Hello fellow Skullbriar player!

This is a great list! You actually showed me some cards I’m going to look into like Sixth Sense and Alpha Authority . Those seem amazing here.

Right off rip, I’d say Armorcraft Judge is a great card. Here are some others I use:

Ridgescale Tusker more counters

Skarrg Goliath Bloodrush!

Dauthi Embrace unblockable

Epic Proportions

Gigantomancer

Executioner's Hood

Trailblazer's Boots

Hot Soup this is a personal favorite!

Prowler's Helm

Enlarge and Berserk are also really really good. Hatred if you can get your hands on it also.

We both have a lot if similar cards. I think I have more unblockable stuff while you have more relating to counters.

Check my deck out here.. I’m down for any feedback you may have!

Good luck! +1

McToters: thanks, I appreciate the input

My biggest thing to say to your suggestions is I always play with the idea of recursion. Shit is going to get destroyed and countered and so forth. Enchantments are good, but if the creature dies, you lose multiple ways. Instants are worse: You could pump your card to defeat another player but if it gets countered you’re out of mana or completely open

Sixth sense also has a counterpart: Keen Sense

Armorcraft: it’s a one time draw and we usually only have 1-3 creatures on the board(maybe with counters) tons of better draw options in golgari

Ridgescale: added only one counter to a creature or two isn’t great

Skaarg: waaay too expensive. I build my decks with the idea of multiplayer, but even in 1v1 this is too much

Dauthri: unblockable is cool. Rogue's Passage and trample cards do most of that work

Epic, gigant: too expensive

Execute, trailbl: fear is okay, I prefer trample because lots of artifact and black sees play. I play a wide group of decks so sometimes only basics or mana rocks exist

Hot soup: funny card, might consider

Prowlers: great card, sorta expensive

Enlarge, berserk, hatred: one time use. Too easily b

Wow, we definitely have different opinions on how to run this haha, but that’s totally ok! That’s what makes this game great. The instants are what make this deck so much fun for me because I love pulling combat tricks on folks, and well, the fact that things can be countered applies to all the reanimation spells as well—although that is not to say the reanimation stuff is bad. It’s another clever way to work with how Skully keepa his counters, which is fantastic. Plus it prevents you from having to pay commander tax, also clutch. I suppose Ive never really worried about paying the tax though since he starts off at 2. Ive played plenty of games where he’s ended up costing 14 or 16 lol. I used to run more ramp and looking back at my list i think i will make a few adjustments in that regard.

Stuff like Skarrg Goliath is expensive but they are game-changers and I love that. Plus in the event I need a creature on the board I can throw him down. Epic Proportions and Enlarge are super hilarious to me and have worked. Of course every meta is different so for you maybe they wont. Lastly, Berserk and Hatred are generally one shot kills. Again, something I think is phenomenal in voltron. But to each their own!

I like Keen Sense ! Ill try to get my hands on a copy. I run Rogue's Passage too. Bear Umbra , Snake Umbra and Spider Umbra are dope auras too.

Glad you also sort of like Hot Soup !

@McToters

Alright, so I'm gonna give my two cents since we're discussing this on my page.

Pump spells are garbage unless they are synergetic with your commander, you have a way to re-aquire them after use, or you're infect based. They rot in your grave too often, and multiplayer is the last place you want that.

Skullbriar is counter based. Why pump him? He's a 1/1 with haste. I'd rather pump something that already had hexproof or had a special ability. I also play a Feather, the Redeemed deck. Using pump or instants in that deck make sense because they're reusable.

"although that is not to say the reanimation stuff is bad. It’s another clever way to work with how Skully keepa his counters, which is fantastic. Plus it prevents you from having to pay commander tax"

^I'm confused by that statement. He keeps his counters no matter what... unless you elect to send him to your hand or library. I don't usually use reanimation on Skullbriar, but on creatures that I don't want to hard cast like Necropolis Regent .

Damn, 14/16? That's way too long of a game imo. I can't imagine playing a game where I had that much mana lol

Yes, reanimation spells can get countered, but it's the difference of board presence and cmc loss. If any of your pump spells get countered, you're out 7/8cmc. If someone lets you play your pump spell, then destroys your pumped creature, now you're down a card in hand, a creature on the field, and 7/8 mana. Holy fuck that's a lot. If a reanimation spell lands, now you have a creature on the board, who's effects live on. If someone kills the creature or counters the spell, I'm only out 1 mana and a card in hand.

You say one shot, but I build with multiplayer as my focus. I just don't think pumping a creature is scary against more than one person. Even against one, most people will just wipe him out after he's pumped.

