Stronghold Assassin

Creature — Zombie Assassin

Sacrifice a creature: Destroy target nonblack creature.

Discussion (49)

Shabompistan on Monster Hunter: Chevill

1 month ago

Labone I'll preface this by saying I have not quite developed this deck to its fullest potential. My casual playgroup finds this deck very frustrating to play against in the casual meta, so I've abandoned it for now unfortunately.

For the planeswalker, Vraska the Unseen was originally in Garruk, Cursed Huntsman's spot. I choose Garruk for two reasons: he has card draw attached to removal which can net two two cards per dead creature when combined with Chevill. And secondly I simply like the theme of Garruk better. Any Vraska would still be a good addition, but I would personally not use Vraska, Swarm's Eminence for reasons I will explain below.

This is not a deathtouch tribal deck, this is a removal tribal deck. The difference being that this deck values simple removal spells such as Doom Blade over good deathtouch creatures such as Vampire Nighthawk.

From the cards you mentioned: Hooded Blightfang, Leyline Prowler, Vampire Nighthawk, Poison-Tip Archer, Ochran Assassin, Hornet Queen, Archetype of Finality, Gifted Aetherborn are all deathtouch creatures. While they are good creatures on their own, they are not the focus of this deck so they are left out for lower CMC removal spells.

Titan Hunter isn't a bad idea, lifedrain is a viable win condition for this deck.

Twinblade Assassins: Essentially a worse Deathreap Ritual. It would be a good add if the deck was in need for more draw, but I'm okay with the amount of draw this deck currently has.

Ravenous Chupacabra: A very mana inefficient removal spell. Without any recursion in the deck to make it shine, it doesn't stand up to the many 2 drop removal spells.

Royal Assassin isn't bad, but it is very conditional. I would rather go for a Stronghold Assassin or something else that has no conditions.

Hope this helps.

Chompythebeast on Queen Marchesa

4 months ago

Demonic Tutor and Vampiric Tutor are must-runs in black, but maybe belong on your "Sideboard" for now. Diabolic Intent is also super good with tokens and might be cheap enough to run outright. Enlightened Tutor has enough targets in your deck also.

Other general bombs: Catastrophe (an incredible wipe in general, often slept upon), Axis of Mortality (wtf why does nobody run this, you should exercise your queenly authority and tell people that their life total now belongs to the crown), Solemn Simulacrum (ramp in non-green, though sadly in the same slot as your gen at 4 mana), Vedalken Orrery (surprise! always good), Exquisite Blood (biiiig time lifegain, can be a ridiculous difference maker)

Nobles: Falkenrath Aristocrat, King Macar, the Gold-Cursed, Torbran, Thane of Red Fell. I dunno though. At least the Aristocrat is a hawt mamma.

Tokens: Anger, Filth (combos huge with anyone playing Urborg, or even just any black deck), Archetype of Aggression (Trample combos really well with Deathtouch, since you only need to deal one damage to the creature to be lethal and the rest of the damage tramples over), Archetype of Finality, Street Riot, Berserkers' Onslaught, Rage Reflection, Brave the Sands (Vigilance also combos really well First Strike + Death Touch, as does being able to block multiple creatures—basically a wall effect like Norn's Annex), Eldrazi Monument (very cool with token generation), Goblin War Drums, Intimidation, Mirror Entity, Nahiri, Storm of Stone (cutie Nahiri!), Radiant Destiny, Silverwing Squadron (token time), Grenzo, Havoc Raiser (Goads, pretty damn good card, seems popular in Marchesa decks), Skullclamp (big time card draw for your 1/1 tokens), Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs (another wall/token generator), Anointed Procession (double tokens!)

Other Royal Shit: Dreadhorde Invasion (creates Armies (fun flavor), tokens, Lifelink potential), Mobilized District (makes Citizen land, big flavor), Giant Killer (removal + Peasant + taps), Sengir Autocrat (SERFS!!), Righteous War (wild flavor, pretty solid evasion, gives your general Protection from Black AND White, could actually be a huge sleeper card), Stronghold Assassin (also an Assassin, obviously)

