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Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire

Commander / EDH BRG (Jund) Primer

Epicfuzz45


Why use Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire ?

Sacrifice is one of my favorite themes, ever since I started playing commander I've had a Prossh, Skyraider of Kher , which was a Jund sacrifice deck for a few years. Once I wanted to turn my Prossh deck into a competitve build, it turned from a sacrifice deck to a combo deck using Food Chain , so I've been deprived of a sacrifice deck for awhile. Shattergang Brothers was an obvious way to go, however I find Shattergang Brothers feeling too much like a control deck, rather than an oppressive final boss like Prossh, so I've just been not using a sacrifice deck for a while. Then core 2019 spoilers started pouring in and us commander/EDH players got a little suprise, the return of the Elder Dragons, the ones that started this great format in the first place, and the Elder Dragons are awsome (well except for Palladia-Mors, the Ruiner , sorry but, you just suck). Once Vaevictis Asmadi was spoiled, I knew it was time to return to my roots, and start brewing a Jund sacrifice deck.

On the surface Vaevictis Asmadi may seem generic, but he has some subtle, yet interesting tactics for deck building. The first choice you want to make when brewing is coming up w/ the main theme. My theme was heavy permanents, little disruption other than Vaevictis Asmadi, some sacrificing synergies, and punishing my opponents for not playing permanents and/or trying to use disruption. I basically want everyone playing my game and that's the Vaevictis Asmadi Chaos Warp game, where I have a distinct advantage. This is the perfect deck for a meta filled w/ too many control players or too many players using , this deck is made specifically to make those players lives' miserable. There are a few other strategies you can use like, top of deck manipulation (which I find gimmicky and a waste of deck space), a land/land destruction deck (since Vaevictis Asmadi can target lands), a pure sacrifice deck (which I borrow from), and a Primal Surge deck (which I also borrow from, even though I don't use Primal Surge ).

Why should you use Vaevictis Asmadi over the other sacrifice commanders? I will start off my admitting that he's not the best sacrifice commander, he's definetly more of a casual commander, however he brings enough variety to games, using his ability, to make each game different and interesting. Like I said earlier, Shattergang Brothers is another popular Jund commander w/ a sacrificing theme, but I find him to be too slow and controlling. Kresh the Bloodbraided is the more traditional sacrifice deck commander and probably a better one, however he's been out for awhile now, so that's get some new blood in their w/ Vaevictis Asmadi. Meren of Clan Nel Toth is another powerful sacrifice commander, however she's just and is more of a graveyard/sacrifice based deck. In conclusion, if you want to run a more powerful and traditional sacrifice deck, I'd recommend Kresh, but if you want a little bit of chaos & spice in your life, then use Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire instead.

PROS

  1. This deck is incredibly oppressive towards control decks, and decks.

  2. Vaevictis Asmadi is our main source of removal, leaving space in our 99 for a large variety of cards.

  3. Chaos Warp is a fun, powerful card, and you get a roided up version of it in the command zone.

CONS

  1. No instant speed removal.

  2. You can possibly be screwed by a good Asmadi flip on your opponents.

  3. A lot of luck involved

CREATURES

Arbor Elf , Birds of Paradise , Elves of Deep Shadow , Elvish Mystic , Fyndhorn Elves , & Llanowar Elves - One CMC mana dorks that make a great start to any game, plus they make great sacrifice fodder when their mana becomes irrelevant later on in the game.

Avenger of Zendikar - A perfect card for this deck, first it's a great flip off of Vaevictis Asmadi, second it creates sacrifice fodder, and third it can be a finisher when paired w/ Craterhoof Behemoth .

Blood Artist - Belong in any sacrifice deck that runs .

Brutalizer Exarch - Tutors a creature on top of your deck, setting yourself for a Asmadi flip, or it can shuffle away a problematic permanent, however Vaevictis should already be dealing w/ any problematic permanents.

Craterhoof Behemoth - In the deck to be paired w/ Avenger of Zendikar .

Deathrite Shaman - A one mana pseudo-planeswalker that any should me ashamed for not running.

Dosan the Falling Leaf - This deck plays almost no instants, so why should our opponents be able to play their instants at instant speed?

Etali, Primal Storm - Vaevictis Asmadi's brother in arms, this deck already messes w/ the top of our deck, so Etali is a perfect fit in this deck.

Eternal Witness - Belongs in most decks, but it's especially crucial in this deck, since many of our cards will end up in the graveyard.

