<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxrill, the Corrosive" href="#" target="_blank">Toxrill, the Corrosive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Illustrated by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CSimon+Dominic%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Simon Dominic</a></h6>
<hr />
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?</p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"</p>
<p>I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza and I'm learning to hug Nothing.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Embrace Oblivion"></div></div>
<p><i>I want to hug everything and so I want to hug nothing. </i></p>
<p>This week, graveyard decks, am I right?</p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
<div dir="auto">
<p><em>Hey there, Mike!</em></p>
<p><em>Long time peruser, first time commenter. I love checking out all the little articles about </em>Magic<em> that catch my eye, and I can't believe that I haven't heard of </em>AITB<em> before today! Hopefully, my boss doesn't mind that I'm inconspicuously writing an email about a trading card game 😉</em></p>
<p><em>Anyway, this story is more of an overall vibe check more than anything? I didn't feel like I was super in the wrong for playing how I did. For some context, I tend to have an 'I play to have fun, but I also like to win fairly' mindset. Stomping a pod is not fun at all to me if we're not all on the same playing field.</em></p>
<p><em>I'd like to think that I know the power level of LGS pretty well, along with a Rule 0 talk beforehand. I was playing a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ancient One" href="#" target="_blank">The Ancient One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck that's more focused on reanimation and self-mill. The other player's commanders and board states aren't super relevant at this time, but you will see why.</em></p>
<p><em>Now, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ancient One" href="#" target="_blank">The Ancient One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it's pretty easy to get cards into the grave, but not so easy to get them out consistently. It doesn't really become a problem until later in the game when I'm able to play <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="Virtue of Persistence" href="#" target="_blank">Virtue of Persistence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and be able to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> every turn. I managed to get such a board state along with the main villain of the story: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxrill, the Corrosive" href="#" target="_blank">Toxrill, the Corrosive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I hard cast him, only for him to die at the end of my turn.</em></p>
<p><em>Somehow, I either evaded graveyard hate or nobody was able to draw it because Tox was by far the best thing to continue reanimating, and I continued to do so while digging for one of my wincons, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Konrad, the Grim" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Konrad, the Grim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jace, Wielder of Mysteries" href="#" target="_blank">Jace, Wielder of Mysteries</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, without much luck unfortunately. </em></p>
<p><em>One of the players in particular was the biggest voice of my opponents, complaining about why I keep reanimating Toxrill instead of "something better", like MOM <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheoldred" href="#" target="_blank">Sheoldred</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It kinda made me feel bad, but I truly felt that keeping the board clear of creatures was the way to go until I found a win condition. AITB?</em></p>
<p><em>Best,</em><br />
<em>Slug Fest</em></p>
</div>
<div dir="auto">
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Toxrill, the Corrosive"></div></div>
</div>
<div dir="auto"></div>
<hr />
<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.</p>
<p>I'll start by saying this: I would not be surprised to learn if <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toxrill, the Corrosive" href="#" target="_blank">Toxrill, the Corrosive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the card whose art has been the featured image for my article series the most amount of times.</p>
<p>So... I'd say not the best start, if I'm being real. Toxrill may not be a Game Changer since it eats a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Path to Exile" href="#" target="_blank">Path to Exile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> real nice, but Sluggy Sluggerson definitely changes how people have to play the game.</p>
<p>I can appreciate your playstyle being "I play to have fun, but I also like to win fairly", but I have questions for where on the spectrum one tips the scales for the other.</p>
