Seven by Nine with Meren
Commander Deck Help forum
Posted on April 12, 2017, 9:09 a.m. by 2gherkins
Perusing the internet this morning, I came across the "seven by nine" rule. If your not familiar with it, you can check it out here, under note three - http://www.quietspeculation.com/2011/05/building-depietro-depauper/
Anyways, I found it quite brilliant. I broke out my EDH deck (The Cairn Nel Toth) and decided that it needed a serious overhaul.
I decided that my nine "slots," if you will would be the following:
Removal
Tutor
Sacrifice Fodder (CMC 1 or less)
Sacrifice Fodder (CMC 2)
Sacrifice Fodder (CMC 3 or greater)
Finishers
Self-mill
Sacrifice outlets
Utility/assorted random cards
So i started sorting the piles, and quickly realized I had too many cards for some slots, and not enough for others. I started the long, laborious, and painful process of cutting cards. I couldn't quite cut enough cards from the utility pile, so I decided I would have nine utility cards, and only six distinctly self-mill and CMC three or greater sacrifice fodder cards, because a lot of other cards can do those things in addition to doing their main purpose (if that makes any sense).
Anyways, I'll list the cards I have for each slot (its quite different than the original deck). Also, many cards serve multiple purposes, so I'm putting them in the category of their MAIN purpose.
Removal - Black Sun's Zenith, Toxic Deluge, Havoc Demon, Noxious Gearhulk, Malicious Affliction, Shriekmaw, Darkblast
Tutor - Sidisi, Undead Vizier, Birthing Pod, Corpse Connoisseur, Fauna Shaman, Jarad's Orders, Buried Alive, Entomb
CMC 1 or less sacrifice-ers - Hangarback Walker, Spore Frog, the "Fog Frog," Krosan Wayfarer, Caustic Caterpillar, Bloodsoaked Champion. I need two more cards in this slot.
CMC 2 sacrifice-ers - Vampire Hexmage, Satyr Wayfinder, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Dawntreader Elk, Winding Constrictor. I need two more cards in this pile.
CMC 3 or greater sacrifice-ers - Yavimaya Elder, Shambling Shell, Fleshbag Marauder, [[eternal witness] "EWIT," Solemn Simulacrum, Reclamation Sage
Finishers - Gray Merchant of Asphodel "Gary," Demon of Dark Schemes, Phyrexian Plaguelord, Eater of Hope, Savra, Queen of the Golgari, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, Hell's Caretaker
Self-mill - Golgari Grave-Troll, Life from the Loam, Altar of Dementia (The best card in the whole deck, hands down. Not even kidding. Every Meren deck should run this card), Mesmeric Orb, Grapple with the Past. I need one more card for this slot (Stinkweed Imp?).
Sacrifice Outlets - Ashnod's Altar, Skullclamp, Attrition, Mind Slash, Evolutionary Leap. I don't love one-off sacrifice spells, but I have the slot for one. I've been debating between Altar's Reap, Morbid Curiosity and Eldritch Evolution.
Utility/Random - Grim Haruspex, Horobi, Death's Wail, Loaming Shaman, Lightning Greaves, Dictate of Erebos, Sol Ring, Sifter of Skulls, Dread Return
Thoughts? What cards should fill my unfilled slots? Any cards I should replace?
MagicalHacker says... #3
Wow, I never heard of this 7 by 9 rule, but yet, I've been building this way for as long as I can remember! Anything vital to a deck I say must have at least 7, and for each copy of some effect I want per game, I put that many sevens in my deck! Now, I dont consider my commander as part of the deck of 99, but I want 37 cards for my manabase, so I end up having 62 cards to work with, but it's close enough to 63 for me!
April 12, 2017 1:06 p.m.
DeathChant17 says... #4
I had to check my 2 newest decks, they are along along the lines of 7 by 9 if you figure 9 by 7 is similar lol.
As to your deck, I'd say fill some of those slots with some control, like Grave Pact and Butcher of Malakir. Maybe some draw, Phyrexian Arena, and then tutors. Looks solid otherwise.
April 12, 2017 1:51 p.m. Edited.
Raging_Squiggle says... #5
If you're not running Hermit Druid or Undercity Informer for self mill, that should be fixed.
April 12, 2017 2:03 p.m.
I had never heard of this strategy before so I took it to my own Meren deck. What a difference! I even won a game without casting Meren!
Also, Dredge for life.
April 14, 2017 10:08 a.m.
@geekmp3 I know right? Such a difference. You wouldn't have a link to you own deck, would you?
April 14, 2017 6:33 p.m.
bushido_man96 says... #8
1 CMC saccers: Blisterpod, Blood Pet I can't think of any 2 CMC saccers.
Sac outlets: Infernal Tribute, Claws of Gix, Phyrexian Altar.
I like the look of it. I've got a Meren build that I've kept tinkering with too. I've not heard of this "seven by nine" build, but I will look into it. Thanks for sharing!
April 16, 2017 9:42 a.m.
bushido_man96 says... #9
2 CMC saccers: Wall of Mulch that it looked like you had at one time, and maybe Multani's Acolyte? (Having trouble coming up with cards in this slot.) For removal, I prefer cards like Plague Wind and In Garruk's Wake, but that's just a personal preference. The cards you have listed look like they go with what your deck does with the dredge mechanic, so my suggestions might not fit your scheme.
April 16, 2017 10:23 a.m.
Just got around to taking a peak at your deck - looks really solid! Seems really consistent, the value is ridiculous. Many of the cards have given me ideas...
April 17, 2017 5:22 p.m.
Undercity Informer was an instantly put-in - I took out Stinkweed Imp. Hermit Druid, while a staple, is good, but not my style. Additionally, I run quite a few lands. Undercity Informer makes up for this by sacrificing, which Hermit Druid does not.
Wall of Mulch was in the deck for a while, yet I found it too slow to compete too often. Wall of Blossoms gives me what I need instantly, and I don't necessarily feel like have to wait for Meren to come in to activate. It also costs mana and kills itself - a plus and a minus.
I have finally filled in the deck after taking all the suggested cards into account. I added Devoted Druid, which goes infinite with Mikeaus.
Speaking of the zombie priest, the deck utilizes Mikeaus to get maximum value. It's why I run Black Sun's Zenith (aside from its normal board wiping value). It's why I run so few humans. Mikeaus + Sidisi, Undead Vizier + Hell's Caretaker can lock people down. I can find whatever I want consistently. I can go infinite (by finding Devoted Druid). I can get Horobi, Death's Wail + Darkblast to kill whatever I want.
Now here are the questions. If you go back through the modification log, you can see what I added and cut. Do you agree? Also, Sifter of Skulls or Pawn of Ulamog? Harvester of Souls or Grim Haruspex (or both? If so what do I cut?) And what about Nyx Weaver, which seem so good?
April 17, 2017 5:44 p.m.
bushido_man96 says... #13
I think Fecundity is a card-draw engine just begging to go into this deck, along with Grim Haruspex. I run one in my Meren deck, but I don't run much self-mill in mine. I am considering some options for that now, though. I run Aluren and Endless Cockroaches in mine to combo off, so I'd choose the Pawn of Ulamog for that reason.
DeathChant17 says... #2
Let me read this link 1st. Then I'll be back.
April 12, 2017 12:29 p.m.