Strands of Night

Enchantment

{B}{B}, Pay 2 life, Sacrifice a Swamp: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.

Legality

Format	Legality
1v1 Commander	Legal
Archenemy	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
Oathbreaker	Legal
Planar Constructed	Legal
Planechase	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Quest Magic	Legal
Vanguard	Legal
Vintage	Legal

Discussion (51)

GeminiSpartanX on Volrath, Voltron Reanimator

8 months ago

Profet93- Thanks for the suggestions! I think I will absolutely swap out Grimoire of the Dead for Skirge Familiar. Grimoire realistically costs 5 mana anyway since you need to activate its ability, and I have both Greed and a Sheoldred, the Apocalypse to add some combo elements to the deck.

I do have a Blightsteel Colossus, but it's not as useful for anti-milling since it only shuffles itself back into my deck rather than my whole graveyard. Against an infinite mill combo, it means I would be left with 1 card in my library, so I'd better win the next turn or die via decking. It IS a great creature, although it's tough to reanimate. For that reason I'll likely leave Strands of Night in the deck, as it's one of the 4 cards that can reanimate at instant speed. I might swap Victimize in for Exhume, but I'm always worried I won't have a creature out that I want to sac. I'll need to test out that theory more though.

The Broodlord is by far the easiest cut to make from the Beef section, and I agree that Torgaar isn't that great either. I do worry about having enough lifegain in the deck, so I'm planning to replace those with a Scion of Draco to give my black creatures lifelink while still having a high-cost pitchable creature, and adding the Sheoldred would also help on that front.

Archon does so much for me in drawing cards, killing creatures/PWs, and gaining life that I find it hard to cut. If I do cut it, I'd also probably cut Unmarked Grave since they go somewhat hand-in-hand, but I'm hesitant to do so.

Dauthi Voidwalker is un-cuttable imo, just as a way to make my Living Death or Exhumes better if nothing else. If I add my Bringer of the Last Gift, then even moreso I need that sort of effect. As far as cutting something that doesn't fit the deck's strategy, Opposition Agent is in the discussion since it's just a generally good card, but it might be too good to cut. Thoughts?

DreadKhan on Lost Boys

1 year ago

Glad we seem to be on the same page! If you want to pull Sorin's Thirst for better removal (and you like Terror), have you considered Reckless Spite, as a x1 or maybe x2?

Final things, I had a mono-Black vampire deck and liked Strands of Night in longer games (it is pretty sweet with stuff like Vampire Nighthawk), and I used Gatekeeper of Malakir as backup removal, nice if you can you hit {B}{B}{B}, I'm not sure if you'll have enough swamps, just wanted to mention it.

DreadKhan on Teysa pale booby

2 years ago

If you want a cheap source of bodies, Haakon, Stromgald Scourge can reanimate any knights, including Changelings. If you Final Parting for Haakon into the Yard and Nameless Inversion you can recast Inversion for 1B as many times as you want, potentially killing lots of stuff. If you use Haakon, you should look at ways to discard him incase you draw into him. I have run Avenger en-Dal to decent effect. Bloodsoaked Altar is a sneakily good card if you can stand to discard. Body Snatcher isn't super-cheap, but it's a ton of value and can discard Haakon. Bog Witch can turn any card into a Dark Ritual, which helps since your deck has a lot of Black costs. Devout Witness is handy if you don't want to run Disenchant because you need more creatures. Icatian Crier makes 2 bodies fwiw. Skirk Ridge Exhumer makes nifty bodies. The Restoration of Eiganjo  ^Flip not only makes bodies and discards, it also can recur something small, it can even ramp you if you recur a land. Undertaker is much cheaper than Tortured Existence, it's not as good but it's still solid. This isn't an exhaustive list, but these are some options if you want to try out Haakon.

If you use Haakon and something like Pawn of Ulamog or Sifter of Skulls, a sac outlet and Universal Automaton to get infinite death triggers. If you use a Knight that costs B to cast, there is Bog Initiate to fix. There are better things you can do than this, but this is pretty budget. If someone tries to exile your combo pieces, you can always sacrifice them to send them to your graveyard instead.

Varragoth, Bloodsky Sire is a pretty reasonable tutor, and if you need to, you can find an effect for someone else to use (hopefully to your benefit, like a board wipe or removal spell). Eye of Vecna is nice cheap card draw. Strands of Night is a cheap repeatable recursion source, something that is worth a look. Casting of Bones is pretty solid draw if you can count on having creatures you want dead, 3 cards is a lot for 3 mana.

griffstick on The Immortal Legion

2 years ago

I don't think this is what you are looking for but for sure this is a good one Strands of Night

seshiro_of_the_orochi on Le coq est mort... (Syrix, Carrier of the Flame)

2 years ago

Domthev: Thanks for the kudos, I'll be sure to have a look at your list. What're your thoughts on Strands of Night, btw?

It's a card I'm currently considering here, but the sacrificing of swamps might be an issue.

DrukenReaps on More cards like Phyrexian Reclamation

2 years ago

Strands of Night, Haunted Crossroads, and Demon of Dark Schemes may also work for you. Each has their downs and ups.

If you are interested in comboing or almost comboing Whisper, Blood Liturgist with Thornbite Staff will continue as long as you can keep sacrificing. It doesn't have to be done all at once but it will be a huge target once folks see it lol.

freezerboy on Mazirek's Blood Bank | V-DSK

3 years ago

If you wanted a more permanent recursion solution, could try Strands of Night. You get a sac outlet and a creature coming back. Looks like you have some ways to get lands back, so could come in handy if you're looking to get a bit more out of those mechanics.

linksdeity on Help with Voltron protection and …

3 years ago

Hello,

Let's begin with evasion - because answers run out and might not even be there.

My favorite way to make Volrath unblockable is discarding Filth with Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth in play. I also love Rime Transfusion and having Snow Covered Swamps. Manifold Key does double duty by also untapping big mana rocks or other toys like Quicksilver Amulet. Dragon Shadow is a decent option, and helps most of the other big creatures. Whispersilk Cloak is obvious, as is Rogue's Passage.

Some less obvious plays are using instant speed board wipes via Vedalken Orrery to clear the field right before your turn so nothing is left to block - or similar instant speed board wipe effects like cycling a Decree of Pain. Things like Pestilence/Pestilence Demon can clear the field with little threat to a pumped up Volrath. You could include a Breaker of Armies, which would absorb all of your opponents blocking creatures or also be discarded to Volrath for 8.

Ok, then you have protection. Normal stuff like Swiftfoot Boots and Lightning Greaves. Volrath gains a lot of protection and evasion from the swords of X and Y. Light and Shadow is a must play. Feast and Famine is a very high recommend followed by Fire and Ice. Imp's Mischief is invaluable in redirecting removal or countering a counterspell. You can run Not of This World for a good counter. Veilstone Amulet is a good option for protection as well.

Really you want some protection but if you focus more on ramping, haste, evasion, and other ways to continue putting pressure and threats out then the odds are that you will find a way through. Command Beacon and Netherborn Altar can help Volrath be cheaper, or even cheated into play. Have some reanimation effects, preferably those you can use repeatedly like Strands of Night and Sheoldred, Whispering One. Artisan of Kozilek is amazing when you can hit 9 and bring another major threat out. If they "deal" with Volrath it just means they have less answers for Phage the Untouchable or Blightsteel Colossus, or the next time Volrath lands and swings.