<p>It sounds like you have fun by winning, but not too easily. I mean, that's fair, right? If it wasn't challenging, the game wouldn't be so engaging, but if you keep losing, you can get a little frustrated.</p>
<p>That said, looking at it from the other players' perspective, you kept bringing back a board wipe on legs and most decks are at least <em>built</em> around a creature people want to keep in play.</p>
<p>To try to see it from the receiving end's perspective, considering you kept having to reanimate Toxrill, it sort of sounds like the rest of the table's resources were used up to get rid of the big Slug in hopes that a large enough window allows for them to make a dent in your reanimation engine or to set up in a way that won't be affected by Toxrill.</p>
<p>Toxrill might have been the best card to reanimate to <em>win</em> the game eventually, but when does the tipping point of liking to have fun come into play here, and was it fun for you to keep doing this? As a fellow reanimator player, if the best option to bring back is the card that makes the table groan, at a certain point, I'll be picking the sub-optimal play because the game isn't all about me.</p>
<p>Inb4 people talk about the concept of "playing with your food", yada yada: I think it's important to let your opponents have a breather if they aren't willing to concede and all that's left is digging for your wincon. I'm very clearly erring on the side of "I like to have fun" rather than the "win fairly" end of your play philosophy, but I guess my question is "where is the line?" How badly is a win going to contribute to your fun if the rest of the group isn't stoked to be playing a multiplayer game with you?</p>
<p>It's the jury management problem from Big Brother and other such socially competitive reality shows; I talked about it in this <a href="https://commandersherald.com/am-i-the-bolas-a-brainstorm-brewery-boardwipe-bonanza/">article</a> a while back and mostly recounted the Paul fiasco from memory, but it's definitely informed some of my decisions in <em>Magic</em>.</p>
<p>While you want to win, it's important to make people feel challenged and not trounced. If you are an unstoppable force and have inevitability, there is usually a recognition of the possibility of ending the game prematurely.</p>
<p>Some people don't like to bring it up when they're in the position of power, which is understandable, especially if they think the only way to do this is by asking repeatedly "do you want to just scoop?"</p>
<p>Instead, you can float the idea that you will continue to reanimate Toxrill as it is the best option to not only clear the board but also to provide you with the necessary tokens to draw your cards and get closer to closing out the whole deal.</p>
<p>Heck, Tox is a 7/7 that can probably get in for decent damage while it's wrecking everybody's board, there's some more inevitability. Bringing this up to the table might kickstart a discussion about whether or not it is worth it to play through the rest of the game or just give you the W.</p>
<p>On some level, the more competitive end of the spectrum, you're correct to keep bringing back Toxrill as this is what will get you closer to the end of the game, victorious.</p>
<p>On the fun side, if opponents are openly requesting you bring back something less oppressive and point to one of the all-time best <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>/Edict effects with a Saga that ends in <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>, yeah, buddy, you might be going a little too hard.</p>
<p>You aren't wrong, but it's important to know who you're playing against. At an LGS, people are more hesitant to say what they're feeling for fear of stepping face first into a faux pas like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouau9SVVrBA">Sideshow Bob in a yard of rakes</a>.</p>
<p>Take the temperature, be more communicative and receptive to this communication. Your opponent begging for a break from the slime counters can sound a lot like "okay, you win this one, can we play it through without you reanimating Toxrill for a bit?"</p>
<p>Nobody's stopping you from tucking this one away as a win, spiritually. Enjoy knowing you had it, but then enjoy cranking up the difficulty level to your own game after being the high difficulty level for everybody else's.</p>
<p>I'm going to give you a Bolas here. Clearly showing my bias for "fun" being more of the social element and the progressive nature of a game engine rather than stalls.</p>
<p>If everybody at the table is playing competitively and telling you they need to play it through and they want to win really badly, then fine, you get this one, but otherwise, pull back, buddy, you've already won... basically.</p>
<p>I should also reiterate that I appreciate that you read the column and that you wrote in! It really means a lot. Being the Bolas isn't a constant state of being, but rather simply a moment in time. You're not a bad person for any of this.</p>
<p>&lt;3</p>
<p>Mike</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Virtue of Persistence"></div></div>


Am I The Bolas? - (Not So) Welcome Back, Toxrill!

