Meet Lyzolda, the Blood Witch. Calling her "hot" would be kind of an understatement, as she does more then just strut around looking pretty. She kills things, and she does a good job at it.
But really... why Lyzolda? She's just a 3/1, and she has an odd ability...and I would add green and using something like Kresh.
Well. The reasons Lyzolda is a good general are as unique as to why Kresh and friends have thier own unique ways of why they are great: 1) She costs 1BR.(Getting her out on turn 3 with turn 2 cards like Bloodghast and Bitterblossom already give you the upper edge in the game, and forces your opponent to be preasured to finding answers to dealing with her before cards like Grave Pact come out. Also, the fact that if you put her back into the command zone and recasting her for 5, 7, 9 is actually a good investment. Most games, I never have much strife on casting her for 5 mana.) 2) She generates card advantage, if used right. (This I love the most about her. With recurring creatures like Bloodghast, Nether Traitor, and tokens, I can use her ability to gain so many cards and keep a fresh hand, eventually finding combo pieces and recur engines.)
3) She can "save herself" and combine that with 2). (You can sac herself, so if you run alot of recur engines and you don't want her to be taken control, you can deal 2 and get a card. Not a bad deal. If you don't have a recur engine, she can be pitched into the dugout and replayed for 5 mana.)
This is a creature-heavy deck with much reanimation that has to do with tokens, recurring creatures, and lots of persistance and card advantage through the former elements.
Below are some thoughts that I have about certain cards in the deck. I will not go over obvious ones like Siege-Gang Commander or Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs because their abilities and uses are a little self-explanatory.
Vicious Shadows - If you are starting EDH, it may surprise you on how useful a 50 cent rare could be. Vicious Shadows can potentially give you the rights of letting you control the board. With it out, your sac'ing can do more than just deal 2 damage or draw cards, it hurts players or creatures equal to the number of cards in their hand. People will be afraid to Wrath of God the board while this card is out. Combine with lots of tokens and/or creature kill, and you can deal a load of damage, possibly ending games here and there.
Grave Pact/Butcher of Malakir - The meat and potatoes of the decks combo. While it is very possible to operate without these two cards, they are amazing on what kind of advantage they can give you, thanks to Lyzolda's ability to sac your own creatures. You gain advantage as you wipe the field by pitching smaller guys, then swinging with your bigger ones.
Woebringer Demon/Defiler of Souls/Braids, Cabal Minion - These, combined with recurring creatures, can give you the upper hand and whittle away your opponents resources. Woebringer makes sure your opponent's field is clear, especially with the assistance of Grave Pact when it's your turn to pitch creatures.
Bloodghast/Nether Traitor - These boys are your key ways to combine Lyzolda's ability to generate a steady flow of cards in your hand. Both are somewhat easy to cast, and can come back for more sac'ing. Combined with Grave Pact, they will turn into constant kill engines with all the synergy going on...along with being card-junkies.
Attrition - I can't stress enough on how much of an impact this card does. With creatures and tokens, you can easily take out most creatures, even with the absence of Lyzolda.
Homura, Human Ascendant - You play him, and then sacrifice him to make all of your guys have flying and +2/+2. This alone is a game finisher if you already have something like Siege-Gang Commander
Insurrection - People will call me crazy when I say "Insurrection is my Plan B of the deck".
Despite having a deck saturated with creature kill, I still run Insurrection. It will come out of left field that in the event that I do not have enough creature destruction to control the board, and I easily steal their creatures for a solid win.
Sarkhan the Mad - This guy...At first, I thought he was going to be horrible for this deck, especially since I can't use his "ultimate". But I was wrong.
Sarkhan is tutorable by Brainspoil, he generates card advantage, and he lets your creatures turn into 5/5 Dragons. Imagine having a 1/1 Goblin become a 5/5 Dragon, along with having synergy with Grave Pact. Imagine having an Eldrazi going around, and then making your opponent turn it into a Dragon.
I see him as an Enchantment, if anything, that combines card advantage and a supply house of generating power on your side.
This deck, I will point out right now, is no where near the most "perfect" EDH deck. A "perfect deck" would have an answer to anything, at any time. This clearly lacks that.
Here are couple facts that most Lyzolda decks (mine included) may have trouble with: 1) Lack of resources to deal with Enchantments(This is an easy one to figure out, since you are playing with Black and Red, two colors that hardly touch Enchantment Removal) 2)At times, the deck's structure can be unstable.(This I have realized when I do not have Lyzolda on my field, or when I have a bad hand/draws. I sometimes will lack a way to deal with larger threats like a Dragon General or an impending Obliterate/Eldrazi from a Jhoria deck. If my Enchantments die, I'll have a weird time trying to pick up on the swing of things and maintain preasure on my opponent.) 3) How You Lap Down Certain Cards can Provoke Others in Multiplayer. (Ok, so maybe this is my own problem, considering all Lyzolda decks are not the same. But anyway, Grave Pact and other field spells can really provoke people to taking out your resources first. To avoid this, you may want to substitute "gradual kill" cards like Braids and friends for field-wipe spells like Plague Wind and Decree of Pain for Multiplayer.)
