Please Hold (Oloro Stax)

Commander / EDH* Immortalized

SCORE: 30 | 54 COMMENTS | 9093 VIEWS | IN 11 FOLDERS


July 6, 2017

Playing around i pulled off something rather cold. I cast Kozilek, Butcher of Truth early due to some ramp, and drew into Cataclysm with it. this wipe leaves every player with exactly four permanents. Then i checked the annihilator count. Yep. The number was equal to ragequit.

Ender666666 says... #2

Hey, This list looks pretty solid to me. I can't see many holes or things I disagree with, except for perhaps Arcane Laboratory, which is just limiting to us as well and could get you in trouble in some situations.

Aside from that, your list seems pretty good to me. I run more mana rocks and pieces to accelerate early. You might find you need that too with only 36 lands, but I'll leave that up to you.

March 21, 2017 10:46 a.m.

Ender666666 says... #3

Also, why no Necropotence? you have Venser's Journal already, which combos nicely.... But Necro on it's own is worth inclusion just for what it does.

March 21, 2017 10:53 a.m.

Ender666666 says... #4

One final thought... Your mana base is light on dual lands so to help avoid colour screw, I'd suggest running some fetches, and also adding in Chromatic Lantern for fixing. That's why Azorius Signet, Dimir Signet, and Orzhov Signet are all really good here as well... They will help you have the correct mana to cast whatever you need.

March 21, 2017 11:08 a.m.

Immortalized says... #5

Lantern is already in, and in terms of the mana base, that is because Back to Basics royally screws my meta. beyond that, what would you recommend i cut out for the others such as potence and rocks? On a side note, thanks for the fast reply an sorry for late response. sleep and work are hectic for me.

March 21, 2017 11:16 p.m.

Ender666666 says... #6

In terms of cuts, that's always the hardest part.... And it's up to you. Try cutting things that don't fully synchronize with the deck, or that you have multiples of, effect-wise.

How good for you is Dovin Baan? or Tainted Aether? DO you really need Armageddon and Ravages of War?

March 22, 2017 7:53 a.m.

Immortalized says... #7

Good things to think about, timed land destruction is a bit of a specialty of mine. baan can leave. One last real thing, i've got everything but walkers covered, and almost nothing to hit them but the other players. anything consistent for that?

March 22, 2017 8:15 a.m.

Ender666666 says... #8

Merciless Eviction is good for walkers.. World Queller can also be fun.

March 22, 2017 9:28 a.m.

Immortalized says... #9

World Queller, now there's an underrepresented card.

March 22, 2017 9:33 a.m.

Ender666666 says... #10

I'm quite partial to World Queller .... It's done good work for me in the past.

It's got a high CMC, but In Garruk's Wake will also handle walkers.

March 22, 2017 9:43 a.m.

Immortalized says... #11

Wake has served me well in other decks, but when tossing LD like candy, not here. Thank you for all of your help in this, it's all much appreciated. If i can ever return the favor somehow, don't hesitate.

March 22, 2017 9:49 a.m.

Ender666666 says... #12

Anytime. Happy to help

March 22, 2017 9:56 a.m.

landofMordor says... #13

Hey there. Noticed your callout on that other Oloro deck. You've got quite a different build here, and it is nasty (and effective).

As a very not-stax player myself, I don't have a ton of suggestions for you to augment that strategy. You've done a great job of building yourself a cushy pillow fort. Only adds I could make are maybe Sphere of Safety or Crawlspace if you have trouble outpacing token decks.

Random note that Anowon, the Ruin Sage or Call to the Grave seem just about as effective as Sheoldred for less mana, since you aren't running reanimator.

My only other suggestion is that you flesh out your win conditions. As far as I can tell, this deck wins games by just "not losing" until your opponents scoop. Granted, that's a valid strategy, and this deck obviously "doesn't lose" really really well, but I'd at least sideboard in some Voltron auras like Steel of the Godhead or Drake Umbra, to put your opponents out of their misery once you've gotten a board lock. Or even like a U tutor for "eldrazi card outside the game" to grab Emmy or Ulamog. Anything to prevent a night of EDH devolving into Monopoly, where everybody knows who won't go bankrupt, but you can only watch yourself lose very slowly (;

Hope that helps! Hit me up if I can do anything else. Best of luck!

March 22, 2017 10:42 p.m.

Immortalized says... #14

Only one real question to that, how exactly would those enchantments help me win? and win conditions are few. things such as Bitterblossom and Luminarch Ascension. The Only reason i don't take the other two sacrice cards are, fuuny thing, friends with that style tribal deck. Crawlspace just didn't make the cut, and I feel like Sphere of Safety should be an auto here, but i tend to hold off with as little in play as possible. I apologize landofMordor if this seems like a complete shoot down, because you didn't give bad advice, it just didn't work here. thanks for looking at all though, feel free to share the deck around and maybe drop a +1 if you liked it.

