Mono-B WTF?!

Commander Deck Help forum

Posted on Sept. 21, 2018, 8:57 a.m. by BS-T

I've recently assembled a Maralen of the Mornsong deck - not a mad 90-Swamp Ad Naus thing but definitely stacked with redundant lock out pieces and general unpleasantness.

It's a deck I want to keep around and keep the list for as all my other decks are way more casual and fun so it's a bit different.

What I want some help with though is ideas on what to 'tone down' the deck to for when I have a change of heart. I've been intrigued recently hearing about an unexpected Zur Bestow deck and a Ydris Landfall approach so I want to do something unexpected that isn't Maralen's usual fare. (These are from jeez, someone, on a podcast that I can't recall. Sorry!)

I'll still include stuff like Ob Nixilis, Unshackled because 'duh', but I won't be riding my Teferi's Puzzle Box / Anvil of Bogardan to victory with this.

The only other Mono-B deck I've ever had was the Ob Nix precon so it's not totally familiar ground - What kind of approach do you think would be interesting for Mono-B with Maralen up top?

LordBlackblade says... #2

I'd have to recommend the classic approach for Mono-Black: Big Mana. Just use Maralen of the Mornsong to fetch your mana doublers (Crypt Ghast et al.) and eventually fire off a super charged Torment of Hailfire or for more of a slow death Sadistic Sacrament kicked to gut an opponent's deck.

Another thought, perhaps try a less enabling commander if you want to tone things down. Maralen can be fun as a Mono-Black commander, but unless you're super aggressive with locking others out with her, the combo player will use her more effectively than you will, unfortunately.

September 22, 2018 11:37 p.m.

BS-T says... #3

Yeah I can see your points. If I don't take advantage, someone will use it to beat me over the head with lol.

Perhaps I'll just have to go a bit good-stuff-y and use some of the existing deck with her in the 99. Actually, now you've made me think some more... I could have Ob Nixilis, Unshackled as a kind of goodstuff commander and then Maralen would just be bonus gravy!

September 23, 2018 5:38 p.m.

LordBlackblade says... #4

It's not a bad way to go, kind of why I've always been skittish about running Maralen of the Mornsong. I've been experimenting with Demonlord Belzenlok in my mono-black goodstuff deck. He's got a decent body and the card draw is usually pretty good. In my deck he usually draws around three cards.

September 23, 2018 9:29 p.m.

WhatevWorks says... #5

I think stax-y, control-y might be a good way to go with this. Your commander could tutor for cards like Call to the Grave, Bottomless Pit, and Doom Blade. Once you have a decent lock on the board state, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and Triskelion could be your finisher.

September 24, 2018 5:33 p.m.

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