Liliana's Standard Bearer

Creature — Zombie Knight

Flash

When Liliana's Standard Bearer enters the battlefield, draw X cards, where X is the number of creatures that died (was put into the graveyard from the battlefield) under your control this turn.

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
Tiny Leaders	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (49)

Last_Laugh on Marchesa, the Black Rose

1 week ago

I have several suggestions for you. I'll keep things budget friendly and if you're picking up what I'm putting down, I can also help suggest some cuts.

First off is enchantment removal. There's hardly any options in th5ese colors but I recommend running all 3 so problematic enchantments like Solemnity or Rest in Peace don't wreck your day. Chaos Warp, Feed the Swarm, and Canoptek Tomb Sentinel are all budget friendly and worth their weight in gold here. Another good boardwipe here is Last One Standing.

I don't really do theft in my Marchesa list, but Gisa, Glorious Resurrector is the exception and holy crap does she put in some dirty work.

Next is card draw. Liliana's Standard Bearer, Lethal Scheme, Plumb the Forbidden, and Sage of Fables are all good budget options here. Sage will also come down before Marchesa and immediately give her or any other wizards you run a +1+1 counter. Plumb in response to boardwipes or right before your turn will refill your grip (instant speed and pseudo dodging counterspells makes this card). Also, Danny Pink's price has been sloooowly climbing but it's a very real possibility you'll find one in your LGS dollar binder and omg is this thing absolutely nuts!

On the subject of alternate sources of +1+1 counters... Thran Vigil only works on your turn but it'll get new counters on anything you stole and sac'ed on your turn. Vigean Graftmage let's you sac 2 creatures on everyone's turn (itself + whatever) to abuse etb/death triggers like Gray Merchant of Asphodel or even Grim Haruspex card draw. Spark Double I guess falls into this category and copies either Marchesa for double Dethrone or whatever your meanest etb/death trigger is at the time.

I'm also guessing Rakdos Locket was supposed to be Rakdos Signet.

Feel free to check out my list for ideas. It's far from budget friendly overall but I run everything I recommended. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated. Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them

Last_Laugh on Marchesa, Take Two

2 months ago

Canoptek Tomb Sentinel is versatile removal that hits enchantments.

Danny Pink is one of the best draw engines for Marchesa.

Plumb the Forbidden does card draw, life loss, and sacrifice at instant speed. I typically use it in response to boardwipes I can't come back from (exile, -X-X, sac, etc.).

I would also HIGHLY recommend getting Unspeakable Symbol into the deck. You don't use it to put counters on everyone proactively, you use it in response to boardwipes/spot removal.

Liliana's Standard Bearer is another great way to draw cards here.

Feel free to check out my list for ideas. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated. Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them

DreadKhan on Meren, Clan of Nel Toth

7 months ago

One of my favourite things to do in Meren is to ramp (my deck is on the clunkier side, and it runs very few lands), and one of the better ways to repeatedly ramp is to use more stuff like Sakura Tribe Elder, variations include Diligent Farmhand, Dawntreader Elk, Yavimaya Granger, and maybe Burnished Hart/Fertilid. All of these can find a Swamp for you, each sacrifices itself and thus they have some nice synergy with Meren. I think the only Meren decks that don't want multiples of that effect is if they are building a very high powered list, where this kind of play 'isn't advancing your board' sufficiently. I often find that farming XP isn't a waste of time early, so these recursive ramp sources offer that as well. I think it's very hard to justify running land ramp Sorceries when you can run creatures that do the same thing, and arguably do a better job of it. I would also shave stuff like Arcane Signet or the Talisman for creature ramp, Meren can't recur your rocks for you when they get blown up. In addition to Meren there are tons of things that synergize with creatures, stuff like Beast Whisperer and Liliana's Standard Bearer can draw lots of cards via creatures, and you don't get that synergy with a 2 mana rock. Using Meren to recur Liliana's Standard Bearer is a pretty impressive bulk draw option.