Zack Fair, the Self-Sacrificing Hero - Commander Deck Tech

Ping your Opponents Trim-Style With a Mighty Merfolk Deck Tech

Technically Playable - Sauron, the Necromancer

Under the Radar - Niambi, Esteemed Speaker

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Restart Sequence" href="#" target="_blank">Restart Sequence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/liesetiawan">Lie Setiawan</a>)</h6>
<h3><a href="https://commandersherald.com/assassins-creed-set-review-white/">White</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/assassins-creed-set-review-blue/?utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=article_preview">Blue</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/assassins-creed-set-review-black/?utm_source=edhrec&amp;utm_medium=article_preview">Black</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/assassins-creed-set-review-red/">Red</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/assassins-creed-set-review-green/">Green</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/assassins-creed-set-review-artifacts-lands/">Artifacts &amp; Lands</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/assassins-creed-set-review-allied-shards/">Allied Colors and Shards</a> | <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/assassins-creed-set-review-enemy-and-wedges/">Enemy Colors and Wedges</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/assassins-creed-set-review-reprints/">Reprints</a> | <a href="https://commandersherald.com/assassins-creed-cedh-set-review/">cEDH</a></h3>
<h2>Nothing is True, Everything is.. meh</h2>
<p>Hello and welcome back to yet another set review! It's been so long since we had spoilers (by the time you're reading this, it's been 18 days since my <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/modern-horizons-3-set-review-enemies-wedges/">last set review</a>), I was beginning to think that maybe <em>Wizards</em> was in need of medical assistance. With only twelve new black cards, this is going to be a short review, so I have the space to give you a quick history of my torrid love affair with <em>Assassin's Creed:</em></p>
<p>When the first installment in the franchise came out, I was so excited. Such a unique game for its time. If you want to learn more about why, my friend Riley co-hosts an <a href="https://linktr.ee/goddamngamecube?fbclid=IwAR17mOH9XCFULgmaSSa7KJ0W_JnAAgt7HHAK6I1jJ7KpAWPF1G_KmCpDYVU">excellent gaming podcast</a>, with a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu2ESuk-fro">specific episode</a> about <em>Assassin's Creed</em>. Anyway, then they decided to split the second installment into three games, and I lost interest. I didn't even play <em>Assassin's Creed III</em> (or is it five?) and I moved off the franchise entirely. My interest came screaming back with <em>Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, </em>which focuses on my favorite place and time in history: early 1700s Caribbean, with all the Pirate-y goodness you could want. Then we got a new and (I'm guessing) mediocre game seemingly every year after that and I just couldn't keep up.</p>
<p>Why is that relevant? Well, when they announced the <em>Universes Beyond </em>crossover, I was very excited (<em>Assassin's Creed</em>) then got distracted by other stuff (<em>Assassin's Creed II and III</em>), then I got excited again by spoiler season (<em>Black Flag</em>) and now that I see what's in the set, it's all mediocre to me (all the rest). It's exactly like my experience with the video games, so I guess the crossover works in that regard. So let's get into these black cards, and fair warning: it won't be as upbeat as my set reviews usually are.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Mythics</h2>
<hr />
<p>No mythics to look at in black, which is the best foreshadowing I could ask for.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rares</h2>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Desmond Miles" href="#" target="_blank">Desmond Miles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Desmond Miles"></div></div>
<p>Our singular rare is at least a character I recognize. Desmond's obvious home is next to cards that care about surveilling, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dimir Spybug" href="#" target="_blank">Dimir Spybug</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirko, Obsessive Theorist" href="#" target="_blank">Mirko, Obsessive Theorist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Mirko is the head of an entire <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/revenant-recon/mirko-obsessive-theorist">surveil-based precon</a>, so Desmond might deserve a look if you're making changes. Unless he's your commander and you've built around both parts of the card, the Assassin text is most probably irrelevant. Having said that, I can imagine him at the head of a black <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/voltron">Voltron</a> deck that can make Desmond gigantic and take people out of the game while taking advantage of self-mill and reanimator cards. Losing out on blue for Equipment AND surveil synergies hurts that game plan, but it could certainly be tried.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Uncommons &amp; Commons</h2>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assassin Initiate" href="#" target="_blank">Assassin Initiate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Assassin Initiate"></div></div>
