MTG Salvation

Although I've been playing Magic since Ravnica, when I was 15, I played neither EDH or any competitive format until M11, when I was 20. At that point, I picked up several competitive decks, but didn't get into EDH until Mirrodin Besieged. My first deck was Lyzolda, the Blood Witch, although I've also played at least 8 or 9 other generals.

When I build, I try to design a theme for my decks. For example, with Sharuum the Hegemon, I chose a controlling, proliferation-based plan, then crammed the deck full of planeswalkers and things that benefited from proliferation, Mayael the Anima was designed to be thematically Naya, and Experiment Kraj ran no actual win-cons, instead trying to combo off with the cytoplasm Kraj produced and a bunch of random activated abilities. However, Doran is a bit different. Doran was designed with flavor and theme originally, but became my competitive deck, sacrificing almost all theme for function. While some parts of me are sad about this, I also see it as a great opportunity to see what the format is capable of.

Why Doran?
1) Color Benefits: White, Black, and Green pack answers to anything your opponents try. White offers both mana-efficient spot removal and powerful sweepers, Green deals with non-creatures particularly well, and Black provides recurring hand disruption with specters and Nath. With these choices, it's easy to have an answer for most opposing attempts to win.
These colors also have access to the best ramp spells, the best recursion, and the best tutoring available.

2) Efficiency: Doran is one of the most efficient beaters ever printed, and his ability makes pumping him up to astronomical sizes fairly easy. For example, compare Slagwurm Armor to Ogre's Cleaver. The armor gives a larger combat damage bonus in Doran than the cleaver does in other decks, for a total mana investment of 3 less. Armed with this kind of efficiency, a Doran player can easily gain size advantage while keeping mana back for answers.

3) Ability: The unique ability Doran has also messes with opponents' strategies. There are a lot of power-boosting effects in the format, and Doran neuters them heavily. There was one game in particular where it was down to Kaalia, Mayael, and me. I was able to finish off Mayael because Kaalia was at one with an Anthem of Rakdos that never buffed an attacker the whole game. Doran will cause opponents to waste mana, play cards that have no upside when he's in play, and generally make mistakes.

Why not Doran?
1) Decisions: Doran requires decisions, and that can be difficult. Every move the deck makes effects the next set of decisions, and it packs 12 tutors, top effects, and other deck-based decision cards. Because of this, it almost always has access to the correct solution to problems, but also needs to manage for the later game. Doran is not the easiest deck to play, and this level of complexity can be a turn-off for someone looking for a relaxing game.

2) No Combos: This could change, but for the time being, there is no known insta-win combo. Some people like having the option to end the game if things get too messy, but I believe that Doran has the answers to dig out of most situations, and that some games are just meant to be lost.

Abyssal Specter: Abyssal Specter, along with Guul Draz Specter, Hypnotic Specter, and Needle Specter, form the core of the hand disruption suite, and can be one of the best alternate win conditions when armed with a Sword. Needle Specter, in particular, gets nasty with equipment.
Angel of Despair: Angel of Despair is one of the creature-based removal spells I still have from when this deck was Karador, Ghost Chieftain. The reason she stays is that the effect is so powerful and the body will trade with most other flyers and a fair number of ground-pounders.
Darkheart Sliver (Foil): Darkheart Sliver gives me more ammo with the other utility slivers, and offers a different option. I have no intention of adding a fourth sliver, but these three seem to cover a lot of bases.
Eternal Witness: A lot of my spells want to be cast multiple times.
Harmonic Sliver: Is artifact or enchantment removal that does crazy things with Necrotic Sliver.
Harvester of Souls: Harvester has potential to draw a lot of cards in this deck, and should contribute to not running out of gas in the long game.
Hypnotic Specter: See Abyssal Specter.
Knight of the Reliquary: I run a small set of utility lands, which are worth tutoring for. Knight is also a super-efficient attacker.
Necrotic Sliver: Vindicate on a second stick. Also has synergy with a lot of the deck.
Netherborn Phalanx: A gift for the token players, or a tutor for something bigger.
Needle Specter: See Abyssal Specter.
Restoration Angel(Release Foil): Bouncing ETB effects and saving creatures from spot removal is good. The 4 damage with Doran is just additional benefit.
Sakura-Tribe Elder: As a turn two play, Sakura is very powerful. The ability to find lands is not to be overlooked, and with the amount of tutors in the deck, I find myself with a deck of 20 lands and 15 spells in the late game. This kind of card helps mitigate that.
Silent Arbiter: Lets Doran fight one-on-ones, which he usually wins. Also defends me from most players.
Silklash Spider: This beauty from M13 allows me to control the air, which could otherwise be a problem, and with Doran, is a rather large threat or blocker.
Stoneforge Mystic: Mystic allows me to run limited equipment, but play like I have more. This is a powerful, but limited tutor.
Sun Titan: This is the only Titan I'm running, because so much of my deck can be recurred with it.
Vhati il-Dal: This is one of the first creatures I thought about when I was building this list. His ability is normally an interesting one, especially with a way to give opposing creatures -1/-1. However, with Doran and Vhati on the field, none of my creatures will ever lose a combat, and the best outcome an opponent can hope for is usually a trade.
Wood Elves (WPN Foil): Finds Ravnica Shocks, which helps to fix mana, and the provides a chump blocker.
Yosei, the Morning Star: Yosei was originally in my Karador list as my "I'm a giant douche and I'm taking over this game" option. Despite a lack of sacrifice outlets, she is still an incredibly powerful card.

