BIG UPDATE in two parts! (the triumphant return to (Nath of the Gilt-Leaf )

@KevinLS I finally have time, 1 month later, to think about this deck again... UGH! I've been working on my teaching credential and I just submitted my last TPA to the state. so relieved...

Anyways, I wanted to say thanks earlier for the suggestions! pretty good break down of all the stuff that may work for this deck. Now that I've thought about it, I think I know what may work best in this deck.

First of all, Deathrite Shaman is officially in my top 3 favorite cards from RTR (I think i'd choose Izzet Charm and Cyclonic Rift as the other two). It is a BIG hit with this deck because it fits with the theme and has great synergy with discard mechanics (the more in their graveyard the more he gets to play with).

Secondly, I have a Golgari Charm and i have given it a lot of thought... You make a great point that it would probably be used for regeneration mostly and I'd probably let it just sit in my hand until a board wipe came. Except, of course, regeneration won't work for most board wipes I get it in EDH (Terminus , Wrath of God , Damnation , Living Death , Basilisk Collar +Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind , Evacuation , etc etc)... so yeah I've decided to let it sit in its box for a bit.

Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord is way cool. but you're right he would be a better fit in his own deck because this deck doesn't have enough cool graveyard mechanics... even if he is an elf. If anything I'm trying to get my creatures back OUT of my graveyard.

think that Mana Bloom may be one of the better cards for this deck. Because yes, I find myself with a LOT of leftover mana for this deck. People criticize the low land count of this deck but they don't even know. SO, I think the Mana Bloom may go well. I've even considered adding an Exsanguinate for all the extra mana... and mana bloom would make that just be devastating... But again, the theme would be to just use Wellwisher and Rhys the Exiled

Shrieking Affliction ? nah... I've already got Quest for the Nihil Stone , Painful Quandary , and other enchantments to punish my opponents for not having cards.

I got an Underworld Connections in a pack and I've been considering it... especially since, as I've said, I'm not exactly begging for mana late in the game, which is when I'll be really wanting to get to other cards in my deck. I've even considered replacing it for Slate of Ancestry because that card is a little awkward to get the conditions for it to work well (if I don't have creatures then I want to draw to get them, but I can't draw much without lots of creatures... sigh). Also... if its in there... Arbor Elf would kick so much ass. Especially after Quest for Renewal is alive and kicking (which has won me ever game I have ever got it out btw... one of the best cards for this deck with a million tap mechanics).

continued from last comment. (holy crap character limit! I must have just finished a huge paper... oh wait I did!)

And lastly, Vraska the Unseen is one of the most ridiculous cards ever. However I've decided that I'm probably not gonna put it in the deck pretty much for the same reasons you sited. This ain't no assassin deck! it doesn't fit with the other elves. Also, I rely on things like trample and bigness to get to my opponents in this deck. Getting a creature through a battlefield all sneaky like is not really something this deck has many mechanics to do. She would be cool though in a deck with Lure mechanics. The only reason I'd put her in THIS deck would actually be for her second ability to basically be a reusable Beast Within .

In summation, I will definately be hunting down a Mana Bloom and an Exsanguinate to try out and may just replace underworld for Slate of Ancestry ... I'd have to work in that Arbor Elf too.

returning to this deck and trying to see if I can put in some more practical commander removal cards, some more efficient means of getting creatures back from the graveyard, and perhaps some mana ramp. my current list of maybes to fix these are in my "sideboard" thanks for suggestions!

Oversold Cemetery could get you some creatures back from the GY. IDK how efficient it is.

You've got 4 planeswalkers and 3 quest enchantments. This is kinduva strange change, but something to consider - how about some proliferation in the form of Contagion Engine ? You could run card:Black Sun's Zenith and know that you even if you don't finish them off, you can keep knocking them down. But really I'm thinking of how funny/evil it'll be to see you double-proliferate card:Myojin of Night's Reach. Take off the counters on their draw steps for extra evilness.

@KevinLS thats not a bad idea! ... Myojin is crazy!! I can't argue with that madness!

-going off of that note. I did think card:Black Sun's Zenith would be alright with Hunter of Eyeblights too.

main thing is, I'm not too impressed with Lys Alana Scarblade . bit disappointed that she wasn't all that effective actually.

@ChiefWannaHacka Oversold Cemetery is great! nice suggestion, but 4 or more creatures stuck in the graveyard is a bit much for me. If I were running zombies, Sedris, the Traitor King , or even Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord , then I would be on that thing so quick! I would love to get back just the creature I wanted each upkeep but keep the graveyard reasonably full as well. in any case, at this point my creatures don't benefit from having 4 in the graveyard.

phew... glad to clear out that long list of comments. it was getting crazy!

Thanks to ChiefWannaHacka and KevinLS for the suggestions. Check out the latest update with all of the possible changes!

Made the changes I talked about in the last update. So far I'm enjoying it. Couldn't find an Emerald Medallion , but not sure I need it anyways. It needs more testing though to see if taking out Creeping Renaissance or Wild Pair was really a good idea...

Old card -> Replaced with...

1x Forest -> Buried Ruin

card:Nature's Lore -> Evolution Charm

Lys Alana Scarblade -> Beast Within

Wild Pair -> card:Eyeblight's Ending

Creeping Renaissance -> Aphetto Dredging

card:Eyeblight's Ending isn't good enough... so I switched it out for Attrition . Trying that thing out, imagining some crazy killing going on after I fill the board up with tokens.

Also, switching out Beast Within for Vraska the Unseen keeps feeling like a better idea... think I should? or maybe... have both? if Attrition doesn't work then I can switch Vraska in for that too...

