I wanted to do something different with Dralnu something that didn't involve extra turns. The idea behind this deck is to come out the gate like a normal blue/black control deck countering some spells killing some creatures trying to just stay alive and keep attention off me.
Bone Shredder seems super underwhelming. maybe replace it with a Cryptic Command or something. More counters never hurts anyone... except maybe your opponent
I would also suggest Mnemonic Wall. You can keep bouncing it with Crystal Shard or Erratic Portal, although that is pretty expensive. Evacuation with the Wall also sets up a bouncing loop.
Skeletal Scrying seems to be in conflict with Dralnu's ability, have you found any issues with this? (I'm interested in trying out Skeletal Scrying in my own Dralnu deck).
You're right about Skeletal Scrying it's very underwhelming compared to the other draw in my deck I think I might try out Grim Harvest or Corpse Dance instead of it.
I think this may be the only black deck in the world that doesn't want Necropotence for two reasons. One I don't get to actually draw the cards which is what this deck wants to do and two whenever I discard or play a card it gets exiled which is exactly why Skeletal Scrying is bad.
Phyrexian Arena is a bit underwhelming when you compare it to all the other cards in my deck that help me draw cards and Phyrexian Reclamation is being replaced with another card that does the same thing but better.
Adding Infernal Darkness is to help out with the stall with Contamination buying me those few extra turns to win and Leyline of the Void while acting as graveyard hate also doubles as a possible route of decking my opponents with all my forced draw.
Necrolagia and Skeletal Scrying were both outclassed by blue draw and the latter is anti-synergistic with Dralnu as pointed out by dull. Plagarize is a good card but I wanted to cut an instant for another counter and this is the one I decided to go with.
I added in Cryptic Command as suggested and went with Corpse Dance over Grim Harvest because of the clause on Grim Harvest that says if you don't pay the recover cost it gets exiled. Slaughter was added because spot removal is nice but spot removal with buyback is awesome.
This is where my brother started to think I've gone crazy saying I was cutting very good cards and I somewhat agree with him so let's go over each card and I'll explain the cuts.
Beseech the Queen is either an expensive tutor or a color intensive tutor either way with a limitation that although small can be a problem sometimes. I decided to go with Doomsday instead to be used kind of as a last effort if my plans aren't going as well as planned. This one is the most likely to be changed but I wanna test it out first possibly being cut for Imperial Seal if I can get one or some other tutor.
Decree of Pain while an awesome card can be rather hard to cast at eight mana. Although eight mana is obviously really easy to obtain in Commander, when I tend to want board wipes is early in the game which is where Decree of Pain won't help me but Mutilate will.
Recurring Insight is a fantastic card when someone draws a bunch of cards off a Greater Good or some other massive blue draw spell but that's not what this deck wants. What I want to do is to draw a bunch of cards through draw sevens constantly cycling my cards back into my deck which is where Recurring Insight isn't as good with me constantly reseting the hand size. Tunnel Vision is another small combo I can use one versus one or when a multiplayer gets down to me and another person or something like that or if all else fails could empty my deck into my grave for Dralnu to play with.
You misunderstand me I'm not saying Phyrexian Arena is a BAD card that WOULD be crazy I'm simply stating that with all the blue draw I'd rather have more control cards then a card that only gets me one extra card a turn.
That's a good point about Necropotence, I actually didn't notice that the discarded cards get exiled (probably very silly of me).
I know you're just testing out a build without Phyrexian Arena but I have to agree with Goarath here - it's insane to cut the card. I'm going to guess that you'll put it back in eventually, but of course it's perfectly legitimate to test the deck without it.
Did some testing with it and put Phyrexian Arena back in and added Dark Tutelage in addition. Everything seems to be pulling it's own weight so far nothing as a stand out cut so far.
I'm not sure I like Dark Tutelage - the life loss will probably start to hurt after just a few turns, and it really just acts like a subpar Phyrexian Arena.
I'm surprised to see that Future Sight hasn't been suggested, I would definitely put in Future Sight over Dark Tutelage.
I see your point about Dark Tutelage... I was thinking about adding Megrim and Liliana's Caress for fun with my two Jars might cut Dark Tutelage and Phyrexian Reclamation for them.
As far as Future Sight goes its a good suggestion might cut Mystic Remora for it.
I'm not sure I like Dark Tutelage - the life loss will probably start to hurt after just a few turns, and it really just acts like a subpar Phyrexian Arena.
I'm surprised to see that Future Sight hasn't been suggested, I would definitely put in Future Sight over Dark Tutelage.
I've been hesitant to add Future Sight to my U/B deck. I just feel it's too much of a liability to let your opponents see your cards when you're trying to set up a combo. Chances are that one or two of the better players at your table already have an inkling at what type of combo you are going for, and when everyone at the table can see your next card, it usually becomes an open discussion resulting in EVERYBODY knowing.
I've been hesitant to add Future Sight to my U/B deck. I just feel it's too much of a liability to let your opponents see your cards when you're trying to set up a combo. Chances are that one or two of the better players at your table already have an inkling at what type of combo you are going for, and when everyone at the table can see your next card, it usually becomes an open discussion resulting in EVERYBODY knowing.