<p>This wouldn't be a terrible card to go into the aforementioned Desmond deck, since its activated ability can compliment any Auras or Equipment you're sticking on it. You also wouldn't mind milling it, because it's a terrible draw later in the game.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brotherhood Ambushers" href="#" target="_blank">Brotherhood Ambushers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brotherhood Ambushers"></div></div>
<p>Here's our first instance of freerunning, and it could be zero mana and I'm still not putting this card in my deck. Vanilla 6/3s aren't good in commander at any point outside of caring about high power, so maybe I could see this in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog, Ravenous Ride" href="#" target="_blank">Ribbit Rodeo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, but you can refer to <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brew-for-your-buck-gitrog-ravenous-ride-on-a-budget/">my article</a> for much better inclusions. NEXT!</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chain Assassination" href="#" target="_blank">Chain Assassination</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chain Assassination"></div></div>
<p>Chain Assassination is a good design for freerunning. If you can trade off a few creatures in combat while your commander sneaks through, you've got a cantripping <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infernal Grasp" href="#" target="_blank">Infernal Grasp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> without the life loss. It's less exciting at four mana, but since it's an instant, you can kill something and draw a card on an opponent's turn if you've got the mana up. Its floor is a four mana <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murder" href="#" target="_blank">Murder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Not ideal, but as we will see, this is one of the better cards in the list.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hemlock Vial" href="#" target="_blank">Hemlock Vial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hemlock Vial"></div></div>
<p>A black cantripping artifact that would be a borderline card in Limited. The only interesting thing about this card is that it gives your Equipment deathtouch. If you turn your Equipment into creatures with something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyberdrive Awakener" href="#" target="_blank">Cyberdrive Awakener</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or your deck is filled with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Viridian Longbow" href="#" target="_blank">Viridian Longbow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s and friends, I guess you could include this? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kelsien, the Plague" href="#" target="_blank">Kelsien, the Plague</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a cool commander...</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Petty Larceny" href="#" target="_blank">Petty Larceny</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Petty Larceny"></div></div>
<p>This is pretty bad unless you're paying the freerunning cost, in which case it's a draw two from not your own deck and it refunds you a Treasure. Theft decks like the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gonti, Canny Acquisitor" href="#" target="_blank">Gonti</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or exile-matters decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prosper, Tome-Bound" href="#" target="_blank">Prosper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are where you could put this, but I think there are better choices for those decks.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phantom Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Phantom Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phantom Blade"></div></div>
<p>I'm kind of surprised this wasn't the name of a <em>Magic </em>card already. Giving enter-the-battlefield (ETB) triggers to Equipment certainly makes them better, and it's cool that in this case it's "modal" removal spell. If this had flash, I'd be in but sadly it doesn't, so I'm out.</p>
<p>AUTHOR'S NOTE: At this point in writing I realized that these are legal in Modern too, which is laughable given that we just saw how powerful <em>Modern Horizons 3</em> is. Who are these cards for outside of <em>Assassin's Creed</em> fans? I also realized this is supposed to sell in small packs like <em>March of the Machine: The </em><em>Aftermath</em>, which was one of the biggest product flops in recent years. Since <em>Wizards</em> cancelled a similar product for <em>Outlaws of Thunder Junction,</em> I'm guessing there wasn't enough time to change this one. Yikes.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Poison-Blade Mentor" href="#" target="_blank">Poison-Blade Mentor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Poison-Blade Mentor"></div></div>
<p>A 2/1, non-evasive creature that cares only about Assassins? It could go in Assassin decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramses, Assassin Lord" href="#" target="_blank">Ramses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but maybe not even there. With all the cards to choose from in our format, I have a hard time seeing this making the 99.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Restart Sequence" href="#" target="_blank">Restart Sequence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Restart Sequence"></div></div>
