Necropotence

Enchantment

Skip your draw step.

Whenever you discard a card, exile that card from your graveyard.

Pay 1 life: Exile the top card of your library face down. Put that card into your hand at the beginning of your next end step.

Discussion (49)

DarkMagician on What Makes Phyrexian Mana More …

2 days ago

Raging_Squiggle Necropotence is an absolute machine made only better with the introduction of devotion.

cmilner on Vito Sucks You Dry

2 days ago

Nice deck. Triskaidekaphobia , Phyrexian Obliterator , and Curtains' Call are pretty sweet cards that I didn't know existed. Just a few ideas. Since you're already running Expedition Map , throw in another haymaker land like Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx . Also, I'm not sure you have enough ETB effects to make Panharmonicon worth the include. Finally this mono black lifegain is begging for Necropotence .

Raging_Squiggle on What Makes Phyrexian Mana More …

3 days ago

You’ll understand when you pay 15 life to essentially draw 15 cards courtesy of Necropotence . Life is the most valuable resource to use. Winning the game at 40 (or 20) life is the same as winning at 1 life.

Spirits on Undying Persistence

2 weeks ago

Forgot my friend Erebos, Bleak-Hearted , definitely one of my fav's and fits your indestructible/god theme too. Phyrexian Arena is a good 6 power draw.

Last couple topics,

I made an assumption and grouped Draw above Damage, and Deathtouch above Token.

Deathtouch 16%, Control 16%, Damage/Life 15%, Recursion 8%, Token 6%, Draw 6%, Discard 2%, Ramp 2%, Land 29%

Further on Card Advantage (which includes draw):

I know why your doing it and the thought process behind it, but here's an alternative perspective.

Your cards like Blood Divination , Costly Plunder , Pitiless Pontiff , Bone Splinters , Final Payment , Severed Strands , Spark Harvest are usually paired with LTB effect (like your damage/life and afterlife abilities), more along lines of Grave Pact (Also Dictate of Erebos , Butcher of Malakir , Dark Prophecy , Nightmare Shepherd , Etc.) or Reveillark / Academy Rector types.

The issue is Blood Divination why not Necropotence ( Greed ) for CMC1 less, and no sacrifice, let's you refill your hand anytime, Grim Haruspex /Etc. Why Spark Harvest / Bone Splinters over Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile or Mortify or even Bloodchief's Thirst / Generous Gift if your after planeswalkers.

So how are creatures getting into the graveyard, if your not sacrificing them along with other effects, a value engine!! Skullclamp is a necessity, Viscera Seer is strong, Phyrexian Altar (this card is cEDH level though), more things like Priest of Forgotten Gods & Ayara, First of Locthwain . Why sacrifice a deathtouch creature to LTB damage/life when you can Corpse Knight instead and get the value up front? Yahenni, Undying Partisan , Village Rites is ok because its CMC1 and Instant, you don't need tutor in battlecruiser/low (up to power 5), but cards like Diabolic Intent which also feed into things like Mausoleum Secrets are value. Ashnod's Altar , Doom Foretold , Razaketh, the Foulblooded , etc.

Key is value in / value out. Don't waste the value out just to enable your recursion. Value-in, Value-out, then recur. More Immortal Servitude (battlefield), less Soul Salvage (hand). Reanimate / Animate Dead (anyone's graveyards), Unburial Rites , Victimize , Agadeem's Awakening  ^Flip, Revival / Revenge , Command the Dreadhorde , Blood for Bones .

Luminous Broodmoth / Lurrus of the Dream-Den could be some cool interaction with the graveyard.

Topic Interaction:

Kinda touched on it, in previous. Control 16% is quite a bit, inline with power level. If you replace Ashen Rider , Bone Splinters , Final Payment , Severed Strands , Spark Harvest . Some should become the "sac outlets", like Skullclamp / Viscera Seer and some just better interactions (Instant speed whenever possible). Anguished Unmaking , Utter End , Swords to Plowshares , Merciless Eviction , Plaguecrafter / Demon's Disciple (Better Fleshbag Marauder unless your utilizing the Zombie part), Shriekmaw , Path to Exile , Generous Gift , Deadly Rollick , Dire Tactics , Hagra Mauling  ^Flip, Unmake there's lots.

Burglar Rat : If you like him! Elderfang Disciple , Yarok's Fenlurker , Rotting Rats (with Unearth).

If you want to jump on a teams chat or anything when you have some time happy to help, just discord chat me, hopefully something that helps you focus this deck to a 4-5

Spirits on Undying Persistence

2 weeks ago

Here is an interesting article on lands (CMC0 Artifacts are lands) https://edhrec.com/articles/superior-numbers-land-counts/

Topic: Card Advantage! (There's lots of discussion on this if you search it, it can be a bit complicated, but ultimately, it means playing more cards than your opponent, in this deck, bringing multiple creatures back again and again is a way, draw is key, you don't ever want an empty hand)

Staying on theme with draw:

Skullclamp is going to be a necessity with your afterlife mechanic and hopefully a Teysa Karlov . Turn creature advantage into card advantage (yes Teysa Karlov make 2x spirits for afterlife 1, and then draws 4! cards when it dies).