I see your point but I think it warrants testing I'll let you know how it goes.
Also went with adding Windfall over Recurring Insight.
The idea of playing Windfall with a big hand and Megrim and Underworld Dreams on the field and then recurring it with Dralnu makes me giggle.
What has been your experience with running Dranlu been so far? I was going to run him in a UB mill deck as my general, but I am worried people will target him with whatever dmg they can shell out and my board will basically self-wipe.
Well that was something I considered while building the deck so I added some lands that can sacrafice him and originally had Crystal Shard and Erratic Portal in there.
Turns out his drawback wasn't as big as a problem as I thought. I only play him when I'm going to be using him and with Thousand-Year Elixir he's only on the board one or two turns before I sacrafice him, he dies to a board wipe, or I win.
Also not as many people play burn as you think I've literally yet to sacrafice a single permanent to him.
i would think the largest source of burn problems would come from a Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind + Quietus Spike combo. If you're playing against an Izzet deck theres a solid chance this is going to happen. if you're in a heavy burn meta, Lightning Greaves may solve your problem.
EDH:
Currently Piloting:
Dama, Sage of Stone | Karador, Ghost Chieftan | Sigarda, Host of Herons | Elbrus, the Binding Blade / Withengar Unbound | Grand Arbiter Augustin IV | Genju of the Realm | Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
After some more testing with the deck one card that really stood out as sub-optimal was Foil. I never seemed to have the Island too discard for it and hardcasting it there are so many better options. I'm thinking Mindbreak Trap cause I really want a potential "free" counter in there but curious if there's any better options.
1 Dralnu, Lich Lord
Artifact
1 Expedition Map
1 Memory Jar
1 Mind's Eye
1 Pithing Needle
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Rings of Brighthearth
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Temple Bell
1 Thousand-Year Elixir
1 Vedalken Orrery
Creature
1 Bone Shredder
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Duplicant
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
1 Magus of the Coffers
1 Magus of the Jar
1 Psychosis Crawler
1 Shriekmaw
1 Trinket Mage
Enchantment
1 Dream Halls
1 Future Sight
1 Leyline of Anticipation
1 Leyline of the Void
1 Liliana's Caress
1 Megrim
1 Mind Over Matter
1 Phyrexian Arena
1 Rhystic Study
1 Underworld Dreams
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
1 Capsize
1 Forbid
1 Force of Will
1 Hinder
1 Insidious Dreams
1 Intuition
1 Mana Drain
1 Mindbreak Trap
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Necrolagia
1 Pact of Negation
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Snuff Out
1 Vampiric Tutor
Sorcery
1 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Damnation
1 Decree of Pain
1 Demonic Collusion
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Diabolic Tutor
1 Diminishing Returns
1 Disturbed Burial
1 Exsanguinate
1 Mutilate
1 Time Reversal
1 Time Spiral
1 Timetwister
1 Windfall
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Academy Ruins
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Cabal Coffers
1 Deserted Temple
1 Flooded Strand
1 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Petrified Field
1 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
12 Snow-Covered Island
10 Snow-Covered Swamp
1 Strip Mine
1 Temple of the False God
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Wasteland
1 Watery Grave
I wanted to do something different with Dralnu something that didn't involve extra turns. The idea behind this deck is to come out the gate like a normal blue/black control deck countering some spells killing some creatures trying to just stay alive and keep attention off me.
Once I have enough mana I can start to "combo" off in a few different ways. The most simple being Temple Bell + Mind Over Matter which is my least favorite way to go but in a more serious meta it's something I can pull out. The more interesting ones involve Psychosis Crawler + Underworld Dreams + Consecrated Sphinx + Timetwister/Time Spiral/Time Reversal/Diminishing Returns etc. which is where Dralnu comes in handy allowing me to re-use my tutors and draw spells I may have discarded or such.
There's also the possibility of going infinite with Cabal Coffers + Deserted Temple + Rings of Brighthearth + Exanguinate/Blue Sun's Zenith if I run out of options.
Thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions?
Experimental Kraj
They both have a place in this deck and both can be reclaimed with Phyrexian Reclamation.
Experimental Kraj
I would also suggest Mnemonic Wall. You can keep bouncing it with Crystal Shard or Erratic Portal, although that is pretty expensive. Evacuation with the Wall also sets up a bouncing loop.
Skeletal Scrying seems to be in conflict with Dralnu's ability, have you found any issues with this? (I'm interested in trying out Skeletal Scrying in my own Dralnu deck).
Have you considered Necropotence?
I think this may be the only black deck in the world that doesn't want Necropotence for two reasons. One I don't get to actually draw the cards which is what this deck wants to do and two whenever I discard or play a card it gets exiled which is exactly why Skeletal Scrying is bad.
Experimental Kraj
-Phyrexian Arena
-Phyrexian Reclamation
+Infernal Darkness
+Leyline of the Void
Phyrexian Arena is a bit underwhelming when you compare it to all the other cards in my deck that help me draw cards and Phyrexian Reclamation is being replaced with another card that does the same thing but better.