Spells
Armadillo Cloak (Foreign): In one of my more recent games, I lost by one turn of time because my opponent chumped my 15 toughness Doran once. This was added to fix that problem. The nice thing about the Cloak is that it can be used as pseudo-removal on an opponent's creature.
Aura Shards (Foil): Over the course of a long game, this has potential to blow up incredible numbers of artifacts/enchantments. It's also a must answer threat in my playgroup, where artifacts and enchantments are very common.
Austere Command: The best sweeper, in terms of selecting for versatility. I have never cast this and not been ahead after resolution.
Banishing Stroke: I'm testing this out because, even though it's expensive without Miracle, there should always be a target for it when it's drawn. It's also amazing as a Vess tutor target.
[Card]Batterskull]: Offers a reusable creature if I need the blocker or great utility for Doran if I'm feeling aggressive.
Beast Within: When selecting single-target removal, my requirements were that it needed to be either cheap, fast, or versatile. This fits two of the three, and the beast is fairly irrelevant in a world with Doran running around.
Behemoth Sledge: A repeatable Armadillo Cloak sounds pretty good to me. It got the slot over Loxodon Warhammer because it benefits Doran more.
Cultivate (FNM Foil): I don't run as much acceleration in this list as I could because it's meant as a more controlling deck, rather than a ramp deck. Cultivate is in here to fix mana as much as it is to ramp.
Debtor's Knell: Debtor's Knell was thrown in to give a powerful late game to the deck. I use it as my back up plan, and it rarely comes down before opponents exhaust their resources.
Decree of Pain: Board sweeper for massive card advantage. The cycle also works well with Elesh Norn, as it further kills enemies while Elesh negates the symmetry of the spell.
Demonic Tutor: Cheap, effective tutoring is incredibly powerful in this format. It usually finds an equipment so I can start beating face with Doran, but sometimes, a removal spell is better.
Diabolic Intent: Although it's the same cost as D.T., Intent will more realistically be used to find a sweeper, in order to negate the disadvantage of sacrificing a mana dork.
[Card]Divine Reckoning]: I needed a cheap sweeper, and this one has the extra utility of a second casting, while having a "drawback" I can exploit with Doran.
Farseek: This finds my Shocklands when I don't have a fetch, and my basics when I do.
Fracturing Gust: I was running Creeping Corrosion, but this is a much better card. My meta runs lot of artifacts and enchantments, and Doran does tend to be higher on the threat list.
[Card]Garruk Relentless]: Garruk 3.0 Can close out a game better than Garruk 1.0 because he builds his own army. He also packs massive utility in his 5 abilities.
Garruk Wildspeaker (Foriegn): Garruk does everything this deck wants except blow up creatures.
Increasing Ambition: Although it's expensive, it's also capable of finding three things for the price of one card.
Krosan Grip: The best artifact/enchantment spot removal in green, in my opinion. The fact that it guarantees is highly important to the deck.
Liliana Vess: Vess tutors, disrupts hands, and can potentially win the game by herself (she never will because she's too high threat, but it's possible).
Meekstone: The reason I cut Angelic Destiny. My 2/13 Doran can still untap and deal 13, but no one else can do anything.
Mortify: Mortify meets the same requirements for spot removal as Beast Within, so it made the list.
Night Dealings: Repeatable Diabolic Tutor is extremely good, especially if I have the initiative.
Oblation: Oblation is similar to Beast Within, but with a larger drawback. However, the ability to kill commanders somewhat permanently is worth the two cards.
Oblivion Ring (Foil): Oblivion Ring is the only spot removal that only meets one of the 3 requirements for admission, and I'm contemplating other options.
Path to Exile (Foil): Path to Exile meets the speed and cheapness requirements for removal, as well as exiles the target.
Phyrexian Arena: Arena is an interesting card in that I rarely tutor for it, but never hate drawing it. It lets me keep drawing gas, which is well worth the three mana investment.
Primal Command: Versatility is critical for this deck, and the Command cycle has that. Primal is the last one to be added, but it fills quite a few different gaps roles. (Edit: This has contributed directly to three major victories due to restocking my removal for tutoring.)
Putrefy: See Mortify..
Sensei's Divining Top: Top is another way to make sure I draw good stuff when I want it, which is critical to the deck's success.
Slagwurm Armor: I explain this card in greater detail in "What is Doran All About", but basically, it's incredibly cheap damage boosting for Doran.
Slaughter Pact: Free is cheap, instant is fast. The fact that I have to pay it later is not so good, but sometimes, I can save myself with the Pact.
Sol Ring: While I don't run a lot of acceleration, Sol Ring is rarely a bad card to play, and can allow broken starts.
Summoner's Pact: For a while, I was running a package of Fleetfoot Panther and Ambush Viper and using this card to tutor for flash creatures at instant speed, in order to dodge removal or watch a card run into the green Doom Blade. It was cute, but the tutor is more effective at finding good creatures.
Swords to Plowshares: See Path to Exile.
Sword of Feast and Famine: This is my favorite equipment in the deck. It allows so many ridiculous things and disrupts the opponent. My favorite non-Doran equip target with it is Needle Specter.
Syphon Mind: Discard and draw to help refill my removal.
Terminus: If I choose to miracle this, it fits in perfectly with the philosophy of cheap, efficient removal. If not, it's still a fairly costed spell. It's also and awesome Liliana Vess tutor target.
Vindicate: The epitome of versatile removal.

