Achievement Unlocked - Building a Deck Using EVERY Magic Expansion - Part 1

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Derevi, Empyrial Tactician" href="#" target="_blank">Derevi, Empyrial Tactician</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://conceptartworld.com/artists/michael-komarck/">Michael Komarck</a>)</h6>
<h1>Plan 9 from Outer Bant</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Power Sink</em>, the article series where we take the commanders with the most bite, and give them a deck that won't leave a pod in shambles. This time we have a bone to pick with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Derevi, Empyrial Tactician" href="#" target="_blank">Derevi, Empyrial Tactician</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Derevi, Empyrial Tactician"></div></div>
<p>Rather than bury the lede like I usually do, I'm going to let you know upfront that I'm building a Zombie deck. Before all the purists out there tear me limb from limb in the comments, let me just explain that Derevi is, in fact, a Zombie. First of all, Derevi just keeps coming back from the dead with her ability to come out of the command zone for just four mana. Second, as soon as she shows up, all of your creatures are afflicted with the ability to tap or untap permanents whenever they deal combat damage to an opponents. Seems like a Zombie plague to me. If anything, Derevi is more of a Zombie than any of the commanders that actually have the creature type!</p>
<p>Derevi's abilities are powerful if you build around them, and having access to blue green and white means you can utilize the cards and mana you need to deploy your strategy as well as the means to protect it. Derevi's been around since <em>Commander 2013, </em>so most players are familiar with how strong it can be, but let's take a look at the average deck on EDHREC and see what Derevi decks are up to these days.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Derevi: Average Deck" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Arbor Elf
*1 Archivist of Oghma
*1 Archon of Emeria
*1 Avacyn&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Aven Mindcensor
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Bloom Tender
*1 Collector Ouphe
*1 Drannith Magistrate
*1 Edric, Spymaster of Trest
*1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Empyrean Eagle
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Faeburrow Elder
*1 Fyndhorn Elves
*1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
*1 Hokori, Dust Drinker
*1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Loran of the Third Path
*1 Myrel, Shield of Argive
*1 Noble Hierarch
*1 Preston, the Vanisher
*1 Seedborn Muse
*1 Toski, Bearer of Secrets
*1 Watcher of the Spheres
*1 Willbreaker
*1 Yisan, the Wanderer Bard
[/Creatures]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Tamiyo, Field Researcher
[/Planeswalkers]
[Enchantments]
*1 Aura Shards
*1 Mystic Remora
*1 Reconnaissance Mission
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Smothering Tithe
*1 Stasis
*1 Sylvan Library
*1 Verity Circle
*1 Wild Growth
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Bident of Thassa
*1 Mana Crypt
*1 Selesnya Signet
*1 Simic Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Winter Orb
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Eldritch Evolution
*1 Farseek
*1 Finale of Devastation
*1 Green Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Chord of Calling
*1 Counterspell
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Dovin&#039;s Veto
*1 Eladamri&#039;s Call
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Swan Song
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Worldly Tutor
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Azorius Chancery
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flooded Strand
*5 Forest
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*3 Island
*1 Misty Rainforest
*4 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rejuvenating Springs
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Seaside Citadel
*1 Selesnya Sanctuary
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Yavimaya Coast
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Undead-locked</h2>
<p>Derevi has long had a reputation as a stax commander, and that's certainly present in the average deck. While <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/derevi-empyrial-tactician/pod">Pod</a> may be the most popular theme on Derevi's page, if you take a close look, you can see that it's also basically a stax deck. The classic move here is to get in with small creatures to untap your lands, mitigating the effects of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stasis" href="#" target="_blank">Stasis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hokori, Dust Drinker" href="#" target="_blank">Hokori, Dust Drinker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Once opponents have been locked out of mana, they can easily be beaten down by small creatures, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archon of Emeria" href="#" target="_blank">Archon of Emeria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Collector Ouphe" href="#" target="_blank">Collector Ouphe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the controversial <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drannith Magistrate" href="#" target="_blank">Drannith Magistrate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which also restricts player options.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stasis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archon of Emeria"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Myrel, Shield of Argive"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Myrel, Shield of Argive" href="#" target="_blank">Myrel, Shield of Argive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> shows up in 21% of the 92 Derevi decks made since <em>The Brothers' War</em> was released, and it's easy to see why. Keeping opponents from responding during your turn is great for dropping a combo or a stax piece, and those Soldiers she makes are just more potential untaps for Derevi.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Verity Circle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tamiyo, Field Researcher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Willbreaker"></div></div>
