Read the Bones

Combos Browse all Suggest

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
Pauper Legal
Pauper Duel Commander Legal
Pauper EDH Legal
Pioneer Legal
Planechase Legal
Quest Magic Legal
Tiny Leaders Legal
Vanguard Legal
Vintage Legal

Read the Bones

Sorcery

Scry 2, then draw two cards. You lose 2 life. (To scry 2, look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)

Profet93 on Tinybones, The Pickpocket

3 weeks ago

LivingThing +1

Nice low avg cmc. I don't think you have enough basics to consistently ramp with Cabal Stronghold. Have you considered swapping it for a Volrath's Stronghold or another utility land such as Buried Ruin to recur one of your artifacts?

What is the wincon, commander damage and/or value from thieving opponent's graves? If it is the former, perhaps a Hatred might serve you well? Or if it's the latter, a Strionic Resonator to double up on casting?

Do you feel you have enough draw, especially given your low avg cmc? A Read the Bones could help. I'm unsure if you're into combos but a Helm of Obedience goes with your voidwalker. It also fits on theme, although it's cmc is relatively high for this build.

Should you wish, Arterial Flow and Mind Twist are additional discard effects. Note that mind twist does say random. I love ramping into it early game and just neutering one opponent to make him easy to hit consistently.

Profet93 on EFF YOUR DUDES!

1 month ago

Deserted Temple - Untap coffers + politics

Thespian's Stage - Copy coffers, temple or another utility land

Imp's Mischief - Versatile utility. It can "counter" counterspells which is important depending on your meta as you sink all your mana into your commander (or one of your expensive wipes). It can also redirect targeted removal, draw and extra turns.

Oblivion Stone - Wipe that hits artifacts and enchantments

Erebos's Intervention > Battle of Bridge - You don't have enough artifacts to use effectively. Moreover, Erebos's is an instant and is flexible for grave hate.

Necropotence/Syphon Mind/Read the Bones/Night's Whisper/Sign in Blood - Draw

Maybe Strionic Resonator? - Double on all on your creature ETB's and most importantly your commander's ability

Maybe MImic Vat? - More ETBs and can use opposing creatures to deny GY synergies and abuse their ETBs as your own.

Profet93 on This Deck Does Not Believe In Free Will

1 month ago

Infernal Darkness - Contaminations cousin that doesn't shut off coffers

Read the Bones/Sign in Blood/Night's Whisper/Syphon Mind - Draw. I understand your commander tutors but you won't always be ensured that she lives to see your next turn. Having some draw to help you dig is crucial.

Perhaps some flexible spot removal like Sheoldred's Edict?

More than anything, you have a lot of high cmc cards and long winded combos which are difficult to pull off, even with a tutor in the command zone. Some ramp can help you, Arcane Signet and Mind Stone come to mind. Lowering the avg cmc of this deck + adding more draw and ramp = more consistency in achieving your goal. Having a plan B (and C) is fine until it takes too much away from Plan A.

Crow_Umbra on Musashi's Mosh Pit [Primer]

1 month ago

Thank you Profet93, I appreciate it.

The Night's Whisper was a recent re-addition. I had a rough game about a month ago where I got more mana flooded with this deck than I've ever been. I'm sure I have a Read the Bones around in one of my commons boxes, it's just I had a Night's Whisper more immediately on hand in my Black binder.

I was also considering Deadly Dispute for the slot, as I've used it before in some of my other decks that also make creature and/or treasure tokens.

Waiting for the rest of MKM/MKC spoilers before I make any more potential new additions, but could def see Night's Whisper swapped with either Deadly Dispute or Read the Bones.

Profet93 on Haunted Shadowheart

2 months ago

Vessiliana

To deal with stalling out, more draw can't hurt. Syphon Mind, Phyrexian Arena, Read the Bones, Sign in Blood, Night's Whisper, Ambition's Cost and Ancient Craving are all decent ideas.

I would add some more interaction as a preventative measure for staying power such as Contamination and/or Infernal Darkness. How are they gonna wipe if they can't cast spells? Swapping out your 4cmc lili for Karn, the Great Creator could be worth considering as well. Having one of the above enchantments + karn = fun times.

