Sideboard


I want to introduce to you my personal favorite EDH deck. This deck may not be invincible or the most powerful, but it can get nasty pretty quickly. I love the flavor of demons, evil looking and evil feeling cards and wanted to use one of my all time favorite commanders to lead them. The goal of this deck is to beat face, out value your opponents, and drain them while fueling your own evil schemes. It may take some time, but with the ramp and powerhouses, there will be tons of mana and enough spells to keep your hand full, creatures swinging, and other lives draining. Thanks for checking it out! I plan to slowly foil out as much as I can just for fun, add improvements when necessary, and keep in mind a sideboard when I need to swap out cards for certain matchups.
Erebos, God of the Dead, is perfect to lead an army full of demons, zombies, and other hellish horrors both flavorfully, and strategically. At a mere Erebos has a high impact immediately, and is an indestructible version of Greed on a potential body. The prevention of anyone else gaining life is crippling, especially once you start rolling with a Corrupt for 10, or recurring Gray Merchant of Asphodel multiple times. Erebos is my personal favorite, and in my opinion the best mono black commander. After all, he is a god for a reason.

"No matter who their fickle hearts worship, all mortals belong to one god in the end."

Iadorna, death priest of Erebos

"We all want to know what's going on in someone else's head. I simply open it up and look."

Archfiend of Depravity Can control the board against token decks or prevent boards from getting too big. He also functions as a great beater.

Blood Speaker Is an underwhelming usually, but in a deck full of demons he can be a great tutor and sack effect.

Bloodgift Demon functions as both an able body, and a Phyrexian Arena.

Demon of Wailing Agonies becomes a 6/6 flyer with Erebos out, forcing the victim to sacrifice upon contact.

Disciple of Bolas can net you a ton of life, or refill your hand. Both valuable assets in a greedy deck.

Entomber Exarch is a great utility creature to choose between taking a peek at someone's hand and discarding, or getting a friend back from the yard.

Gray Merchant of Asphodel blows my mind that its only a common. This card has won me many games, or brought me back to the top. Once you start to recur him over and over again, victory is never out of reach.

Indulgent Tormentor is a great card who basically reads "draw an extra card for free each upkeep." No one wants to pay their precious life with Erebos out. Plus, he can hit pretty hard too.

Noxious Gearhulk is a newer addition, but has proved useful by eliminating any targetable creature and gaining life upon entering, then doubling as a great attacker.

Rune-Scarred Demon reads " for a 6/6 flying demon" and " for a Demonic Tutor" no further explanation.

Shadowborn Demon acts as a removal spell in a pinch, an early temporary blocker, and a late game beater.

Whip of Erebos is an amazing source of life gain and can help put pressure with its creature recur ability, even if it exiles them.. cough Lord of the Void cough cough

Withering Boon is a special surprise, that can make sure a creature you really don't want to come into play doesn't.

"Death is only the beginning of the end."

Corrupt gives the choice of either taking out a creature, or player.. late game, but also can net a good amount of life.

Dark Banishing is great against green creatures, and anything that isn't, well.. black has a weakness, and one of them is itself.

Go for the Throat is one of my all time favorite removal spells and hits Almost everything Almost.

Hero's Downfall is an amazing removal spell that can wisp away a planeswalker in the blink of an eye.

Murder is well.. what did you expect?

Never//Return is basically a sorcery speed Hero's Downfall that can also pluck away a fella from someone's yard.

Ruinous Path is another planeswalker killer and if in desperation, could be a blocker or game ender.

Tendrils of Corruption is usually a budget version of better removal, and bad in anything else besides EDH. However, it has saved me countless times, is great late game, and was one of my first magic cards.

Tragic Slip is an answer to indestructible creatures, and a great combat trick, all for a measly .

"Die. But die knowing that your pathetic life will yield a great bounty for me."

Zul Ashur, lich lord

Chainer's Edict is a good card in my opinion, because it can get past hexproof and indestructible, and is also a threat from the grave.

Dictate of Erebos is a flash Grave Pact for more. Plus with both out, it's hilarious.

Fleshbag Marauder is a personal favorite, who has never seemed to fail me.

Grave Pact is the definition of what black does. People will fear killing your creatures, and you will kill them yourself anyways. Plus it adds devotion!

Merciless Executioner didn't I just do this card??

Slum Reaper is just here to die.

"The wise always keep an ear open to the whispers of power."

Beseech the Queen is a good budget tutor for mono black. The land restriction isn't too much of a problem as revealing it however. Still, not bad at all.

Demonic Tutor is a staple in any deck that even thinks about an ounce of . The only reason to not run it, is if you don't have it.

"Subservience to greater power is the only law in the pit."

Abyssal Persecutor is an incredibly powerful card early or late game, and in the right deck will never have a drawback.

Avatar of Woe can be casted for fairly easily, and is a better, beefy Royal Assassin without the drawback.

Desecration Demon is one of my favorite cards I also run outside of EDH. Most people wont sacrifice to make him bigger, and early game he can do some damage.