<p>With a commander that cares about dealing combat damage, it's natural for card draw like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bident of Thassa" href="#" target="_blank">Bident of Thassa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Toski, Bearer of Secrets" href="#" target="_blank">Toski, Bearer of Secrets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to show up. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tamiyo, Field Researcher" href="#" target="_blank">Tamiyo, Field Researcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can tap down permanents if you don't need more cards, and <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> lets you convert Derevi's taps into cards. While it's not a combat damage trigger on its own, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Willbreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Willbreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets you use Derevi to steal opposing creatures by targeting them.</p>
<p>So now, let's change things up!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Derevi &#039;s Zombie Apocalypse" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Adorned Pouncer
*1 Adrix and Nev, Twincasters
*1 Ancient Greenwarden
*1 Angel of Sanctions
*1 Anointer Priest
*1 Aven Eternal
*1 Aven Wind Guide
*1 Binding Mummy
*1 Champion of Wits
*1 Cleaver Skaab
*1 Eternal Skylord
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Geralf, Visionary Stitcher
*1 God-Eternal Oketra
*1 Havengul Runebinder
*1 Honored Hydra
*1 Hordewing Skaab
*1 Murasa Rootgrazer
*1 Poppet Stitcher // Poppet Factory
*1 Ramunap Excavator
*1 Riftsweeper
*1 Ruin Ghost
*1 Stitcher Geralf
*1 Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun
*1 Timeless Dragon
*1 Timeless Witness
*1 Tobias, Doomed Conqueror
*1 Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice
*1 Vizier of Many Faces
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Druid&#039;s Deliverance
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Keep Watch
*1 Lazotep Plating
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Rootborn Defenses
*1 Sundering Growth
*1 Thirst for Discovery
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Anointed Procession
*1 Kindred Discovery
*1 Legion Loyalty
*1 Song of the Worldsoul
*1 Verity Circle
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift
*1 Idol of Oblivion
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Symmetry Matrix
*1 Throne of the God-Pharaoh
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Farseek
*1 Hour of Promise
*1 Hour of Reckoning
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Pir&#039;s Whim
*1 Shamanic Revelation
*1 Sylvan Scrying
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Azorius Chancery
*1 Brushland
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Field of the Dead
*3 Forest
*1 Gavony Township
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*3 Island
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rejuvenating Springs
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Seaside Citadel
*1 Selesnya Sanctuary
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*3 Snow-Covered Forest
*3 Snow-Covered Island
*3 Snow-Covered Plains
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*1 Thespian&#039;s Stage
*1 Treva&#039;s Ruins
*1 Vesuva
*1 Yavimaya Coast
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Zombieland</h2>
<p>While Zombies exist in every color of <em>Magic</em>, it's safe to say that black is <em>the</em> Zombie color. While we're cutting ourselves off from the best Zombies and Zombie payoffs, we still have ways to make ravenous brain-eating hordes.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Field of the Dead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ancient Greenwarden"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ruin Ghost"></div></div>
<p>We're leaning heavily on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Field of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Field of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make our Zombies. While it's not our only option, it is the most effective, and a chunk of our deck is going to be dedicated to it. We can tutor it up with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hour of Promise" href="#" target="_blank">Hour of Promise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sylvan Scrying" href="#" target="_blank">Sylvan Scrying</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pir&#039;s Whim" href="#" target="_blank">Pir&#039;s Whim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us the added bonus of taking away our opponents' toys. If we already have our Field in play, we can find <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vesuva" href="#" target="_blank">Vesuva</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thespian&#039;s Stage" href="#" target="_blank">Thespian&#039;s Stage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> instead to copy it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Greenwarden" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Greenwarden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will double up our field triggers and allows us to get it back if it ends up in the graveyard.</p>
<p>We don't want to rely solely on lands to trigger the Field, so we're also running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murasa Rootgrazer" href="#" target="_blank">Murasa Rootgrazer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ruin Ghost" href="#" target="_blank">Ruin Ghost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to get extra <em>Landfall</em> triggers. Plus, these also give us something else to do with the untap triggers from our commander.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stitcher Geralf"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Geralf, Visionary Stitcher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Havengul Runebinder"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stitcher Geralf" href="#" target="_blank">Stitcher Geralf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Havengul Runebinder" href="#" target="_blank">Havengul Runebinder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Geralf, Visionary Stitcher" href="#" target="_blank">Geralf, Visionary Stitcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all have tap abilities that create Zombies which we can untap with Derevi. In fact, Derevi makes a good target to sacrifice for Geralf since she negates commander tax.</p>