I personally disagree with insidious dreams because 1) It's an additional cost to cast. Without any anti-blue measures in the deck, this would be strongly meta dependent IMO. 2) It doesn't bring the cards to hand. Even ignoring mill, you have to wait to draw them or cast an additional draw spell just to get them. Why not add a more expensive CMC card that can accomplish what you're looking for? Your avg cmc is low enough to support it. Something like Peer into the Abyss (synergy with Archfiend of Despair) or Diabolic Revelation might work for you. Never hurts to try insidious though.

While not necessary, have you considered an alternate wincon? Rings of Brighthearth + cabal coffers + Deserted Temple = . You have a lot of flexibility in your landbase, Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth can reduce the amount of swamps you need. Temple can be used for politics and ramp with coffers on it's own. Rings synergizes with your commander, your shadowborn apostyles and several other cards. Adding in fetches could allow you to ramp. All depends on your goals + budget.

You have no instants. While I'm personally biased, Imp's Mischief can "counter" counterspells and redirect targeted removal, draw and extra turns! You definitely need an instant or two to bluff.

Profet93 on Ob Nixilis, of the Combo

2 months ago

Willmsy

I haven't kept up with anything past March 2020.

Syphon Mind - Draw 3, opponents discard 1 each.

Read the Bones - Draw with scry

Sign in Blood/Night's Whisper/Ancient Craving - Simple draw

Necropotence - Super draw

Mana Vault

Mana Crypt

Grim Monolith

Basalt Monolith - I am actually not a fan of this one, grim monolith is better because it can bring your commander down Turn 3. Basalt + Rings + 2 mana = Infinite colorless. Add a Sensei's Divining Top to draw your whole deck. Note; Adding top to the rings + deserted temple + coffers combo also allows you to draw (and then cast) your entire deck

Dark Ritual - Helpful in a pinch

Bubbling Muck - Super ramp. Be careful with urborg out though as it affects all players.

Jet Medallion - Cost reducer

Mind Stone - Ramp when you need it, draw when you don't

I don't recommend everything above, just wanted to give you options to consider based on budget, availability and preference. Let me know if you would like suggestions for cuts.

wallisface on Zombies of the Westvale Abbey

2 months ago

Your deck is lacking any real form of interaction… letting your opponent just do what they want is a really dangerous place to be! As both Read the Bones and Fog aren’t really doing anything for you here, i’d replace them both with killspells like Fatal Push Abrupt Decay, Assassin's Trophy, and/or Infernal Grasp.

Without any real graveyard shenanigans, Gravecrawler isn’t great here, and you’re probably better off with something like Shambling Ghast to provide some chump-blocking and potential ramp/removal.

Sc000t on Xiahou Doom

2 months ago

Profet93

Thank you for your time looking at the list and input! This list has been experimental for a while but its finally getting to play in public and some of your suggestions are going to be added in! I understand the lack of spells for the scepter might make that card look like a dud, but thats why the list has tutors to grab the right spell depending on the situation. The list is convoluted with multiple different lines to take. It's designed like that so it wont play out the same way each game. Sometimes its a turn 3/4 win other times its a messy hour and a half long game. Yes, Head Games is nuts!!! Especially with recursion, everyone gets a meme hand!! Suggesting Opposition Agent will be useful and in some cases, SPICY! Since this list does not revolve around Shadowborn Apostles anymore, Infernal Darkness looks like the right replacement. (Although everyone at one card shop HATES that effect) Playing with more control might be the best route to take since this list gets a lot of threat. Adding Karn, the Great Creator 100% and with some cheaper kill spells that would slow the table down for enough time to assemble the right pieces to have more time to win.

1) Insidious Dreams is not usually cast unless you have citadel on the field. It's a spell that you wouldnt cast if you suspected someone would counter it.

2) Sacrifice works effectively when Razaketh, the Foulblooded or Rune-Scarred Demon are out for extra mana to cast the high cmc spells you tutored with them.

3) Warlock Class is used for it's loss of life effect to start the Sanguine Bond + Exquisite Blood combo for 1 mana. The second reason it's in the list is the level 3 effect that mimics wound reflection, and would kill any player that pays half their life to counter Temporal Extortion.

4) Darkness is useful against some friends' lists that dish out a lot of damage. The spell can be recurred with Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed's ability but can also be put on the scepter.

From your suggestions: Karn, the Great Creator, Imp's Mischief, Syphon Mind, Opposition Agent, Mana Vault, Read the Bones, Sign in Blood, Peer into the Abyss, and Dauthi Voidwalker all seem to be good cards to add. Might consider moving Sensei's Divining Top from another list into this one for better card draw and also Skullclamp might make a return.

Load more