Powerful Women & Bad Bitches: Imposing Sovereign (also a Noble), Linden, the Steadfast Queen (also a noble), Agent of Masks (also an Advisor + "Aristocrats" staple), Diaochan, Artful Beauty (also an Advisor, could be neat with Hexproof lol), Masako the Humorless (also an Advisor, also fucking savage holy shit look at her), Orzhov Advokist (I know you've got it in the Maybelist, but it's so on-theme and it may or may not be better than Norn's Annex), Teysa Karlov (also an Advisor, great for tokens, you already have her other baller version), Etali, Primal Storm (I dunno, Elder, he's good), Zetalpa, Primal Dawn (same as before, also she's probably female so yeah), Massacre Girl (also an Assassin), Avatar of Woe, Silent Assassin (also a sexy Assassin), Thorn of the Black Rose (also an Assassin, themey, weak though, I suppose), Adriana, Captain of the Guard (wild with wide/tokens), angelic field marshall, Dark Impostor (also an Assassin), Danitha Capashen, Paragon, Stoneforge Mystic (big time with equipments, seriously some formats have called for her to be banned she's such a bad girl) Thalia, Heretic Cathar, Twilight Prophet (woah)

Tax/Bones: Kambal, Consul of Allocation (seriously amazing, most Marchesa decks run it, also an Advisor), Sheoldred, Whispering One, Urabrask the Hidden, Mikaeus, the Unhallowed, Pontiff of Blight (biiig beef, Marchesa controls the church), Wound Reflection (serious finisher, should really consider), Dictate of Erebos, Mogis, God of Slaughter, Fate Unraveler, Ankh of Mishra, Polluted Bonds (Ankh of Mishra on steroids, actually pretty broken card overall, probably should strongly consider it)

Multiplayer Shenanigans: Scandalmonger, Warmonger, and Wishmonger (wild times, probably too wild but they can be game finishers in weird ways); Varchild's War-Riders, Assault Suit, Goblin Assassin (also an Assassin), Embereth Skyblazer

Auras/Equipment: Kusari-Gama (super savage with Deathtouch), Helm of the Host (big theme on the flavor text, also a great card in general), Tenza, Godo's Maul, Angelic Destiny, Argentum Armor, Battle Mastery, Blackblade Reforged (a gen-equiping classic), Blessing of Leeches (Instant-speed free regeneration? This is another sleeper card, and it even has an amazing feminie art), Shadowspear, Colossus Hammer (kinda amazing with your gen), Embercleave, Whispersilk Cloak (you know Marches owns one of these), Fireshrieker (beefer)

Gbeail on It's Treason, Then

4 months ago

For instant speed sacrifice there's Carrion Feeder for one mana, and Flesh-Eater Imp which costs more but has infect so it can on occasion one shot someone. Then for more value from a sacrifice there's Stronghold Assassin which in this deck lets you take out two creatures, the one you took control of and any other of your choice. Then Sadistic Hypnotist is instant speed and makes them discard. Then for card draw there's Vampiric Rites a repeatable Altar's Reap and Costly Plunder is the same as Altar's Reap. And other card draw is Bushmeat Poacher and Smothering Abomination but that last one may kill some of your creatures by accident.

GenesisOdin on Mr. Steal Yo Gorl

7 months ago

As Pro_Noob said, Bone Splinters is great and all, but if you can get a Stronghold Assassin it does roughly the same thing, but is repeatable as a creature.

Victimize is also fun in decks like this, as you can sacrifice their creature and get back two of your own. Similarly, Rescue from the Underworld can let you sacrifice their creature and bring back one of your own, but you'll also permanently steal theirs as well (really fun when used on someone's Eldrazi :P).

That's all I got for you from a quick look. I have a similar themed deck myself, so I know the fun it can be (for those of us on the piloting end, anyways lol).

Deadpoo111 on Korvold's Token Buffet

8 months ago

Stronghold Assassin seems really weak? Like you have to untap with it, which probably won't happen. I'd highly suggest Bontu the Glorified . Oof, Scheming Symmetry ? I think I'd rather run Vampiric Tutor it can also replace Wishclaw Talisman It seems like you're giving the combo players too many tools in competitive.

TitaniumTP on K'rrick Kobain and his Monster Mash

10 months ago

Let's get down to business, shall we?

DELETE THIS

Venser's Journal , Mindcrank , Armillary Sphere , Dash Hopes , Doomblade, Street Wraith , Leshrac's Sigil ,

QUESTIONABLE

Noosegraf Mob , Phyrexian Reclamation , Kaya's Ghostform , Blood Tribute , Whip of Erebos , Armillary Sphere , Reiver Demon , Pestilence Demon , Magus of the Mirror , Endling , Bloodthirsty Aerialist

At first glance these are what I think you should delete and think about deleting.