Some generically good cards for a Meren list that I love are Buried Alive, Final Parting, and Jarad's Orders, each of these offers real tutoring power, and none are especially pricey. Buried Alive can find a whole combo for you to win with. Old Stickfingers is probably worth a look for the similar reasons, Meren feels really weak if you have no creatures in your yard to reanimate. I'm not sure if it's too high budget, but Fiend Artisan has a lot of synergy with Meren. You don't have to dig out a combo piece for the card to do useful things.

In my Meren deck it's a much better Rhystic Study (I run a very high creature count), but I suspect you'd get some value out of Lurking Predators. There is also Heartwood Storyteller, in my experience both belong in a deck with even more creatures but they could still be useful I think.

In my limited experience Callous Bloodmage offers pretty good graveyard hate on a very low budget, and if you don't need that it can do other stuff, it's a great card to use in infinite loop since it can do a few useful things.

Mitotic Slime offers you a ton of bodies for only 5 mana, it's not especially hard to go infinite with as a result. I like using it with Demon of Dark Schemes and Pitiless Plunderer (and a sac outlet) to win, the nicest part about using a combo like this is that each piece is independently good. Phyrexian Altar is better than Plunderer, but it's even more money (though the difference has dropped sharply).

Dawnstrider is an extra Spore Frog, one that doesn't require reanimation but offers a discard outlet, letting you put creatures in your graveyard. Silverglade Pathfinder is another discard outlet, but offers ramp instead.

I hope this isn't too try-hard for your deck, Meren is a very fun Commander to build.

Rivel on Necromancin' Dancin'

1 year ago

For those interested, here is the list of removed cards, added cards, as well as total current deck stats.

Removed

1. 6 Island
2. 6 Swamp
3. Dreadhorde Invasion
4. Liliana, Death's Majesty
5. Dispel
6. Drown in Dreams
7. Negate
8. Plumb the Forbidden
9. Reality Shift
10. Resculpt
11. Unwind
12. Exsanguinate
13. Final Parting
14. Ghouls' Night Out
15. Charcoal Diamond
16. Sky Diamond
17. Gleaming Overseer
18. Hordewing Skaab
19. Undead Alchemist

Added:

1. Evolving Wilds
2. Exotic Orchard
3. Malakir Mire  ^Flip
4. Mystic Sanctuary
5. Obscura Storefront
6. Reflecting Pool
7. Secluded Courtyard
8. Terramorphic Expanse
9. Unclaimed Territory
10. Verdant Catacombs
11. Vesuva
12. Mystic Remora
13. An Offer You Can't Refuse
14. Blue Sun's Zenith
15. Pongify
16. Rapid Hybridization
17. Read the Bones
18. Bident of Thassa
19. Dimir Signet
20. Fellwar Stone
21. Herald's Horn
22. Pyre of Heroes
23. Thaumatic Compass  ^Flip
24. Urza's Incubator
25. Champion of the Perished
26. Fell Stinger
27. Liliana's Standard Bearer
28. Murderous Rider
29. Shambling Ghast

Misc deck stats: Ramp: 13 Draw: 19 Tutors: 4

Crow_Umbra on Isshin, Two Heavens As One - Eiganjo Uprising v1.3

1 year ago

Hi KBK7101, I think your deck looks pretty solid to start off. I do have some suggestions on cards I think you can eventually upgrade. First few cuts I think you can make safely are:

• Sigil of Valor, Akki Ronin, Peerless Samurai - These can likely be cut since they only care about a singular Samurai, Warrior, or Creature attacking alone, and I think that goes against the Go-Wide token theme you want to implement.

• Slumbering Dragon, Blood Reckoning, & Search the Premises - These are for sure meta calls. I cut Pillow Fort effects from my deck because my play group would remove Isshin, then tank through standard triggers, or they'd leave me alone, and I wouldn't get any of the benefits. Your mileage may vary depending on your meta.