<p>Creatures with <em>Embalm</em> and <em>Eternalize</em> are another avenue to grow our Zombie horde, and many of them have useful effects. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Angel of Sanctions" href="#" target="_blank">Angel of Sanctions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is removal, we can draw with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Champion of Wits" href="#" target="_blank">Champion of Wits</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aven Wind Guide" href="#" target="_blank">Aven Wind Guide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> grants flying and vigilance to our token creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Timeless Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Timeless Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Honored Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Honored Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are there for when we just need a big creature. Finally we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift" href="#" target="_blank">God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to "<em>Eternalize</em>" any creature in our graveyard.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Angel of Sanctions"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aven Wind Guide"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="God-Pharaoh&#039;s Gift"></div></div>
<p>These tokens are the best targets for our <em>Populate</em> effects, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Song of the Worldsoul" href="#" target="_blank">Song of the Worldsoul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and we can copy them by sacrificing them to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cleaver Skaab" href="#" target="_blank">Cleaver Skaab</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Song of the Worldsoul"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cleaver Skaab"></div></div>
<p>Since we don't want games with this deck to end 28 days later, we're splurging a bit with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anointed Procession" href="#" target="_blank">Anointed Procession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to facilitate making an overwhelming army of tokens. We also have a cheaper version of the effect with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adrix and Nev, Twincasters" href="#" target="_blank">Adrix and Nev, Twincasters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and we can drop <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Legion Loyalty" href="#" target="_blank">Legion Loyalty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in advance of a big swing to close out the game. Of course, if combat isn't an option we're throwing in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Throne of the God-Pharaoh" href="#" target="_blank">Throne of the God-Pharaoh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to drain the table directly.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adrix and Nev, Twincasters"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Legion Loyalty"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Throne of the God-Pharaoh"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Left 4 Dead</h2>
<p>I want to give credit to my buddy Alex for inspiring this deck. I was enamored with his Selesnya Zombies deck when I'd seen him talk about in a few online communities. I've had the opportunity to play against the deck a few times, and it's a ton of fun to see in action. You can check out his current version <a href="https://www.moxfield.com/decks/ILGjbsDkh0q_dwMvHwD_EQ">here</a>, or you can listen to <a href="https://cmdrcentral.libsyn.com/">CMDR Central</a> do a breakdown of an older version when it was led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Trostani, Selesnya&#039;s Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <a href="https://cmdrcentral.libsyn.com/196-decks-you-play-trostani-selesnyas-voice">here.</a> Alex's deck is way more tuned than what I put together, but I think both are unique conversation piece decks.</p>
<p>Much like how society collapsing due to a Zombie outbreak brings people together in a tenuous alliance for survival, an interesting Commander deck can build connections with people you wouldn't expect. What did you think of this deck? Was it a thriller? Or do I not have any Braaaaiiinns? Let me know in the comments.</p>


Power Sink - Derevi's Zombie Apocalypse

Ranking Every Land with EDHREC – Part 23: Reflecting Pool (Not the Tempest One)

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="It That Betrays" href="#" target="_blank">It That Betrays</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/morano">Tomaz Jedruszek</a>)</h6>
<h1><strong>A Hands-On Approach</strong></h1>
<p>Greetings, everyone, and welcome back to <em>Monomania</em>. In this article series we build mono-colored decks as a way to explore ramp and draw packages that are synergistic with our particular deck’s strategy, challenging staples and misconceptions about the color pie. Today’s featured commander is a rapacious tentacle man, and all he wants to do is poke an opponent once. What's in our hand? Is it an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undertaker" href="#" target="_blank">Undertaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="It That Betrays" href="#" target="_blank">It That Betrays</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? That's the line between life and death.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Volrath the Fallen"></div></div>
<p>Volrath the Fallen and I have a history. I built a budget-friendly version of this deck years ago, played it a few times, and realized that the deck’s fun factor is fairly dependent on cards that cost $10 or more. Some black decks just need <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Coffers" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Coffers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vesuva" href="#" target="_blank">Vesuva</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I dismantled the deck and largely forgot about the commander until recently. In this article, I’m revisiting the first Volrath, entering a shadow dimension of unrestricted budgets, and seeing what I can put together.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shriekmaw"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sibsig Muckdraggers"></div></div>