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COMBO TIME

I notice that you have combo potential with Mikaeus, the Unhallowed . The only 2 card combo with him is Mikaeus, the Unhallowed and Triskelion . All other combos with him require 4 pieces.

1. The man (zombie?) himself: Mikaeus, the Unhallowed

2. Sac outlet - Viscera Seer , - Ashnod's Altar , - Carrion Feeder ,

3. The Sacrifice (something with persist, or that can somehow remove the +1/+1 counter from Mikaeus, the Unhallowed ) - Lesser Masticore , - Putrid Goblin , - Skinrender if you put the 3 -1/-1 counters on itself each time it enters, - Puppeteer Clique , - Lingering Tormentor ,

4. ALL THESE TRIGGERS - Bitter Ordeal for infinite exiling of decks, - Falkenrath Noble for infinite damage, - Vindictive Vampire for infinite damage, - Zulaport Cutthroat for infinite damage, - Vengeful Dead for infinite damage, only if sacrificed creature is a zombie, - Blood Artist for infinite damage, - Pitiless Plunderer for infinite mana, - Pawn of Ulamog for infinite colorless mana, - Deathgreeter for infinite life, - Smothering Abomination for infinite card draw,

MORE COMBO

You also have the 3 piece combo of

1. Sanguine Bond
2. Exquisite Blood
3. Anything that either causes you to gain life, or an opponent to lose life - Leechridden Swamp , - Ebony Charm , - Death Cultist , - Nightmare's Thirst

I recommend using instant speed interaction for the 3rd piece of the combo, so you can respond to removal by winning

If you decide to follow The Way of The Combo, you should also add library searching effectz to help make sure you always find your pieces.

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LIBRARY SEARCHIN EFFECTZ

Expedition Map for finding lands for ramp, or combo pieces if you go for the aforementioned Leechridden Swamp combo Scheming Symmetry , Behold the Beyond , Demonic Collusion , Diabolic Tutor , Final Parting , Mastermind's Acquisition , Doomsday , Demonic Collusion , Dark Petition

The more combo and storm heavy your deck is, the more search library cards you will want to add.

EXTORT OP

Basilica Screecher , Thrull Parasite , Syndicate Enforcer

Nothing much to add here, but extort is so broken in this deck. Extort will be extra powerful in storm builds.

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Okay, it's Mana Time

Caged Sun

COOL LANDS

Castle Locthwain , swamp with benefits, Thespian's Stage , can become a copy of other dank lands like Temple of the False God and Cabal Stronghold , Crystal Vein , pop it on the turn where you're going to try and win, Westvale Abbey  ^Flip, potential wincon, Leechridden Swamp , potential combo piece and also fun to use with leftover mana, Bottomless Vault , probably sucks but you could use it in a storm deck, Memorial to Folly , Mortuary Mire , Temple of the False God , Myriad Landscape , ramp that looks like a land

Mana Rocks

Cryptolith Fragment  ^Flip probably not good, Thran Dynamo , super epic, Hedron Archive , Prismatic Lens , Fractured Powerstone , you know you want this for the planeschase ability, Sisay's Ring , Ur-Golem's Eye , Liliana of the Dark Realms , Nirkana Revenant , Paradise Plume , Magus of the Coffers , Black Market

For mana rocks you want the best bang for your buck, since you can just pay life instead of {B}. I like the mana rocks that cost {4} but tap for {2}, and the ones that cost {2} and tap for {1}. The more control heavy your deck is, the more rocks you want.

Ramp

Wayfarer's Bauble , Burnished Hart

Lots of Mana Fast

Cabal Ritual , Bubbling Muck , Spoils of Evil , Culling the Weak , Sacrifice , Dark Ritual , Songs of the Damned

Getting giant bursts of mana is good in any mono Black deck, but you should invest more heavily the more combo and storm themed your deck is, since you want to pop off in a single turn and cast 1,000 spells.

Investments

Basal Sliver , Blood Pet , Bog Witch , Overeager Apprentice , Basal Thrull , Priest of Yawgmoth , Blood Vassal , Soldevi Adnate

A lot of these cards that are single time use mana sources would be great in a storm deck where you would just build up your load until you bust damage all over the faces of those unfortunate enough to be within 50m of you. They're also good in reanimation decks, which could utilize Phyrexian Reclamation to keep getting them back.