Say we compare Ghalta, Primal Hunger to Emrakul, the Aeons Torn . Yeah, they both have huge attack powers that could wipe out another player, but there's a clear distinction between the two's overall power.

I like all of the Umbra cards... but only for the Totem Armor they provide. The pumps they give are useless. Reach isn't needed. Snake Umbra 's draw power is good but 3cmc vs Keen Sense and Sixth Sense 's 1cmc. I don't need to untap land with Bear Umbra because I'm not ramping to anything.

Hot Soup is a fun jank card. I just don't like that it makes a 10/10 a 10/1.

There's a few cards that I'm planning on moving out of the deck soon. I don't like making counters from other spells. It just feels way too slow.

Hey, fair enough! To each their own. I apologize if I’m leaving too much of my own subjective view on your deck page, but I’m always interested to hear why people have certain cards and maybe why they don’t care for my suggestions. It can be hard sometimes since metas can be so very different.

Your logic against instant-pumps is absolutely correct, I just have a completely different experience in multiplayer (piloting this deck since 2013), and 1v1 is an entirely different story (he is usually too fast and evasive). People always seem to flail against combat tricks, combined with the fact skullbriar is naturally fast. The way I see it is the pump spells are essentially an extra investment into Skullbriar’s counter placement; extra evasion, extra strength; adds extra synergy (w/ Skullbriar). I’m just putting all my eggs in one basket. Would it be better to reuse these spells? Absolutely. But that’s also why I have a bunch of them. I’m also going for affect; how I can take someone out with Enlarge + Might of Oaks with Hot Soup —it’s hilarious!

My point with the reanimation that you were confused about was just how it can avoid commander tax, which is overall a great thing.

Anyway, sorry again if I havent been much help. It’s always cool to see someone else’s deck-list. If you want to continue this conversation we don’t have to keep writing on your page. If you want we can discuss via wall comments if you’d like.

Quickly, based on your update from this morning: I think you should put in Inspiring Call and Rishkar's Expertise . Both seem like insane draw for this deck. I’m definitely going to add both of these to mine! I agree with all the changes you made too—love the Collector Ouphe add. Also, my 2 cents: use Fireshrieker over Inquisitor's Flail .

@McToters

Hopefully my reply didn’t come off hostile. I’ll reiterate that the only reason I went in depth was because we were discussing on my deck’s page. I’m pretty passionate about this deck. Too many of the top Skullbriar decks haven’t been updated in years or feel real rough around the edge.

Meta really means a ton. I try to build around the idea of people using counters and destroy.

If Skullbriar had one more ability, I’d be more inclined to pump him. Maybe built in trample, hexproof, unblockable, or cast from grave. As he is, he becomes more of a re-acurring nightmare while the overwhelming force of Hydras and Reanimated creatures force opponents to deal with the board quickly.

You’re right there. If commander tax does get hefty, it’s better to reanimate.

You’re good, I appreciate the input and enjoy another user to discuss opinions on cards.

So rishkar and inspiring are in the deck with the newest change. But I’m trying to feel all of the draw/indestructible/hexproof cards out and which one will warrant their spot.

Inspiring Call : I usually only have a few creatures with counters on the board. 3cmc for 1-3 draw isn’t bad, but it also forces me to wait for a chance to use the indestructible correctly.

Rishkar's Expertise : great in theory, but can sorta end up jank. I need to have a big enough creature to get a good draw. If I don’t draw a solid high cost card, it feels like a waste.

Collector is great. It makes me want to go lighter on artifacts tho. I’m so torn on Bow of Nylea

Fireshrieker and inquisitor’s are both so meh to me. Not because their abilities, but their cmc. Fireshrieker is Sword costs, with so little payoff. Inquisitor’s always ends up killing him in the process

It’s all good! Glad to see some passion with this. I totally agree Skullbriar is often overlooked and most of the decklists on here are certainly outdated a bit. I think that’s generally because most folks are turned off of Voltron decks, since they are so one-sided for the most part. In multiplayer they aren't viewed much as a threat.

I’d see how Inspiring and Expertise pan out for you and if they end uo being lame jank than totally take them out. To me, they seen like natural card draw fits for this deck.

If you keep collector in I would agree with your sentiment with removing your 1-2 mana rocks and put in some green (or black) ramp to avoid having it affect you. Simple stuff like Cultivate or Rampant Growth , Farseek , Crypt Ghast , etc.

I really like Bow of Nylea especially teamed up with stuff like Nemesis Mask or Enlarge or Emergent Growth (I’m sorry I keep bringing those up lol). A cool way to board wioe though. Plus the Bow adds counters which is what we want to do.

