This deck is supposed to be a decent mix of 1v1 and multiplayer, since we do a lot of both in my playgroup. It needs a decent chunk of work, and I would really like some help.
Ok. First off, in a format of 40 life 1/1 creatures just aren't going to do much unless you create mad swarms of them. Also, the removal spells that only kill creatures with one or two P/T just aren't going to cut it. More mana can never hurt either.
Suggestions to cut:
That's about all I have right now for suggestions. The choices of what to add are all p to you of course, but I would really consider removing some of the cards I named.
You asked for help on Twitter (@mtgcolorpie), so here we go:
1. Why are you playing Mirri? Is this just a mono-black Aggro/control deck?
2. It looks like a aggro/control deck with either kill spells or beats. Any synergies in this deck?
3. At the moment, it looks like a bunch of cards thrown together. Let's figure this out and go from there.
I'm not trying to be mean, these are common questions I ask when I look at any deck. Once you answer these, we can go from there.
@Toxic: The reason I have a lot of smaller creature removal is that I often face (and have problems with) rhys the exiled decks. But I do agree that those are really good additions to the deck, and I will add most, if not all, of the cards to the deck, as they are really good. Thanks.
@mtgcolorpie: I asked for your help because I read your EDH blog, really like it, and i wanted some good opinions. 1. The reason I am playing Mirri is because she is a 7 turn clock general, who can grow larger, and becomes more powerful if you block her. The goal of the deck is to control the board with sweepers. A lot of the synergies involve mirri and/or death pits of rath. Pestilence and rath means I can blow everything up, basilisk collar and mirri turns it into a super vampire nighthawk, all the kill spells and Vess means I can have a massive army in multiplayer, and basically win right there. What I want to do with the deck, I guess, is control the board as best as I can, then kill opponents with Mirri.
Thanks, but I didn't ask why you asked for my help. Thanks for stroking my Ego.
So, if you're going to be a General-oriented deck, that's perfectly fine. Right now, you don't have it.
1. Add Lightning Greaves. Yes, Mirri has haste, but she can still be removed.
2. Let's see some ways to make her bigger. You can have a +1/+1 counter theme (since she uses that). Blade of the Bloodchief (she's also a Vampire), Extruder, those type of cards that can help her.
3. You want to clear a path for her. More discarding, more mass removal. If she's your win condition, you do your best to clear the skies so she can win.
Toxic has some good ideas, so take a look at those. You need Dark Ritual, Sol Ring, things that can power her out early and often.
I was considering making some kind of Mirri MBA deck but I can't really see her being useful. Hasted generals are always good, but its a piddly 3 damage.
She would need to be a voltron type deck I think, and once I go down that route it begs the question of how this would differ meaningfully from my sygg deck - which is voltron-ish but with unblockable creatures.
Mirri could be a nasty general, if you want to get through with general damage. Thing is she needs to be big, and have trample, fear, unblockable.....something like that. Best way is equipment.
I agree with the others that you need to cut the 1/1s. I'd recommend adding Decree of Pain and Beacon of Unrest. Decree is versatile and can be cycled to clear the small stuff or cast to clear everything and net you a bunch of cards. Beacon is good reanimation (any graveyard, any creature or artifact) that is sometimes reusable. And if you really need to worry about Rhys token decks, add Night of Souls' Betrayal.
I'm going to give a slightly different tact then everyone else here. You definitely need to improve the quality of your creatures, and pretty much the quality of your spells in general. A few suggestions.
1. If there is a creature that can do the job of a spell, play it instead of that spell. In your removal I see Terror, Dark Banishing and Hideous End. These can easily be replaced by Shriekmaw, Bone Shredder, and Nekrataal. Always opt for creatures, as creatures beat down, and can hold equipment. There are a few others on your list that can work as well.
2. Play every single Pestilence you can. Pestilence is perhaps going to be your biggest aid in knocking out multiple opponents, other then Mirri beats. Adding Crypt Rats, Thrashing Wumpus and Pestilence Demon are a very good way to keep that up. These cards also aid in dealing with swarm decks, something you've indicated to be a problem. If you're feeling especially dangerous, try out Last Laugh.
3. Play repeatable recursion. Black has tons of these. Grim Harvest, Phyrexian Reclamation, and maybe Haunted Crossroads give you the power to get back creatures that have been killed repeatedly.
4. Global Pump. Gauntlet of Power, obv, but you can also try out Bad Moon and Nocturnal Raid. Also, PLAY HATRED. IT'S AMAZING.