Harvester of Souls - Most of the deck's targets are going to be nontoken, so you should be able to draw a decent amount of cards using this demon.

It That Betrays - Easily the most scary card in the deck, getting all of your opponents' best permanents every time you swing w/ Vaevictis Asmadi is just brutal.

Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest - This card was made for this deck, getting 4 +1/+1 counters on each of your creatures every time you swing w/ Vaevictis Asmadi will get scary fast, not to mention all the other ways to sacrifice in the deck.

Oracle of Mul Daya - The only reveal top of library card that I put in the deck, since it's just generally good.

Ramunap Excavator - Sometimes lands will be the only good target on our side of the field for Vaevictis, so Ramunap Excavator is there to cushion the blow.

Sakura-Tribe Elder - Just generic, solid ramp, that also sacrifices itself, how convenient.

Sheoldred, Whispering One - A great way to get back the creatures that the deck sacrifices, it's a great Asmadi flip.

Sire Of Insanity - This card puts you all in for the Asmadi flip strategy, and it forces your opponents to play the same game, that you should have an advantage over.

Solemn Simulacrum - A good card normally, that turns into a great card when recurred or used as sacrifice fodder.

Squee, Goblin Nabob & Squee, the Immortal - In the deck as sacrifice fodder.

Urabrask the Hidden - Gives Vaevictis Asmadi haste, which gets his ability to go off faster, it also helps get blockers out of Vaevictis Asmadi's way.

Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger - One of the best cards to get w/ an Asmadi flip., just a generically brutal card.

Xenagos, God of Revels - The faster the deck gets to swing w/ Vaevictis, the better, Xenagos also makes commander damage a legitimate threat to your opponents.

Yavimaya Elder - More sacrifice fodder, that can be recurred for extra value.

INSTANTS

Vampiric Tutor - Goes in every deck, but it's incredibly powerful in this deck since you can Asmadi flip the card that you tutor for.

Worldly Tutor - Similar to Vampiric Tutor , but only w/ creatures, which is what you usually want to Asmadi flip anyways.

Lands

Blood Crypt , Overgrown Tomb , & Stomping Ground - Shock lands are some of the best lands in commander, and they should ran in every deck that can use them.

Bloodstained Mire , Verdant Catacombs , & Wooded Foothills - Fetch lands are the best cycle of lands in commander when combined w/ shock and/or original dual lands and they should be played in every deck that can run them despite their high price tag.

City of Brass & Mana Confluence - Should be played in every multicolored deck, the one life is an extremely low cost for an untapped land that taps for any color of mana.

Command Tower - The best land in commander, should be played in every multicolored deck.

Dragonskull Summit , Rootbound Crag , & Woodland Cemetery - Solid lands that should go in most multicolored decks.

Drownyard Temple - Sacrifice fodder for Vaevictis Asmadi.

Exotic Orchard & Reflecting Pool - Usually just redundant Command Towers.

11x Forest , 2x Mountain , & 6x Swamp - A decent amount of basics to fill in the rest of the 40 lands that the deck runs.

Grove of the Burnwillows - A unique and powerful dual land.

Hall of the Bandit Lord - Giving Vaevictis Asmadi haste is increadibly useful since his ability triggers when he attacks, even at the cost of a land that comes in tapped, taps only for colorless, and costs 3 life to tap.

Luxury Suite & Spire Garden - Excellent lands coming out of "Commander Masters" that should be played in every deck that can run them, unless of course you're playing dual commander.

Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth - Goes in every multicolored deck running , just helps make your mana a little more consistent.

Volrath's Stronghold - Lets the deck cheat in a card from our graveyard to the battlefield using the Asmadi flip.

SORCERIES

Blasphemous Act - A 1 CMC board wipe, should be used in any deck using .

Crux of Fate - Vaevictis Asmadi is a dragon, so this board wipe can be used to hit us less than our opponents.

Demonic Tutor - The best card in commander, goes in every deck running .

Diabolic Intent - A great redundant Demonic Tutor , especially since this deck runs a lot of sacrifice fodder.

PLANESWALKER(S)

Liliana Vess - A Vampiric Tutor attached to a permanent, exactly what this deck wants.

ENCHANTMENTS

Aggravated Assault - Vaevictis Asmadi's ability triggers when you attack, so getting him more attacks makes sense to me.

Black Market - Creatures should be dying all the time, so the counters should start racking up pretty quick.

Dictate of Erebos - Puts even more sacrifice pressure on your opponents.

