Peer into the Abyss

Sorcery

Target player draws cards equal to half the number of cards in their library and loses half their life. Round up each time.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	Legal
Arena	Legal
Block Constructed	Legal
Canadian Highlander	Legal
Casual	Legal
Commander / EDH	Legal
Commander: Rule 0	Legal
Custom	Legal
Duel Commander	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Highlander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Leviathan	Legal
Limited	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (46)

TheForsakenOne on K'rrik, Blatant Cheater

1 week ago

Profet93

Several of these definitely fit into the budget problem lol. As much as I'd love a top or Hatred I need to either find someone to trade with or pull it myself. And I'm not opening many packs of Exodus. Looks like a good include if I could get my hands on it though.

Peer into the Abyss was a card I was waffling back and forth on including. I thought It might be a little too much life loss, but that was before I pulled Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, definitely looking to include it now, didn't think about the combo Potential.

And in general I don't like running combo pieces that aren't useful outside of a combo. Leshrac's Sigil is definitely in that category, If I have a combo I'd rather it flow more naturally with the deck

I suppose I'm at the hardest stage of deckbuilding. Figuring out what to cut and actually getting the funds for all these great cards. Thanks for the suggestions

Profet93 on K'rrik, Blatant Cheater

1 week ago

TheForsakenOne

Hatred - Super double edged sword. Life loss is additional cost to cast, somewhat telegraphed, but with lifelink and commander damage can be powerful. You can also target an opponent's creature attacking another opponent, bonus points if it's their commander.

Peer into the Abyss - Combo with sheoldred, can be potentially great on it's own.

Sensei's Divining Top - Great on it's own, even better with shuffling effects/fetches. Combos with bolas and aetherflux

Any reason u don't run the Aetherflux Reservoir + Leshrac's Sigil + K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth combo?

Profet93 on Dauthi Shadow Tribal

1 month ago

indieinside

Rise of the Dark Realms - Alt wincon, expensive but powerful.

All is Dust - Board wipe that hits enchantments (and some artifacts).

Neither of the above 2 are needed. While the deck is low to the ground, my fear is that in the mid-late game, after one wipe, it is hard to rebuild. That's where rise comes in handy for mass recursion and all is dust when someone either tries to pillowfort their way to safety or just outvalue you. Thoughts on that?

Sheoldred, the Apocalypse - Deathtouch + Useful with all the drawing. Speaking of drawing, Peer into the Abyss might be useful given you can't always get combat damage. Not to mention since your deck is low to the ground, you should be able to cast a lot of your hand and with reliquary tower + spellbook, not discard it. Lastly, both of them combo with each other for an alt wincon.

Speaking of alt wincon, have you thought of adding Rings of Brighthearth + some more fetches? Rings + fetches = ramp. More fetches = Use bojuka bog at instant speed. Moreover, you can "save" fetches with urborg out. Lastly, Rings + Coffers + Lots of swamps (Urborg makes it less) = {INFINITY}{B}. Rings also simply double's your commander's ability.

Bubbling Muck - Symmetrical with urborg but extremely powerful.

I can attempt to provide other suggestions + cuts should you wish. Looking forward to your response.

SufferFromEDHD Disdain for cabalstronghold is the exact word I would use. A lot of people try to add it in their decks thinking it's ramps but the amount of basic swamps needed to make it into a ramp piece simply made it unviable for most decks. The only decks it should have a place in are budget mono black decks that don't run coffers and use mostly basic swamps with little non-basic lands.

I love corpse dance, best with a sac outlet which I don't see in this deck. Hatred is amazing (my Sidisi deck used to be Xiahou dun, I run corspe dance still, but not hatred). Hatred is a difficult card to use because 1) You hold up 5 mana 2) Life is additional cost to cast - so counterspells are your worst enemy. I wouldn't run it without some form of counterspell protection such as Conqueror's Flail. Very solid suggestions though, as always.

Profet93 on goth worm mommy life sucker

1 month ago

Joslay131, what kind of suggestions are you looking for? Budget per card? Meta?

Peer into the Abyss - Synergy with commander

Definitely put Alhemeret's archive in. It is a bit winmore but given all your draw and lifegain, I think it fits well. Black can ramp easily so it shouldn't be an issue to cast.

Profet93 on That's Not How Money Works

1 month ago

MutinyMate +1

Sheoldred, the Apocalypse - Combo with top and citadel. Deathtouch body and lifegain is nice

Peer into the Abyss - Draw+ combo with sheoldred

Deserted Temple - Untap mana producing land + politics

Profet93 on Infinite Wheels of Death

2 months ago

JimboSliceJr

G-d pharaoh's statue seems kind of weak. Unless you face a lot of storm in the meta or can ramp into it, it isn't incredibly impactful. Have you thought of swapping it out for something else? Perhaps a Peer into the Abyss to go with Sheoldred? Or perhaps a Necropotence? A Reliquary Tower could keep your hand size for you, you definitely have enough flexibility in the mana base for it.