Just some general advice, but you've given me something to think about. This type of deck is very intrigueing to me.
Couple those with the grey kings suggestions and youve removed a lot of your underpowered kill spells for beats with removal. This definitely furthers your goal and it really doesnt hurt your mana curve. BY and large youre paying one more mana for a body on your kill spells.
ALso since you are looking for speed in this deck Seizan is a good option because he hastens your card draw and puts the table on a clock (sure everyone else draws more but theyre also taking damage he is also a great defender).
The number one rule you should have in mind for this deck is: how can I do more for less? Squeeze every slot to its maximum potential. If you can find a creature that has alternate damage or removal abilities or even card advantage (ie Undead Gladiator Viscera Dragger ) go for it or . If you can find a spell that has multiple options thats a good idea (ie ExpungeNihilistic GleeIchor Slick). If you havent thought into it much cycling is a great option. Theres a host of kill spells and solid creatures that can be put to good use or if they cant you can just dump them for card advantage. In a deck based on speed card draw is your best friend. Having multiple utilities to achieve that goal is a great option (cycle lands cycle creatures cycle spells etc). Basically the more options you can cram onto a card the better.
If I recommend one creature for any black deck its always gonna be Viscera Dragger. Its a 5 cent common. A 3/2 body for 4 mana. With the huge option of cycling it and then unearthing a 3/2 hasty for a turn all for the same price as the hardcast. Swinging for 3 and drawing a card for 4 is a pretty sweet deal.
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1 Mirri the Cursed
Removal
1 Damnation
1 Krovikan Rot
1 Urge to Feed
1 Hex
1 Seal of Doom
1 Disfigure
1 Phthisis
1 Corrupt
1 Cruel Edict
1 Hero's Demise
1 Sudden Death
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Death Pits of Rath
1 Dark Banishing
1 Infest
1 Swat
1 Terror
1 Consume Spirit
1 Pestilence
1 Chill to the Bone
1 Lose Hope
1 Drain Life
1 Hideous End
1 Rend Flesh
1 Smother
1 Disembowel
1 Wail of the Nim
1 Grave Pact
1 Echoing Decay
1 Ascendant Envincar
1 Dauthi Slayer
1 Reiver Demon
1 Disciple of Malice
1 Dread
1 Deathgreeter
1 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Butcher of Malakir
1 Blister Beetle
1 Blood Seeker
1 Magus of the Coffers
1 Corrosive Mentor
1 Plague Beetle
1 Quag Vampire
1 Bloodhusk Ritualist
1 Nightshade Stinger
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Nightmare
1 Leaden Myr
1 Nantuko Shade
1 Plagued Rusalka
1 Order of the Ebon Hand
1 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
Draw/Tutor
1 Promise of Power
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Beseech the Queen
1 Sign in Blood
1 Grim Discovery
1 Sorin Markov
1 Raise Dead
1 Dread Return
1 Dead Reckoning
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Quest for the Gravelord
1 Grim Harvest
1 Dark Ritual
1 Liliana Vess
Land
1 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Barren Moor
1 Spawning Pool
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Shizo, Death's Storehouse
25 Swamp
MTG Rules adviser.
Suggestions to cut:
Under ConstructionEDH-W Wrath of the Angels
U Arcanis Goodstuff
B The Baron's Vampires
R Smashing Mirrors
G The Snakes Rising
RG The Grand Feast
UBR The Lord's Zombies
Nom
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[Limited]
1. Why are you playing Mirri? Is this just a mono-black Aggro/control deck?
2. It looks like a aggro/control deck with either kill spells or beats. Any synergies in this deck?
3. At the moment, it looks like a bunch of cards thrown together. Let's figure this out and go from there.
I'm not trying to be mean, these are common questions I ask when I look at any deck. Once you answer these, we can go from there.
GatheringMagic.com Commander Writer
Twitter: @mtgcolorpie
One of the GDS2 Final 101
Recently Written Posts:
1-31 MTGCP The Complete Commander - Designing Commander
12-18 MTGCP The Day Kibler Shut Down the World
@mtgcolorpie: I asked for your help because I read your EDH blog, really like it, and i wanted some good opinions. 1. The reason I am playing Mirri is because she is a 7 turn clock general, who can grow larger, and becomes more powerful if you block her. The goal of the deck is to control the board with sweepers. A lot of the synergies involve mirri and/or death pits of rath. Pestilence and rath means I can blow everything up, basilisk collar and mirri turns it into a super vampire nighthawk, all the kill spells and Vess means I can have a massive army in multiplayer, and basically win right there. What I want to do with the deck, I guess, is control the board as best as I can, then kill opponents with Mirri.
