliferate</em> support of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throne of Geth" href="#" target="_blank">Throne of Geth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <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>, and <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> we get an efficient engine that cranks up the power of cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hangarback Walker" href="#" target="_blank">Hangarback Walker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Walking Ballista" href="#" target="_blank">Walking Ballista</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and even the unexpected <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherborn Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherborn Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to the maximum.</p>
<p>Another selling point into building an artifact-based deck is the access to some of the best artifact reanimation packages. By combining both black generic reanimation spells with red artifact-specific ones. This let us get back some of the cards that we'll eventually lose both with Olivia discarding and by sacrificing ourselves to gain more value, making it a quasi-Golgari playstyle.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Victimize" href="#" target="_blank">Victimize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trash for Treasure" href="#" target="_blank">Trash for Treasure</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are highly efficient one-shot effects that provide some explosiveness, since they are cheaper and faster than the recurring abilities like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Welder" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Welder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bomat Courier" href="#" target="_blank">Bomat Courier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Myr Retriever" href="#" target="_blank">Myr Retriever</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hangarback Walker" href="#" target="_blank">Hangarback Walker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great early game plays that give us value when they die. Same with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wurmcoil Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Wurmcoil Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Duplicant" href="#" target="_blank">Duplicant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triskelion" href="#" target="_blank">Triskelion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as they provide value when entering and leaving the battlefield, but, because of their high CMC, they are usually discarded early to fuel Olivia's ability.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scrap Mastery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Welder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Victimize"></div></div>
<p>One of this deck's biggest weakness is running low on cards, which makes having a strong card advantage package one of the keys to our success. We already covered using recursion as a way to recoup some of the losses, but let's also acknowledge the raw card draw spells available to us.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daredevil Dragster" href="#" target="_blank">Daredevil Dragster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an aggro card that net us two cards, and we can even get it back multiple times for more value. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is very strong in this deck, as we play somewhat as an aristocrats strategy and we're counting on losing a few creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Arena" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Arena</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't a powerhouse, but a reliable source of cards is difficult to say 'no' to. Finally, we also have <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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wheel of Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Wheel of Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, cards that do basically everything we'd like a card draw spell to do, both putting old cards in our graveyard and drawing us new cards.</p>
<hr />
<h1>The Mixture</h1>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Olivia Affinity" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Olivia, Mobilized for War
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*Hangarback Walker
*Walking Ballista
*Arcbound Worker
*Bomat Courier
*Goblin Welder
*Sparring Construct
*Arcbound Ravager
*Arcbound Stinger
*Epochrasite
*Myr Retriever
*Steel Overseer
*Chief of the Foundry
*Foundry Inspector
*Quicksmith Genius
*Scarecrone
*Scrap Trawler
*Shimmer Myr
*Thopter Engineer
*Aetherborn Marauder
*Arcbound Crusher
*Arcbound Reclaimer
*Traxos, Scourge of Kroog
*Kuldotha Forgemaster
*Thopter Squadron
*Duplicant
*Hellkite Tyrant
*Triskelion
*Wurmcoil Engine
*Meteor Golem
[/Creature]
[Artifact]
*Everflowing Chalice
*Animation Module
*Skullclamp
*Sol Ring
*Universal Solvent
*Contagion Clasp
*Cranial Plating
*Fellwar Stone
*Mind Stone
*Rakdos Signet
*Talisman of indulgence
*Throne of Geth
*Commander&#039;s Sphere
*Daredevil Dragster
*Worn Powerstone
*Hedron Archive
*Thran Dynamo
*Contagion Engine
*Spine of Ish Sah
[/Artifact]
[Sorcery]
*Wheel of Fate
*Vandalblast
*Diabolic Intent
*Trash for Treasure
*Victimize
*Damnation
*Reforge the Soul
*Scrap Mastery
*All Is Dust
[/Sorcery]
[Instant]
*Terminate
*Bedevil
*Chaos Warp
[/Instant]
[Enchantment]
*Phyrexian Reclamation
*Phyrexian Arena
*Pia&#039;s Revolution
[/Enchantment]