Grim Haruspex is a common way to get some draw in and very well suited.

Viscera Seer is another way to get advantage, protect creatures from being exiled or stolen, as well as turn creature advantage into scry and hopefully draw with another ability on-board. This also means if you have recursion in hand but nothing to target, you can make a target.

Village Rites can be ok, if you're holding recursion to, or in response to someone unfavorably blocking your creature or if you just need to dig for an answer. It's not my favorite because its one-shot though.

Midnight Reaper is another way to utilize your deathtouch to remove opponents creatures and refill your hand.

Harvester of Souls is deathtouch! and card advantage. Also, he draws whenever ANY non-token creature dies, not just yours! Pair him with a Butcher of Malakir for some serious draw.

There are some other guys, maybe not within your deathtouch theme, so maybe not right for you Reassembling Skeleton , Bloodghast (kind of like a Soul Stair Expedition effect but on a creature. Check out this deck for more guys like this, Yawgmoth Thran Physician EDH, if interested.

There's also some ways to utilize your life total to draw, Bolas's Citadel is amazing (can win games or get you back in them), Necropotence (it's really good if you've never used it, Greed or Arguel's Blood Fast  ^Flip (crappy greed). You have some draw, Eg. Priest of Forgotten Gods , but I would get at minimum 8 draw mechanics into the deck, staying on theme, up to 12 is even good.

Liliana, Dreadhorde General does this pretty good too, and has a nice ultimate but is pricey ($20?), Phyrexian Arena is a classic ($12), Avoid anything with an activation costs on a triggered ability like Mentor of the Meek (static like Greed is ok).

Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord really fits your recursion theme, think he like $2 now, he doesn't draw cards, but gives all your guys lifelink and allows you to recur multiple creatures, and has lifelink himself for the +2 pinging ability.

This sort of led into another Topic: Winning

Bolas's Citadel , Liliana, Dreadhorde General are good at that.

The most common way for to win is Gray Merchant of Asphodel and recurring him, multiple times. Torment of Hailfire is nice, but you need much more land/ramp. Command the Dreadhorde is really strong too, if you can get a little bit extra life and have protected your life with your deathtouch, can get a bunch of strong/deathtouch back for relatively low life, even hits opponents graveyard.

Your Ashen Rider is really bad payoff at CMC8, go with Anguished Unmaking or Utter End if you need some key permanent removal.

Not sure i like the payoff for God-Pharaoh's Statue by the time you get there, your opponents will have ramped ( especially) enough mana to pay it.

Archetype of Finality is also not a great payoff for the mana cost, I would rather Command the Dreadhorde or Bolas's Citadel anytime. Plus many of your creatures have or can get deathtouch by themselves.

Just replace some key payoffs and you'll find your high CMC spell require a response from other players. Lots of ways to get there, whatever you like based on the theme.

I'll do one more post tomorrow with some other specific card evals, but quite a bit there. Trying to recommend some cuts as well as I go, I know it can be just as difficult deciding what to cut as it is for what to play.

Staying Low-Mid (battlecruiser/low) means you probably dont need a tutor package, but I'll give some ideas on the interaction package which you'll still need to answer some things your opponents are doing. Check back later. Happy reading :)

MagicMarc on Is there a decklist on …

2 weeks ago

Or even look at EDHREC's top listed cards list and then build with the most popular cards from that list: Top Cards @EDHREC.

The major downside is the most expensive cards wont be high on the list because of availability. Like your Necropotence example.

jethstriker on Which Magic card's art would …

2 weeks ago

The Fool - Jester's Cap

The Magician - Dark Ritual

The High Priestess - Argothian Enchantress

The Empress - Counterspell

The Emperor

The Hierophant

The Lovers - Sower of Temptation

The Chariot

Justice - Equilibrium

The Hermit - Uncle Istvan

Wheel of Fortune - Wheel of Fortune

Strength - Unholy Strength

The Hanged Man

Death - Necropotence

Temperance

The Devil - Lord of the Pit

The Tower - Grim Monolith

The Star - Falling Star

The Moon - Blood Moon

The Sun - Sol Ring

Judgement - Wrath of God

The World - Omniscience

I would look in particular to older cards (premodern) and / or Seb McKinnon cards, as in my opinion those cards have the art style that would suit a tarot card.

Spirits on Undying Persistence

2 weeks ago

Ok, here's a little bit of analysis to consider. Break it up into some comments to read. These are opinions based on experience, playing and watching lots of commander content over the years, doesn't account for your specific playstyle or how you have fun playing commander which are certainly as important of decisions, as is card selection.

