Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon

Legendary Creature — Phyrexian Dragon Skeleton

Flying

Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)

{B}: Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon gains haste until end of turn.

{B}{B}: Regenerate Skithiryx. (The next time this creature would be destroyed, instead tap it, remove it from combat and heal all damage on it.)

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
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (49)

Mortlocke on The Song of Phyresis

1 month ago

Vlasiax,

Thanks for posting! ONE is definitely going to shake this deck up considerably in that I absolutely plan to incorporate some of the spells that give opponents Poison counters - without targeting them, no less. I have a number of changes already planned and would love to hear your thoughts as I'm honestly having a bit of a tough time speculating on what to cut to make room. So far, here are my planned changes

• Ixhel, Descendent of Atraxa for Hand of the Praetors: Given that Infect will be less dominant of a mechanic among creatures in this deck cutting Hand of the Praetors seems logical. Besides, with the host of cards that allow me to place poison counters directly on opponents, Hand of the Praetors seems even less relevant.

• Skrelv, Defector Mite for Viridian Corrupter: Skrlev provides so many benefits being a psudo Mother of Runes that also grants Toxic and evasion. Viridian Corrupter's ETB effect is far too narrow for my liking, and only amounts to just a 2/2 with Infect. Toxic creatures such as Skrlev boast so many "goodstuff" effects that it's a no brainer why Corrupter has to be cut.

• Myr Convert for Grateful Apparition: Apparition has long been on the replacement list as it's a non-phyrexian. Myr Convert is a perfect replacement as it's another mana dork that can put poison counters on players. Losing a proliferation source is a loss, but given the horde of new Toxic creatures that proliferate off of one trigger or another, this overall is a net gain.

• Bloated Contaminator for Priests of Norn: Bloated Contaminator is actually my dream creature for the set. Evasion, Poison and Proliferate on a great body is just a dream come true. My only hope is that there is another creature just like it in March of the Machines. Priests of Norn is an okay creature for the most part but doesn't amount to much beyond just being a 1/4 infect creature.

• White Sun's Twilight for Winds of Abandon: I've always been somewhat disappointed with Winds of Abandon as it more likely than not can ramp my opponent far beyond my ability to stop them. Sure, a horde of tokens can be wiped out - but at what cost? White Sun's Twilight isn't exactly a one sided boardwipe, but it can get me a bunch of 1/1 creatures that put Poison counters on players on top of slowing them down.

• Vraska, Betrayal's Sting for Sheoldred, Whispering One: Obviously i'm happy to see Phyrexian themed planeswalkers and I'm overjoyed to see another Planeswalker with a focus on Poison counters. Swapping Vraska in for Sheoldred is both a mechanics and a flavor win - Sheoldred turned her back on Elesh Norn to pursue her own misguided and selfish desires along with the heretic Urbrask.

• Tyrranax Rex for Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger: I've enjoyed the Soft lock VoH places on the board just by virtue of being there alone, but I've felt that his control never really synchronized with the rest of the deck. Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider compliments the deck directly and is a huge flavor win. Tyrranax Rex just seems like the perfect upgrade as it is {1} CMC cheaper, has almost as many keywords as Questing Beast and places multiple Poison counters on an opponent when it hits. Rex in my eyes is a "backup" Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon in terms of power level and "feel".

• Phyresis Outbreak for Toxic Deluge: Phyresis Outbreak is the mass removal I've always wished for and is a direct upgrade to Deluge - within the context of this deck that is. This card is absolutely a must include.

• The Seedcore for Swamp: The Seedcore gives me Sliver Hive vibes, but having a card that fixes my mana in a 4 color deck and is a flavor win just seems like a no-brainer.

• Venerated Rotpriest for Glistener Elf: Venerated Rotpriest is just a deterrent as this deck has very few spells that I would consider worthwhile for targeting my own creatures. Glistener Elf is an okay card but within the context of EDH it's "meh". Late game it hardly makes an impact without a horde of +1/+1 counters and some form of evasion.

• Contaminant Grafter for Blight Mamba: Containment Grafter feels like a great card that can help reinforce a boardstate and put additional pressure on opponents mid to late game. Early game it would essentially help me run away with the game through conditional ramp and card advantage. Blight Mamba has honestly never done much for me and generally is as impactful as Glistener Elf.

