Asmodeus the Archfiend

Legendary Creature — Devil

Binding Contract — If you would draw a card, exile the top card of your library face down instead.

{B}{B}{B}: Draw seven cards.

{B}: Return all cards exile with this to their owner's hand you lose that much life.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Alchemy	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Pre-release	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Standard	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (23)

BarfQuackers on Asmodeus & The Golden Throne

2 months ago

Yes, once you activate the ability it gets put on the stack(602.2a), after a few things that are irrelevant in this situation(601.2b-f), you have the chance to activate mana abilities(601.2g) like The Golden Throne, since Asmodeus the Archfiends ability is already on the stack it doesn't matter what zone the card itself is in, finally you pay the cost(601.2h) and the ability is officially activated(601.2i).

irmsilver on Asmodeus & The Golden Throne

2 months ago

Asmodeus the Archfiend has and activated ability "{B}{B}{B}: Draw seven cards."

The Golden Throne has a mana ability of "{T}, Sacrifice a creature: Add three mana of any combination of colors".

Can I activate Asmodeus' ability to draw seven cards by sacrificing himself to The Golden Throne?

Profet93 on Volrath, Voltron Reanimator

2 months ago

Skirge familiar Combos

Skirge Familiar > Grimore of the dead - Skirge is a combo enabler and while it does cost one more mana, is tutorable and more importantly, more easily recurrable. Not to mention it adds mana. While grimore does have a big payoff, it is widely telegraphed and doesn't give you any upfront investment.

Sheoldred, the Apocalypse + VILIS, BROKER OF BLOOD + Skirge Familiar = Infinite draw triggers. Near-infinite black mana, lifegain, lifegain triggers, card draw, looting and self-discard triggers. Sheoldred is good against blue decks that like to draw a lot as well with a deathtouch bonus

SHEOLDRED, THE APOCALYPSE + Greed + SKIRGE FAMILIAR = Infinite looting, draw triggers, self-discard triggers and Near-infinite lifegain triggers

Asmodeus the Archfiend + Necrotic Ooze + SKIRGE FAMILIAR = Infinite card draw, draw triggers, looting, self-discard and Near-infinite black mana.

SKIRGE FAMILIAR + Peer into the Abyss + Exsanguinate/Torment of Hailfire = GG. Peer is great on it's own. Given you are mono black, you should emphasize a bit more on the big black mana as a fallback incase (or rather, when) your reanimation strategy doesn't pan out given to all the grave hate in EDH (further exacerbated by all your black decks in the meta).

Other Suggestions

On the note of big black mana, Deserted Temple - Untap coffers + political tool. Thespian's Stage is a potential consideration as well. I know it seemed slow in the previous iteration but some big ramp pieces should be considered as well.

Victimize - Swap from maybeboard to main. It's 3 mana, sac a creature and get 2 back. It's a lot of value for such a cheap cost

Blightsteel Colossus > Kozilek - It serves the anti-mill purpose with high mana and potential alt wincon. Is it not included due to price? He would be much better than the cut suggestions below.

Potential Cuts

While cutting too many expensive cmc cards goes against the plans, these are just my thoughts of your weakest high cmc cards to consider removing....

Archon of Cruelty - Costs too much for such little impact. 8 mana should be game winning. While I know you're not paying retail, it's the fat of the deck that's ripe for cutting. Even if it said each opponent it's still not worth it.

Archpriest of Shadows - Reminds me of ashling the extinguisher. Not impactful enough, cool ability though. If you do want another 5cmc card to take it's spot, Junji, the Midnight Sky has a nice death trigger that's flexible and helpful.

Dauthi Voidwalker - I'm torn, I do like him a lot. Especially since you said there is mill in the meta. The weakest option for cuts for sure. Just 2 mana that doesn't impact your strategy doesn't seem worth it IMO. If you ran Leyline of the void + helm combo and used this as redundancy that would be one thing.

Hoarding Broodlord - A weird runescarred dragon. 8 mana wins games, not tutoring.

Pathrazer of Ulamog - I get the high cmc is great, but he isn't impactful enough.

Torgaar, Famine Incarnate - Make someone's life 20, nothing crazy.

Strands of Night - Black has better recursion. Losing a land is a harsh penalty.