<p>The concept is simple and compelling: we want high-CMC creatures that we can pitch to pump Volrath. First and foremost, we’re hoping to kill our opponents with commander damage. However, this commander also gestures in two other directions as well. First, because we will be discarding big creatures, we might as well reanimate them afterward. This deck wants cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Delver" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Delver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Artisan of Kozilek" href="#" target="_blank">Artisan of Kozilek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Secondly, because we’re running such expensive creatures, a big mana package is a great contingency plan to cast some of these game-ending monsters from our hand in case Volrath is no longer an option. Our build is creature-focused and loves cheating mana costs. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shriekmaw" href="#" target="_blank">Shriekmaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sibsig Muckdraggers" href="#" target="_blank">Sibsig Muckdraggers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Stone Idol" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Stone Idol</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> may not be amazing on their own, but they have increased utility here because they work two shifts as big buffs on our commander or utility effects.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Volrath the Fallen" href="#" target="_blank">Volrath the Fallen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only leads 58 decks listed on EDHREC but deserves a more careful eye. Because he can activate his ability more than once in a turn, it will be easy to one-shot a single opponent. Unlike other Voltron strategies, this deck also has the ability to transition into a big-creature build. Let’s get into it and see what cards will most successfully support what Volrath is trying to do.</p>
<hr />
<h2><strong>Wind Up</strong></h2>
<p>I’ve mentioned this before on Monomania, but the big mana package available to mono-black is difficult to exclude. Unless you are pursuing a low-to-the-ground, aggressive strategy, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cabal Coffers" href="#" target="_blank">Cabal Coffers</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vesuva" href="#" target="_blank">Vesuva</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deserted Temple" href="#" target="_blank">Deserted Temple</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are almost always powerful additions. Here, they are imperative. When Volrath is inevitably removed from the board, we want the ability to cast cards that cost 10 mana or more for their sticker price. Big mana is an essential component of our ramp package for this reason.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bog Witch"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crypt of Agadeem"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oblivion Sower"></div></div>
<p>Above we have three flex inclusions that I have chosen to supplement our other ramp strategies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bog Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Bog Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of my favorite underrepresented cards to champion. This card fits into more decks than one may think. As is typical of the Spellshaper creature type, we have to discard a card in order to activate its ability, but in any deck that wants a discard outlet, this isn’t a cost as much as it is an extra benefit. In our deck, this creature can both discard a bomb to the graveyard as well as produce mana necessary to cast a reanimation spell. It only sees play in 496 decks listed on EDHREC and I’m positive there are more graveyard-based decks that want this card.</p>
<p><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> is perfect for our build as well, since we'll be pitching creatures to the yard with our commander or cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bog Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Bog Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oblivion Sower" href="#" target="_blank">Oblivion Sower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another powerful flex creature in our deck. While exiling four cards in the hopes of hitting one or two lands isn’t an amazing rate for six mana, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oblivion Sower" href="#" target="_blank">Oblivion Sower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a few exceptional use cases that push it over the top. First, if you hit three or four lands from the top of your opponent’s deck, this is suddenly an exceptional ramp effect. Second, graveyard hate is very common in certain metas, including my own. In almost every game I play, a graveyard becomes exiled at some point. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oblivion Sower" href="#" target="_blank">Oblivion Sower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn’t care if a land was exiled with its ability or with a <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>. if it’s in exile, we can snag it. Using this card to target the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lord Windgrace" href="#" target="_blank">Lord Windgrace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> player, I've been able to sneak nine lands onto the battlefield.</p>
<hr />
<h2><strong>Reload</strong></h2>
<p>The card advantage package is really where our deck finds some interesting, off-the-wall inclusions. We want to keep the focus on high-cost creatures and the graveyard while also including powerful card advantage effects.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sandstone Oracle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Baleful Force"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kozilek, the Great Distortion"></div></div>
<p>These three inclusions embody our primary theme. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sndstone Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Sndstone Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a low floor but also a very high ceiling. We have several discard outlets in our deck, which means we will normally be playing with a smaller hand and have a higher chance of drawing three, four, five, or more cards.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baleful Force" href="#" target="_blank">Baleful Force</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is secretly a decent card. Given a full turn rotation at a four-player pod, you will draw four cards in exchange for four life. The real advantage of this card is actually how unassuming it is. If you play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vilis, Broker of Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Vilis, Broker of Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, an opponent may get spooked immediately and remove it on sight. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baleful Force" href="#" target="_blank">Baleful Force</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, however, is just innocuous enough to avoid attention. Finally, the new and old Kozileks can also help us draw through our deck. The Great Distortion could even be another discard outlet for us if necessary.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oversold Cemetery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Undead Gladiator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grave Scrabbler"></div></div>