Now comes the list of cards I think are at least worth considering (that I may or may not include) but don't exactly know what to cut to make room for:

• Staff of Compleation: This is a big flashy card that caught my attention given the myriad of things it can do. However without the right combo piece this card could end up doing me more harm than good.

• Glistening Sphere: There are very few {3} drop mana rocks that are worthwhile, but this one definitely caught my eye. I'm not sure if it's any better than Astral Cornucopia though, as i've been ramped into the stratosphere with just a few proliferation triggers. Not to mention it only gets better just by having Atraxa on the field. I really want to like this card, but it doesn't seem to make the cut. If only it were {2}

• Infectious Inquiry: this seems like an absolute must have and am honestly considering cutting Phyrexian Arena for it. Arena does nothing the turn it ETBs and if I draw it late game it'll literally do nothing. Infectious Inquiry on the otherhand is always relevant, replaces itself and draws me a card. I just can't help but feel like i'm missing something by cutting Phyrexian Arena. I want to go ahead with this decision but I can't help but feel apprehensive and would really like your thoughts on this one.

• Infectious Bite: I want to love this card but unfortunately besides the commander there are relatively few creatures whose bite would make any meaningful impact on the game. I think I might pass on this one.

• Prologue to Phyresis: Everything you said about this card is spot on, and it is relevant at any point of the game. The question is - what to cut for it? I think cutting Contagion Clasp might be the move on this one, but i'm not entirely sure. Clasp is very conditional removal but what's important is that it's a repeatable proliferation source. But, maybe the new inclusions will help offset the loss of a proliferation source? I think this is the right move but I would like to hear your thoughts.

"What's your experience with Blightsteel Colossus and Contagion Engine? Do they ever come out to the battlefield or just happen to be on-theme inclusions?" To answer your question both hit the battlefield on a regular basis. Blightsteel Colossus is surprisingly easy to cast with a proliferated Astral Cornucopia or Everflowing Chalice. One of my best plays was countering a Villainous Wealth with {X} being equal to 8 with Mana Drain and funneling that mana into a turn 5 Blightsteel. Contagion Engine is great for mass removal as well as a proliferation engine. If I tutor for it it's usually alongside Tangle Wire after Ichor Rats hit the field. It essentially grinds the game down to a snail's pace - or a halt under the right conditions.

End rant, sorry to write you a book but I had a lot on my mind. Please let me know what you think of all the upcoming changes!

MTGBurgeoning on Scion of the Ur-Dragon: Every. Dragon. Ever.

3 months ago

Unfortunately, no, but I wish it would! Once Scion of the Ur-Dragon becomes a copy of Ancient Gold Dragon, it loses its original activated ability, becoming an exact copy of AGD. Although Scion's ability can be activated in response to an activation (i.e. the Moltensteel Dragon + Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon combo), once Scion becomes a copy of a Dragon, that ability is lost until the next turn. That would be a sweet combo though!

Mortlocke on The Song of Phyresis

6 months ago

Hi MilesHiles,

Thank you for checking out my list and the +1. Superfriends definitely isn't my flavor as i'm something of a Vorthos but it appears we may have some really interesting Planeswalker options coming in the near future that I may want to integrate into this deck (i'm still giddy over Ajani). As for your question about Urza's Incubator, back in Modern Horizons 2 Wotc "retconned" roughly 225 creatures to have the subtype "Phyrexian" in addition to their other types. If you want to read my thoughts on the subject you can click on my deck update titled A "New" Phyrexian Tribe. The update also has the full list of creatures that are now Phyrexians if you would like a reference guide.

To put things more succinctly - with the exception of Grateful Apparition, every creature in this deck has the "Phyrexian" subtype. So when I play Urza's Incubator, I name Phyrexian and that will apply to (almost) every creature in the deck - yes including Atraxa as well. Note - Grateful Apparition's inclusion is only temporary. I wait with baited breath on a new creature to be printed who is hopefully mono white, has Proliferate, and Infect on it's body with good stats - something of a Mono-white Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon if you will.

Thanks for suggesting Semblance Anvil. I have honestly never heard of this card until now. It's going to live rent free in my brain until I can think of a good deck to house it in. Thanks again for commenting and i'll definitely be checking out your Atraxa build as well.