• Velomachus Lorehold Maybe. Mostly because they look for Instants and Sorceries. I do like that they have Haste, so you don't have to wait. Ultimately up to you.

I think all of the stuff in your maybe-board could be swapped in pretty safely. Hopefully once Commissar Severina Raine and Inquisitorial Rosette get some In-Universe printings, you can add them to your consideration.

I'd also highly suggest Plumb the Forbidden, Deadly Dispute, and maaaaybe Liliana's Standard Bearer as some more potential draw options in a token strategy.

Both Purphoros, God of the Forge and Mishra, Claimed by Gix  ^Meld are excellent damage finishers in a token strat (but are definitely expensive upgrades).

Crow_Umbra on Snowflake

1 year ago

No worries! You will get a better feel for the pacing of the deck the more you play it. I want to make sure that my suggestions are budget friendly enough, but I do want to make a couple of suggestions that are a bit pricey, but should be under $20 depending on the vendor.

Reconnaissance and Dolmen Gate can both help with board protections on swings. Akroma's Will is helpful in pulling double duty for offense and defensive anthems.

If you want some interaction against spot removal, then Tibalt's Trickery, Rebuff the Wicked, Dash Hopes, and Mana Tithe are kinda funky counter spells. There's also Faith's Reward as a post boardwipe response.

In general, getting more draw effects will be the best way to ensure that you're getting answers or staying stocked on creatures. Plumb the Forbidden can be used as a response to a boardwipe - just sacrifice all your creatures that would have died anyways and stock up for your next turn. Liliana's Standard Bearer is another post boardwipe refueling effect. It's kind of funny to use someone's board wipe against them.

In my experience playing Isshin, I don't really run any reanimation effects like Alesha, Who Smiles at Death (I adore her though). I think the reanimation and equipments are kinda clunky for an aggro deck like Isshin. I found more success having the cheapest CMC creatures or enchantments to quickly rebuild with after a board wipe. Board wipes don't hurt as much if you can be the first to rebuild and start swinging aggro again. In addition to Lightning Greaves and Swiftfoot Boots, Fervor has really helped me keep the foot on the gas.

I'd also recommend Zhentarim Bandit as a budget option for treasure production.

IHATENAMES on Meren, currently

1 year ago

Ideas:

Demon of Dark Schemes reanimation and a boardwipe

Any number of sac ramp creatures. A few examples Neverwinter Dryad Diligent Farmhand

Fog on a creature Spore Frog

Dread Return reanimation

Free sac outlet on cheap creatures Viscera Seer Carrion Feeder

Puppeteer Clique reanimation of an opponents threat (also works with persist combos if you choose to do that)

Midnight Reaper Grim Haruspex card draw upon death of a creature Liliana's Standard Bearer situational card draw

Mindslicer hate on blue players. Everyone discard their hand.

Mausoleum Secrets instant speed tutor

Victimize sac a creature return 2. Very good reanimation

For a few additional ideas take a look at My golgari deck it has a lifegain theme that won't translate but many off the cards beyond that might be good includes.

Last_Laugh on Marchesa, the black DEATH

1 year ago

The first thing I'm noticing (and it's admittedly the first thing I check on Marchesa lists) is you're flooded at the 4 drop spot which competes with your commander. You'll be much better served by increasing the amount of 1,2, and 3 drops that'll come down before Marchesa.

A few cards that come to mind... Grim Haruspex, Drana, Liberator of Malakir (the ability to swing away from the Throne while still getting counters is invaluable), Imperial Recruiter, Liliana's Standard Bearer, Sage of Fables, Plumb the Forbidden, Lightning Greaves, and Swiftfoot Boots are all great here. I'd 100% make room for Feed the Swarm too because it's 1 of only 2 options to get rid of problematic enchantments in these colors (don't let Solemnity, Rest in Peace, etc. wreck your day)