I say Fireshrieker over the flail because to me, if you go the route of the flail, I would just rather have Hot Soup. Straight evasion over double damage—in other words “guaranteed” damage over maybe double seems better to me. Plus double strike is nifty, strictly better to me than just double damage.

@McToters

Agreed. After my Animar, Soul of Elements deck fell apart, I wanted to make a counters deck with less bells and whistles. I always find EDH disheartening when the best versions have been calculated and there’s no room to refine. Skullbriar needed a massive facelift imo.

I might prefer Inspiring Call over Rishkar's Expertise . Maybe I’ll try to fit in Keen Sense with my already Sixth Sense . With Phyrexian Arena I should be fine with draw.

Entreat the Dead is gonna go. I have too much grave return atm. I thought about using Blood for Bones , but would need more cards like Eternal Witness and Golgari Findbroker .

Collector Ouphe definitely warrants his spot. I’ll keep my Sol Ring just cuz. But I might switch the other out for one that can be sac’d in response to him being played(so it doesn’t become useless). Since creatures are much more the focus here, especially with Green Sun's Zenith , I might stick with mana dorks. Crypt Ghast is weird. I feel like I never have enough swamps for him to be effective at 4cmc.

Bow of Nylea : deathtouch wrecks with your setup. With trample it’s stellar, but I’m still torn. A single counter a turn for 2 is garbage, 2 damage is meh, lifegain is a no, I can return and play cards from my grave. But just sitting there it’s not terrible. It’ll probably go out at a later date.

Fireshrieker is better, but still so damn expensive. Inquisitor's Flail is going out. I agree with guaranteed vs more dmg

Shit I’m on the fence about:

Heroic Intervention , Inspiring Call , and Rishkar's Expertise : are all just okay. Surprise protection &/or draw is cool, but nothing game changing. Heroic is the least synergistic. Inspiring on average draws 2 cards. Riskar’s(better for 1v1)could be interchanged with Garruk, Caller of Beasts (better for mp).

Sixth Sense feels weak when it only lands with damage. I debated Keen Sense too, but damage is hardly guaranteed. Inspiring Call , Rishkar's Expertise and Phyrexian Arena take the load atm. Draw still feels lacking.

Idk if I need both Molting Skin and Broken Fall , but they’re fun.

Putrefy should switch with Beast Within . People rarely regen. I prefer it over Assassin's Trophy . I’d rather you have a creature over land

Beacon of Unrest can go. I don’t have an artifact I’m trying to play. I have enough grave-recursion.

Beseech the Queen is definitely the poor-man’s Demonic Tutor ... even then, I’m usually more stoked to Entomb on Brawn or search with Green Sun's Zenith .

Bow of Nylea will never sit right with me. Does a bunch of stuff, none of it blows my mind.

Reyhan, Last of the Abzan is iffy. Creatures don’t always have counters to make it count.

Often I get caught up protecting creatures and forget that Skullbriar is totally okay with dying. The deck is built around doing its own thing, but he’s always glad to join the party.

I really want the Vivien planeswalkers to be better. They fall short and would better if they traded abilities: Vivien, Arkbow Ranger is close. I enjoy the counters for 4cmc, the other abilities lack. Vivien, Nature's Avenger is waaay to expensive, but has fun abilities.

Dolmen Gate is mulling around my brain. The deck is aggro, so this definitely seems to fit. Is it worth protecting the 1-3 attacking creatures?

I’m starting to appreciate counter-creating cards and sorta want to add Blessings of Nature . I still wish there were better options.

Also

Golgari loves creatures over artifacts. I’m pushing away from them so Collector Ouphe is always perfect for the board. In saying so, there’s a few cards I outed:

Key to the City is super jank. Lightning Greaves & Whispersilk Cloak don’t help with shroud. Prowler's Helm and Trailblazer's Boots give awesome evasion, but for a heck of a price. I debate on Chariot of Victory .

I think a big step $$$-wise is to pick up Shizo, Death's Storehouse . If fear doesn’t come in handy against a certain opponent, it’s still a untapped land

Thoughts:

Hunger of the Howlpack still sorta sucks, but I’ll live until a better counters-instant comes out around that cmc

Beseech the Queen is just okay. Might go with Scheming Symmetry because of how friendly it is

Rite of Passage is interesting. In MP it can work for beefing up during blocks. I’m sorta torn between this, Evolutionary Escalation , Drana, Liberator of Malakir , and some other rhino dude. Rite works when there’s a lot of combat. Evol. can push things along, but sucks 1v1. Drana feels a bit shoehorned.

Winter Orb was a terrible idea. I feel bad for putting this in my deck.