March 23, 2017 6:58 a.m.

landofMordor says... #15

No problem. I get that it's totally a matter of playstyle and meta, so no hard feelings. I mentioned the Auras because you could use Oloro with them (Steel gives a 4 turn clock once you've locked down opponents). Best of luck.

March 23, 2017 1:45 p.m.

cdyrdr says... #16

Hey. Nice deck! If you're looking to expand your win conditions you could always add Test of Endurance and/or Felidar Sovereign.

March 25, 2017 1:50 a.m.

Immortalized says... #17

Heh, you think like I normally do. I Think i'm going to keep the deck grindy, but those really are great cards!

March 25, 2017 3:21 a.m.

Penthoplayer says... #18

I'd take out Sheoldred for Mesa Enchantress. Sheoldred is expensive to cast, while with all those Enchantments, the Enchantress will draw you cards.

April 1, 2017 8:19 a.m.

Immortalized says... #19

I have been thinking to cut back on curve with the mass LD, I'll give it a shot. (Remember to hit that +1 :D)

April 1, 2017 8:23 a.m.

My three suggestions would be as follows: (1) Add tutors--specifically Enlightened Tutor, Vampiric Tutor andDemonic Tutor--to ensure you find your relevant lock pieces;

(2) Add as many fetches as possible that fetch Plains, Swamps, and Islands--but definitely at least Flooded Strand, Marsh Flats, and Polluted Delta--to combo with Crucible of Worlds and ensure you always have ample basic lands. Also, while I realize that Hallowed Fountain, Godless Shrine, and Watery Grave are a non-bo with Back to Basics, they're fetchable and simply too good to pass on.

(3) You have a lot oh board wipes. It's not a huge issue in a deck such as yours that runs comparatively few creatures, but so many sweepers is a bit redundant, the sweepers can sometimes be dead in your hand, and it really ups your mana curve. Consider replacing a few of the weaker ones with spot-removal such as Vindicate or Anguished Unmaking and/ or additional counterspells.

April 2, 2017 4:01 p.m.

Immortalized says... #21

I will probably take some advice from this, namely Vindicate and some tutors, but am too busy at present to change things, any specific cuts or cards you feel are doing little here Rusty_Shackleford? all suggestions are taken into account based on different people in my meta.

April 4, 2017 3:50 a.m.

Immortalized says... #22

Also, as it's not my general specialty, if any of you know hardlocks that could easily be added, or people that know them well, please suggest those. thank you all.

April 4, 2017 3:53 a.m.

There's really no such thing as a 'hard lock' unless to want to be 'Rube Goldberg' about it. Metaphorically speaking, every question has an answer in this game, so that best thing you can do is ask the right questions or ask so many that your opponents don't have all the right answers.

I can't speak to how this deck plays, but things that look generally weak to me: Mesa Enchantress, Karmic Justice, Bitterblossom, Luminarch Ascension, Nevermore, Spreading Plague, and Tainted Aether.

I have no idea what your budget is like but maybe upgrade to Consecrated Sphinx and Jace, the Mind Sculptor

April 4, 2017 6:27 a.m.

Winterblast says... #24

I play Stax is various variants myself and I can only suggest reducing your land total and replacing them with mana artifacts for 0-1 mana...and use all of the ones legal for commander: Mox Diamond, Chrome Mox, Mox Opal, Mana Vault, Grim Monolith, Voltaic Key, Lotus Petal. You become much faster and avoid your own land destruction easily.

I would also Play Talisman of Dominance and Talisman of Progress, Coalition Relic too (maybe instead of the Signets because they can produce mana themselves without paying 1 first).

Land Equilibrium is my all time favourite because it completely stops the game for everyone relying on lands. After a mass removal on lands no one can put a land into play unless you do - with lots of mana artifacts you won't ever need to do this and that's it then. Perfect synergies are Overburden, Mana Breach, Sunder (and the bounced lands can even be used for Card Advantage with Scroll Rack). It would require some adjustment of your mana base, especially adding all the mentioned artifacts, but it's a play style most opponents can't deal with. Maybe you can find some more ideas in my deck Absolutely Static Stax

Academy Rector is great with so many enchantments in the deck, especially to get out a killer Card like Humility. Nether Void, The Abyss and Consulate Crackdown are also nice to bring into play unexpectedly.

April 12, 2017 5:09 a.m.

Immortalized says... #25

my meta contains A LOT of artifact hate, though i think i'll incorporate some of the land tactics...

April 12, 2017 6:21 a.m.