Journey to Eternity  - Easy to transform in this deck, which turns into a creature recursion engine.

Lurking Predators - Fits perfectly in a deck w/ top of library manipulation, it's basically the Rhystic Study .

Mirri's Guile - More deck manipulation that's also attached to a generally solid card.

Phyrexian Arena - Solid card draw attached to a permanent.

Price of Glory - The deck should never have to tap mana on other players' turn, so this should be a one-sided effect.

Rancor - Great sacrifice fodder that also makes a commander damage much more likely to occur.

Revel in Riches - Creatures will be sacrificed all over the place, so getting to 10 treasures shouldn't be too much of a struggle.

Sylvan Library - One of the best cards in commander and it's incredibly effective in this deck, since it works as top of deck manipulation.

ARTIFACTS

Coalition Relic - Gets to 6 mana by turn 4 if you don't miss a land drop, and the faster you get to 6 mana the better.

Fellwar Stone - Just one of the best mana rocks.

Lightning Greaves & Swiftfoot Boots - Gives haste and protection for Vaevictis Asmadi and the other powerful creatures in the deck, it's exactly what the deck needs.

Mana Vault - Is one of the fastest ways to get to 6 mana, you can get to 6 mana by turn 3 if you don't miss a land drop.

Mimic Vat - Make one of your opponents sacrifice a powerful creature using Vaevictis Asmadi, then take it w/ this artifact.

Scroll Rack - Get high CMC permanents set up on top of your deck from your hand to take full advantage of your Asmadi flips.

Sensei's Divining Top - An awesome card normally, Top becomes incredibly powerful in this deck, when trying to abuse your Asmadi flips.

Skullclamp - Attach this to any creatures you plan on sacrificing to net some card advantage.

Sol Ring - Who would want to play this, this card SUCKS!!!!! … you should play it anyway.

Spine of Ish Sah - Puts more pressure on your opponents' permanents, while also being great sacrifice fodder for Vaevictis Asmadi

RAMP

One CMC Mana Dorks- Arbor Elf , Birds of Paradise , Deathrite Shaman , Elves of Deep Shadow , Elvish Mystic , Fyndhorn Elves , & Llanowar Elves

Mana Rocks- Coalition Relic , Fellwar Stone , Mana Vault , & Sol Ring

Other Creature Ramp- Oracle of Mul Daya , Sakura-Tribe Elder , Solemn Simulacrum , Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger , & Yavimaya Elder

Other Non-Creature Ramp- Black Market , & Revel in Riches

CARD ADVANTAGE

Etali, Primal Storm , Harvester of Souls , Lurking Predators , Phyrexian Arena , Sylvan Library , & Skullclamp

TOP OF DECK MANIPULATION

Mirri's Guile , Sylvan Library , Scroll Rack , & Sensei's Divining Top

TUTORS

Brutalizer Exarch , Liliana Vess , Demonic Tutor , Diabolic Intent , Vampiric Tutor , & Worldly Tutor

SACRIFICE FODDER

Squee, Goblin Nabob , Squee, the Immortal , Drownyard Temple , Rancor , & Spine of Ish Sah

RECURSION

Eternal Witness , Ramunap Excavator , Sheoldred, Whispering One , Volrath's Stronghold , Journey to Eternity  , & Phyrexian Reclamation

HASTE

Urabrask the Hidden , Xenagos, God of Revels , Hall of the Bandit Lord , Lightning Greaves , & Swiftfoot Boots

REMOVAL

Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire , Brutalizer Exarch , Sheoldred, Whispering One Blasphemous Act , Crux of Fate , Dictate of Erebos , & Spine of Ish Sah .

INSTANT SPEED HATE

Dosan the Falling Leaf , Sire Of Insanity , & Price of Glory

OP FLIPS

Avenger of Zendikar , Craterhoof Behemoth , Etali, Primal Storm , Harvester of Souls , It That Betrays , Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest , Sheoldred, Whispering One , Sire Of Insanity , Urabrask the Hidden , Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger , & Xenagos, God of Revels

Put the deck in retirement, simply wasn't performing as well as I'd like.

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Date added 5 years
Last updated 4 years
Exclude colors WU
Legality

This deck is Commander / EDH legal.

Rarity (main - side)

9 - 0 Mythic Rares

50 - 0 Rares

14 - 0 Uncommons

8 - 0 Commons

Cards 100
Avg. CMC 3.53
Tokens Copy Clone, Plant 0/1 G, Treasure
Folders the deck list, jund, Vaebrew
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