<p>Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oversold Cemetery" href="#" target="_blank">Oversold Cemetery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <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>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tortured Existence" href="#" target="_blank">Tortured Existence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fill a particular role in our deck, cycling creatures in and out of our graveyard. These are important pieces because they will help us repeatedly pump Volrath with the same high-cost creatures. Or, if we’re at that stage in the game, we could play a bomb like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emrakul, the Promised End" href="#" target="_blank">Emrakul, the Promised End</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> every turn and force our opponents to remove it again and again.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undead Gladiator" href="#" target="_blank">Undead Gladiator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Scrabbler" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Scrabbler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> don’t provide us with card advantage directly, but do fulfill that very important role in our deck, once again cycling cards in and out of the graveyard. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Undead Gladiator" href="#" target="_blank">Undead Gladiator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another underrepresented card in our format, only seeing play in 437 decks. This card can help fill in gaps and sculpt bad hands into better ones. You can discard irrelevant cards or a creature you want to reanimate. Whatever you use the Gladiator for, he fits right in with Volrath.</p>
<hr />
<h2><strong>The Deck</strong></h2>
<p>With all that set and settled, let’s take a look at the deck as a whole. Ramp and draw take up an outsized proportion of slots here because we want to ensure that we play our six-mana commander early and power out beaters as fast as possible. There are still other notable inclusions, however, that we can dive into. As always, season to taste.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emrakul, the Promised End"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Delver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Empty the Catacombs"></div></div>
<p>Emrakul is at the top of her class in this deck. While she doesn’t pump Volrath to lethal, she does everything we want—she provides a significant buff, has a discount effect, and can hose a player out of the game in a pinch. In addition to this, I’ve also included many other Eldrazi such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Void Winnower" href="#" target="_blank">Void Winnower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="It That Betrays" href="#" target="_blank">It That Betrays</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pathrazer of Ulamog" href="#" target="_blank">Pathrazer of Ulamog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These cards can sneak a win all on their own if necessary. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Delver" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Delver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> leads the team of reanimation effects present here, including <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entreat the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Entreat the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animate Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Animate Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood for Bones" href="#" target="_blank">Blood for Bones</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Finally, I’m highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Empty the Catacombs" href="#" target="_blank">Empty the Catacombs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> here to advocate for its inclusion both with our commander and with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Conrad, the Grim" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Conrad, the Grim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card can refill your hand with fodder for Volrath. In a well-tuned Syr Conrad deck it could just end the game on the spot. I can’t believe this only sees play in 185 decks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Tentacular Now" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Volrath the Fallen
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Undertaker
*1 Bog Witch
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Fleshbag Marauder
*1 Merciless Executioner
*1 Plaguecrafter
*1 Undead Gladiator
*1 Crypt Ghast
*1 Dread Presence
*1 Filth
*1 Grave Scrabbler
*1 Ravenous Chupacabra
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Magus of the Coffers
*1 Phyrexian Delver
*1 Shriekmaw
*1 Nirkana Revenant
*1 Oblivion Sower
*1 Meteor Golem
*1 Sandstone Oracle
*1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
*1 Baleful Force
*1 Razaketh, the Foulblooded
*1 Vilis, Broker of Blood
*1 Artisan of Kozilek
*1 Sibsig Muckdraggers
*1 Void Winnower
*1 Ancient Stone Idol
*1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
*1 Kozilek, the Great Distortion
*1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
*1 Pathrazer of Ulamog
*1 It That Betrays
*1 Emrakul, the Promised End
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Dead of Winter
*1 Entreat the Dead
*1 Blood for Bones
*1 Empty the Catacombs
*1 Mutilate
*1 Decree of Pain
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Coldsteel Heart
*1 Key to the City
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Extraplanar Lens
*1 Mimic Vat
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Thran Dynamo
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Phyrexian Reclamation
*1 Tortured Existence
*1 Animate Dead
*1 Dance of the dead
*1 Oversold Cemetery
*1 Dauthi Embrace
*1 Strands of Night
*1 Whip of Erebos
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Cabal Coffers
*1 Cabal Stronghold
*1 Crypt of Agadeem
*1 Desert of the Glorified
*1 Deserted Temple
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Polluted Mire
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Scrying Sheets
*22 Snow-Covered Swamp
*1 Strip Mine
*1 Thespian&#039;s Stage
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Vesuva
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

<hr />
<p>What do you think of the old Volrath? Does this style of deck have a chance or is it just too slow? What did I miss? Where have I gone wrong? Let me know in the comments below! Remember to EDHREC responsibly: always dig a little beyond the statistics. I’ll see you all on down the road.</p>


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