Marchesa, Political Queen of Pillows

Commander / EDH MegaMatt13

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Revisions and Reflections —July 3, 2018

A few recent changes and some cards I am considering cutting:

Changes

Vampire Nighthawk ---> Mind Stone: The nighthawk just didn't do enough for me as a one-shot rattlesnake. I wanted to add another ramp spell at 1-2 CMC to be able to get Marchesa out by turn 3. Mind Stone is a favourite ramp spell of mine at this CMC due to its ability to be sacrificed for a card in the later game.

Price of Progress ---> Thrilling Encore: I tried with Price of Progress...I really tried. I just found it too high variance. It may be a meta-game thing, but too often I was the player most impacted by it. I've swapped it for Thrilling Encore as another win con card. Only had a chance to cast it once so far but it did good work for me. Boardwipes are quite common in my meta so it's fairly easy to nab a bunch of creatures and then swing in with them on my turn.

Word of Seizing ---> Grab the Reins: I had previously been harsh on Grab the Reins since it doesn't untap the stolen creature, reducing its utility as a threaten effect. However, it can act as another Delirium/Backlash without the downsides of those two cards. It both deals the damage and removes the threat if it attacks you. As a sacrifice effect, it also gets around indestructible. I had a game where a giant Yahenni, Undying Partisan swung at me. I was able to do 10 damage to my opponent and clear the board of the indestructible threat. Word of Seizing is a great threaten effect and I will try to find room for it.

Mortify ---> Batwing Brume: I missed Batwing Brume pretty much as soon as I cut it. I found the deck was just a little shy of having enough critical mass of instant-speed fog effects. Mortify is still a great removal spell so I will try to find room for it.

Wild Ricochet ---> Reverberate: I was on the fence as to which I prefer, Wild Ricochet or Reverberate. Wild Ricochet has the added benefit of being able to redirect targeted spells, but I found more often than not I was copying spells with it that couldn't be redirected as they didn't target. Essentially I was paying 4 mana when a 2 mana Reverberate would have sufficed. Swapped in the cheaper spell.

Considerations for Cutting

Curse of Opulence: It can be effective early game in terms of directing attacks, but do I care so much who gets attacked in the early game? Later on I find it doesn't provide a strong enough incentive to persuade someone to attack the cursed player when there is a more optimal attack. What would I replace it with? Perhaps Mortify or Word of Seizing, two spells I am cutting in this update.

Twilight Prophet: She is a great card draw engine with some extra lifegain. However, she offers so much value that opponents will often remove her before I can draw my first card with her. That's why I like Phyrexian Arena and Underworld Dreams so much: they are both subtle enough to escape being targeted with removal while offering great value over the course of the game. I'm thinking of swapping her out and putting Crystal Ball, Read the Bones, or Greed in.

Virtus the Veiled: I'm not sure that this card has been an upgrade on Ophiomancer which it replaced. Ophiomancer provides a repeatable deathtouch rattlesnake while Virtus dies with the creature it takes down. Master of Cruelties gets around this by having First Strike too, making it similar to Ophiomancer as a repeatable rattlesnake. The fact that Virtus is a Quietus Spike on a stick makes it enough of a threat that opponents have been willing to trade with it. When he connects he is fantastic, but that has been relatively rare so far. Definitely on the fence about keeping this versus putting back in Ophiomancer.

Diabolic Tutor: I like that it tutors to the hand, like Demonic Tutor, but 4 CMC is a little clunky. However, the other unconditional black tutors are very pricey to purchase. I'm torn whether to keep this or swap it for a non-tutor.

StopShot says... #1

I would run Mastermind's Acquisition over Diabolic Tutor. You could easily run a sideboard of situational cards like Blasphemous Act, Innocent Blood, Abolish, Snuff Out, Hour of Revelation, Reanimate, Raze, Fragmentize, etc. which would give you more options at your disposal while still costing the same amount of mana.

June 14, 2018 8 p.m.

Agreed StopShot. It was an easy include for me when I saw it.

MegaMatt13, I know we have different metas, and I also know that we have different amounts and styles of pillow fort for our decks, but I am always surprised to hear how Price of Progress isn't pulling weight for you like it does for me. I may win more with Price of Progress than anything else. With some damage prevention or delay, it is a huge asymmetric bomb. 10-20 damage per opponent at instant speed is not uncommon. It can be dangerous to play, but basically so can just about everything in the deck. Played at the right time, I win. I get your meta issues, but it may be the most efficient damage dealer in my meta.

June 14, 2018 10:04 p.m.

MegaMatt13 says... #3

StopShot and precociousapprentice, thanks for your suggestion. My playgroup hasn't used sideboards historically. I could broach the subject with them. If so, I would definitely include Mastermind's acquisition.

in terms of Price of Progress, it's still in for now. Sometimes it works wonders. it blew out an Ur-Dragon opponent with all of their shocks in play haha. However sometimes it just sits in my hand. it works best if I have Teferi's Protection, Delaying Shield, or Righteous Aura.

Always apprecoiate the feedback! I'll be curious to hear how the new Battlebond cards work for you. So far I'm loving Stolen Strategy.

June 15, 2018 12:28 a.m.

Mrf1shie says... #4

In terms of boardwipes that deal with graveyard shenanigans, I've recently included Play of the Game in my marchesa deck and it really performs. It also can be a great political tool.

June 20, 2018 8:27 a.m.