<p>Alright, they got me. I'm a sucker for reanimation spells. We don't usually get them even at four mana anymore, and this even has the option to cast for two. If you're playing Assassins or attacking a lot with your commander, this is a solid inclusion in one of your recursion slots over something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Persist" href="#" target="_blank">Persist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and certainly over <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zombify" href="#" target="_blank">Zombify</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I like this as a budget option as well, so consider it over <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <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> to save a few bucks. I'm pretty sure this is the best card in this list.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Roshan, Hidden Magister" href="#" target="_blank">Roshan, Hidden Magister</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Roshan, Hidden Magister"></div></div>
<p>What in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ratadrabik of Urborg" href="#" target="_blank">Ratadrabik</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s name is this? A <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maskwood Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">Maskwood Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for Assassins? A support card for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kadena, Slinking Sorcerer" href="#" target="_blank">Kadena</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Both? Morph Assassins is not something I thought I'd talk about in an article but here we are. Also cool with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scarblade Elite" href="#" target="_blank">Scarblade Elite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for your Assassins deck I guess, but what an odd design. There must be something here from a flavor perspective that I'm missing.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Revelations of Ezio" href="#" target="_blank">The Revelations of Ezio</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Revelations of Ezio"></div></div>
<p>With Ezio as the focus, is this Saga supposed to represent all three <em>Assassin's Creed II</em> games? If so, I get the first chapter which is just <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assassinate" href="#" target="_blank">Assassinate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but the other two are lost on me. Again, if you're doing the Assassin thing with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramses, Assassin Lord" href="#" target="_blank">Ramses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mari, the Killing Quill" href="#" target="_blank">Mari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etrata, Deadly Fugitive" href="#" target="_blank">Etrata</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this seems like the set for you. Otherwise I suggest looking elsewhere for your revelations.</p>
<hr />
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merciless Harlequin" href="#" target="_blank">Merciless Harlequin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Merciless Harlequin"></div></div>
<p>As with everything else, consider if you're building an Assassins deck. What blew my mind about this card is the name. I didn't know what harlequin meant, so I looked. Almighty Google defines it as: "a mute character in traditional <span class="AraNOb">pantomime</span>, typically <span class="AraNOb">masked</span> and dressed in a diamond-patterned costume." Harlequin. Harley Quinn. You learn something new every day.</p>
<hr />
<p>Yikes. In my opinion, just like the video game franchise, the <em>Assassin's Creed</em> set<em> </em>perfectly encapsulates the vibe of initial excitement and success being completely destroyed by product fatigue. Not something unfamiliar to us <em>Magic </em>players. I know it was a negative review, but I want to be honest with my suggestions and opinions for all you fine readers. If you're looking for more bubbly and excited writing from me, and/or you're interested in budget deck building, check out my usual series, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/brian-cain/"><em>Brew For Your Buck</em></a>.</p>
<p>If you're excited about this set, I'd love to hear about it. Change my mind! Or maybe you agree with everything I said and we can commiserate together. Either way, drop me a line in the comments or give me a follow on Twitter @BrewForYourBuck. I'll see you next time!</p>


Assassin's Creed Set Review - Black

Brew For Your Buck - Budget Mono Blue Reanimator

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

Rally the Ancestors - 101 Reanimations

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator" href="#" target="_blank">Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/ninovecia">Nino Vecia</a></h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p>Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo, and this is <em>Epic Experiment</em>, a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally build our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</p>
<p>Let's talk about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator" href="#" target="_blank">Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator"></div></div>
