Liliana, Waker of the Dead

Legendary Planeswalker — Liliana

+1: Each player discards a card. Each opponent who can't loses 3 life.

-3: Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of cards in your graveyard.

-7: You get an emblem with "At the beginning of combat on your turn, put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. It gains haste."

Discussion (41)

trippy_mcfly on Mono Black Death Plague

2 months ago

Cool deck. I'm here to offer some suggestions after you pointed me here from your other deck.

Tergrid, God of Fright  ^Flip is a powerful commander and generates insane advantage in 4-player games. Let's take a look at this deck and see what it is doing, and then streamline it. I see three main objectives of this deck:

1 - RAMPING.

This is pretty much a primary objective of any commander deck, since if your only source of mana is playing one land per turn, you're going to fall way behind. Your main ramping plan for this deck is to double lands, using Cabal Coffers, Cabal Stronghold, Caged Sun, Crypt Ghast, Extraplanar Lens, Gauntlet of Power, and Nirkana Revenant. This is super cool and probably a pretty strong plan. We want to try to maximize this plan. How can we do that?

All of these cards want you to load up on basic swamps, which you did. We want to make sure we are playing a basic swamp every turn. Solemn Simulacrum is definitely a worthwhile add. Liliana of the Dark Realms is very helpful and I'm happy to see her in this deck. Often times Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth is a worthwhile add for decks with Cabal Coffers. I think it is worth it here. Although you yourself don't have many non-swamps that will benefit from Urborg, you are likely going to be stealing people's lands with Tergrid, and counting those as swamps will be helpful for you.

How else can we keep getting swamps onto the battlefield to power up this strategy? Card draw. The more cards in your hand the higher the chance you will have a swamp to play every turn. Night's Whisper and Sign in Blood are great for this. Disciple of Bolas is solid too. Dread Presence loves swamps and is a must-add. I would add Phyrexian Arena, which is great card draw for you. Necropotence, one of the craziest cards in the game, is also a worthwhile addition. Not as good but worth consideration are Yawgmoth's Bargain and Null Profusion. Two other well-known card draw machines in black are Dark Confidant and Bolas's Citadel. You have some costly spells in your deck, so they might be a bit of a liability. If you want to include them, Sensei's Divining Top pairs very well with them.

Just because you are mainly ramping with land doubling doesn't mean there isn't room for other ramping as well. You have Black Market, which I have never personally tested, but is probably decent. Black has some explosive, single-turn ramp with Dark Ritual, Cabal Ritual, and Culling the Weak. These cards would do well in letting you get out expensive plays ahead of schedule, mainly Tergrid. Artifact ramp is also great in any deck. I would add Mana Crypt, Sol Ring, Jeweled Lotus, and Jet Medallion. I would consider adding even more artifact ramp as well. Getting down Tergrid as early as turn 1 or 2 is just so good.

2 - SACRIFICE AND DISCARD.

Once you have Tergrid out, sacrifice and discard become powerful effects that let you take control of your opponent's permanents. This is insane advantage and if left unchecked for very long will win you the game. Syphon Mind while Tergrid is in play not only puts you up 4 cards in comparison to each opponent (since they each went down 1 and you went up 3), but also could net you 3 more cards if they discard permanents that then go onto your field. That's insane. Let's take a look at all the cards you have that enable Tergrid:

SACRIFICE:

Archfiend of Depravity - A one-sided, almost board wipe that repeats every turn? Pretty solid. Getting the creatures onto your field with Tergrid? That is nuts. The one issue is that some commander decks won't have that many more than 2 creatures on the field when this comes down, and if they do, then this card and/or Tergrid become a big target, but if you survive the turn, this and your commander will put you ahead so far.

Butcher of Malakir - Similar to Archfiend. If this guy sticks around for a bit, you're going to be at such an advantage. It costs 7 which is a bit high and very vulnerable to something like Mana Drain, so I wouldn't be super upset if you cut it, but it is great with Tergrid.

Gatekeeper of Malakir - This guy only costs three and steals a creature if Tergrid is on the field. Love it.

Phyrexian Obliterator - If someone is dumb enough to deal damage to this guy, then you're getting a lot of their permanents! I don't love this card for you. People will just leave it alone and then you just hit someone for 5 each turn or leave up a blocker, which is a bit slow.