Rocketman988 on Defile Me Daddy Rakdos

8 months ago

Hey 77hi77! I love the angle you are going for with the deck, the "playing like a demon" role. I really like the token subtheme, and it feels like you could lean into that even more to give you more breathing room to swing with Rakdos. With more emphasis on a token subtheme, you wouldn't set your board back as much when you swing with Rakdos for "revenge" when your besties turn on you. Instead of resource denial, he'd play as incentive for others to leave you alone OR ELSE. Flavor wise, the legion of tokens would represent your minions that are sacrificed to get what you want.

Burn Down the House, Dance with Devils, and Devils' Playground would fill out the devil token subtheme you have going on, and Asmodeus the Archfiend, Fiendish Duo, Mayhem Devil, and Sin Prodder add even more devil synergy that aligns with the deck goals.

Army of the Damned, Carrion, Curse of Opulence, Dreadfeast Demon, Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder, Wand of Orcus, and Infernal Genesis are all great token cards that fit the infernal theme. Baeloth Barrityl, Entertainer plus pump effects means permanent goaded enemy creatures and treasures for you to ramp with or sac to Rakdos as long as he's on the field. Speaking of pump, Arterial Alchemy can increase the power of your creatures, makes 4 permanents to sacrifice, and gives the deck even more draw power. Bloodthirsty Blade is a great demonic artifact to gift to problematic creatures. Black Market Connections gives you ramp, card draw, or tokens depending on what you need at the moment. Bite of the Black Rose is a super fun "choose your doom' flavor card. Head Games is a terrific demonic deal- while searching their library, see what deals they're willing to give you in order to get what they want. If they don't make a deal with you, they pay the price.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Rakdos's abilities are not targeted abilities, so Wyll's Reversal cannot copy Rakdos's sacrifice triggers. Likewise, you can copy Rakdos's on attack ability, but it will just make YOU sacrifice half your permanents again. Since Rakdos's ability does not target, so new targets cannot be selected for it; copying his abilities just does it again to the same person it would already affect. Additionally, Rakdos's abilities have separate triggers- one that triggers on your attack and one that triggers on dealing damage to an opponent. So you do have to deal damage to an opponent to copy the opponent sacrifice ability with Strionic Resonator or Lithoform Engine. That being said, Maze of Ith is an ability that goes on the stack when activated, so it can be responded to with cards like Bolt Bend, Not of this World, Deflecting Swat, etc. Maze of Ith and instant speed interaction usually targets too, so Lightning Greaves/Swiftfoot Boots help a lot with that too.

Crow_Umbra on Beat ya black and blue

9 months ago

I'm a bit surprised this is showing up as Commander legal, but technically, Asmodeus the Archfiend can only be the commander of a Mono-Black deck. Not sure if you intended for a different legend, like Yarok, the Desecrated, or another Blue/Black/Green Legend to be the commander for this deck.

Jett2112 on Sultai Infect // Big Damage Ooze

1 year ago

Asmodeus the Archfiend + Skirge Familiar in the yard with Necrotic Ooze on the battlefield = loot the whole library get big mana

Vilis, Broker of Blood is another great beater demon that has synergy with Sheoldred, the Apocalypse.

Stardragon on Devil Rant

1 year ago

Gleeock I agree that Zurzoth, Chaos Rider is great and overlooked and is actually my favorite devil..but the problem is he mono red (not a problem with me personally, i never agreed with wizards making devils rakdos in color and wish they stuck with mono-red) but unfortunately wizards did make devils rakdos so and some of the best devils (other than Zurzoth) are mono black like Stone-Throwing Devils, Asmodeus the Archfiend and Lorcan, Warlock Collector or are in rakdos colors like the new spoiled Mahadi, Emporium Master and Raphael, Fiendish Savior (which will be the go to commander for tribal now) and Mayhem Devil. Now they are great mono red devils to but unfortunately not enough to warrent a mono red build at this time (particularly the lack of good boss level mono red devils and decent low level devils)

ClockworkSwordfish on Creature Donation Ideas

2 years ago

If you want to think outside the box, try Phyrexian Negator. Every time it's blocked, its controller is losing a bushel of hard-earned permanents. Of course, you can always help the process along by pointing a Consume Spirit or Essence Extraction at the Negator!

Other good options include Gutwrencher Oni, Grinning Demon, Scourge of Numai, Pitiless Horde, Steel Golem, Grid Monitor, Evil Eye of Orms-by-Gore, Evil Eye of Urborg, Archdemon of Greed  ^Flip, Abyssal Persecutor, Ebonblade Reaper, Thrashing Mudspawn, Wretched Anurid, Ebon Drake, Moroii, Rotting Regisaur, Flesh Reaver, Asmodeus the Archfiend and the truly deplorable Infernal Denizen.