Note on Land: For the most part, I feel like the deck is making optimal choices. However, the lands section is a bit weak. For one thing, there aren't many people with ABU duals, and they're unlikely to trade them in my area. For another, I can't afford the price right now. I feel like I've put together a pretty solid manabase without the ABU duals, and it'll hold its own against anything in my area. One thing I'd like to fit in are more, and better, utility lands, but there just isn't that much room for non-colored sources.

Land
Brushland
Caves of Koilos
Command Tower
Exotic Orchard
7 Forest (Foil)
Gavony Township: Although I rarely activate it, there have been games where Township was the only reason I won. It gives me something to do with late game mana.
Gilt-Leaf Palace
Golgari Rot Farm
Grim Backwoods: Again a card I rarely activate, but one that has been good every time I do. The ability to turn creatures that were doomed anyway into fresh cards is not to be overlooked.
Isolated Chapel (Foil)
Krosan Verge
Llanowar Wastes
Marsh Flats
Miren, the Moaning Well: Sacrifice outlets are powerful for keeping Doran out of enemy hands, as well as for turning dying creatures into resources.
Murmuring Bosk
Overgrown Tomb
Orzhov Basilica
3 Plains (Foil)
Selesnya Sanctuary
Strip Mine: My best land destruction. Sometimes, someone plays Cabal Coffers or Maze of Ith, and it's good to be able to respond to the threat.
Sunpetal Grove (Foil)
3 Swamp (Foil)
Tectonic Edge (FNM Foil): See Strip Mine, but less awesome, but not too much less
Temple Garden
Terramorphic Expanse (Foil)
Vault of the Archangel: Best used on defense with my utility creatures, Vault can be incredibly swingy and also discourages attacks on me by its presence.
Verdant Catacombs
Wooded Bastion
Woodland Cemetery (Foil)


G Pimp-o-meter (Foreign or Foil): 29/100


Wantlist: Godless Shrine , Stonehewer Giant, Sword of Fire and Ice, Maelstrom Pulse
M13 Watchlist: Rhox Faithmender, Xathrid Gorgon