Cards I have tried, but I cut out...but would reccommend in your build. Sorin Markov - While I own a copy of Sorin, I do not choose to put him in this deck because none of his abilities fit the theme all too well, and I personally believe he's too cheap to play, since this is supposed to be a fun deck more than anything.
Furystoke Giant - I tried him a while back, but I didn't really find alot of use from him because I'm not guarenteed of getting an army of tokens in every game, thus making his ability irrelevant, save the fact that he can persist if I do happen to get tokens.
Damnation and Friends - I run nothing of the sort. Because of using Grave Pact and friends, I can kill their side of the field while I retain mine.
Chainer, Dementia Master - While he does a good job at regaining creatures, mine or thiers, I often see him get stuck in my hand because of his weak body, stingy mana cost for his ability, and that I have cards that do just about the same thing for less. He's a great card, and I have seen him do well at some times, but he just doesn't fit in with this particular build, so I had to cut him.
Threaten Cards - [card]Word of Seizing [/card]and Conquering Manticore, while more expensive, prove to be useful later on in the game then the Threaten Spells, because they act as finishers. Threaten cards I replaced with card advantage...I can't remember which cards exactly, but the above two were some of them.
Dread - A big body, evasion, and has a really great effect that can shield you from being beaten easily. But why didn't I include him? Because he doesn't hit the graveyard. With Dread, he can only be out for one time, and then he gets shuffled right back into the deck, and is likely unable to come back unless I use a Demonic Tutor, but even then, I use Tutor to find a game winning piece late in the game like Insurrection.
Any Eldrazi - Honestly, Eldrazi's are "high risk, high reward" cards. With the surge of blue decks running Bribery now a days, I personally think for a deck that concentrates it's resources having 5~8 mana, Eldrazi's seem too slow, and do not warrant any use to the deck as they do not go well with Lyzolda (like you'd want to sacrifice them?) and they are slow and clunky.
It That Betrays - This, however, is an exception. Combining it with Grave Pact will create a huge amount of synergy and can let you steal your opponents side of the field one by one. Still, as stated above, I think the Eldrazi are slow and clunky, and belong in decks such as Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary, Karn, Silver Golem, or Jhoria of the Ghitu.
Gorgon Flail/Quietus Spike - Can be combined with Lyzolda's ability and instantly take out a creature.
Cauldron Dance - I have tested this card before since I saw a couple of other lists running it. I have to say that it can do it's job well late game. But I don't know if I want to sub it out for one of the 6 costs I have currently. Should I?
Kiki-Jiki, The Mirror Breaker - The ability to copy cards like Siege-Gang and Skeletal Vampire seem very efficient. But for what should I take out? Kazuul?
For now, that's it.
Honestly, I love Lyzolda because she's a casual general, and she's seriously fun to play with. I'm happy with the cards that can go so well with her to warrent her a contender for "Coolest General".
I encourage anyone wanting to play an EDH deck that:
1) Deals with lots of creatures
2) Dealing Damage while getting more cards
3) And having a general that does things a little differently.
Give her a shot. You won't regret it.
I'am open for critcism, suggestions, and questions about this deck. I am no "true" expert on the format of EDH, but I will hear anything, and try to answer any question.
I'm pretty sure Braids is banned. Why not substitute Kiki-Jiki in her place?
Braids is banned as a general, using her in a deck is fine. (At least, I hope it is.)
Kiki-Jiki... I never really had a chance to own or use that card, but I heard a lot of positive reviews about him. I'll put it up on my post for self-reference.
