MTG Salvation

When I first started playing EDH, I threw together a bunch of different decks that performed okay, but weren't really what I wanted. I was mostly limited by card pool - not that it was bad or anything (I actually had a lot of cards, just not the commanders I wanted to play), but I really wanted to try a Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter EDH deck. He just struck me as ****ing cool. His art is completely badass too. Basically, this is my first EDH deck.

For the record, I am a Timmy, Jonny, Spike, Vorthos hybrid - leaning towards Jonny and Spike. This guy fits the bill pretty well:
- He's big and flashy
- He has cool interaction potential
- He has built-in removal (with support), so he is good for controlling a game
- He is a vampire that consumes his allies for strength, and uses that strength to feed off his opponents and blast his enemies



You may notice that there are very few plains in the deck. This is because they are not heavily required. At some point, I noticed that Vish Kal only has 1 white mana in his mana cost. After some adjustments, I removed a large portion of the white-heavy cards and moved the deck towards a big mana mono(ish)-black feel. I get all the awesomeness that is black big mana, and I get white to cover some of the weaknesses of mono black. Most notably, I get enchantment and artifact removal, debt to the deathless (exsanguinate #2), and sun titan for bringing back stuff (cabal coffers).

There are no infinite combos in the deck (yosei, the morning star + corpse dance is the closest thing) because I found them to be boring to use. I also found more terrible hands when I had some of the combo pieces in the deck.

Themes

Strategy

Notable Synergies

Vish Kal's Toys

Strengths/Weaknesses

There are probably a few cards that should really just be switched out, but I haven't updated the list in a while. Pristine Talisman is probably the first card that should be switched. I put it in to replace coalition relic because I stole it for my karona deck.

What do you think of my deck?

Divine Verdict

Flavorful

Quote from KoolMaqe

Divine Verdict

Flavorful

Lol it definitely is. I don't think that card is strong enough though

How about Chromatic Lantern and Mana Web? The former will give you better access to W, whereas Web will significantly hinder anyone hoping to disrupt your alpha strike. Plus, when used with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, Mana Web can easily tap all of your opponents' lands.

Quote from ChimericPisces

How about Chromatic Lantern and Mana Web? The former will give you better access to W, whereas Web will significantly hinder anyone hoping to disrupt your alpha strike. Plus, when used with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth, Mana Web can easily tap all of your opponents' lands.

Sounds good. Chromatic lantern is also in the karona deck I am making I will have to get another copy of either. Mana web could be quite good. I do like the combo with urborg.

Which one do you think is better?
Chromatic Lantern or Coalition Relic

Chromatic by far? =p

Is Vampiric Tutor left out because of the price? =)
And don't you prefer Mind Stone over Guardian Idol?

Hope I could help.

Quote from SAUS9001

Sounds good. Chromatic lantern is also in the karona deck I am making I will have to get another copy of either. Mana web could be quite good. I do like the combo with urborg.

Which one do you think is better?
Chromatic Lantern or Coalition Relic

Chromatic Lantern is a better fixer but Coalition Relic is better ramp, so I think it depends which one you feel you need more.

Also Falkenrath Noble is good back up for Blood Artist

I guess chromatic lantern is extremely good for fixing mana colours. I'll have to go find another copy.

Yes, vampiric tutor is mostly not in due to being expensive. If I had one, it would probably make its way into the deck. I don't really care for it though. I know it's really strong, but losing a card has always bothered me.

Guardian idol is good because I can eat it with Vish Kal for 2 counters if I need to. Either one is probably good enough though.

Dark Prophecy from M14. Is that any good? I have not tried it at all in any decks. I think it may be better than underworld connections. Thoughts?

EDIT
@Vash9177
I'm not really sure which one I need more. I honestly feel that both are great.

I used to have falkenrath noble in the deck, but found it to be annoying to get into play due to his mana cost. Is there a card you think I could switch out for it? Maybe pontiff of blight is not as good as it?

Any advice you could have for Uril would be many things.

Quote from SAUS9001

Which one do you think is better?
Chromatic Lantern or Coalition Relic

Quote from Vash9177

Chromatic Lantern is a better fixer but Coalition Relic is better ramp, so I think it depends which one you feel you need more.

I run both in some decks.