[Planeswalker]
*Daretti, Scrap Savant
[/Planeswalker]
[Land]
*Command Tower
*Blood Crypt
*Smoldering Marsh
*Canyon Slough
*Bloodstained Mire
*Polluted Delta
*Wooded Foothills
*Dragonskull Summit
*Foreboding Ruins
*Luxury Suite
*Graven Cairns
*Exotic Orchard
*Sulfurous Springs
*Spire of Industry
*Temple of Malice
*Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*Bojuka Bog
*Great Furnace
*Vault of Whispers
*Ghost Quarter
*Tectonic Edge
*Ruins of Oran-Rief
*Inventors&#039; Fair
*Buried Ruin
*Darksteel Citadel
*5Mountain
*5 Swamp
[/Land]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<p>The list, while not the most competitive, is very well-rounded and it doesn't lack anything particular. Our ramp is strong because we can get full value from colorless mana rocks, and our removal is flexible, ranging from some of the Rakdos staples to artifact-based permanent destruction, which we can recur, if needed. While we're only playing two board wipes, they're very powerful: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnation" href="#" target="_blank">Damnation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is a no-nonsense version of this effect, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="All is Dust" href="#" target="_blank">All is Dust</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is very often is a asymmetrical effect.</p>
<p>Aside from all the synergy we have, there are two cards worth mentioning: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Traxos, Scourge of Kroog" href="#" target="_blank">Traxos, Scourge of Kroog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hellkite Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Hellkite Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Both of those are just in for the ride and provide a very valuable contribution as a simple threat that doesn't really care about having support, which is something very crucial for when everything else fails.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Traxos, Scourge of Kroog"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hellkite Tyrant"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Methodology</h2>
<p>This is an aggro deck, and as such we need a low curve to make it work, prioritizing hands with that have some sort of game plan. 2-3 lands, a mana rock, and some small creatures is a good start, but there'll be some hands that won't get us anywhere simply because of the lack of card draw.</p>
<p>In the early game we need to plan our curve carefully. It's important to know when to discard cards to Olivia's ability, since this is the point of the game where we are more restricted in mana and, at the same time, have a higher amount of cards in hand. Discarding to many cards without thinking is a sure way to be <em>Hellbent</em> by the mid game.</p>
<p>The mid game starts to become uphill battle where we can either hit or miss, but in these deck's case we still have lots of explosive draws either by assembling some engine or by drawing wheels and getting a reset from there. It's important to know which threats to prioritize when powering up our creatures with counters. This is where having basically an entire board of artifacts really starts to become a liability, as we're vulnerable to random <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vandalblast" href="#" target="_blank">Vandalblast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s and Wraths.</p>
<p>Our late game will depend on how many cards we actually got to see (via drawing, looting, etc). This means if we can establish the engine, it's very hard to truly keep us down, but on the other hand, if we are stuck with the same parts for too long, our deck will not go off. This point in the game our "isolated" threats can shine, and Olivia's haste is going to be crucial, so knowing when to hold cards is also something worth learning.</p>
<hr />
<h1>Epic Results</h1>
<p>Looking back at this list there are some changes that could be made to better suit other playstyles.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Faithless Looting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Forge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eldrazi Monument"></div></div>
<p>Adding powerful looting spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faithless Looting" href="#" target="_blank">Faithless Looting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tormeting Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Tormeting Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cathartic Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Cathartic Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can help alleviate some of the need for fresh cards. Just be careful with those cards when <em>Hellbent</em>. If going this route, adding more reanimation spells and targets would be also a good change; this deck is effectively an artifact reanimator deck, abusing Olivia's ability to both fuel graveyards and give haste to reanimation targets, which means there's always room to lean more into that strategy.</p>
<p>If board wipes are predominant, adding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eldrazi Monument" href="#" target="_blank">Eldrazi Monument</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might prove useful.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment</em>! What do you think about this "modern" (wink, wink) take on Olivia? Please fell free to leave any suggestions in the comments section. Do you have any questions about the list? Which cards did you like? Which didn’t you? Was the <em>Epic Experiment</em> a success? Please let me know!</p>