00 Lyzolda, the Bloodwitch
Lands - 37
13 Swamp
9 Mountain
1 Vivid Crag
1 Vivid Marsh
1 Sulfurous Springs
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Grixis Panorama
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Graven Cairns
1 Kher Keep
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Urborg Volcano
1 Shinka, The Bloodsoaked Keep
1 Blood Crypt
Creatures - 34
1 Bloodghast
1 Nether Traitor
1 Rakdos Guildmage
1 Mogg War Marshal
1 Sootstoke Kindler
1 Doomed Necromancer
1 Pyre Zombie
1 Dusk Urchins
1 Fulminator Mage
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 Rakka Mar
1 Dimir House Guard
1 Murderous Redcap
1 Braid's Cabal Minion
1 Balthor the Defiled
1 Ashenmoor Liege
1 Anger
1 Crypt Angel
1 Puppeteer Clique
1 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Woebringer Demon
1 Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
1 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
1 Homura, Human Ascendant
1 Twisted Abomination
1 Igneous Pouncer
1 Skeletal Vampire
1 Defiler of Souls
1 Conquering Manticore
1 Malfegor
1 Butcher of Malakir
1 Tsabo Tavoc
1 Kaervek the Merciless
1 Stalking Vengeance
1 Bitterblossom
1 Goblin Assault
1 Phyrexian Processor
1 Sarkhan the Mad
1 Din of the Fireherd
1 Bitterblossom
Artifacts - 4
1 Skullclamp
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Talisman of Indulgence
1 Rakdos Signet
Enchantments - 6
1 Phyrexian Reclaimation
1 Oversold Cemetary
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Attrition
1 Grave Pact
1 Vicious Shadows
Spells - 13
1 Profane Command
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Shattering Pulse
1 Terminate
1 Victimize
1 Reiterate
1 Wild Ricochet
1 Wrecking Ball
1 Brainspoil
1 Beacon of Unrest
1 Word of Seizing
1 Torrent of Souls
1 Insurrection
Meet Lyzolda, the Blood Witch. Calling her "hot" would be kind of an understatement, as she does more then just strut around looking pretty. She kills things, and she does a good job at it.
But really... why Lyzolda? She's just a 3/1, and she has an odd ability...and I would add green and using something like Kresh.
Well. The reasons Lyzolda is a good general are as unique as to why Kresh and friends have thier own unique ways of why they are great:
1) She costs 1BR. (Getting her out on turn 3 with turn 2 cards like Bloodghast and Bitterblossom already give you the upper edge in the game, and forces your opponent to be preasured to finding answers to dealing with her before cards like Grave Pact come out. Also, the fact that if you put her back into the command zone and recasting her for 5, 7, 9 is actually a good investment. Most games, I never have much strife on casting her for 5 mana.)
2) She generates card advantage, if used right. (This I love the most about her. With recurring creatures like Bloodghast, Nether Traitor, and tokens, I can use her ability to gain so many cards and keep a fresh hand, eventually finding combo pieces and recur engines.)
3) She can "save herself" and combine that with 2). (You can sac herself, so if you run alot of recur engines and you don't want her to be taken control, you can deal 2 and get a card. Not a bad deal. If you don't have a recur engine, she can be pitched into the dugout and replayed for 5 mana.)
This is a creature-heavy deck with much reanimation that has to do with tokens, recurring creatures, and lots of persistance and card advantage through the former elements.
Below are some thoughts that I have about certain cards in the deck. I will not go over obvious ones like Siege-Gang Commander or Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs because their abilities and uses are a little self-explanatory.
Vicious Shadows - If you are starting EDH, it may surprise you on how useful a 50 cent rare could be. Vicious Shadows can potentially give you the rights of letting you control the board. With it out, your sac'ing can do more than just deal 2 damage or draw cards, it hurts players or creatures equal to the number of cards in their hand. People will be afraid to Wrath of God the board while this card is out. Combine with lots of tokens and/or creature kill, and you can deal a load of damage, possibly ending games here and there.
Grave Pact/Butcher of Malakir - The meat and potatoes of the decks combo. While it is very possible to operate without these two cards, they are amazing on what kind of advantage they can give you, thanks to Lyzolda's ability to sac your own creatures. You gain advantage as you wipe the field by pitching smaller guys, then swinging with your bigger ones.
Woebringer Demon/Defiler of Souls/Braids, Cabal Minion - These, combined with recurring creatures, can give you the upper hand and whittle away your opponents resources. Woebringer makes sure your opponent's field is clear, especially with the assistance of Grave Pact when it's your turn to pitch creatures.
Bloodghast/Nether Traitor - These boys are your key ways to combine Lyzolda's ability to generate a steady flow of cards in your hand. Both are somewhat easy to cast, and can come back for more sac'ing. Combined with Grave Pact, they will turn into constant kill engines with all the synergy going on...along with being card-junkies.
Attrition - I can't stress enough on how much of an impact this card does. With creatures and tokens, you can easily take out most creatures, even with the absence of Lyzolda.
Homura, Human Ascendant - You play him, and then sacrifice him to make all of your guys have flying and +2/+2. This alone is a game finisher if you already have something like Siege-Gang Commander
Insurrection - People will call me crazy when I say "Insurrection is my Plan B of the deck".
Despite having a deck saturated with creature kill, I still run Insurrection. It will come out of left field that in the event that I do not have enough creature destruction to control the board, and I easily steal their creatures for a solid win.
Sarkhan the Mad - This guy...At first, I thought he was going to be horrible for this deck, especially since I can't use his "ultimate". But I was wrong.
Sarkhan is tutorable by Brainspoil, he generates card advantage, and he lets your creatures turn into 5/5 Dragons. Imagine having a 1/1 Goblin become a 5/5 Dragon, along with having synergy with Grave Pact. Imagine having an Eldrazi going around, and then making your opponent turn it into a Dragon.