I never put together the way Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and Filth work together. Adding them and possibly Crop Rotation or Expedition Map . This leads me to...

Creatures are getting stuck in my hand and I need discard generators. Fauna Shaman is a must add. Key to the City is almost good. I sorta like Greenseeker , but idk if it warrants a slot.

Reyhan, Last of the Abzan still isn’t great. If it was similar to Death's Presence I would be more inclined. As is, most of the time my board just gets wiped

So if draw still feels lacking, what are your thoughts on I have personally had plenty of success with Parting Thoughts and Hunter's Prowess . The latter is a semi-expensive cmc-wise and I already know it isn’t exactly your play-style but I feel like I should suggest it!

Heroic Intervention is a great card but I agree with how you feel about it in this deck. Seems very eh in most scenarios, but I still think the other two— Inspiring Call and Rishkar's Expertise certainly have a place here.

I certainly agree with your decision on Beast Within . Also, love the idea of Dolmen Gate . I would test the waters with that one before totally committing on it.

I really really like Collector Ouphe (I just popped one myself!). Adds a nice stax piece to this aggro deck. Also, Shizo is a must-add. Something I would definitely do if I went and bought one. And I am all for keeping Prowler's Helm and Trailblazer's Boots .

I agree with Scheming Symmetry . I need to pick up up one of these!

I’d rank Rite of Passage higher in this particular deck over Evol and Drana. The reasoning is it gives opponents another reason not to block Skullbriar. “Oh he’s just going to get bigger?” And in most cases for me he’s the biggest creature on the entire board so he’s a force to be reckoned with. And if people choose to block him when he has no trample or evasion—he’s at least getting slightly bigger at the same time.

YES—Urborg and Filth. Couldn’t agree more with those.

@McToters

Supp dœg

Draw is at an interesting impasse. The more evasion/trample this deck has, the more Keen Sense and Sixth Sense are viable; Running both seems overkill. Rishkar's Expertise is not half bad, but I’m torn between it, Garruk, Caller of Beasts and Vivien Reid . Inspiring Call is now leagues better with Drana. I’m still waiting for that diamond in the rough.

I’m jumping in headfirst with Dolmen Gate . Sooo many creatures sit on the board only to boost Skullbriar. This combos super well with Drana. Dolmen also acts as alternative evasion since not everyone wants to block a lose/lose.

Ouphe wrecks. So many decks play off mana rocks and artifact combo win cons. I search for him quick. Besides big cmc, I avoid those evasion-equipment because of him.

I need to buy shizo... I just can’t imagine a reprint of a weird card like that... but that $$$ hurts.

Scheming supports friendly gameplay. Like, idk if I’d be bothered playing it 1v1. EDH is supposed to be fun, not punishing.

Rite is rough around edges. High cmc, doesn’t work with dolmen, most creatures aren’t tough enough to survive the initial damage, and not a guaranteed counter. This is an aggro deck so the creatures should always be tapped and attacking. Without vigilance, Rite doesn’t work as well imo. Idk, I feel like Unspeakable Symbol and Vivien, Arkbow Ranger land more counters, but even then I feel like none of these warrant their slot. I’m pretty shoehorned into Drana and Dolmen lol

Nice!

I like what you took out for Dolmen Gate. That makes sense in context since you have Molting Skin as well.

I picked up Sixth Sense but not Keen Sense yet, and yeah, I can totally see how they become more viable with evasion effects. I can certainly see the reasoning behind keeping both in the deck, and I don’t disagree with your assertion that it is also overkill. Depends what you’re looking for with gameplay and if you are already drawing enough cards and if played, they provide an equal or greater than pay-out to what it cost.

I suppose for your brew it makes more sense to run Garruk over Rishkar’s Expertise if we had to make choices here. You’re running plenty of creatures for that +1 to have great pay-out. And then there’s Vivien... who I would probably run with Garruk because she has some target removal on the minus (your brew only seems to have a handful of target removal). Maybe worth mulling over at the very least.

Love hearing about how well Ouphe works! Can’t wait to use it!

McToters

Both regen cards are rad. At 3cmc they aren’t game changing. Yavimaya Hollow is definitely the best of the lot. I need to acquire one.

My ordeal with Keen/Sixth Sense: Exile is prevalent and auras hit the grave hard. 1 cmc is great, but now we need to deal damage over two turns to make up the loss of card in hand. “Draw two cards” or an additional ability would make them more viable. With Keen Sense you could come up with an alternative method with Surestrike Trident , but thats straying from the path.

I picked up a Vivien to playtest. I agree, my deck lacks removal comparatively. Garruk feels more play wide & toss out Craterhoof Behemoth . Vivien feels more find your keys and put an end to hoses.

