Beginner EDH Advice Wanted!
Deck Help forum
Posted on Dec. 15, 2014, 10:48 a.m. by rixxy
Taking What is Mine is my first real foray into making an EDH deck of my own - I've made more than a few Pauper EDH brews before, but a lot of the rules don't exactly translate well between the two formats so I'm looking for any and all recommendations T/O has to offer.
In particular I am interested in learning what cards other people have used in their Marchesa decks (particularly budget options! those are always the best), as well as good multilayer card choices, and other 'value' cards someone playing a Grixis deck couldn't go without - I feel like I have a solid foundation for a deck but I also think I've hit my creative 'wall' and at a loss for cards to add or cut.
Thanks for the comments, and your list looks good! Thinking about copping some of those ideas certainly.
I guess as a note I would mostly like advice on the cards in the maybe board first and foremost, as well as ideas of what to possibly cut from the other 99 - as it stands there are tons of cards I want to play, but I obviously can't use them all! If something is truly mediocre for a choice, I'd like to know before I get too far into things!
December 15, 2014 1:17 p.m.
OmegaAura113 says... #4
Your deck seems to run on making a bunch of +1/+1 counters, which is a good start to a marchesa deck. A couple things to touch up on, though:
Disciple of Bolas isn't the best for the deck. In its place, you could add in Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath, which makes an emblem of that same ability.
I like adding in Sheoldred, Whispering One or Phyrexian Obliterator to most of the decks I make that involve black; they're just very fun and annoying to have.
Flesh Carver seems like a fun addition; it lets you sacrifice a creature for 2 counters, and with Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and Marchesa's ow ability, you can get a lot of counters on it.
Vela the Nightclad could work. It gives intimidate-pretty useful.
Last, try Desecration Demon, Ob Nixilis, Unshackled and/or Ob Nixilis, the Fallen. They're fun cards for pain and manipulation.
December 15, 2014 1:32 p.m.
@Regigigas23
Yeah, I was thinking that Disciple of Bolas wasn't the best choice overall, but with the 'recursion' from Marchesa et al. I think it could be a good way to generate some value. That said I can't exactly 'turn them off' if they clear the board and I'm stuck having to sac a guy and draw cards I don't need. Will certainly be on the lookout for an Ob Nixilis though since he seems like a good fit.
Unfortunately Flesh Carver doesn't get Undying, but he's still a really good choice! I should really pay more attention to these C14 decks.
Vela and both creature Obs are very mean. They are right up my alley.
Is there anything in particular you think I should take out since it seems nonessential? I really like Deal Broker since he's a colorless Looter and Mer-Ek Nightblade because of the abundance of counters going around, but I feel like they're not that essential to the plan of the deck in the large scheme of things. Same goes for Nightscape Familiar and Victimize.
December 15, 2014 1:51 p.m.
OmegaAura113 says... #6
A few things you can switch out:
Ashnod's altar for Altar of Dementia; just mill them out :)
Throw in Grimgrin, Corpse-Born and Olivia Voldaren for powerful counter creatures
Geth, Lord of the Vault is fun for stealing artifacts and creatures
In Garruk's wake is a bit costly; try Life's Finale. Grindstone costs a bit of money, but is very fun to play against a mono colored deck
Sadistic Sacrament with kicker...'nuff said
You can check out my The Black Death and You've been dethroned! commander decks; some fun combos in them.
December 15, 2014 2:11 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #7
Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker should get Ob Nixilis, Unshackled spot.
Disciple of Bolas allows for lifegain, and draw power when you need it, sometimes when you don't. It's not a fantastic card for the deck but it allows for a death ability trigger, along with lifegain and card draw and then marchesa brings the dead guy back. Find yourself needing life or cards, sac the disciple and at the end of turn (your opponents turn, that way you have spells ready to cast when you untap) he comes in giving you what you need.
Victimize is pretty good in here. the rest not so much. Nightblade in particular would be better off as an Oona's Blackguard
December 15, 2014 2:14 p.m.
Schuesseled says... #8
Edit : Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker should get Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath spot.
December 15, 2014 2:16 p.m.
@Schuesseled
I could see Simic Manipulator not being so great, but at the same time it's something to look into as an option; if I am pumping out a lot of counters, then I have a lot of chance to nab useful guys (like, for example, a Blazing Archon or Avacyn, Angel of Hope) If I were to include him, it would likely be in place of Beguiler of Wills since she can be awfully slow to start up and I don't really have any good ways of getting her untapped to machine gun out Control Magics.
The Nightblade is likely getting cut in the end. Although his ability is neat, deathtouch on medium sized creatures isn't really that incredible. Still, it makes blocking without first-strikers a lot more dangerous especially since I would effectively get all my guys back with Marchesa out. For now though I think I'll play a few games with him in.
The proliferate isn't all that incredible considering, but it never hurts as long as there are counters on the board. At the very least I am considering Contagion Engine since it's just a decent card. Tide is probably too cute ultimately.
Thanks for the input! I'll have to try things out a bit in Cockatrice here and there and tweak things as we go along obviously, but this has been invaluable.
December 15, 2014 3:07 p.m.
Hickorysbane says... #10
As a general rule of thumb for Commander decks I like to have lifegain to come back from a poor position. Whip of Erebos and Exquisite Blood both do this quite well. Just toss them out there and keep playing. Your life total will go up.
Schuesseled says... #2
The Bitter Taste of Sweet Decay was originally built on a budget. (stuff like damnation and sneak attack (holy shit sneak attack works so well in this) were added later.)
December 15, 2014 10:54 a.m.