Sheoldred, Whispering One - Similar to Archfiend. If this guy sticks around for a bit, you're going to be at such an advantage. It costs 7 which is a bit high and very vulnerable to something like Mana Drain, so I wouldn't be super upset if you cut it, but it is great with Tergrid.

Torment of Hailfire - Expensive and liable to be countered but if it resolves then you will get a ton of value!

Dictate of Erebos - I like it. Let's say you have 10 mana. Cast Tergrid, then somebody goes to kill him. Flash this card in. Now, you at least get 3 of your opponents creatures on the way out!

Grave Pact - I like this as well. You can't flash it in, but if you put this card on the field, then people will have to kill this before Tergrid comes down or else end up giving you their creatures.

The Eldest Reborn - Immediate impact with Tergrid on the field, pretty good value on its own. Definitely a keep.

DISCARD:

Liliana, Defiant Necromancer - You need to flip her first, but once flipped she is great.

Syphon Mind - Great.

Torment of Hailfire - Expensive and liable to be countered but if it resolves then you will get a ton of value!

The Eldest Reborn - Immediate impact with Tergrid on the field, pretty good value on its own. Definitely a keep.

... and that's it. We need more cards that are busted with Tergrid! The following would be great adds to your deck: Smallpox, Dark Deal, Liliana's Triumph, Plaguecrafter, Soul Shatter, Mire in Misery, Innocent Blood, Vona's Hunger, Death Cloud, Burglar Rat, Demon's Disciple, Fleshbag Marauder, Elderfang Disciple, Liliana, Waker of the Dead, Bottomless Pit, Fraying Omnipotence, Rotting Rats, Cunning Lethemancer, Merciless Executioner, and a personal favorite: Smokestack.

Notice that all of these cards are typically even trades (ex: I play Elderfang Disciple, going down 1 card, everyone else goes down 1 card.) These aren't great on their own since it costs you mana to do so, and, in the case of discard and sacrifice, the opponent gets to choose an asset that they are least upset to get rid of, making them actually below-even trades. However, they become insanely busted with Tergrid. (ex: I play Elderfang Disciple, going down 1 card in hand for a measly 1/1. But, I get a Carpet of Flowers, basic plains, and Birds of Paradise on my field? Now that's an amazing play). Therefore, the ones that are recurring are better, since they give you more chances to make sure they resolve while Tergrid is on the field. (ex: I play Cunning Lethemancer and my opponent kills Tergrid. Later in the turn I play Tergrid again, albeit for 7 mana now due to commander tax. Next turn, with the Lethemancer trigger, I get some great value!)

Here are some other cards that work well with Tergrid, although they only target one opponent: Sudden Edict, Hellish Rebuke, Pharika's Libation, Diabolic Edict, Duress, Thoughtseize, Hymn to Tourach, Chain of Smog, Despise, and Divest.

Notice that in the absence of Tergrid, these cards are negative trades. They set you and an opponent back by putting you both down one card. The other two opponents are left untouched. Seeing them early in the game is not particularly helpful since you'd rather spend the early game ramping. They are great and slowing down whoever is winning, but at the expense of your own board. There is a trade-off here, since these can be leveraged politically. "Each opponent discards a card"" can give you tons of value with Tergrid on the field but makes you 3 enemies. "Target opponent discards a card"" gives you not as much value in general but you can leverage this to make someone else the common enemy or make a deal with a player ("if you don't attack me next turn I won't target you with my Duress"). Things like Duress can also target specific cards, which is an added benefit for you and an added detriment to the opponent.

I would run some from each category, probably with an emphasis on maximizing Tergrid value.

3 - DRAIN AND GAIN.

Blood Artist and other cards gain you one life and drain your opponent one life. This is cool and certainly an interesting archetype of a deck. It doesn't synergize with Tergrid particularly well. I personally would not use this strategy at all in this deck and maximize the Tergrid plan. However, Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond is an awesome combo and an unexpected way to finish the game for you while people are busy dealing with Tergrid. If you want to keep this, I would trim some of the other cards, such as Exsanguinate and maybe Underworld Dreams.