Quote from Vash9177

Also Falkenrath Noble is good back up for Blood Artist

YES!

Quote from SAUS9001

Dark Prophecy from M14. Is that any good? I have not tried it at all in any decks. I think it may be better than underworld connections. Thoughts?

I only started using Connections in the last month and I've been really happy with it. I like how it gives you a choice unlike Prophecy or Phyrexian Arena. For me, that choice is worth one mana per turn.

Quote from SAUS9001

I used to have falkenrath noble in the deck, but found it to be annoying to get into play due to his mana cost. Is there a card you think I could switch out for it? Maybe pontiff of blight is not as good as it?

How much value are you getting out of the Pontiff?

Quote from SAUS9001

I guess chromatic lantern is extremely good for fixing mana colours. I'll have to go find another copy.

Yes, vampiric tutor is mostly not in due to being expensive. If I had one, it would probably make its way into the deck. I don't really care for it though. I know it's really strong, but losing a card has always bothered me.

Guardian idol is good because I can eat it with Vish Kal for 2 counters if I need to. Either one is probably good enough though.

Dark Prophecy from M14. Is that any good? I have not tried it at all in any decks. I think it may be better than underworld connections. Thoughts?

EDIT
@Vash9177
I'm not really sure which one I need more. I honestly feel that both are great.

I used to have falkenrath noble in the deck, but found it to be annoying to get into play due to his mana cost. Is there a card you think I could switch out for it? Maybe pontiff of blight is not as good as it?

pontiff of blight he looks good on paper but I've never gotten him to stick long enough to use him, which says a lot that people always are willing to blow removal on him. How many creatures do you usally have in play at one time? If you have a lot often then he seems hard to pass up.

How have Praetor's Grasp and Death Grasp been working?

Dark Prophecy seems like it could lead to more explosive plays and dosen't tie up a land. But underworld connections lets you get a card with or without creatures around.

Also Archangel of Thune might be fun, gives Vish a few more counters and gets nasty quick with Blood Artist

Quote from Vash9177

Dark Prophecy seems like it could lead to more explosive plays and dosen't tie up a land. But underworld connections lets you get a card with or without creatures around.

Depending on how many creatures you have out, Prophecy can get you killed if someone wraths. In my Erebos/Geth thread, another member suggested Phyrexian Etchings. I just picked one up but I haven't had a chance to test it yet. (Been too busy trying to break Anax and Cymede.)</shameless plugs>

Ancient Craving is another draw option ^^.

I used to have ancient craving in there. It fit the flavour quite well and it is a lot of cards for the mana. I may stick it back in if I find room.

I'll probably test out dark prophecy some time. I usually don't have a LOT of creatures, but there are quite a few cards that will pump out a guy each turn (like reassembling skeleton/bloodghast/sorin, lord of innistrad/etc). It could be alright.

I just realised that dark prophecy + blood artist/falkenrath noble is freaking epic.

Pontiff of blight has not lived up to my expectations so far, but every time I see that shiny, awesome lich dude... Anyways, I like him, but he doesn't seem as good as I want him to be. I'll probably try him out a little more, and if he doesn't do enough, I will switch him for falkenrath noble.

Praetor's Grasp has been amazing. It's only failed me once - and that's because my friend's omnath deck apparently does not have an oblivion stone in it D:

Death grasp is okay. I could see myself taking it out. I like it because of the reprint art and it is actually not that bad, but I could probably find a better card.

Thanks for the help!

EDIT
Dismember! I just bought another copy last friday and forgot to put it in. Maybe replace death grasp? It's much cheaper removal, and killing a creature with 5 toughness is pretty much all I could ask of death grasp (unless I have THAT much mana in which case I will usually nuke a player). What do you think?

Quote from SAUS9001

Death grasp is okay. I could see myself taking it out. I like it because of the reprint art and it is actually not that bad, but I could probably find a better card.

Thanks for the help!

EDIT
Dismember! I just bought another copy last friday and forgot to put it in. Maybe replace death grasp? It's much cheaper removal, and killing a creature with 5 toughness is pretty much all I could ask of death grasp (unless I have THAT much mana in which case I will usually nuke a player). What do you think?