Attrition and Vraska the Unseen both seem like great choices, but Beast Within is a staple. Maybe remove Evolution Charm and keep Beast Within ? How relevant is Evolution Charm when you have it?

@ChiefWannaHacka: Evolution Charm is a difficult one to let go of. I haven't drawn it yet, but in theory its the first two abilities that I need most. My land base is small (only 30) so it helps me get those out, and also it helps me recover from any removal my opponents use against some of my better elves... maybe its not as good as I think it is.

I agree, Beast Within is really nice, and it may not be the right choice for swapping...I'll definately be thinking about this today.

considering Glissa, the Traitor , and considering removing some of the cards to make room for more land.

-1x Prowess of the Fair , -1x Golgari Signet , -1x Underworld Connections , -1x Arbor Elf ?

replaced with: Forests and Swamps? Blood Artist (great against wipes)? Glissa, the Traitor ? Grafdigger's Cage ? Vraska the Unseen ?

You have some artifacts that may draw removal, so you could benefit from Glissa, the Traitor . Then again you do only have 30 lands in here. It really depends on if you feel the need for more lands since you do have such a low CMC.

swapping Aphetto Dredging with Ill-Gotten Gains

Also I'm testing out, more or less, what I suggested earlier.

what I put in -> What I took out
Vraska the Unseen -> Beast Within
1x Forest - > Evolution Charm
1x Swamp -> Golgari Signet
Blood Artist -> Prowess of the Fair
Glissa, the Traitor -> Underworld Connections
Heritage Druid -> Arbor Elf

considerations from Dragon's Maze:
-Down/Dirty ... my favorite possibility. Regrowth +Mind Rot ! not sure if I would replace Regrowth or just take something else out for it.
-Deadbridge Chant... its cool, but expensive, and I'm not entirely sure it works well for this deck. awesome recovery and draw but still... If I had some high cc creatures then it would make more sense...

Other new golgari cards are cool, but don't fit with this deck IMO.

Deadbridge Chant is a new version of Pernicious Deed , which is another staple to consider for Golgari.

@ KevinLS You're thinking of Gaze of the Gorgon I think. Deadbridge Chant is the enchantment that plays well with the GY.

Aw right, I'm already confusing the new cards. Either way, Pernicious Deed / Gaze of the Gorgon are solid removal and political cards, but better in bigger than 1v1 games.

I still can't find a place for Down / Dirty yet. But I did put Beast Within back and took out Vraska the Unseen . She's good but tough to cast. Also, I took out Cinderhaze Wretch because he wasn't doing enough and replaced him with a new card I discovered that I think this deck needs: Urza's Incubator . Lastly, I'm switching out Mind Twist for Unnerve because I decided that, since I'm playing with 3+ players more often these days, then it makes more sense. Mind Twist never got to be super effective whenever I played it. And besides, I'd rather use Hypnotic Specter for the same effect but better.

BTW... super happy I discovered Ill-Gotten Gains . It covers so many things in this deck!

I run a Nath of the Gilt Leaf EDH deck as well and this deck has given me a lot of ideas. I don't know if you already had Myojin of Night's Reach in the deck but I like to use that. I like the combo you have with Sadistic Hypnotist and Nath of the Guilt Leaf.

I noticed that you like to use Elvish Vanguard personally I think Champion of Lambholt is a better option because it has the same effect but is with all creatures and gives your creatures protection.

I also see that you don't run Elvish Soultiller which is very good of getting your elves from the graveyard back into your deck.

You can also use Mikaeus, the Unhallowed as protection against board wipes

@Shinkari: Those are some beefy suggestions. with Myojin of Night's Reach and Mikaeus, the Unhallowed . They're big, bad, and tough to kill and having one out on the board would warm me to the core.

The reason I haven't put them in is their mana cost. Not that that would be an issue normally, but their abilities aren't what I'm looking for late game. Firstly, it is at the beginning of the game that they have the most cards in their hand, and thats when I would want Myojin of Night's Reach 's discard ability most, and obviously that would be a while before I can cast an 8cc creature. Of course, its never bad to have an indestructible flier. I suppose I could always use an Elvish Piper , but then he wouldn't have the divinity counter...

Mikaeus, the Unhallowed is cool but the undying doesn't help with tokens at all, and tokens are how this deck gets super crazy. Of course with my creatures still around it would be easier to get them back, but I think I'd rather have a regenerate ability or something like from Asceticism or a Golgari Charm that I can reuse.

I have an Elvish Soultiller . He's good and would help me with a degree of recovery. I guess going from graveyard straight back to hand is more immediate and I like that. Deck feels like i'm loosing them for good unless I had bigger draw engines. He also costs 5... and will only work when he dies. I think I'd prefer doing a Praetor's Counsel later in the game for full recovery in the hand.

lastly, you are correct... Champion of Lambholt is so hott with two "t's". and I'm all about low casting costs with this deck so I like that too. I'm thinking that her going in here has a super high probability of happening, but possibly not replacing Elvish Vanguard . He is sooo good to drop on turn two and provides protection late game and threat in the early game. So its tough to part with him. But champion is a great idea, so thanks.

I've also been reconsidering Beastmaster Ascension for this deck. One of those great cards I had trouble finding a place for in the past, but now thinking it may be too awesome to keep away.

I'm trying out Beastmaster Ascension I took out 1x Swamp for it for now. I also am testing Champion of Lambholt and decided to take out Nissa's Chosen for it. Whenever I draw Nissa's Chosen , I'm sad that I drew it, and whenever I use Nissa Revane , I use her for the life, not her "chosen". So, since I don't have a problem getting elves on the board, I think that I may not need Nissa's Chosen after all. :)