Hey guys, it had been quite some time since I last played magic, but I recently got a new job and found out that some of my coworkers play. So I faced one of them in EDH and I had a total blast. The itch for magic is back! So since it has been awhile since I last played, I am a bit behind on newer cards. So I am looking for cards from newer sets (I quit just before Fate Reforged came out) that synergize well with this deck, as well as, removing cards that are currently in here that have fallen out of favor. Any help would be much appreciated!
For those of you unfamiliar to Kraj, it is a deck themed around +1/+1 counters and activated abilities. The deck has the ability to be voltron-ish, as well as win through swarm or other means.
The first step in this EDH deck is much like that of other decks, to ramp up. It runs all of the standard ramp cards but there are a few that are not seen in every green EDH deck. Fertilid and Gyre Sage work excellently with the theme of the deck. Gyre Sage is such a high threat in my group, people will use huge removal cards just to get rid of it. Krosan Restorer and Viridian Joiner are decent ramp cards but there main use is for the infinite mana loop which I will go over later (Gyre Sage can also be use for the infinite).
In most cases you are going to want some kind of protection for Kraj before he hits the field. This deck runs the standard Lightning Greaves and Swiftfoot Boots which get the added benefit of allowing me to activated tap abilities the first turn they come out. Experiment One is one of the best turn one plays (of course Sol Ring is probably the strongest) this deck has to offer. Dropping it on turn one allows it to evolve several times by the time I drop Kraj. Once Kraj gets two counters on it, it gains the ability to regenerate itself. Prognostic Sphinx and Plaxcaster Frogling Play similar rolls in the deck allowing me to give Kraj hexproof by discarding cards or paying mana. Prognostic Sphinx gives me the added bonus of deck manipulation whereas Plaxcaster Frogling can protect more creatures than just Kraj. Ertai, Wizard Adept, Glen Elendra Archmage, Inspiring Call, and Soul of New Phyrexia all play similar roles by saving me from board wipes. Ertai, Wizad Adept and Glen Elendra Archmage get the added bonus of being able to counter other problem cards. Inspiring Call works as a draw spell as well as giving my creatures indestructible and Soul of New Phyrexia's ability can be used once while it is in the grave. Spike Weaver is one of the powerhouses in this deck. It provides a unique type of protection and often slows down the game if it hits the field. It will basically never run out of +1/+1 counters and as long as it has one, Kraj can use it's effect as well.
There are a lot of utility cards in the deck that synergize well with Kraj and the overall theme. Bow of Nylea, Forgotten Ancient, Hardened Scales, Master Biomancer and Zameck Guildmage help with +1/+1 counter distribution. Fathom Mage, Give / Take, Mindless Automaton, and Sphinx of Magosi are the draw engines of the deck. Illusionist's Bracers, Thousand-Year Elixir, and Training Grounds allow my activated abilities to have a lot more value. Fauna Shaman and Primal Command function as the only two tutors in the deck. Primal Command also functions as removal, graveyard disruption and if I really need it, life gain. Triskelion and Ulvenwald Tracker serve as removal cards. Triskelion can also become a win condition if I get enough +1/+1 counter on Experiment Kraj. Kiora's Follower, Murkfiend Liege, and Seedborn Muse all play similar roles in gaining me advantage through untapping my permanents. Cytoplast Manipulator, Simic Manipulator, and Willbreaker allow me to steal my opponents powerful creatures through various means. Jade Mage and Sphinx of Magosi serve as decent mana sinks, if I have a lot of excess mana. Horseshoe Crab is easily one of my favorite cards in the deck, while it doesn't provide a whole lot except an easy way to untap Kraj, he has become a playgroup favorite. Everyone laughs when Horseshoe Crab hits the field and he is just overall fun to play. And to compliment the goofiness of Horseshoe Crab he is also one of the key parts for the infinite combo in this deck. Basically you need Horseshoe Crab + Experiment Kraj + Gyre Sage or Krosan Restorer or Viridian Joiner to produce infinite mana (note: Horseshoe Crab plus the mana producer need to have a +1/+1 counter on them.
Most of the removal in this deck is pretty straight forward. Most of them you see in most edh decks such as Acidic Slime, Beast Within, Cyclonic Rift, Krosan Grip, and Rapid Hybridization. Steel Hellkite is a strong card overall and it gets the added bonus of synergizing with Kraj. Silklash Spider allows me to take down pesky flyers.
The lands are pretty basic overall, but the really important ones are Llanowar Reborn, Novijen, Heart of Progress and Oran-Rief, the Vastwood due to there ability to give creatures +1/+1 counters.
There are several ways to win in this deck, cards like AEtherling, Chameleon Colossus, Heroes' Bane, Jodah's Avenger, Morphling and Thornling allow me to win by swinging for lethal with Kraj as well as give it various forms of protection. Genesis Wave and Lurking Predators allow me to cheat creatures onto the field from my deck and win by swarming my opponents. Sage of Hours can net me a few turns if I am able to get enough +1/+1 counters on it or Experiment Kraj, and if combined with the infinite mana combo I can take infinite turns. And finally Phyrexian Devourer which allows me to make Kraj incredibly huge due to the fact that Kraj is not limited by Phyrexian Devourer's first effect.
Experiment Kraj is an incredibly fun deck to pilot and overall I would highly recommend it.