Summary:

The more control heavy your deck is, the more mana rocks you want. If you're going for combos then you want more quick mana. The only land I'm gonna have to 100% recommend is Thespian's Stage . Keep in mind that the more nonbasic lands you have in your deck, the less useful cards like Crypt Ghast and Cabal Stronghold will be.

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TRIBAL

Zombie Tribal

Corpse Harvester , library search, Cemetery Reaper , lord, Undead Warchief , epic lord, Josu Vess, Lich Knight , wincon, Endless Ranks of the Dead , wincon, Death Baron , lord, Liliana's Mastery , lord, Graveborn Muse , card draw, Zombie Master , protection, Graf Harvest , team evasion, Fleshbag Marauder , saccy, Phyrexian Delver , recovery, Cryptbreaker , card draw, Lord of the Accursed , lord, Shepherd of Rot , hurty everyone, Stronghold Assassin , funny removal, Loyal Subordinate , Liliana, Death's Majesty , potential finisher, Grave Titan , Open the Graves , board wipe protection, especially good if you're going all in on creature aggro, Curse of Disturbance , Awaken the Erstwhile , once you're in an advantageous position just cast this and watch your opponents cry, Tombstone Stairwell , this would be especially epic if you have cards to buff your boys, Risen Executioner , lord

Some cards that could be spicy in zombie tribal. Epic combos would be lords such as Cemetery Reaper and Lord of the Accursed , and fatties such as Army of the Damned and Josu Vess, Lich Knight . Having tons of zombies also combos with Pontiff of Blight . I think that Eldrazi Monument in a zombie build is nightmare fuel.

Vampire Tribal

Sanctum Seeker , Kalastria Highborn , Blade of the Bloodchief , Bloodlord of Vaasgoth , Malakir Bloodwitch , Bloodline Keeper  ^Flip, Gatekeeper of Malakir , Nirkana Revenant , Drana, Liberator of Malakir , Sadistic Skymarcher , Defiant Bloodlord , Yahenni, Undying Partisan , Butcher of Malakir , Cordial Vampire , Bloodtracker ,

If you decide vampire tribal is better, here are some options. I would only play cards like Blood Tribute if you're going vampire tribal, I don't think it's worth to play unless you can get more value than just chopping 1 player's life in half.

To Go with Your Creature Spam, Sir...

Dowsing Dagger  ^Flip, Mask of Memory , Necropolis Regent , Bloodforged Battle-Axe , Explorer's Scope , Throne of the God-Pharaoh , Whip of Erebos

Buff My Team!

Sword of the Paruns , Intimidation , Death Pit Offering , Eldrazi Monument , Obelisk of Urd

Summary:

The more of one tribe you have, the more synergy you have. Only include lords if you're all in on that tribe.

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REMOVAL

Targeted Removal

Hero's Downfall , Vraska's Contempt , Murder , Murderous Rider , Noxious Gearhulk , Malicious Affliction , New Blood , Ruinous Path , Tendrils of Corruption , Bone Splinters , Liturgy of Blood

Epic Board Wipes

Decree of Pain , Crux of Fate , Kindred Dominance , Bontu's Last Reckoning , Do or Die , Hellfire , Necromantic Selection

Summary: Use more board wipes the more control heavy you want your deck to be. Try to choose targeted removal such that the end cost will only be {1} and some life, so that it will be as cheap as possible. This is especially important in storm builds. Since we play multiplayer quite a bit, you'll probably want to add extra board wipes, especially the ones that draw you cards or come bundled with reanimation.

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Wow, I Hate Minorities

Wow, I hate tokens

Ritual of Soot , Force of Despair

Wow, Green is Cancer

Perish

Wow, I hate when other people play spells

Painful Quandary

Wow, I hate when other people attack me

No Mercy , Dread , Koskun Falls

Wow, I hate myself

Season of the Witch (okay, maybe not that much Revenge of Ravens )

Wow, I hate lifegain

Tainted Remedy , False Cure

Wow, I hate real board wipes

Sudden Spoiling , Mutilate , Languish , Massacre Girl , Golden Demise

Wow, I hate burst damage

Palace Siege , Polluted Bonds

Wow, I hate my opponents having creatures

Dictate of Erebos , Grave Pact , Butcher of Malakir

Wow, I hate this one person in particular

Curse of Vengeance , Trespasser's Curse , Curse of Fool's Wisdom

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Lifegain

Profane Memento , Crypt Incursion , Vampiric Link , Loxodon Warhammer , Kokusho, the Evening Star , Cavalier of Night , Whip of Erebos

Protection

Rush of Vitality

Benefit from Death

Ogre Slumlord , Shadows of the Past

Cool Card Draw

Moonlight Bargain , Promise of Power , Succumb to Temptation , Ransack the Lab , Infernal Contract , Necrologia , Carnival of Souls , Grim Haruspex , Night's Whisper , Succumb to Temptation , Phyrexian Etchings , Cruel Bargain , Dark Deal , Foreboding Fruit , Live Fast , Painful Lesson , Necropotence

Add more card draw the more stormy you want your deck to be. Also try to add ones that will cost the least amount of mana if you take your commander's ability into account.