Speaking of mana base, perhaps a fetchland or 2 to instantly get witches cottage in play? Maybe even a Crucible of Worlds for some synergy with the fetches and your commander?

Skullclamp for draw?

Can you explain what your infinite combos are? All I see is chain of smog + professor.

Profet93 on Visions of Erebos

2 months ago

Sheoldred, the Apocalypse - Offsets commander lifeloss, great against blue/draw decks. Deathtouch is nice. Synergy with Peer into the Abyss (which also goes well with underworld dreams).

MAYBE Heartstone? - I'm unsure if this works with your commander only if he's a creature or even if he's just an enchantment.

Cabal Coffers - Ramp. Cabal Stronghold is more budget.

Deserted Temple - Untap coffers + politics

MAYBE Rings of Brighthearth - Copy commander ability without paying life. Also Coffers + Deserted temple + rings = {INFINITY}{B}. Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth - Makes you need less swamps but is not budget (or needed, but helpful).

Imp's Mischief - "Counter" counterspells while redirecting targeted removal, extra turns and draw.

Necropotence - Draw

I am unsure what your wincon is, beatdown? You lose a lot of life with your commander's ability. Perhaps a The Meathook Massacre could help as a wipe + lifegain effect?

Diabolic Tutor/Beseech the Queen/Beseech the Mirror. Tutors are black's biggest strength, utilize it for consistency.

Alhammarret's Archive - Extra draw

Black's 3rd biggest strength is massive mana. Aside from coffers, Crypt Ghast, Nirkana Revenant, Caged Sun, Gauntlet of Power

Once you determine your wincon, you can start to mold the deck to achieving that goal.

EDIT: Removed the non-budget options

Profet93 on Volrath, Voltron Reanimator

2 months ago

Skirge familiar Combos

Skirge Familiar > Grimore of the dead - Skirge is a combo enabler and while it does cost one more mana, is tutorable and more importantly, more easily recurrable. Not to mention it adds mana. While grimore does have a big payoff, it is widely telegraphed and doesn't give you any upfront investment.

Sheoldred, the Apocalypse + VILIS, BROKER OF BLOOD + Skirge Familiar = Infinite draw triggers. Near-infinite black mana, lifegain, lifegain triggers, card draw, looting and self-discard triggers. Sheoldred is good against blue decks that like to draw a lot as well with a deathtouch bonus

SHEOLDRED, THE APOCALYPSE + Greed + SKIRGE FAMILIAR = Infinite looting, draw triggers, self-discard triggers and Near-infinite lifegain triggers

Asmodeus the Archfiend + Necrotic Ooze + SKIRGE FAMILIAR = Infinite card draw, draw triggers, looting, self-discard and Near-infinite black mana.

SKIRGE FAMILIAR + Peer into the Abyss + Exsanguinate/Torment of Hailfire = GG. Peer is great on it's own. Given you are mono black, you should emphasize a bit more on the big black mana as a fallback incase (or rather, when) your reanimation strategy doesn't pan out given to all the grave hate in EDH (further exacerbated by all your black decks in the meta).

Other Suggestions

On the note of big black mana, Deserted Temple - Untap coffers + political tool. Thespian's Stage is a potential consideration as well. I know it seemed slow in the previous iteration but some big ramp pieces should be considered as well.

Victimize - Swap from maybeboard to main. It's 3 mana, sac a creature and get 2 back. It's a lot of value for such a cheap cost

Blightsteel Colossus > Kozilek - It serves the anti-mill purpose with high mana and potential alt wincon. Is it not included due to price? He would be much better than the cut suggestions below.

Potential Cuts

While cutting too many expensive cmc cards goes against the plans, these are just my thoughts of your weakest high cmc cards to consider removing....

Archon of Cruelty - Costs too much for such little impact. 8 mana should be game winning. While I know you're not paying retail, it's the fat of the deck that's ripe for cutting. Even if it said each opponent it's still not worth it.

Archpriest of Shadows - Reminds me of ashling the extinguisher. Not impactful enough, cool ability though. If you do want another 5cmc card to take it's spot, Junji, the Midnight Sky has a nice death trigger that's flexible and helpful.

Dauthi Voidwalker - I'm torn, I do like him a lot. Especially since you said there is mill in the meta. The weakest option for cuts for sure. Just 2 mana that doesn't impact your strategy doesn't seem worth it IMO. If you ran Leyline of the void + helm combo and used this as redundancy that would be one thing.

Hoarding Broodlord - A weird runescarred dragon. 8 mana wins games, not tutoring.

Pathrazer of Ulamog - I get the high cmc is great, but he isn't impactful enough.

Torgaar, Famine Incarnate - Make someone's life 20, nothing crazy.

Strands of Night - Black has better recursion. Losing a land is a harsh penalty.