Grave Titan just wants to punch face and bring friends. There's a reason this is a staple.

Halo Hunter Is extremely underrated I think. Yeah, his toughness isn't the best, but he has Intimidate and kills Atraxa, Praetors' Voice cough I mean any angel... Besides Baneslayer Angel, but still.

Helldozer is a flex slot usually, but every time this guy has hit and stayed, you pretty much cripple someone. The true zombie giant Grave ti.. opps.. anyways, is especially deadly against decks that are more than one color.

Liliana's Reaver makes his dad Grave Titan proud. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Lord of the Void has got to be one of the nastiest demons around. No one want this to connect, and if they do, they've fallen behind big time. Also is good to fling with Whip of Erebos.

Phyrexian Obliterator is a card I have always admired. I've tried to make her work in countless decks, but she is very needy and greedy. However if you play her carefully and at the perfect moment--->block with Necromancy, your opponent will be... Obliterated.

Reaper from the Abyss is a decent body with a great ability. Things are always dying, and now more will.

Reiver Demon can be a one sided board wipe against non-black decks if his requirements are met. Not the most optimal card for this slot, but also has never let me down yet.

"Deep within the Cabal's vault, the Mirari pulsed like a dead sun and its darkness radiated across Otaria."

Cabal Coffers is the king of black mana. Nothing can replace it, that is why its a staple.

Crypt of Agadeem is what I call Coffers little brother.

Leechridden Swamp is a good way to torment people, potentially getting the last few points of damage in after a board wipe or to help with politics. plus its considered a swamp.

Maze of Ith can save you, or make you untouchable unless your opponent has shroud, hexproof, etc. along with land destruction. Against most creatures though, this can buy you time.

Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx is amazing with devotion, and since everything in the deck adds , this can substitute for Cabal Coffers if you can't find it fast enough, or Crypt of Agadeem if the graveyard isn't stocked.

Rogue's Passage is a budget staple in most decks, and can help sneak damage through.

Swamp

Thespian's Stage can become anything, anybody has. Want another Coffers? sure, need a Strip Mine? Done.

Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth is exactly what we want when we have a Corrupt or Tendrils of Corruption in hand.

"For every living person there are generations of dead. Which realm would you rather rule?"

Liliana Vess

Animate Dead man, I've always wanted a Insert whatever in graveyard here.

Beacon of Unrest is awesome, since it can get back artifacts as well with creatures from anywhere. Also is reusable!

Cadaver Imp is just a cheap way to get a creature back and provide as a chump blocker or sacrifice fodder.

Necromancy is one of my favorite cards in all of magic and completely underrated. For more, its an Animate Dead with FLASH. There are so many crazy tricks you could do with this, and every time it is always completely unexpected.

Phyrexian Delver can be recurred and cause another recurred occurrence.

Stitch Together is yet another often overlooked gem. let me read this to you, it says "Put Phyrexian Delver onto the battlefield, fetch a Rune-Scarred Demon and then tutor whatever you want." Huh, that seems awfully good for just ? I understand that its kind of situational, but at less than a $1.00? That seems silly to me.

"When the winds blow out of the abyss, death is the only harvest."

Black Sun's Zenith is a re-tutorable gut punch that can get through indestructible and other protected creatures, or weakens them at least.

Life's Finale lets you find someone's best toys, and throw them in the yard for you to use later or get rid of them altogether if they don't use their graveyard. I know right?

Mutilate is the budget version of Zenith, but still can be just as deadly.

"If there is such a thing as too much power, I have not discovered it."

-Volrath

Armillary Sphere helps find some swamps and can shuffle the deck if the draws are dead.

Commander's Sphere serves as ramp and card draw in a pinch.

Darksteel Pendant is a personal favorite and can help "scry" cards away when in use with Sensei's Divining Top, plus no one wants to waste a removal spell on it. So it sticks 90% of the time and does give you slight control over your draws.

Mind Stone helps get ahead and is a card in a pinch.

Sensei's Divining Top is a tremendous help, and is incredibly useful. Defiantly a staple.

Sol Ring

"Little agonies pave the way to greater power"

Night's Whisper is excellent card draw at a low cost.

Phyrexian Arena is an almost guarantee in any EDH deck with black.

Phyrexian Rager is a cheap draw, able to chump block and feed a sacrifice.

Read the Bones the scrying is always welcomed, and provides typical draw.

Sign in Blood is just a given.

"I will flay the skin from your flesh and the flesh from your bones and scrape your bones dry. And still you will not have suffered enough."

Greven il-Vec, to Gerrard

Liliana of the Dark Realms is a great ramper, decent late game removal in a pinch and she has an mind blowing ultimate. Also she is cheap to cast as well, very powerful.

Ob Nixilis Reignited serves as card advantage, removal, and an alternative win con with his ultimate.

"Even the noblest of intentions and strongest of wills inevitably crumble into dust."