I see him as an Enchantment, if anything, that combines card advantage and a supply house of generating power on your side.
This deck, I will point out right now, is no where near the most "perfect" EDH deck. A "perfect deck" would have an answer to anything, at any time. This clearly lacks that.
Here are couple facts that most Lyzolda decks (mine included) may have trouble with:
1) Lack of resources to deal with Enchantments (This is an easy one to figure out, since you are playing with Black and Red, two colors that hardly touch Enchantment Removal)
2) At times, the deck's structure can be unstable. (This I have realized when I do not have Lyzolda on my field, or when I have a bad hand/draws. I sometimes will lack a way to deal with larger threats like a Dragon General or an impending Obliterate/Eldrazi from a Jhoria deck. If my Enchantments die, I'll have a weird time trying to pick up on the swing of things and maintain preasure on my opponent.)
3) How You Lap Down Certain Cards can Provoke Others in Multiplayer. (Ok, so maybe this is my own problem, considering all Lyzolda decks are not the same. But anyway, Grave Pact and other field spells can really provoke people to taking out your resources first. To avoid this, you may want to substitute "gradual kill" cards like Braids and friends for field-wipe spells like Plague Wind and Decree of Pain for Multiplayer.)
Cards I have tried, but I cut out...but would reccommend in your build.
Sorin Markov - While I own a copy of Sorin, I do not choose to put him in this deck because none of his abilities fit the theme all too well, and I personally believe he's too cheap to play, since this is supposed to be a fun deck more than anything.
Furystoke Giant - I tried him a while back, but I didn't really find alot of use from him because I'm not guarenteed of getting an army of tokens in every game, thus making his ability irrelevant, save the fact that he can persist if I do happen to get tokens.
Damnation and Friends - I run nothing of the sort. Because of using Grave Pact and friends, I can kill their side of the field while I retain mine.
Chainer, Dementia Master - While he does a good job at regaining creatures, mine or thiers, I often see him get stuck in my hand because of his weak body, stingy mana cost for his ability, and that I have cards that do just about the same thing for less. He's a great card, and I have seen him do well at some times, but he just doesn't fit in with this particular build, so I had to cut him.
Threaten Cards - [card]Word of Seizing [/card]and Conquering Manticore, while more expensive, prove to be useful later on in the game then the Threaten Spells, because they act as finishers. Threaten cards I replaced with card advantage...I can't remember which cards exactly, but the above two were some of them.
Dread - A big body, evasion, and has a really great effect that can shield you from being beaten easily. But why didn't I include him? Because he doesn't hit the graveyard. With Dread, he can only be out for one time, and then he gets shuffled right back into the deck, and is likely unable to come back unless I use a Demonic Tutor, but even then, I use Tutor to find a game winning piece late in the game like Insurrection.
Any Eldrazi - Honestly, Eldrazi's are "high risk, high reward" cards. With the surge of blue decks running Bribery now a days, I personally think for a deck that concentrates it's resources having 5~8 mana, Eldrazi's seem too slow, and do not warrant any use to the deck as they do not go well with Lyzolda (like you'd want to sacrifice them?) and they are slow and clunky.
It That Betrays - This, however, is an exception. Combining it with Grave Pact will create a huge amount of synergy and can let you steal your opponents side of the field one by one. Still, as stated above, I think the Eldrazi are slow and clunky, and belong in decks such as Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary, Karn, Silver Golem, or Jhoria of the Ghitu.
Gorgon Flail/Quietus Spike - Can be combined with Lyzolda's ability and instantly take out a creature.
Cauldron Dance - I have tested this card before since I saw a couple of other lists running it. I have to say that it can do it's job well late game. But I don't know if I want to sub it out for one of the 6 costs I have currently. Should I?
Kiki-Jiki, The Mirror Breaker - The ability to copy cards like Siege-Gang and Skeletal Vampire seem very efficient. But for what should I take out? Kazuul?
For now, that's it.
Honestly, I love Lyzolda because she's a casual general, and she's seriously fun to play with. I'm happy with the cards that can go so well with her to warrent her a contender for "Coolest General".
I encourage anyone wanting to play an EDH deck that:
1) Deals with lots of creatures
2) Dealing Damage while getting more cards
3) And having a general that does things a little differently.
Give her a shot. You won't regret it.
I'am open for critcism, suggestions, and questions about this deck. I am no "true" expert on the format of EDH, but I will hear anything, and try to answer any question.
'Till Then!
Braids is banned as a general, using her in a deck is fine. (At least, I hope it is.)
Kiki-Jiki... I never really had a chance to own or use that card, but I heard a lot of positive reviews about him. I'll put it up on my post for self-reference.