Adding Infernal Darkness is to help out with the stall with Contamination buying me those few extra turns to win and Leyline of the Void while acting as graveyard hate also doubles as a possible route of decking my opponents with all my forced draw.
-Necrologia
-Plagiarize
-Skeletal Scrying
+Corpse Dance
+Cryptic Command
+Slaughter
Necrolagia and Skeletal Scrying were both outclassed by blue draw and the latter is anti-synergistic with Dralnu as pointed out by dull. Plagarize is a good card but I wanted to cut an instant for another counter and this is the one I decided to go with.
I added in Cryptic Command as suggested and went with Corpse Dance over Grim Harvest because of the clause on Grim Harvest that says if you don't pay the recover cost it gets exiled. Slaughter was added because spot removal is nice but spot removal with buyback is awesome.
-Beseech the Queen
-Decree of Pain
-Recurring Insight
+Doomsday
+Mutilate
+Tunnel Vision
This is where my brother started to think I've gone crazy saying I was cutting very good cards and I somewhat agree with him so let's go over each card and I'll explain the cuts.
Beseech the Queen is either an expensive tutor or a color intensive tutor either way with a limitation that although small can be a problem sometimes. I decided to go with Doomsday instead to be used kind of as a last effort if my plans aren't going as well as planned. This one is the most likely to be changed but I wanna test it out first possibly being cut for Imperial Seal if I can get one or some other tutor.
Decree of Pain while an awesome card can be rather hard to cast at eight mana. Although eight mana is obviously really easy to obtain in Commander, when I tend to want board wipes is early in the game which is where Decree of Pain won't help me but Mutilate will.
Recurring Insight is a fantastic card when someone draws a bunch of cards off a Greater Good or some other massive blue draw spell but that's not what this deck wants. What I want to do is to draw a bunch of cards through draw sevens constantly cycling my cards back into my deck which is where Recurring Insight isn't as good with me constantly reseting the hand size. Tunnel Vision is another small combo I can use one versus one or when a multiplayer gets down to me and another person or something like that or if all else fails could empty my deck into my grave for Dralnu to play with.
Experimental Kraj
Experimental Kraj
i see. well blue does have the greatest draw power in the game
I know you're just testing out a build without Phyrexian Arena but I have to agree with Goarath here - it's insane to cut the card. I'm going to guess that you'll put it back in eventually, but of course it's perfectly legitimate to test the deck without it.
Experimental Kraj
Did some testing with it and put Phyrexian Arena back in and added Dark Tutelage in addition. Everything seems to be pulling it's own weight so far nothing as a stand out cut so far.
Experimental Kraj
I'm surprised to see that Future Sight hasn't been suggested, I would definitely put in Future Sight over Dark Tutelage.
Also, Future Sight enables a very convoluted combo which might be fun to run: the infinite mana engine you described earlier + Sensei's Divining Top + Future Sight + Brain Freeze/Tendrils of Agony. You can even flashback the storm card to take out 2 players!
As far as Future Sight goes its a good suggestion might cut Mystic Remora for it.
Experimental Kraj
I've been hesitant to add Future Sight to my U/B deck. I just feel it's too much of a liability to let your opponents see your cards when you're trying to set up a combo. Chances are that one or two of the better players at your table already have an inkling at what type of combo you are going for, and when everyone at the table can see your next card, it usually becomes an open discussion resulting in EVERYBODY knowing.
Modern
RBig RedR
GMean GreenG
WWW AlliesW
BGScavengeBG
WUVenser SilenceWU
EDH
RWAurelia 1 vs 1RW
GWURoonGWU
GWSaffiGW
I see your point but I think it warrants testing I'll let you know how it goes.
Also went with adding Windfall over Recurring Insight.
The idea of playing Windfall with a big hand and Megrim and Underworld Dreams on the field and then recurring it with Dralnu makes me giggle.
Experimental Kraj
EDH Decks:
B Toshiro Umezawa B
W Mikaeus, the Lunarch W
G Azusa, Lost but Seeking G
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-Born BU
BGU The Mimeoplasm UGB
GUW Rubinia Soulsinger WUG
GRB Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper BRG
Turns out his drawback wasn't as big as a problem as I thought. I only play him when I'm going to be using him and with Thousand-Year Elixir he's only on the board one or two turns before I sacrafice him, he dies to a board wipe, or I win.
Also not as many people play burn as you think I've literally yet to sacrafice a single permanent to him.
Experimental Kraj
EDH:
Currently Piloting:
Dama, Sage of Stone | Karador, Ghost Chieftan | Sigarda, Host of Herons | Elbrus, the Binding Blade / Withengar Unbound | Grand Arbiter Augustin IV | Genju of the Realm | Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
I do agree that Niv would be a pain but like I said I drop Dralnu when I'm gonna win and I don't do that without protection like Pact of Negation, Foil, Force of Will, Slaughter Pact, and Snuff Out.
Experimental Kraj
Experimental Kraj
Experimental Kraj