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So, now that we know what the 3 objectives are, and have maybe cut the third, we have a bit more of a plan. I've suggested adding some card draw and mana rocks for ramp, and tons more Tergrid synergy. What are the cuts? I would say anything that doesn't fit in with the objectives, so basically any card I haven't mentioned already, unless it gives great value on its own. I'll go through some:

Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor are incredible cards and provide great value. Diabolic Tutor, Scheming Symmetry, and Shrouded Lore are worse tutor effects and should probably be moved to the maybe board. Sudden Spoiling is interesting and stops somebody from comboing off on their turn so is probably worth it. Reanimate is good value and should probably stay, same with Animate Dead. Demonic Vigor protects creatures but not Tergrid, unless you want him going to your hand. This is risky but probably fine. I could see him getting countered and then removed from your graveyard which puts you back majorly, but I could also see you avoiding commander tax. Worth looking into. Undying Evil is strictly better since it has instant speed and keeps him on the field. We might also want to protect him with Lightning Greaves or Swiftfoot Boots

Coffin Queen is too expensive and vulnerable. Drana, Liberator of Malakir is cool for aggressive strategies and can help you close out the game but is out of place in this deck. Falkenrath Noble is an overcosted Blood Artist. Gonti, Lord of Luxury is a value creature that if you can get his ETB many times, which your deck can't really do. Grave Titan isn't worth it in this deck. Gravedigger is fine but might be a bit slow. Helldozer is probably not worth it unless you want to pick on somebody lol. Korlash, Heir to Blackblade is not worth it. Massacre Wurm might not be worth it. Nighthowler isn't worth it. Opposition Agent is always a good add. Phage the Untouchable is too slow and vulnerable. Sepulchral Primordial might not be worth it. Skirsdag High Priest is probably not worth it. Syr Konrad, the Grim is not worth it. Wight of Precinct Six is not worth it. Tainted Strike is not worth it. Lashwrithe is not worth it. That's about 15 cuts right there.

Props to you for building Tergrid and having an interesting ramp strategy. I think if you go more in on the Tergrid plan by cutting unrelated cards for cards that ramp or are good with Tergrid then your deck will be a lot more reliable. After all, the most fun part of this deck is going off with Tergrid!

Hope this helps.

Jonesbond49 on Friends with Atraxa 2.0

8 months ago

Ramp (12): Kiora, the Crashing Wave , Nissa, Who Shakes the World , Teferi, Temporal Archmage , Astral Cornucopia , Chromatic Lantern , Sol Ring , Circuitous Route , Cultivate , Explosive Vegetation , Kodama's Reach , Oath of Ajani , and Harrow

Card Advantage (11): Ajani Unyielding , Jace, Unraveler of Secrets , Jace, the Mind Sculptor , Kiora, the Crashing Wave , Liliana, Dreadhorde General , Tamiyo, Collector of Tales , Teferi, Hero of Dominaria , Teferi, Temporal Archmage , Vraska, Golgari Queen , Toothy, Imaginary Friend , and Tezzeret's Gambit

Removal (12): Ajani Unyielding , Liliana of the Veil , Liliana, Dreadhorde General , Liliana, Waker of the Dead , Teferi, Hero of Dominaria , Ugin, the Spirit Dragon , Vraska the Unseen , Vraska, Golgari Queen , Vraska, Relic Seeker , Assassin's Trophy , Fierce Guardianship , and Path to Exile

Wraths (7): Ugin, the Spirit Dragon , Nevinyrral's Disk , Merciless Eviction , Supreme Verdict , Urza's Ruinous Blast , Wrath of God , and Cyclonic Rift

superrawmatthe on The Impossible Deck

8 months ago

Thank you amicdeep . Dropped Damnation , switched out Domri Rade for Domri, Anarch of Bolas and Davriel Cane for Liliana, Waker of the Dead . Added an extra 2 utility lands on top of the Raging Ravine i already had. Also added the Nissa of Shadowed Boughs , had played with that card on arena and forgot how good it actually was if you can protect it. Will have a think on some other options for removal...

amicdeep on The Impossible Deck

8 months ago

It's a solid start, but there are a couple of changes I would make, first, drop damnation, it's about 35% of your budget and only so, so in this deck. Next I would have a look at your removal packages (over the last year standard has done wanders for budget options)

I would seriously consider Bonecrusher Giant as a solid body and nice removal. It's a really nice hit by bloodbraid due to its duel nature

And Vraska, Golgari Queen it's a card draw engin late game and normally 2 abrupt decays. Which is always welcome.