<p>Vohar is a surprisingly powerful commander for its cost. In a way, he works very similar to <span class="edhrecp__link side-by-side"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jace, Vryn&#039;s Prodigy" href="#" target="_blank">Jace, Vryn&#039;s Prodigy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but we get a more front-loaded value effect from the <em>Flashback</em> effect in exchange for the flexibility of JVP's flipped side. The card filtering aspect alone can more than replace the need to play cheap cantrips, and while the ping damage won't make that much difference, gaining a few points of life can make the difference throughout a longer game.</p>
<p>The biggest draw to Vohar, however, is his second activated ability. The ability to play an instant or sorcery from the graveyard is very powerful and easy to build around. Even when going for a more 'goodstuff' type of build, it's possible, together with strong self-mill support, to build a toolbox that's just hanging out in our graveyard waiting for us to need it.</p>
<p>One of the most impressive things about Vohar is how both parts of his kits complement each other and his color combination. Reanimation decks, for example, get to <em>Dredge</em> away without the fear of milling a reanimation spell.</p>
<p>So, how will we give Vohar a twist?</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gyruda, Doom of Depths"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clone"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Maddening Cacophony"></div></div>
<p>I'm a bit surprised that we don't have all that many <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gyruda, Doom of Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Gyruda, Doom of Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <em>Companion</em> Vohar decks out there. This combination seems so good! They both straightforwardly complement each other, making up for each other's deficits.</p>
<p>The core of the deck (as is the case in many Gyruda lists) is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clone" href="#" target="_blank">Clone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects to duplicate the Gyruda effect over and over, constantly grabbing new copies to redo the effect and churn through tons of cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spark Double" href="#" target="_blank">Spark Double</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakashima of a Thousand Faces" href="#" target="_blank">Sakashima of a Thousand Faces</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> may be the most important Clones because they allow us to keep more than one Gyruda on the board. Damage isn't our main gameplan, but multiple blockers or 6/6 attackers is a nice way to stay safe or eliminate players with damage if we need a backup plan. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undercover Operative" href="#" target="_blank">Undercover Operative</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s shield counter makes it a lot safer to pass the turn, which can help us go off when we untap, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirrorhall Mimic" href="#" target="_blank">Mirrorhall Mimic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vizier of Many Faces" href="#" target="_blank">Vizier of Many Faces</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provide value when they hit the graveyard.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sakashima of a Thousand Faces"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evil Twin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Undercover Operative"></div></div>
<p>Once we've triggered Gyruda a few times, we're ready to start phase two, which is to finish milling our opponents with the big mill spells that wound up in our graveyard from all the Gyruda milling. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maddening Cacophony" href="#" target="_blank">Maddening Cacophony</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cut Your Losses" href="#" target="_blank">Cut Your Losses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> mill a ton of cards, and a big <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mind Grind" href="#" target="_blank">Mind Grind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a lot of variance, but usually does the trick. We're also packing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mesmeric Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Mesmeric Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindcrank" href="#" target="_blank">Mindcrank</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as other mill sources, which are particularly useful to finish players off after playing our big spells.</p>