_Delta_ on Welcome to Phyrexia

6 months ago

Looks good so far, my only immediate suggestions would be to consider Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon, Ichor Rats, Blighted Agent and a few other infect things perhaps. Some of the sword cycle could be fun also like Sword of Truth and Justice.

TheOfficialCreator on Tiamat's 5 Color Dragons

6 months ago

The Ur-Dragon might be a good finisher, though with dragons I suppose anything is a finisher XD

Given the volume of fliers in this deck, it might be worth putting Regal Behemoth in.

Also, Scion of the Ur-Dragon + Moltensteel Dragon + Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon is usually game over for your opponent if Scion is allowed to connect.

Chasmolinker on So, You Wanna Play Jund Yea? (Budget)

7 months ago

Absolutely Kaweiwu!

I did have BBE in some of the early versions of the deck. The main reason is that there are better 4-drops and even a 5-drop that are strong finishers. Olivia Voldaren being the best of those. Also, with Riveteers Charm in the deck, it could be a bad hit off BBE as the most common mode choice is the second one.

You could definitely tweak the list by running 3-4 copies of Bloodbraid Elf, a playset of Nissa, Voice of Zendikar as the only planeswalker in the deck (Maybe keeping a single Liliana, the Last Hope, Domri, Anarch of Bolas or even Grist, the Hunger Tide), and really focus on the +1/+1 Counters plan with Bloodhall Ooze.

As the deck is now, there are several lines to victory:
Combat damage (Most common)
Ultimate Sorin the Mirthless
Posion Counters with Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
Endless Zombies with Liliana, the Last Hope

By cutting the 4+ MV cards for Bloodbraid Elf, the deck loses 2 win conditions. You could still run the higher MV cards, but risk cascading through them in the process.

Hope that helps a little bit. Thanks for the question!

carpecanum on Obscura

8 months ago

What type of deck do you like playing? That will answer that question. It looks to me like you could use a bit more ramp and maybe even a couple more lands.

I would put in one more of each basic land and 3 signets. The Bloodforged Battle-Axe and Grafted Exoskeleton could come out, you don't have a lot of defense to protect a planeswalker and a couple creatures fewer wouldn't mess up your deck balance. I am biased against the Exoskeleton because i've had it destroyed while on my biggest creature far too many times

Infect triggers a bunch of people so maybe get rid of the smaller infect creatures or go all in and get more. I would keep Tainted Strike and Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon unless you don't already own "Skittles" (its the most expensive card here I think so I'm assuming you already own it). If you go all in Blue has some awesome Infect creatures.

Mortlocke on The Song of Phyresis

9 months ago

Sterling0528, thanks for commenting on the page and sharing your thoughts. My logic for running Phyrexian Scriptures is between flavor and having a proliferation target in addition to a semi-one sided boardwipe. But to answer your question there is only one choice for what card I select to replace it: Toxic Deluge. Getting around Indestructible, and not having to wait on the saga to get to II to get your wrath effect already make the previously mentioned a superior choice. Also, the life loss can be somewhat mitigated by Atraxa, Praetors' Voice under the right circumstances. You also reminded me that there was a reprint that has flavor text from Papa Yawgmoth, so I decided to swap in that instance of Toxic Deluge in for Phyrexian Scriptures as it maintains my flavor requirements.

There are however some honorable mentions I thought of in case Deluge isn't to your taste:

• Culling Ritual in a more competitive meta can do wonders. I've seen this spell ramp a player in excess of 6 or 7 mana on a good turn. Depending on the shifts in my own meta I'm considering running this spell as well.

• Black Sun's Zenith is a card I find genuinely interesting, one that I experimented with in an earlier iteration of the deck that I think deserves a revisit.

What I would replace Priests of Norn with? No idea. Honestly it's just a placeholder for a better infect creature who will hopefully be printed in the near future. I'm really holding my breath for a for a mono-white color shifted Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon like creature. Given that infect is parasitic, the slot needs to be reserved for an infect creature. On that same note both Grateful Apparition and Spike Weaver are slated to be replaced when better options are printed. My wishlist would be a monowhite creature with infect and proliferate, and another new infect creature that doubles as a stax piece that breaks parity through the proliferation of counters (like Tangle Wire on a body). One can dream though.

What other changes would you make with the deck? Thanks for commenting.