I would also consider 2 copy's of Chevill, Bane of Monsters as he's solid card advantage and your offen going to be killing stuff.

As your not running dark confident or goyf your probably should be running 2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang as it's a solid mid game beater and late game card advantage engin.

Stone rain is ok but far from ideal in this deck, offen it's a do nothing card.

Putrid Leech , Mortality Spear , Terminate Are all cards I would consider

Also if your running blighting I'm a big fan of Chandra, Acolyte of Flame as she's basically a 2 snap casters mages. (She dose need some help for teh double red mana but it's with the range of workability)

On the subject of plainswalkers apart fro vraska (which is your best budget option) your other solid options are Domri, Anarch of Bolas , ramps, protects against control lists, it pumps and it removes stuff. He's probably the best option. After that there's also Liliana, Waker of the Dead (as close to lilly of veil as where going to get) and Nissa of Shadowed Boughs who is deceptively good over a long Grindy match, bringing back your best creature with counters, and being triggered twice a turn but evolving wilds.

Lastly I would also run a few utility lands. With Ifnir Deadlands , Hissing Quagmire , Raging Ravine and Treetop Village being the best options on a budget.

Hope some of this helps.

benbeldner on Black and White - please help!

8 months ago

libraryjoy i got a lot of the suggestions that you made and I am already enjoying the new deck! I was wondering if you could also take a look at my sideboard. These are other cards that I own. Some of them are a little extreme, like Armageddon for a mana - ramp deck, but should I put any of these in my main deck? Or leave them in my sideboard depending on the opponent? Another card I am considering is Sunblast Angel . Its ability to destroy all tapped creatures could be used with Blinding Light , but I feel like that would not happen enough to make it worth it.

What are your thoughts on Planeswalkers? Some that I am considering that are on the more affordable side but still good cards are Sorin, Solemn Visitor , Liliana, Waker of the Dead , Ajani Goldmane , and Ajani, Caller of the Pride . I would consider getting two of these because they are only about $4 each. Or should would it be worth it to buy only one PlanesWalker and get Sorin Markov ?

Again, I really appreciate all the help! MTG is a lot more fun when your deck works well!

Mtg_Mega_Nerds on Languish Vs. Ritual of Soot

8 months ago

Hello all. I want to add Liliana, Waker of the Dead to my Grixis Superfriends deck. I have 6 boardwipes, and I think that is too much. I want to take out one to have 5 boardwipes and be able to include liliana. What should I take out, Languish and Ritual of Soot ?

Minousmancer on Peer Into the Abyss...

9 months ago

Wasabi413

Creature (16) 4x Banehound 4x Fate Unraveler 4x Master of the Feast 2x Kitesail Freebooter 2x Gray Merchant of Asphodel

Sorcery (6) 4x Peer into the Abyss 2 x Agonizing Remorse

Instant (8) 4x Dark Ritual 4x Thoughtseize

Enchantment (8) 4x Smothering Tithe 4x Underworld Dreams

Lands (22) 4x Temple of Silence 4x Faceless Haven 2x Evolving Wilds 2x Fabled Passage 2x Snow-Covered Plains 8x Snow-Covered Swamp

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Sideboard (15)

4x Drag to the Underworld 4x Doom Blade 4x Bloodchief's Thirst 2x Baleful Mastery 1x Tormod's Crypt

Maybe board (8)

4x Liliana, Waker of the Dead 4x Professor Onyx

gumbogogo on Offspring's Revenge

10 months ago

Liliana, Waker of the Dead was in the first draft which focused a little more on hand disruption with Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger , and I liked her as removal. I've been trying to find a way to get Rankle, Master of Pranks in but I just didn't think I could afford to replace the early drops. I've always known I'd make this swap considering the mana-cost and effects are so similar.

So my question now is: How many early-game hits do I need? Is it perfectly reasonable to just to cast Cathartic Reunion on 2 rather than set up a board state against aggro? I haven't been able to play the deck yet, purely theory-crafting, but I feel like it could work as is. The build you two seem to be suggesting would take out a lot of the interaction which is something I'm not really used to running or building. I think more importantly, I'm worried about being able to win at all if Offspring's Revenge gets countered. Maybe I'm over-valuing early pressure or I'm exaggerating combo's frailty, but I want to explore this build a bit more first.

What do you think of the Legion Angel suite? Worth it?

Thanks again