Card Draw Requiring Sacrifice

Altar's Reap , Costly Plunder , Morbid Curiosity , Bankrupt in Blood , Skulltap , Merciless Resolve

These will be better in decks where you're sure you'll have tons of creatures. So adding these into zombie tribal would probably be a good idea, since you have things like Army of the Damned and Josu Vess, Lich Knight that produce a million tokens.

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Storm Build Cards

Aphotic Wisps , Cremate , Succumb to Temptation , Yawgmoth's Will , Ill-Gotten Gains , Priest of Forgotten Gods , Skirge Familiar , Rain of Filth , Dredge , Gravebind , Nighthaze , Street Wraith

The idea of a storm deck is to cast as many spells in one turn as possible, building up a fat storm counter to execute all who oppose us with our 3 finishers, which are Aetherflux Reservoir , Tendrils of Agony and perhaps Empty the Pits . You'll want lots of cheap spells that only cost {B} mana and replace themselves, such as Aphotic Wisps . One time use mana is also dank here, such as Dark Ritual and Cabal Ritual , and creatures like Basal Thrull and Soldevi Adnate .

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Win Cons to think about

• Thieving Amalgam , epic value over time (a 2/2 on each opponent's upkeep),
• Sorin Markov , there health becomes 10,
• Army of the Damned , lots of zombies,
• Josu Vess, Lich Knight , lots of zombies,
• Grave Betrayal , steal everyone's creatures, good in control builds with lots of board wipes,
• Pestilence , add it,
• Revel in Riches , also good in control builds with lots of board wipes,
• Aetherflux Reservoir , storm/combo builds,
• Tendrils of Agony , storm,
• Empty the Pits , storm,
• Pontiff of Blight , use in creature heavy builds, like zombie tribal,
• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Putrid Goblin + Ashnod's Altar + Blood Artist combo ,
• Mikaeus, the Unhallowed + Triskelion combo

6000j on

1 year ago

As someone who's played Gisa and Geralf for the past 2 years, you're missing a decent chunk of things.

First and foremost is any kind of interaction. Counterspells and kill spells are incredibly incredibly incredibly important, and the deck doesn't really function if you don't run enough. I personally like Ghastly Demise as a neat one that isn't the usual one, but overall imo you need ~8 counterspells/kill spells.

You're running a lot of cards that don't really do anything. Gisa and Geralf is a deck based around value imo, and running cards that are purely P/T lords limits the decks ability to function when you don't have your commander out. Along the same line, cards that just make tokens aren't great either (with an exception of Noosegraf Mob, that card is fantastic because it demands an answer all alone).

You're playing a lot of expensive cards, which usually means you can't cast them and do anything else on the same turn, but overall how you want to play the deck is definitely up to you, I've opted for a slimmer curve and try to win by just grinding the game out very consistently.

Some cards I love that you aren't running are Corpse Augur , Vindictive Lich , and Stronghold Assassin . Corpse Augur is just so many cards so consistently, Lich is just value value value, and can make people discard in their draw steps as well if you have a sac outlet. Stronghold Assassin is just such a powerful threat of activation, and it can sac itself to dodge exile as well.

I hope you enjoy the commander, here's my list if you want to see how i've built it: https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/gisa-and-geralf-toolbox-combo/

goodair on Budget Prossh

1 year ago

Considering your on a tight budget, Id cut these:
Rhythm of the Wild (unless you play vs alot of blue control, Love this card but I cut this quick when I realized how many things it doesn't affect that I care about)
Comet Storm
Chain Reaction (maybe keep, it kinda liek blasphemous act but you would have a betetr idea how well it does in your group!)
Stronghold Assassin
Savage Ventmaw
Vampiric Rites
Chancellor of the Forge
Forgotten Ancient
Plaguecrafter
Catacomb Sifter
Deathbringer Thoctar
Atarka, World Render