In my experience, these strategies are how I usually deal with some of the said decks.

Stompy: ,, and strategies focused around ramping and slapping down fatties. The game plan to combat this is to focus on ramping as well while getting damage in when possible. Hold back with removal and board wipes though until they're needed, and continue to hit in the air, if all else fails, start to drain them with life.

Voltron: Usually in any combination of and very rarely . This is a tricky match-up usually, and the best way to deal with this is to try and put them on the defense as soon as possible before they get their commander out and equipped. Luckily we can tutor for board wipes and sacrifice effects though. If you can get to late game, the chances of winning are higher since resources will be abundant and their commander will cost very much. Most likely they will be top decking and hoping for answers while our life is low, but hands still full of cards.

Tokens/Swarm: , , is usually a long game since early on taking damage isn't as important, but late game it can be deadly. Ideally we should hold onto our board wipes, use when necessary, play mostly defensive until mid to late game, and try to take them out before too many enchantments and equipments are on the field. Paying our life is not ideal in this match-up unless it's early on or it's game changing.

Control: ,,, etc. This is a tough match. If they are playing enough counters, it can damped our game plan big time. In order to achieve success, we need to get an early set up, focus on ramp at first, and try to play when they are low on mana or trick them with making them use their resources.

Enchantments/Artifacts: appearing in usually and decks, this is the hardest deck type to deal with. Having access to tutors does help, but artifacts and other colorless spells are our only real way to deal with their enchantments and artifacts. Getting a sacrifice engine up is a good idea to deal with their creatures, since most spells we can't target them with Go for the Throat. Also be careful with what you use your spells on and make sure to target permnants that can damper your game plan, or cause you to loose the game.

Mirror: Surprisingly, fighting mono is interesting, since all decks have a similar game plan usually. There's discard, reanimate, Enchantments, etc.. That do vary. For the most part though, it's whoever can become a bigger threat first or get enough mana to start combos and draining that will come out on top. Luckily we got some fatties to beat with in addition to black good stuff, so odds are usually in out favor.

Group Hug: Usually within and , they can either help speed up your end game, or if you're distracted enough and ignore their effects, they will combo off for the win. Basically we need to take advantage of their "gifts", and slowly but surely, pluck away their key pieces and take advantage of the yard if they're using Keening Stone. Be sure to hold onto tutors and find things like Bojuka Bog, Tormod's Crypt, and Agent of Erebos to slow down their win con if that's the case.

"They are quick to offer advice, those whose mistakes doomed them to undeath. How can I not listen to the wisdom of failure?"

Ratadrabik of Urborg

EDH/Commander decks usually don't have official "Sideboards", however we do all have cards we switch out, or things we change to from time to time to handle decks from different angles. This so happens to be a few of them I have gathered, and in my experience use to be able to have an answer to everything with at least one card. Also this is going to be changing in due time, I just wanted to get started with writing some down.

Ashes to Ashes is another great way to exile creatures, but has a slight drawback.. Cheap though!

Crypt Ghast is great at ramping, and when times are tough, he can help pull through. Plus a little extort never hurt.

Diabolic Tutor is a budget tutor, and can help get the pieces needed for any situation, just a little costly.

Gild is something black lacks. Exiling, but can only be cast on our turn.

Hour of Glory is awesome, black exile at instant speed? Yeah!

Imp's Mischief will surprise most players, since black usually doesn't have access to such spells.

Nevinyrral's Disk will save your life countless times when the board is full of things that we can't touch.

Sever the Bloodline Hate tokens and copies? Well you got TWO shots, even if its mana hungry, its worth it.

Shriekmaw can synergize with sacrifice effects and acts as both a body and removal.

Sidisi, Undead Vizier can act as an sacrifice enabler, tutor, and great blocker.

Profane Command is so versatile, there's no reason why it shouldn't be considered.

Lightning Greaves for when we need a little protection.

Torment of Hailfire looks like its becoming a staple and alt. win con. Especially if a ton of mana is poured into it.

Bojuka Bog is here to get rid of yard's' that others can use better than us.

Agent of Erebos is another way to get rid of a problematic yard.

If you read through everything I just want to thank you and if you enjoyed the deck, please let me know! Advice, thoughts, etc. I appreciate it, and I would love to do this with some other decks as well.

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Revision 3 See all

(6 years ago)

+1 Agent of Erebos side
+1 Ashes to Ashes side
+1 Bojuka Bog side
+1 Lightning Greaves side
+1 Profane Command side
+1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier side
+1 Torment of Hailfire side
Date added 6 years
Last updated 6 years
Exclude colors WURG
Legality

This deck is Commander / EDH legal.

Rarity (main - side)

12 - 0 Mythic Rares

30 - 9 Rares

17 - 4 Uncommons

13 - 2 Commons

Cards 100
Avg. CMC 3.95
Tokens Emblem Liliana of the Dark Realms, Emblem Ob Nixilis Reignited, Gold, Zombie 2/2 B
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