MTG Rules adviser.
So, if you're going to be a General-oriented deck, that's perfectly fine. Right now, you don't have it.
1. Add Lightning Greaves. Yes, Mirri has haste, but she can still be removed.
2. Let's see some ways to make her bigger. You can have a +1/+1 counter theme (since she uses that). Blade of the Bloodchief (she's also a Vampire), Extruder, those type of cards that can help her.
3. You want to clear a path for her. More discarding, more mass removal. If she's your win condition, you do your best to clear the skies so she can win.
Toxic has some good ideas, so take a look at those. You need Dark Ritual, Sol Ring, things that can power her out early and often.
GatheringMagic.com Commander Writer
Twitter: @mtgcolorpie
One of the GDS2 Final 101
Recently Written Posts:
1-31 MTGCP The Complete Commander - Designing Commander
12-18 MTGCP The Day Kibler Shut Down the World
She would need to be a voltron type deck I think, and once I go down that route it begs the question of how this would differ meaningfully from my sygg deck - which is voltron-ish but with unblockable creatures.
As far as black pump goes I think your options are pretty limited... soul kiss? unholy strength? howl from beyond?
- blade of the bloodchief
- Nightmare lash
- Loxodon warhammer
- Basilisk collar
- Umezawa's jitte
- Sword of fire and ice
- Sword of light and shadow
the swords are great as they grant protection, and the lash is just silly in a mono black edh deck.Second thing is clearing a path, creatures like
Theese all make it a lot easier to get through. And cards like
- dread
- No mercy
- Royal assasin
- Sorceress queen
discourage retalliation.Also volrath's stronghold is sorely missed in your list
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1. If there is a creature that can do the job of a spell, play it instead of that spell. In your removal I see Terror, Dark Banishing and Hideous End. These can easily be replaced by Shriekmaw, Bone Shredder, and Nekrataal. Always opt for creatures, as creatures beat down, and can hold equipment. There are a few others on your list that can work as well.
2. Play every single Pestilence you can. Pestilence is perhaps going to be your biggest aid in knocking out multiple opponents, other then Mirri beats. Adding Crypt Rats, Thrashing Wumpus and Pestilence Demon are a very good way to keep that up. These cards also aid in dealing with swarm decks, something you've indicated to be a problem. If you're feeling especially dangerous, try out Last Laugh.
3. Play repeatable recursion. Black has tons of these. Grim Harvest, Phyrexian Reclamation, and maybe Haunted Crossroads give you the power to get back creatures that have been killed repeatedly.
4. Global Pump. Gauntlet of Power, obv, but you can also try out Bad Moon and Nocturnal Raid. Also, PLAY HATRED. IT'S AMAZING.
Just some general advice, but you've given me something to think about. This type of deck is very intrigueing to me.
Currently 62/265 cards.
Couple those with the grey kings suggestions and youve removed a lot of your underpowered kill spells for beats with removal. This definitely furthers your goal and it really doesnt hurt your mana curve. BY and large youre paying one more mana for a body on your kill spells.
ALso since you are looking for speed in this deck Seizan is a good option because he hastens your card draw and puts the table on a clock (sure everyone else draws more but theyre also taking damage he is also a great defender).
The number one rule you should have in mind for this deck is: how can I do more for less? Squeeze every slot to its maximum potential. If you can find a creature that has alternate damage or removal abilities or even card advantage (ie Undead Gladiator Viscera Dragger ) go for it or . If you can find a spell that has multiple options thats a good idea (ie Expunge Nihilistic Glee Ichor Slick). If you havent thought into it much cycling is a great option. Theres a host of kill spells and solid creatures that can be put to good use or if they cant you can just dump them for card advantage. In a deck based on speed card draw is your best friend. Having multiple utilities to achieve that goal is a great option (cycle lands cycle creatures cycle spells etc). Basically the more options you can cram onto a card the better.
If I recommend one creature for any black deck its always gonna be Viscera Dragger. Its a 5 cent common. A 3/2 body for 4 mana. With the huge option of cycling it and then unearthing a 3/2 hasty for a turn all for the same price as the hardcast. Swinging for 3 and drawing a card for 4 is a pretty sweet deal.