I would run Go for the Throat over Dismember, but taking out Death Grasp for it seems a pretty good choice. You already have the best drain effects being Exsanguinate and Debt to the Deathless (they hit all players), so go for it! ^^

I would suggest Land Tax, but I suppose you'll keep it in your Tajic deck? Some people like Weathered Wayfarer, but I have found him to be little slow in my B/W deck.

I just noticed that you're not running Path to Exile nor Ashes to Ashes. Any reason?

I ran a Vish kal deck, it's so good! Run Phyrexian Processor and Martyr's Bond. Phyrexian Processor makes it so easy to one shot someone with general damage. And martyrs bond is basically another Grave Pact but helps if one of your artifacts or something gets destroyed.

I have 0 copies of go for the throat and they are always gone from the store lol. I've never had it in any decks D: Is it better than dismember? I feel like they are really close in power level.

Land tax will stay in my Tajic, but that doesn't prevent me from getting another one. I just haven't found the urge to put one in. It would be nice to be grabbing 3 swamps per turn though lol. Make the mono black players jealous.

Weathered Wayfarer is impossible to find D: I think I should put it in JUST for getting cabal coffers though. Seems worth it to me. What do you think?

I should probably find room for path to exile again... So many spot removals that I want to put in though Is path to exile better than innocent blood? I could switch those around. I just don't like giving my opponent the land. It makes it useless as removal against a commander (not entirely as it still delays it) since, if they hit their land drop the next turn, they can cast their general again.

I had martyr's bond as grave pact #2 (with some added bonuses at the cost of 2 extra mana). It was alright, but I found many games where I tapped out to cast it and then had no mana to do anything with it. I have enough tutors for just 1 grave pact to work

I used to also run phyrexian processor. It is absolutely hilarious, but I took it out due to high mana cost (basically 8).

Quote from SAUS9001

I have 0 copies of go for the throat and they are always gone from the store lol. I've never had it in any decks D: Is it better than dismember? I feel like they are really close in power level.

I would never think to run Dismember in EDH. Tragic Slip, maybe…

Quote from SAUS9001

Weathered Wayfarer is impossible to find D: I think I should put it in JUST for getting cabal coffers though. Seems worth it to me. What do you think?

YES!

Quote from SAUS9001

I should probably find room for path to exile again... So many spot removals that I want to put in though Is path to exile better than innocent blood? I could switch those around. I just don't like giving my opponent the land. It makes it useless as removal against a commander (not entirely as it still delays it) since, if they hit their land drop the next turn, they can cast their general again.

Blood is good against hexproof generals. Do you see a lot of those in your meta?

What's wrong with dismember? I've run it in other decks and it is usually fine. -5/-5 is more than enough to kill most things I want to.

I wouldn't say there are a lot of hexproof generals, but there are some. Maybe about 20% of games I play.

Quote from SAUS9001

What's wrong with dismember? I've run it in other decks and it is usually fine. -5/-5 is more than enough to kill most things I want to.

I wouldn't say there are a lot of hexproof generals, but there are some. Maybe about 20% of games I play.

I'd rather run something that gets the job done more of the time. With Vish Kal as your commander, you can almost always trigger Morbid.

Let's see if we could give some examples.

Consecrated Sphinx, Sun Titan, Grave Titan, Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger, Sheoldred, Whispering One, Terastadon, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, ...

Are all frequently seen creatures in EDH which Dismember can't kill. Of course now you could give me 2 times as many other possibilites which dismember can kill. But, you'll have a problem with the beaters/fat creatures from your opponents.
If they're small enough they're no problem for Vish Kal. However for the big creatures (as suggested) you need to run something else.

It depends on your playgroup of course. What decks do you see against you? Are they fast aggro decks, control decks, combo decks, theme decks, ...

Oh and do you pay the life for Dismember or do you pay the full 3? =)

I think I play against a nice mix of everything. I mostly thought dismember would be good because it is basically 1-mana to cast. I only pay the life if I need the mana for something else, or simply don't have extra mana. There's also the case for if I am very low life and would rather try to preserve myself.

While there are a lot of things it can't kill, it's still very cheap removal. Later in the game, Vish Kal can kill a lot of the bigger creatures (grave pact or enough food), or I can board wipe to kill stuff.

Maybe I should not put in dismember, but keep innocent blood and add path to exile instead. What about that? So many good removal spells lol >.<