Topic: Ramp

You are very low in the mana curve, 11 1-drop, 21 2-drop, 15 3-drop, 16 4-drop, and Orzhov () has lots of pips, but mana ramp is critical to getting your plan onboard as quickly as others, having mana available to advance board state/gain advantage and have interaction, and landing your larger threats sooner.

Sol Ring (CMC1 for 2 = +1 mana) is a must include.

Orzhov Signet I personally don't like (CMC3 for 1 = -2 mana) but also you're in which doesn't ramp as it's core strength.

Arcane Signet (CMC2 for 1 = -1 mana) is a must include, there are only a few archetypes I wouldn't play this in and usually only .

Talisman of Hierarchy (CMC2 for 1 = -1 mana) is a must include in .

Dark Ritual (CMC1 for 3 = +2 mana) this allows for explosive turns like a T1 Vampire Nighthawk .

I would start with that at least, some fringe ones I like are: Burnished Hart (creature/recursion), Commander's Sphere (draw), Mycosynth Wellspring (to hand, fringe), Pristine Talisman (lifegain, fringe), Solemn Simulacrum (ramp+draw!), The Birth of Meletis (doesn't help with , but ramp, 0/4 blocker, lifegain? it has it all!), Wayfarer's Bauble (ramp).

On a premise of battlecruiser/low/mid power 3-6 I DO NOT recommend these, but there are stronger options out there beyond 6: Phyrexian Altar (combo builds), Mana Vault , Mana Crypt , Chrome Mox , Smothering Tithe , Land Tax (Might not be bad in this build)

Honestly on a Avg. CMC 2.99 mana curve, I would likely have 10-12 ramp.

Some potential cuts for these:

Gorgon's Head you've got plenty of deathtouch already, it's not pairing with a Viridian Longbow strategy or anything, it's redundant, but also the worst. Easy cut. (We can get to Open the Armory / Steelshaper's Gift later)

Pierce Strider CMC4 for a 3/3 is just plain bad, the idea is play, do 3 damage, block/sac it, noone going to pay 3 to prevent it? but they will because it's going to do 3 anyway on return, and if your using recursion on this, your making the wrong play as it has no value engine on it. Easy cut.

Creeping Chill for CMC4 sorcery is not great, you're not playing a mill strategy so you're not really casting it for free often. It's not a strong play, we can find better ones, like ramping into Athreos, God of Passage sooner.

Font of Return for CMC6? Yikes. (CMC2+CMC4 for 3 creatures to hand is not great, we can get them on the battlefield for that high a CMC).

Angelic Gift hmm we have flyers, with deathtouch, it replaces itself (draw a card) but unless we flickering it ( Ephemerate or Brago, King Enternal something like that, it sets up easy 2-for-1 if an opponent has instand speed removal.

Topic: Lands! (Umm!)

Average Distribution Build: 38 lands

Average Budget Build: 36 lands

Average Expensive Build: 37 lands

Average Aristocrats Build: 35 lands

Average Reanimator Build: 31 lands (closer)

Your Build: 30 lands (Umm!)

No way you can run 30 lands, and 0 ramp in this deck. I wouldn't shuffle this deck with less than 33 lands, probably 34-36 if I'm playing enters tapped/utility lands. I might (maybe not) go to 33 lands with 9+ ramp spells, but even then, 34 would feel better.

Do you have a combo with Piranha Marsh like Worldgorger Dragon does, if not, just delaying yourself for little value (1 damage). Kabira Crossroads in this same bucket, it's just not work the tapped mana.

Reliquary Tower where are the cards coming from? The colorless is a detriment. Unless your playing a draw strategy Necropotence / Greed it will hurt you more than the rare occasion it might help.

Let's be honest, lands SUCK, they are too expensive! Here is a list of lands you should look at:

Lands I suggest: Godless Shrine ($9), Orzhov Basilica (<$1, slow ramp), Caves of Koilos (<$1 must have!), Command Tower (Umm!), Brightclimb Pathway  ^Flip ($4), Tainted Field (<$1)

Lands I don't suggest: Evolving Wilds / Terramorphic Expanse (<$1 fixed color), Scoured Barrens (<$1 fixed color), Isolated Chapel ($6, Not bad but not T1 land), Myriad Landscape (<$1, slow), Temple of Silence (<$1, scry/slow).

Forsaken Sanctuary only ever enters tapped so even Isolated Chapel is better, but there is also Orzhov Guildgate that does this too.

Have to head out, I'll review more topics and recs later, but here are some other cards can come out for mana. Gorgon Flail it's on theme and not bad, but let's get that Basilisk Collar or Quietus Spike instead. Soul Stair Expedition I would rather Animate Dead or Reanimate to the battlefield right away, not have to wait for lands (it still sacrifices itself). Not Forgotten we have better removal. Have to head out now! More later to read. :) If it's too much info, let me know!