Sage of Fables
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Legality

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

Sage of Fables

Creature — Merfolk Wizard

Each other Wizard creature you control enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.

, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control: Draw a card.

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's Undying Sac

2 months ago

Alternate sources of +1+1 counters enables you to sacrifice the same creatures on everyone's turn instead of once per round and being less reliant on attacking to get those counters is HUGE here. I run all these personally (except Drana, which got dropped for the sword).

Unspeakable Symbol gets used in response to removal or to abuse an etb/death trigger. Don't proactively put counters on everyone or you will run out of life quick. This card is quite simply amazing here when used correctly.

Sage of Fables immediately protects Marchesa and any other wizards you have.

Metallic Mimic typically names humans or wizards to protect Marchesa but the creature type can be reset with a simple sac.

Vigean Graftmage looks unassuming but he allows you to abuse any etb/death trigger on everyone's turn and it's 2 free triggers per turn for stuff like Grim Haruspex (itself and 1 other creature).

Mikaeus, the Unhallowed is about as budget friendly as he'll ever be. It's well worth a spot if you splurge on occasion.

Uncivil Unrest is the best card printed for sacrifice Marchesa decks in a loooong time. This thing borderline feels like you're cheating somehow lol.

Anduril, Narsil Reforged if it's in your budget and/or Drana, Liberator of Malakir as a perfectly usable budget alternative. These both allow you to swing at any opponent instead of only attacking the highest life.

Thran Vigil only works on your turn, but it either protects your guys after you sac on your turn or it let's you sac them 1 more time on an opponent's turn.

Feel free to check out my list for inspiration. I've had Marchesa built for about 9 years now and I'm still loving the deck. Upvotes on any of my decks are appreciated. Every Masochist Needs a Marchesa to Love Them

Optimator on Roses of May -- (Marchesa Threaten)

5 months ago

I'm glad you love the deck elliotmward97!! I've had her for many years and I love her dearly. I even love Marchesa enough to have a five-color "Secret Marchesa" deck: Special Snowflakes. My playgroup ranges from precons and upgraded precons to "powerful casual" and this deck seems to hang with their stronger decks very well. It's certainly not cEDH, nor would I really want it to be. One of the reasons I kept the Threaten subtheme going string from it's budget days.

As far as "very little" card draw...

Bloodtracker, Braids, Arisen Nightmare, Grim Haruspex, River Kelpie, Sage of Fables, Scorn-Blade Berserker, Yawgmoth, Thran Physician, Phyrexian Arena, Jeska's Will, Syphon Mind, and Skullclamp are all card draw. That's eleven.

Phyrexian Reclamation is big-time card advantage if my goons keep getting whacked, Viscera Seer is decent card selection when the engine is running, and the non-Treaten theft cards could even be viewed as card-advantage if you squint (looping Thalakos Deceiver and Puppeteer Clique and Keiga, the Tide Star, Zara, Renegade Recruiter getting lucky a few times, Grave Betrayal sticking, etc).

Actually seems above-average to me, elliotmward97.

Perhaps it's light in more pure Concentrate- and Tidings-style draw, but I like the creature-based draw that synergizes with Marchesa. Makes the deck feel like it has more character, and the ceiling is quite high when the engine is rolling. Lower floor, perhaps. I've thought about including more draw effects like Bident of Thassa, Reconnaissance Mission, and Coastal Piracy since the deck swings out so much, but I like where things are right now.

Last_Laugh on Black Rose's Ascension

7 months ago

Vigean Graftmage / Sage of Fables / Metallic Mimic will immediately protect Marchesa and allow etb/death trigger abuse.

Goblin Bombardment is a great sac outlet that only 2 colors can reliably deal with.

I would also run Signets over Unstable Obelisk and Chromatic Lantern. With a 4 drop commander, 3 drop ramp isn't getting you there any sooner. You also have Feed the Swarm in your draw section.

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

Last_Laugh on Marchesa, Queen of Nazgul

9 months ago

I'd recommend taking a look at some other Marchesa lists for some ideas on random staples here.

Unspeakable Symbol is an absolute must have here. Don't add counters to everything, just in response to removal or to abuse any etb/death trigger.

Sneak Attack is amazing here. If you have a sac outlet, sac the creatures before your end step so they return on your end step instead of the next player's end step.

Sage of Fables/Metallic Mimic/Vigean Graftmage/Mikaeus, the Unhallowed all allow you to immediately protect creatures and/or abuse etb/death triggers on everyone's turn.

Grim Haruspex is really good at drawing cards here.

Kardur, Doomscourge is a hilarious (and kinda mean) etb to abuse.

Chaos Warp and Canoptek Tomb Sentinel (along with Feed the Swarm) are your only answers for problematic enchantments that shut Marchesa down like Solemnity or Rest in Peace.

I could go on, but 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

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)

Last_Laugh on Marchesa Combo

1 year ago

You have at least 1 more infinite here. Mikaeus + Glen Elendra + Goblin Bombardment to ping everyone to death. Sage of Fables and Flayer of the Hatebound will go infinite with Ashnod's Altar also.

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

Slashdance on Black Rose - Primer 4 Budget Multiplayer

1 year ago

If you're looking to REALLY jazz up the deck, the following cards would be where I would look first. Not all the cards cost a lot ... but many do.

Ashes to Ashes ... Ashnod's Altar ... Cytoplast Manipulator ... Dictate of Erebos ... Dockside Extortionist ... Fabled Passage ... Glen Elendra Archmage ... Grave Pact ... Guildmages' Forum ... Iron Apprentice ... Mikaeus, the Unhallowed ... Phyrexian Altar ... Phyrexian Reclamation ... Pitiless Plunderer ... Plaguecrafter ... Sage of Fables ... Spark Double ... Swan Song ... The Ozolith ... Unspeakable Symbol ... Vampiric Tutor ... Voidmage Prodigy ... Yawgmoth, Thran Physician

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