Synergies:
Vhati il-Dal + Doran, the Siege Tower: Combat results in a trade for every creature in my deck. I originally put this in on a whim, but fell in love when my Birds of Paradise traded with Primeval Titan.
Sun Titan/Debtors' Knell+(Necrotic Sliver+Harmonic Sliver)//Sakura-Tribe Elder: Incremental advantage in whatever category picked (the slivers lead to faster incremental advantage).
Banishing Stroke/Terminus+Liliana Vess=Miracle cost when you want it. (Thinking about adding more miracles just to abuse this.)
Game Play:
Mulligans:
In my playgroup we use the Partial Paris mulligan about 50% of the time, and the other 50%, the game has started before everyone is done drawing hands or even shuffling, so no mulligans are allowed. When using the Partial Paris, I look for the following three categories of cards.
1. Land/Mana sources: I want to see three total of these, preferably ones will allow me to cast my general as quickly as possible. typically, anything more than 4 means I ditch the extras.
2. Removal: I prefer two pieces of spot removal in my opening hand. I want to keep the window of opportunity open for my general as long as possible, so having removal is critical.
3. Tutor: I want to see one tutor. It doesn't have to be castable early, but I like having the redundancy, as well as having the option of making Doran much bigger. My favorite tutor targets are Behemoth Sledge, Vhati il-Dal (try it, he's a complete beast), and Path/Swords.
The extra slot in the hand can be anything, as long as it's playable in the early to middle game. With these three categories, I feel fairly comfortable playing against many different strategies.

The Early Game:
I want to see Doran by turn 3 at the latest. This puts pressure on my opponents to either answer him or make themselves difficult to attack. It also messes with most of my opponents' strategy. In the early game, I want to try to kill one player, usually the one with the best middle game. The early game ends by turn 5 or 6, when people start playing bigger, more threatening cards than Doran.

The Middle Game:
In the middle game, I switch from an aggressive, voltron style of play to a more controlling game plan. I'm still trying to get in with Doran, but my focus is on keeping opposing threats off the table, setting up the Vhati+Elesh or utility+recursion engines, and disrupting hands with my specters. The specters are a critical part of the middle game, because this phase is less about winning and more about setting up the win in the late game, and hand disruption is amazing at this. The middle game ends around turn 9 or 10, when another player runs out of steam and falls behind in the arms race, or gets eliminated.

The Late Game:
In the late game, my goal is to use the card advantage I've built up with the specters, as well as the various engines the deck has, to grind my way to victory. At this phase, everyone should be starting to run out of juice in their hands, and this is where, backed by the wall of removal I run, I should be getting aggressive with Doran again. The game ends when either I kill my last opponent or I run out of ways to control him and he finally goes off.

A Note on Tutors and the Late Game:
While running as many tutors as possible has advantages, it also has weaknesses. One of these is the extreme late game. In this phase of the game (usually turns 15+), the deck is usually thinned of spot removal, sweepers, and tutors, and it becomes more and more difficult to either draw them or find them with the few tutors remaining. Because of this, it's usually better to save tutors for emergencies and setting up synergies. (Edit: While the problems mentioned before still exist, the addition of Primal Command has greatly reduced the likelihood of running out of firepower. Simply reset the deck minus lands and exiled cards and it's like you just started over. The only issue with this strategy is playing around graveyard hate, but since the safety-net of Primal Command is one card, it should be in your thoughts when playing regardless.)

My playgroup consists of the following decks, organized by level of power: Skullbriar, the Walking Grave, Nath of the Gilt-Leaf, Asuza, Lost but Seeking, Sliver Queen, Progenitus, The Mimeoplasm, Oona, Queen of the Fae, Grimgrin, Corpse-Born, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, Mikeaus, the Lunarch, and assorted decks that don't show up as much. Because of the diversity of power level, (Skullbriar runs the ABU dual and every good goodstuff option in the colors, Nath has Gaea's Cradle and is incredibly tuned) games tend to be swingy, with the more tuned decks killing each other. This lets less tuned decks have a fighting chance, although more thought out lists with synergy and powerful effects usually still win. Overall, I'd rate my playgroup as fairly casual, but not afraid to play with good cards.

I would greatly appreciate thoughts and ideas on how to improve this deck even more. As I've said previously, this deck is designed to be as powerful as my budget will afford. That being said, while I am attempting to pimp the deck, I'm not purchasing foils, foreign cards, or altars unless the price is competitive with the non-pimp version. I am currently a college student, which means my budget may prevent me from playing the best option.

Thank you for taking a look at my list and my thoughts for it, as well as for any comments. Have a great day.
Changelog