More on my side:

Adding Urborg begs for Crop Rotation . Yavimaya Elder , not without its benefits, feels lackluster.

Scheming Symmetry is okay, but I really should switch Beseech the Queen for either Worldly Tutor or Demonic Tutor .

Increasing Savagery needs to go. 4cmc for 5 counters is just not worth it imo.

Hey dude! Yeah Yavimaya Hollow is saucy. Would fit in great here, and could replace the Molting Skin that's taking up a card slot. (Which I see you just took out the other day for something.)

I completely agree about Vivien over Garruk in this context. She feels more like a fit especially given the lack of removal (generally speaking).

Agreed on Yavimaya Elder . It's a great "step" card, as in, it's just a step on the way to upgrading for something better like Crop Rotation . Like you said, Elder has it's benefits but it is definitely lackluster in most cases.

I see you made the leap on the Demonic Tutor . Good man! I just picked up my first one back in March.

Increasing Savagery is just one of those older cards that can go in EDH decks like this. Your reasoning for taking it out is correct though. It is certainly slow and won't provide enough POP in 80% of scenarios.

@McToters

Molting Skin / Broken Fall are fun cards, but the more I play them the more I realized how slow my games go.

Yavimaya Hollow is pretty pricey, but worth the regen on a stick, especially in a creature heavy deck. The issue is you’re still spending 2 mana each time you use it. I still think it’s worth it.

So now I’m sitting here, staring into void, thinking what do I do with my draw outlets.

I added in Smuggler's Copter , which I know is weird but somehow works with creatures that aren’t doing much combat if I don’t have Dolmen Gate or Vigor . My big debate is if all the weird search discard/search cards I have suffice or if I’ll need to add Sylvan Library and/or Dark Confidant .

With a more healthy aggro approach, I might need to add in more destroy cards too

odd suggestion: Whispersilk Cloak - shroud, not hexproof, but unblockable

@Snickles@EDH_only

Whispersilk Cloak was in the initial run of this deck. I do agree that WC being fantastic for voltron and evasion based decks. Unfortunately it doesn’t justify it’s cost or give Skullbriar an upper hand.

Shroud is a huge downside. Now I can’t target him to really beef him up. Hexproof is usually ideal, but even then I don’t care about him dying, as his counters remain. Not to say that only kill spells are going to target him, but he isn’t a large treat on his own as a slow building 1/1.

Unblockable is fantastic... but for 5cmc it can bug off. I usually aim at board control turn 3+ so that I can slowly build him with ample time. Turning him into a 1/1 unblockable/shroud T3/T4 feels super whatever. Yeah, this isn’t a competitive deck, but I’ve never felt WC justifies that massive cost.

fair enough. only other suggestion I had was Sword of Truth and Justice as anti-bounce and prolifferate. The cost being the problem, makes it seem kinda... less than ideal?

for boost that's cheap, Blade of the Bloodchief and Ring of Xathrid are good alternitives. I have a similar voltron deck if you wanted to compare / contrast - This grave was made for Walkin'

@Snickles@EDH_only

Sword of Truth and Justice : I’m not gonna lie, I’m super disappointed with the new swords. The old ones justified their costs. It’s a good voltron card the promotes counters. Too high of a cost, 2 color protection doesn’t do much in a 4 way game, a single +1 counted only if the damage(player-only) lands, and proliferate isn’t ideal when there’s usually only 1-2 creatures on board with counters.

Better(discounting broken aspects): whenever equipped creature attacks/blocks give it 1-2 +1 counter(s), then return target permanent to its owners hand... or some shit.

Ring of Xathrid and Ring of Kalonia are almost always better for this deck in my opinion. They actually guarantee +1 counters landing. RoX recently left the deck because paying an additional 2 for regen is garbage.

Blade of the Bloodchief was a maybe for awhile. I avoid equipment because of Collector Ouphe . This is another one of those cards that acquiring counters is too specific and doesn’t work with the vampire deal.

Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll check your shit out dœg

ahh, missed the ouphe. kinda kicking myself for not spotting it - I collect foil ouphe's in general ><

Collector Ouphe is an auto include imo. I get him on the board asap and shut down Sol Ring real quick

TwinStags

Hey dude! Long time no see! I like a lot of the changes this deck has gone through since I’ve last commented. How has it been playing in your meta? Do folks run away scared?!? You’re version is very different from mine and I like it so much.

Thanks for showing me Hydra's Growth. That is a dope counterS card. I definitely need to get one!

You may have had these in before but I want to say that I really like how you have Necrogen Mists and Oppression in here. Two really solid enchantments to hinder the opponents down.

Cheers!