<p>It's often best to let Gyruda die to the legend rule to avoid leaving it open to exile-based removal. This makes it important to include some reanimation effects in the deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood for Bones" href="#" target="_blank">Blood for Bones</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerful effect that gives us access to two creatures, one to hand and one to the battlefield, and this can be used to put Gyruda safely into our hand to dodge graveyard exile effects. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ever After" href="#" target="_blank">Ever After</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a bit expensive, but the power-to-card ratio makes it a great option to top deck or to use our commander's ability. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Persist" href="#" target="_blank">Persist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exhume" href="#" target="_blank">Exhume</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are cheap reanimation effects with a few small disadvantages, but given how our deck operates, we tend to either pass over them very quickly or just go over the top of their downsides (for instance, using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Persist" href="#" target="_blank">Persist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clone" href="#" target="_blank">Clone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to copy the Gyruda we already have in play).</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Voharuda" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator
[/Commander]
[Companion]
*Gyruda, Doom of Depths
[/Companion]
[Creature]
*Phantasmal Image
*Snapcaster Mage
*Clone
*Evil Twin
*Gigantoplasm
*Mirrorhall
*Mocking Doppelganger
*Phyrexian Metamorph
*Sakashima of a Thousand Faces
*Sakashima the Impostor
*Sakashima&#039;s Student
*Spark Double
*Stunt Double
*Undercover Operative
*Vizier of Many Faces
*Wall of Stolen Identity
*Wonder
*Sakashima&#039;s Protege
[/Creature]
[Artifact]
*Everflowing Chalice
*Mox Amber
*Arcane Signet
*Coldsteel Heart
*Dimir Signet
*Fellwar Stone
*Liquimetal Torque
*Mesmeric Orb
*Mind Stone
*Mindcrank
*Talisman of Dominance
*Hedron Archive
*Panharmonicon
*Thran Dynamo
[/Artifact]
[Enchantment]
*Animate Dead
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*Arcane Denial
*Cyclonic Rift
*Drown in the Loch
*Infernal Grasp
*Mission Briefing
*Narset&#039;s Reversal
*Negate
*Twin Cast
*Empty the Pits
*Memory Deluge
*Wheel and Deal
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Exhume
*Feed the Swarm
*Maddening Cacophony
*Mind Grind
*Persist
*Scour All Possibilities
*Stitch Together
*Blood for Bones
*Bond of Insight
*Damnation
*Deep Analysis
*Irenicus&#039;s Vile Duplication
*Rite of Replication
*Blood on the Snow
*Cut Your Losses
*Ever After
*Army of the Damned
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Bojuka Bog
*Command Tower
*Creeping Tar Pit
*Drowned Catacomb
*Faerie Conclave
*Fetid Pools
*Ghost Quarter
*Hall of Storm Giants
*Hive of the Eye Tyrant
*Morphic Pool
*Shipwreck Marsh
*Sunken Hollow
*Tainted Isle
*Tectonic Edge
*Temple of Deceit
*Underground River
*Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*Watery Grave
*10 Snow-Covered Island
*10 Snow-Covered Swamp
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>With the amount of self-mill we're doing, it's important that we don't overwork our commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snapcaster Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Snapcaster Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mission Briefing" href="#" target="_blank">Mission Briefing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are copies of our commander's sacrifice ability, and they give us the opportunity to access our spells effect even without Vohar around.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Snapcaster Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mission Briefing"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deep Analysis"></div></div>
<p>In addition, <em>Flashback</em> effects are great ways to help us grind through some types of interactions. Card draw spells, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deep Analysis" href="#" target="_blank">Deep Analysis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Memory Deluge" href="#" target="_blank">Memory Deluge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, can help us dig for any other cards we need. Oh, and <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 a neat opportunistic threat stored in our back pocket.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Methodology</h2>
<p>Our opening hands are very forgiving; we mostly just don't want to have many <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clone" href="#" target="_blank">Clone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects. Between playing our commander and paying the <em>Companion</em> tax, we're pretty much tied up in the early turns.</p>
<p>Our first Gyruda trigger is a key moment in the game; most games we'll chain into a couple of Clone effects and keep one, but, if we hit any of our nonlegendary Clones, we can also gather a small army. Getting to untap with a Gyruda out can be pretty good, but we can always use one of our reanimation spells to get the chain started all over again.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Empty the Pits"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Memory Deluge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bond of Insight"></div></div>
<p>Our late game is great, too! Between our commander and some of our graveyard recursion effects, we have a lot of potential for winning the attrition war. Just watch out for graveyard hate! That's the main way this deck shuts down, and losing access to Gyruda can be a challenge to overcome. As long as we stay focused, though, our commander and our <em>Companion </em>will help us 'even' the odds!</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment</em>! What do you think of this list? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which did you not? Was this experiment a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>
